Analyse how students at the University of Gloucestershire can take Essay

Analyse how students at the University of Gloucestershire can take full advantage of the opportunities offered to develop their employability skills - Essay Example gathered that expectation of employers has shifted from academic result and degree to employability skills such as teamwork, leadership, positive attitude and motivation and relative work experience (Snowden, 2011; Mason, Williams and Cranmer, 2006). The UK job industry is evolving rapidly and drastic change has been observed in demand of skilled workforce in past few years. However, it was observed in surveys that UK universities are making very weak contribution in this regard. It was gathered that 50percent and above surveyed graduates alleged that their universities did not take sufficient measures to develop their employability skills (Weinstein, 2014). The UK universities make yearly contribution of  £59 billion towards the economy and are essentially responsible for generating high skilled workforce, imparting non-academic skills such as innovation and training and raising standard of education (Snowden, 2011). The paper assesses and critically examines the opportunities that are being presented to graduates by University of Gloucestershire for developing their employability skills and recommendations have been provided accordingly. Employability skills are referred to set of attributes that helps individuals to respond accurately to the changing environment of workplace and to make positive contribution towards organisational success and personal growth and development. Employability skills deliver benefits to employers as well as employees and include skills such as self-management, accountability, time management, team working, consumer awareness and awareness of business environment, problem solving, positive attitude, entrepreneurship, communication skill and analytical skill (CBI, 2009; Mason, Williams and Cranmer, 2006). Employers make heavy investment in developing skills among new recruits by means of training and development post joining. However, the level of basic expectations has increased over the years. Presently, they want individuals to

Finance & Strategic Management Essay Example for Free

Finance Strategic Management Essay Over the past decades the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has continued to grow in importance and significance due to external pressure of diverse stakeholders, and has thereby become more prominent on companies’ agendas (Carroll Shabana, 2010; Beurden Gossling, 2008). The concept of CSR has been subject to considerable debate, commentary, theory building and continues research (Carroll Shabana, 2010). The question, of whether CSR investments result in financial and social benefits that outweigh its costs, is intensively scrutinized in existing literature (Schreck, 2001; Carroll Shabana, 2010). Adherents of CSR argue that it is in the long-term self-interest of corporations to be socially involved (Carroll Shabana, 2010; Barnet 2007). The overall logic is that CSR increases the trustworthiness of firms and strengthens the relationships with stakeholders. CSR may further result in decreased transaction costs and thereby improved corporate financial performance (CFP), by decreasing employee turnover, reducing operating costs, as well as functioning as a buffer in disruptive events (Carroll Shabana, 2010; Barnet, 2007). Barnett (2007) and Schreck (2011) argue that, if the financial benefits of CSR meet or exceed the costs, CSR can be justified as a rational investment. According to Kurucz, Colbert and Wheeler (2008), firms may attain four distinct benefits from engaging in CSR; cost and risk reduction; gaining competitive advantage; developing reputation and legitimacy; and seeking win–win outcomes through synergistic value creation. Critics of CSR typically use classical economic arguments, articulated most forcefully by Friedman (Carroll Shabana, 2010). Traditionally, the expenditures of CSR are considered an illegitimate waste of resources, which conflict with a firm’s responsibility to its shareholders (Schreck, 2011, Barnet, 2007). According to Friedman (1970) â€Å"There is one and only one social responsibility of business – to use it resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Friedman further argued that, social issues are not the concern of business people, and â€Å"the business of business is business† (Carroll Shabana, 2010). Even though CSR have been subject to critique, an increasing number of corporations are accepting responsibilities that extend well beyond the immediate interest of the owners, by considering â€Å"non-shareholder stakeholders’ concerns† (Grant, 2010; Clegg, Carter, Kornberger Schweitzer, 2011). Although the existence, direction and strength of possible links between CSR and CFP have been the subject of several empirical analyses (Schreck, 2011), and even though CSR is almost universally practiced, the results from empirical studies are inconclusive (De Bakker, Groenewegen Hond, 2005). After more than thirty years of research, it cannot clearly be concluded, whether a one-dollar investment in social initiatives returns more or less, than one dollar in benefits to shareholders (Barnet, 2007; Surroca Tribo Waddock, 2008). The inconclusiveness of empirical studies may be due to unclear and inconsistent definitions of key terms (De Bakker, Groenewegen Hond, 2005; Barnet, 2007), methodological differences (Carrol Shabana, 2010), and diverse approaches of measuring CSR and CFP (Beurden Gossling, 2008). In existing literature, CSR activities are often entioned to reduce risk, by avoiding the various consequences of moral disapproval by numerous stakeholders (Zadek, 2000). However, CSR derived risk reductions are considered as an ex-post beneficial outcome and not as a proactive risk management instrument to control or reduce idiosyncratic risk (firm specific). Under the assumption that, shareholders are risk adverse and prefer a high expected return (Bodie, Kane Marcus, 2011; Brealey, Myers Allen, 2011), a reduction of firm specific risk must be perceived as favorably. Provided that CSR investments can be applied as a risk management tool, CSR could be seen as investments by firms on behalf of its shareholders. Taking a shareholder perspective, this paper looks beyond the socially good deed of CSR, and focuses on the value of CSR as a method to reduce idiosyncratic risk without detriment of CFP. CSR and Risk Management Since this paper hypothesizes that, CSR can be applied as a risk management instrument to preserve CFP, risk need to be defined. Risk can be defined as the uncertainty about outcomes or events, especially with respect to the future (Orlitzky Benjamin, 2001). Widely risk management is defined as a managerial tool to avoid risk, transfer risk to another party, reduce risk, or in some cases accepting consequences of a certain risk (Froot, Scharfstein Stein, 1994). A shareholder’s perspective on risk management however, conflicts with the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) (Markowitz, 1952) and the Modigliani Miller’s theorem on capital structure (1958). CAPM theory states that, the cost of reducing idiosyncratic risks simultaneously reduces the expected return, and hence firm value (Markowitz, 1952). Risk reduction by holding a well-diversified portfolio of securities will be unattainable by risk management (Godfrey, Merrill Hansen, 2009), why a profit-maximizing investor would not prefer risk management. Total firm risk is in general the combination of systematic and unsystematic risk (Hoje Haejung, 2012). Systematic risk, often referred to as market risk or non-diversifiable risk, is usually defined as the firm’s sensitivity to changes in the market average returns, which cannot be reduced by diversification of shareholders (Weber, 2008; Luo Bhattacharya, 2009; Orlitzky Benjamin, 2001). Unsystematic risk is defined as idiosyncratic risk (Hoje Haejung, 2012; Luo Bhattacharya, 2009). Idiosyncratic risk is traditionally viewed as indifferent to the portfolio investors, since it is associated with specific companies and thereby can be reduced by diversified portfolios (Husted, 2005; Weber, 2008). Opposing idiosyncratic risk is of great relevance to the firm manager, whose very survival may depend upon taking adequate measures to reduce the idiosyncratic risk (Husted, 2005). Firms’ financial risk is often defined in terms of variability of returns (Orlitsky Benjamin 2001), or stock price volatility (Luo Bhattacharya, 2009), which is important risk measures, given that higher volatility implies greater investment risk and uncertain future cash flows (Luo Bhattacharya, 2009; Oikonomou, Brooks Pavelin, 2012). A reduction in idiosyncratic risk reflects reduced variance in the future expected cash flows, which translates into greater shareholder wealth (Luo Bhattacharya, 2009; Mishra Modi, 2012). In a strict Modigliani and Miller perspective, risk-management instruments are of no value, since these are purely financial transactions that do not affect the value of a company’s operating assets (Froot, Scharfstein Stein, 1994). The views of CAMP and Modigliani and Miller have been superseded by a postmodern view of risk management as an important strategic tool. Firms do invest in insurances even though the costs of these investments may be in excess of expected losses, which is in clear violation with the perfect market assumption (Smith Stulz, 1985; Stultz, 2002). If risk management can reduce firms’ exposure to idiosyncratic risks, it protects shareholders against the deadweight costs of severe financial distress in a way, that investors can not accomplish in the market by diversifying (Godfrey, Merrill Hansen, 2009). Review of the linkage between CSR and risk For several decades, researchers have aimed at discovering a conclusive linkage between CSR and CFP, the literature however, remains highly fragmented (Aguinis Glavas 2012). According to Orlitsky Benjamin (2001) true economic performance manifests itself in both high financial returns and low financial risk. Among financial and non-monetary benefits, risk reduction is often mentioned as a positive outcome of engaging in CSR activities. Porter and Kramer (2006) argue that, today’s pressure, of external stakeholders to hold companies accountable for social issues, learly demonstrate the potential large financial risks for any corporation. Several scholars emphasize, that the costs of CSR can be justified by reductions in risk and costs derived from engagement in social issues (Caroll Shabana, 2010). The primary argument is that the diverse demands of stakeholders represent potential threats and risks to the viability of the firm, why it is the economic interest of firms to mitigate these threats and gain legitimacy through social involvement (Caroll Shabana, 2010; Schreck, 2011; Kurucz, Colbert Wheeler 2008). Existing literature on the CSR-risk relationship is virtually unanimously agreeing upon a negative correlation between CRS and idiosyncratic risk, where empirical results show that CSR lowers idiosyncratic risk (Spicer, 1978; Orlitsky Benjamin, 2001; Godfrey, 2005; Hoje Haejung, 2012; Caroll Shabana, 2010; Godfrey, Merrill Hansen, 2009; Heal, 2005; Luo Bhattacharya, 2012; Oikonomou, Brooks Pavelin, 2012; Berman, Wicks, Kotha Jones, 1999; Hart, 1995; Shrivastava, 1995; Peloza, 2006). Several studies have also shown a significant negative relationship between CSR and systematic risk (non-diversifiable) (Hoje Haejung 2012; Orlitzky Benjamin, 2001; Mcguire, Sungren Scneewies, 1988; Luo Bhattacharya, 2009). CSR reduces idiosyncratic risk by reducing the probabilities of expected financial, social, or environmental crisis that could adversely influence firms’ cash flows (Hoje Haejung, 2012). Firms perceived as socially responsible may be able to increase interpersonal trust among stakeholders, build social capital, lower transaction costs, and therefore ultimately reduce uncertainty about future financial performance (Orlitzky Benjamin, 2001). Luo and Bhattacharya (2009) present the view of CSR, as helping the firm build a bulwark of defense against future losses of economic value by reducing firm specific risk and vulnerability of future cash flows. Firms with high social responsibility may have lower financial risk, since these are less sensitive to certain negative external events, like regulatory governmental intervention, undesirable publicity, probability of civil- and criminal legal proceedings or consumer boycotts, why risk reduction can be seen as a monetary benefit of CSR (Mcguire, Sungren Scneewies, 1988; Oikonomou, Brooks Pavelin, 2012; Weber, 2008; Orlitzky Benjamin, 2001; Mcguire, Sungren Scneewies, 1988). Participation in specific types of CSR, those aimed at a firm’s secondary stakeholders or society as a whole, is argued to create a form of goodwill or positive â€Å"philanthropic moral reputational capital†, which functions as an insurance-like protection, when negative events occur (Godfrey, 2005; Peloza, 2006). When business activity creates negative impact on society, stakeholders respond by sanctioning the firm (Godfrey, Merrill Hansen, 2009). It is argued that the goodwill, derived from engagement in CSR, reduces the overall severity of the sanctions, by encouraging stakeholders to give the firm ‘the benefit of the doubt‘(Godfrey, 2005; Uzzi, 1997; Peloza, 2006; Godfrey, Merrill Hansen, 2009). The resultant moral capital gained from social engagement has little to do with generating financial value, but the insurance-like protection contributes with preserving shareholder value and thereby financial performance (Godfrey, Merrill Hansen, 2009). Mishra and Modi (2012) fund a significant effect on idiosyncratic risk, when CSR is applied, the authors however enhanced this result by finding that, positive CSR reduces idiosyncratic risk, while negative CSR increases idiosyncratic risk. Literature has, according to Mishra and Modi (2012), often a singular focus on positive CSR, and overlooks that firms also occasionally engage in activities that qualifies as negative CSR. Luo and Bhattacharya (2009) and Porter and Kramer (2006) argue that CSR is not beneficial in all situations, but is rather advantageous in some contexts and disadvantageous in others and can even lead to additional risk. This is in line with Barnet (2007), who argues that stakeholders’ perception of firms’ CSR engagement are path-dependent (Barnet, 2007; Luo Bhattacharya, 2009; Hoje Haejung, 2012). For firms with social negative impact or prior bad reputation, CSR may be perceived as â€Å"blood money† to mitigate past sins, omissions or shortcomings (Luo Bhattacharya, 2009; Barnet 2007). CSR can thereby lead to reduced idiosyncratic risk, but can also expose a firm to additional risk (Weber, 2008; Barnet, 2007). Discussion Even though the CSR-risk relationship have received much attention in the existing literature, managing risk as the predominantly basic for engaging in CSR has not received specific attention. Focus within the field is on ex-post measures of risk-related benefits, where CSR is not valued as a proactive tool to reduce idiosyncratic risk. Existing research does not seem to provide any practical guidance to managerial proactive evaluations of the risk reductions derived from CSR involvement. It further lacks a practical framework to ex-ante quantify the risk related benefits of CSR (Weber, 2008). The above review demonstrates the focus on risk, solely as valuable side-effect of engaging in CSR activities. The authors of the paper posit a research gap exists within the existing literature of CSR and risk: CSR is not considered as a proactive ex-ante risk management instrument to control and reduce firm risk. Given the risk reducing benefits of CSR, the authors suggest that investments in CSR can be used as a proactive risk management instrument to reduce idiosyncratic risk. Such an approach could strengthen the overall CSR involvement and support rational ex-ante decision-making in this area (Weber, 2008). The aim is to draw a much-need attention to the risk-reduction potential of CSR by viewing CSR investments as a proactive risk management tool, where managing risk is the main purpose for engaging in CSR. Empirical resolving the research gap and verifying the hypothesis is beyond the scope of this paper. The authors however, suggest that a potential solution is to apply real option theory as a basis for proactive CSR risk management decision-making. CSR as a real option Attributable to the aforementioned arguments, the function of CSR as a risk management tool can be considered as a real option. Regular options are based on securities (financial instruments), whereas real options are based on hedging against uncertainties in real investment projects (Mun, 2002). An analysis of the costs and benefits of CSR projects, using traditional NPV models, often leads to a rejection, as these fail to contribute to maximizing shareholder value (Friedman, 1962). This is, nevertheless, not always the right decision, as the NPV approach fails to incorporate the main advantage of real options (Husted, 2005). Compared to the traditional NPV approach, real options offer management flexibility through multiple decision-making in situations with high uncertainty. Managers have the option, but not the obligation, to engage in, modifying or end strategies, as new information becomes available (Mun, 2002). A CSR option offers the choice of deferring, abandoning, expanding, or staging an investment project (Amram Howe, 2003). Due to the theoretical and mathematical complexity of option theory, which is beyond the scope of this scientific paper, option theory will be described on an incomprehensive level. In brief option pricing is a function of five variables: the value of the underlying asset, the exercise price, time to exercise, the risk-free interest rate, and the volatility of the underlying asset (Black Scholes, 1973). The value of the underlying asset is the resources resulted from the CSR option, such as qualified employees, PR and cost avoiding’s etc. Husted, 2005). The exercise price refers to the required additional investments needed for receiving the value created by the CSR option. The timing of the exercise is an essential variable, as it has great effect on the value of CSR options. The risk-free interest rate does not play an important role in most real options (Mun, 2002). The volatility or the uncertainty of the underlying asset has a significant impact on the value of CSR options (Mun, 2002). The variance of the expected value can both be higher or lower than the expected return. Black and Scholes is the most widely used regular option pricing model, however, also one of the most complicated models (Mun, 2002). A Binomial lattice approach is applied in most real option pricing, as it provides a more transparent and intuitive appeal compared with Black and Scholes’ theoretical and mathematical approach (Mun, 2002). However, since the aim is solely to clarify the value of real options in a CSR context, the choice of approach is of less relevance. Real options provide an important framework for firms to manage risk by reducing the risk of future investments, and can thus be an essential tool in corporate risk management (Husted, 2005). Finally, a real CSR option explicitly includes a time dimension. This ex-ante perspective is clearly different from the focus on risk in most CSR-risk research, which is ex post in nature. CSR as a risk management instrument – The Toyota example A few decades ago, car manufacturers did not focus so intensively on a green profiling as they do today. The increased oil prices in 1973 and 1979 were influential for the entry of Japanese car manufacturers in USA, who were producing smaller and more gas efficient cars (Andrews, Simon, Tian Zhao, 2011). The gas efficient cars of Japanese manufactures were causative to the car industry as a whole subsequently invested massively in green technology projects. These investments have met consumers’ need and have generated positive branding values. Toyota’s Prius has reached â€Å"cult status†, as it is one of the most gas efficient and green cars on the market. However, more interestingly is the security, that the green profile of the Prius has offered Toyota, which includes protection against the bad publicity of car manufacturers’ contribution to pollution and factors such as Middle Eastern conflicts that influence oil prices and hence sales of cars. At first glance, it appears as Toyota has been skilled at forecasting future trends and meeting customer’s needs without using CSR as management instrument. As the following example however illustrates, Toyota’s management could have benefitted from considering investments in CSR as real options to control idiosyncratic risk and thereby preserve CFP. In 2009 repeated accidents occurred, which were accused to be caused by flaws in floor mats and accelerator pedals in Toyota’s vehicles. This resulted in a recall of more than 5 million vehicles, alone in the North American market (Andrews, Simon, Tian Zhao, 2011). Before a product is recalled, companies have to make severe considerations. A product-recall can have great financial impact in terms of losses in brand value, consumer goodwill, decreasing sales and a negative effect on stock prices (Kumara Schmitza, 2011), which in this case is the value of the underlying asset of the CSR option. The decision to recall the cars is the price of the option. The recall option could have generated strategic flexibility, which however, meanwhile was eliminated, as Toyota’s management failed to exercise the option, before it was too late. The leisurely recall decision resulted in losses in brand value, consumer goodwill, decreased stock price, lower sales, a fine of $16 million and more than 130 potential class-action lawsuits (Andrews, Simon, Tian Zhao, 2011). The negative outcome of the late recall is considered as high volatility of the underlying asset. A faster recalling could have had a avoiding, a limited or opposite effect on product brand, consumer goodwill and the massive media coverage (Husted, 2005). Provided that Toyota’s management had viewed the recall decision as a valuable option rather than severe costs, strategic flexibility could have been obtained, why the negative outcome may have been avoided. A faster exercise of the recall option might have resulted in goodwill or trust, which could have been exploited by Toyota to limit the negative publicity caused by the repeated accidents. Toyota however, failed to exercise the recall option in acute time, why the result was lost flexibility to respond to the unexpected event of the accidents. The value of the real option foregone by Toyota was a function of inter alia lost sales, brand value and reputation. Toyota’s management failed to exploit the advantages of CSR as a risk management tool.

Leo Tolstoy :: Essays Papers

Leo Tolstoy Leo Tolstoy was a Russian author, one of the greatest authors of all time. Leo Tolstoy was born at Yasnya Polyana, in Tula Province, the fourth of five children. His parents died when he was young, and he was brought up by relatives. In 1844 Tolstoy started to study law and oriental languages at Kazan University, but he never earned a degree. Dissatisfied with the standard of education, he returned in the middle of his studies back to Yasnaya Polyana, and then spent much of his time in Moscow and St. Petersburg. After contracting heavy gambling debts, Tolstoy accompanied his older brother to the Caucasus in 1851, and joined an artillery regiment. In the 1850s Tolstoy also began his literary career, publishing the autobiographical trilogy Childhood, Boyhood, and Youth. During the Crimean War, Tolstoy commanded a battery, and was at the siege of Sebastopol . In 1857 he visited France, Switzerland, and Germany to learn more about society and how to improve it. After traveling for a time, Tolstoy settled in Yasnaja Polyana, where he started a school for poor children. He saw that the secret of changing the world was in education. He investigated during his travels to Europe educational theory and practice, and published magazines and textbooks on the subject. In 1862 he married Sonya Andreyevna Behrs, and they had 13 children. Sonya also acted as Tolstoy’s secretary. Tolstoy's fiction originally came out of his diaries, in which he tried to understand his own feelings and actions so as to control them. He read avidly, both in literature and philosophy. In the Caucasus he read Plato and Rousseau, Dickens and Sterne; through the 1850s he also read and admired Goethe, Stendhal, Thackeray, and George Eliot. Tolstoy was convinced that philosophical principles can only be understood in their concrete expression in history. Tolstoy's major work, War and Peace, appeared between the years 1865 and 1869. The epic tale depicted the story of five families against the background of Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Its vast canvas includes 580 characters, many historical, others fictional. The story moves from family life to the headquarters of Napoleon, from the court of Alexander to the battlefields of Austerlitz and Borodino. War and Peace reflected Tolstoy's view that destiny controls everything, but we cannot live unless we imagine that we have free will.

Living Under The Threat Of Nuclear War Essay

For me living under the danger of atomic war would have been terrible for me and my loved ones. Living in trepidation ordinary realizing that at any minute a nation could drop an atomic bomb on me and my family and obliterate us is an extremely terrifying thought. To live under risk of an atomic war is to have the acknowledgment that your fate and your family predetermination is in the hands of a nation that your nation may be conflicting with. It is the acknowledgment that you might not have control over what is going to happen tomorrow. The danger of atomic war and the risk of terrorism have a few likenesses and contrasts. The similitudes would be that somebody could end your life or your family existence without you knowing when and where. Both atomic war and terrorism has the danger of hurting blameless regular citizens who in all likelihood don’t have anything to do with the clash that is going on. The distinctions would be the danger of an atomic war could just originate from an alternate nation. Nowadays the danger of terrorism to me is a significantly all the more true and present threat. Today anybody can be a terrorist. Today anybody can assemble a bomb in their storm cellar with the assistance of the web. This man made bomb that can without much of a stretch be amassed is then taken into your nearby shopping center or at an exceptionally open spot like we saw in the Boston Marathon Bombings. There is no face to terrorism nowadays and he or she needs to take safety measures and be mindful of their surroundings. All in all both atomic war and terrorism strikes fear in the hearts of everybody. Both are intended to wreak devastation and will execute numerous blameless individuals who have nothing to do with the clash. I feel both are unsuitable approaches to settle an issue on the grounds that by what means can the issue be altered  with more gore. We need to discover an alternate approach to determination issues as a nation and as individuals.

Importance of Flowers in Our Lives

Flowers are wonderful creations of nature and are one of the most beautiful gifts of nature. Flowers are of utmost importance in every sphere of human life. Flowers arrangement of various designs and types are available for making various occasions of our life more cherished. Several occasions in our society such as birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, weddings, etc. need flowers to celebrate. Colourful and fragrant flowers make every occasion bright and happy. People of all ages from child to old people love flowers.Gifting flowers is the most affectionate expression of love to the dear ones. Hence, flower is a must in each and every occasions of our life. Flowers play an important role in making the life of a human being more cheerful and happy. People use flowers in several forms and on several occasions.Flowers are used as beautiful flower arrangements for decorating homes. They are also help people in proposing their partner for life, as well as flowers are used as a symbol of mourn and tribute on loved ones funeral. Apart from above said uses, there are several other uses of flowers in various activities of our daily life.Varieties of flowers RoseA rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosacea. There are over 100 species. They form a group of plants that can be erect shrubs, climbing or trailing with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. SunflowerThe sunflower is an annual plant native to the Americas. Its name is derived from the flower's shape and image, which is often used to capture the sun. The plant has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves, and circular flower heads.JasmineJasmine is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family. It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa.LotusThe Lotus, the national flower of India, is a symbol of supreme reality. Hindu religion and mythology portray goddess Saraswathi, the muse of l earning, as being seated on a lotus flower.TulipThe tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, of which around 75 wild species are currently accepted and which belongs to the family Liliaceae.LilyLily is a feminine given name directly derived from lily, the flower. In the United States, â€Å"Lily† became one of the top-100 names for newborn girls in 2002 and reached a rank of 18 by 2009. hibiscusHibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world.

Urbanization As A Social Problem Essays - Human Geography

Urbanization As A Social Problem Essays - Human Geography Urbanization As A Social Problem Urbanization as a Social Problem How is urbanization negatively effecting our society? The answer to this question is not a simple one. This essay will not only break down the problems of urbanization in the United States, but it will also tell you some of the attempts made to fix the problem and give some solutions as to how it could possibly be solved in the future. Also when answering this question one must understand that urbanization, can not be stopped, but only contained in a manner that will help the United States to function better as a country. The more densely populated and more heterogeneous a community is, the more accentuated characteristics can be associated with urbanism. Urbanism causes decrease in per capita, and promotes urban violence, political instability, crime and aggressive behavior. Rapid population growth in urban areas also perpetuates poverty. Another major issue being created by this social problem is the breaking of the traditional family structure. Our cities are not working well! Sanitation, safety, transportation, housing, education and even electricity are failing. These are all responsibilities of the government or it is at least their job to regulate these services deemed to be monopolies. And it is a known fact that monopolies deem toward inefficiency. Functionalist look at our cities as a means to profit. Cities are a place where everybody visits, and therefor vendors can raise their prices and profit more on their products. For example, from my own personal experience, I bought a pack of cigarettes for $3.00 at my local gas station, and when I visited inner city Orlando, I bought the same brand of cigarettes for $4.00. This is just a minor example, and most of the residents in an urban area are in poverty and have trouble affording the $3.00 pack if they smoke much less adding a dollar to the already ridiculous cost. In the United States, the breaking of the traditional family structure is an issue that has become increasingly noticeable in recent years, particularly in urbanized areas. The traditional, mom and dad, and children are rarely seen in the inner cities any more. There is a weakened bond of kinship, and declining social family significance as America has transferred industrial, educational and recreational activities to specialized institutions outside of the home. It is depriving families of their most characteristic, historical functions. While individuals pursue their own diverging interests in their educational, vocational, religious and recreational life. With divorce rates rising, delinquency is also becoming more of a problem than before. With single parent families, children lack in the authority department due to the lack of the amount of time their parents have free to raise them. These specialized institutions often help, but can not replace the role of a childs guardian. As long as the divorce rate continues to increase, delinquency will continue to increase in these areas as well. The density of people reinforces effect of numbers in diversifying people and their activities and increasing the complexity of the social structure. The variations of people give rise to segregation of people by race, religious practices, ethnic heritage, as well as economic and social status. Segregation often creates much tension and prejudice between social groups. This can cause physical or mental damage to individuals or society, which means that sometimes people may permanently suffer before any action is taken to solve the problem because the delay in action is most often the result of people underestimating the problems. As for racism and segregation, there is not much that can be done to fix these problems. Individuals will always have their own opinions no matter how ignorant, and the only thing we can do is to hope that these problems die out as we desegregate our communities. People will choose their destination or place of residence according to many different ideals and needs, for example what fits their budget. Political pathology and population growth is closely related because of the population change and this change carries with it a high likelihood of social disruption. Government assumes major responsibility for development attempting to meet rapidly increasing demands for education, housing, agriculture and industrial development, transportation and employment. The governments budget is not distributed equally mainly due

A combination of resources Essay Example

A combination of resources Essay Example A combination of resources Essay A combination of resources Essay Apart from legal political risks, Fly-Nice is also likely to face industry specific risks falling into four categories; hazard, financial, operational and strategic. 3 Many of these risks may be mitigated through creating a culture focused on the customer, developing a rigorous strategic planning process. Ways to solve the financial risks can be easy, mostly because of the third party involvements in this sector. The right design of financial transactions (for eg. Structured finance, insurance, debt/equity offerings) can be helpful in avoiding future problems. Operational risks can be lessened through organizational solutions, for example, process redesign, organization structural changes, seamless communication, contingency planning, performance measurement and resource allocation and pricing. A number of these challenges can be lessened in the first place through the selection of the business design itself. For example, Southwest Airlines is attractive to its customers because it is simple operationally and, therefore, cost effective. Other Southwest business design choices further lower risk exposure. For example, use of secondary airports insulates Southwest from direct competitive strain while improving turnaround speed. Low debt levels make the company less vulnerable to interest rate fluctuation. Also, along the dimensions of Porters Five Forces Theory, Fly-Nice would invariably meet the traditional challenges in entering a competitive market full of established players. Rivalry is also aggravated by the growth rates of the industry. While industry growth rates in European and North American countries are almost stagnant, there are emerging markets in Asia and South America where competition is intense. Also, airlines being a capital intensive industry, exit barriers are high resulting into excess capacity and consequently increased competitiveness. The power of buyers in a consumer oriented service industry is extraordinary. Customer expectations are high and if not satisfied results into loyalty switching. Innovation and customer satisfaction therefore is of utmost importance as products are almost non-differential making it easy for the customers to switch between competitors. In view of the risks involved, expansion of business is profitable only when the cost efficiency of operating the company is maintained. Maintaining and even improving cost efficiency requires an appropriate resource base and high cost management competency. Fly-Nice, in order to be consistently cost effective, must pay particular attention to the drivers of cost effectiveness or the cost drivers. Economies of scale: Since Fly-Nice is a service sector company, economies of scale are specially important in distribution and marketing. Also, use of the new Airbus with largest ever passenger carrying capacity will enable Fly-Nice to speed up turnaround rate. However, usage of a very high capacity aircraft also might push the company in the face of risks generating from empty seats. Supply costs: Expansion on a global level will require Fly-Nice to develop its supply chain network enormously. Purchase of aircrafts in bulk may be necessary, which may also give the company an option of negotiating for a bulk price. In-flight food and customer service equipments like pillows and crockery must be purchased in a way that retains the companys price advantage. Process design: Cost cutting in many cases comes through efficiency. Efficiency gains in production process can be gained through improvements in capacity-fill, labor productivity, yield from materials and working resources utilizations. In a service providing company like Fly-Nice, efficient management of capacity-fill is a key issue. So, marketing strategies like special offers, seasonal benefits and frequent flier programs and the possession of IT capability to optimize such efforts is a imperative. Experience: Although Fly-Nice is a successful domestic carrier, an international launching will invariable present it with a number of initial crises resulting from inexperience. Fly-Nices competitive advantage lies in its price competitiveness. To pursue its low price strategy, it must be ready to accept lower margins. Sustainable cost advantage can only be achieved through driving down cost throughout the value chain. Market segmentation and keeping the focus on the segment where price is valued over luxury is essential. Fly-Nice can also reduce their activity cost be outsourcing in areas where it is not very experienced. It must not fail to recognize the importance of consistently declining unit cost. In order to smoothen international entry and continual cost reduction, Fly-Nice may particularly consider strategic alliances with other international airlines. Alliances with either competitor airlines ( like using hub airports belonging to other airlines similar to Fly-Nice) or complementary service providers will lead to cost reduction and improved infrastructure. To enter global market, Fly-Nice will need local knowledge and expertise in order to satisfy the local customers. Alliances will assist the company in local marketing or distribution. Fly-Nice has an option of entering foreign markets by either joint ventures with other similar airlines or by direct foreign investment. Both options have their own advantage s and disadvantages. Joint ventures will allow Fly-Nice to lower their investment risk while increasing their know-how by a combination of resources. However choice of the right partners will prove to be of utmost importance should such strategy be followed. Joint ventures also often create problems in coordinating and integrating flight schedules across borders. On the other hand, if Fly-Nice decides to invest directly and create their own establishment overseas, it will incur enormous initial Investment cost. However full control of resources and capabilities will assist Fly-Nice in rapid market entry and in establishing their own brand image.

George Washingtons First Cabinet

George Washington's First Cabinet The President’s cabinet consists of the heads of each of the Executive Departments along with the Vice President. Its role is to advise the president on the issues related to each of the departments. While Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution sets up the ability of the president to select the heads of the executive departments, President George Washington established the â€Å"Cabinet† as his group of advisors who reported in private and solely to the U.S. chief executive officer.  Washington also set the standards for each Cabinet member’s roles and how each would interact with the President. George Washington’s First Cabinet In the first year of George Washington’s presidency, only three executive departments were established. These were the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, and the Department of War. Washington selected secretaries for each of these positions. His choices were Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, and Secretary of War Henry Knox. While the Department of Justice would not be created until 1870, Washington appointed and included the Attorney General Edmund Randolph in his first cabinet. Although the United States Constitution does not expressly provide for a Cabinet, Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 states that the President â€Å"may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices.†Ã‚  Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 states that the President â€Å"with the advice and consent of the Senate . . . shall appoint . . . all other officers of the United States.† Judiciary Act of 1789 On April 30, 1789, Washington took the oath of office as America’s first President.  It was not until almost five months later, on September 24, 1789, that Washington signed into law the Judiciary Act of 1789 which not only established the office of the U.S. Attorney General but also established a three-part judicial system consisting of: 1. the Supreme Court (which at the time consisted of only a Chief Justice and five Associate Justices); 2. United States District Courts, which heard mainly admiralty and maritime cases; and 3. United States Circuit Courts which were the primary federal trial courts but also exercised very limited appellate jurisdiction. This Act granted the Supreme Court the jurisdiction to hear appeals of decisions which were rendered by the highest court from each of the individual states when the decision addressed constitutional issues which interpreted both federal and state laws.  This provision of the act proved to be extremely controversial, especially among those who favored States rights. Cabinet Nominations Washington waited until September to form his first cabinet. The four positions were quickly filled in only fifteen days. He hoped to balance out the nominations by choosing members from different regions of the newly formed United States. Alexander Hamilton was appointed and quickly approved by the Senate as the first Secretary of the Treasury on September 11, 1789. Hamilton would continue to serve in that position until January 1795. He would have a profound impact on the early economic development of the United States. On September 12, 1789, Washington appointed Knox to oversee the U.S. Department of War.  He was a Revolutionary War hero who had served side-by-side with Washington. Knox would also continue in his role until January 1795. He was instrumental in the creation of the United States Navy. On September 26, 1789, Washington made the last two appointments to his Cabinet, Edmund Randolph as Attorney General and Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State. Randolph had been a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and had introduced the Virginia Plan for the creation of a bicameral legislature. Jefferson was a key founding father who had been the central author of the Declaration of Independence. He had also been a member of the first Congress under the Articles of Confederation and had served as a minister to France for the new nation. In contrast to having only four ministers, in 2016 the President’s Cabinet consists of sixteen members which include the Vice President. However, Vice President John Adams never attended a single one of President Washington’s Cabinet meetings. Although Washington and Adams were both federalists and each played very vital roles in the success of the colonists during the Revolutionary War, they hardly ever interacted in their positions as President and Vice President.  Although President Washington is known as being a great administrator, he seldom ever consulted Adams on any issues which caused Adams to write that the office of Vice President was the â€Å"most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.† Issues Facing Washington’s Cabinet President Washington held his first cabinet meeting on February 25, 1793. James Madison coined the term ‘cabinet’ for this meeting of the Executive department heads. Washington’s cabinet meetings soon became quite acrimonious with Jefferson and Hamilton taking opposite positions over the issue of a national bank that was part of Hamilton’s financial plan. Hamilton had created a financial plan to deal with the major economic issues that had arisen since the end of the Revolutionary War. At that time, the federal government was in debt in the amount of $54 million (which included interest), and the states collectively owed an additional $25 million. Hamilton felt that the federal government should take over the states’ debts. To pay for these combined debts, he proposed the issuance of bonds that people could buy which would pay interest over time. In addition, he called for the creation of a central bank to create a more stable currency. While northern merchants and traders mostly approved of Hamilton’s plan, southern farmers, including Jefferson and Madison, vehemently opposed it. Washington privately supported Hamiltons plan believing that it would give much needed financial support to the new nation. Jefferson, however, was instrumental in creating a compromise whereby he would convince the Southern-based Congressmen to support Hamilton’s financial plan in exchange for moving the US Capital city from Philadelphia to a Southern location. President Washington would help choose its location on the Potomac River due to its proximity to Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. This would later be known as Washington, D.C. which has been the nation’s capital ever since. As a side note, Thomas Jefferson was the very first President to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C. in March 1801 which at the time was a swampy location near the Potomac with a population that numbered around 5000 people.

Business Information and the Management of Organisation Essay

Business Information and the Management of Organisation - Essay Example (Nutt) Strategic decision making is one of the most critical tasks in organizations as it has became increasingly important to consider strategic decision making more from a transaction costs as well as behavioral point of view. (Papadakis, Lioukas and Chambers). One of the strategic decisions which company might make is market development i.e. to enter into new markets such as Asia or South American market. Enter into a new market is a strategic decision because top management of the firm, considering the overall mission of the firm, may decide to exapnd into new markets in a bid to reduce costs and achieve differentiation in terms of cost. It is also critical to know that in order to make strategic decisions, it is not necessary that the information required to make such decisions shall be coherent and complete in all respects as strategic decisions are often based on fuzzy information. Tactical decisions involve the "How "of strategic decision making because by making tactical decisions, organizations basically decide how to materialize strategy. Tactical decisions need to support the strategy and are of medium term in nature with moderate level of consequences. A tactical decision for AstraZeneca might include deciding on how to enter into new market The question therefore would be directed in terms of whether a Greenfield project shall be started, whether the firm should enter through exporting, franchising etc. In terms making a strategic decision of entering into new market, taking tactical decisions would involve how to enter into those markets. The information at this stage is more formalized however, information requirements are still not formalized in nature. Operational Decisions Operational decisions are the common and routine decisions which managers take in their day to day affairs. These decisions often require access to technical information and tend to support tactical decision making. For example, if AstraZeneca make a tactical decision of entering through a Greenfield project in one of the Asian Markets than operational decisions might involve the decision making process of how to acquire land, plant, machinery and hire labor to start production. Further, operational decisions are critical in the sense that they are the basic decisions which are taken to materialize or give shape to the overall strategic management decision making of the organization. Overall, the specific dynamics of each category of decision making may vary as each level of decision making require different set of information and information needs vary. Information required As discussed above that the information requirements vary with each decision making category therefore the information needs as well as its form varies differ in each case. Strategic Decisions Strategic decision making process is dependent on behavioral decision theory as well as transaction cost economics (Papadakis, Lioukas and Chambers) therefore in order to clearly outline the information required to make strategic decisions would require consideration of above set of factors. Considering the dynamics of the behavioral decision making, it is critical to mention that research studies have particularly concentrated on individual as well as group decision making processes. (Dean and Sharfman) therefore on individual level, strategic decisio

Political science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Political science - Essay Example In this essay, some major changes that have occurred in international relations since 1900 shall be reviewed. In the era of 1914s, there arose a phenomenon that came to be known as the Problem of Sovereignty and Great Power System. Sheehan (2006) explains that sovereignty concerns its self with the ideology that â€Å"political power is distinct from other organizations in the community—religious, familial, economic.† Further on, â€Å"sovereignty asserts that this public authority is preeminent and autonomous, that is, superior to institutions within the community and independent from those outside† (Sheehan, 2006). Before the 1914s, various nations of the world who were supposedly known as the world’s super-powers ventured into what came to be known as colonization. Colonization involved talking political dominion over another nation. However in the periods of 1914s, most nations who were colonized began fighting for common course of freedom to attain sovereignty and power over their own system of governance. The actors involved here were colonial masters and t heir colonized countries. Most colonial masters did not welcome the quest for sovereignty in good faith and there were reports of wars in most parts of the world. However as the demands began pressing, foreign treaties were signed to grant freedom to the pressing countries. The Problem of Sovereignty and the Great Power System was therefore a period of hostility among international relationships between colonies and colonial masters. The eventual sovereignties that were granted led to economic crises in most parts of the world as the colonial masters were no longer getting supply of free trade and payment of tax from their colonies. Economic retardation was therefore the global challenge that characterized the Problem of Sovereignty and the Great Power System. The middle of the twentieth century saw a new trend in international relation that

The pity of war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The pity of war - Essay Example Owen’s poem reveals the sheer ridiculousness of arrogant militarism. While Gibson’s The Conscript is about the healers, the doctors who become so desensitized by war that they are not affected by even the most horrible sights that they come across. These poems make an excellent case against war; they remind us that war is a waste of precious lives and that it strips us of our humanity. Sassoon wrote The General after one of his close friends died. It is a very personal poem for him, and it questions the validity of the war. Many soldiers died in World War I due to the incompetence of those in charge and Sassoon wrote this poem decrying this very incompetence. The careless almost inhumane attitude of the general is seen as he is greeting his way through the line of his soldiers in a chirpy manner while most of them have died. His chirpy exuberance is misplaced when one considers the deaths of those under his command. The general, who most likely was safe in the back lines while his men followed his orders, does not even notice that there are many men missing – men who have died following his careless and irresponsible commands. As the men â€Å"slogged up to Arras† the city where the frontline was located throughout much of WWI, they end up blaming â€Å"his staff for incompetent swine† than place the responsibility on the General. Many a time, soldiers have to pay the price for the incompetence of their commandants, be they generals or not, and yet those in command are completely unaffected by the loss of life. In The Parable of the Old Man and the Young, Owen retells the Old Testament story of Abraham’s sacrifice, about how he, in obedience to a direct command from god, was willing to take the life of his only son, Isaac. He uses the characters but changes the ending. He uses Isaac as an analogy for the soldiers who are sacrificed, and Abraham as the old

The Relationship between Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Essay

The Relationship between Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Development - Essay Example Economic theory provides a set of thoughts and methods for examining the distribution of limited resources. Unless entrepreneurship ultimately develops products from limited resources, it can be of minimum economic interest, even though it may possess greater social significance. The idea of selection and therefore decision making is essential to economic theory. Entrepreneurship acts as an individual quality which allows certain persons to make decisions with long run outcomes. When economic development is viewed from historical viewpoint, the role of an entrepreneur arrives into central focus. By acting in different ways, entrepreneurs can achieve success which causes other people to change their thoughts and therefore help to alter the historical economic progression. Entrepreneurial efforts are needed for developing an enhanced distribution of resources and transmitting their significant experience to other nations. If two nations differ in their talents of entrepreneurship, then there will be a propensity for developments to invent new things with the copious ability of entrepreneurs. If there is lack of native entrepreneurs in any nation, then foreign entrepreneurs from economically prosperous nations enter the backward country and develop new innovation through proper distribution of resources. At a macroeconomic level, an entrepreneur plays a vital role in the establishment of organizations. Economic theory suggests that there is close relation between personal qualities of entrepreneur and economic success of organization. One of the most exciting aspects of successful entrepreneurs is that they are often drawn from marginal groups in society which try to find alternative possibilities of social progression near them. Thus, it is evident that society and its traditions have a significant impact on the development of entrepreneurs (Casson, 2003). Schumpeter had defined the â€Å"entrepreneur as innovator† as one who drives economic development. A ccording to Peter F. Drucker, â€Å"Innovation is the specific tool of entrepreneurs, the means by which they exploit change as an opportunity for a different business or a different service.† The innovative activity of entrepreneur nourishes the pioneering procedure of creative destruction by initiating continuous instabilities to the economic system and by generating prospects for economic growth. Schumpeter’s theory expects that an entrepreneur can contribute in economic development (Wong & Et. Al., 2005). He was of the view that an entrepreneur can innovate, motivated by competition to develop technology, business and organizational structure. He characterized innovation as an â€Å"industrial mutation† which continuously transforms the financial structure and destroys the existing ones. The procedure of creative destruction is a vital element of entrepreneurship (McCraw, n.d.). Creative destruction is made on dynamic, cautious and commercial efforts to modi fy market arrangements and can be favourable for further innovations and revenue opportunities. Schumpeter’s business cycle is viewed as the outcome of innovation which involves the development of new thoughts and its application in a new product, procedure or service. It can result in the dynamic development of a national economy,

Reflective report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Reflective report - Essay Example For this reason, the central role of any forensic investigator is not only in executing investigation to unearth the truth about a mystery, but also to apply his or her prowess to seize and safeguard obtained evidence. In this reflective report, I will emulate on the role and function of a forensics investigator when performing a forensic investigation and the responsibility that the forensics investigator has for seizing and safeguarding evidence. The report entails two segments: the first one being a topic of Peter’s material and second is on a topic from Nick’s material. I have selected Digital Forensics and Systems Analysis and volatile memory topics from Peter and Nick’s topics respectively. As a result, the objective of this reflective report is to explain the knowledge and experience I have gained in the unit on the role and function of a forensic investigator in reference to my selected topics. The module on the role and function of a forensic investigator and particularly the understanding about Digital Forensics and Systems Analysis has been instrumental to me in several ways. Typically, a digital forensic is an investigation process that uses scientific and technological knowledge to examine digital objects and consequently develop and test theories. It can be invoked, in a court of law, to respond to questions about incidences that occurred. Considering the credibility that such evidence demands, I have gained substantial lessons from the unit on digital forensics and systems. Of the many lessons, some of the significant ones include an understanding of the types of digital analysis, digital investigation models, and digital crime scene investigation processes. Through this module, I realised that in digital forensic investigations, the investigator often encounters many digital data formats that subsequently demand different models of analysis.

Business Process Reengineering Dead or Going Strong Essay

Business Process Reengineering Dead or Going Strong - Essay Example Business process re-engineering, all business processes are broken down into small steps and are then analyzed. The aim is to make business processes efficient in order to avoid wastage, improve efficiency, and enhance customer value. By analyzing workflows business process re-engineering tries to make sure that every all business processes are aligned with the overall business goals and objective. The reason why business process re-engineering became famous was that it was the first approach that took into account business processed and workflows. The focus of this management strategy is on redesigning existing work processes and job design. Sometimes job processes are not interesting and therefore employees are not motivated to work hard. Many times workflow in the organization is not in line with the skills of the employees, and therefore employees feel detached from the organization. Sometimes employees with high level of skills are made to work on tasks that do not apply their e xpertise. All these problems are removed by business process re-engineering as it redesigns workflow and business process in the organization to make sure that employees remain interested in the job and give their best to the firm. This is why business process re-engineering became famous immediately after it introduced in the last decade of the 20th century. Business process re-engineering has been proven to be effective, at least in part, in improving organizational performance (Altinkemer, et al. 1998).

Reflective report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Reflective report - Essay Example For this reason, the central role of any forensic investigator is not only in executing investigation to unearth the truth about a mystery, but also to apply his or her prowess to seize and safeguard obtained evidence. In this reflective report, I will emulate on the role and function of a forensics investigator when performing a forensic investigation and the responsibility that the forensics investigator has for seizing and safeguarding evidence. The report entails two segments: the first one being a topic of Peter’s material and second is on a topic from Nick’s material. I have selected Digital Forensics and Systems Analysis and volatile memory topics from Peter and Nick’s topics respectively. As a result, the objective of this reflective report is to explain the knowledge and experience I have gained in the unit on the role and function of a forensic investigator in reference to my selected topics. The module on the role and function of a forensic investigator and particularly the understanding about Digital Forensics and Systems Analysis has been instrumental to me in several ways. Typically, a digital forensic is an investigation process that uses scientific and technological knowledge to examine digital objects and consequently develop and test theories. It can be invoked, in a court of law, to respond to questions about incidences that occurred. Considering the credibility that such evidence demands, I have gained substantial lessons from the unit on digital forensics and systems. Of the many lessons, some of the significant ones include an understanding of the types of digital analysis, digital investigation models, and digital crime scene investigation processes. Through this module, I realised that in digital forensic investigations, the investigator often encounters many digital data formats that subsequently demand different models of analysis.

Cross Cultural Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Cross Cultural Management - Essay Example The airbus company gets its profits from a distinctive workforce that comprises more than eighty nationalities, and the employees speak over twenty languages. The factors that keep the airbus company a leading industry in the market are the hard work done by the employees, the company’s vision and the human talent. The workforce at the airbus manufacturing company is geographically distributed in proportion to national ownership. In case of economic nationalism, the government changes private transactions amid economic actors by segregating foreigners. This led to productive efficiency decrease. This is because of the differences in ways of communication and management styles (Silverthorne, 2005). For instance, comparing the French and the Germans, the latter were better at decision making. On the other hand, the French people preferred a centralized decision. Even though the Spanish were flexible, they had an inferiority complex leading to a tendency to be unreliable and vagu e. The main problem arose when the airbus company was created. It was mainly headed by French and Germans. Looking from the cultural dimensions from Hofstedes, the French people liked air buses with high power distances while the Germans liked air buses with low power distances. In decision making, the Germans were interfering in serious conversations while it was disliked by the French people. This hurt the French people and created conflict between them. Due to the administration involvement in respective countries, there were delays in the cost cutting measures. This is because the state aid came to rescue their corresponding partners first. The power identification of the Germans and the French was distributed unevenly. The government was self-centered and was considering only its own motives. One of the main reasons that led to delays in launching airbus A380 for two consecutive years was the fact that complex writing design system was meant for it. There were one thousand two hundred functions used in controlling the airbus that took forty thousand connectors and ninety eight thousand wires. Fifty thousand models are encompassed in the system which needs to be synchronized in various countries. This was time consuming and complicated because the engineers were at different locations. Another problem was that the parts of the airbus were manufactured in different locations. An example is that the nose sections of the airbus were manufactured in France, the wings in Britain, and fuselages in Germany (Silverthorne, 2005). The final assemblies were done in France. It increased communication problems, first and foremost, time consumption and transportation cost. There were problems with the software used in the development as well. The engineers in Spain and Germany were using older versions of V4 of the CAD program. They used it in designing the wiring system. On the other hand, engineers from England and France used V5, which was the latest version (Voich a nd Stepina, 2003). This led to a lot of troubles and delays in data transferring because the data was lost when transferring files and information from one system to the other. The French engineers were familiar with the software used while the Germans, on the other hand, were not experienced. Jackson (2004) reveals that the French were considered to be individualistic because they were not concerned about the training of the related partner companies. Because there was no integration in engineering

Ethnic Identity Construction Essay Example for Free

Ethnic Identity Construction Essay Abstract The point of this paper is to help the reader grasp the different aspects of human identity construction with regards to ones race and/or ethnicity. This is a topic that is incredibly important to all races of people regardless of economic class or whatever else is seemingly more important. It is quite impossible to go throughout life without forming an idea of who you are or where you have come whether you care to make it a part of your daily life, have no choice or acknowledge it when it is convenient; without that knowledge I find it difficult to fully make the most of life. Through the readings from the semester and class discussions I have come to the conclusion that White ethnics choose to either assert their ethnicities thickly or thinly, or they chose to incorporate it into their lives symbolically. Blacks on the other side of the spectrum lack choice in their racial identity because their race is visible and so it is assigned to them. Asians have both the ability to choose to assert their specific ethnicities but they are racially assigned. The issue with racial and ethnic construction is that it is born of social construction-what others believe of your race to be true. This can make the identity construction process much more difficult depending upon your racial or ethnic background. Regardless, I find this to be an important part of the identity construction journey. How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone. These words were spoken by the infamous French fashion designer, Gabrielle â€Å"Coco† Chanel. In America today, these words could not ring truer in the subject of identity. â€Å"Who am I? †, â€Å"Where do I come from? † All questions of self reflection which undoubtedly each individual asks themselves on a daily basis. These questions are not elaborate in structure but hold a great deal of weight to them and contain countless answers. White ethnics face the decision of whether or not to include their ethnicities into their identity construction; their racial invisibility gives them the choice to identify. Racial minorities self define differently from those of the white majority-there often is no choice. There are many different facets of identity construction that create the varying formulas with which Black Americans must create their racial identity. The blatant visibility of race for Blacks creates many of the difficulties that they face in the United States varying from the generalized stereotypes, entry into the coveted middle class of America. These are some of the factors that determine whether or not a positive Black identity is being formed. Lastly, Asian Americans, have found themselves in that strange middle ground of identity construction; their struggle is not exactly like that of Black Americans but they are also not easily accepted like the dominant white group. The unique factors that help Asian Americans shape their identity are the same ones that make it difficult for others outside of their race to define them. It is with this unusual combination that Asian Americans have been given the convenient ability to choose to assert their specific ethnicities and to assimilate like white ethnics while still feeling the effects of racial constraint and having their race assigned to them like Black Americans. White Ethnic Identity Construction Today we look at the possible ways the white racial group define themselves; how they appear to others of their same race as well as to non-whites and the impact of American societal expectations on the self, ultimately creating a portrait of how white ethnics construct their ethnic identity throughout the generations and the evolution of ethnic value over time. It is all too common to hear an individual say â€Å"I don’t care what people think of me† or â€Å"Their opinion doesn’t matter,† although that may be their thought process, little do they know that it is the interaction with other human beings that helps form each person’s sense of self and that every person’s opinion of you matters a great deal. â€Å"Identity cannot exist apart from a group†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Gans, 1991, p. 430). Each person bounces their personality off of other people and it is from their reactions to us that we base our identities on. This idea is called â€Å"The Looking Glass Self† developed by Charles Cooley. Cooley argues that every time we interact with another person, we see ourselves in a mirror that they hold up to us and our reflections shape our sense of self (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Sep. 20). Essentially our self definitions are based on how others see us. We cannot escape it, the society that we live in is based on interaction with other people and humans, by nature are visual; we judge first by what we see. This is why race is the defining factor in American society but mainly for non-whites. The white race in America is dominate, however, it is not dominate because of the race itself but because of the culture that was formed from it. This idea of â€Å"whiteness† stems from European ideals where historically white ethnics had the most education and were Christians opposed to the non-Christians who were also not white. When Europeans came over to America they brought these ideals with them and used them as a foundation for the new culture they were creating that placed large emphasis on church, family, and accumulating wealth and with that social status (Zack, 1998, p. 61). These ideals were the foundation of American culture and since this culture was created by whites, American became synonymous with white, white became the norm and therefore transparent. If you are white in America it is highly unlikely that you will notice your race on a daily basis unless you are placed in a situation where you are surrounded by non-whites and forced into awareness. It is a definite advantage to have your race be invisible to everyone; when you are accustomed to seeing something, you do not think about it. That being said, according to the â€Å"Looking Glass Self†, hardly anyone, white or non-white will reflect a white person’s whiteness to them. Having race viewed as insignificant in a white individual’s identity. Due impart, to the diminished importance of race to white identity construction, ethnicity among white ethnics is a choice. White ethnics can decide if they want their ethnicity to be a part of what shapes their identity and if they do chose to assert an ethnicity they chose once again if they want to assert it thickly or thinly. Growing up in Connecticut, I know that there is not as wide a variety of ethnicities as there could be among white ethnics but in a few of the less suburban areas in Connecticut, namely New Britain, certain white ethnics choose to thickly assert their ethnicity. In New Britain there is a large population of Polish white ethnics; they speak the language and have ethnic markets and restaurants. They choose to incorporate their ethnicity into their everyday lives and associate with those of that same ethnicity. On the flip side, in my suburban hometown of Farmington, Connecticut, there were a decent amount of Polish people who attended my high school however, most choose to thinly assert their ethnicity mostly by only claiming their ethnicity when it came to soccer or eating polish food during the holidays. The importance of ethnicity to white ethnics is often asserted thinly if at all. The amount of emphasis placed on the value of ethnic identity among whites is not the same as it has been in times past; the emphasis has now been placed on American culture and what is considered valuable. If white ethnics choose to include their ethnicity in their identity today, it would most likely be symbol of what once was. When Europeans first came to America from whichever country, their original ethnic background was everything. The language, food, traditions, clothing and music was a constant influence on their everyday lives as first generation Americans. Community ties to people of your same ethnicity were incredibly important as it was an extension of your immediate family. Being the â€Å"new kids on the block† so to speak, was what kept these ethnic communities very tightly knit however, each generation after began to slowly back away from those original ties and started to assimilate into the dominate American culture. The acculturation process starts in second generation white ethnics where original ethnic traditions that they grew up with become not as important because now, fitting in to the dominate culture is the way to progress. The third generation white ethnic, has fully assimilated into American culture and has little interest in their ethnicity because by now they have figured out that in being a white ethnic, they fit into the dominate culture and ethnicity is not necessary. It may not necessarily be a hindrance to their economic, intellectual or social success, but it also is not a part of them that they feel needs to be asserted; it is at this point, that ethnic symbolism begins to show up (Gans, 1991, p. 430). Through intermarriage and acculturation, third generation white ethnics and beyond often know little about their ethnicity or by now ethnicities. Sometimes there are so many ethnicities to choose from, from either parent that a white ethnic will simply pick out the stereotypes of a certain ethnicity in their genetic arsenal that they feel they can identify most with as a way of feeling ethnic of their ethnic identity. Physical traits are often used as the indicator for which ethnicity a white ethnic will chose to identify with; one of my closest friends is Luxembourgian, German, Scandinavian, Swedish, Norwegian, and Scottish. Despite the fact that her last name itself is German, she chooses to associate her fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes with her Scandinavian and Swedish ethnicities; this is probably in large part due to her mother’s family who’s history holds more interest to her as well as people who look the most like her. She uses her physical features as symbols of her ethnicity, nothing more. It is often that if one side of the family is more vocal about a certain ethnicity or ethnicities within the family that as a result, the children will associate more with that ethnicity or ethnicities (Waters, 1998, p.60). The majority of white ethnics are of the upper middle class in American society because the race is not a constraint for them and so they have access to jobs and to education that non-whites may not have. This American culture or â€Å"whiteness† by itself leads to a sense of monotony to some white ethnics and so the symbolic ethnicity comes into play as a way to liven things and bring back a since of individuality; to not be â€Å"just American† (Waters, 1998, p. 90). Non-whites in America maintain their ethnicity and embrace it because they are not given as equal a chance to assimilate into the dominate culture and without that opportunity, they are cut off from the jobs, that would provide money to become educated and progress in the American way and therefore stay very rooted in their original culture and maintain a strong sense of community which many white ethnics do not have. The constraints of white ethnic identity are few. The invisibility of whiteness gives white ethnics a definite upper hand and even further so, when it comes to their ethnicity they can make the choice. The possibilities for white ethnic identity and furthermore, their identity as a whole would seem to be very flexible. They lack only, it would seem when it comes to the sense of community. In the American culture, as it has evolved into today, the majority population’s focus is on wealth and social status and so nothing else comes to matter. White ethnics as a whole suffer little if any because, being the dominant race and culture; it is rare to find any door closed; the invisibility of their race gives them an unseen advantage which racial minorities do not have. Black Racial Identity Construction. As mentioned previously in discussing white ethnic identity construction, Cooley’s Looking Glass self was a prime factor in how identity is shaped, particularly for Black Americans. The mirror that is continuously held up to each Black person is a constant reminder that their race is a large part of how others define them. Unlike the dominant White group, race is nowhere close to being invisible for Blacks. W. E. B DuBois applies the basic idea of Cooley’s looking glass self, most specifically to the Black minority group with this concept of a â€Å"double consciousness† (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Nov. 3). Much like the looking glass, the double consciousness stresses that you will never be able to truly see yourself if you are of the Black minority group because others will see your race first and automatically reflect a negative image. If this double consciousness continues it can create, what Cornell West calls a Nihilistic threat; internalizing the negative impressions of your racial group and therefore yourself. Beverly Daniel Tatum points out in her book â€Å"‘Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? ’† that young children do not view racial differences as an issue but rather as a topic of curiosity, however, as the child reaches, what she calls, the â€Å"encounter stage† around adolescence race becomes very noticeable and if parents are not careful, their child will internalize all of the negative connotations of what it is to be Black (p. 55). The rest of that child’s life they will be reminded daily of their race, not necessarily in demeaning racial slurs, but in indirect forms of racism and prejudices. Unlike their White counterparts, Black Americans do not have the privilege of letting their race be invisible in society. Being the dominant group, White is expected and accepted-their race is invisible but as a minority group, Blacks do not have the choice of blending in; race is not only an assigned part of one’s identity if you are Black but it is thickly assigned which creates the boundaries and sense of separateness among the different racial groups. Identifying oneself as Black is essential for a member of the Black minority group if they wish to avoid self conflict. Wishing that you were not Black or attempting to be something other than Black only exasperates the issue. This negative view has to do with prejudices which transformed into stereotypes about Black Americans and translated into the negative Black identity which Black adolescents begin to form and even take with them into adulthood. Ones view of what it means to be Black can be fuelled primarily through stereotypes which can lead to a disdain of your own race. This could be expressed in a need to be the opposite of all those stereotypes, which was manifested as the Black kid not sitting at the all Black table (Tatum, 1997, p. 67). He refused to associate himself with those of his race because of the stereotypes that were reflected through â€Å"the looking glass. † This can at times be rectified later in life through exposure to positive examples of Black peoples, particularly those who are college educated. According to the double consciousness, the fact that you are Black is already assigned and therefore asserting it further, is unnecessary. The idea that having a positive Black identity is contingent upon putting your race first is redundant because it is already visible to everyone you come in contact with. It is as if you are a book and your race is the plastic covering around it; people cannot open the book because the plastic is sealed so tightly around it. In order for there to be a positive black identity all that is necessary is a full acceptance of your race and the positive aspects of it. The presence of positive Black role models in the life of a Black youth early on encourages a positive Black identity and expels most of the widely spread negative stereotypes. (Tatum, 1997, p.55). With largely widespread negative views on Black Americans as a whole and stereotypes being perpetuated regularly it is easy for a Black person to feel victimized; caged into a role even. The most readily available images of Black people in the media are often those that portray blacks in dire, downtrodden striates or extreme poverty. Sadly, this generalized portrait of Black Americans is overly, the dramatized and filled with gang violence, illegal drug sale, and so on. This type of life has been glorified in popular music; rappers especially speak of having been poor and having to live in the projects-the only way to survive being crime. Whatever is most commonly projected will be the easiest to accept as your only choice if you are Black. Lack of funding in lower income communities, the majority of which are populated by Black Americans, create low grade schools decreasing the ability or even the possibility for Black minorities to go on to higher education. America is a country built on capitalism; if one group cannot keep up with the dominant group financially they will fall back. Only 30% of Black Americans are impoverished but as a whole, are widely accepted as poor because of the media’s attention on densely populated, majority black communities (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Nov. 10). When this negative view becomes the norm, it is hard for Black youth to see much else, which is often why the minority of Blacks who rise above the negative stereotypes their racial identity is questioned by others of their same race. Since the idea of a middle class and the suburbs is a social class largely dominated by the dominant white group, some would find Black Americans as a part of that middle class to be an oddity. It is automatically assumed that because the White race is dominate in American society that they would have the jobs, the wealth, education and ability to enter seamlessly into the middle class realm and above. However, racial prejudices and stereotypes have made it so that it is quite uncommon to find a Black family in a predominantly White suburb; the symbol of the middle class. Somehow, through hard work, sacrifice or well-off parents, Blacks have managed to go on to higher education and thereafter; higher paying jobs, earning them a spot in the middle class. Unfortunately, this kind of success among Black people of the middle class does not sit well with those that live below it. It is the truest statement to say that personally, growing up in a largely White suburb, endured an intense inquisition about my racial affiliation from my Black peers who were bused in from Hartford. I was told that I â€Å"dressed White†, â€Å"talked White†, and many a time that I was in fact White or an â€Å"Oreo† as they would put it. Many of my White friends would joke around with me that I was not Black. There is nothing more offensive than being told, in so many words, that because your parents were educated, held well paying jobs, bought a house in the suburbs and educated you in a majority White school system, that you were no longer Black; worse even, being scrutinized and ignored by people of your own race because of a difference in social class. Tatum speaks of the same issues in her book, she even states how important it is for young Black people in predominantly White communities to connect with other Black peers to share experiences and increase awareness of daily life outside of the suburbs (Tatum, 1997, p.69-70). One would think that coming to a university with a larger community of Blacks than in my high school would open doors, but sadly I find that the divide is almost completely the same. The Black friends I have made since attending the University of Connecticut have been ones that share a similar background as myself; rarely do non-suburban Black people and I become friends and it is not for lack of effort on my part. I would like to think that I keep a positive attitude towards both Whites and Blacks but because of the stereotypes so deeply ingrained in many of us, it is difficult to lay them down and redirect our way of thinking. It is this reason, among others why other racial and sometimes ethnic minorities have difficulty being accept in America, Asian Ethnic and Racial Identity Construction The entrance into America for Asians is considered to be the first wave of immigration. This wave is relatively recent beginning in the early 19th century with the Chinese who immediately moved out west where the work they were given was largely agricultural. Like all immigrants coming into the United States, the Chinese, Japanese and later other groups like Filipino, Korean, and Vietnamese, among others, all faced discrimination from the dominate White group. When the Chinese first entered they were very hardworking and skilled while working on the transcontinental railroad but having not been in America long enough and having so many Chinese coming in their seemingly flawless work ethic was viewed as a threat by their fellow White workers. After the Chinese Exclusion Act was put into action in 1882, Japanese immigrants began to make their way into America but the same thing happened to them. Their advanced skills in agriculture were considered a threat to the Whites. They were taking their jobs and since farmland is not something that goes away, the Japanese were able to establish themselves a little better than the Chinese (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Nov. 28). The manner in which the group entered into the United States is the reason why their history is so important to their formation of a positive Asian American identify. The entrance of the various Asian groups into the United States and the acceptance of them were bound to be a bit difficult. The size of the group was large enough to be considered a threat to the dominant white group and because they had a tendency to settle down together, making it difficult for them to assimilate into American culture. The second wave of Asian Immigration is a part of present day America and this idea of being threatened by the skillfulness of Asians is still something that the dominant group feels and makes a point to mention often. In the first wave of immigration, the Chinese and Japanese succeeded because the work they found in the United States involved the use of skills they had already cultivated in their specific countries and so the excelled. Here in this second wave it is the same thing; whatever the Asian group is good at in their places of origin are the skills they will take with them when immigrating and that is why this idea of the Model Minority Myth has been created (Monk, 1996, p. 31). Asian American’s ability to succeed so effortlessly it seems, in large part can be attributed to the fact that much like the dominant White group, Asian Americans have the ability to assert their specific ethnicities. Similar to Black Americans, Asian Americans have an assigned race; when it comes to their ethnicities, which hold more value to them than their race, it is of greater significance to how they identify. However, non-Asian groups tend to lump every Asian ethnicity under one â€Å"Pan Asian† label but Asian Americans refuse to accept this (Kibria, 2002, p. 73-74). Instead of agreeing with the reflection they see from other people about their race, as mentioned previously in regards to Cooley’s â€Å"Looking Glass Self†, Asian Americans place a great amount of emphasis on their specific country of origin and its traditions and cultures in order to define themselves. In the first wave of immigration, Asian Americans would settle in closely knit communities with their specific ethnic group; in those communities, they would all help each other out making it easier to survive in America. Even today, there are large communities of Asian Americans who choose to live close to each other to keep that sense of having a culture and traditions that separate them from everyone else. Having these tightly knit communities makes it easier for Asian Americans to succeed because they have a constant support group and people to fall back on if they need it (Monk, 1996, p. 37-38). Being in such constant close contact with those who share your culture background and infuse it into daily life definitely helps with forming a positive Asian American identity, regardless of outside influences. Some of the dominant White group believes that if given the chance, over time Asian Americans could have the potential to fully assimilate to American culture and become ultimately â€Å"white. † This idea of racial ethnogenesis is that the later generations of Asian Americans as well as incoming groups of Asians will simply begin to blend into American culture to the point that they will just embrace the racial category they have been placed in and forget about their ethnic background (Kibria , 2002, p. 14). What would this do for the identity construction of Asian Americans? Would their full assimilation into American culture really improve their quality of life anymore? The identity construction of Asian Americans would be so unlike every other identity if they simply assimilated completely into American culture. Letting go of cultural ties and accepting the general name for people of your same race will not improve the quality of life significantly because their race is still visible. Again, culture is a choice, race is not. Although Asian Americans are capable of choosing their ethnic identity and asserting it like the White ethnics, they also share the disadvantage of being assigned to their race like Black Americans because their race like Blacks is very visible. Since their race is visible it creates this aspect of constraint which makes it difficult for people to not see your race and therefore puts limits on how people will treat you or what jobs you can attain. Regardless of the success Asian Americans have in academics and achieving higher paying jobs, there is still a â€Å"glass ceiling† they have to deal with (Monk, 1996, p. 42). The visibility of their race keeps them from being hired as corporate CEOs or being in leadership positions in general. Excelling most commonly in mathematics and sciences often places Asian Americans in behind the scenes type of work that pays well but does not require them to be out in the open as public figures in the corporation. The added factor of an accent for more recent immigrants can also serve as additional restriction to entering into the higher echelons of business (Monk, 1996, p. 43). The positive connotations that come with being Asian American as well as the negative can have an adverse affect in identity construction. Being considered to be a â€Å"Model Minority† definitely can create some hostility especially for second and third generation Asian Americans. When non-Asians assume that you get A’s in school and that you are inherently good at mathematics it becomes a burden (Kibria, 2002, p. 87). Just the same, negative stereotypes about the foods that different Asian American cultures eat or assuming that because certain physical features are similar among the different ethnic groups, they are all the same, can create negative feelings about being Asian American and that is not good for the development of a healthy ethnic or racial identity. The saying â€Å"Asian Invasion† (Monk, 1996, p. 44) is very common I personally even have used it in jest and so have some of my Asian friends; I assumed that its use was okay. Generally, my second generation Asian friends will use this term when talking about either the Asian students who are studying abroad on campus, or in regards to first generation Asian Americans. This makes me wonder if my friends have assimilated enough into the dominant white culture that they no longer can see themselves associating with the incoming Asians. It is hard to determine whether the statement is meant as a joke or a commentary against ethnic Asians. Conclusion Having explained the different forms of identity construction through the examples of White ethnics, Black Americans and Asian Americans it has been made clear that identity construction cannot be viewed the same for a ethnicities and races. White ethnic identity comes in many different shapes sizes and forms ranging from symbolic, non-exisistent, or thinly asserted to a large part of how one identifies or thickly asserted. The option to pick and chose which part of your heritage you prefer over another or not at all is how white ethnics construct their identities. The majority of white ethnics who choose the route of symbolic ethnicity opposed to asserting either thinly or thickly a certain ethnicity is often because the dominant American culture has become of greater value to their identity than anything else and choosing an ethnic symbol to place on themselves is what will separate them from the rest of their fellow white ethnics or bring them closer to someone who holds the same ethnic symbol. Just the same, the constant pressures placed on Black Americans to play multiple roles are a difficult task. Shaping a positive identity of any kind is difficult but to shape a positive Black identity in America holds a certain amount of extra weight to it. Black Americans struggle trying to advance themselves because of the constant racial stereotypes reverberating in the background. If you do manage to elevate into the higher ranks of American life your racial loyalty will then be questioned. Is it possible that over time these stereotypes will dissipate or is there a reason they are kept alive? The unique combination of both ethnic choice and racial constraint makes Asian American identity construction the most interesting form of identity construction so far. Since the first wave of immigration into the second one, Asian Americans have dealt with a slew of racial injustices in America but they have also gained a great deal of merit mostly for being the â€Å"ideal† so to speak. Being hard workers and keeping close ethnic ties have made Asian Americans competition for White ethnics. In the future, whether or not they will completely assimilate or not is questionable and what toll it will take on their identity construction. Having the option to choose a part of your identity which no one can see will never outweigh your racial assignment. What is it, or is it possible to have a truly positive White ethnic or Black or Asian racial identity in America? The constant changes in society make it impossible to know.

Printing Industry Is The Uks Fifth Largest Manufactur Marketing Essay

Printing Industry Is The Uks Fifth Largest Manufactur Marketing Essay The aim of this project is to present a feasible idea to increase the brand awareness and profile of the social enterprise PrintIT, a printing company which is part of The AppleBy Trust. To achieve this research was carried out on the printing industry, analysis on the current firm and marketing activities and consideration of a potential new customer base for PrintIT to target. This would enable establishment of an alternative marketing strategy for PrintIT which is hoped to be successful. Printing Industry Analysis The Printing Industry is the UKs fifth largest manufacturing industry. It employs over 160,000 people in 12,000 companies most of which are fairly small. It is a vital manufacturing sector and has strategic importance to the economy catering for public authorities, retail, distribution, financial services, travel etc. In Northern Ireland Printing is a long established and mature industry and many of the companies that operate within the sector are long serving and have been involved in printing for a number of decades. http://www.britishprint.com/page.asp?node=297sec=Essential_facts_on_the_UK_printing_industry See Appendix 1 Johnston, Michael, Chief Executive, BPIF, The Marketing Managers Yearbook 2007, The BPIF, The Voice of the Printing Industry in the UK, See Appendix 2 http://www.investni.com/sector_profile_-_print___packaging.pdf Demand in the industry is greatly influenced by the level of activity taking place in the economy and subsequently demand for the sector did fall from early 2008 due to the economic downturn. Printing companies are losing contracts as organisations go into administration. Declines are inevitably likely 2010, 2011 with full recovery and possible increases in 2012. Fenn, Dominic, Key Note Marketing Report 2010, 15th Edition, Printing, April 2010 ISBN 978-1-84729-608-5, See Appendix 3 The industry is hugely affected by macroeconomic factors and Printing is expected to advance in the future. Below is a PEST Analysis which explains the most crucial factors affecting the industry:- Political Legislation IPPC (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Integrated Control) is the most crucial and looks at resource and energy efficiency, accident prevention and minimisation of other pollutants including noise and heat. envirowise.wrap.org.uk//Integrated-Pollution-Prevention-And-Control- IPPC.html New powers have been given to the ICO (Information Commissioners Office) which could see Printing companies face major fines therefore Printing firms processing personal data need to ensure it is adequately protected. Nias, Simon and Sheahan, Tim, Printers could face  £500k fines under new powers given to ICO, PrintWeek article 4 December 2009 (20 Nov)See Appendix 4 The Printing Industry is a hugely polluting industry and environmental issues include:- Water Large quantities of water are used in most printing processes and Water charges are being introduced at the end of the year in Northern Ireland See Appendix 23. The alternative would be waterless printing nevertheless the printers are expensive to purchase and run. Waste Relatively high levels of waste are generated by the printing process. This is also a social issue. Emissions VOCs are believed to come from the Printing Industry. These can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and much more serious affects if exposed to for long periods of time. environmentalchemistry.com/yogi//200602airpollution.html Ink Heavy metals and non-renewable resources in ink. The alternative would be vegetable based inks however not used by all printers. Economic The economic downturn is the most evident with approximately 200 companies already going into administration with 3000 jobs lost. This is contributing to the high levels of unemployment the UK is facing. See Appendix 5 from PrintWeek.com which is the official website for the British Printing Industries Federation. Mitting, William, Unemployment hits 2.38m with thousands of jobs lost from print printweek.com 15 July 2009 Printing Paper rises Several major paper suppliers have announced price increases. Paper giant Sappi said it will raise the price of certain types of paper by at least 10% in March next year however Printing companies will find it hard to increase their prices as there is continual undercutting of prices to secure contracts. See Appendix 6 Morris, Helen, Paper manufacturers set to impose further price increase printweek.com 19 February Interest rate rising Small print firms could be hit by a further crush on borrowing. This is the result of a move by the Treasury to reduce its exposure to the EFG scheme. See Appendix 7. Energy and fuel rises The industry has high energy dependence from the machinery it uses, a majority of which is electrical. Tucker, Wesley, eHow Contributor, Challenges in the Printing Industry 31st May 2010 http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_6570986_challenges-printing-industry.html Social Do It Yourself With disposable income lower and a wide more diverse range of packages available, consumers can choose to print for themselves whether it be using templates available on Microsoft or Desktop Publishing etc. Technological Advancement in technology has an unavoidable impact in the industry. It is needed to survive and ahead of competition. A Marketing Week article reports that the trend of digital technology and printing will ultimately open up new markets. A Printing Impressions article and Converting magazine abstract explain that digital enhances image and quality, has a faster turnaround and saves costs. See Appendices 8,9 10. The internet is another technological factor. 73% of households in the UK have it with 30 million adults using it daily therefore an opportunity for the industry to exploit. See Appendix 11 which details the National Statistics of Internet access. The Printing Industry could use the internet as an online ordering tool which is a trend in demand. The internet could too be used as a medium, for example a campaign online could be enhanced with a printed one to match. See Appendix 12 which explains that the internet is not a threat but can be used as a complimentary medium. Ultimately all the factors would need to be strongly analysed and considered in order to survive in an environment which is rapidly changing. With regards to the Social Enterprise sector, they have a vital role to play in the countrys economic recovery as they tackle social unemployment and crime or environmental issues and still support financial growth. The survey in Appendix 13 found that despite the recession, social enterprises are twice as confident of future growth as small to medium enterprises, with 48% of social enterprises reacting positively as opposed to just 24% of SMEs. Since the economic downturn began, 56% have increased their turnover from the previous year whilst less than 20% have seen it go down. State of Social Enterprise Survey, Nov 2009, Social Enterprise Coalition http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk Firm and Marketing Analysis Strengths Latest Product Technology In House Professional Design System Competitive Prices Online Uploading Service Weaknesses Instability Limited to Employee Abilities Limited To Expansion Very little Cash flow Very Little Marketing Ability Resource Independent Opportunities Seasonal Greetings Cards T-shirt Printing Charity Fundraisers Postcards Threats Stable / Well Known Competitors Work Related Legislations Increase in at home Printing Struggling Economy Above is a SWOT analysis of PrintIT. Strengths include the latest product technology. PrintIT offer digital printing and An In House Professional Design Service which indicate they are advancing with changes in technology in what is a dominant trend in the industry. They also have an online uploading service which enables faster and more convenient printing for the enterprise and the customer. Weaknesses include very little cash flow and marketing ability. PrintIT have a small sum of  £300 per annum for their enterprise spending budget. Opportunities including seasonal greetings cards. A Keynote Market Focus 2008 report (Appendix 14) states that Christmas and New Year cards sector record the greatest sales in volume terms and a rapidly growing population will ensure volume and value growth. Other opportunities include T-shirt Printing which PrintIT could use in the future when they more business. Threats include increase in at Home Printing As mentioned earlier there are programs available to enable consumers to print for themselves. Current Marketing Activities From assessing PrintITs current marketing activities, they market in three ways: Via the Appleby PrintIT website, a quarterly newsletter and distribution of leaflets. According to a recent Measurement of Marketing Effectiveness report, managers now more emphasis on the marketing activities of the organisation. This trend is the aspiration to achieve sustainable profit and develop their own firm to compete harder. See Appendix 15. As explained earlier the Internet is used by a vast majority of consumers. PrintIT have a very detailed website with a lot of facitlies available including quote request, services provided, portfolio of work and a price list. This is good service accessibility and a competitive advantage over rivals in the area of Armagh, as main competitors TrimPrint and Instant Print do not have websites at current, therefore if a consumer was looking for a Printing firm via an online search engine PrintIT would be the only company to offer one. This is a marketing activity which is delivered better than local competitors. From an extensive review of the website there seemed to be no link from PrintIT to the AppleBy Trust. We feel as a charity and social enterprise there needs to be a stronger link between the two, this is vital. Newsletters are distributed to existing customers of PrintIT quarterly. This enables them to maintain a relationship with their current customers and act as a tool for customer loyalty and repeat business. Newsletters are valued and an approach which is popular among marketers. PrintIT newsletters have a corporate design and are informative in that they show clients who they are supporting by including Trainee News and Trainee of the Month features. It can be used as a marketing strategy to communicate offers, new features etc. Two newsletter articles (Appendices 16 17) explain how newsletters are being introduced by companies of all sizes to communicate with customers and best prospects and how they are credible for a company with a limited budget. PrintIT also distribute leaflets. This is a method of marketing which could be very effective for business as this could be a way of advertising the firm for those that do not know or are aware of it. To prevent customers disposing of it PrintIT could include a discount code or money off coupon for an extra incentive. Paper is PrintITs forestay therefore leaflets will be very cost effective for the business in distributing to consumers. They are too a good form of communication. Customer Analysis Demographics of customers show that PrintIT are used by local consumers, beauty salons, hairdressers, pizza places etc. These are small local companies which PrintIt should continue catering for however should consider extending their customer base to local communities, churches, schools and colleges. PrintIT could create a bigger public awareness by using sports events at schools etc to advertise the brand. A recent Segmenting Volunteer Fundraisers at a Charity Sport Event journal explains how Charitable organizations are increasingly using sport events as an approach to generate funds and raise awareness. Researchers have suggested that sport events are mainly attractive to volunteer fundraisers because they provide an opportunity to engage in two important activities at the same time. This could evitably increase PrintITs customer base Wood, Laura Snelgrove, Ryan Danylchuk, Karen, 2010. Segmenting Volunteer Fundraisers at a Charity Sport Event . Journal of Nonprofit and Public Sector Marketing, 22 (1) p38 Appendix 24 For churches, PrintIT could offer to print order of services for weddings and eulogies for funerals. Weddings and funerals are constant therefore printing would always be in demand. See Appendices 21 22 which show that the rate of weddings and deaths in Armagh was particularly high, and bigger compared to other areas in 2008. This would be an opportunity for PrintIt to exploit and use their service to generate more business. http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/mapxtreme/InteractiveMaps/Population_Migration/mortality/atlas.html http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/mapxtreme/InteractiveMaps/Population_Migration/marriages/atlas.html For schools and colleges PrintIT could also offer the service of printing for example school plays, PTA letters and also offer the service of printing coursework for students. In order to reach customers PrintIT could create and deliver a portfolio and welcome pack to the local communities etc to view the work PrintIT offers and does. Price V Quality PrintIt at present charge a low price for printing therefore this could give the impression to consumers that the quality is low therefore an increase in prices could generate thought of higher quality products being offered. PrintIt are a social enterprise and part of a charity fund therefore consumers will be willing to pay more if they know its for a charity linked brand. See Appendix 18 which explains how cause related marketing can in the short term boost sales immediately and why consumers are willing to pay more for a charity linked brand. Strahilevitz, Michal, The Effects of Product Type and Doation Magnitude on Willingness to Pay More for a Charity-Linked Brand, Journal of Consumer Psychology, 8 (3) 215-241 1999 Marketing Strategy From analysing all of the above and looking at alternative marketing perspectives the team concluded that rebranding the social enterprise PrintIT by creating a new name, logo and business slogan would be the most effective strategy. To provide further information on rebranding, recently rebranded charities were reviewed to enable the team to see the reasoning behind rebrand and also the strategy and approach used in doing so. Examples of Rebranding The first charity was The Printers Charitable Organisation It changed its name and introduced a new logo. The charity provides relief for aged or poor people who are or were printers or persons employed or formerly worked in the printing or publishing industry. http://www.fundraising.co.uk/newswire/2010/03/24/printers-charitable-corporation-pcc-rebrands-printing-charity (28 Nov) The corporation changed its name to reflect its desire to appeal to a wider group of people and their children in todays Printing, Publishing trade The corporation changed its name to The Printing Charity. They said that the word printing was inclusive but also built on their legacy of supporting people. http://www.theprintingcharity.org.uk/docs/PrintingCharityAR2009.pdf The logo which beolow incorporates the four CMYK printing blocks used in the colour printing process. Each block represents one of the four cornerstones: Homes, Help, Link and Futures. ::::Downloads:PrintingCharity.logo_.jpg The charity thought the new name and logo was critical to the people it was set up to support. The rebranding is also an attempt to raise the profile and increase the number of people it supports financially. Other charities who have rebranded include Help the Aged which rebranded to Age UK, Parkinsons Disease Society which rebranded to Parkinsons UK and Macmillen Cancer Relief which rebranded to Macmillen Cancer Support. This rebrand was very successful, the charity had been underperforming considerably and the rebrand enhanced awareness and helped with publicity. Research has shown rebranding can vary in price and is time consuming. http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/Article/994464/Charity-rebranding-change-vision-strategy/ PrintITs Rebrand From analysing PrintIT,a rebrand of the enterprise was decided. The original name does not specifically imply that it is supporting people with learning difficulties or that is it connected or originated from the AppleBy Trust. A suggestion is that PrintIT change their name to Print4Charity as this is simple and instantly indicates that the enterprise is a company printing for charity. Print4Charity has a meaning which is significantly different from the other traditional printing companies in Armagh and the surrounding area, is relevant to the enterprise and embeds it in the community. According to Hollensen 2003 the role of branding is to distinguish a companys offering and differentiate a particular product/service from its competitors. It creates awareness and helps with the promotion of the product/service. A brand is a complex symbol that signifies a range of ideas. Printing4Charity could strengthen the enterprises image with customers and communicate value. The rebrand is distinctive and has the potential to gain competitive advantage in the area as making a profit is a factor which is essential in keeping the enterprise up and running. Hollensen, Svend, Marketing Management, A Relationship Approach, 2nd Edition, Pages 409-410 From reviewing the enterprises website, newsletter and leaflets there is no distinctive logo and firm slogan. The enterprise strives to help disadvantaged people by providing vocational training therefore the team thought of an attentive firm slogan to match. Keller et al 2009 explains slogans to be those that are an extremely efficient means to build brand equity. Kotler et al, Marketing Management, European Edition, Pearson, Page 435 When designing the logo the fact that Print4Charity is part of the Appleby Trust was considered and that it gives disadvantaged people the opportunity to grow and flourish in real life work experience. Due to this the team created a logo and slogan that incorporates this: :PraÃÅ'ˆsentation_Logo_Leaflets:ThirdDraftPrintIt_Logo.jpg The new corporate colours used are green, yellow and red which the team felt indicated warmth and displayed professionalism. The Apples link the enterprise to Armagh as they are a distinguishing feature of the city. This could gain customer loyalty. The firm slogan A Chance to Ripen conveys emotion and connects with customers. According to Hollensen 2003 company slogans tell the firms story. Cost of Rebranding Rebranding can vary in price and be time consuming however the enterprise will benefit from it hugely in the future and could advertise the new brand via leaflets etc or use the buses the enterprise has to put the rebranded name no therefore this is a free form of advertising. Rebranding to Print4Charity is an opportunity to exploit and is a chance to really influence the point of the enterprise. Relaunching brand could sharpen the attention of existing and potential users Bradley, Frank, Marketing Management, Providing, Communicating and Delivering Value, Page 546 Other Marketing Strategies Other marketing strategies that were considered were publicity. The enterprise could get journalists from local newsletters and magazines to write an article about Print4Charity. See Appendices 16 17 which convey why newsletters are an effective form of communication. The enterprise should create an online social network presence in the form of Facebook, Twitter etc. See Utalkmarketing.com article in Appendix 20 which explains why social networks are valuable and important for business. The enterprise should also consider getting involved with the Social Economy Network. Its a membership based organisation that draws its membership from Social Economy organisations throughout Northern Ireland. It seeks to build, support and strengthen the Social Economy sector, it is too getting support and recognition by the Assembly. What Is Social Economy? As discussed earlier stronger connection with schools, local clubs etc and participation at local community and sporting events via trade exhibitions etc of the enterprises work. See Appendix 19 which conveys how a trade exhibition is a good way to market a company. Regarding pricing the enterprise should increase prices because as mentioned earlier consumers are willing to pay a little bit more if its for charity. The product range of the enterprise could be enhanced and broadened via printing seasonal greetings cards etc. See Keynote report as Appendix 14. In conclusion, if all the alternative marketing strategies were implemented PrintIT would see a rebrand to Print4Charity and have a vary of ways in promoting its service and receiving more business. These in effect will contribute more to the enterprises funds which would enable more expenditure for new technology etc in order to move forward and compete in what is a fast changing environment.