Case Analysis On Whole Foods Market - 1577 Words

Case Analysis on Whole Foods Market Wanda I. Ramos Trident University BUS 599: Title of Course Professor’s Name July 16, 2015 Abstract Case analysis are detailed descriptions of real management situations. In the case analysis below on Whole Foods Market, the objective was to analyze the organization’s strategy in the market, as well as looking at their mission and values, and how they have applied them and grown. By applying concepts to actual cases, we improve your ability to think analytically when identifying problems and creating solutions. Through their vision, mission statement, and values of high quality, Whole Foods Market has grown over their expectations to a multi-billion corporation, and is now ready to expand at the international level. Case Analysis on Whole Foods Market The current strategic position of Whole Foods Market is strong. Since, 2002 it has focused on opening its own large stores. Many of these are 50,000 square feet and above instead of acquiring small chain stores. Whole Foods Market has excellent human resources. Its employees are well trained, knowledgeable, and experience in the grocery industry. The pay and benefits are attractive and they receive excellent training. Whole Foods Market has developed a reputation for high quality standards and customers are guaranteed 100 percent satisfaction. Whole Foods Market also has a strong financial position. Its sales revenues have increased from $10.1 billion in 2011 to $14.1Show MoreRelatedWhole Foods Market Case Analysis1687 Words   |  7 PagesWhole Foods Market Case Analysis Whole Foods Market has received recognition as recent as January 27th 2011 when CNBC aired Supermarkets Inc: Inside a 500 Billion Money Machine. â€Å"Whole Foods is arguably the most influential, and by some measures, the most successful supermarket chain in the world. The specialty gourmet store has grown into a Fortune-300 company offering specialty foods and locally grown organic produce.1† CNBC goes on to state that even â€Å"Established brands like Safeway, Giant EagleRead MoreWhole Foods Market Case Analysis1768 Words   |  8 PagesWHOLE FOODS MARKET, 2005: WILL THERE BE ENOUGH ORGANIC FOOD TO SATISFY THE GROWING DEMAND? Introduction Whole Foods Market has developed into the world’s largest retail chain of organic foods supermarkets. Their fast growth success is mainly due to being high selective core values. The company employs more than 32000 workers and also with an average size of store of approximately 3000 square metres. Analysis General environment Economic An affluent Organization for Economic Co-operationRead MoreWhole Food Markets Case Analysis Essay1986 Words   |  8 PagesRunning Head: GROUP CASE ANALYSIS WEEK 6 Group Case Analysis WEEK 6 Whole Foods Markets, Inc. Executive Summary: Existing mission, objectives, and strategies: According to Strategic Management Concepts and Cases, written by F. David, Whole Food Market, Inc.’s current mission statement is as follows, â€Å"to promote the vitality and well-being of all individuals by supplying the highest quality, most wholesome foods available† (DavidRead MoreCase Analysis: John Mackey, Whole Foods Market Essay examples1702 Words   |  7 PagesEric Smith Christine Hill Organizational behavior January 24, 2013 Case Analysis: John Mackey, Whole Foods Market 1. What role, if any, does McGregor’s Theory Y play at Whole Foods? Explain. According to Kreitner and Kinicki (2013) McGregor contrasted two views on human nature by insisting that Theory Y assumes that people are more positive at work, and believed managers could accomplish more by viewing employees as such (p.9). The other outdated theory, is Theory X, which is a moreRead MoreWhole Foods Market, 2005: Will There Be Enough Organic Food to Satisfy the Growing Demand?1485 Words   |  6 PagesCase 11 Whole Foods Market, 2005: Will there be enough organic food to satisfy the growing demand? Summary Whole food market is the world’s leading retailer of natural and organic food industry. A firm believer in the virtuous circle entwining food chain, human being and mother earth, they conduct their business true and consistent to their business mission and vision by producing the highest quality of products for its customers and high profits for its investors. Being a philanthropist andRead MoreWhole Foods Swot Analysis1365 Words   |  6 Pagesretailing of organic foods and the impact of these trends on Whole Foods Market. Existing trends in the retailing of organic foods are healthier eating habits, concern over purity of foods, health-consciousness and the idea that eating organic foods have a positive effect on the environment (Thompson, 2010). The craze of purchasing only organic foods has an effect on not only Whole Foods but on many supermarket chains. Although organic foods are marked up in comparison to processed foods there is muchRead MoreIntegration Of Whole Foods Into Abc Company1618 Words   |  7 Pages Case Study YourFirstName YourLastName University title                Integration of Whole Foods into ABC Company Name: Affiliation:                            According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 34.9% of the adult population who are obese in the United States. They, therefore, suffer or are prone to conditions related to obesity such as type II diabetes, heart disease and some cancer types and some of these are the leading causes of those deaths that areRead MoreEssay on Whole Foods Market748 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Whole Foods Market: 2010 How to Grow in An Increasingly Competitive Market? Patricia Harasta and Alan N. Hoffman A Case Study Analysis Antonia Jackson MBA Dr. Pamela Barnes 13 October 2013 I. Introduction Whole Foods Market is one of the biggest organic and natural whole food suppliers in the world. They provide a wide variety of select foods that are without hormones or antibiotics and are stamped with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s stamp of approval. They value the fact thatRead MoreAnalysis Of The Outputs For Whole Foods Market Essay977 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction In this case, an analysis of the outputs for Whole Foods Market was performed. As with the previous case in regards to inputs, the purpose of this analysis is to determine the company’s outputs, how they interact, and how they help Whole Foods achieve their company goals. As such, determining the outputs, understanding how they are measured, and analyzing the congruency between the functions are imperative to determining how they fit into the organization. Organizational Outputs andRead MoreWhole Foods Market Is Responsible For Protection Of Human Health And The Environment1413 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction About Whole Foods Market Whole Foods Market is a supermarket chain launched in 1980 and is the first certified organic grocer in the United States. They are a growing chain with 462 locations all around the world as of 2016 with more than 90,000 employees. Whole Foods underpinning culture is to sell the highest quality of organic products to meet the needs of every customers, while supporting their team members value. Introduction to the Topic Whole Foods received a warning letter from

Rape Culture Through The Perspective Of Carry That Weight

Rape Culture Through the Perspective of Carry That Weight Rape culture remains a taboo topic that needs to be further recognized in order to understand it and prevent it from continuing for the sake of future generations.ï » ¿ Unfortunately, current college students are victims of university standards that largely fail to protect them. Oftentimes, such as in the case of Emma Sulkowicz, a senior at Columbia University, cases of sexual assault are quieted in order to preserve the image of the institution, at the cost of its students’ well being. Yet sexual assault is a common occurrence, particularly among young people today. Emma Sulkowicz was raped during her sophomore year at Columbia and the dreadful experience is what inspired her visual arts senior thesis Carry That Weight (2014), in which she lugs a 50 pound mattress around campus with her. The project has played a pivotal role in bringing attention to rape culture, particularly on college campuses, during a time of struggle between victims and authorities. Carry That Weight showcases the burden of a young women carrying a mattress on her own as a metaphor for the weight she bears as a victim of rape. It is also an act of defiance and a means of bringing attention to rape culture on college campuses. Although Columbia University continues dismissing her case, Emma is devoted to carrying the mattress with her until her rapist is expelled. As an emotionally stimulating thesis, information that Emma originally posted onlineShow MoreRelatedRape Culture And Its Effect On Society1532 Words   |  7 PagesRape culture is all around us; it lurks in advertisement, television shows, and movies, it’s even in our language objectifying women’s bodies. Rape culture is defined as â€Å"an environment in which rape is prevalent and in which sexual violence against women is normalized and excused in the media and popular culture† (marshall.edu). Something to keep in mind, the term is called â€Å"rape culture† for a reason. â€Å"Culture† is defined in anthropological terms as learned behaviors that are passed on from generationRead MoreThe Case Of A Prison Sentence Essay1413 Words   |  6 PagesSwedish students witnessed the event and pulled Turner off the young woman, holding him until the police arrived and in March 2016, the jury found Turner guilty (Knowles 2016). The case would have been forgotten, thrown under the immense pile of campus rape incidents in the US, had it not been for Judge Aaron Persky and his decision to award Turner a sentence of six months in a county jail and probation rather than the ten years in prison his conviction warranted (Knowles 2016). Outrage ensued surroundingRead MoreThe Effects Of Violence On Women s Violence1735 Words   |  7 Pagesfocusing on the effects that violence causes to the victims as well as to those who haven’t experienced violence, but feel somewhat driven to help in this issue. I. Leading types of violence against women A. Sexual abuse on women 1. Sexual Assault and Rape 2. Sexual harassment a. Harassment in the workplace B. Psychological and Emotional Violence 1. Verbal abuse 2. Bullying from an intimate partner C. Domestic Violence II. Health effects of violence on the victims A. Physical effects B. PsychologicalRead MoreThe Sociology of Women: A Study4847 Words   |  19 PagesPsychoanalytic Perspectives Introductory Remarks 7 The Social Construction of Sexuality 8 Masculinity as Homophobia Fear, Shame, and Silence in the Construction of Gender Identity 9 Homophobia as a Weapon of Sexism 10 Before Spring Break, the Anorexic Challenge 11 Oppression - Marilyn Frye 12 Personal Voices: Facing Up to Race 13 Income Gap between Men and Women 14 Brass Shackles and Chinese Foot Binding 15 If Men Could Menstruate 16 Barbie Girls v The Sea monsters 17 Rape Culture in theRead MoreGran Torino : Cultural Conflict And Redemption1840 Words   |  8 Pagesand prejudice by the movies’ main character, Walt Kowalski. Walt’s world is changing; his Detroit neighborhood is decaying, his relationship with his sons is distant, and his Korean War memories continue to destroy his ability to fully enjoy life. Through an unlikely bond with the Hmong children next door, Walt finally receives redemption by coming face-to-face with the same destructive prejudices consuming neighborhood teenage gang members that have consumed him. By analyzing this complex and stirringRead MoreFilm Review : Gran Torino Film Gran Verona 1794 Words   |  8 Pagesneighborhood is deteriorating, his relationship with his sons and their families is remote, and his memories of the Korean War continue to destroy his ability to fully enjoy life. Walt learns he has more in common with his neighbors than he thought and through an unlikely bond with the Hmong ch ildren next door, Thao and Sue, Walt becomes a reluctant hero when he stands up to the gangbangers who tried to force Thao to steal Walt s treasured car.. This paper will analyze the anthropological themes of interculturalRead MoreGran Torino : Cultural Conflict And Redemption1786 Words   |  8 Pagesthe movies’ main character, Walt Kowalski. Walt’s world is changing; his wife dies, his Detroit neighborhood is decaying, his relationship with his sons is distant, and his Korean War memories continue to destroy his ability to fully enjoy life. Through an unlikely bond with the Hmong children next door, Walt finally receives redemption by coming face-to-face with the same destructive prejudices consuming neighborhood teenage gang members that have consumed him. By analyzing this complex and stirringRead MoreEssay about Gendered Media9688 Words   |  39 Pageshardened and undesirable. The more powerful, ambitious men occupy themselves with important business deals, exc iting adventures, and rescuing dependent females, whom they often then assault sexually. From Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture by Julie T. Wood, Chapter 9, pp. 231-244. 0 1994. Reprinted with permission of Wadsworth Publishing, a division of Thomson Learning. Fax 800-730-2215. 31 T LI Y IIYC~ WI I H MEDIA Other myths about what is standard are similarly fortifiedRead MoreEassy in Gujarati2422 Words   |  10 Pagesunit should be given equal weightage in the examination. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Question paper should be drawn with the Internal Option in such a way that students should not   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   omit any chapter.    Marking Scheme : *  Ã‚  Ã‚   Total Marks : 100 *  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each unit carry equal marks in the question paper *  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each chapter in the should have equal weightage of 10 marks.  Ã‚  Ã‚      Unit - 1  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chapter : 1  Ã‚  Ã‚   Structuralism amp; Functionalism : Structuralism : *  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wilhelm Wundt - Scientific Psychology *  Ã‚  Ã‚   Edward BradfordRead MoreSexual Objectification And Its Effects On Women2428 Words   |  10 Pageshead and can result in feelings of body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, sexual dysfunction and low-self esteem. â€Å"Overtime, too much exposure to objectifying images can conduct to self-objectification, which involves taking an observer’s perspective on one’s own body and chronically monitoring ones physical appearance† (Breines). Unfortunately, because many females have conformed to society’s ideal of beautiful they partake in these negative habits. We ought to consider the environments

Natural Monopoly Free Essays

Natural Monopoly| Telecommunications Law and Regulation Week 2| | | | | I believe that times change and as they, change rules and regulations must adapt to the times. Therefore, the treatment of the different industries must represent the different industries as they grow. I do not think the Telephone and Broadcast should never have or ever be considered a â€Å"Natural Monopoly†. We will write a custom essay sample on Natural Monopoly or any similar topic only for you Order Now The concept of natural monopoly presents a challenging public policy dilemma. On the one hand, a natural monopoly implies that efficiency in production would be better served if a single firm supplies the entire market. On the other hand, in the absence of any competition the monopoly holder will be tempted to exploit his natural monopoly power in order to maximize its profits. A â€Å"natural monopoly† is defined in economics as an industry where the fixed cost of the capital goods is so high that it is not profitable for a second firm to enter and compete. There is a â€Å"natural† reason for this industry being a monopoly, namely that the economies of scale require one, rather than several, firms. Small-scale ownership would be less efficient. Natural monopolies are typically utilities such as water, electricity, and natural gas. It would be very costly to build a second set of water and sewerage pipes in a city. Water and gas delivery service has a high fixed cost and a low variable cost. Electricity is now being deregulated, so the generators of electric power can now compete. But the infrastructure, the wires that carry the electricity, usually remain a natural monopoly, and the various companies send their electricity through the same grid. Cable as a â€Å"Natural Monopoly† Nearly every community in the United States allows only a single cable company to operate within its borders. Since the Boulder decision [4] in which the U. S. Supreme Court held that municipalities might be subject to antitrust liability for anticompetitive acts, most cable franchises have been nominally nonexclusive but in fact do operate to preclude all competitors. The legal rationale for municipal regulation is that cable uses city-owned streets and rights-of-way; the economic rationale is the assumption that cable is a â€Å"natural monopoly. The theory of natural monopoly holds that â€Å"because of structural conditions that exist in certain industries, competition between firms cannot endure; and whenever these conditions exist, it is inevitable that only one firm will survive. † Thus, regulation is necessary to dilute the ill-effects of the monopoly. [5] Those who assert that cable television is a natural monopoly focus on its economies of scale; that is, its large fixed costs whose duplication by multiple companies would be inefficient and wasteful. Thus, competitive entry into the market should be proscribed because it is bound to be destructive. The Competitive Reality 1. A skeptic hearing exhortations that cable television is a natural monopoly that should be locally regulated could have some questions at this point. First, if cable is a natural monopoly, why do we need to guarantee it with a franchise? Economists Bruce Owen and Peter Greenhalgh argue persuasively that given economies of scale, if a cable company â€Å"is responsive and efficient in its pricing and service quality then there will be little incentive for competitors to enter, and no need for an exclusionary franchise policy. [9] Thus, if entry restrictions are necessary to arrest competition, the industry by definition is not a natural monopoly. 2. Second, if cable is a natural monopoly, is it necessarily a local monopoly? Some observers use the terms interchangeably, but there is no evidence that economic laws respect municipal boundaries. Given large fixed costs, does it make sense to award a local franchise to one company when another already has facilit ies in an adjacent community? Yet such â€Å"wasteful duplication,† as the natural monopoly proponents would call it, occurs frequently under the franchise system. Local franchises make no sense in a true natural monopoly setting. 3. These questions, however, go to the heart of natural monopoly theory itself, a doctrine that is under increasing attack. [10] In the face of crumbling conventional wisdom in this area, the burden should be on the natural monopoly proponents to demonstrate that competition is not possible, and further, that regulation is necessary. Such a demonstration will prove impossible in the cable context. Cable is both extremely competitive, facing both direct and indirect market challenges, and, in any event, is better left unregulated. For many decades, economic textbooks have held up the telecommunications industry as the ideal model of natural monopoly. A natural monopoly is said to exist when a single firm is able to control most, if not all, output and prices in a given market due to the enormous entry barriers and economies of scale associated with the industry. More specifically, a market is said to be naturally monopolistic when one firm can serve consumers at lower costs than two or more firms (Spulber 1995: 31). For example, telephone service traditionally has required laying an extensive cable network, constructing numerous calls switching stations, and creating a variety of support services, before service could actually be initiated. Obviously, with such high entry costs, new firms can find it difficult to gain a toehold in the industry. Those problems are compounded by the fact that once a single firm overcomes the initial costs, their average cost of doing business drops rapidly relative to newcomers. The telephone monopoly, however, has been anything but natural. Overlooked in the textbooks is the extent to which federal and state governmental actions throughout this century helped build the ATamp;T or â€Å"Bell system† monopoly. As Robert Crandall (1991: 41) noted, â€Å"Despite the popular belief that the telephone network is a natural monopoly, the ATamp;T monopoly survived until the 1980s not because of its naturalness but because of overt government policy. † I hope that the above facts help support my beliefs that these industries should not be considered Natural Monopolies. These companies just executed and had better site than other in the same industry had. Today ATT is just as strong as it ever was. References Benjamin, S. M. , Lichtman, D. G. , Shelanski, H. , amp; Weiser , P. (2006). FOUNDATIONS. In Telecommunications Law and Policy . (2nd ed. ). (pp. 437 – 469). Durham, NC : Carolina Academic Press. Foldvary, F. E. (1999). Natural Monopolies . The Progress Report. Retrieved January 9, 2012, from http://www. progress. org/fold74. htm Thierer , A. D. (1994). UNNATURAL MONOPOLY: CRITICAL MOMENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BELL SYSTEM MONOPOLY . 14(2). How to cite Natural Monopoly, Papers

Ethics in Child and Youth Development free essay sample

More so, one can expect to see a case study of an unethical practice that occurred at an orphanage in Zimbabwe. Just before the conclusion there is going to be a section of a reflection on how far the care of children came over the centuries and how it has affected the writer. Gharabaghl (2008:185) points out that the centrality of the concept of relationship within Child and Youth Care practice, it is clear that values are an important element of that practice. So much so that it is rather very difficult to imagine Child and Youth Care practice unfolding in the absence of any role or value. This then shows that in order for the organization to be a successful one people have to be able to follow a certain way of carrying out their different tasks. Hence ethical practice is important. It of paramount importance to take note that, personal values are shaped by our past, present and future thus people have different values. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethics in Child and Youth Development or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Therefore, in order to engage with children and youth one should be able to not allow ones’ values to provide a framework for ones’ thoughts of action in an unfettered manner or each agrees to mitigate or transcend specific values in order to limit the range of acceptable interventions and interactions. This is because if there is acceptance of the unfettered presence and impact of values in work, the risk of exposing or impacting children with harmful or negative interventions is great. A very good example is that many individuals view corporal punishment as deeply embedded not only as an acceptable practice but also as a core component of the value system related to raising and disciplining children. As a profession however, child and youth care practice does not accept the value system of endorsing corporal punishment. Furthermore, Banks (1999:56) postulate that, ethical values are important because ethics can serve as a bridge between differences within ones’ personal values and value systems of the profession and on the other hand the rights and well being of children and youth as determined by a broad social, legal and cultural consensus about the rules and methods of professional engagement with children and youth. Hence the presence of certain values gives room for professionalism thus when the practitioners are dealing with decision making it will not be biased because no personal values would have been used. Additionally, Sercombe (1998:35) mentions the following as unethical practices in the field of child and youth. These are selling of drugs to young people, having sexual relationships with them, sharing pornographic videos, embezzling agency funds and turning up to work drunk These are just some of the many unethical things that can happen in this field. Every action that one takes whether good or bad always has consequence. There might delay but they always come. In this case if one who was entrusted with children does something that is against the organizations’ values they have to pay the consequences. For instance if one decides to turn up to work drunk those in authority after giving the person warnings have to fire that person. This is so because the practitioner in question might be bad influence to the children. And at the end of the day the reputation of the organization will be in jeopardy. Another consequence of unethical practice that can be faced by a practitioner in the field of child and youth care work might be imprisonment depending on the unethical practice. In the case of one whom rapes children in his care, stiffer penalties like life imprisonment should be given. This is so because if such people are kept around chances are that they might continue with their behaviors or others practitioners might repeat the same error because they will be confident that no punishment would be given to them. It is also important for one to note that if unethical practices occur it might affect the whole organization in the sense that they may lack funding from their sponsors which will result in the suffering of the children. In the following paragraph is gong to be an example of an unethical practice that was done by a practitioner in the field and the consequences that he faced. A man in Zimbabwe, who used to be a practitioner in the field of child and youth care work, had the tendency of sexually abusing young girls at the orphanage that he worked. When his actions became known by the authorities investigations were made and he was found guilty of raping about ten young girls. He got the sentence of life imprisonment. This is a really sad thing to happen to someone who had vowed to work with children because being in the field is a clear indication that one loves children and that one has personal strong ethical beliefs. The development of the field of child and youth care as a profession is in my opinion the best thing that has happened to children because now the orphaned and the homeless have people who are specialized in taking care of them. This move of making child and youth care work to be a profession has made me realize that taking care of children and youth is of great value and should be taken seriously. Professionalization will always have its risks. Ethical problems, lack of clarity, conflict of interest, misinterpretation and lack of discipline are there but it is important to uphold the ethics and values of the profession. This is so because it will help the organization to reach its goals which is to ensure that every child in need is given attention and that the children’s’ needs are met. Practitioners who do not abide by the code of ethics of the profession should be given stiffer penalties. All in all ethical practice is very important in the field of child and youth care work.

What is a boundary object and how can it be used in organisations

Comparison of the American and Canadian legislative process essays

Comparison of the American and Canadian legislative process essays Legislation is an important process of any democratic nation. This essay will demonstrate the legislative differences between two democratic nations Canada and the United States. Although many people consider Canada and the United States to be very similar nations, they have very different legislative process, each with its own pros and cons. In order to illustrate these differences we will be following a money bill through both the Canadian and American systems of government. When a bill is passed through the entire legislative system, all three constituents of the government are involved: The House of Commons, the Senate, and The Governor General. If a bill has passed through all of these bodies it then becomes law. A bill starts in the House of Commons where a Minister or Member of Parliament first introduces it. Once it is in the House of Commons it begins the first phase of legislation. The First reading acts as an introduction to the bill. During this stage the title of the bill is announced, followed by a brief description of the contents in the bill. At this stage the bill is tabled, printed and made public. All bills are automatically passed through this stage without debate, or questioning. The second reading is the most important stage in the legislative process. During the second reading the bill is debated by the Members of Parliament. All debates are limited to the principle of the bill. This means that Members can only debate whether or not they agree on the bills overall intent. At this time, the Opposition argues their positions. The Opposition members' comments usually reflect the consensus of their party caucus. Opposition parties often suggest an alternative to the bill rather than speak in favour of it. Whether the opposition supports the bill or not, its members will want to speak in order to put their position on the public record. At the end of the second reading debate, the S...

Marketing Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Marketing Research - Essay Example Although considered as non basic consumption commodities, biscuits and cakes have a huge popularity in the United Kingdom as well as in other parts of the world. There are occasions that the two cannot miss in the menu and therefore they will continue to have a large market. On the other hand, the brand names for these products have also been growing with even more international players joining the fray. As a result, retail chains have to understand the dynamics of the two products to be able to take advantage of their fast moving nature. With competition in the supermarket chains, it is important that our organization specifically understand and implement the best approaches on the sales of the stated products. This report is therefore intended to assist management to make decisions concerning minor adjustments (tactical, short-term) and major changes (strategic, longer-term) to the current product mix. It will analyze the various issues that have majorly stood out on the popular br ands of cakes and biscuits in the United Kingdom. The consumers of the available products are also important for this analysis and therefore it is important that the report evaluate the various aspects of consumer market according to the valuable information in the sector. The time frame for this analysis shall be within the last five years. However, before the actual analysis of product mix, it is important to have a brief overview of the sector within the set time frame as discussed in the following section. Market Overview To begin, the biscuit segment in the country has witnessed a gradual growth in the recent years with a growth of 6% according to the year 2012 estimates (Companies and Markets 2013). One driver of consumption in this sector has been the use of biscuits as an accompaniment of hot drinks. On the other hand, biscuits have always benefited from the drop in the cake sector. This situation can be attributed to the costs and health factors that have dominated the conc erns of consumers in the contemporary society. Among the major brands in the United Kingdom market is marketed under United Biscuits (UK) ltd, which is a leader in the country for production of popular biscuits. Some of the brands include McVite’s digestive, Mini Cheddars, Jacobs and Hob nobs (Companies and Markets, 2013). As mentioned earlier, health issues and sustainability of the environment has been a great factor in the determination of the brand and product of choice by customers. In addition, the biscuits segment is categorized into seasonal, special treat and children biscuits. With children being some of the major market segments for biscuits, it is evident that the children biscuits has experienced and maintained a rapid growth. To the cake sector, the major categories are the individual and large cakes which may be in the form of pies and tarts. The individual cake category has been fast growing due to the cost issues and convenience factors associated with packag ing and brand image. With the economic turbulence of the recent years, consumers have remained conscious of the prices so that they are able to reduce their expenditure on products associated with junkies or referred to as snacks. However, cakes have been traditionally known for occasions like weddings and birthdays. As a result, customized cakes still afford to fetch a lot of money in the sector. In addition, due to health concerns, many producers are constantly changing their product composition for more healthy final products. Product Mix Analysis The product mix

Analysis of the integrated marketing communications mix strategies of Essay - 3

Analysis of the integrated marketing communications mix strategies of your chosen smartphone brand - Essay Example Apple should ensure consistency in the messages and slogans should focus on the unique selling points or the differentiated benefits. Apple should segment its market and select an appropriate media channel for each target audience in order to improve the effectiveness of marketing communication. The company must position the brand as innovative and premium brand that delivers added customer value. Apple Incorporation is a multinational company that designs, creates and sells consumer electronics, personal computers, computer software and smart phones (Arthur 2014). The company has attained consistent market growth and profitability due to its culture of product innovation that ensures that the company anticipates and meets the changing customer product requirements (Arthur 2014). Some of the innovative products that have attained global customer loyalty include the iPhone, iPad and iPod products that revolutionalised the technology industry (Arthur 2014). The mission of Apple is to bring the best personal experience to students, creative professionals, educators and consumers across the world through offering them with innovative hardware software and internet products (Arthur 2014). The report will analyse Apple Smartphone brand integrated marketing communication strategies with a focus on how branding and positioning strategies can facilitate the design and implementation of integrated marketing communications mix. The next part of the report will be an analysis of the Smartphone market in UK including the key competitors, market trends and environment factors that have influence on the strategic decisions. The report will also discuss the strategies implemented by Apple including the target audience, brand positioning, media selection and communication mix management. The last part of the report will be a recommendation that explains how Apple Inc can make the IMC

Fuzzy Concepts Discussion Posts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fuzzy Concepts Discussion Posts - Essay Example Apart from recruiting civilians into various factions of the army, the posters were also used to raise war finances through the liberty bond scheme. The reason I’m fuzzy about these posters is that they lied to innocent civilians. The government through posters gave the people a false sense of pride in their countries and they readily accepted to risk their lives. Many were comical and casual and did not reflect the true situation that was at hand. This may be the main reason why many civilians willingly put their lives in an unworthy cause that saw many of them lose their lives. For instance, there is a poster where a young lady wishes that she was a man so that she could join the army. Such a poster was strategically used to invoke the feelings of all men to partake on the war. Some even have explicit undertones like ‘I Want You’ that could only be described as either vulgar or having poor satirical taste. I have to agree with you that Lord Kitchener’s poster was the most copied poster at the time. At the onset of the war, Britain’s army comprised of mostly the trained forces and the country needed to recruit more people into the army. They therefore invented the poster propaganda that was soon copied by other nations. Most British posters had the symbol of St. George slaying a dragon- which represented German. And the messages ranged from honor and pride for the nation to shameful mobilization of civilians. For instance, the poster with the message: ‘Daddy, what did YOU do in the Great War?’ is using children to blackmail their parents. The American approach was not open, direct and blatant as the British posters; however they all served the same purpose. In America, they were chiefly used in raising war funds. The main theme in these posters was portrayal of money as an important ingredient in military

Is Social Trust a Cause for Civic Disengagement?

Is Social Trust a Cause for Civic Disengagement? Is social trust a cause for civic disengagement in the last few decades? Research question In the last few decades since the Post War period, there has been a sharp decline in civic engagement in world democracies. Civic disengagement is mostly reflected in low levels of electoral turnout, low volunteering activity, low levels of social capital and social trust. This research focuses on low levels of social trust as a crucial cause for low civic engagement. Social trust refers to the level of trust each individual has towards other individuals in a community, organizations and authorities inside a community. Levels of social trust are often associated with levels of social capital. Social capital is the network of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively. The decline in social capital erodes civic participation, impersonal trust, social and political trust. This research will base its literature review upon two different theoretical arguments; one theory based on Robert Putnam, Dietlind Stolle et al., argue that the main cause for low social trust levels rests on ethnic diversity and that more homogenous communities have higher levels of social trust which in turn leads to more social capital. Whereas Natalia Letki develops a counterargument in which refers to social deprivation being the main cause for low levels of social trust but nevertheless it is neglected by many analysts which primarily focus on ethnic diversity. Based on the methodology, the research will conclude whether to accept the working hypotheses and reject null hypothesis and decide which theoretical argument fits better based on the results. The topic raised by this research is of great significance as the rise of civic disengagement is a problematic evidence in world societies that needs to be addressed and be given importance. The absence of social trust causes setbacks to social cooperation, civic activity and creates individuality and social divisions in a community. This research attempts to raise awareness by analysing these problems and provide a series of solutions that could be used to boost higher levels of social trust in a community in order to increase civic engagement. Literature Review Social trust is strongly associated with many other forms of civic engagement and social capital; people who trust their fellow citizens volunteer more often, contribute more to charity, are more engaged and participate more often in community organizations, serve more readily on juries, comply more fully with their tax obligations, are more tolerant of minority views and display many other forms of civic virtue (Putnam , 2000, p. 136). The issue of diversity in relation to trust is widely discussed between political analysts. Robert Putnam, Dietlind Stolle et al., argue that social and all elements of social capital are unlikely to happen in multi-ethnic community as neighbourhoods, regions or states with more ethnic, racial experience substantially low levels of social capital and cooperation which hinder collective action and social welfare. According to Putnam trust should prosper in homogenous settings and suffer when faced with heterogeneity. ‘Trust seems easier to develop when we are familiar with the people around us, and particularly when they appear similar to ourselves’ (Stolle , et al., 2008, p. 58). This theory argues that ethnic and racial differences discourage reliance on the behaviour of one’s neighbours, friends and colleagues, thereby reducing levels of interpersonal trust, the capacity for cooperation and support for collective action. On the other hand Natalia Letki, counter argues that the main factor undermining all types of interactions and positive attitudes among neighbours is low-socio economic status as opposed to ethnic diversity. She further develops that many analysts often combine ethnic diversity with social deprivation which leads them to cause a direct correlation between ethnic diversity and low levels of social capital; deprivation is the major factor eroding community relations and negatively tinting ethnic diversity due to correlation of ethnic diversity and social deprivation (Letkin, 2008, p. 101). She agrees with Putnam’s theory that diversity may well have a negative effect on individuals’ propensity to interact with fellow neighbours; however, once the interaction takes place, its effect is positive: the attitudes of racial hostility, distrust and prejudice are overcome and an individual becomes more favourable towards other people in general (Letkin, 2008, p. 105). According t o her, common principles and shared values can also be founded in multi-ethnic, multi-faith and multi-cultural societies (Letkin, 2008, p. 103). Hypotheses As for this multivariate analysis, the main dependent variable of the model tested in this research is neighbourhood social trust, which is regressed at the individual level on social volunteering, ethnic diversity, social deprivation, education and age. This research hypothesises that low social trust levels are mainly affected by social deprivation rather than ethnic diversity, therefore supporting the theoretical argument from Natalia Letki. It also hypothesises that the ethnic diversity can also have a significant impact on social trust level in a short term period, but it is unlikely that this variable will continue to have a significant impact in the long run once the interaction between diverse ethnicities takes place, its effect is positive: the attitudes of racial hostility and prejudice are overcome, and an individual becomes more favourable towards other people in general, increasing levels of social trust. Therefore, the association between ethnic diversity and social trust is a spurious association. In a spurious association, the confounding variable acts as obscure in the true relationship between two variables. The confounding variable in this case is ethnic diversity (X variable) which has a direct relationship with social trust (Y variable), however, because social deprivation (Z variable) is also considered, the significance of the direct relationship between ethnic diversity and social trust disappears. Therefore the association between ethnic diversity (variable X) and social trust (variable Y) is due to both of them being influenced by class deprivation (variable Z) as illustrated in figure 1. Methodology To answer this research question it is necessary to use statistical data to support the argument. The raw data supplied is from SPSS statistics which this research will work with. The table below shows the data results accounted for each variable in the model. Data results were coded from respondents which were asked how much they are likely to trust an individual based on nine different variables in the model. Note that only the most important/significant variables are illustrated graphically. Volunteering measures social capital levels. Its P-value is smaller than 0.05 and therefore, we reject the null hypothesis as there is an association between social trust and social capital controlling for all other variables in model. The association is positive as B coefficient is 0.492 and this means that as volunteering levels increase social trust is also increasing. This positive relationship is illustrated graphically in figure 2 and through the slope of the line of best fit, it is possible to see the type of relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Ethnicity-white, measures the white population density where respondents live in relation to social trust. P-value is bigger than 0.05 and so we accept the null hypothesis as there is no association between white ethnic density and social trust when we control for all other variables in the model. Social deprivation is measured through social class and professional occupation. P-value is less than 0.05 and so the null hypothesis is rejected as there is an association between social deprivation and social trust when we control for all other variables in the model. The relationship is positive as B coefficient is 0.40 meaning that as the levels of social status increase, social trust also increases. This is graphically illustrated in figure 4, as the slope of the line is upwards. Ethnicity measures the ethnicity of the respondent against social trust. It is a dummy variable 0= white, 1= ethnic minority. Its P-value is less than 0.05 and the relationship is negative as B coefficient is -0.548. We reject the null hypothesis as the there is an association when we control these two variables in the model. This is graphically illustrated in figure 5. Graduate measures the level of education against social trust. Its P-value is smaller 0.05 and there is a positive association between the two variables when we control the two variables in the model as B coefficient is 0.775. This means that as number of graduates increase social trust levels will also increase. This is graphically illustrated in figure 6 through the slope of the line of best fit. The P-value is smaller than 0.05 when age and social trust are measured. There is a positive association when we control both variables in the model as B value is 0.21. As age increases social trust also increases and this is graphically illustrated in figure 7 through the slope of the line of best fit. Conclusion To conclude this research, it is important to link the results from the data with the two distinct theoretical arguments from Putnam, Stolle et al. Based on the results, it is more plausible to accept Letki’s argument in which social deprivation has a bigger impact on social trust levels than ethnic diversity. The B coefficient for social deprivation is 0.40 and 0.004 for white ethnic density when both are measured against social trust. The slope of the line is more positive for social deprivation meaning that the higher the levels of social status the higher impact it has on social trust levels, if social status decrease then social trust will immediately decrease. Therefore we agree with the argument Letki makes on social inequality affecting social cohesion – ‘Individual-level deprivation, regardless of one’s ethnic background, limits opportunities to participate in social life and exercise civic rights and neighbourhood deprivation is associated with po or living conditions and disorder’ (Letkin, 2008, p. 101). It is also important to name a few solutions that could be used to increase social trust levels in a community. Firstly, we need to mobilise people to engage. Mobilisation is a very consistent influence on civic engagement. People who are asked to undertake a particular action are more likely to be civically active than those who are not, particularly if they are asked by a close acquaintance. Therefore, people respond most readily to requests from friends and family. But failing that, they are also responsive to requests from more distant acquaintances – better to be asked than not to be asked at all (Pattie, et al., 2003, p. 461). Also people also need to be persuaded to take more actions inside a community, as Putnam suggests it seems that encouraging people to join clubs, societies and voluntary organisations helps engender some form of civic action. Social trust is often emerged through collective activism, as individuals interact more with each other in any kind of socia l activity they become more familiar and confident with the surroundings and other individuals around them. Bibliography Halperin , S. Heath, O., (2012) Political Research: Methods and Pratical Skills. 1st ed. New York: Oxford University Press. Letkin, N., (2008) Does diversity erode social cohesion? Social capital and Race in British neighbourhoods. Political studies , 56(1), pp. 99-121. Pattie, C., Seyd, P. Whiteley, P., (2003) Citizenship ad Civic Engagement: Attitudes and Behaviour in Britain. Political Studies, 51(3), pp. 443-466. Putnam , R., (2000) Bowling Alone: The collapse and revival of American community. 1st ed. New York : Simon Schuster Paperbacks. Stolle , D., Soroka, S. Johnston, R., (2008) When Does Diversity Rrode Trust? Neighbourhood Diversity, Interperonal Trust and Mediating Effect of Social Interaction. Poltiical Studies, 56(1st), pp. 56-71. 1

Antigone or Creon as the Tragic Hero in Antigone Essay -- essays resea

A tragic hero is a character in a play that is known for being dignified but has a flaw that assists in his or her downfall. Antigone is a Greek tragic piece written by Sophocles. In the theatrical production the use of power and morality versus law is evident. The promotion to the conflict was that Creon created a law in which enabled Polynieces, Antigone’s brother, to be buried in the proper way. As it is the way of the gods Antigone found it fit to bury her brother causing her to disobey the law of Thebes. Both Antigone and Creon, the main characters, could represent a tragic hero. However Creon is more eligible for being the tragic hero because he fits the definition. Aristotle’s idea of a tragic hero was that the character was of noble stature. Tragic heroes are great, but not perfect. If they were perfect the audience would not be able to identify with the tragic hero. And lastly the hero's downfall is the fault of their own, the result of free choice, not of acci dent. Creon was the king of the city of Thebes and the father of Haemon and Megara by his wife, Eurydice. As descr...

Chapter 1 †Research in Business, Chapter 2 †Ethics in Business Research

CHAPTER 1 – RESEARCH IN BUSINESS Why Study Business Research? Business research provides information to guide business decisions. Business research plays an important role in an environment that emphasizes measurement. Return on investment (ROI) is the calculation of the financial return for all business expenditures and it is emphasized more now than ever before. Business research expenditures are increasingly scrutinized for their contribution to ROMI. Research Should Reduce Risk The primary purpose of research is to reduce the level of risk of a marketing decision.Business Research Defined A process of determining, acquiring, analyzing, synthesizing, and disseminating relevant business data, information, and insights to decision makers in ways that mobilize the organization to take appropriate business actions that, in turn, maximize business performance. What’s Changing in Business that Influences Research Several factors increase the relevance for studying business research. †¢Information overload. While the Internet and its search engines present extensive amounts of information, its quality and credibility must be continuously evaluated.The ubiquitous access to information has brought about the development of knowledge communities and the need for organizations to leverage this knowledge universe for innovation—or risk merely drowning in data. Stakeholders now have more information at their disposal and are more resistant to business stimuli. †¢Technological connectivity. Individuals, public sector organizations, and businesses are adapting to changes in work patterns (real-time and global), changes in the formation of relationships and communities, and the realization that geography is no longer a primary constraint. Shifting global centers of economic activity and competition.The rising economic power of Asia and demographic shifts within regions highlight the need for organizations to expand their knowledge of consumers, suppliers, talent pools, business models, and infrastructures with which they are less familiar. †¢Increasingly critical scrutiny of big business. The availability of information has made it possible for all a firm’s stakeholders to demand inclusion in company decision making, while at the same time elevating the level of societal suspicion. More government intervention. As public-sector activities increase in order to provide some minimal or enhanced level of social services, governments are becoming increasingly aggressive in protecting their various constituencies by posing restrictions on the use of managerial and business research tools. †¢Battle for analytical talent. Managers face progressively complex decisions, applying mathematical models to extract meaningful knowledge from volumes of data and using highly sophisticated software to run their organizations.The shift to knowledge-intensive industries puts greater demand on a scarcity of well-trained talent with advanced analytical skills. †¢Computing Power and Speed. Lower cost data collection, better visualization tools, more computational power, more and faster integration of data, and real-time access to knowledge are now manager expectations†¦not wistful visions of a distant future. †¢New Perspectives on Established Research Methodologies. Older tools and methodologies, once limited to exploratory research, are gaining wider acceptance in dealing with a wider range of managerial problems.Business Planning Drives Business Research An organization’s mission drives its business goals, strategies, and tactics and, consequently, its need for business decision support systems and business intelligence. Hierarchy of Business Decision Makers Visionaries, Standardized Decision Makers, Intuitive Decision Makers †¢In the bottom tier, most decisions are based on past experience or instinct. Decisions are also supported with secondary data searches. †¢In the mi ddle tier, some decisions are based on business research. †¢In the top tier, every decision is guided by business research.Firms develop proprietary methodologies and are innovative in their combination of methodologies. There is access to research data and findings throughout the organization. Research May Not Be Necessary Business research is only valuable when it helps management make better decisions. A study may be interesting, but if it does not help improve decision-making, its use should be questioned. Research could be appropriate for some problems, but insufficient resources may limit usefulness. Information Value Chain Computers and telecommunications lowered the costs of data collection. Data management is now possible and necessary given the quantity of raw data. †¢Models reflect the behavior of individuals, households, and industries. †¢A DSS integrates data management techniques, models, and analytical tools to support decision making. †¢Data must be more than timely and standardized; it must be meaningful. These are all characteristics of the information value chain. Characteristics of Good Research Clearly defined purpose, detailed research process, thoroughly planned design, high ethical standards, limitations addressed, adequate analysis, unambiguous presentation, conclusions justified, credentialsHow the Research Industry Works Some Organizations Use Internal Research Sources; Internal researchers are â€Å"in-house. † Some Organizations Use External Research Sources; External research suppliers can be further classified into business research firms, communication agencies, consultants, and trade associations. Business Research Firms Business research firms may be full-service or specialty-based. †¢Full-service firms conduct all phases of research from planning to insight development. They may offer custom projects tailored to a client’s needs and/or proprietary work. Proprietary methodologies are prog rams or techniques that are owned by a single firm. †¢Specialty firms establish expertise in one or a few research methodologies. They represent the largest number of research firms and tend to dominate the small research firms operated by a single research firm or a very small staff. †¢Syndicated data providers track the change of one or more measures over time, usually in a given industry. †¢Some research firms offer omnibus studies that combine one or a few questions from several business decision makers who need information from the same population.CHAPTER 2 – ETHICS IN BUSINESS RESEARCH Ethical Treatment of Participants Research must be designed so that a participant does not suffer physical harm, discomfort, pain, embarrassment, or loss of privacy. This slide lists the three guidelines researchers should follow to protect participants. When discussing benefits, the researcher should be careful not to overstate or understate the benefits. Informed consent means that the participant has given full consent to participation after receiving full disclosure of the procedures of the proposed study.Characteristics of Informed Consent Since 1966, all projects with federal funding are required to be reviewed by an Institutional Review Board (IRB). An IRB evaluates the risks and benefits of proposed research. The review requirement may be more relaxed for projects that are unlikely to be risky – such as marketing research projects. Many institutions require that all research – whether funded or unfunded by the federal government – be reviewed by a local IRB. The IRBs concentrate on two areas. First is the guarantee of obtaining complete, informed consent from participants.The second is the risk assessment and benefit analysis review. Complete informed consent has four characteristics and these are named in the slide. 1. The participant must be competent to give consent. 2. Consent must be voluntary, and free from coercion. 3. Participants must be adequately informed to make a decision. 4. Participants should know the possible risks or outcomes associated with the research. Ethical Responsibilities Special consideration is necessary when researching the behavior and attitudes of children.Besides providing informed consent, parents are often interviewed during the selection process to ensure that the child is mature enough and has the verbal and physical capabilities necessary. Deception Disguising non-research activities. Camouflaging true research objectives. Debriefing Explain any deception, Describe purpose, Share results, Provide follow-up. In situations where participants are intentionally or accidentally deceived, they should be debriefed once the research is complete. Debriefing describes the goals of the research, as well as the truth and reasons for any deception.Results are shared after the study is complete. Participants who require any medical or psychological follow-up attention will rece ive it during the debriefing process. Right to Privacy Right to refuse, prior permission to interview, limit time required. Data Mining Ethics The convenience of collecting data online has created new ethical issues. Data mining offers infinite possibilities for research abuse. The primary ethical data mining issues in cyberspace are privacy-related including consent to information collection and control of information dissemination.Legitimate data miners publicly post their information security policies. The EU countries have passed the European Commission’s data protection directive. Under the directive, commissioners can prosecute companies and block Web sites that fail to live up to its strict privacy standards. Confidentiality Sponsor nondisclosure, purpose nondisclosure, findings nondisclosure Ethics And The Sponsor Occasionally, researchers may be asked by sponsors to participate in unethical behavior. What can the researcher do to remain ethical? There are four sugges tions provided in the slide.The researcher can attempt to 1. ducate the sponsor to the purpose of the research, 2. explain the researcher’s role as a fact-finder, 3. explain how distorting the truth or breaking faith will lead to future problems, and 4. if the others fail, terminate the relationship. Effective Codes of Ethics Many organizations have codes of ethics. A code of ethics is an organization’s codified set of norms or standards of behavior that guide moral choices about research behavior. Effective codes are those that 1) are regulative, 2) protect the public interest and the interests of the profession served by the code, 3) are behavior-specific, and 4) are enforceable.

Leadership and Organizational Studies, Dollar Tree

Leadership and Organizational Studies, Dollar Tree Free Online Research Papers Dollar Tree is the nation’s largest single price point retail with over 3300 stores across the United States. Originally founded in 1953 by K.R. Perry under the name of Ben Franklin variety stores. Then in 1970 Macon Brock, Doug Perry, Ray Compton and K.R. Perry changed the name to KK 5and 10 and a few additional stores were then opened. In 1986 the first Dollar Tree was opened and the KK stores were sold to K.B. Toys. (Associate Handbook 2006) By 1995 Dollar Tree began being traded on NASDAQ and by 2009 Dollar Tree stores numbered over 3300 coast to coast and being headquartered in Chesapeake Virginia. In addition to the stores Dollar Tree also operates 12 distribution centers with the logistics being mostly contracted out to Swift Trucking. During the four years employed by Dollar Tree several issues have been noticed that have lead to organizational and leadership problem. The first issue noticed is the rate of pay and lack of consistent pay increases. While many other retail organizations are starting associates with experience above minimum wage Dollar Tree does not. In addition other retail and no retail business to be competitive try and give wages above minimum wage and again Dollar Tree will not. Once someone is hired by Dollar Tree the method for reviews and raises is not set in writing and many store managers do not even bother to give part time associates reviews and raises when they are deserved. This has created some very poor job performance and job satisfaction. The is the hours kept by store management. The store managers are salaried managers and are required to work at least 48 hours. Many store managers have been told to work until the job is done or do whatever it takes to make sure your store is to standards. That can mean anything, store managers have worked open (7 am) to close (930pm) many times in one week because their stores were not up to company standards or a delivery was late or a sick call by an assistant manager. But mainly it is the attitude that the store manager will do whatever it takes that can and has ruined are marred job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is and was low also because of the procurement and logistics. Dollar Tree stocks their stores based largely on a computer assisted ordering system , which is when an item is sold in the store it begins to generate an order to restock that item. It sounds and should be an excellent tool, but there are other factors involved which confuse and complicate the restocking. Store size and sales also affect store’s orders. Procurement has not updated many of the stores data that affect these orders. For example the store I ran in Bedford Virginia was 13,000 square feet and should have a sales goal of 2 m illion a year. In reality the store began sales at 850,000 when I took over and when I left sales were at 1.25 million. While the 1.25 million was a bit more in line with the stores sales projection it was not enough to handle the excess stock that allocations were sending to the store. This created frustration because the staff was spending more time than needed unloading trucks. The unloading of trucks was another issue that caused frustration within management and with associates. All product was hand stacked on the trucks not palletized. This meant unstable loads, damaged product, ,long hours unloading trucks and at times late trucks forcing others to stay late or causing only management to unload to save payroll. Being a store manager meant 8 weeks of training and for assistants it meant 2 weeks of training. When I was hired I was in and out of training in 4 weeks and made to help train other store and assistant store managers. This was extremely aggravating to me and those I was training. So many mistakes were made by me and I was training them. In the end I was demoted from a DST( district store trainer) managing a high bonusing store to a store manager in a store that was struggling and in a bad area of Mesa, Az. Not only have I been unsatisfied with the company and my job because of training but so have many others I have tried to train as my assistants or regular associates. We were never given extra training hours to successfully train any new employee. We were forced to schedule them in a shift that was meant for regular production or cashiering, therefore, we were not able to successfully train them on true policies and procedures. Lastly, Dollar Tree’s upper management was not consistent in following through on adhering to policies and procedures and making changes when needed. When changes were made, they were implemented suddenly and this caused frustration and poor job satisfaction. Also, when it came to discipline, what was done for one person was not done for someone else in the same type of scenario. There was also inconsistencies in salaries in the form of higher pay for males, younger experienced managers, and in some cases, higher pay for certain ethnic backgrounds. According to Free Management Library Job satisfaction is in regard to ones feelings or states of why associates are disgruntled are poor wages and the company taking an attitude of â€Å"if you do not like it go work somewhere else†. (Fedec 2010) This dissatisfaction is not just at a single store level. It is multiple stores, in multiple states. It affects everyone from store manager to cashier at each store. It also has been noted to have affected district managers in some states. Poor job satisfaction affects stores in several ways: a. understaffing- no one wants to work for a company that is not paying at a competitive rate nor are they are consistent in giving raises and benefits. b. work not being done poor job satisfaction means poor job performance. Associates will not want to work at their peak performance if they are not happy with their job. c. high turnover- Because of low job satisfaction associates will not want to stay at their jobs very long. Creating high turnover rate in many competitive markets were there are other jobs to be found. d. stores are not well stocked and recovered- as understaffing occurs store conditions and customer service diminish. All stores should have trucks unloaded and new stock to the sales floor within 48 hours. In addition every night items that have been misplaced throughout the store need to be picked up and placed in the area that they belong. Also product should be pulled forward on the shelves to give a full appearance. These occur not just because of understaffing because of poor job satisfaction but also because of poor job satisfaction. No one wants to give 100% when they are not happy with their jobs. e. poor customer service- Customers are any businesses life blood . Organizations are in business to provide some service or product to a customer. If there is a lack of staff or lack of job satisfaction customers will not be treated to standards that are set by the company. Even if the company does not have a set customer service standard program a negative attitude will be shown on the faces , in the tone and the overall attitude of Dollar Tree associates. f. loss prevention issues- A big problem is loss prevention challenges. I have caught many associates as well as assistant managers stealing because they were not happy with their jobs. It was either poor wages, lack of concern for the associates by previous management, poor work conditions, and management just not monitoring the checks and balance that are in place to deter employee and customer theft. Much of Dollar Tree’s problem centers around their business model. They are a single price point retailer, they cannot raise their price from 1.00 to 1.50. This causes the organization to put tight controls on those expenses that are controllable, the biggest being payroll. In addition Dollar Tree must purchase very aggressively and when certain extreme values come procurements way they must take advantage even if it means overloading stores. In keeping with deliveries Dollar tree also saves money by not loading product on pallets because this give the warehouse the ability to stack product from floor to ceiling utilizing as much of the trucks as they can. If Dollar Tree was able to raise prices then we would have seen deliveries palletized as store orders and allocations would be decreased as the quantity of product sold would have decreased. The studying of employee satisfaction and how it affects an organization began In the 1980’s with Benjamin Schneider and his research on employee satisfaction.(Corporate Leadership 2003)Other studies have indicated that there is a link between employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, productivity, and financial performance: Unhappy employees are less productive and more likely to have higher absence rates Satisfied employees are more productive, innovative, and loyal Increases in job satisfaction lead to increases in employee morale, which lead to increased employee productivity Employee satisfaction leads to customer retention These points have been witnessed at Dollar Tree , any new store that I had taken over morale was low and so was productivity and absences were high. Once morale was increase by various methods associates wanted to come to work and productivity was higher than company standards. In an article on American Psychological Association’s website APA PsychNet it is also stated that there is a direct relationship between job satisfaction and customer satisfaction, productivity, profit, employee turnover, and accidents.(Harter 2002) One of the biggest reasons for low employee job satisfaction is related is the rate of pay or lack of pay increases. According to Colin Green and John S Heywood, pay is directly related to employee job satisfaction, job performance and satisfied with hours scheduled. (Green Heywood 2007)This means pay covers many problems an employee may have. Poor schedules can be fixed with a more solid hourly rate, poor job performance can be fixed with a raise. This i s such a shallow finding, that people would place all they care about second to money and it also means people can be bought. This is a poor attitude for so many organizations that have employees that will sell their soul for a higher wage. Though they may have a high productivity rate what of the quality of their work? It never seems to measure the quality only the quantity though in my experience someone who is very satisfied with their career not only has a high productivity rate but the quality of the work is generally flawless. That’s because those employees take ownership and pride in their careers. Unsatisfied employees skate by doing the minimum standard of their position. Retaining our employees is very important, and a high turnover is one area that has been noticed with poor job satisfaction at Dollar Tree. In an article entitled The satisfaction and retention of frontline employees: A customer satisfaction measurement approach by Roland T. Rust, Greg L. Stewart, Heather Miller,and Debbie Pielack, it is stated †that employee turnover is highest among employees who are not satisfied with their jobs. Because qualified employees are becoming more scarce and difficult to retain, organizations need to focus on increasing employee satisfaction.† The suggestion they give is treat an employee as customer. This illustrates how a customer satisfaction measurement approach can be applied to the measurement of employee attitudes. What a great idea if organizations would stop and think that employees are just as important as the people they sell too then employee satisfaction would grow. Retailers like Safeway spend so much time and money try i ng to give world class customer service that they forget the employee is the one that has to deliver this service and they should be treated just as equally important. Instead they get rated on how bad they do not how good they do when a mystery shopper comes in. (Graziano 2010)Their wages are cut and benefits are held back until they reach some ridiculous amount of hours worked. (Safeway union contract 2010) This to me does not promote job satisfaction it supports fear and a sense of let us just do enough to get by no more. In 1985 Heneman and Schwab used a PSQ Pay Satisfaction Questionnaire and studied 1,007 of a manufacturing firm and 95 employees from a healthcare firm. Depending on the job structure each of the 4 aspects, pay level, pay raises, pay structure-administration, and benefits affected employee satisfaction in some way. (Scarpello 2003 )So what Safeway had done with the union contract and what has been observed with Dollar Tree this research backs up that some of these if not all of the 4 factors will affect employee satisfaction. In observing what Dollar Tree has fell short in doing or providing to it’s associates, there is one main solution that needs to be accomplished. That is to be consistent in everything that they do. This sounds easy but all of their problems stem from not being consistent in following policy, pay structure, discipline, procurement, or to boil it down overall operational standards. In fact on a large level organizational restructuring has a positive response on employee satisfaction according to studies.(Howard, Frink 2010) We are not asking for a complete restructure just rethink and reintroduce new policies and procedures that will benefit the work force that is the front line service to the primary end user of your product and service. In speaking to an old District Manager out here in Arizona Rich Norkus Dollar Tree has begun to become more aware of their failing pay structure and has begun using a more consistent structure based on store volume or estimated store volume a nd experience. It seems each store has a salary for a store manager budgeted into it. That salary can fluctuate a few thousand dollars per year based on experience. (Norkus 2010) In addition the company is becoming more aware of reviews and raises with recent class action law suits against Wal Mart. Dollar Tree does not want to seem biased toward one class or gender and they are becoming more diligent in getting associates what they deserve and are entitled too. While the store managers are still working uncanny hours that is also being looked into as a law suit has been filed by several thousand current and ex store managers claiming unfair wages . In summation the claim goes after the excess hours store managers work during the holidays that is not currently laid out in the store manager’s job description. This would aid in some store managers having poor attitudes if they would get compensated for the 6th day they work and the loose of time with their families. The allocations and procurement has also been worked out according to Rich Norkus and Mike Moore my old district Manager in Virginia. The stores allocations and procurement needs have now been more closely linked to stores actual sales not their size or projected or supposed sales goal. It has been noted that load sizes have decreased slightly but the biggest issue is product being delivered that is not sellable in that area or store and the amount of excess product has decreased. The logistics department has been working harder at getting truck drivers to get loads thrown faster by giving help to the driver. This speeds the rate of unload time and more stores can be delivered in shorter period and earlier in the day. Managers no longer will work later to unload trucks and it alone. As a an ex store manager nothing irritated me more than waiting for a truck or waiting for a truck driver to unload the truck. Wasted time standing around I could have been home hours ago if the truck was on time. These steps that Dollar Tree has taken may in time solve some of their problems. I have spoke to several managers and they feel less stressed about their jobs and they sense associates are as well. They are beginning to feel more like a family again. The way it was 5 years and 1000 stores earlier. The growth of Dollar Tree is what hurt them in seems. They forgot where they started and really who helped them get to where they are now. That is why I no longer with the company some Human resource managers forgot what I did for the company for 5 years and when I needed help the door was shut on me. Maybe that will change but for now the path they are on will at least begin to help those currently employed. The problem and issues that have caused the problem discussed did not hinder my professional development. In fact it strengthened my leadership abilities. I had to compensate and be creative to keep employees motivated to be productive and friendly to customers. This issue caused me to step up and be a leader and motivate those employees who felt underpaid and who had poor job satisfaction. As I became better leader because of the problem the long hours worked because of high turnover impacted my school work and home life. Grades slipped, assignments were not done to the best of my ability. My family missed out on dinner together gatherings and other social events. Research Papers on Leadership and Organizational Studies, Dollar TreeThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Project Managment Office SystemIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanResearch Process Part One19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraOpen Architechture a white paperAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaMind Travel

U.S. should limit WMD essays

U.S. should limit WMD essays Resolved that The United Federal government should establish a Foreign policy significantly limiting the use of weapons of mass destruction Intro- One can say it's easy to walk away from this, to lose hope. But we cannot walk away. We must not walk away. And we will not lose hope.''- Colin Powell, speaking at the foundation's spirit of humanity'' awards dinner. Because I agree with this viewpoint, I stand resolved that: The United States Federal Government should establish a foreign policy significantly limiting the use of weapons of mass destruction. To fully understand the resolution, we must first identify all key terms. Definitions come from the American Heritage High School dictionary. United States- a country of central and NW North America with coastlines on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It includes the non contiguous states of AK and HI ad various island territories in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. Capital is Washington D.C. Population is 24,963,692 Federal- of, relating to, or being a form of government in which individual states recognize the seventy of a central authority but retain certain powers. Government- exercise of authority in a political unit; rule. Foreign policy- the diplomatic policy of a nation in its interaction with other nations Significant- having or expressing a meaning; meaningful Limit- to confine or restrict within a boundary or bounds Use- to put into service or apply for a purpose; employ Weapon- a means used to defend or defeat another Mass- large in comparison with what is typical or usual Destruction- the cause or means of destroying I will now offer the following contentions from the affirmatives standpoint. C1. The use of weapons of mass destruction causes harm to people. In many wars, weapons of mass destruction have been used. For the purposes of time budgeting, I will focus specifically on World War II, Vietnam, and ...

New Drug Development Process at Pfizer Research Paper

New Drug Development Process at Pfizer - Research Paper Example In the entire process, collaborations across various departments; cross-functional teams and latest technical and scientific skills are required to turn discoveries into marketable drugs. Sales and marketing at Pfizer Pfizer are dedicated to ethical sales and marketing practices because of its corporate social responsibility towards people. As such, it provides training to its sales force on knowledge regarding diseases, products and related ethical issues. It strives to comply with the rules of the pharmaceutical industry in terms of sales figures, advertising, communication true facts and getting its sales force equipped on latest research reports and competitor arrivals. It also tries to establish and sustain long-term relationships with healthcare professionals across the globe on the dimensions of transparency, primacy, and responsibility (Pfizer 2009). This interaction provides them with valuable information and data which helps them in their research and development process. I n the third stage, it is tested on humans only after getting assured that it will be safe for humans and the clinical trial involves the use of properly planned data design, approval from Ethics and regulatory committees and proper signs of the marketable position of the developed drug. In the entire process, collaborations across various departments; cross-functional teams and the latest technical and scientific skills are required to turn discoveries into marketable drugs.

Employee Retention as a challenging task for various organizations Dissertation

Employee Retention as a challenging task for various organizations - Dissertation Example From this research it is clear that employee retention has become a challenging task for various organizations. Organizations always prefer to retain the highly potential employees as they consider them to be an asset. The successful retention polices are always attached with the talent management approaches envisioned and designed to increase workplace productivity. Retaining and utilizing talent can be used to increase the workplace productivity. For this purpose, learning environment can be ensured by establishing the approaches such as gap and appreciative approach. The purpose of both approaches is to assess the current performance and potential of the employees. The organization faces issues such as job content and prospects. The majority of left employee believed that they it would be of no use to expect career growth and increase in pay and benefits. And others believed that it would be useless to continue providing services as their current employment job content did not mee t with their experience, qualification and expertise. Others were of the view that the management did not pay much and there would be lesser chances of growth in benefits. The management must take into account such causes. Importantly, the human resource personnel must develop job content appropriately resembling with the experience, qualification and expertise. The potential employees must be provided a job content copy and their approval must be sought. The management must provide a workplace environment in which the employees should remain optimistic about their career growth and development. They must consider themselves to be a part of the organization. For this, management must ensure appropriate remuneration, learning and development opportunities. Table of Content Content Page Number Project aim and objectives 1 Project plan and approaches 2 Literature review Introduction 4 Definition of Retention 4 Retention Factors for Employees 4 Learning and work Environment 6 Skill reco gnition 6 High Potential Employees 7 Training and Development 8 Talent 8 Summary 9 Critical Evaluation and Analysis of the Data 11 Discussion 17 Conclusion and Recommendations 19 References 22 Project aim and objectives Comprehending the major organizational and personal factors contributing towards employee retention Highlighting the significant factors that directly or indirectly enhance the labour turnover rate Assessing workable strategies capable enough to diminish labour turnover rate Research Questions What factors contribute to employee retention? What are the major causes increasing labour turnover rate? What are the remedies to handle that labour turnover rate? How to ensure durable employee retention? Project plan and approach The primary approach method has been used to collect data for the paper. The primary research method is a research method used to collect firsthand information in order to entertain research aims and objectives along with research questions. Before going to embark upon the paper, the project aim and objectives were selected. The development of the project aim and objectives necessitated to begin the next step. In the next step, data was collected from the company. The primary data consists of employees left the organization along with their reasons mentioned in that sheet. For any project, the primary data is fundamentally important as it is evaluated subsequently in the light of the project aim and objectives. However, before going to begin evaluating that data, the portion of literature review was completed. The literature review provided the fundamental factors necessary for employee retention. The authentic and reliable sources were employed to acquire information for the literature review. The literature review was completed with a critical approach. After completing the literature review, the critical evaluation and analysis of the primary data was carried out. While critically analysing the primary data, multiple perspe ctive approach was used. The

Ethnographic and Community Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethnographic and Community Analysis - Essay Example However, with the changing nature of the world, education has become a prime reason for which people move from one place to other. Owing to this aspect, cultural and ethnic diversity can be apparently observed to be prevailing in educational institutions (Parvis 120-130). In order to depict their specific identity and main cultural heritage, students in educational institutions form clubs based on culture or ethnicity. The Saudi Students Club (SSC) is one of amid those cultural clubs which exist in various educational institutions. It has been noted that the mission and the vision of the club in Boise State University (BSU) is to promote knowledge along with awareness of culture and historical significance of Saudi Arabia. The sole aim of the group is to remove cultural and ethnic barrier between students from Saudi and students belonging to other community within the university (3Boise State University, â€Å"Enjoy Saudi Culture at Sept. 27 Celebration†). THESIS STATEMENT The principle intent of the paper is to analyze SSC at Boise State University (BSU). Contextually, the paper would present the sameness and the differences that exist between the members of the groups. This would be performed through practical understanding and research. THE SAUDI STUDENTS CLUB (SSC) IN BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY (BSU) As mentioned earlier, almost every university has clubs based on diverse culture or nationality. The Saudi Students Club (SSC) is quite common in this regard in various universities. Usually, these groups aim at promoting the interest and the welfare of the richness of culture and history of Saudi Arabia. Other cultural groups also set similar kind of objectives for their existence. The SSC in various universities also seemed to be inclined towards ensuring formation of greater affiliation amid the students and the faculties. In this regard, the group strongly believes that by forming greater association between the students and the faculties, the students o f Saudi and others belonging to diverse culture along with community can develop their overall performance and career by a considerable level. Apart from that, such cultural and ethnic groups also work towards maintaining understanding between two nations which further impacts beneficially on the welfare of overall community of the university. Correspondingly, the SSC of BSU also depicts their presence with similar kind of objectives. It has been noted that out of 579 international students in BSU, 262 of them are from Saudi Arabia. This aspect depicts the strong presence of Saudi students in the university. The SSC of BSU intends to develop an environment within the university wherein people from different cultures can recognize and respect each other’s culture and ethnicity. Contextually, the group celebrates Independence Day of Saudi Arabia, observe the festival of Eid within the institute and organize various other cultural events wherein each and every member of the univ ersity is heartily welcomed and their valuable ideas are greatly valued. Notably, the group also assists the newly joined Saudi students in the university every year by helping them to get acquainted with the prevailing atmosphere of the university and ensures a better future by forming greater association between them and BSU. In precise, it can be stated that the SSC in BSU intends to develop a strong affiliation between the Saudi students and students of other community in the same campus. The main principle of the club is to assist new and existing students of Saudi community so that they could be able to reap significant benefits both socially and academically. This aspect might permit the Saudi students to succeed in their academic career by a certain degree. Ahmad Almotairi, the President of the SSC

The EU Water Framework Directive Essay Example for Free

The EU Water Framework Directive Essay The EU Water framework directive was adopted on 23rd October, year 2000. This water framework directive aims at protection as well as management of the European waters. It also includes the adoption of plans to manage and appropriate measures that apply for each water mass. Through this water framework directive, the EU is able to manage inland surface, coastal waters, ground water as well as transitional waters with an aim of preventing and reducing pollution, promoting sustainable use of water, protecting of the aquatic environment, improving the aquatic ecosystem status as well as mitigating the effects of droughts and that of floods. The EU water framework directive has some demands that all the member states must meet. One of these demands is that of pricing. If water is adequately priced, it acts as a major incentive for sustainable and better use of the water resources. The member states are therefore required to see to it that the prices charged to the water consumers for example for the distribution of water is fresh or collection and treatment of dirty water, reflects or rather shows true costs. However, some EU member states have a very stiff challenge in meeting this demand. The EU water framework directive also demands that there should be full public participation so as to achieve the goal of having clean water. In order to port public participation in place, rallies and seminars must be conducted so as to educate the public on the need for having clean water. The EU member states should also exercise greater transparency during establishment of objectives, when imposing measures and when reporting standards (www. dhigroup. com/). If these things are practiced, then higher number of citizens tends to influence and participate in overall environmental protection. Most EU states however have had a challenge in engaging their citizens in participating or working towards having clean water. Lack of sufficient funds to hold conferences and seminars with the citizens so as to create awareness has been a major challenge. Another demand for EU water framework directive is that there should be coordination of objectives. These objectives include protection of the aquatic ecology, protection of water resources for drinking and protection of water used for bathing. All these are objectives that must be integrated as far as each river basin is concerned. However, most EU member states have a challenge in integrating these objectives for each river basin. The EU member states have also been faced with a challenge of business pressures. In meeting the demand of the EU water framework directive, most large water consumptive abstractors such as water companies, food as well as drink manufacturers. These firms are likely to be affected in the process of licensing the ground water, which may be identified as a chief cause of poor ecology. In addition, the EU member states face a challenge of maintaining clean water in rivers. This may occur if Environment Agency has water bodies that are small in the river basin, hence sewage treatment works that discharge into small rivers tend to be vulnerable. The EU water framework directive also should have a criteria against which ecological status have to be assessed. However, this criteria has not yet been achieved and hence it is a challenge to the EU member states to bring foist it is criteria. The member states are also having a challenge of ensuring that the methods that are adapted to measure impacts are comparable. The EU Water framework directive has a demand that the standards for water protection must be laid down as well as setting down the organizational aspect of water management. It also demands that the core objectives of the environment are to prevent aquatic ecosystems’ deterioration and restoration of polluted waters within a given timescale. The challenge to the EU member states is how to take into account the economic considerations so as to ensure that the improvements that are planned are not unnecessarily expensive as well as technically infeasible. EU member states are also faced with a challenge of cost uncertainties. In spite of thorough preparation and pilot testing that has taken place, many crucial decisions on how to implement and carry out the directive and measures as well as legal instruments that will be required have not yet been made. This uncertainty and short of information is shown in the wide range of values of the associated costs as well as benefits contained regulatory impact assessment that was published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Conclusion. The EU water framework directive is one of the most important directives adopted by the EU member states. It aims at adopting and maintaining way of ensuring that clean water is obtained through ensuring that all water masses are kept free from pollution. To achieve this, all the member states have to put I place all the necessary requirements as well as provide awareness to its citizens. It is through the awareness and cooperation of the citizens that water pollution can be achieved.

Comparison of The Judges House versus The Signalman :: essays research papers

I think that mystery stories are so popular with people today, and with the last couple of generations because they are so intriguing. The author tries to give the story an element of surprise and also put twists in the tails to keep the reader guessing. Rather than just watching a film it allows the reader to build up their own imagination and interpret the story in their own way. The author will also try to integrate a ghost or spirit into the story, whether it be physically there or just psychologically, this gives the sense of mystery and usually results in the protagonist of the story dying. During the Victorian era mystery stories were especially popular, this was due to television and cinema not being in existence, so people had enliven themselves in other ways, in this case with books. In Victorian times religion was cogent and people believed in God more than people today, this meant that people thought what happen in mystery stories was very plausible. However with the adva ncement of science, people regard mystery stories as fully fictional, conversely some individuals and groups do still believe in the existence of ghosts and spirits. The two stories, ?The Judges House? and ?The Signalman? have atmosphere built up through the setting of the story as well as other things including the characters and also the dialogue. First of all, the judge?s house has a very weird sort of setting. It is set in a large, old house with high windows and tall walls, basically a very stereotypical sort of house for a mystery story. However this decrepit house is situated in the middle of a community, with a wide array of people and vehicles there. This sort of area you would expect to be safe, however this could have given Malcolm Malcolmson, the protagonist, a false sense of security as the house has high walls isolating it from the rest of the community. The author describes the house as ?a fortified house than an ordinary dwelling? this suggests that it was not just a few fences around the house, rather iron bars on windows and large iron gates, these are the things you would stereotypically relate to this type of story. ?The Signalman? is not the kind of setting you would expect for a story of this nature, it is set on a railway cutting which is far from stereotypical however a railway cutting could be seen as an industrial area which can be associated with gloominess, fog and smoke. Comparison of The Judges House versus The Signalman :: essays research papers I think that mystery stories are so popular with people today, and with the last couple of generations because they are so intriguing. The author tries to give the story an element of surprise and also put twists in the tails to keep the reader guessing. Rather than just watching a film it allows the reader to build up their own imagination and interpret the story in their own way. The author will also try to integrate a ghost or spirit into the story, whether it be physically there or just psychologically, this gives the sense of mystery and usually results in the protagonist of the story dying. During the Victorian era mystery stories were especially popular, this was due to television and cinema not being in existence, so people had enliven themselves in other ways, in this case with books. In Victorian times religion was cogent and people believed in God more than people today, this meant that people thought what happen in mystery stories was very plausible. However with the adva ncement of science, people regard mystery stories as fully fictional, conversely some individuals and groups do still believe in the existence of ghosts and spirits. The two stories, ?The Judges House? and ?The Signalman? have atmosphere built up through the setting of the story as well as other things including the characters and also the dialogue. First of all, the judge?s house has a very weird sort of setting. It is set in a large, old house with high windows and tall walls, basically a very stereotypical sort of house for a mystery story. However this decrepit house is situated in the middle of a community, with a wide array of people and vehicles there. This sort of area you would expect to be safe, however this could have given Malcolm Malcolmson, the protagonist, a false sense of security as the house has high walls isolating it from the rest of the community. The author describes the house as ?a fortified house than an ordinary dwelling? this suggests that it was not just a few fences around the house, rather iron bars on windows and large iron gates, these are the things you would stereotypically relate to this type of story. ?The Signalman? is not the kind of setting you would expect for a story of this nature, it is set on a railway cutting which is far from stereotypical however a railway cutting could be seen as an industrial area which can be associated with gloominess, fog and smoke.