Thursday, November 28, 2019

A Doll House marriage essays

A Doll House marriage essays Dramatists use marriage in their works to demonstrate the emotional struggle it takes for two people to stay truly in love. There are three main qualities of marriage: communication, love in action, and selflessness. Ibsen clearly portrays these qualities in his play, A Doll House. In this play, the two main characters going through a marital struggle are Nora and Torvald. The actions they take throughout this play determine the fate of their marriage. Communication is a big part of marriage. If there is no communication in a marriage it is much harder to stay in love with the other person. Toward the end of the play, Nora discovers her lack of communication with Torvald. Torvald likes to keep himself distant from Nora. He has his own study which she is not allowed to enter unless she asks his permission. Most of the conversation seen throughout the play is Torvald calling her his little squirrel and other pet names. At the very end of the play, Nora herself admits that they have not once had a real conversation in their eight years of marriage. This lack of communication causes Nora to take one step closer to the door. Another main part of marriage is love in action. These are the actions one takes because of the love they possess for their partner. Nora demonstrates this in one of her visits with Dr. Rank. Nora and Dr. Rank have been close friends for many years. He comes to her house to visit her just about everyday. On one visit, however, things did not go as they normally do. While sitting together Dr. Rank tells Nora that he loves her and that he has always loved her. He asks her if she will go with him, because she doesn't seem happy with Torvald. Nora loves Dr. Rank, but just as a friend. She couldn't think of being unfaithful to Torvald and leaving him for another man. Even though she wasn't fully happy there she decided to stay for Torvald. Nora may have considered the love she devoted to him as she took her final st ...

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Negative Effects Of Working And Going To School

In the struggle to become more independent, you must start paying your own way. But there’s a price; stress, lack of social life and sleep depravation are all negative effects of working and going to school. Many people do this, while going to college to better themselves and they must work to pay for it. Because we all know, higher education is not free. Well at least not for most, except for the lucky few with the rich parents! Realistically most people work their way through college, attempting to balance both work and school. But what does all this do to a person? Stress is one of the biggest negative effects plaguing working college students. So much is expected from them. They are expected to work anywhere from ten to forty hours a week, go to school, do another four to eight hours of homework per class and then somehow manage to fit sleep in there. â€Å"Stress can overtax our adjustive capacity, affect our moods, impair our ability to feel pleasure, and harm the body.† Also, â€Å"Stress is the number one reason that college students seek help at college counseling.† (Rathus & Nevid, Psychology, 142) As you can see, stress is a major problem for college students and has many negative effects. One of the worst effects of stress is its effect on one’s health. Stress can literally make you sick, lowering your immune system and opening you up to a Pandora’s Box of problems. At first, it might just be small things like a headache or a cold and then progress to more major problems like respiratory or circulatory problems. The key is to take time out for yourself, and most importantly, get enough sleep. Unfortunately, that rarely happens with so many things to do and so little time. Another major negative effect is lack of sleep. With all these responsibilities placed on these students, it just seems like there aren’t enough hours in a day. Many... Free Essays on Negative Effects Of Working And Going To School Free Essays on Negative Effects Of Working And Going To School In the struggle to become more independent, you must start paying your own way. But there’s a price; stress, lack of social life and sleep depravation are all negative effects of working and going to school. Many people do this, while going to college to better themselves and they must work to pay for it. Because we all know, higher education is not free. Well at least not for most, except for the lucky few with the rich parents! Realistically most people work their way through college, attempting to balance both work and school. But what does all this do to a person? Stress is one of the biggest negative effects plaguing working college students. So much is expected from them. They are expected to work anywhere from ten to forty hours a week, go to school, do another four to eight hours of homework per class and then somehow manage to fit sleep in there. â€Å"Stress can overtax our adjustive capacity, affect our moods, impair our ability to feel pleasure, and harm the body.† Also, â€Å"Stress is the number one reason that college students seek help at college counseling.† (Rathus & Nevid, Psychology, 142) As you can see, stress is a major problem for college students and has many negative effects. One of the worst effects of stress is its effect on one’s health. Stress can literally make you sick, lowering your immune system and opening you up to a Pandora’s Box of problems. At first, it might just be small things like a headache or a cold and then progress to more major problems like respiratory or circulatory problems. The key is to take time out for yourself, and most importantly, get enough sleep. Unfortunately, that rarely happens with so many things to do and so little time. Another major negative effect is lack of sleep. With all these responsibilities placed on these students, it just seems like there aren’t enough hours in a day. Many...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Corporate Code of Ethics Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Corporate Code of Ethics Project - Assignment Example When this Code of Ethics states that employees, officers and/or directors must contact â€Å"the company,† â€Å"his or her company,† â€Å"the company’s General Counsel† or some other department or committee affiliated with a company, we mean that employees, officers and/or directors should contact the appropriate contact person or group at their company. There is a contact list at the end of this Code. If employees have knowledge or are suspicious of any noncompliance with any part of this Code of Ethics or are concerned whether circumstances could lead to a violation of this Code of Ethics, they are encouraged to discuss the situation promptly with their immediate supervisor, or if the employee feels uncomfortable or otherwise believes it is inappropriate to discuss such matter with their immediate supervisor, then the employee may follow the procedures found on the AFGLink Human Resources website under â€Å"Fraud Reporting.† All directors, officers and employees are responsible for abiding by this Code of Ethics. Individuals with supervisory responsibilities over any other employees will be responsible for the failure to exercise proper supervision in detecting and reporting violations of this Code of Ethics by their direct reports. Directors, officers and employees who violate the Code of Ethics are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. The companies’ policies are designed to comply with all applicable financial reporting and accounting regulations. If an employee, officer or director has concerns or complaints regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters, he or she must submit those concerns or complaints to his or her company’s General Counsel. Directors, officers and employees have an obligation to promote the companies’ best interests at all times. They should avoid any action which may involve a conflict of interest with the companies. A

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Hazardous Materials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hazardous Materials - Essay Example The other factors include; population density, location of the highways, waterways railroads as well as the areas whose environment is affected by the incidents. The hazardous material incident representatives such as the local and state environmental agencies can be used to provide information concerning the assessment of factors pose as a threat to the environment. Confinement and containment are first lines of defense that are used at the early stages of the incidents that are aimed at minimizing risks to life and the environment. In addition, the natural and synthetic methods can be used to limit the rate at which materials are released. In case a reported incident is taking place in a building, a telecommunicator should seek information from a caller about the contents of the building and the area that surrounds it. It is imperative to ask about the type of business in a building because it could be as an indicator of the hazardous materials .This information should be directed to responding units. A caller should inform a responder on the location and the nature of the hazardous material when it is safe to do so (DeLisi, 2006). Placards are used to identify the substance that co

Monday, November 18, 2019

Dialect variation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dialect variation - Research Paper Example A common mistake made by a majority of people is to confuse accents with dialects by messing up with the differences between sounds people make and pronunciation and the words they use. If one has to consider grammar and vocabulary alongside pronunciation, then it is reasonable to use the term â€Å"dialect.† However, when discussing a dialect, an individual will usuallyfully concentrate on pronunciations. If sounds alone are what are being spoken of, then the area of study in language is phonology or pronunciation. Phonology is a special aspect of dialect that requires separate attention to be understood precisely (Riggle and Godsmith 38). Phonological variation is the difference in pronunciation across and within dialects, for instance, people from different countries may pronounce â€Å"easy† with an â€Å"s† while people from another country pronounce it with a â€Å"z†. Arguably, the most common phonological difference in England is the sound of â€Å"bath vowel† which differs between North and Southern England populations. Another example is the issue of rhoticity, relative to whether or not letter r should be sounded when it comes after a vowel (McKay Lee 70). While most Wales and England populations do not pronounce this later r, those in Lancashire and English West countries do pronounce it. Variations in phonology are important in marking regional dialects. In order to represent the pronunciations precisely, linguistics tend to use a phonetic alphabet, where distinctively dissimilar sounds are represented by varying symbols, instead of unphonetic English spelling systems. One sound is usually symbolized by different spellings, like the â€Å"sh† sound being pronounced as sh in â€Å"sheep†, but as â€Å"ti† in â€Å"nation† (Brown, 108). Approaches to phonological variations The well-known phonological variations are word stress and syllable structure. The main question is whether there are generalizations to be made in various patterns of these variations. For the no-pattern approach, no attempt is made to find an overall pattern that applies to most or all words, maybe because no generalization exists (Riggle and Godsmith 40). For instance, there are no rules to determine which syllable of polysyllabic English words swallows the stress. Consequently, stress patterns are merely listed in the lexicon. Any evident statistical preferences or trends for particular patterns are likely due to historical mistakes. The norm-and-exceptions approach assumes that English has a default stress structure with four different versions na mely; language parameters, language typology, optimology theory, and rule-based theory. Language typology assumes a limited number of

Friday, November 15, 2019

Analysing Reviews and Development of SMEs in Ghana

Analysing Reviews and Development of SMEs in Ghana The dynamic role of Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries towards employment generation and income creation has OVER TIME been highly emphasised by several authors (Kayanula and Quartey 2000, OECD 2004). While it is generally accepted that SMEs are important contributors to the domestic economy, not many governments have framed policies to enhance their contribution or increase their competitiveness (UNCTAD 2005). Previously insulated from international competition, many SMEs are now faced with greater external competition and the need to expand market share. As indicated by OECD 2002, SMEs fast-changing technologies and globalising economies are putting increased pressures on firms to reorganise their structures to enhance adaptability and flexibility. Upgrading the skills of all types of employees is hence central to firm performance in SMEs which must be able to adapt quickly to evolving markets and changing circumstances, but which often have limited resources. Indeed there is preliminary evidence that competence development activities can reduce the failure rates of small firms, which are far more likely to fail than larger firms, particularly in the early years (OECD 2002). 1.2 SMEs in Ghana: Definition and Role towards Economic Development As per statistics from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa 2010, Ghana ¿Ã‚ ½s GDP grew at an annual rate of 5.4 per cent between 2001 and 2007. Such impressive performance was partly contributed to the robust growth of the SME sector in Ghana. Available data from the Registrar General in Ghana indicates that 90% of companies registered are micro, small and medium enterprises (Mensah 2004). This target group has been identified as the catalyst for the economic growth of the country as they are a major source of income and employment. Analogous to the situation in other countries though, Kayanula and Quartey 2000 state that there is no single, uniformly acceptable, definition of a small firm in Ghana as these firms differ in their levels of capitalisation, sales and employment. Hence, definitions which employ measures of size (number of employees, turnover, profitability, net worth, etc.) when applied to one sector could lead to all firms being classified as small, while the same size definition when applied to a different sector could lead to a different result. Kayanula and Quartey in their research however identified a number of common definitions used when referring to SMEs in Ghana that could be used for purposes of this essay. These definitions are summarised below: The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) considers firms with less than 10 employees as Small Scale Enterprises and their counterparts with more than 10 employees as Medium and Large-Sized Enterprises. An alternative criteria used in defining small and medium enterprises is the value of fixed assets in the organisation. However, the National Board of Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) in Ghana applies both the fixed asset and number of employees ¿Ã‚ ½ criteria. It defines a Small Scale Enterprise as one with not more than 9 workers, has plant and machinery (excluding land, buildings and vehicles) not exceeding 10 million Cedis. From these definitions however, it would be prudent for purposes of this essay to note that the process of valuing fixed assets in itself poses a problem as continuous depreciation in the exchange rate often makes such definitions out-dated. It is further noted that SMEs in Ghana can be categorised into urban and rural enterprises. The former can be sub-divided into `organised ¿Ã‚ ½ and `unorganised ¿Ã‚ ½ enterprises. The organised ones tend to have paid employees with a registered office whereas the unorganised category is mainly made up of artisans who work in open spaces, temporary wooden structures, or at home and employ little or in some cases no salaried workers. They rely mostly on family members or apprentices. Rural enterprises are largely made up of family groups, individual artisans, women engaged in food production from local crops. The major activities within this sector include:- soap and detergents, fabrics, clothing and tailoring, textile and leather, village blacksmiths, tin-smithing, ceramics, timber and mining, bricks and cement, beverages, food processing, bakeries, wood furniture, electronic assembly, agro processing, chemical based products and mechanics (UNECA 2010, Kayanula and Quartey 2000). Among their many roles, SMEs in Ghana have been crucial in mobilising funds which otherwise would have been idle (Kayanula and Quartey 2000). The authors further point out that SMEs have been recognised as a seed-bed for indigenous entrepreneurship, are labour intensive, employing more labour per unit of capital than large enterprises and promote indigenous technological know-how. Furthermore, due to their regional dispersion and their labour intensity, argument goes that small scale production units can promote a more equitable distribution of income than large firms in Ghana. They also improve the efficiency of domestic markets and make productive use of scarce resources and thus facilitating long term economic growth. 1.3 Challenges facing SME Growth and Competitiveness in Ghana Despite the wide-ranging economic reforms instituted in the country to promote SME development, SMEs in Ghana still face a variety of constraints (UNECA 2010, Kayanula and Quartey 2000). Mensah 2004 drew up a basic profile on such SME challenges: SMEs are dominated by the owner/manager who takes all major company decisions. The entrepreneur possesses limited formal education, access to and use of new technologies, market information, and access to credit from the banking sector is severely limited. Furthermore, management skills are weak, thus inhibiting the development of a strategic plan for sustainable growth. Kayanula and Quartey in addition note that SME competitiveness in Ghana is mainly constrained by the following factors: 1. Limited access to finance remains a dominant constraint to small scale enterprises in Ghana. Credit constraints pertaining to working capital and raw materials are often cited by small firm and these partly stem from the fact that SMEs have limited access to capital markets, both locally and internationally. 2. SMEs have difficulties in gaining access to appropriate technologies and information on available techniques. This limits innovation and SME competitiveness. This fact is ascertained by UNCTAD 2005 which notes that most SMEs also lack the technical know-how and financial resources needed to acquire state of the art technologies and equipment required to improve productivity and to become internationally competitive. 3. Regulatory Constraints: Although wide ranging structural reforms have improved, prospects for enterprise development remain to be addressed at the firm-level. High start-up costs for firms, including licensing and registration requirements, can impose excessive and unnecessary burdens on SMEs. The high cost of settling legal claims and excessive delays in court proceedings adversely affect SME operations. In the case of Ghana, the cumbersome procedure for registering and commencing business were key issues often cited. 4. Of actual importance to this essay however, is the insufficient supply of skilled workers among SMEs in Ghana that limits specialisation opportunities, raises costs, and reduce flexibility in managing company operations. This is coupled with the lack of entrepreneurial and business management Skills: Lack of managerial know-how places significant constraints on SME development. Mensah 2004 in conclusion notes that SMEs in Ghana have not been able to take full advantage of Government-sponsored business support services. This paper therefore seeks to identify the possible implications for strengthening SME competitiveness through competence development that could be attained through the acquisition of knowledge, skills and new abilities. Chapter Two: Literature Review 2.1 Competence: Definition of the Concept Studying a concept such as competence is very complex as the concept is used differently by many people (Awuah 2007). According to the author, the term competence can be defined as the ability of a firm to develop and manage relations with key suppliers, customers and other organizations. The term is further defined by the UN as the possession of a set of skills, related knowledge and attributes that allow an individual to perform a task or an activity within a specific function or job (UN 2007, UNIDO 2002). A graphical display of how the UN explains competence is displayed in figure 1 that follows: A more practical definition for the term competence is provided by the European Commission which defines competence as the combination of human knowledge, skills and aptitudes serving productive purposes in firms and contributing to their competitiveness (EC 2003). From the EC definition, we notice that the possession of necessary skills and abilities should be able to provide a firm with a certain competitive advantage over its competitors. In this paper therefore, the term competence will be used to mean the ability to demonstrate knowledge, skills, experience, and attributes necessary for a firm to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. In general, competence in a job means being competent at all aspects of each function or competency required to be performed within the role. The term competency is graphically explained in figure 1. Several authors such as EC 2003 and Moe 1995 distinguish between competencies at individual and organisational level. Individual competencies imply a person ¿Ã‚ ½s internal cognitive abilities and skills. Such competencies may be gained through education and experience in the work place (Nordhaug 1992). On the other hand institutional competence is more than the sum of competences of the individuals. It consists of institutional qualities such as the ability to mobilize teamwork and synergistic effects of interactions between individuals (Moe 1995). EC 2003 however cautions that a high level of individual competence does not automatically result in a high level of organisational competence and therefore an optimal degree of organisational competence requires a transfer mechanism that facilitates interplay between an individual and the organisations frameworks and routines. Figure 1: Definition of Competency Source: UNIDO 2002, Page 9 In this regard, Nordhaug 1992 adds that much expertise based on practical experience is accumulated by individuals working within any company. To transform the experiences of the individuals into institutional knowledge is a great challenge to which there hardly exists any universal solution. The goal therefore must be to embed this experience in the organization in such a way that it is at any time available to those who need it, even after the individual who made it has left the company. In contrast to many contemporary authors, UNIDO 2002 distinguishes competencies as being managerial, generic and technical. Managerial competencies are considered for staff with managerial or supervisory responsibility in any firm, including directors and senior posts. It is further noted that some managerial competencies could be more relevant for specific occupations however they are applied horizontally across a firm for example analysis and decision making and team leadership. Generic competencies are considered essential for all staff regardless of their function or level for example communication, programme execution and linguistics. Technical or functional competencies on the other hand are specific competencies that are considered essential to perform a job within a defined area of work for example environmental management, finance management and human resource management among others. In conclusion, UNIDO 2002 notes that any function within a firm requires a set of essential managerial/generic and technical/functional competencies to be performed effectively. 2.1 Competence Development in SMEs 2.2.1 Definition of Competence Development Competence development is defined by Koch, Gill and Ellstr ¿Ã‚ ½m 2006 as an overall designation for the various activities that can be used to affect the supply of employee competence and skills on the internal labour market. In this definition, it should be pointed out that the term competence development is sometimes also used to denote the individual learning processes through which competence is developed. A simpler definition is provided by the EC, which defines competence development as the measures taken by any enterprise to develop its competence base Competence development in this case refers to activities that are planned and organized in order to foster learning as a primary aim, but also to activities that have learning as a secondary and perhaps unintended outcome. According to the EC, any enterprise can develop its competence base by a number of different possible measures, that is to say, by recruiting the right competence from outside or by developing the human resources the organisation already possesses. This goal can be obtained from a double perspective: first of all, through the development of the competence base of its human resources, basically through different forms of formal and non-formal learning such as training courses, internal seminars, work groups, assistance to expos. This kind of perspective was termed by Nordhaug 1992 as the Development of in-house competence, which represents the measure a firm takes to develop their competence status available within their in-house human resources. Further more competence development activities may be formal through internal or external courses that are deliberately planned and organized as means for work place learning. These activities may or may not result in a certificate, a diploma or a mark that is recognized by the educational system or on the external labour market. In many cases, courses are carried out to meet more specific needs at the workplace, and do not result in some kind of formally recognized certificate or mark. Workplace learning through formal activities are usually financed by the employer and carried out during working hours. In contrast, informal competence development may occur through the participation of the individual in development projects at the workplace, staff-meetings, job rotation and team-based work among others. Such activities are generally characterized by a low degree of planning and organization from the perspective of learning. The second approach is through obtaining the desired competence externally. Examples include the recruitment of new employees, the purchase of consultant services or co-operation with other external stakeholders. Nordhaug 1992 complements this approach by noting that external competence acquisition, where firms acquire (buy or by other means get access to) different external competencies that are outside the enterprises boundaries that they internally lack but may be regarded as essential for the optimal performance of the firm. Relating to the work of Griffiths et al 2007, the definition of competence development in this paper will emphasize the focus on the continuous updating and building of both individual and organisational knowledge, skills and abilities. 2.2.2 A Four Stage Model of Competence Development To simplify analysis, a model of competence development which consists of four stages is presented in this section: Figure 2: Competence Development Model Adapted from Griffiths et al 2007: Page 134 According to the figure above, the cycle of competence development starts with a process of orientation, in which the learner determines which competences that need to be developed. Once this decision has been made, the learner has a choice. One very quick route, typical for informal learning and competencies related to leisure activities, is to go directly to the competence development activities, based on the learner ¿Ã‚ ½s interests and only very little knowledge of their current proficiency level. The other route, more related to formal learning and to professional development is to proceed by collecting evidence, which shows the learner ¿Ã‚ ½s current proficiency level. After the learner has collected this evidence, they can again choose: either they can have their proficiency level officially recognized by others, or they can go directly to the competence development activities. Again, the latter route is the more informal learning route. Griffiths et al 2007 emphasizes assessment by others is the point where the formal learning route starts, where previous learning, which might have been either informal or formal, is turned into a formal recognition. When the cycle is passed through for the first time, the moment of assessment carried out by others is often referred to as intake assessment. The model is supplemented by Ogrean 2009 who notes that through orientation and assessment, the model serves as the basis for ensuring that the organisation is well positioned to achieve its vision and strategic goals. 2.3 Challenges towards SME Competence Development An introductory picture into the challenges facing SME competence development is provided by EC 2003 that notes that specific SME research and studies taking a more holistic view of competence development in SMEs are very difficult to find. As a result, the share of SMEs participating in competence development is lower than the respective one for larger enterprises (Mandl and Dorr 2004). SMEs are however not only constrained by limited information on competence development. According to Mandl and Dorr 2004 and EC 2003, smaller companies are indeed confronted with a wider range of barriers hindering the engagement in competence development than larger ones. The most important one they note constitutes the lack of time to both, strategically plan and participate in respective measures due to the dominance of the daily business. Mandl and Dorr 2004 specifically note that limited financial and human resources constitute the main barriers for SMEs to engage in competence development activities. Generally, employees are too much involved in the daily business life to have time to engage in qualification measures and due to the restricted number of employees no proxy is available in many cases. It is further noted that SMEs are often sceptical towards external advice and training as they are not informed about what is offered and/or are unsure about the quality or the price-performance ratio. Furthermore, the programmes offered do in most of the cases not correspond exactly to their needs. Stone 2010 observes that small firms often report difficulty accessing training tailored to their needs in terms of type and quality, scheduling and location. Additionally, SMEs fear that higher qualified employees will leave the company because of a lack of incentives such as higher salaries and career chances in larger enterprises. Larger firms often pay higher wage rates, so formal qualifications are perceived by many small employers as more valuable to employees than the business itself (Stone 2010). This is worsened by the fact that these firms lack competence development specialists in the company: very few SMEs indeed dispose of experts in the field of competence development leading to a lack of a systematic competence development scheme in these firms. This barrier is also mentioned in terms of lacking plans and personnel for conducting the training or identifying the company competence needs Another obstacle identified from empirical research (Stone 2010) is that that small employers commonly lack information on what training is available to them, as well as evidence of the benefits of training to set against perceived and real barriers to training activity. Even where they perceive training to be of value, releasing employees for especially formal training is more difficult for smaller employers. Lost working time is an especially important constraint with respect to owner-manager training. According to OECD 2002, for a variety of reasons, smaller firms are less likely than larger enterprises to provide external training to all grades of workers, including managers. In addition to financial constraints, information gaps make smaller firms less aware of the benefits they would obtain from management training and few see training as a strategic tool. Due to higher turnover in managerial staff, small firms may not realise the same benefits from training investments as larger firms. Chapter Three: Competence Development for SME Growth and Competiveness in Ghana 3.1 Competitiveness: Definition and Concept Competitiveness can be assessed at either the national or the enterprise level (UNCTAD 2005). At the national level, competitiveness has been defined as a nation ¿Ã‚ ½s ability to produce goods and services that meet the test of international markets while simultaneously maintaining and expanding real incomes of its people over the long term. The ability to compete in international markets is usually thought to be dependent on macroeconomic policies and conditions (trade policies and exchange rates among others) as well as on a nation ¿Ã‚ ½s comparative advantage that is its factor endowment (land, labour and capital). At the enterprise level, competitiveness is the ability to sustain a market position by, supplying quality products on time and at competitive prices through acquiring the flexibility to respond quickly to changes in demand and through successfully managing product differentiation by building up innovative capacity and an effective marketing system (UNCTAD 2005). The difference between the competitiveness of an enterprise and that of a nation is that the enterprise will cease to exist if it remains uncompetitive for long whereas a nation never goes out of business no matter how badly it is managed or how uncompetitive it is. When a nation loses its competitiveness, this is reflected in its deteriorating welfare conditions rather than elimination from the market. To achieve continuous competitiveness, enterprises must transform their ways of competing: they must shift from comparative advantages such as low-cost and labour, to competitive advantages, namely the ability to compete on cost and quality, delivery and flexibility. Such competitiveness may depend on the business environment, sophistication of company operations and inter-firm cooperation. According to UNCTAD 2005 however, since an enterprise does not produce in a vacuum, its competitiveness can only be measured within various types of market territories at the sub national, national and supra-national levels. The optimization of its capital resources (finance, technology, labour) commands its ability to penetrate each of these three market territories. In general, OECD 2004 identifies that it is up to the SMEs to implement competitive business operating practices and business strategies. However, the options available to SMEs are also closely related to the quality of institutions, markets and organizations that constitute the business environment. These will however depend on the efficiency and effectiveness of institutions, markets and organizations that encourage or discourage SMEs to take their cues for learning new ways of doing business, compare their own competitive characteristics with those of their rivals, and makes their decisions to invest, including the i ntroduction of innovations into their business strategies. In conclusion, UNCTAD 2005 notes that competitiveness is embodied in the characteristics of the firm, namely through: the current efficiency and effectiveness of the use of resources; the willingness and the ability to relate profitability to growth of capacity through continued investment. Although the authors concur with the view that competitiveness is created at the firm level, it is also emphasized that this is partly derived from a systemic context, emerging from complex patterns of interactions between government, enterprises and other actors, and will therefore exhibit different forms in each society. In addition, external competitiveness can be achieved by firms through exports, sustaining diversification and/or better quality of production, upgrading technology and skills, and expanding the base of domestic firms to compete regionally and globally. A firm is competitive in external markets depending on its ability to supply quality products on time and at competitive prices and to respond quickly to changes in demand by building up innovative capacities and market strategies. 3.2 Linking Competence Development Activities to SME Growth and Competiveness In the current competitive and complex economic environment, human capital is increasingly recognised by both countries and by business organisations as a key engine for growth and competitiveness (L ¿Ã‚ ½fstedt 2001, EC 2003, Moe 1995). Moe further identifies that companies will rarely be allowed to benefit significantly from competitive advantages in terms of monopolies or privileged access to certain raw materials, special means of production or protected markets. The success of any company will depend on its ability to compete in the management of resources and in exploiting markets which are in principle available to all. Competitiveness in the market-place, as well as for the best people, will also increasingly depend on the environmental qualities of the company. Thus, the key to success is in a superior ability to recruit, develop and mobilize human resources. The best way to adapt to the changing environment and new requirements is to increase the organizations competence and to use it in the best possible way (L ¿Ã‚ ½fstedt 2001). Against such a background of globalisation and competition, the availability of up to- date knowledge, also within the smallest enterprises, is of increased significance not only for the individual company but also for the economy as such (Mandl and Dorr 2004). The authors further note that the current economic environment is characterised by global competition, fast technology developments, shorter product life cycles, more demanding consumers and changing enterprise structures through merges, alliances and take-overs. Thus, the new growth theories make economic growth dependent on the rate of accumulation of both physical and human capital, defined by the levels of knowledge, skills and competencies of the workforce (EC 2003) Another important concept of how SME competitiveness could be advanced through competence development is provided by Koch, Gill and Ellstr ¿Ã‚ ½m 2006, who argue that competence development can result into increased individual and organizational performance. This view is supported by Stone 2010; in his famous quotation that  ¿Ã‚ ½Firms that train their workers are significantly less likely to close than those that do not ¿Ã‚ ½ (Kock, Gill and Ellstr ¿Ã‚ ½m 2006). In addition to this, Fretwell 2002 notes that employee morale is created by and directly proportional to the degree of employee competence supported by leaders throughout the organization. Employee morale within an organization in turn has a direct impact on the satisfaction level of its customers and the companys ultimate success. When relationship-based leaders promote core competency development of its workforce throughout the organization, an opportunity exists for ensuring high employee morale and customer satis faction, an increase in employee and customer retention rates, and a positive long-term outlook for the companys successful performance. Common knowledge suggests that employee morale has a direct impact on the satisfaction level of an organizations primary external customers. In general, firms that are able to invest in the development of their human capital and the improvement of organisational capabilities will be able to gain a competitive advantage need to survive in today ¿Ã‚ ½s competitive world. 3.3 Implications for SMEs in Ghana A clear analysis of the prevailing environment for SMEs in Ghana indicates that the combined forces of globalisation, technological progress and growing market demand pose a challenge to SME competitiveness. However, there are a number of ways in which small firms can get around this situation. To support analysis, several implications for SMEs in Ghana have been identified through the framework for SME competitiveness as displayed in the figure that follows: According to ECA 2001, the framework distinguishes between factors that are internal and external to the enterprises. The large circle in the centre of the diagram captures the key internal requisites and processes that might lead to increased competitiveness in enterprises. These inputs are often called technological capabilities and they are defined as the knowledge, skills and efforts required for firms to bring about an indigenous process of technological development. ECA further emphasizes that such capability acquisition cannot be taken for granted and often requires purposeful and cumulative efforts aimed at assimilating and modifying existing technologies, adapting them to local conditions. This is especially the case in Ghana since major innovations are still concentrated in technologically advanced countries. Figure 3: Framework to support SME Competitiveness Source: ECA 2001 Page 12 On the other hand, marketing capabilities are required to make the product available and attractive to the buyer. They include activities concerned with establishing a marketing channel from the factory to the buyer (direct sales or intermediaries), organising the logistics (related to mode and speed of transport), promotion (advertising, branding) and after sales service. Further more, research has shown that capability building and competitiveness also depend on factors external to the firm. As shown in Figure above, this external context is given first by the type of network or cluster to which the firms belong. It is now well recognised that the lonely enterprise is doomed and the quality of relationships with other producers, suppliers and customers is critical for learning and competing (ECA 2001). The framework further identifies clustering to facilitate the mobilisation of financial and human resources. In summary, clusters and networks constitute the immediate external context in which SMEs operate. The benefits of clustering are widely acknowledged: the spatial and sectoral concentration of firms generates externalities, favours inter-firm cooperation and constitutes a niche for effective policy support. This fact is reaffirmed by UNCTAD 2005, that observes that the competitive pressure of globalization brings about the need for SMEs to come together in order to survive and grow. The formation of trade associations and industrial groups/clusters are accordingly being promoted. A commendable example of such clustering for competitiveness is observed in the Ghana metalwork cluster in Suame that has generated positive externalities for SMEs, namely access to markets, labour market pooling and significant technological spill-overs. OECD 2010 for example further suggests that SMEs acquire new knowledge and skills that will enable them to obtain the ideas they require for innovation and the markets to exploit them. A major message is that small firms do not innovate by themselves but in collaboration with suppliers, customers, competitors, universities, research organisations and others. These networks will then help them overcome some of the obstacles to innovation linked to their small size. Needless to say however, the quality of their local entrepreneurship environments, strength of local technology partners, and the quality of local science-industry linkages is critical to SME com

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Boeing Company :: PEST SWOT marketing strategy

CONTENTS 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  COMPANY OVERVIEW†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p.3 to 4 Company’s vision, mission statement and objectives Vision†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p.3 Boeing- Airbus market share †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..p.4 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  SITUATION ANALYSIS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.p. 5 to 10 PEST analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦p.5 SWOT analysis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p.7 Boeing Corporate Culture†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦p.10 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  THE BOEING COMPANY MARKETING POLICY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p.11 to 30 Segmentation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦..p.11 Boeing’s Positioning and Targeting Strategy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.p.12 Buyer behaviour†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦....p.15 Pricing strategy in the Boeing-Airbus duopoly †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. p.16 Analysis of Major Customers†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦.p.18 Description of Products and Services†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..p.20 The life cycle of Boeing’s commercial airplanes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p.23 Boeing’s Communication Policy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.p.24 Public Relations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.p.27 Distribution policy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...p.28 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.p.31 to 34 Brief overview of Boeing’s procurement activity †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦.p.31 e-procurement †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p.32 Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦..p.34 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  COMPARISON WITH AIRBUS †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p.35 to 37 Airbus S.A.S brief overview †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.p.35 Reasons behind the Duopoly †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦..p.35 Comparison of both Boeing and Airbus strategies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.....p.36 Latest commercial disputes †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦p.36 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ATTACK AND DEFEND STRATEGIES †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p.38 Attack strategy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.†¦p.38 Defend strategy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.....p.38 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  RECOMMENDATIONS †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦p.39 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  APPENDIXES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.p.41 to 45 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  COMPANY OVERVIEW Company’s vision, mission statement and objectives Vision Vision People working together as one global company for aerospace leadership Boeing- The future of flight. Mission To be the number one aerospace company in the world and among the premier industrial concerns in terms of quality, profitability and growth Objectives To achieve the above goals and fulfil Boeing’s mission, the following objectives will guide company: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Continuous improvements in quality of products and processes: Our commitment to steady, long-term improvement in our products and processes is the cornerstone of our business strategy. To achieve this objective, we must work to continuously improve the overall quality of our design, manufacturing, administrative, and support organizations. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A highly skilled and motivated workforce: Our most important resource is our human resource: the people who design and build our products and service our customers. Given the right combination of skills, training, communications, environment, and leadership, we believe our employees will achieve the needed gains in productivity and quality to meet our goals. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capable and focused management To employ our technical and human resources with optimum efficiency, we must ensure that managers are carefully selected, appropriately trained, and work together to achieve our long-range goals. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technical excellence In a world of fast-challenging technology, we can only remain competitive by continuously refining and expanding our technical capability. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Financial strength The high-risk, cyclical nature of our business demands a strong financial base. We must retain the capital resources to meet our current commitments and make substantial investments to develop new products and new technology for the future. This objective also requires contingency planning and control to ensure the company is not overextended should a severe economic downturn occur the plan period. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Commitment to integrity Integrity, in the broadest sense, must pervade our actions in all relationships, including those with our customers, suppliers, and each other. This is a commitment to uncompromising values and conduct.

Monday, November 11, 2019

San Francisco Coffee House Case Essay

1. Should Tensek and Pacek consider franchising over organic growth? Do a qualitative cost-benefit Analysis. (4 Points) In regards to whether Tensek and Pacek should consider franchising over growing additional business locations organically, there are many factors that the couple must take into account. Whether they choose to expand using a franchising or organic approach, there are major costs and benefits that will dramatically affect San Fransisco Coffee House. First, the company must take into account the costs associated with expanding the company organically. Opening and starting virtually any business requires an individual to risk a substantial amount of capital. Although the first location was a success and gained regional notoriety, the couple would have to risk their own money to fund the venture. This particular investment includes financing the purchases of equipment, initial supplies, and furnishing the location. The couple spent an initial 40,000 euros as their start up capital, and would be unable to spend less on additional locations, as the interior and ambience it provides are perhaps the most important characteristics of the business. The design process would require an investment of important time and money. In addition to the valuable number of hours that would be spent finding a location with a reasonable monthly rental cost, Tensek and Pacek would also be required to discover a location that would provide them access to their target demographics, (students and businessmen). For each additional location, the couple would also be responsible for hiring and training new staff members. This task would also require the couple to establish a payroll and benefits plan for new team members. The benefits of expanding the business organically include several major items. If SFCH chooses to expand organically, the company will have a much easier time controlling the image and publicity of the business. The couple will have the ability to handpick and train employees using the effective techniques they used at their precious location. Pacek and Tensek will also  be able to decorate the vital interiors of additional locations. These techniques will ensure that additional locations will provide the excellent customer service and the casual American ambience that the initial location provided. Opening their own additional locations would also allow the couple to retain all of the earnings, as opposed to sharing the profits with a franchisee. The Croatian economy is more geared towards entrepreneurs opening their own businesses. If the couple is able to avoid franchising and expand organically, local banks would be more inclined to potentially provide SFCH with financing. Croatian franchising has many potential barriers to entry. The country’s economic and political landscapes have continued to evolve over the past few decades; however, the country is still developing. Due to the developing state of the country, no true franchising legal system has been put into place. If SFCH chooses to begin franchising, the company might be subject to legislative changes which could potentially negatively impact the financial situation of the company. SFCH must also take into account the public view of franchising in Croatia. Due to the smaller population and limited number of franchises in the country, franchising is not a well known practice in Croatia. Not only is the general public misinformed about franchising, local banks have virtually no understanding of the practice. This situation limits the number of people who might be interested in potentially purchasing a franchise of SFCH and also decreases the likelihood of a Croatian bank providing a franchisee with a loan. There are a number of benefits SFCH would receive if the company elected to begin franchising. SFCH would be able to utilize the Croatian Franchising Association as a resource to access potential franchisees. Franchising would require much less of a financial investment and would not require as much of a time commitment from the couple as organically growing the company one store at a time. This strategy would also allow the company to collect royalties while only having to provide advertising, the use of the company name, use of the company infrastructure and perhaps assistance with training  and interior design strategies. Increasing the number of locations will additionally build brand awareness, as well as establish a stronghold on the untapped Croatian coffee market. SFCH will also benefit from the first mover advantages. Once Croatia enters the European Union, major coffee companies will undoubtedly try to enter the market. SFCH’s stronghold on the American-Style coffeehouse market will prove itself to be extremely valuable. Additionally, Tensek and Pacek would have a lot less risk if they were to franchise their business rather than open an additional store themselves. Typically with a franchise the risk is on the part of the franchisee and not the owners of the whole company. It is up to the owner of the specific franchise to take the major risk to get the location going. After reviewing the costs and benefits associated with both organically growing the company, as well as franchising, it is apparent that SFCH would be wise to begin franchising. The startup costs associated with opening one additional store at a time, as well as the time it would cost the company clearly indicates that organically growing the company is an unwise decision. Though it seems Croatians don’t quite grasp the concept of franchising, the positive numbers in exhibit 4 and 5 indicate that franchising will most likely take off in the near future. The potential growth and revenues franchising would provide clearly outweigh the potential barriers to entry SFCH would have to overcome. 2. What adjustments would they need to make for franchising in the Croatian context? (1.5 Points) Croatia’s eventual entry into the European Union allows SFCH to prepare for the legal changes and repercussions that will occur once Croatia is admitted. It would be wise for the couple to consider the potential competitors this change might bring to the country, as well as the EU’s policy regarding franchises. There is the potential that once SFCH begins their franchising that other top competitors such as Starbucks will take notice and enter the Croatian market as well. Another item SFCH must address is the lack of individuals interested in  franchises. Although there is little the company can do to change the public understanding of franchising, SFCH can utilize the Croatian Franchising Association as a resource for finding potential franchisees. The Association offers several tools that help expanding companies connect with potential franchisees. SFCH has the potential to run campaigns through their business to educate potential entrepreneurs on the benefits of franchising. According to exhibit 6 they already have a decent budget for marketing activities. Tensek and Pacek could use some of this money, or additional funds to create marketing campaigns around educating people on franchising, specifically with SFCH. SFCH should also partner with an international entity to receive all of the tax benefits the Croatian government offers to international businesses operating within Croatia. Since there is no minimum percentage of ownership required to receive the benefits, SFCH could offer a minimal percentage of ownership to an international partner with a competitive advantage the business could use. 3. How could they protect their intellectual property and business format know-how? (1.5 Points) In order to ensure franchisees are operating in a manner that the company requires, SFCH should seek legal advice and draw up contracts. These documents should include how the image, logo and slogan of SFCH should be used, what royalties are to be paid to the business and how the business should operate in general. In addition to this agreement, the company should trademark the logos, slogans and name of the company in Croatia, and after they partner with an international entity, register their business devices through the World Intellectual Property Organization. SFCH can also turn to various other business organizations including the EU. These organizations often offer guidelines or resources for entrepreneurs. By using internet resources Tensek and Pacek have access to many informational formats that can give them information on how to outline their practices. 4. How could they fight of local imitators? What would happen if Starbucks or other major coffee chains entered the market? (1.5 Points) If the company elects to begin franchising, the company will expand much more quickly than if it had chosen to expand organically. This expansion will provide SFCH with the first mover advantage. Even if local companies, or large coffee chains attempt to enter the Croatian market, SFCH will have already absorbed most of the Croatian consumers. If large coffee chains enter the market and begin to take away from SFCH’s market share, the couple must determine what marketing, menu, and overall changes should be made in order to mitigate the chain’s Croatian success. It is also important to remember that small businesses can work amongst large corporations. A great example of this is all the local coffee shops in Salt Lake City that are profiting alongside the many Starbucks locations that are in the city as well. In addition to having the first mover advantage, the company will have already established national and world trademarks. These trademarks protect SFCH from blatant imitators and local coffee shop rivals. 5. How could they become the biggest and most successful coffee house nationally? (1.5 Points) In addition to the previously discussed changes SFCH should integrate into their business model, the company should also begin serving adult beverages. This change will enable the company to challenge local coffee shops while gaining a percentage of the nightlife market. Croatian coffee shops are known to serve alcohol, however, SFCH has not attempted to enter this market. This change will provide the company with additional revenues while taking advantage of an alcohol-friendly market. Exposure to nightlife locals could also potentially expose the SFCH to coffee consumers that did not previously know of the shop’s existence. The only potential pitfall of incorporating alcohol into the menu, is if the company alters its ambient atmosphere. The shop should not alter its calm, relaxing identity, rather  provide a tranquil location where individuals can socialize and enjoy alcoholic beverages. Many of the large corporate coffee shops are so popular because they advertise a lifestyle. Starbucks may offer similar coffee and pastries at similar prices to other local coffee shops, but what sets them apart is that they are part of a collective idea. When someone has a starbucks cup and sees another person with the same thing, they may feel as though they are in a group. Starbucks had done a great job at making their customers feel connected and like they belong to the Starbucks family. SFCH would benefit by additional marketing to make their customers feel like they are part of the San Francisco Coffee House family, much like Starbucks has done. This is something that can be achieved through marketing and will only get stronger through continued growth.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Adidas Strengths Essays

Adidas Strengths Essays Adidas Strengths Paper Adidas Strengths Paper Strengths -Strong success in Europe -High-performance products -Recent selling of subsidiary â€Å"dog† SalomonWeaknesses -American athletes endorsed by adidas are not as popular as Nike’s -Nike gaining ground on European soccer market -Public dissent over use of sweatshops Opportunities -Acquisition of Reebok -Growing strength in golf industry through TaylorMade and recent acquisition of Maxfli -Growing revenue from opening of own retail storesThreats -Foreign exchange rates will result in loss of actual profits As mentioned on their website adidas has been a leader in Europe for years and have been able to become comfortable there. Another strength is that adidas-Salomon produces high-performance shoes. They have been able to attract hardcore athletes as customers due to efficiently made shoes (adidas. com). adidas recently announced that it will be selling its Salomon brand to Amer Sports Corporation for $624 million. Salomon was originally acquired by the adidas Group in 1997 when it paid $1. 4 billion for Salomon and its subsidiaries, including golf brand TaylorMade and cycling brand Mavic. The sale will include the brands and subsidiaries Salomon, Mavic, Bonfire, Arc’Teryk, and Cliche. Herbert Hainer, adidas-Salomon Chairman and CEO, stated that â€Å"Salomon has been a great member of our group. However, we have decided that now is the time to focus even more on our core strength in the athletic footwear and apparel market as well as the growing golf category† (Bloomberg). This move will allow adidas to rid itself of the recently slumping Salomon brand, which posted a 1 percent drop in revenue along with a 74 percent drop in operating profit in 2004. The sharp decrease in operating profit is due to recent restructuring that reduced French production of Salomon products from 55 to 35 percent with new production aking place in Romania and China. News of the sale spiked adidas’ shares up 9. 2 percent, reaching its highest point in six years, while Amer Sports shares gained 7. 6 percent. A major weakness of the adidas brand is that they are currently third in the American market for athletic footwear sales. Another weakness is adidas’ recent fall in the soccer shoe market. Nike took over first place in the European soccer shoe market with its success of the Air Zoom Total 90. adidas’ final weakness that must be mentioned is their use of sweatshops. There were allegations of inhumane conditions in adidas’ Asian factories in 2000. However, adidas-Salomon maintained that they were trying to fix the conditions. adidas has a huge opportunity on its horizon. The acquisition of Reebok should allow adidas to have greater access to the American market, where Reebok is currently second in the athletic footwear industry. Another opportunity for adidas-Salomon is the possible expansion of their TaylorMade brand. Although adidas is currently selling the Salomon brand for nearly half of what it paid for it in 1997, the deal does not include the golf brand TaylorMade. TaylorMade-adidas golf has a strong hold on the golf industry and was ranked as the number one driver on the United States and European PGA tours (adidas-Salomon. com). TaylorMade holds 7. 5 percent of the market share for golf balls and adidas increased its opportunities in 2002 by acquiring golf-ball maker Maxfli from the Dunlop Slazenger Group. Finally, adidas can expect to see revenue increases due to their newly implemented and recently successful own-retail activities. These include concept stores, factory outlets, Internet sales, and parts of Asian markets.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Spectral Evidence and the Salem Witch Trials

Spectral Evidence and the Salem Witch Trials Spectral evidence was admitted in the Salem Witch trials, but condemned by many before and after as legally invalid.  Most of the convictions and executions were grounded in the testimony of spectral evidence. Spectral evidence is evidence-based on visions and dreams of the actions of a witchs spirit or specter. Thus, spectral evidence is  testimony about what an accused persons spirit did, rather than actions of the accused person in the body. In the Salem witch trials, spectral evidence was used as evidence in the courts, especially in the early trials.  If a witness could testify to seeing the spirit of someone and could testify to interacting with that spirit, perhaps even bargaining with that spirit, that was considered evidence that the person possessed had consented to the possession and thus was responsible. Example In the case of Bridget Bishop, she claimed  I am innocent to a Witch. I know not what a Witch is. when confronted with accusatory testimony of her appearing as a specter to abuse victims. Several men testified that she had visited them, in spectral form, in bed at night.  She was convicted on June 2 and hanged on June 10. Opposition Opposition by the contemporary clergy to the use of spectral evidence does not mean the clergy did not believe that specters were real.  They believed, rather, that the devil could use specters to possess and get them to act against their own will. That Satan possessed a person was not evidence that the person had consented. Increase Mather and Cotton Mather Weigh In At the beginning of the Salem witch trials, the Rev. Increase Mather, co-minister in Boston with his son Cotton Mather, had been in England, attempting to persuade the king to appoint a new governor. When he returned, the accusations, official investigations, and jailings in Salem Village and nearby were well underway.   Urged by other Boston-area ministers, Increase Mather wrote against the use of  spectral evidence, in  Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men, Witchcrafts, Infallible Proofs of Guilt in such as are accused with that Crime. He argued that innocent people were charged. He trusted the judges, though he argued they should not use spectral evidence in their decisions. At the same time, his son Cotton Mather wrote a book supporting the proceedings,  Wonders of the Invisible World.  Cotton Mathers book actually appeared first. Increase  Mather added an approving introduction to his son’s book. Cotton Mather was not among the ministers who signed Increase Mathers book approvingly. Rev. Cotton Mather argued for the use of spectral evidence if it was  not the only evidence; he disagreed with the idea  of others that the Devil could not make an innocent persons  spirit act without their consent.   Cotton Mathers book was likely seen by the author as a counterbalance to his fathers book, not in actual opposition. Wonders of the Invisible World,  because it accepted that the devil was plotting in New England, was read by many as supporting the court, and the warnings against spectral evidence went largely unheeded. Governor Phips Halts the Executions When some witnesses accused the wife of the newly-arrived Governor William Phips, Mary Phips, of witchcraft, citing spectral evidence, the governor stepped in and stopped the further expansion of the witch trials. He declared that spectral evidence was not admissible evidence. He ended the power of the Court of Oyer and Terminer  to convict, prohibited arrests, and, over time, released all still in prison and jail.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Businesses Approach To the Use of Primary and Secondary Research Essay

Businesses Approach To the Use of Primary and Secondary Research - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the data gathered is put into use by a third party. In essence, it remains abroad and a diffuse data in a contained toolbox, since it does contain any virtual information useful in any market research context. The information is also very important since a large number of the organizations utilize it as they strive to improve their operations in the market. It is an all-purpose market tool, and the corporate board is always at the dispensation of seeking its reference for the sake of comparison of the market trends. It also remains the most accessible form of market research, which is also cheap in relation to the cost. The internal secondary research will entail any information that is gathered anywhere in the environmental angles of the firm. It includes categories such as sales report, the customer databases, ay past report of the primary market research. A sales report will break and dispense information in categories of region, times and the sales ext ent. Sometimes they can also give analytical reports of the distribution channels, discounts extents, and target customers categories. Databases will contain the description of the customer’s data. The primary market research will contain survey or focus group’s result that is done in the previous years. External research entails any information that is gathered by the commercial vendors, government agencies, and other diverse sources. Of utmost importance is a syndicated report, which tends to compile the data with the use of libraries, data calls, and other databases. Concisely, they aim at selling the information to as many firms as possible. The information has passed through the analyst's hands hence it is reliable.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Routine Vaginal Examination in Labour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Routine Vaginal Examination in Labour - Essay Example Vaginal exams have become routine during pregnancy in most parts of the United States. Interpreting labour progress is complex and requires experience, knowledge, and judgment, which are aided by continuity of care from a midwife to the pregnant woman (Dixon & Foureur, 2010). In this essay we will be focusing on the vaginal examination in labour. It has been observed that vaginal examinations in labour are used as a procedure through which the healthcare professionals demonstrate the progress of labour and the condition of labouring women. Vaginal examination helps and guides the doctors and midwives to estimate the time left in labour. The care and importance that a woman experiences during her pregnancy always has a great influence on her (Beech & Phipps, 2004). The regular examination of vagina to evaluate the progress of labour is one such care. The woman through this examination can assess the length, strength, position, and intensity required to take it to the end. Vaginal exam ination is not just a routine practice; rather it is undertaken to get variety of information for the well being of a mother and her child. The information that the healthcare professionals get from it are the fetal presentation, information on cervical effacement, consistency and dilatation of cervix, head movement of the fetal, and position of the nuchal cord. The doctors and midwives get to know what is happening to the patient and her labour with regard to the intensity of contraction (Thorpe & Anderson, 2006). They can identify the length of cervix dilatation and the time remaining for the labour. Vaginal examinations remain the most traditional and acknowledged method of measuring progress in... This report stresses that the resistance from the leaders and the key people is logical while implementing the change. Resistance is also made from the individuals and groups in terms of emotions, and social ties, etc. The resistance that is valuable for leadership and organization in terms of rules, and structure of change is fairly reasonable. The building relationship of trust between supervisor and those who are working with them is also necessary. The midwives cannot adopt a change until they have seen the supervisor practicing it. For this purpose, the supervisors and leaders have to provide them with support and guidance. This paper makes a conclusion that the midwives’ practice and role is accounted as the most major during this process, even more vital than a doctor. It all depends on midwives whether they feel the need for a vaginal examination or not. Mostly, they are so experienced that they can anticipate about the progress of labour through the breathing and condition of a patient. Vaginal examination is considered to be an essential clinical assessment tool through which the progress of labour is determined. Before introducing a change, the supervisors and the key people have to make plans for its implementation and a strategy through which the midwives can easily adopt the change. For this the supervisors have to prepare themselves for the meetings, research the ways through which they can convince the midwives, and prioritize the actions. Bringing a change is not easy, and to implement a change, the change has to be valid and have proper consents.