Saturday, December 28, 2019

Cross Border Insolvency Free Essay Example, 1250 words

Topic: Cross Border Insolvency Instructions: Question: In relation to the respective >rescue= processes of the insolvency law regimes of USA, Australia and UK, outline: a ) common characteristics b) any significant differences In any case: c) how compatible are those processes d) how would the event of any incompatability affect the development and employment of a cross border recognition and assistance law between those jurisdictions Perhaps one should, from the outset, seek to clarify what is usually meant by the term >rescue= in the various legal regimes under consideration. Some legal regimes refer to the concept of rehabilitation. However in most cases, the latter concept is taken to refer to the rehabilitation of the person who would have been engaged in business and who >finds= himself in a situation of an inability to satisfy his debts. Within the more advanced legal systems when the latter deals with insolvency and bankruptcy, one usually finds a mechanism which would come in force given certain predetermined circumstances. This mechanism has the scope of actually attempting to minimise the various not so desirable effects, both on the individuals concerned as well as on the business units involved, which a situation of insolvency brings about. We will write a custom essay sample on Cross Border Insolvency or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now It can be said to be a recognition of the fact that a situation of insolvency not only effects the person or company who or which is going through a process of bankruptcy but ultimately effects also the economy as a whole. In fact the amount of bankruptcies currently being undergone within a country is usually taken as an indication of how well that particular economy is faring. In the UK a review Group within the Department of Trade and Industry and HM Treasury opined that the trend seems to favour furthering the rescue culture. Whenever possible emphasis should be laid on the assisting of companies in order that the latter might be placed in a position to as much as possible overcome what may in the ultimate analysis be temporary financial difficulties. It is submitted that in these types of situations, the problem is to assess exactly how temporary is temporary and numerous instances occour when what started off as being temporary resulted in the end of being permanent. In that report the emphasis seemed to be placed on the possible avoidance of liquidation and towards the furthering of a culture of a predisposition towards the preservation of a business unit as a going concern1. Before the coming into force of the 1986 Insolvency Act in the UK, there were three kinds of liquidation procedures, namely members, creditors= and compulsory when the company was insolvent.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Essay about Lung Cancer Research - 1879 Words

â€Å"Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of death in both men and women in the US, with over 158,900 deaths in 1999. Worldwide, lung cancer kills over 1 million people a year. Extensive prospective epidemiologic data clearly establish cigarette smoking as the major cause of lung cancer. It is estimated that about 90% of male lung cancer deaths and 75–80% of lung cancer deaths in the US are caused by smoking each year† (Hecht, 1999). Clearly, lung cancer is an important and widespread disease that constitutes a major public health problem. This was not always so. Some 150 years ago, it was an extremely rare disease. In 1878, malignant lung tumors represented only 1% of all cancers seen at autopsy in the Institute of Pathology of the†¦show more content†¦In the 1950s Doll and Hill in England and Cuyler Hammond and Ernest Wynder in the U.S. provided further evidence for a causal association between smoking and lung cancer. Yet, it took a long time until the truth was fully accepted. Smokers, including many physicians, who enjoyed cigarettes could or would not want to imagine or refused to believe that the habit (addiction would be more appropriate) was detrimental to their health. In this context it is interesting to note that 2 personalities who helped like few others to make us aware that chemicals in the environment could cause cancer, strangely failed to grasp the impact of smoking. Wilhelm C. Hueper started out as a physician in industry. By repeatedly and doggedly pointing out possible links between exposure to chemicals in manufacturing processes and the increased incidence of cancer in workers he became unpopular with management, to the extent that on some occasions he was barred from presenting or discussing his findings and conclusions. And yet he maintained that smoking was not a factor in the etiology of lung cancer in humans. Rachel Carson, who in her Silent Spring warned of impending disaster of cancer caused by envi ronmental chemicals never mentions tobacco smoke. Since then, tobacco smoke has become not only the most important carcinogen in our environment, but probably also the only one where we could accomplish—and in many places actually already haveShow MoreRelatedResearch Problem Lung cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in the lungs. This abnormal growth can900 Words   |  4 PagesResearch Problem Lung cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in the lungs. This abnormal growth can occur in either one of both of the lungs. The abnormal cells cause the development of unhealthy lung tissue, which causes the lungs to not function properly. The main function of the lungs is to provide oxygen to the body via the blood. Some of the symptoms of lung cancer are a persistent cough, shortness of breath, recurrent pneumonia, change in sputum, and coughing up blood (What is Lung,). LungRead MoreResearch on Lung Cancer Risk Factors370 Words   |  2 Pagesï » ¿The reason the majority of this research on lung cancer risk factors can be dated to the 1990s is because this period was defined by an increased societal awareness to the adverse health effects of smoking tobacco. During the 1990s, over 40 states filed federal lawsuits against major American tobacco companies, and the growing involvement of the Surgeon Generals office motivated many independent researchers to narrow their focus to lung cancer and its causes. Furthermore, this period of timeRead MoreLung Cancer: Research Project Review533 Words   |  2 Pages In order to fulfill the requirements of the assigned project, our group performed research related tasks. Research is ultimately about assigning facts, figures and arguments to larger ideas for practical reasons that hopefully produce more benefits than not. Our groups topic deals with the disease of lung cancer. In our quest to learn more about this reality of life, it became necessary to implement the research process to further our knowledge and complete the necessary requirements of this projectRead MoreLung Cancer: The Relationship Between Gender, Age, and Ethnicity830 Words   |  4 PagesHINTS is an acronym for Health Information National Trends Survey and its purpose is to collect cancer-related data on a national level (HINTS, 2007). The goal of HINTS is to assess how information pertaining to cancer is accessed, how the risk of developing cancer is viewed by the public, how the course of communication has changed, and how the patterns of health has changed through the course of the past several years (HINTS, 2007). Once data has been collected, researchers are able to gain a betterRead MoreLung Cancer Term Paper1559 Words   |  7 PagesLung Cancer Week 6 Term Paper for Professor Inglis Kelvin Samuels Introduction My topic for this term paper will be lung cancer. This topic was chosen because I have pass family whove lost their lives to lung cancer. I believe the best way to start is by defining the disease. We will then take a glance at statistics and risk factors for lung cancer. Next will look at lung cancer symptoms, staging and treatment, and finally I will draw my final conclusion. I. What is Lung Cancer? A simple andRead MoreLung Cancer1476 Words   |  6 PagesThe Genetics of Lung Cancer Catherine Hayworth BIO 355A/357A June 14, 2012 Colorado Christian University Cancer can be one of the hardest battles that one must face, whether that battle is lost or won, it changes the lives of everyone involved. Lung cancer is one of the most diagnosed cancers and it affects the lining of the lungs and the ability to breathe. Lung cancer is the number one killer of men and women than any other cancer worldwide. This cancer is mostly found in smokers andRead MoreThe Effect Of Nanoparticles On Lung Cancer1323 Words   |  6 PagesThe Effect of Nanoparticles on Lung Cancer As time has gone on, the search to find a cure to lung cancer continues to this day. Researchers and scientists have spent years constructing numerous labs and tests trying to find an answer to the age old disease that has taken the lives of thousands. Lung cancer involves the rapid growth of unknown cells in the lung region. Unfortunately, similar to many other forms of cancer, it is difficult to detect symptoms at an early stage. In most cases, patientsRead MoreCancer : A Disease That Caused By Uncontrolled Division Of Abnormal Cells Essay1617 Words   |  7 Pages Lung Cancer Melissa Flores St. Pius X St. Matthias Academy General Biology, Period 4 Ms. Washington Cancer General Information Cancer is a disease that is caused by uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in the part of our human bodies (American Heart Society [AHS], 2015). There are more than 100 diseases that have to do with cancer. In the world today, hundreds of people are diagnosed with cancer . Cancers that are untreated can cause serious illnesses and deaths. Cells in theRead MoreCause And Effect Of Lung Cancer Essay1334 Words   |  6 Pages Lung cancer is one of the most lethal cancer known throughout the world. The most common suspect of that is smoking, then what happens to the people who inhales the smokers’ smoke? Are they also at risk for developing lung cancer from being a victim? The answer to that right now is that secondhand smoke alone is just a risk factor, there are no evidence right now that currently show that secondhand smoke alone can cause lung cancer by itself. This means that we need to encourage studies that areRead MoreAssociation between Air Polluiton and Lung Cancer761 Words   |  3 Pagesepidemiologic studies have found an association between ambient air pollution and lung cancer. This evidence lead the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to report air pollution as a category 1 or definite cause of cancer. The IARC reviewed over 1000 studies from five continents and covering many different scientific fields. They concluded that air pollution is linked to increased cancer i ncidence, with lung cancer being the most prevalent (Pope, 2013). Air pollution occurs when the air is

Thursday, December 12, 2019

My Lai Massacre free essay sample

The Massacre At My Lai Starting in 1964, the war at Vietnam seemed necessary and useful, in the minds of the public. After years of combat, the American opinion slowly worsened, and by 1967, the war was highly questionable. The public support was completely lost after the information of the gruesome massacre at My Lai was leaked. During all of this, the American public was trying to figure out how the Americans who partook in this event became so evil. While secondary sources provide information about the United States soldiers, the details of the My Lai Massacre, and the trial of Lieutenant Calley, oral history grants the historian a wider perspective by showing the soldiers’ motives for revenge and the emotions of those involved. The United States soldiers in Vietnam experienced a war unlike any other in America’s history. One of the main reasons that this war was so different was that the conditions of the soldiers were so terrible. One soldier described what it was actually like living in Vietnam. We lived out in the jungle and patrolled three villages. We moved from one village to another all the time. You didnt want to stay in one spot for too long. The enemy would try to find out where we were and try to ambush us. So, usually at about 2 a. m. we started to move around from one village to another† (Alex Ditinno). This man shows how terrible their living conditions are. After having a constant fear of being ambushed, having to sleep in dirty and uncomfortable environments for days, and having to wake up in the middle of the night to leave villages, the soldier’s minds are going to be effected. The average age of a soldier in the war was nineteen years old. Before their brains are even fully developed they experience such atrocities that they grow an enormous hatred inside. The only people that they can bring out that hatred on were the Vietnamese. The enemies were known to the Americans as the Viet Cong. They were different than in previous enemies in that an American soldier could never tell if they were the enemy, or not. They would blend into society so well that everybody would just see them as civilians, until or course, when they came out at night as Viet Cong ready to kill any American in sight. They were known as â€Å"Rice farmers by day, guerillas by night† (Al Doyle). In not knowing who the enemy was, there were often misunderstandings, leading to mass murder of civilians. In an attempt the not kill civilians, many soldiers tried to be lenient in their killing, and only kill when absolutely sure it was the enemy, which didn’t happen too often (Vietnam War: Oral Histories). One soldier had an unbelievably remarkable experience with this. â€Å"We found this young womanin her  early 20s at most lying on the road as we swept it for mines†¦Ã‚  She had been shot at point blank range sometime during the night. It was alleged that she was a Viet Cong sympathizer†¦ It was hard to believe someone as young and innocent looking as she could be the enemy but we soon learned that we could never be sure who to trust. She was the first dead person I ever saw in my life, but there would be many more† (Steven Curtis). This man had just entered war and the effects of it had just started. Supposedly this woman was an enemy, but he never could have known that. Of all of the people in his village, she was one of the least suspicious, though one could never tell with the Viet Cong (The Enemy). The Viet Cong, although only at night, were fierce, and sneaky fighters. The Viet Cong mainly used methods of booby traps and rocket firing. Since they were so sneaky, they would rarely go up and shoot somebody with a gun, and risk the loss of their own death. One man experienced a terrible form of this. â€Å"We received shelling (rocket fire) constantly every day. We had to live underground in trenches. We had to live with the rats† (Tom Hall). This man withstood constant rocket fire without being able to do anything. Killing people wouldn’t help him to relieve his anger, because he would never be able to know who to kill. He lived in the dirty trenches for days, with nothing to do, but wait for it all to be over. The Viet Cong also used mines. They would lay them all over the forest and the Americans would never know where was safe. Since the Viet Cong lived there, they had an advantage in knowing where everything was, and being able to cope with the forest environment. Nobody could see in the forest at night, so not knowing the area was a huge disadvantage. One man couldn’t even differentiate a human being from a dog in one of his experiences at Vietnam. â€Å"We waited all night and we shot at them, but most of the time you couldnt see what you were shooting at†¦ Early the next morning, the bushes started rattling and we out loaded in the bushes. It ended up being a dog† (Larry MacIntire). After this man and his group thought they were shooting at the enemy all night, it turned out that they had only shot at a dog. Their efforts had been diminished, and what they were fighting for became useless. The Viet Cong were cruel fighters and killed many Americans without even being noticed (Vietnam War: Oral Histories). What Charlie Company did was a terrible thing, but could not be blamed entirely on them because they didn’t know exactly what they were actually doing. In the many weeks before the massacre, the group had suffered many deaths via mines, and other booby traps. After going through so much Captain Hodges decided it was enough. He stated, â€Å"This was a time for us to get even. A time for us to settle the score. A time for revengewhen we can get even for our fallen comrades. (Captain Hodges). Although now it might seem terrible that they let out there anger by killing innocent people, it was not known at the time that they were innocent, and they simply wanted to kill the enemy. The exact details of the mission were to search and destroy everything in the village. Everybody was ordered to kill everybody in sight, because they were thought to be Viet Cong. Most o f the men killed people out of their sheer anger, but not one of them killed as much as Lieutenant Calley. He got more than one hundred people and forced them all to go into a ditch. He shot, and killed every single one of them. He even shot a baby right in the head at point blank. (Massacre at My Lai) On that March 16th 1968, 504 people were killed. Fifty of whom were younger than three, sixty-nine were between the ages of four and seven, ninety-one were between eight and twelve, and twenty-seven were in their seventies of eighties (People Killed in the Massacre). The massacre had a lasting effect on the men both mentally and physically, and on America’s opinion on the war. After the massacre, the public opinion on the war went down. Although the government tried to cover it up, the public got a hold of the pictures and it was instantly the most important things in all of the newspapers. Titles were posted on front pages like â€Å"Viet Mass Slaying† (The Plain Dealer). Although, while the public was so obsessed by how terrible the people were, they did not understand what they had gone through. They did not understand how difficult it was to see who the Viet Cong were. All they saw were murderers so became known as the bad guy, just for a bad mistake. In turn, this made the public hate the whole entire war. The massacre also had a mental effect on the people who fought in it. Most of them had killed innocent people, and did not even know what they had done until it was over. For the rest of their lives, not only the American public, but they will look at themselves as monsters (Massacre at My Lai). One person was an everlasting effect called post traumatic stress syndrome. â€Å"When a person has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and is in a situation where theyve been drinking or using drugs, their judgment is impaired† (Vince Baron). This man withstood so much, that with a little bit on alcohol his memories come back to him. AS with most Vietnam veterans, they never forget what happened to them in war. They carry it with them everywhere, and if something happens to make them angry, they will go insane. While there are some people who take there experience at war in this way, there are others who end up taking a better approach towards it. Many of the men got their inspiration from war, and believe that war itself made them a man. This man believes that that war, and his experiences at My Lai changed his life around, but in a good way. â€Å"When I came back, I was much more serious about life. I knew how easy one life could be taken away from you. It wasnt important to be out partying. It was important to do something with your life and try to make a difference. So, when I came back from Vietnam, I went to college; that was my whole plan. I went to college year round and I didnt stop until I got my Masters. I earned my Bachelors and Masters in four years because that was my plan. I didnt need to stop† (Tony Taylor) Unlike most of the veterans, especially those who were a part of My Lai, he took a different approach by trying to forget what happened in the war, and My Lai, but remember the lessons that he learned. While sometimes having a mental effect that was encouraging, or hindering, all My Lai veterans were left with some mental difference (Vietnam War: Oral Histories). While that was apparent, only one person suffered a physical effect that day. That man was a recent recruit in the army. He was still in his young twenties, but he couldn’t take the massacre any longer. He shot himself in the foot and bled to death, just to evade the sight of it (Massacre at My Lai). Lieutenant Calley got what he deserved for the murder that he committed, but everybody else was let off easy. After the massacre had been over for a few months, the court marshaling begun. There were over 100 people who were investigated to see if they committed war crimes. Of those people, only thirty were sent to trial. Of all those men, only one man was actually sentenced to prison, this man was Lieutenant Calley (Massacre at My Lai). Lieutenant Calley’s trial was so complicated, and needed so much time to display all of the evidence, that it ended more than three years after the actual massacre at My Lai. When it started, Lieutenant Calley was charged with murder of â€Å"Oriental Human Beings† (William Calley Court-Martial). Although they were clearly thought of as sub-human, they were still human and similar rules applied toward killing them. Everybody came into the court with a tainted opinion after seeing his televised interview. In that interview, he was exposed and everybody knew that he had committed murder. His argument, which was quite valid, was for the most part this: â€Å"I was ordered to go in there and destroy the enemy. That was my job that day. That was the mission I was given. I did not sit down and think in terms of men, women, and children. They were all classified the same, and that was the classification that we dealt with, just as enemy†¦ I felt then and I still do that I acted as I was directed, and I carried out the orders that I was given and I do not feel wrong in doing so. † Although he was right in that he was ordered by a higher officer to kill everybody in sight, he did worse than that. He killed the most out of everybody, he killed babies, he killed them even after he knew that they were civilians and not related to the Viet Cong at all. The Captains orders could be inferred that you should stop killing if you understood that they weren’t the enemy. Since he neglected the obvious fact that they were civilians, and just thought of them as sub-human, just because of their race, he was sent to jail. Although, the court did take into account that he was ordered to kill. Although he killed over 100 people, he was only charged with killing twenty-two. It was assumed that by the time he had killed more than eighty people, he probably knew that they were civilian. Even after only being convicted for about a fifth of his murders, he was still sent to jail for life. He was the only person from Charlie Company to go to jail. Although he was the worst of them, many others disserved it, but barely got out of going to trial (Court Martial). My Lai was a battle that had to be fought. There was so much tension between the Viet Cong and the Americans needed to take out there anger and get back at them. The American public saw it as the Americans being evil, eventually causing in the end of the war. The My Lai massacre portrayed the average American soldier as an evil person, and wounded America’s reputation as a country. Oral history is very useful for the telling of the My Lai massacre. A mere writer cannot understand the emotions that were experienced in the actual battles. Although oral history proves to be extremely useful to see the emotions and feelings during the time of the war, it does don’t always portray the correct facts. Secondary sources always have the facts right and can give historic background to help understand a situation and the politics during the period, rather than public opinion. In conclusion, the massacre at My Lai was a huge accident that had to happen eventually. â€Å"William Calley Court Martial. † Jrank. org. 1972. Noble Trials and Court Cases. 19 May 2013 lt;http://law. rank. org/pages/3208/William-Calley-Court-Martial-1970. htmlgt; Thomas E Murray. â€Å"The Vietnam War: Oral Histories. † fcit. usf. edu. 2009. Florida Center For Instructional Technology. 19 May 2013. lt;http://fcit. usf. edu/vietnam/index. html Steven Curtis. â€Å"The Vietnam I Remember. † www. stevencurtis. com. 2009. Steven Curtis. 2 Ma rch 2010. lt;http://www. stevencurtis. com/vietnam/Stories/enemy. htmgt; McDonald, Joe. â€Å"504 People Killed In The My Lai Massacre. † www. countryjoe. com. 1970. Country Joe’s Place. 19 May 2013. lt;http://www. countryjoe. com/massacre. htmgt; Esterhan, Joseph.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Diversification †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Strengths And Weaknesses Of Diversification. Answer: Introduction Diversification is a strategy which is used for the purpose of expansion of business in the existing marketplace or in the other fields of market. Primary aim of implementation of this strategy is to enter into a new market with a new product or service or launching the existing product by adding unique and attractive features for the purpose of re-launching in the existing market. This strategy sometimes acts as the part of defensive and offensive set of strategies. It is one of growth strategies described under Ansoff Matrix model. The statement Diversification is a perfectly logical development, ensuring the rationale and efficient use of resources defines that diversification is implemented in the workplace with the objective of ensuring success and growth (Aspara, et. al., 2011). When a business enters into a new market, lot pf challenges and opportunities comes which needs to be faced in an effective manner so that desired goals could be acquired. For the same purpose, diversif ication strategy is implemented in the workplace. In this essay, several aspects of the diversification, its correlation with the other aspects of Ansoff Matrix framework will be covered. Along with this, strengths and weaknesses of diversification strategy will be covered. Further, tools which describe relation between external business environment and diversification will also be discussed. Concept of diversification and types of diversification Concept of Diversification Diversification is a risky section of Ansoff Matrix as business organizations does not have much experience in the new market, thus, the chances of products succession are very less. Ansoff Matrix has defined four growth strategies i.e. market penetration, product development, market development and diversification. As per Ansoff, diversification strategy is unique and distinct from other three growth strategies because the risk level is pretty high in diversification. The first three strategies are applied in the workplace with the help of existing technical, financial and merchandising resources which company already using for its existing product line. But in case of diversification, organization requires to adopt new set of strategies along with new technological and facilities. Acquisition of new skills and knowledge is also required in adaptation of diversification strategy with the objective of successful expansion of business in new markets with new products (Kumar, Gaur Pat tnaik, 2012). Before implementing diversification strategy in the workplace, organization is required to conduct market research and related strategies so that the target customers needs, market environment, competitors involved in the industry, strategies used by them, etc. elements needs to be considered. This helps the organization to introduce and promote new products in new marketplaces with the objective to gain success and growth. Product diversification is a concept under which new products and existing products are being manufactured and promoted in new marketing conditions so that business could be expanded. Various companies have also adopted the method of expansion of existing product line under which a new product is being launched related to the existing product (Villarreal, Cusimano Renner, 2015). For example, tooth paste manufacturing firm launches tooth brushes and tooth powers under the same brand name. Companies also use product extension and brand extension in order to uplift sale volumes and the number of customers with the objective of increase market share in the target or in new market (Whittington, 2014). Types of diversification In order to establish a sustainable competitive advantage in the target market along with implementing the differentiation strategy, it is required to make a clear understanding regarding differentiation strategy. The rationales on which differentiation strategy is implemented in the workplace are customer needs, quality of product and services and competitors. Product differentiation has various approaches and this is carried out at workplace with the core business objective of gaining competitive advantage through adding unique features in their existing products or by launching totally different product for making a separate image from its competitors. There are various means through which product differentiation could be carried out in a business such as product differentiation, image differences, service differentiation and many more (Martin, et. al., 2012). Through adaptation and implementation of differentiation strategy within workplace, organization could gain success and gr owth by using the existing brand value which will help them to successfully launch the product in the new market along with avoiding the direct confrontation with the competitors. Therefore, it could be said that differentiation is an effective strategy through which companies could earn sufficient amount of profits by utilising the available industrial resources (Zhou, 2011). Following are certain types of diversification: Horizontal Diversification: Approaching to the different target market through launching unique products and services which are unrelated with the existing product line of the organization is known as horizontal diversification (Park Jang, 2013). For instance, PepsiCo diversify its products through launching an energy drink. This type of diversification is also known as related diversification because companies diversify their offerings related to their existing product lines. Vertical Diversification: Under this type of diversification, company starts from the initial stage of its existing product line in order to make improvise existing products and services (Chioda, et. al., 2011). For example, a reconstruction company starts selling paints. Concentric Diversification: Available technologies and marketing system of an organization are fully utilised with the motive of enlarging the production portfolio (Liu, et. al., 2014). For instance, cosmetic products manufacturing company starts producing shampoo. Unrelated diversification: When a company diversify its offerings unrelated to its existing product lines is known as unrelated diversification. For example: Coca-Cola starts rendering consultancy services. For example: In last 80 years, Volvo Group which is a Swedish multinational company engaged in production of trucks, cars, buses, etc. Its technical team is constantly working on exploring security technologies for improving the credibility of their products in the international market. In this regard, three-point belt invention is their landmark invention. Company granted this invention free to all other companies of the same field which has now become a basic configuration for all automotive. Although, there is not much complications in this invention and it is too simple but it has saved many lives and it has also helped the Volvo to gain effective image in terms of safety technology in the global automotive market (Althoff, Segraves Johnson, 2014). Benefits and diversification Diversification generates various ways for an organization to grow, prosper and expand in the target market. With the help of diversification, organization could gain several financial advantages. For instance, when a company acquires another enterprise or comes into a joint venture with other business enterprise, it leads to increase in the revenues of the organization which also impacts organizational profitability (Kim Reinschmidt, 2014). For instance, before launching of a new drink in the target market, PepsiCo executes market research strategy with the objective of ascertaining the risk and opportunities factors. Successful implementation of diversification strategy will lead the organization to increase its market share in marketplace. Introduction of new and effective products and approaching to the appropriate group of customers is an essential aspect of diversification which helps organization to increase its customer base. For instance, if product launched by the company will meet customers requirements, chances for success increase while if the product fail to meet customers requirements, chances of success decreases for the organization as well as for the newly launched product. Diversification strategy increases growth opportunities for an organization because it helps the organization to enters into a new market with a new product without any experience. Risk factor plays crucial role in the success and growth of an organization. Diversification strategy leads to introduction of new product in the new market, thus, high level of risk is involved. With the help of diversification, it decreases the impact of risk over business because there is various range of product and if one of them will fail, it will not much affect enterprises performance (Vik McElwee, 2011). Dangers of Diversification In order to gain financial advantage, various companies enter into a joint venture or acquire other enterprises and miscalculate the profitability from that venture against the cost incurred to form that venture. For example, PepsiCo enters into a joint venture with a construction company but PepsiCo does not have sufficient information related to construction business, thus, it may originate negative outcomes. Increasing market share by introducing new products in new markets leads to increase in the competition level. For example, PepsiCo is planning to launch an energy bar chocolate with the view to diversify its product ranges to other fields. But due to aggressive competition in the chocolate industry and due to lack of experience of that particular field, desired goals and objectives may not acquire. On one side, diversification increase growth opportunities for an organization while on the other hand, it also generates various chances of failures due to non-acceptance of product by target customers, etc. (Wan, et. al., 2011). Critical comments on Whittingtons statement According to Vaara Whittington (2012), diversification is a perfectly logical development, ensuring rationale and efficient use of resources. This is true because every business enterprise needs to face decline stage once in a lifetime and in that period of time, organization may get success otherwise it will fail. Authors have described that Strategy-as-Practice plays crucial role in strategic management concept and it helps the organization to manage the activities in an effective manner. Strategy-as-Practice has two meanings: practice signals both an attempt to be close to the world of practitioners and other meaning is sociological theories of practice. Main aims of these studies are that the strategy processes are relies upon the organizational functions and on other functions that affect the performance of the strategies and their outcomes. SAP research has provided an alternative method to the organizations in relation with performing decision making process in an effective m anner. Strategy-as-Practice has common characteristics with the approaches of strategy process and the new micro-foundations approaches of strategy. The primary focus of SAP approach is to find out the most appropriate way so that distinct method could be originated with regards to strategic management. Apart from the utilisation of SAP approach to determine alternatives for decision making processes, it is also used in the research for analysis of social practices (Tixier, Bataill Jagla, 2010). In relation with diversification, it is required for an organization to perform market research activity in an appropriate manner so that the desired outcomes could be acquired. Diversification is being implemented within the workplace with the objective of expansion and for expanding business into new fields of market, it is required to adopt certain unique and advanced level strategies such as SAP approach. This approach has the capability to strengthen the process of making strategies and it is also essential in the procedure of executing all functions of the organization in an appropriate manner. As per my opinion, the statement given by Whittington (2012) is true because diversification is the only activity through which organization could expand its business in the domestic or in international marketplace. This is the strategy which promotes the organization to enter into a new industry with a new product and that too without any experience, talent or knowledge for that market. This strategy helps the organization to identify its capability as well as various challenges occur for an organization which could be moulded into opportunities using unique strategies of organization. If organization will not be able to make their separate image in the new marketplace then it could be observed that the chances for surviving in the dynamic business environment for a long run are quite less (Vaara Whittington,, 2012). Diversification is a strategy which is essential for the growth of an enterprise. It helps the organization to mitigate risks factors involved in the market as well as it also expand the network of the organization so that desired outcomes could be attained. Apart from this, the statements second part says that efficient and rationale utilisation of resources is necessary in order to implement diversification and related strategies effectively. Resource management is another crucial task for an organization which should be executed in an appropriate manner with the objective of attaining higher results with minimum wastage of resources (Calms Thoret, 2011). Resource management technique includes management of technical resources, production, man power, etc. All these resources should be combined together in such a way so that the task could be accomplished in the most appropriate manner. This will help the organization to gain its desired goals and objectives along with this, organization will be able to develop its separate image from competitors. Diversification is implemented with the purpose of expansion and this could be done in the existing product line or in the different product line. Thus, combination of resource management and diversification strategies should be executed in an appropriate manner so that organization will be able to create opportunities for itself for achieving desired outcomes. Under resource management technique, one of the crucial tasks is allocation of duties to the employees (Lamin, 2012). While allocating the tasks to the employees, it is required for the organization to ascertain its employees capabilit ies, skills and knowledge so that right task could be allocated to the right person. This is also known as the golden role for business enterprises in relation with gaining success and gaining competitive advantage in the marketplace. It has been observed that every product and service has a limited life and if an organization will focus over single product or service, then the life for that organization will be dependent upon that particular product only (Delcoure, 2010). But while setting up business, primary objective is to survive in the dynamic business environment for a long run and this is the reason organization focus over various products and services of the same product line as well as over different products and services from different fields. Diversification helps the organization to make its network broad and wide and while diversifying the business, organization should determine every aspect of the new filed so that the chances of failure could be mitigated. Apart from this, it has also been observed that the authors have said that the resources usage should be rationale as per their requirements (Belousova Dorfleitner, 2012). For instance, Disneyland has developed their position as performing company in terms of providing its customers qualitative entertainment services. Through this, organization has attained highest value visitor satisfaction and a huge number of tourists along with pleasure and happiness. In this manner, employees plays crucial role in attainment of desired goals and objectives of the organization. Conclusion From the aforesaid information, it can be concluded that strategic management plays crucial role in success and growth of an organization. In this essay, various aspects of strategic management and diversification have been discussed. Diversification helps the organization to gain its desired goals and objectives along with ascertaining the opportunities for acquiring success and growth related objectives. The fact cannot be denied that diversification consist of high risk factor but there are various benefits which could be attained through application of this strategy such as expansion, growth, etc. In this essay, strategy-as-practice approach has also been discussed which is essential in acquiring success and developing strategies for attaining competitive advantage and growth as per the managements expectations (Chambers Zdanowicz, 2014). References Althoff, D.M., Segraves, K.A. and Johnson, M.T., 2014. Testing for coevolutionary diversification: linking pattern with process.Trends in ecology evolution,29(2), pp.82-89. Aspara, J., Lamberg, J.A., Laukia, A. and Tikkanen, H., 2011. Strategic management of business model transformation: lessons from Nokia.Management Decision,49(4), pp.622-647. Belousova, J. and Dorfleitner, G., 2012. On the diversification benefits of commodities from the perspective of euro investors.Journal of Banking Finance,36(9), pp.2455-2472. Calms, C. and Thoret, R., 2011.The rise of shadow banking and the hidden benefits of diversification(No. UQO-DSA-wp042011). Dpartement des sciences administratives, UQO. Chambers, D.R. and Zdanowicz, J.S., 2014. The limitations of diversification return.Journal of Portfolio Management,40(4), p.65. Chioda, M., Peranzoni, E., Desantis, G., Papalini, F., Falisi, E., Samantha, S., Mandruzzato, S. and Bronte, V., 2011. Myeloid cell diversification and complexity: an old concept with new turns in oncology.Cancer and metastasis reviews,30(1), pp.27-43. Delcoure, N.N., 2010. Diversification benefits: correlation and return gaps.International Review of Applied Financial Issues and Economics,2(3), p.597. Kim, H.J. and Reinschmidt, K.F., 2010. Association of risk attitude with market diversification in the construction business.Journal of management in engineering,27(2), pp.66-74. Kumar, V., Gaur, A.S. and Pattnaik, C., 2012. Product diversification and international expansion of business groups.Management International Review,52(2), pp.175-192. Lamin, A., 2012. The business group as an information resource: An investigation of business group affiliation in the Indian software services industry.Academy of Management Journal, pp.amj-2011. Liu, Y.J., Xu, H., Kong, W.J., Shang, M., Dai, H.X. and Yu, J.Q., 2014. Overcoming the limitations of directed CH functionalizations of heterocycles.Nature,515(7527), p.389. Martin, A., Papa, R., Nadeau, N.J., Hill, R.I., Counterman, B.A., Halder, G., Jiggins, C.D., Kronforst, M.R., Long, A.D., McMillan, W.O. and Reed, R.D., 2012. Diversification of complex butterfly wing patterns by repeated regulatory evolution of a Wnt ligand.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,109(31), pp.12632-12637. Park, K. and Jang, S.S., 2013. Effects of within-industry diversification and related diversification strategies on firm performance.International Journal of Hospitality Management,34, pp.51-60. Tixier, V., Bataill, L. and Jagla, K., 2010. Diversification of muscle types: recent insights from Drosophila.Experimental cell research,316(18), pp.3019-3027. Vaara, E. and Whittington, R., 2012. Strategy-as-practice: Taking social practices seriously.Academy of Management Annals,6(1), pp.285-336. Vik, J. and McElwee, G., 2011. Diversification and the entrepreneurial motivations of farmers in Norway.Journal of small business management,49(3), pp.390-410. Villarreal, J.C., Cusimano, N. and Renner, S.S., 2015. Biogeography and diversification rates in hornworts: The limitations of diversification modeling.Taxon,64(2), pp.229-238. Wan, W.P., Hoskisson, R.E., Short, J.C. and Yiu, D.W., 2011. Resource-based theory and corporate diversification: Accomplishments and opportunities.Journal of Management,37(5), pp.1335-1368. Whittington, R., 2014. Information systems strategy and strategy-as-practice: a joint agenda.The Journal of Strategic Information Systems,23(1), pp.87-91. Zhou, Y.M., 2011. Synergy, coordination costs, and diversification choices.Strategic Management Journal,32(6), pp.624-639.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Population Essays - Environmental Issues, Population Ecology

population Population A population according to the funk and Wangnall Dictionary is a grouping of individuals subject to the processes of birth, death, and migration.. During the first 2 million years of our history the human population had very little effect upon the overall world ecosystem, with no more than 10 million members. In the New Stone Age, less than 10,000 years ago, the number of humans began to increase more rapidly. By the beginning of the Christian era it had reached 250 million, and by the year 1650 CE up to half a billion(Internet Source)Reproduction resulted un having children which were perfect for doing farmwork, collecting dowry and starting family. By 2030,the population is projected to hit eight to ten billion. With this rapid growth, concern for the future is inevitable. The planet can not handle anymore chaos and can not create enough food to disturbate to those who are in demand of it. A stable relationship with plants and animals must be attained or future populations will suffer. Problem About 140 000 million babies will be born, and 53 million will die which gives the overpopulated world an additional 84 million people per year. With the planet growing at alarming rate 230 000 per day people, With the increasing population, pollution is on the rise, making safe water scarce In Asia the population increases by 50 million, the population of Africa by 17 million and Latin America and the Caribbean by only eight million. Africa has the hightest growth rate at 2.36 %(Internet Source). These are places where people need children for work or if they don't want kids they have no way of getting contraception or to be informed about it, thus making the population grow at an alarming rate. Someone must feed the hungry, with each individual requiring about 2 200 calouries per day unfortunetly of the six billion over 220 million are malnourished. Causes of rapid growth Throughout history many have debated the plant's carrying capacity. As far back as 469 BC in Socrates time and to the present, have said that the world will suffer globally for there will not enough food for humans. Farmers of the past, present and the future have and will continue to prove these assumptions wrong. Farming is the elemant that has been keeping the assumpation wrong. Farming has been around since the 8000 B.C perhaps one of the most important inventions ever made Too many people are living on the plant presently, thanks to technology less people are dying due the quality of life that is improving, though its not directly related to malnutriention it's the speed of growth that is the cause of malnourshed and farming is the fuel that lets the population grow so fast. The root cause s of malnutrition is the lack of available and affordable food, health services, safe water, and proper sanitation. Technology not only lets the human race to live longer and healthier lives providing them with a better quality of life due to the fact that we eat better. Farming with the help of tecnology is the cause why we eat better thus letting the human population grow rapidly. Throughout history many have debated the plant's carrying capacity. As far back as 469 BC in Socrates time and to the present, have said that the world will suffer globally for there will not enough food for humans. Farmers of the past, present and the future have and will continue to prove these assumptions wrong. Farming is the elemant that has been keeping the assumpation wrong. Farming has been around since the 8000 B.C perhaps one of the most important inventions ever made. Without farming the world would not be able to reach the present size of the human population and the for seen future. Someone must feed the hungry, with each individual requiring about 2 200 calouries per day. Farming brings food to dinner tables and is what helps us to grow. It allows humans to grow and get taught new methods of technology to aid society in the future. Technology is not only beneficial for farming, but it increases the life expectancy of humans, thus less people are dying. and keeping the population under control . During the 14th century the Black Death wiped out a third of the population of Europe.(Grolier Encyclopedia) If the 14th century had our present day medicine or technology, this catasophy would have been unheard of. Triumph over disease on a worldwide scale did not come until 20th century with the introduction of antibiotics and DDT. DDT is a very active, broad-spectrum pesticide, particularly

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Definition of Void in C and C

Definition of Void in C and C In computer programming, when  void  is used as a function return type, it indicates that the function does not return a value. When void appears in a pointer declaration, it specifies that the pointer is universal. When used in a functions parameter list, void indicates that the function takes no parameters.   Void as a Function Return Type Void functions, also called nonvalue-returning functions, are used just like value-returning functions except void return types do not return a value when the function is executed. The void function accomplishes its task and then returns control to the caller. The void function call is a stand-alone statement.   For example, a function that prints a message doesnt return a value. The code in C takes the form: void printmessage ( ) {   cout Im a function that prints a message!; } int main ( ) {   printmessage ( ); } A void  function uses a heading that names the function followed by a pair of parentheses. The name is preceded by the word void, which is the type. Void as a Function Parameter The void can also appear in the parameter list part of the code to indicate the function takes no actual parameters. C can take the empty parentheses, but C requires the word void in this usage.  In C, the code takes the form: void  printmessage  (void ) {   cout   Im a function that prints a message!; Note that the parentheses that follow the function name are not optional in any case. Void  as a Pointer Declaration The third use of void is a pointer declaration that equates to a  pointer to something left unspecified, which is useful to programmers who write functions that store or pass pointers without  using them. Eventually, it must be cast to another pointer before it is dereferenced. A void pointer points to objects of any data type.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Parents should be financially responsible for acts of vandalism by Essay

Parents should be financially responsible for acts of vandalism by their children - Essay Example There are two views about this topic. Either the children or the parents should be held responsible. The paper revolves around the fact that the parents or legal guardians should be the one paying for e.g. the paint needed to cover the graffiti created by their uncontrolled and ill disciplined wards. From here you start off the assignment and each paragraph is indented by pressing a simple tab key when starting a new paragraph. Some concerns regarding the point of view of this paper and its effects will be discussed in the following passages. Strong Argument The major reason for supporting this claim is that the children/teenagers of the post facebook era, who have forgotten the values and morals of neighborhood living will once again, be back under the strict eyes of their parents. If parents have to pay for the damages caused by their beloved sons and daughters, they will make sure that this kind of activity does not take place again. Strict discipline will be implied on the naive minds which will make them think twice before committing such an act. Enforcing Support Another section of the effect that has to be noticed here is the party whose property has been vandalized, be it public or private. The amount which can be recovered from the parents around the world in accordance with the law is not enough for the children or their parents to think over the whole scenario of vandalism (Timothy, 2008). Especially by the parents who will have to pay for the acts of little terror which can have devastating effects on the people whose property have been vandalized, monetarily and physiologically. Therefore the only way out of this situation is hefty fines and actual damages to be paid by the parents in vandalism cases. Objections Since every coin has two sides, similar is the case with this argument. Many who are against parents being held financially responsible for their children’s vandalism have certain arguments to be presented. The strongest argument tha t they bring to the table is the fact that children if aloof from any kind of punishment, due to their parents paying for the damages, will further create chaos. As the children will go wild vandalizing neighborhoods and their parents tailing them with their checkbooks in hand. But the essence of the action suggested by this paper is that when once the check has been delivered, the next time such extreme repercussions will be set for the vandals that they will think twice before performing these non-sensible acts. Do not bold, italicize or underline the subheading. Final Claim Many advantages will come out of laws that enforce parents to pay the damages. The foremost and extremely pressing point is that the root of all neighborhood evils like gangs, groups of thieves and shoplifting is vandalism. Vandalism is considered to be the stepping stone for all these evils. Boys and girls are scouted by gangs by this very mean. Penalizing parents on vandalism will make sure that the parents have a scorching eye on their wards therefore not only curbing the disease of vandalism but also stopping further crimes to be generated out of this contagious virus known as vandalism. Conclusion The whole point of this argument is the betterment of our

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Arab and Israel Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Arab and Israel Conflict - Essay Example In a reflective exploration of the role of international actors in the Arab-Israeli conflict, it becomes obvious that several prominent world nations and organizations have taken part in the conflict at various stages of its development, although it is basically a conflict between the two parties of the Middle East today, the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). A conflict resolution perspective of the Arab-Israeli conflict indicates that it is a complicated conflict which requires a careful investigation of the issues that must be resolved to achieve a final peace settlement as well as an analysis of the past conflict resolution efforts and the current state of the conflict. "When you come to the Arab-Israeli question, you face a very difficult kind of conflict. It is not a straightforward conflict leading itself to a straightforward conflict resolution." (Safty 2003, P 126). However, it is fundamental to realise that there have been important argument s for and against the international community providing conflict resolution. ... Arab and Israel Conflict: Role of international actors in conflict resolution The Arab-Israeli conflict is the most complicated wars in the modern history of man and there are various factors such as the involvement of religion, philosophical differences, the role of the neighbouring states and international community etc which contribute to the complexity of the conflict. A careful analysis of the history of the conflict suggests that the role of the various nations of the world, especially in the region, has been crucial in every stage of the development of the conflict. "The Arab-Israeli conflict is the most complicated, most intractable and most spectacular for international community at the beginning of the 21st century." (Weijan 2002. P. 169). Several peace-keeping processes initiated by the international community have incorporated various parties taking side with any of the conflicting nations. Significantly, the international contingent known as the Quartet on the Middle East (the Quartet) has been concerned with the official negotiations in the confl ict and special envoy representing this international body include the United States, Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations. Another important participant in the various phases of the conflict has been the Arab League which has proposed an alternative peace plan for the resolution of the various issues in the region. Similarly, Egypt, which was a founding member of the Arab League, has played an essential role in the settlement of the various issues in the region. It is fundamental to undertake an exploration of the short history of the conflict resolution efforts to determine if the role of international actors in the conflict resolution, if this

Monday, November 18, 2019

Applying Balanced Scorecard Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Applying Balanced Scorecard - Assignment Example First, a balanced score card can be used in the financial category to help evaluate information on key financial performance measurements. Such measurements include: risk assessment analysis and cost and benefit analysis. Secondly, a balanced scorecard can help the organization assess their performance when it comes to the business process. A business scorecard gauges how a company is running when compared to the organization’s mission. As far as the learning and growth perspective of an organization is concerned, a company can evaluate its performance using two measures. First, the availability of trainers and mentors in an organization and secondly, the availability of help if needed by the employees. In the customer category, metrics on evaluating a customer’s satisfaction are crucial in monitoring the organization’s performance. In this category, questionnaires can be used to evaluate customer’s satisfaction. Customer complaints should also be checked, as this will definitely have an impact on future business

Friday, November 15, 2019

Strategic Issues Facing Lockheed Martin

Strategic Issues Facing Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin is a global security Company that employs about 136,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. It was formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. It has its Headquarters in Bethesda, MD (Maryland). The Corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion, a backlog of $78 billion, and cash flow from operations of $3.2 billion. Lockheed Martin is one of the biggest Defense Contractors in the world. One of the biggest news in 2010 was that the United States had decided to buy up to 2443 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. The F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, is the U.S. defense departments costliest weapons purchase at up to $382 billion over the next two decades. This makes it the biggest military deal ever. All this helps to pose an interest in this company. Cost Surge: The Lockheed Martin F-35 program is facing manufacturing inefficiencies, part problems and at least six engineering technical challenges as stated by the U.S Government Accountability Office (GAO). As such costs have grown and scheduled extensions are likely. Companys contribution to the National Economy A large part of Q2 GDP performance, +0.39% of total GDP growth 1.6% for the U.S owes thanks to wars and general defense. The defense sector of which Lockheed Martin is a part has contributed heavily to the countrys overall GDP. Lockheed Martin is also involved in other public activities. Companys contribution to the Regional Economy Lockheed Martin is a global security organization with its reach in countries and regions like Canada, United Kingdom, Africa, Europe, and Middle East, the Americas, Asia Pacific and Australia. Lockheed Martin has customers around the world and has partners in more than 50 countries outside the United States. Furthermore it has helped countries like Turkey by enhancing their defense capabilities. Recent Strategic Choice Lockheed Martin completed the divestiture of its Enterprise Integration Group business to Veritas Capital on November 23rd, 2010 for $815 million and also plans to sell off PAE in 2011. Source of Information on the Company:Â  www.lockheedmartin.com (355 Words) Executive Summary This assignment basically tells about the Defense Industry, discussing one of the major Defense contractors in detail in the world and other variables linked to the industry and the company alike. This project covers a lot of areas, using various tools for the purpose of analysis based on facts and our judgment. There are a few models used in this project to assess the state of the company and the industry alike; the first being the Industry Life Cycle which specifies where the defense industry currently stands whether it is introduction, growth, maturity or decline. Another model used such as the Key Factors for Success is used to determine basically what factors any given company needs to survive in the defense industry. Another one would be Porters Five Forces which determines the forces affecting the company. These are models based on factors relating to the industry. The other three models used are based on the company itself including SWOT which analyzes a companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; SFAS which take the most critical two factors of the lot; and TOWS Matrix which helps to devise new strategies in regard to SWOT factors. After an in depth analysis, the current company performance is assessed based on efficiency, effectiveness and return to investors in regard with their recent strategic choice. Review of options is the next step in the project which takes into account the strategies formulated in the TOWS Matrix and determining which ones are the most important or critical to implement. The next area which is implementation of strategies provides an overview of if the future strategies can be deployed effectively and efficiently based on factors like structure, systems and policies. And the last part of the project determines the usefulness of all the six models used in the project. (300 Words) The Defense Industry as you see is in the Growth phase of the Industry Life cycle. A few leading firms in the industry and the ones that are surviving are huge firms like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. These leading giants continue to innovate and create new products and services and refine old ones in order to stay in the game. The defense industry is basically a never dying industry due to the global conditions and national security challenges faced by the different nations of the world. Companies like Lockheed Martin have been there for 16 years now. There are several reasons on why the Defense Industry is in the growth stage. To begin with, despite the time the defense companies have been around, they continuously monitor customer needs and introduce new products and technologies into the market. This leads to increase in sales and growth. For example, the recent development of the F-35 fighter jet which was made possible with the collaboration between Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems has given the defense industry a new source of life. It is a new innovative product, which will intrigue customers to buy it and hence resulting in increased sales and ultimately growth. Technology development, innovation and engineering are the core areas of the defense industry. Companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing analyze these areas and respond accordingly. They keep up with changing times by introducing new products and technologies keeping the Defense Industry well in the Growth phase. Moreover it can be said that the Defense Industry is in the High Growth part of the Growth phase. Why it can be said so is because although the sales are increasing, the increase in sales is not exceptionally high. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the Aerospace and Defense sector in the period 2005-2009 was 8.7%. The sector grew by 0.4% in 2009 compared to 10.4% in the previous year. As said before, the Defense Industry is a never dying Industry and it continues to grow year by year by providing new technologies, weapons and advanced warfare systems. These Key Factors listed above are very important to survive in the Defense Industry. Taking Innovation and Technological advancement first, these are two of the most important factors for success in the Defense Industry. The giants in the industry like Boeing and Lockheed Martin have to keep up with changing times by providing or innovating new technologies and products. The National demands for defense technology are very high. And hence, the defense companies need to have advanced technology and innovative and creative personnel in order to deliver to the nation and hence succeed in the defense sector. The quality of the products is also very important. Customers can switch between defense contractors if they are not satisfied with the quality. The reliability of the products is also an important factor in the Defense Industry. As the products are designed for Warfare, product reliability is very crucial. Cost effectiveness is also among the most important factors in the Defense Industry. Every country has a defense budget. The Defense companies have to comply with the budget. Companies also need to have a skilled workforce in order to deal with complicated tasks including the likes of manufacturing military aircrafts. Diversification is also a very important factor to survive in the defense industry. Companies like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Boeing are heavily diversified into related markets including manufacturing naval shipbuilding, aircrafts, helicopters etc. Also, Defense companies need to have government contacts in order to carry out Lobbying. Overall Lockheed Martin is fairing pretty well in the Defense Industry. Although, compared to Boeing and Northrop Grumman, it has a few shortcomings in areas like being Cost Effective; it is handling the other key factors very well. It is well above the average level of operations in the defense sector. Porters Five Forces Threat of New Entrants (Low): The threat of new entrants is quite low in the Aerospace and Defense Industry. Few factors like very high capital requirements to sustain operations, having highly differentiated products act as entry barriers into the industry. The defense industry has a few big firms including Lockheed Martin, Boeing etc. who are very well established. Their products are highly differentiated, acting as a barrier; also the customers are reluctant to switch to a new companys product because personnel have to be trained again in order to use the new products raising switching costs. Companies in the defense industry need to have a huge amount of capital in order to sustain activities like building military aircrafts, naval ships etc. A new company will not have a large customer base and hence wont achieve economies of scale in order to reduce per head costs. Rivalry among Existing Firms (High): The rivalry among existing firms in the Defense industry is quite high. The leading Defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman have intense competition over winning defense contracts. As the firms in this Industry are few, they analyze each others move very carefully and issue counter moves accordingly. Firms in the defense sector use innovation and new technology to in order to differentiate their service and deliver better than the competitor which ultimately increases competitive rivalry. Threat of substitutes (Low): There are actually no real substitutes for the defense industry. The military aircrafts, equipments, and other systems cannot be replaced with anything else. For example, considering the commercial aircraft segment in the Aerospace and Defense Industry, there are alternatives like Rail Transport which may act as a possible threat due to factors like global warming and carbon footprints. But, the Defense Sector doesnt have any substitute. For example, a countrys Air Force cannot be replaced by zero emission gliders; it has to be military aircrafts. It is because they cannot serve the same purpose. A nations Defense Sector cannot be substituted as they are the only ones who can serve the National Security purpose. Bargaining power of Buyers (Low): The bargaining power of buyers is low in the Defense sector. Although, the buyers have some financial muscle as they are mostly Government organizations, this power is somewhat diluted as the government needs the defense systems and programs. It is very important to the government. Now, companies in the Defense Industry like Lockheed Martin dont just provide military aircraft and hardware like missiles and other weapon systems but also cater to the repair and logistic needs of their buyers. This means that it increases switching cost for the buyers and hence reduces buying power. The differentiated products provided by the Defense companies also decreases buyer power. For example, a product specially designed by Lockheed Martin like the Exoskeletal Load Carrier HULC cannot be designed by Boeing and vice versa. Bargaining power of Suppliers (Low): The bargaining power of suppliers is low in the Defense Industry. Firstly, there are many suppliers to choose from. Also, there is no switching cost considering the suppliers which makes the power of the suppliers weak. The supplier costs also dont form a large part of the organization. In the defense industry, the defense companys major costs are in regard with RD, advanced technology and skilled workforce rather than supplier price. The major suppliers of the defense industry like Steel and aluminium manufacturers cannot forward integrate and compete directly with the defense companies. For Example, a steel manufacturer cannot build complex aircrafts and weapons. This further reduces supplier power. Relative power of Stakeholders (High): The relative power of stakeholders is pretty high in the Defense Industry. Stakeholders like the Government, customers and suppliers can affect the company majorly. Taking into consideration the government, the government has strict laws and regulations for each company to follow. In case of a breach or due to any other viable reason, the government has the power and to match it the authority to terminate contracts and transactions. This may lead to losses in the company. The suppliers and customers can also affect the company. Internal Factors Strengths: Lockheed Martin has quite a number of strengths. Having a well diversified portfolio has enabled Lockheed Martin to not be over dependent on a single market segment and also serving a large customer base. Lockheed Martin is strong financially as per the stats given over the years. It had shown an increase of 5.8% in revenues in 2009 compared to the fiscal year 2008 and is also the largest defense contractor by revenue as of FY2009. In addition, it is one of the leading companies in providing tactical and transport aircraft and other defense systems. Lockheed Martin serves a very large customer base, which provides for economies of scale. And also the company is very advanced technologically, its recent achievement being the JSF F-35 program. Weaknesses: Lockheed Martin also lags in a few areas. In 2009, about 85% of the net sales were made to the US government. This shows over dependency on one customer which would affect its growth. Another area it has to consider is cost. It is not really a cost effective firm. A recent example would be the high developmental costs for the JSF F-35 project. Plus, the employee attitude is poor in Lockheed Martin. And the turnover rate is also pretty much near high. Lockheed Martin also ranks no. 1 in federal misconducts. This affects the reputation of the company and the scenario of future contracts. External Factors Opportunities: One of the opportunities that Lockheed Martin can capitalize on is the rise in defense spending by the US. The DoD has seen consistent growth within the last ten years as it grew from $300 billion to almost $550 billion. Further, the congress agreed to fund military operations in various countries. Also, the US space and military market has witnessed strong growth and the trend is likely to continue. Another point could be the space business initiatives. Lockheed Martin is a prime contractor for a number of space business initiatives initiated by NASA. More initiatives will create new business opportunities for Lockheed Martin. One other point is the easing of export controls by the US with India in order to trade with the country. Another one would be the cyber security needs which are increasing globally to deal with cyber warfare. Threats: There are quite a number of threats that Lockheed Martin is facing. Lockheed Martin deals with numerous government agencies and entities, and as a result has to face regulations relating to disclosure of cost and acquisitions. Also, Lockheed Martin has to deal intensely with competitors like General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman and BAE systems in regard to competitive factors such as technical superiority, reputation, price, etc. Also, The Company is involved in environmental and potential proceedings relating to soil and groundwater contamination, disposal of hazardous waste etc. which impact the companys profitability. Substitutes like the Russian MIG fighter jets and others can act as a possible threat to the company. Also, Lockheed Martin has to keep up with changing times by innovating new products and services and acquiring new tech to keep up with rapid technological changes. Strategic Factor Analysis Short: The fact that the US military market is going to grow may be viable for a short period or an intermediate period. So the company has to look for other viable opportunities which would be there for a long term. For the short term, it is definitely an opportunity which the company should capitalize and ultimately as a result it will benefit the company in different ways like for example increase in sales. Intermediate: A factor like not being dynamic is in the intermediate segment. Not being dynamic or not being very agile to change is a weakness which will affect the company in medium term. This is because issues like these need to be addressed in the medium term at least if not in the short. If not done so, the company may not be able to deliver accordingly and lose out to the competition. Same is with the factor of substitutes. They can be there for an intermediate term. Lockheed Martins main competitors like Boeing and Northrop Grumman are always there with new innovations and products. So, in order to stand up to the competition, Lockheed Martin has to bring in new technologies and unique products every time. As discussed earlier, the rivalry is intense and companies come out with new and unique products to stay ahead in the game. Long: Factors in the long run considers all the four; strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Considering financial performance, a company like Lockheed Martin earns about 80% of its revenues from military sales. It receives many of the defense contracts and if delivered as supposed to, it will stay in a good position financially. It is also in a position to acquire some other firms. An example would be Gyrocam Systems LLC on 31st august, 2009. Also, all the companies have to be advanced technologically in order to meet the demands of the customer. They have to provide distinctive products which are not possible without advanced technology. Factors like export control easing by the US towards India are also in the long run. Once eased, it will trade with the nation for quite some time. Government regulations also stay for a long time. TOWS Matrix Strengths (S) Financial stats New Technology Well balanced Portfolio Economies of scale Strong market position Weaknesses (W) Dependence on the U.S government Cost management Not agile to changing conditions Employee attitude Contract misconducts Opportunities (O) Rising defense spending Growing military and space market Space business initiatives Export-control easing Cyber Security needs SO Strategies Expand business into India by acquiring firms Use advanced technology to deliver new and unique products to the growing market WO Strategies Reduce the dependence on US government by expansion into other countries Change employee attitude to deliver better products Threats (T) Government contracts and regulation Intense competition Environmental compliance costs Substitutes Technological changes ST Strategies Regular and timely Upgrades of systems and technology to stay competitive Acquisition of firms to gain new technology in order to deal with substitutes WT Strategies Be dynamic to keep up with rapid technological changes Reduce costs in order to comply with the regulations SO Strategies (Maxi-Maxi): SO strategies are formed considering the use of a companys strengths to capitalize on the opportunities. According to the figure above, I have devised two strategies which will do so. As the US has eased its export controls towards India, Lockheed Martin can expand its business there by acquiring firms and so on. This can be done as the company is financially strong and is in a position to do so. Another strategy that can be used is that Lockheed Martin can use its advanced technologies and systems to capitalize on the opportunity of the growing military and space market by offering new and differentiated products. ST Strategies (Maxi-Mini): Now, ST strategies are formed by considering the use of a companys strengths to minimize the threats. Two strategies have been devised. The first one is to regularly upgrade the systems and technology of Lockheed Martin in order to deal with threats like rapid technological changes. In the defense sector, big players like Boeing and Northrop Grumman may have better tech compared to Lockheed Martin and so in order to compete it has to have timely upgrades of its own technology. Also another strategy to be considered would be an acquisition strategy. In the defense sector there are quite a number of substitutes. Lockheed Martin can acquire more firms in order to gain access to new technologies and minimize the threat of substitutes. These strategies are possible because of the strong financial position of Lockheed Martin. WO Strategies (Mini-Maxi): WO strategies are formed by considering the capitalization of opportunities by overcoming weaknesses. One of the strategies that can be considered is reducing the dependence on the US government by expanding overseas. Recently, US eased its export controls towards India, which means Lockheed Martin has the opportunity to make sales in the latter. This can reduce the over dependence on the US government for sales. Another would be changing employee attitude by providing a better work environment, which in turn will help to develop better products for the growing military and space market and hence increasing sales. WT Strategies (Mini-Mini): WT strategies are formed by considering the minimization of weaknesses and avoiding threats and are basically defensive. One of the strategies would be to be more dynamic to changing conditions. By being more dynamic, Lockheed Martin can stay up with changing times and avoid the threat of rapid technological changes. By analyzing the conditions and acting, for example, Lockheed Martin upgrading its systems and technology, the company will be able to stay competitive. Another would be to effectively reduce costs by using methods that are efficient, so as the excess costs are not transferred to the final products. In case of Lockheed Martin, it has to comply with government regulations regarding costs and any default may result in termination of contracts and transactions. Assessment of current Company performance Efficiency: Lockheed Martin was very efficient in its recent strategy of divesting its business in EIG (enterprise integration group). It also plans to sell most of its PAE business unit. Lockheed Martin was very efficient in using the Divestiture strategy. Lockheed Martin had an after tax gain of $184 million ($0.51 per share). Not many resources were required to do so as EIG was a very high quality segment of their business associated with the support of organizations like the National Reconnaissance Office, other elements of the intelligence community. Lockheed Martin did not require much effort and resources in order to carry out their divestiture strategy. Effectiveness: Lockheed Martin was very effective in carrying out the divestiture strategy. There were many prospective buyers for the business unit. Lockheed Martin effectively made the sale to Veritas capital without much hassle from either side. The cash generated from this transaction was effectively deployed in various ways like in the specific 4th quarter of 2010; 13.2 million shares were repurchased for $916 million, discretionary contributions of $840 million to the pension trust, cash dividends totalling $269 million which is an increase from the previous year in the same quarter and expending capital of $426 million. Return to Investors: Lockheed Martin paid a total dividend of $269 million in the fourth quarter which shows a $29 million increase from the payout in the 4th quarter of 2009. Also the total dividend payout in 2010 being $969 million showed an increase of $61 million over the previous years total payout. It clearly shows that Lockheed Martins profits had gone up in 2010 by quite a good margin. The corporation was paying out more dividends makes it clear, that quite some money was being made by it. The share value also went up after the divestiture was completed by $0.51 per share. Review of Options Lockheed Martin can consider the use of various strategies devised above in order to deal with major threats and weaknesses by using opportunities and strengths. One of the most critical strategies that should be considered as an important option by Lockheed Martin is the expansion strategy. Adopting this strategy will help Lockheed Martin to capitalize on a valuable opportunity and at the same time, help it to reduce its excess dependence on the US government. Lockheed Martin can expand in to other countries by using either acquisitions or maybe they can enter into a Joint Venture with some other companies. Another strategy could be the acquisition strategy. Lockheed Martin can consider acquiring firms in order to get new technology. This will help them to stay very competitive in the market, deal with the competition and at the same time help them to deal with a major threat of substitutes. Another strategy that would be recommended is being more dynamic to change. By being more dynamic, Lockheed Martin will analyze the market constantly and keep up with changing trends and factors like rapid technological changes. Being a defense contractor, it has to keep up with such changes in order to keep up with the competition. Another one would be the changing of employee attitude towards the organization and work. This can be done by providing a cooperative and healthy work environment and proper training of personnel. This in turn will benefit the organization in the long run by providing dedicated and motivated personnel which will help to produce higher quality products and services. Implementation of Strategies Structure: Now, in order to carry out the most critical strategies that are stated above, the company should analyze their structure and make changes if they have to. The current horizontal structure of Lockheed Martin can well serve the purpose. Lockheed Martin gives all the employees initiative to work and deliver better results. There is an immense sense of team work and team spirit. Lockheed Martin enables its employees to make decisions at their respective levels and hence shows decentralization of power to a certain extent. It is useful in motivating employees and efficiently catering customer needs. Systems: Lockheed Martin basically has all the system facilities to deliver the strategies. In order to deliver the expansion strategies Lockheed Martin needs to develop software(s) and systems for the place where they are expanding. Lockheed Martin has all the necessary systems in place in order to deliver the most critical strategies. It can enhance its capabilities by upgrading systems factors like software(s) and machines in order to cater better to the strategies. Policies: In order to comply with the strategies above, Lockheed Martin should adopt a recruitment policy. Specially in using the expansion strategy, Lockheed Martin needs to employ new workers in order to sustain such strategies. Employing dedicated and motivated personnel would surely benefit Lockheed Martin. Another policy that can be adopted by Lockheed Martin is a reward policy. Lockheed Martin can reward individuals by using factors like pay increments and bonuses. Cooperative teamwork and appropriate rewards will help to change employee attitude and motivate them to deliver better products. Usefulness of Models Industry life cycle: The industry life cycle was very helpful in assessing the specific stage of the life cycle in which the defense industry currently is. More importantly it has helped in analyzing the fact that why the defense industry is in that specific stage. Industry life cycle is an important tool in the analysis of an industrys life. It has given us an in depth view of where the industry is and also what the companies in the industry are doing to stay alive. Key factors for success: The second model is very useful in assessing the most critical factors that a company needs to survive in the specific industry, in this case the defense industry. It was useful because it gave us an overview of the industry in regard with the factors required to succeed in it. It told us what a company needs to survive, how their competitors are fairing in the core areas and which areas can the company make changes. Porters five forces: Porters five forces helped us to analyze the six crucial and constant forces that affect the industry. It has helped us to analyze how the industry is affected by these six forces and what stand do the companies have in consideration to these forces. SWOT: SWOT analysis was very useful as it helps is assessing the companys internal factors; strengths and weaknesses and external factors; opportunities and threats. It helped us to look into the company in depth to find out where it lags and where it excels. Also it helped us to look into valuable opportunities which the company can capitalize on to grow or expand and also threats which the company faces. SFAS matrix: The SFAS matrix is basically derived from the SWOT. But what makes it very useful is that it helped us to choose the most critical factors of the four points; strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It has helped us to analyze what are the critical strengths and opportunities for our company and how long are they going to stay there. Also, It helped us to analyze our weaknesses and threats and how much time we should take to address them. Overall, it was a very important tool in assessing the critical factors to which the company should respond accordingly to grow and stay competitive. TOWS matrix: Another model derived from SWOT. This was very useful in basically formulating the best strategies possible for our company that they can deliver in accordance with the four factors.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Cinematic Technique in the Film Wuthering Heights :: essays research papers

'Wuthering Heights' was originally written by Emily Bronte. She lived on the moors and she enjoyed wandering through the moors, which is where she got her inspiration to write the story 'Wuthering Heights'. In 1992, Peter Kosminksy directed the film version of 'Wuthering Heights,' he used camera angles/shots, sound, composition, lighting and character gesture/facial expressions to make the opening as effective as possible. To begin with, Emily Bronte is walking through the moors heading to a castle. When she enters the castle it shows her opinion and imagination of what might have happened there. It begins with Lockwood who lives nearby Wuthering Heights and gets caught up in a raging storm so he enters the suspicious castle away from the raging storm, which is building up very quickly behind him. He is soon told to leave by the occupants, although he stubbornly refuses and after he is offered a room by the woman, he is shocked by someone just outside his window. When Emily Bronte strolls across the vast moor land, a long shot is used to introduce the scene. It shows the loneliness, coldness and the isolation of the moor land. Dark, ominous clouds fill the sky, emphasising the mystery and suspense. The dullness of the moor land implies not that not much lives close by and it is quite a creepy place to be. In the beginning, the music is quite deep. When the castle comes into shot, the violins are added in this creates the impression that the atmosphere is eerie and bleak. However, they also suggest that Emily Bronte and where she is, is of some importance. When she makes her way across the dreary moor land, she is wearing a black hooded cloak so her face is not visible and it is hidden away, this increases the effectiveness by building up the tension. On her way through the moor, she passes two large rocks which tower over Emily Bronte, and elicit the idea she is vulnerable and insignificant. It shortly changes to a medium shot at eye level to show her facial expression of determination, this suggests that she knows where she is going and she may have been there before. It also creates the impression that she is slowly being revealed to the audience, and that they are equal to the character because they are on the same level. Natural shadows cover some of her face This low key lighting is effective because she is covered still partly, so it is suspicious.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Different forms of social influence Essay

Most of the human behaviors are a result of influence. This impact can either come from the environment or from the people we leave with. The people we come across with are likely to influence our behavior, beliefs and even feelings. This impact will lead to the development of our day to day activities. Most of the activities we encounter every day in our life play a great part in how we are going to behave. The study on social impact is very wide. Psychologists have done a lot of research to understand it and as a result many theories have been developed which explain social influences. CITATION Noa06 l 1033 (Friedkin, 2006)Compliance (This is the first form) There are several forms which have been identified to influence social behavior. Compliance is one of these forms. Simply put, compliance means to accept. Individuals may change their behavior only because someone has told them to do so, and therefore, they comply with his or her request. Compliance involves taking action to change a person’s behavior and feeling towards someone or something, therefore, it is known as an active form of social impact. This form of power is initiated by a person intentionally. Sometimes compliance is a result of internal social influence which entails inner faith of an individual. A person can decide to change from within, without any external force .Compliance as a result of the change in personal faith is not the primary aim of compliance. Conformity (The second one) Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   The other form of social influence is conformity. It happens when individuals adjust their attitude behavior and sense to conform to a group’s norms or culture. People in most cases would like to be identified with a certain group of people; hence they can do anything to change the behavior, including their sense and faith towards something or someone so that they can be the same with the other members of the group. It takes the observation of the other members of the group for one to change his or her behavior and act like them. Some behaviors one has to learn slowly. In addition one can also be taught by the members of the group. For example, an individual who would like to be identified with a group of professionals would only require observing how they behave. He or she may observe their dressing code and finally he or she would behave like them. One cannot be identified with a set group if he or she does not conform to their standards an d behaviors (Pratkanis, 2011). A person can conform to a set group either internally by having the same faith and feeling or externally by acting as the people of that group. The members of a certain group can actively influence a person to act like them, and that kind of social impact is known as an active influence. Passive impact occurs where the members of the group does not directly influence one to act like them. Most of the youth are affected by this kind of social impact. Many young people today would like to be an associated with a particular group of people which they share common beliefs, behavior and sense therefore, they would try very much to have the same behavior which will make them conform to the standards and culture of that group. The same case happens to many organizations, when an individual is recruited to join the institution; he or she has to change his or her behavior feeling and approach so that he or she can be identified with the organization. Sources of Conformity (Expounding more on conformity) Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Conformity has three sources. The first one occurs when a person sees or senses someone else act in a certain way. First it should come to your understanding that a set group of people are doing a certain activity, then you will judge whether it the right thing for you or not .After a thorough consideration you will be able to make an informed decision on whether to conform to their behavior or not ( Zanna, 2014). These can take different forms; one can see what is being done whether good or bad, you can also hear from the media or a member of the group can also inform you of their undertaking. The second one is when people understand that what a particular group is doing is informational; hence it is the best way to do things. People all over the world are in search of information and knowledge, therefore if they realize what they been looking for is being done by a certain group of people, then they will have no option other than to join them. The information gotten from that group should be beneficial to the person conforming to their faith and belief; it should add value to the existing knowledge. Finally, people conform because of the concern for the social outcome of their behavior. People would like to know the final result of certain behavior depicted by a group of people. Most researchers would engage themselves with a particular group of people with a solemn aim of knowing the end result of that kind of behavior (Homans, 1966). Obedience (The third form) Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Obedience is another form of social influence. Unlike the other forms; obedience involves the change of action as a result of direct command from the person in authority. These kinds of power always involve command on the targeted audience to act in a certain manner. Influence by command if often found in the institution where strict adherence to law and regulation is required. A good example is the military unit; the officers have to follow strict command from the authority. Obedience as a form of social power is one sided; it does not require the consent of the other party. The authority will use power vested in them to command actions, this instructions must be followed. The end result would be change of behavior; it will also affect their sense of ideas as well as their faith. Obedience has been applicable in most institutions and also in the government, with the aim of changing the behavior of the targeted audience. The application of this form of social power can have positive or negative impact on the person being impacted (Tedeschi, 1972). Persuasion (the 4th form) Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Persuasion is another form of social impact. It involves an active attempt by a person to change the behavior, attitude feeling or belief of another person through some form of communication. The focus of this kind of impact is the internal change of perception, belief or sense of an individual. The power of a person to influence another is very important so that persuasion can take effect. The political leaders use this tactic to make people to have faith in them. The language use is very instrumental for changing the behavior of people; the person must have good knowledge of the language use. Also the understanding of the targeted audience is important for you to be able to change their behavior CITATION Car08 l 1033 (Hetzel, 2008). How psychologists have studied them (Add more here) Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Many scholars have tried to define social influence, which has led to numerous definitions of the same subject. We can define social influence as a sum total of all the things that might alter the behavior, action feeling or thought of a person. This aspect has been extensively studied by psychologist and sociologist. Its application has also been studied carefully to establish how it affects the society.Professor Herbert ,one of the scholars of psychology defined social influence as a situation where an individual identify, comply and internalize to behave in a certain manner different from the way they had behaved in the past. The view of the scholars about social impact is that individuals may identify with influential person from a distance or the might have a close relation. They also believe that compliance can happen at the surface but deep in that person he might not be convinced .There are a lot of things which we can talk about concerning social impact; the bottom line is that it is aimed at changing the behavior of people. The reason why a person’s view of ideas can be influence has not been clearly know by scholars. References Friedkin, N. E. (2006). A Structural Theory of Social Influence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hetzel, C. J. (2008). The Effects of Social Influence on Personal Attitudes and Behavior Toward 0549498516, 9780549498513: ProQuest. Homans, G. C. (1961). Social behavior: Its elementary forms. Mark P. Zanna, J. M. (2014). Social Influence. london: Psychology Press. Pratkanis, A. R. (2011). The Science of Social Influence. 1136737049, 9781136737046: Psychology Press. Tedeschi, J. T. (1972). The Social influence Processes. london: Transaction Publishers. Source document