Saturday, August 31, 2019

Family Medical Group Essay

This case mainly tells us several problems of a company named Family Medical Group. Bill Maron is the president of the company. The original company called Family Medical Distribution which was created by the grandfather of Bill’s wife Helen. After her grandfather was dead suddenly in 1968, Bill was persuaded by his father-in-law and purchased this company. At the beginning of the first few years, it was a tough time to Bill. The organizational structure of the company was very simple that he just had eight employees. He spent countless hours on the road talking to the customers and suppliers. Moreover, the surroundings were also rough. All the departments are in a single office including Bill. But all the tough things cannot stop Bill. Due to the tradition that all the staffs treated the company like their family and the efforts Bill had made, the he became to realize measured success. The company expanded into the rest of Ontario and by 1984, the company had become a nationwide distributor. Hundreds of employees are working in the company now. In addition, Bill is pursuing to invent the new product to change the current situation. Though a few years’ effort, he was successful in the development of auxiliary tool of asthmatic bronchitis. This is a big success that the invention called AeroTube was launched in more than 50 countries and another new division was founded under the name Family Medical Manufacturing. However, with the growth of the profit, the scope of the company is growing as well. Thus, some problems are appeared at this time. For the external aspect, the government made the policy to squeezing the profits out of Family Medical Distribution. The cutbacks of government means the hundreds of hospitals across the country have closed and the others have been forced to reduce their number of beds. For the internal aspect, both companies have made some strategies mistakes which resulted in the loss of some key staff to the competition. Thus, Bill encountered with the dilemma and he want to hire some people as the vice president and the director of the HR department to cope with the problems instead of confronting those by himself. There are several problems that Bill should solve. First, the company has to change because of the pressure that the external atmosphere gives. Second, the person that Bill hired may be not the right people for the company and the staffs. Third, some of the experienced staffs are â€Å"lazy†, they intend to retire from the company. The last but not the least, the supervisors make their decision of promoting staff with injustice. Here are the recommendations. Firstly, Bill should hire some experienced engineers who have the real knowledge on this area and can create the innovative inventions to help Bill to gain more profit and remain competitive in the increasingly smaller market. Secondly, Bill should hire the right person to be the supervisors. For example, Nancy is ready to be the director of HR. Nevertheless, we should pay attention to a detail that when she is working, she closed her door and turned off her phone. This is not proper to a HR director. This post should be more responsible to communicate with people as possible as she can. Thirdly, some staffs want to retire from the company and not make their efforts to the company because they are the grand old man in this company. Bill should motivate them and recall their original enthusiasm. The last but not the least, Bill should consider the position of Mark again. He promised to Barb that she would be the new Office Manager before the opening was posted. It is unfair to Laura who is the Senior Administrator. She is very responsible to the company and contributed a lot. When she knew the truth, she submitted the resignation and wanted to leave the company. Bill should to hire another person who is impartial and optimize the organizational structure.

Friday, August 30, 2019

American and Mexican Culture

Introduction to Ovulation * Many women learn how to calculate their ovulation when they first talk to a doctor about birth control. But some may still question whether they can get pregnant if they aren't ovulating. The answer to that question is not as straightforward as it seems. One would think that if a woman isn't ovulating, she can't get pregnant. This is only partially true. Generally, a woman isn't fertile if she isn't ovulating.If she isn't ovulating, she has no egg present to be fertilized outside the ovulation period. The confusion comes when trying to decipher when the ovulation period really is. Sometimes a woman can ovulate beyond what she considers her normal ovulating period, and she can become pregnant outside of her calculated fertility window. How to Calculate Ovulation * A woman generally ovulates between 11 and 21 days after her last menstrual cycle. Women with a 28-day cycle generally, on average, ovulate on day 14.But every woman is different and other factors can come into play to alter when and whether she ovulates. For some women, calculating ovulating periods can be tricky. Using methods such as evaluating cervical mucus, reading basal body temperature and keeping track of menstrual cycles can help with the calculations. A woman should get to know her body; this will be the most telling sign in knowing when ovulation occurs. If in doubt, an ovulation kit can help clarify when ovulation occurs.Ovulation Misconceptions * Many misconceptions surround ovulation. First, not all women ovulate on day 14 of their cycle. Another myth is that keeping up with ovulation is an effective birth control method. Although an egg can live for only 24 hours, sperm can live inside a woman for five to seven days. So even if a woman thinks it is safe to have unprotected sex a couple of days before she ovulates, the sperm can still fertilize the egg days after intercourse.For women who have irregular periods, it is not accurate to count from the last day of the menstrual cycle to determine the ovulating time frame. Can a Woman Get Pregnant If She Is Not Ovulating? * Technically, a woman cannot get pregnant if she isn't ovulating. Determining whether and when a woman is ovulating can be miscalculated, however. A woman can actually get pregnant when she believes that she is safe because she thinks she isn't ovulating. Sperm can live long enough to fertilize the egg days after intercourse.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Walter Röhrl Takes The Porsche Panamera GTS To…

Afzal Kahn, owner of the eponymous A. Kahn Design outfit (formerly Project Kahn), has unveiled his latest creation in what has become a long line of customized luxury and high-performance cars. Treading more along the lines of sophistication and style rather than overt showiness often shown by rival tuners, A. Kahn Design’s British-based team has taken the Porsche Panamera and made it not only more visually appealing but sportier too. Afzal Kahn has re-designed many a Porsche over the years. However, the end result of the A. Kahn Design Porsche Panamera in carbon gray complete with the F1 number plate is particularly aggressive. A new wide-body styling package has been fitted, which consists of wide vented front and rear wheel arches as well as an integrated rear air dam, lower boot wing, billet aluminum side vents, and red brake calipers. As a final touch, the windows and rear tail-lights have been tinted also. But it’s not just about looks. A. Kahn Design engineers have also installed a custom stainless-steel exhaust system and lowered suspension. And those wheels you see are a set of Kahn’s own 22-inch RS600, which can be ordered in any color and is designed to fit most OEM center caps. Another unique feature of this model is the impressive interior, which has been upgraded with a blend of dark red quilted and perforated leather and a matching red speedo and rev counter. In case you’re interested, this particular Panamera is on offer for sale with a pricetag of ?86,875 (approximately $136,440). However, all of the pieces mentioned can be ordered separately from A. Kahn Design.

W3,DQ-4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

W3,DQ-4 - Essay Example Scientific development is the cumulative growth of a knowledge system over time where useful elements are retained, and non-useful elements are deserted rooted in the verification or rejection of testable knowledge (Zwick & Cayla, 2011). Cultural progress is inextricably connected to both technological and scientific progress. Culture naturally concerns much more than just science and technology, but for Merck to be progressive, it has to meet the above explanation of cumulative growth through thanking the past (Zwick & Cayla, 2011). In science, useful elements are retained, and non-useful elements are discarded through the verification or dismissal of testable knowledge. Merck, therefore, should consider that scientific methods, in this way, are created to be progressive (Gilbert & Sarkar, 2005). In technology, on the other hand, useful elements are preserved and non-useful elements are discarded rooted in the market’s rejection or approval of the technologies. The market for science is mainly the community of scientists, but for technology, the market is mainly Merck’s stuff. In order for Merck to be successful, they need to endorse science and technology to the core to avoid such wrangles (Zwick & Cayla, 2011). Above all, the corporation is built on a firm scientific-led culture; therefore, they should work to ensure that this objective is

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Management Brief Essay Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The CEO Management - Research Paper Example Only a few decades ago, the people at the top of companies were called Managing Directors, now they have morphed into C.E.Os, and are expected to perform on a global stage. There is relentless scrutiny on what they do from shareholders, media and government (Tarpin 2006, p56). The change in the environment in which CEOs have to perform has necessitated a re-think of the whole experience of management and all the tenets that go into the successful running of a corporation. Among these are the decision-making process, managing information technology and picking up good examples from others and integrating them within the organization. In an age with so many pressures, is it realistic to have one person to be the face of a company or the one making all the decisions? There is no clear answer to this question. Different approaches have to be applied. In recent times, organizations have become ‘too big to fail’ it is unrealistic that all the important decisions must be made b y a single individual. It should be the case that an organization has several other people in its middle and upper ranks who are as knowledgeable as the leader of the organization so as to spread the burden of decision making. One of the renowned investors of worldwide, Warren Buffett once said that ‘every quarter a CEO is expected to land a 747 on a runway and have it come naturally to a stop six inches from a dime’. That is enough to demonstrate the high expectations CEOs are expected to fulfill. On the other hand, the case for iconic organizations being led by iconic individuals cannot be disputed. Steve Jobs is a good example. He alone is credited with making Apple the largest consumer electronic goods manufacturer. Ken Hopper in his book The Puritan Gift states that decisions are best made collectively. He refers to the collectivization of decision making as forming a kind of ‘fellowship’. The leader makes the ultimate call, but they have to come down and seek the opinion of members of the ‘fellowship’ before arriving at the final solution. (Hopper 2005, p64) As a result, organizations need no more be pyramidic structures but more of networks. The leader at the top of an organization does not have to be accountable for all the good and all the bad of the organization. Leaders should use the collective wisdom of the company, and even be ready to admit they do not know what a situation demands. They should collectively think and collectively approach an issue (Schermerhorn 2004, p40). This is a concept that traditional management could run a mile from, but as recent failure has shown us, new and radical approaches to management need to be explored. The decision-making process is not the only aspect of management that a leader of an organization engages. In today’s computer age, there is a torrent of information, all of which is demanding the organization’s leader attention. Vast organizations are being bu ilt on information to the extent that a few individuals view it as a currency or as a building block for a new economy. So, is too much information a promise or a threat? Well, that is part of what the leader of the organization has to determine. The catchphrase ‘information technology’ has really caught on, but it’s a fairly recent phenomenon.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Stress and the Neuroendocrine Response Coursework

Stress and the Neuroendocrine Response - Coursework Example For instance, traumatic events that happened to a person such as family abuse, illness or a relationship breakup. Chronic stress leads to other body complications such as stomach ulcers or heart diseases. This type of stress is treated via cognitive behavioral therapy and through medication (Buckingham, Gillie, & Cowell, 1997). The hypothalamus in the brain is in responsible of the stress response. When a stress response is activated, this part sends signals to two other constituents namely the pituitary gland, and the adrenal medulla. This signal is in form of a hormone, the pituitary and adrenal glands that are both in the kidneys and the brain are responsible for receive the stress alert (Gunderson & Rahe, H. 1994). A hormone is a signaling molecule that is generated by the glands found in the multicellular organisms that are conveyed by the circulatory system to isolated organs with the aim of regulating the behavior and physiology of an individual. The hypothalamus stimulates hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that assist a problem to deal with any pressure or threat that they are facing; this is referred to as fight response. Adrenaline hormone enable the heart rate to increase, the blood pressure also increase and thus provides the body with extra energy. The person is able to run away from the threat. These hormones also enable the suppressing of bodily roles such as digestion that are not needed. When the hormone level fails, the body is able to adjust itself and the blood pressure return to the average rate. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is a compound set of undeviating influences and response interactions in the middle of three endocrine glands namely the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland and the adrenal glands. Hypothalamic Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) system is responsible for regulating short term stress in

Monday, August 26, 2019

Answer the question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Answer the question - Assignment Example The study is that which will involve comparison in contrast to correlation research, which tends to look into a relationship. 4. The questions of the effects that occur due to a factor might lend themselves better to causal-comparative research than a to an experimental research since experimental research would investigate the factors but not compare and contrast them to the results. 6. Random assignment is not possible in causal-comparative study since random assignment may bring about groups that do not relate. Random selection is possible in causal-comparative research since it can lead to groups that can be compared and contrasted. 7. The topic on effects of team teaching on the attitudes of students towards history could be studied through causal-comparative research. This is through selection of a group that are not team-taught and those that are team-taught and comparison is made on the two. 9. There is possibility that a researcher is able to study the same variable in an experimental study and causal-comparative study. This is possible through the topic in experimental study being compared to another topic in causal-comparative research. 10. Categorically variables are those that take on values that are names and labels. A categorical quantitative that can be considered a quantitative variable is grams. It has value and brings about quantity. 1. The topics that a personal interview may be superior to a mail or telephone survey is when the topics require demonstration. An example of a topic is investigation of reaction to stimulus on an individual. 5. Conducting a cross sectional survey on the population is not a good idea. Cross sectional survey will not bring out the actual information and data on the population as compared to a census, which brings out the actual data. Cross-sectional survey is only estimation. 8. There are questions that cannot be surveyed through the mail,

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Research methods in the social scinces Assignment

Research methods in the social scinces - Assignment Example The researcher states that he term brute means â€Å"criminal.†3 The researcher even states that these images are very hard to change even if the African American society members try their best to operate in an opposite manner to the way they are depicted. In order to conduct this study, information regarding those prisoners who were released from different jails of the region of Florida was obtained and a questionnaire was used to identify the factors related to the returning offenders. The questionnaire comprised of several factors including the age as well as the gender of the inmate. The researchers identified that probability of inmates returning back to jail was â€Å"33.9%.†5 The researchers further identified that the leading factors that were closely related to the increase in recidivism rate were â€Å"serious crime in inmate history and custody.†6 The researcher states that the data for this research was collected through the means of a â€Å"telephone survey.†7 The collected data was interpreted by the researchers in order to identify the changes in the public opinion regarding the changes in the climatic conditions. The researcher even used the data to interpret whether these changes in opinion occur due to changes in season or not. For this purpose, previous year’s data was compared to recent data. The data was collected in a primary manner as the researchers directly contacted the sample through phone calls in order to obtain their responses for a questionnaire. The researcher states that the data was collected through â€Å"individual household.†8 The researcher states that â€Å"65% of Americans reported that there is solid evidence of climate change.†9 Furthermore the researchers figured out that 26% of the surveyed population did not believe that the earth was becoming warmer. Borick, Christopher, And Barry Rabe. (2012). Fall 201 1 National Survey Of American Public Opinion On Climate Change. Brooking - Quality.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Compensation and Benefits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Compensation and Benefits - Essay Example In this case, in order for an organization to appeal to such employees, and keep them after hiring them, it is essential for them to provide them with competitive compensation packages, including benefits (Ulrich, 2011). Nonetheless, provision of benefits cost money. For instance, health insurance in the United States is quite expensive. As such, it is true that benefits may result to increased costs, making a firm to incur higher costs and hurt its competitiveness. In this case, it is appropriate for firms to calibrate in a careful manner based on the number of benefits it wishes to offer its employees. An enterprise should be generous enough for it to attract qualified and competitive labor force. However, it should refrain from overpaying employees who are less productive and not worth additional money (Ulrich, 2011). In a firm, it is true that higher pay and benefits play a major role in attracting and keeping quality employees. Nonetheless, I do not belief that pay is the primary motivating factor for existing employees and job applicants. They look for those firms that are capable of providing them with benefits, such as health insurance, which are some of the most challenging areas for employees to

Friday, August 23, 2019

CSR Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CSR - Coursework Example the interests of the society by being considerate of its impact on the society, customers, shareholders, suppliers, employees, communities and the environment in which the business operates from. Socially responsible organizations take the initiative of following the laid down legislation and also takes care of its employees and their families voluntarily without being under any obligations (p.199). They continue to say that CSR just means the strategies that organizations use to conduct their business ethically by being society friendly. CSR involves a lot of activities like partnering with local communities, investing in socially sensitive ventures, having an excellent employee, customers and family relations and lastly being involved in environment conservation activities (Ismail, 2009, p.199). According Gotherstrom (2012), organizations like H&M can use the Stakeholder theory of CSR. It involves the organization management putting into consideration economic and social factors that affect the business during its decision making in its operation.in this case the stakeholders involved include investors, political groups, communities’ employees, trade associations, government etc. These all stakeholders affect the business in one way or another but the business has to find ways and means of keeping them happy. This theory is not only how the shareholders can make more profits but also of how the organization can make decisions that will affect how the society views (p.8). The application of this theory has been on the rise especially due to the rise activists and environmental groups. (p.9) In the case of H&M, we find that it is involved in its CSR activities to atone for the condemnation that it received from Greenpeace in the year 2011for discharging hazardous waste water with chemicals which could affect the environment negatively. This is demonstrated by the way it partners UNICEF to help children in Bangladesh. The next CSR is Legitimacy Theory; this

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Domestic Violence Essay Example for Free

Domestic Violence Essay The Negative Results of Childhood Exposure to Domestic Violence The phrase â€Å"domestic violence† typically refers to violence between adult intimate partners. It has been estimated that every year there are about 3.3 to 10 million children exposed to domestic violence in the confines of their own home (Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa et al. 2009). According to research conducted by John W. Fantuzzo and Wanda K. Mohr(1999): â€Å"[e]xposure to domestic violence can include watching or hearing the violent events, direct involvement (for example, trying to intervene or calling the police), or experiencing the aftermath (for example, seeing bruises or observing maternal depression)† (Fantuzzo ump; Mohr, 22). The effects of exposure can vary from direct effects such as behavioral and developmental issues to interpersonal relationships, all of which lead to detrimental prospects on the child’s development. This paper will explore those effects and how it affects children. Exposure to violence in the first years of life brings about helplessness and terror which can be attributed to the lack of protection received by the parent. The child can no longer trust their parent as a protector (Lieberman 2007). This lack of trust early in life can bring about serious problems later in life, as there is no resolution to the first psychosocial crisis, trust vs. mistrust. For these children exposed to domestic violence, the imaginary monsters that children perceive are not only symbolic representations or a dream. The monsters that children who witness domestic violence have to deal with carry the reflection of their parents. Children who witness domestic violence face a dilemma because the children’s parents are at their most frightening exactly when the child needs them the most. The security of the child is shattered as their protector becomes the attacker in reality and the child has nowhere to turn for help (Lieberman 2007). â€Å"Exposure to family and community violence is linked with aggressive behavior. One of the theoretical perspectives that explains this link is social learning theory, according to which children learn from the aggressive models in their environments. Additionally, victimization may compromise childrens ability to regulate their emotions, and as a result they may act out aggressively† (Margolin ump; Gordis 2004, 153). â€Å"Posttraumatic stress symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are important consequences of exposure to violence because they can impair social and behavioral functioning† (Margolin ump; Gordis 2004, 153). Research has shown that children exposed to domestic violence demonstrate impaired ability to concentrate, difficulty with schoolwork, and significantly lower scores when their verbal, motor, and cognitive skills were being tested (Fantuzzo ump; Mohr). It seems as if the academic and cognitive difficulties from exposure affect the child possibly through its impact on psychological functioning. For example, PTSD and depression may hinder with learning and the ability to perform well in the classroom (Margolin ump; Gordis 2004). Researchers have found a positive correlation between externalizing (aggression) and internalizing (lowered self esteem, depression, anxiety) and domestic violence exposed children. Children exposed to domestic violence have been found to be four times more likely to develop internalizing or externalizing behavior problems than children who are not exposed to violence. The disruption of the development of basic competencies harms the child’s ability to manage emotions effectively and increases internalizing and externalizing behaviors (Martinez-Torteya et. al., 2009). This is particularly problematic for preschool aged children as younger children display more intense externalizing and internalizing behavioral responses to parental conflict than older children do (Ybarra, Wilkens, ump; Lieberman 2007). These responses are due in part to less mature cognitive skills. Because these skills have not advanced yet, there is an increase in the likelihood of the child expressing psychological vulnerabilities following the conflict because of cognitive errors. Exposure to domestic violence compromises interpersonal relationships that are the foundation of childrens daily lives in addition to having direct effects. â€Å"Social support is a key buffer against the negative effects of violence. Because parents are key sources of social support, the disrupted parenting associated with family violence may exacerbate negative effects of exposure to violence. More generally, children exposed to violence may be sensitized to hostile interactions and may have difficulty negotiating peer conflicts. These interpersonal difficulties can rob children of social support and increase their risk for associating with deviant peers† (Margolin ump; Gordis 2004, 154). In a study conducted by C. McGee, it was reported that many children found it difficult to develop friendships for reasons such as holding back from others as well as fear of inviting others to their home (Adams 2006). In conclusion, it is clearly shown that domestic violence has a negative effect on the children who witness it. An expanding body of research suggests that childhood trauma and adverse experiences can lead to a variety of negative health outcomes (Anda ump; Chapman ump; Dube ump; Felitti ump; Giles ump; Williamson, 2001, p.1). In fact, childhood stressors such as witnessing domestic violence and other household dysfunctions are highly interrelated and have a graded relationship to numerous health and social problems (Anda ump; Chapman ump; Dube ump; Felitti ump; Giles ump; Williamson, 2001, p.2). It is obvious and clearly shown that the children who witness domestic abuse have serious long term mental effects.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Andrea Jung Ceo of Avon Essay Example for Free

Andrea Jung Ceo of Avon Essay Andrea Jung CEO of Avon By: Theresa Bell Andrea Jung CEO of Avon Abstract Andrea Jung has had many executive positions during her career as a vice president, merchandising manager, general merchandising manager, senior vice president and general merchandising manager, executive vice president and is now Avons CEO, a Fortune 500 company, and has been for almost the last decade. She is Avons first female CEO since it began in 1886. Andrea Jung has introduced new technology to the company and a new line of make-up. The cosmetics are now being sold in 143 different countries brining its profits up 41%. She gave Avon a revamp when she took over gaining trust, reliability, and gaining a competitive advantage over their competitors. She used a low-cost business-level strategy to gain the advantage over the competitors. The way Avon sales their product has not changed it still sales product by a door to door method, but they used new technology to go worldwide making the company more profitable. In 2011 Avon profit has dropped 18% making stakeholders question Andrea Jungs business-style management skill today. Avon needs a new plan inorder to gain the advantage over their competitors and this leads the stakeholders to question Andrea Jungs focus on management. Theresa Bell Keiser University Ron Phillips/Principles of Management December 6, 2011 Andrea Jung CEO of Avon From the start, Avon embraced the revolutionary concept of women’s economic empowerment, and this continues to be the driving force for Avon. Building on this rich heritage is Avon’s broader commitment to corporate responsibility and the company’s role as a global citizen. Added to the core commitment to women are two additional pillars of Avon corporate citizenship: philanthropy and environmental stewardship, supported by policies and programs across the companys entire business enterprise to ensure that Avon holds true to its mission and vision. (http://www. avoncompany. com/corporatecitizenship/corporateresponsibility/index. html) Andrea Jung is the Chairman and CEO of Avon and has been for almost a decade, in 2005 she ranked number 5 in the top 50 most powerful women at the age of 48 years old (http://money. nn. com/popups/2006/fortune/mostpowerfulwomen/7. html ). Andrea Jung took over as CEO, after Charles Perrin had problems within the company serving as its CEO for only two years. In 1999, Jung took over as CEO becoming Avons first female CEO since the company began in 1886. Since Jung has taken over as CEO, Avon has gone internationally selling worldwide, instead of just being sold to American women. Jung started a new line of make-up directed at teenage girls and college-age women to build Avons revenue and to gain younger customers. In doing this Jung has taken Avon in a different direction, Avon is now being sold in 143 countries, women selling directly to buyers, and selling worldwide this has brought more business into the company making it a more profitable company. Since Jung started selling worldwide nearly 40 percent of sales are from South and Central America. (http://www. notablebiographies. com/supp/Supplement-Fl-Ka/Jung-Andrea. html). Avon is now being sold in Mexico, Russia, and Canada, taking the company into a more competitive market. Jung has brought technology into the company focusing on the product sold to gain an advantage over their competitors. In her first five years as CEO, Andrea Jung gave Avon a badly needed facelift. Revenues rose from $5. 3 billion to $7. 7 billion, and profits nearly tripled The business style she used was low cost. Avon had taken the advantage over their competitors when Jung took over as CEO in 1999. Jung was responsible for the profits almost tripling using her business style of management. Today Andrea Jung is under fire by the stakeholders due to a drop in sales. Avons sales have dropped by 18% leaving them to question Jungs business management style. The company is in need of a turn around plan to gain the advantage over their competitors. The company is under two different investigations to find out if the company bribed officials overseas from Latin, and China. Jung is working on a long-term plan to fix the problems that the company is suffering from today. http://www. appleinsider. com/articles/11/10/28/apple_board_member_andrea_jung_facing_scrutiny_at_avon. html   http://www. avoncompany. com/corporatecitizenship/corporateresponsibility/index. html   http://money. cnn. com/popups/2006/fortune/mostpowerfulwomen/7. html http://www. notablebiographies. com/supp/Supplement-Fl-Ka/Jung-Andrea. html   http://www. appleinsider. com/articles/11/10/28/apple_board_member_andrea_jung_facing_scrutiny_at_avon. html.

Financing Shipping companies

Financing Shipping companies There are several advantages for a shipping company to outsource a particular service or department. The main advantages with outsourcing are better cost control, lower risk and the outside suppliers expertise. Better cost control is achieved because outsourcing leads to less fixed costs and more variable costs. This means that the company in the short term is more flexible, and able to adjust costs faster and in some cases with less hassle. Outsourcing a service or department also lowers the need for an initial investment by removing the capital injection necessary for establishing a department/service. Less fixed costs and less long term fixed assets means lower risk for the company. In economical theory there also is an general opinion that outsourcing in many cases leads to cost reductions, due to a small internal department within the company not having the same degree of expertise as a bigger outside supplier and therefore not being able to deliver the services at a competitive cost. This lack of expertise compared to the outside supplier that specialises in the segment might also lead to a lower quality of service if the work is kept in house. With regards to expertise there also is a big advantage in that the company can keep focus on their core business where they have the necessary know-how and stay clear of outside disturbance. There are however also disadvantages with outsourcing. The main problem is loss of control due to the company not having the same supervision over the work being done. Another problem is that the outside supplier might not be able to adjust the service as well as an inside department after the companys needs at any given time. The degree of the advantages/disadvantages with outsourcing varies greatly with the complexity of the work that has to be done, the potential savings and the importance of in-house supervision. A certain degree of outsourcing of services will always exist i.e. transportation for a companys employees, postal services, big IT reforms etc. Solstad has decided to keep outsourcing at a minimum and integrated shipping operations are a part of the companys philosophy[1]. The company manages the total operation of the vessels[2], and have a large onshore support mechanism which includes freight, crewing, accounting, chartering, technical, and other administrative functions. The company is nevertheless open to outsourcing services and will evaluate whether it is possible to achieve more cost effective operations and an optimal return on capital employed in cooperation with new suppliers with a view to long-term strategic co-operations[3]. Such collaboration is also evaluated with regard to risk and capital injection. How has your company financed its vessels? Explain advantages and disadvantages by such financing. It isnt possible to find public information on how most of the specific vessels have been financed. However according to a news article in Skipsrevyen[4] about the acquisition of the M/S Normand Seven, the long term financing for that vessel is provided by Eksportfinans in cooperation with Nordea Bank, Fokus Bank and Danmarks Skibskredit AS. The companys balance sheet doesnt show in detail to whom the long term liabilities is owed, so to answer the question we will have to assume that the financing of the M/S Normand Seven is representative of how Solstad normally finances its fleet. As of the end of 2008 the company have long term fixed assets in vessels and new buildings of 7.289.858.000 NOK[5]. This equals just over 70% of the companys total assets of 10.213.357.000. The assets are financed with a total equity of 3.697.624.000 and total liabilities of 6.515.734.000. Out of the total liabilities long term loans to credit institutions/leasing obligations amounts to 4.831.208.000. In economic theory an equity ratio of 30 % is generally considered healthy, and the company also states in the annual report that the aim is to be financed by the owners (equity) with a ratio higher than 30 %. The total equity in percentage of total assets in 2008 was 36%, well above the companys goal. The companys equities are important when you need to raise capital from outside sources, as it may provide security for the lenders. Assuming that the financing of M/S Normand Seven is representative for the entire fleet the long term liabilities is provided by commercial banks like Nordea bank, Fokus bank, and Danmarks Skibskredit as well as government backed ship credit schemes like Eksportfinans. According to the annual report some of the fleet is also financed by leasing agreements. The advantages in getting mortgage-backed loans from commercial banks are that capital can be raised quickly and flexibly, while the owner is still left with full ownership of the business. The disadvantages by such financing is that commercial banks are uncomfortable with loans that are longer than 5-6 years[6] and often prefers to receive a balloon payment that might be difficult to handle for the shipping company. A leasing company is often more attractive if the borrower want longer finance than a commercial bank is willing or able to take onto their balance sheets. Eksportfinans also offers longer term finance than is usual for commercial banks, and offer repayment periods for up to 20 years[7]. Commercial banks normally take little risk and require a lot of security to protect their investment. According to the annual report[8] some vessels are placed as security for the mortgages. In addition, accounts receivables and bank deposits (2007) are tied. Solstads loan agreements are also subject to the owners working capital being positive at all times and that the market value of the vessels amounts to at least 110-125% of the outstanding loans. The company states that they satisfy all conditions of the loan agreements at 31.12.08[9]. Name three of the most important conventions your company must adhere to. Give reasons why those are among the most important ones. Solstad have ships registered in the Norwegian International Ship Register (NIS), Isle of Man Ship Registry (IOM), and the Norwegian Ship Register (NOR). Some of the criteria for NIS/IOM/NOR registered vessels are that they adhere to international conventions such as Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS 74), Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78) and Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping (STCW 95) as well as other international regulations ratified by the flag states. Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS 74) is the most important international treaty protecting the safety of merchant ships in the world. The first version of the treaty was passed as early as 1914 in response to the sinking of the Titanic.[10] It prescribed numbers of lifeboats and other emergency equipment along with safety procedures, including continuous radio watches. The intention had been to keep the convention up to date by periodic amendments, but a completely new convention was adopted in 1974. The convention regulates among other things use of the global maritime distress safety system, set construction criteria (subdivision and stability, machinery and electrical installations), fire protection/detection/extinction, obligatory life-saving appliances and arrangements, radio communications, safety of navigation etc. and is the centrepiece of maritime safety. Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78) is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes[11]. It was designed to minimize pollution of the seas, including dumping, oil and exhaust pollution. Its stated objective is to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances. MARPOL contains 6 annexes, concerned with preventing different forms of marine pollution and covers pollution by oil, chemicals, harmful substances in packaged form, sewage, garbage and air pollution. The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping (STCW 95) sets qualification standards for masters, officers and watch personnel on seagoing merchant ships[12]. The aim of the convention was to introduce internationally acceptable minimum standards relating to training, certification and watchkeeping for officers and crew members. Today there are amendments concerning quality standards systems, oversight of training, certification procedures and rest period requirements. The amendments require that seafarers are provided with familiarization training and basic safety training which includes basic fire fighting, elementary first aid, personal survival techniques, and personal safety and social responsibility. This training is very important in ensuring that seafarers are aware of the hazards of working on a vessel and can respond appropriately in an emergency. Literature and references: Annual report (2008). Annual report 2008 Solstad Offshore ASA. Skudeneshavn. * Financial report (2009). 3rd quarter 2009 Solstad Offshore ASA. Skudeneshavn. Â · International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) (1973). http://www.imo.org/Conventions/contents.asp?doc_id=678topic_id=258 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) (1974). http://www.imo.org/Conventions/contents.asp?topic_id=257doc_id=647 International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) (1978). http://www.imo.org/Conventions/contents.asp?doc_id=651topic_id=257 * Misje, M. (1989). Solstad rederi A/S 1964 1989. Skudeneshavn: Solstad Rederi. * Misje, M. (2004). Solstad rederi AS: 40 Ã ¥r 1964 2004. Haugesund: Nils Sund boktrykkeri. Presentation 3rd quarter (2009). Presentation 3rd quarter 2009 Solstad Offshore ASA. Skudeneshavn. Solstad Offshore ASA website. http://www.solstad.no * Stopford, M. (2009). Maritime economics 3rd edition. New York: Routledge. * Zachariassen, J. E. (2008, 21. April). M/S Â «NORMAND SEVENÂ ». Skipsrevyen. Eksportfinans website. http://www.eksportfinans.no/Bransjer/Skip.aspx [1] Annual report, page 2 [2] Annual report, page 13 [3] Annual report, page 13 [4] Zachariassen, 2008 [5] Annual report, page 26 [6] Stopford, 2009, page 284 [7] Eksportfinans website [8] Annual report, page 49 [9] Annual report, page 49 [10] International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974 [11] International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 [12] International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Dreams Do Come True :: Personal Narrative Writing

Dreams Do Come True Dreams do come true. Everyone in their life has a dream or two or three. Finding the way to achieve your dreams, goals, and aspirations is an epic journey on its own. It takes discipline, determination, and self -exploration. This is the tale of the journey I am still currently on. As a child I always wanted to be in the spotlight. I was always the ham in family pictures, the one who had to excel past my brother, and be in the know of everything. When I was about twelve years old, I realized that entertaining people was what I was all about. Since I wasn’t any good at telling the jokes around the campfire or singing acappella, I thought about trying my dance skills. I liked dancing and I have always enjoyed music videos like Janet Jackson’s â€Å"Miss you much†, so I thought why not? What did I have to lose? With the support of my parents, particularly my mom, I went for the gusto. Like any first experience we remember all the details of the event. I remember my first dance class at J in Jazz Dance Studio. I was under the instruction of Julie Pederson who was one of the young faces in my little town of Sierra Vista. I was thirteen and thought that the class was awesome. Now if you are under the impression that I was great the first time around you are wrong. I was the one goofy awkward kid who was there having fun. Julie thought that I would be gone by the end of three months because I couldn’t hack it. She was just glad that I was there having fun and being a good student. According to some experts, since I started after the age of ten I was not supposed to be any good. Just six months after starting, something somewhere happened to both me and my dance ability. I was put on the competition/performance team, and then I just kept excelling from there. Every year or two, I was put on a higher more difficult team. Dreams Do Come True :: Personal Narrative Writing Dreams Do Come True Dreams do come true. Everyone in their life has a dream or two or three. Finding the way to achieve your dreams, goals, and aspirations is an epic journey on its own. It takes discipline, determination, and self -exploration. This is the tale of the journey I am still currently on. As a child I always wanted to be in the spotlight. I was always the ham in family pictures, the one who had to excel past my brother, and be in the know of everything. When I was about twelve years old, I realized that entertaining people was what I was all about. Since I wasn’t any good at telling the jokes around the campfire or singing acappella, I thought about trying my dance skills. I liked dancing and I have always enjoyed music videos like Janet Jackson’s â€Å"Miss you much†, so I thought why not? What did I have to lose? With the support of my parents, particularly my mom, I went for the gusto. Like any first experience we remember all the details of the event. I remember my first dance class at J in Jazz Dance Studio. I was under the instruction of Julie Pederson who was one of the young faces in my little town of Sierra Vista. I was thirteen and thought that the class was awesome. Now if you are under the impression that I was great the first time around you are wrong. I was the one goofy awkward kid who was there having fun. Julie thought that I would be gone by the end of three months because I couldn’t hack it. She was just glad that I was there having fun and being a good student. According to some experts, since I started after the age of ten I was not supposed to be any good. Just six months after starting, something somewhere happened to both me and my dance ability. I was put on the competition/performance team, and then I just kept excelling from there. Every year or two, I was put on a higher more difficult team.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Army Essay -- essays research papers fc

There are many job oppurtunitiesin the army. Anyone one can join and be anything he wants. In the army everyone has the chance to travel the world. The army has certain benefits and requirements. All of them will be explained. The army is the oldest of the armed services and is responsible for land operations. The army has to be prepared to use any action to overcome any enemy that threatens the U.S. and the nation's intrest. The army helps train the military forces of some friendly nations and supplies them with the equipment their nation needs. (Army) "While aspiring to be the most esteemed institution in the nation, we will remain the most respectedarmy in the world and most feared ground force to those who would threaten the intrest of the United States." (The United States) "The army has a non-negoitiable contract with the people of America to fight and win our nation's wars." (The United States) To enlist in the armyon active duty, a person must meet the followingmeet the following requirements: Anyone between the ages of 17-35, a U.S. citizen or registered alien, healthy, and in good physical condition. Another way would be to join the SROTC in college. A person joinning this program earns college credits and recives cash. Anyone can qualify for scholarships that add up to sixty thousand dollars. The requirements are the applicant must be in a particiapating college or university, between the ages of 17-34, and a U.S. citizen. If the applicant...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Essay --

Concussion or Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Millions of concussions occur from sports participation every year. These injuries typically occur in collision (football and ice hockey) and contact sports (soccer and basketball) but can occur in any sport even traditional â€Å"non-contact† sports. Concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has been defined as â€Å"a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biomechanical forces.† Typically this occurs after a direct blow to the head but can also occur with any blow to the body where forces are transmitted to the head. The symptoms of a concussion occur rapidly and often spontaneously resolve, however, these symptoms can also quickly worsen or return resulting in a medical emergency. Therefore, anyone experiencing the signs symptoms of a concussion or mTBI should consult a physician or medical professional to properly diagnose and treat this injury as monitoring or additional testing (MRI/ CT Scan)may be warranted. The acute symptoms of a concussion are listed in the table below: Signs and Sympto...

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Best Buy Co., Inc. Customer-Centricity Essay

The consumer electronics giant, Best Buy, was first established in 1966 with a single location and a staff of three in St. Paul, Minnesota, selling audio equipment targeted at 18-25 year old males. Initially Sound of Music/Best Buy grew through acquisition, expanding to nine locations in the Twin Cities area by 1978. The name, Best Buy, and expanded product line, ranging from audio and video equipment to large appliances, were a result of a â€Å"best buy† sale of damaged inventory at bargain prices in 1981. In the mid-1980s, Best Buy launched superstores similar to those of their main competitor, Circuit City and expanded by 15 stores between 1985-86. In 1989, Best Buy launched itself as a self-service, value-store staffed with a salaried sales force to provide a no-pressure shopping experience. This approach resulted in Best Buy becoming the second largest electronics retailer. By 1995, Best Buy was opening an average of 35 new stores annually and in 2000, the retailer respo nded to the market by launching BestBuy.com. Best Buy attributes some of their success to their SOP, standard operating platform, which is a 200 page â€Å"how to† manual for nearly every feasible store situation ranging from product sales and service to inventory management. The purpose of the SOP was to train the sales force and promote uniformity across the organization. In addition to the SOP, Best Buy’s skillful merchandising and marketing, along with their sales force (â€Å"Blue Shirts†) are credited with the success of the retailer. Blue Shirts received extensive training and enjoyed a unique and rewarding corporate culture, with part-time associates making $8.00 per hour and full-time employees earning $20.00. Sales associates often received public recognition for strong performance in addition to immediate rewards such as restaurant vouchers. Supervisors were also incentivized based on annual department and store performance. Starting store managers in mid-size stores were compensated with salaries between $50,000 and $150,000. The success resulting from these practices did not go unnoticed by competitors such as Wal-Mart and Dell, who imitated many of Best Buy’s strategies and stole well trained Blue Shirts. Best Buy continued their growth by opening new stores and through the acquisition of various competitors through the U.S. and reaching into Canada, with the acquisition of Future Shop Ltd. in 2002. By November 1995, Best Buy operated 796 Best Buy stores plus 20 Magnolia Audio Video stores in the U.S. and 162 Best Buy owned stores in Canada (978 stores, not including Geek Squad outlets). In contrast, Circuit City operated over 600 stores in the U.S. and Canada around the same time, however, Best Buy managed to double the sales per square foot of their main competitor. With nearly 1600 stores between the two main players in the electronics market, the market is nearing saturation and growth will have to be achieved by a means other than new store openings. Best Buy’s pre-centricity model was easy for competitors to imitate and encroach on Best Buy’s market share. Best buy borrowed the superstore concept from Circuit City and Circuit City mirrored Best Buy’s staffing model and merchandising decisions. Low prices and a wide selection are hardly inimitable characteristics. While wide selection and expansive product offerings at discount prices (due to volume purchases) may be difficult for new entrants to copy, it is a minor/temporary barrier to entry with the introduction of the internet. Best Buy’s CEO, Brad Anderson, joined the company in 1973 when he joined the staff of three at the then single, Sound of Music, location. A music buff addicted to sales, with his long tenure with company and in the industry seems like the logical choice to lead the company to even greater success as CEO. Prior to becoming CEO in 2002, Anderson had spent 11 years as President and COO of Best Buy. Like most industries, it seems electronics consumers were prone to change as products evolved, so did the end-users and their buying habits. Best Buy had a history of being able to adapt to the changing markets and their ability to do so contributed to their success (i.e. the vastly expanded product line, evolution to superstores, expansion, acquisition, converting from commission to salaried sales force.). The perception that customers were focusing less on the technical aspect of products and redirecting their attention to service and support, led to Anderson’s custom-centricity initiative. This transition and the rollout of 144 new â€Å"centricity† Best Buy stores was being blamed for the company missing third quarter earnings in 2005, resulting in a 12% decline in stock value and a loss of nearly $2B in market capitalization. Did Anderson perform the proper strategic market planning analysis before selecting and implementing the centricity initiative? Assess the need for a change in Best Buy’s strategy when Brand Anderson became CEO. If the centricity concept is being blamed for not meeting earnings and the decline in Best Buy’s stock price and market capitalization, the question becomes was there a need for this change to the company’s strategy, was the strategy poorly implemented, was there a delayed market response to the change, or was the launch an overly aggressive action of a newly appointed CEO? The Best Buy leadership team first needed to evaluate whether there truly was a need for a (drastic) change and if so, was centricity the appropriate response to the market. The electronics industry and retail in general is cyclical and while Best Buy needs to be proactive and receptive to market changes, it is not uncommon for the industry to experience temporary contractions that would not require (costly and risky) restructuring of the company’s value proposition. Granted, Best Buy’s one style fits all approach may have been too broad and unrealistic for the long-term. Ignoring the signs that the market was changing or a delayed reaction to those changes could be more costly or even fatal than centricity and the alleged result on earnings and stock price. There are several approaches for Best Buy to evaluate this situation, the most desirable of which might be the Structure-Conduct-Performance-Paradigm. I will provide somewhat of a Resource Based View (listing a few marketing resources) and mention some of their Dynamic Capabilities, as provided in the case. Best Buy should fist consider their resources and the strengths that have made them successful in the past. While the past is not always indicative of the future, a historical perspective will provide some insight as to not only what has worked in the past, but how the company was able to implement various strategies to learn from their successes and failures. Historically, Best Buy has utilized their knowledge resources well. Their rapid growth and success would imply a strong customer and competitor knowledge. Overall, the Best Buy reputation, as the place to get brand name electronics at discount prices with just the right amount of customer service, has proven to be a positive reputational resource. Blue Shirts are a (human) resource that should not be overlooked; retention is crucial, as training is costly. Blue Shirts are a valuable (informational) resource to gain insight into what customers â€Å"really want,† as sales associates have the most direct customer interaction. Extracting this information from sales associates is a cost effective approach to assess the market before implementing major changes, such as centricity. Best Buy’s unique culture and structure are organizational resources that distinguish the company from the competition and support (non-managerial) employee retention. While supplier relationships are clearly a solid relational resource, customer relationships are somewhat of a gray area for Best Buy, as many customers are not loyal and often buy through various channels. Best Buy has responded to trend by launching their Reward Zone program to incentivize return customers and as a source to gain customer knowledge. An obvious physical resource of Best Buy is its number of stores, which results in volume purchases, allowing the company to sell brand name merchandise to customers at discount prices. In contrast, an operation of this size with nearly 1000 stores and 120,000 employees incurs significant overhead costs (a potential weakness and often the first resources to be cut in an effort to reduce expenses). Many of the aforementioned resources are imitable in some way or another. For example, employees can be trained or Blue Shirts poached or the competition could open more stores and purchase more inventory, strengthening their relationships with suppliers and pass along the resulting volume discounts to customers. A resource based view would indicate that while these are valuable resources to Best Buy, they (along with many of the company’s resources and capabilities) are substitutable (i.e. suppliers can be interchanged) and imitable by the competition. In response, Best Buy strives to not only offer the customer similar products and attributes as the competition, but to find a way to do so that provides a sustainable advantage. What makes Best Buy superior to its rivals? This requires a constant assessment of Best Buy’s marketing capabilities and this need to differentiate might explain Anderson’s drastic centricity approach. Pricing management is a complicated marketing capability at Best Buy with new technology products being constantly introduced, while others are becoming obsolete. It seems Best Buy excels in the selling and channel management marketing capabilities, with their ability to attract and retain knowledgeable sales associates and to maintain ongoing relationships with key suppliers. The likely and often misused approach would be for the organization to perform a current SWOT analysis to consider their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. I have already listed a few of Best Buy’s strengths (size, supplier relationships, Blue Shirts). Additionally, Best Buy has a history of evolving in response to the changing market and applying various innovative concepts in response. The ability to foresee or quickly assess and respond to market change seems to be a strength of the retailer. While extensive product offerings are a strength of Best Buy, having a significant inventory of products that rapidly become outdated is a necessary weakness of being an electronics retailer; finding a way to manage this would be a significant opportunity. Accordingly, keeping up with rapidly changing products and customer interests are a threat of Best Buy any technology retailer. Anderson is exploring the opportunities component of the analysis when he and his team identified and pursued the following initiatives: â€Å"customer centricity, efficient enterprise, win with service, and win in entertainment,† ultimately selecting on customer centricity. A few obvious threats to be considered are competitors such as Wal-Mart, Circuit City, and Amazon, as well as the ever changing electronics market. Not keeping up with the latest trend, product, or channel could be fatal and explains why Anderson and his team concluded the need to focus on customer centricity, which he felt was a proactive response to the shopping experience that customers were seeking going forward. What does the Customer-Centricity strategy imply and how is it different from a strategy of simply providing great service? The Customer-Centricity strategy implies that Best Buy knows their customers well and that only a few sub-segments are profitable enough to merit an increased level of service and attention. This increased focus on these target segments or fewer/more profitable clients and the assumption that catering to these customers will result in solution purchases is the foundation of Anderson’s initiative. The concept seems to do very little to increase sales to the groups outside of the target segment(s) and seemingly does not consider the untapped potential of these customers. This approach is in contrast to the concept of trying to be â€Å"everything to everyone† or â€Å"one style fits all.† Centricity was an effort to meet customer individual needs while still maintaining the chain’s broad focus. The idea of centricity was based on research that had found many of Best Buy’s customers were leaving dissatisfied and that roughly 20% of customer visits were unprofitable. It was an effort to revamp the store’s value proposition, which was a deviation from their previous winning formula and questionably a step a in a different direction from a core competency. Instead of the â€Å"one style fits all† approach which admittedly would leave some customers dissatisfied, while attempting to cater to the masses, Best Buy’s approach to centricity involved focusing on only one or two distinct customer segments at each store, which also required a new set of segment leaders. This approach was also a focus on Best Buy’s most profitable segments in an effort to deter their unprofitable shoppers. Best Buy could have expanded their customer service efforts, while still maintaining the â€Å"one style fits all† concept through a far less radical change than centricity required. This would seem to be the logical choice and would have relied more on the strengths that made Best Buy great. With the market nearing saturation due to the number of stores, the focus became to sell more to existing customers (versus adding stores to acquire new ones) based on a better understanding of customers’ requirements and â€Å"lavishing them with attention, service, and know how.† This would have been attainable by tweaking Best Buy’s current strategy. Both approaches would involve collecting and analyzing customer data and creating an appropriate action plan based on the findings. One aspect of the change was to â€Å"encourage employees to think and behave as owners and engage with customers to meet their unique needs.† This is one way to provide great service and obtainable outside of the centricity strategy. The objectives of building loyalty with profitable segments and leveraging the company’s existing assets, is not unique to centricity and could have been achieved by providing great customer service to all customers, while focusing on those that are more profitable. Both options involve customer research and additional training of sales associates; it would seem not implementing centricity, which required revamping the store format, new processes, and risked isolating some segments would be the more cost effective method to address the expected shift in the market. Best Buy assumed that their customers were comprised of 5 major segments, who combined accounted for 50%-90% of total revenue. These 5 segments were identified by shoppers’ demographics, behaviors, and attitudes, then assigned a name (Barry, Buzz, Jill, Ray, or BB4B (small businesses with less than 20 employees)) and assigned a segment leader focused on deeply understanding their segment’s shopping behavior and attitude. The case states â€Å"the idea behind customer-centricity was to become the customer’s â€Å"smart friend† and provide a â€Å"complete solution.† While being a trusted advisor to customers and working to sell bundles of products is a logical response to the changing customer orientation, this could have been achieved by less drastic means than those used to implement Anderson’s centricity. This concept seems to center around Best Buy’s market orientation, specifically the increasing customer benefits component, as Be st Buy already cannot take much action to further decrease the buyer’s costs. The introduction of Reward Zone was a step in the right direction for the centricity initiative. The benefits of the reward program were multifaceted; providing additional customer data as well as incentivizing current customers to be repeat customers and to make additional purchases. This is one means by which to help Best Buy achieve a SCA, however, many competitors offered similar programs. It is unclear whether Best Buy directed much, if any attention on their competitor orientation. In addition to gathering and analyzing customer data, it is advisable for the company to consider the strengths, weaknesses, strategies, and capabilities of their competitors. Anderson’s centricity plan does not appear to consider competitor orientation and focuses solely on a few select target segments. Keeping with the market orientation research, Best Buy already uses low costs as a source of competitive advantage and they are hoping that centricity will be a source of differentiation, however, competitor orientation is critical to the success of such an initiative. Customer-Centricity has many similarities to simply providing an increased level of customer service. The most significant difference is the focus on the chain’s most profitable segments, specific to each store and complicated testing and implementation process that was chosen for the launch. Both concepts could be used to move toward solution selling and the â€Å"smart friend† concept. Centricity and improved customer service could involve empowering managers and encouraging employees to think and behave as owners. Centricity was a drastic way to improve customer service, which resulted in some pilot stores reporting double the performance gains of other U.S. locations. There were many benefits that resulted from Anderson’s strategy such as reward zone and Geek Squad, which complimented the goal of providing a solution by adding a service component that Best Buy did not previously provide. Geek Squad was also a means by which to suggest a solution sale as well as it placed the retailer in the customer’s home or business, further strengthening the relationship with customer and providing the opportunity for addition recommendations and referrals when the â€Å"Geek† was onsite. The scientific approach that was used in the implementation of centricity was unique to the strategy, but in many ways could have been applied to multiple approaches to improve the customer experience. Centricity was ultimately a differentiation strategy used in hopes of being difficult for competitors to imitate. When Anderson launched centricity, he clearly realized that long term survival is more important than short-term profits. If nothing else the st rategy is rare and difficult to imitate. How was the new Customer-Centricity strategy implemented? What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the strategy’s implementation as described in the case? The Customer-Centricity strategy was first introduced in 12 laboratory stores, then 32 pilot stores (most of which were in California), then introduced to 110 addition stores after some pilot stores reported performance gains double some comparable U.S. stores. Deviating from the clearly defined SOP, associates were now trained to approach problems using a scientific method involving the creating of a hypothesis regarding the customer, testing it, and analyzing the results. If the hypothesis was substantiated, it could be tested in other stores, and ultimately become a general recommendation throughout the organization. This was concept of centricity that empowered associates and increased innovation from within, which is a strength of the new strategy. In contrast, the SOP was created to promote uniformity across the organization; this scientific component of centricity is a deviation from the uniform concept(s) that had been attributed to the company’s success. The resulting confusion in practices and procedures, while they may ultimately lead to a positive outcome and greater innovation, could be viewed as a weakness of the strategy (at least during the transition period). The additional responsibilities placed on managers and staff, were a struggle and weakness. Employees who had previously been given guidelines for most any issue were now being given the freedom to develop and test their own responses, however, they were held accountable for the resulting outcomes. It was now up to the store manager to execute the value proposition. GMs were expected to lead by example, in light of the increased responsibility. The new processes were stated to take â€Å"five times more time† and while the resulting innovation is good, the extra effort required resulting in a turnover rate of two-thirds among GMs and an expectation among associates to be compensated for their extra effort. However the ability for associates to tailor responses to individual customer situations, should ultimately improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, leading to increased profits. The entire focus of centricity is to increase customer satisfaction and improve retention, as acquisition is becoming increasingly difficult. This realization and reaction is itself if a response to the changing market, which is a strength of the organization. The empowerment of employees will result in exceeding customer’s initial expectations, as they are not accustomed to individualized solutions. This is another strength of centricity and how it was implemented. I question why the majority of the initial 32 pilot stores were in California and why only top performing stores were selected for centricity conversion. It would seem focusing on a single geographic region would generate findings based on an isolated group of similar customers. Marketing studies suggest that in order to increase confidence, research must be replicated in diverse environments over time. This does not appear to be the approach with the testing of centricity at Best Buy and could be viewed as a weakness. I further question the decision to launch the concept in only top performing stores. It makes sense to test the strategy in some top performing stores to see if their performance improves further; it does not make sense to risk a large number of top performing locations with an unproven theory that could negatively impact their performance. It seems logical to use the profits from top performing sites to offset some of the potential losses that are typical with the ramp up period of any significant launch or change. If a store is a top performer, I would first analyze what contributing factors make those stores top performers, be it location, management, or customer interactions, etc. to see if these points of differentiation could be applied to other locations to improve the performance of lesser stores, before revamping how the most successful locations achieve their success. There are many strengths and weakness of centricity and how Best Buy chose to implement it, the reality is that it is a long-term approach, which typically result in short term struggles and reduced profits. How would you resolve the tension between the three parts of the organization (merchandizing, stores, and segments)? Is the notion of a three-legged stool viable? Can Best Buy sustain its competitiveness with P&L responsibilities residing with three different organizations? The new strategy forced collaboration among groups that had not previously collaborated. It increased responsibility and accountability, while taking away control from groups that were accustomed to being in power. Shifting focus from a wide segment to a particular customer’s needs was a new concept requiring different resources. Segment organizations were now held accountable to deliver incremental growth. As a result of all these changes, the various parts of the organization felt â€Å"completely handcuffed.† As the previous sections indicate, higher gross profit margins could not compensate for the conversion costs of the changes being implemented. While the goal may have been to â€Å"have everybody feel like they’re part of the same story,† making three parts of the organization responsible for their individualize P&L only added to the tension. I do not dispute that the organizations should monitory P&L and be held accountable, but when the success of the organization is the common goal, they should be working together to improve the overall P&L of the organization. This approach made it unclear which part owned customer insight and who should report to whom and how they should work together. Clarifying these gray areas of ownership and responsibility are the first step in resolving the tension among the groups. The current practices promote confusion and tension. A uniformed approach would be optimal. In a retail organization, such as Best Buy, merchandizing, stores, and segments, are all critical to success. In varying situations, one â€Å"leg of the stool† may receive greater attention or responsibility, but that is typically for the advancement of the organization as a whole or to offset some of the focus of another part of the organization. All three legs are necessary for Best Buy to properly deliver their value proposition and all three are necessary to help management implement the marketing strategy. Merchandizing, stores, and segments are all part of Best Buy’s marketing mix. Merchandising and segments contribute to stores, but all are intertwined. The individualized P&L structure and scorecard assessment add to the tension and switch the weight placed on each leg, but without a leg or if one leg gets too weak (not enough focus), the stool (entire organization) could collapse. As new products are suggested and tested, this changes the (buying and selling) processes, causing merchandising to be more reactionary than they were accustomed to being in the past, shifting the weight from one leg to another, but not reducing the importance of that organization. The absence of any one particular group or attribute could be detrimental to the organization as a whole. While each piece is interdependent and critical to the whole and policies should be designed accordingly. The realization that each piece contains and shapes the other will result in policies that help to reduce the tension between varying parts of the organization. While Best Buy is focusing on the customer and tailoring products and services to meet their needs a reflection on internal practices and satisfaction would be helpful and achieving those goals and should be considered, tested, and adjusted as well. It will difficult for Best Buy to sustain its competitiveness with P&L responsibilities residing with three different organizations. As mentioned in the prior to sections, this practices ad tension to the organization, which is not good toward long-term success, and causes undue competition among the various organizations. Merchandizing is encouraged to improve their P&L, this may come at the price of a negative impact on the store’s P&L. This is the result of collaboration and reduces the competitive advantage of the overall organization. Centricity involves significant and complex changes, which both help and hinder the marketing strategy implementation. The success of the change will require the cooperation of all groups within the organization, especially merchandizing, stores, and segments. Having policies and practices in place that discourage cooperation within the organization by holding complimentary groups accountable for separate measurements does not help Best Buy (or any organization) create synergies leading to a sustainable competitive advantage. The degree of alignment in itself is an implementation driver and contrasting accountability measures do not lead to alignment of goals. Best Buy experiences enough competitive rivalry in the marketplace without encouraging it internally among organizations. Best Buy is clearly a marketing organization and contributing factors of success are: â€Å"all the components of marketing organization fit together †¦ in a way that simultaneously fits with the requirements of the firm’s strategy †¦ while also matching the needs of the marketplace.† Centricity is Anderson’s strategy to match the needs of the marketplace; the changing strategy requires some changes in various aspects of the company (including merchandizing, stores, and segments), however, it is still a requirement that they fit together, like the legs of a stool. I question if the continuation of separate P&Ls are the optimal way to maintain the fit and cooperation that is necessary for the success of a marketing organization. This seems contradictory to fit and is obviously a source of tension. How long before this becomes apparent and reveals itself to the marketplace; what effect with this have on stock price and market capitalization? In order for centricity to be successful, Best Buy must alter their resource deployments to conform to their strategy changes to achieve the intended goal(s) vs. creating practices that foster tension without any long-term benefit. Granted, it is a tradeoff to fit the strategy to the structure or the structure to the strategy, which is complicated by the complexity of the organization. It is a requirement that they match their resources to their capabilities to their strategy and to market conditions. I hope that I have provided a few suggestions on how they could go about achieving this goal. While I have questioned many aspects of centricity and its implementation, it was obviously a success as unlike Circuit City; Best Buy still exists today (although they continue to struggle due to short product life cycle and the ever changing technology market).

Friday, August 16, 2019

Intro Spanish Language Culture Essay

Every country has its famous people. People become famous because of positive or negative things that they do in their life. However, most people become famous because of the contribution they make in their fields they engage in. There are those who gain fame because of their contribution in sports, music, politics, education and other fields. This paper looks at Astor Pantaleon Piazzolla an Argentinean tango composer and bandoneon player born on March 11 1921 and died on July 4 1992. In his music careers he was able to revolutionalize traditional tango music into new style of tango music known as Nuevo tango. This new style of tango music incorporated elements from classical music and jazz music. He is reknown for his performance of his own compositions which hand different ensembles (Azzi, pg 3-5). Astor spent most of his childhood years with his family who lived in New York City. It is here where he was exposed to jazz music and music done by J. S Bach at his early age. He acquired a mastery of four languages while in New York City. He could speak in Spanish, English, French and Italian. While he was thirteen years old he met Carlos Gardel who was a great figure of tango music. He returned to Argentina in 1937 where traditional tango music was the order of the day. He performed in a number of night clubs with a number of groups including the famous orchestra of Anibal Troila, which at that moment was the most famous bandoneon player and also band leader in the country. It was in 1950 when he composed the sound track to the film Bolidos de acero. He entered his Buenos Aires symp0hony in a contest of composition where he won a grant from the government of France to take study in Paris. He left with his family for Paris in 1954. He credits his music careers from the support that he received from Nadia Boulanger. After introducing his new approach to tango music, he became a controversial figure both musically and politically in Argentina. Some of the biggest resistance that he met in Argentina was the idea that everything else would change in Argentina, but Tango music would remain the same. Despite the resistance that he met him his own country his music got a lot of acceptance in Europe ands also in North America. Some of the liberal segments in the Argentinean society embraced his new style of tango music. They were mainly the people who were pushing political change in Argentina at that moment. During the time when Argentina was under military dictatorship, as from 1976 up to 1983 he lived in Italy although he would visit Argentina in many times to record his music (Piazzolla & Gonzalez pg 7-11). His musical style of nuevo tango was different from the traditional tango in some ways. This is because it incorporated elements of jazz, the style also used extended harmonies and dissonance. There was also the use of counterpoint and extended compositional forms. His fusion of tango with other recognizable western music element got a lot of success to the extent that it he produced a new style which transcended all these influences. It is this success and individuality in his compositions led to the particular influences that he made with his music. He used passacaglia technique of circulating bass line and harmonic sequence. He depicted sense of democracy and freedom among the musicians by the improvisation that he did by borrowing from jazz in concept but practically involves a different vocabulary of scales and rhythms which maintained the parameter of the established tango sound world (World Saxophone Congress & North American Saxophone Alliance pg 35-37). When he composed Adios Nonino in 1959 he developed a standard structural pattern for his compositions. The compositions involved of a formal pattern of fast slow fast slow coda. The fast sections of the compositions had emphasized gritty tango rhythms and angular melodic figures. The slower parts involved the use of string instruments or his own bandoneon which acted as lyrical soloists. The piano was used as back bone of percussive rhythm. He used quintet of bandoneon which most people consider it to be the most successful instrument in all his works. This is because of the great efficiency in the sound produced. The sound produced covers and imitates most sections of a symphony orchestra. Despite the use of the quintet in most of his music and also the use of ABABC compositional structure he used other forms of music and combination of instruments. In 1965 he produced an album which contained composition done in which he collaborated with Jorge Luis Borges. In 1968 he wrote and made a production â€Å"operita†, Maria de Buenos Aires which included also of ensembles, for example, percussion, three vocalists, flute and a movement in Piazzolla own style of rhythms (JSTOR (Organization) pg 16-18). By 1970s, he lived in Rome where he performed more fluid musical style which had more influence of jazz music. His music at this moment was also simpler and more continuous. In the 1980s he had become rich and famous person. He became an autonomous artist and wrote some of his most multi movements works. Some of the works he wrote include La Camorra, which was a suite in three ten movements inspired by Neapolitan crime family. He made three albums in New York with second quintet. He described this to be his greatest thing that he ever did in his lifetime. He did away with quintet and formed a sextet which had an extra bandoneon, piano, electric guitar. He also wrote music for his ensemble which was more adventurous in harmony and also in structures that all his previous work. He was able to respond to the growing popularity of non western music. He did this by finding ways in which he incorporated new styles into his own music (Groppa, pg 181-182). He had an open minded attitude to the styles which existed. This helped him be able to hold the mindset of an 18th century composing performer. He assimilated all the national flavors of his days in to his composition. He wrote his music with a sense of direct social relationship and first hand performing experience. According to biographers it is estimated that Piazzolla wrote around three thousand pieces and recorded almost five hundred songs in his careers. In his music Piazzolla epitomized our situation in the world we are living to day by fusing folkloric beauty and contemporary tension. His music challenged the traditionalist and made those who were adventurous asking for more of that kind of music. His music had message for the generations to come. His nuevo tango music attracted most popular and jazz musicians in many parts of the world (World Saxophone Congress & North American Saxophone Alliance pg 35-37). Despite the critics that his music received from the conservative government his music stood the test of the time and made a lot of impact to the society. He suffered thrombosis in Paris in 1990 and later died two years later in Buenos Aires.

Long Island Authors and Writers Essay

Hempstead, NY, USA (September 8, 2014) — Three members of LIAWS (Long Island Authors and WritersSociety) will take to the stage at Hoftsra University’s Guthart Cultural Center Theater and deliver their story about what led them to write their respective books. It takes place on Wednesday September 17, 2014, 7:00 PM and is part of the organization’s ongoing workshops on the craft of writing that take place throughout Long Island. There will be a question and answer session following the presentation. Authors Mary Beth Czubay, Yvonne Capitelli , and Tom Gahan are the presenters for Long  Island Authors and Writers Society’s inaugural Story Behind the Story presentation. Mary Beth Czubay shares the story of what inspired her to write her book, Easy Out On Third-Raising A Child With Special Needs. She will take the audience on an uplifting and inspirational journey of what it is like to try to live an ordinary life while facing extraordinary circumstances on a daily basis and overcoming obstacles. Yvonne Capitelli envisioned writing children’s books while growing up on Long Island, NY. She achieved her dream, wrote Daria Rose and the Day  She Chose, and became a ten-time award winning children’s author. She was inspired by her daughter to start writing positive character building books that motivate children to make good choices, be determined, and take control of their own happiness. Capitelli is also a children’s motivational speaker. Notable eastern Long Island resident Tom Gahan is the author of Harmony Bay, a well-received novel that became required reading at several high-schools. His premiere novel earned him a place on an international list of authors — â€Å"Writers You Should Get to Know. † He has worked as a journalist and freelance writer. Gahan will talk about the many influences and characters from around Long Island that inspired him to write Harmony Bay. â€Å"Hofstra University’s Department of English (hofstra. edu/English) offers undergraduate concentrations in English and American literature, creative writing, and publishing. It also offers an MFAin Creative Writing and an MA in English Literature, as well as a Summer Writers Program that just completed its 40th year, says Ginny Greenberg, Public Relations Director at Hofstra. â€Å"Hofstra’s Great Writers, Great Readings series (hofstra. edu/gwgr), started in 2004, brings award-winning writers across the genres to campus to engage students in intimate writing workshops and readings. † Hofstra students and the general public are welcome to come and hear The Story Behind the Story. It is an interesting and entertaining evening that offers the stories of three local authors and what motivated them to write their books. Admission is free. It all takes place on Wednesday, September 17, 2014 at 7:00 PM at Hoftsra University’s Guthart Cultural. Center Theater, Axinn Library, 1st floor on the south side of the campus. Driving directions can be found at http://www. hofstra. edu/theaterdirections. For more about Long Island and Writers Society, please visit http://www. LIAWS. org. LIAWS is a 501-c-3 not-for-profit organization. What: The Story Behind the Story When: Wednesday, September 17, 2014, 7 PM Where: Hoftsra University’s Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library Who: Long Island Authors Mary Beth Czubay, Yvonne Capitelli, Tom Gahan Why: Learn the stories of three Long Island authors and what motivated them to write their books Admission: Free About LIAWS: The Long Island Authors and Writers Society is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to support and promote the craft of writing through supporting one another, mentoring its members, educational programs, in-school programs, book events and events related to writing, and community outreach to residents of Long Island interested in writing. LIAWS nurtures writers and authors at all levels of development in a mutually beneficial  environment. LIAWS: provides a trusting atmosphere where authors and writers can come together to meet their individual needs and share information for the good of the whole, supplies strong motivational programs of interest to all writers, offers the opportunity for members to network on different levels according to their needs, provides an environment that promotes authors, and encourages writers to strive to publish their work. All members pledge to support one another and to be involved in supporting the activities of the organization.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Satire in Gulliver’s Travels

Jonathan Swifts Gulliver's Travels is an elaborate concoction of political allegory, moral fable, social anatomy, and mock Utopias set within a parody of both travel fiction and journals of scientific exploration. When it was finally taken as satire, critics began insisting that Swift was mad; they did not like what they saw in the satirical mirror. Swift knew that people would see everyone's likeness but their own in this glass, so he wrote the character of Gulliver in a certain way in order to prevent the writing off of his actions as quirks. Gulliver visits four different societies in his travel, and upon his return home at the end, he cannot bring himself to rejoin society. The character of Gulliver will be examined in this section. Swift created him in such a way that the people of England could identify with him easily. He is a typical European: middle aged, well educated, has no overly romantic notions, is sensible, and conducts his affairs prudently. This section will look at the satirical aspects of the first book, where in Gulliver visits the land of Lilliput. Gulliver is a normal human being visiting a recognizably European society, but he is twelve times bigger than the lands inhabitants. The Lilliputians are as small morally as they are physically. They are petty and have arguments over aspects of life such as upon which end to break an egg: ?the king seemed to think nothing †¦ of destroying the Big-Endian exiles, and compelling that people to break the smaller end of their eggs; by which he would remain sole monarch of the world. ?.The Lilliputians are ordered to stand fifty feet away from Gulliver s house, unless they have a license whereby the secretaries of state got considerable fees. It is clear that the main satiric target in the first book is the pride Europeans take in public ceremonies and celebrations of power and magnificence: There's an obvious silliness to the obsessions with these matters when the figures are only six inches high. Gulliver returns home and promptly sets out to sea once more. He comes across the island of Brobdingnag, and this section will deal with the various satirical aspects of that society. He has left a land of small people and has now found himself in the role of a Lilliputian: he is now twelve times smaller than those around him. This entire book serves to reflect on the obsession with physical beauty which has grabbed Europeans of Swift's time. He is nauseated when he sees a woman with a cancerous breast; he notes that the flesh is full of holes into which he could have easily crept. When he is in a bedroom with a few maids of honor, he is disgusted when they begin to undress in front of him because of their size and physical grossness. The voice of Swift, behind Gulliver, is saying ?look at yourself, especially if you are a girl, and most especially if you think yourself lovely; excepting your size, in what way are you less vulgar than these Brobdingnagians The king of the Brobdingnagians also provides straightforward commentary on the Europeans Gulliver describes to him. Gulliver is the first to explain away the king's criticisms. He says that the king cannot help thinking in such ways because he has been isolated his entire life and has certain prejudices and a narrowness of thinking. Because of this, Swift allows he to write the king openly criticizing the European way of life; to the untrained reader, the passage is taken as Gulliver takes it, which is as the product of a closed mind. The fourth book is perhaps the most important. This section will deal with the views expressed in Gulliver s journey to Houyhnhnmland. The Houyhnhnms are extremely rational horses who co-exist with entirely irrational human-monkey hybrids known as Yahoos. Swift uses the conflict between the actions of these two species to set forth the fact that humans tend to describe themselves in terms of Houyhnhnms but act more like Yahoos. This book deals with more philosophical issues such as the nature of man's thought and the purpose of living. Again, Swift allows Gulliver to reveal the characteristics of Europeans. The reply he receives from the king of the Houyhnhnms is crushingly unflattering:?he looked upon us as a sort of animals to whose share, by what accident he could not conjecture, some small pittance of Reason had fallen, whereof we made no other use than by its assistance to aggravate our natural corruptions, and to acquire new ones which nature had not given us.?Through his inter actions with the people of Houyhnhnmland, his objective perspective on society from the previous books is shattered; he begins to realize facts about human nature. This time, he agrees with the king of the Houyhnhnms about his countrymen: ?When I thought of my family, my friends, my countrymen, or human race in general, I considered them as they really were, Yahoos in shape and disposition, perhaps a little more civilized, and qualified with the gift of speech, but making no other use of reason than to improve and multiply those vices whereof their brethren in this country had only the share that nature allotted them.? Gulliver's perspective and entire life are changed because of his episode with the Houyhnhnms and the Yahoos. The fate of Gulliver is just as important as his journey in supporting Swift's critical view of European life. This section will deal with what happens to him and why it occurs the way it does. When he returns home, he faints for over an hour after being embraced by his wife. He describes her as an ‘odious animal,' decides that her presence is morally unbearable, and describes her as a Yahoo. He cannot bear the company of Europeans anymore. Gulliver shuns the culture which bred him: ?the many virtues of the Houyhnhnms placed in opposite view to human corruptions, had so far opened my eyes and enlarged my understanding, that I began to view the actions and passions of man in a very different light, and think the honor of my own kind not worthy managing.?From this realization on, he walks around trotting like a horse and spends four hours daily speaking to horses, trying to force himself to be thought of as a horse. So although he comes to understand humanity bett er than any of his peers, he actually loses his grip on reality. In other words, the Houyhnhnms' society is perfect for Houyhnhnms, but it is hopeless for humans. Houyhnhnm society is, in stark contrast to the societies of the first three voyages, devoid of all that is human.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Guns Germs and Steel Essay

Yali asked the question of â€Å"why is it that you white people developed so much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, but we black people had so little cargo of our own? † (Diamond 14) In other words, he is asking â€Å"what is the factor between our people and ours that causes human development to proceed at different rates? † (Diamond 16) What Yali is really asking though, is, what is this mysterious factor? According to Diamond, the basis for development is the environment around us including the resources and the native people of New Guinea don’t live in an area where a chance is provided for them to take advantage of. The natural resources are just enough for them to get by. This is why the people of New Guinea produce so little â€Å"cargo† of their own. Pizarro’s capture of Atahuallpa and destruction of the Incas made the Europeans realize what power they head, and what they could do to the rest of the world. They easily wiped out the Inca’s of 80,000 with 168 men. From the Battle of Cajamarca, Pizzaro came back to Charles I saying that Europe had the power to conquer the Americas. There were reasons Pizarro and the Europeans could conquer the Americas†¦ They had better warfare than the Incas. Pizarro’s men had armor rode horseback and used steel compared to their wooden weapons. Eurasia happened to have an abundance of edible material because of the right environment leading to the domestication of plants and animals led the people to settle down in one place instead of being nomads. When people started to settle down and bring the food to them, they started to have a surplus which led for the people to have extra jobs and it started to also support a higher population while allowing women to have more children contributing to job specialization. These specialists were not devoted to farmers or food producers but varied to priests, blacksmiths etc. Permanent agriculture societies were able to from with the food surpluses leading to empires. Some of the reason that people began to settle down and farm are because at the time many wild foods began to decrease due to hunters and gatherers killing off too many large animals leaving life unsustainable. More wild plants that could be domesticated became available at the time. Technological advances allowe3d people to harvest and store greater amounts of food that they cultivated. Human populations rose it’s not clear how much it caused food production and how much food production caused it but researchers believe there’s a connection. As populations rose, they needed to have better food supplies and started farming. The farm societies were able to drive out neighboring hunter-gatherers. A continent with long east-west axis like (Eurasia) has an advantage over continents with long north-south axes (like Africa and the Americas). The reasons it does have to do with crops and longitude. In general similar crops can grow at similar longitudes. In other words a cropped that developed in one place can be spread east to west (or west to east) but less likely to spread north and south. Epidemic diseases developed among the societies that had been farming the longest. These were Eurasian societies. Societies in the Americas, Australia, and other places had not been farming as long and lacked epidemic diseases. When Europeans came in contact with Native Americans, for example, European epidemic diseases killed huge percentages of the Native Americans. This helped the Europeans conquer and the conquest made them richer and more powerful. Therefore germs help to answer Yali’s question. The societies that did independently invent writing were those with complex hierarchies and sophisticated systems of food production. Writing was needed for politics and was generally learned by bureaucrats who had the comfort of available time and energy. As food was available to them, they had no need to hunt and gather for themselves. Since their basic needs were being met, they could focus on a higher level of existence and communication. There are two conditions in which technology may develop. The first is â€Å"mother necessity ideology† which is when a society needs something to make things easier they invent it. Technology differed from place to place because there were more people to invent and better diffusion to spread the invention. The opposite happened in the Americas because there were less people and a slower diffusion rate. Also different cultures had different ideas for change. The only way that society can emerge is through food. Such developments include jobs, such as the chief and the beginnings of government. The institutions of society changed over time based on how organized they were. They evolved based around various factors like war and other societies. They are related by diffusion. Whenever a state is conquered by another state they enforce use of their technology or exploit it. States are going to develop weapons, troops, and religion in order to make the state survive. They develop in response to need of their population size. They use these agents of conquest to become larger and to conquer other societies; and for that they need guns, germs, and steel. What Diamond is saying is that he thinks that people really should not think that history is so much different from the sciences. He is saying that the study of history can be pretty â€Å"scientific† if it is done correctly (and that some sciences are not as precise as things like chemistry). Diamond is trying to argue that historians should use what he calls â€Å"natural experiments. † He thinks that there are many â€Å"experiments† where there are two or more places that are pretty similar in many ways but which then turned out differently (like his experiment in Chapter 2). He argues that historians can use these — they can look at what was different and what was similar and how the differences led to the differences in the outcomes. Guns, Germs, and Steel Book Review I think Diamond’s central intent of writing the book is to explain how varying societies become dominate, and how certain others can become dominated. By looking at environmental conditions that caused the disparities that lead to certain societies developing guns, germs, and steel, including other technology, and forming a government necessary for conquest. He introduced the book with Yali’s question â€Å"Why is it that you white people developed so much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, but we black people has so little cargo of our own? † This question used a scientific/geographic background, and set his intent is to answer the question or inform how to answer the question. He also tries to analyze the causes of the expansion of civilizations’ in some parts of the world, since all people are physically the same what could cause some to be successful and others to die? He used archaeological and historical case studies and evidence from genetics and linguistics, he argued that technological and gaps in power are not caused by race or culture differences but by environmental differences, He used the idea of the axis as one saying that Eurasia had an east to west (or west to east) therefore having an advantage over Africa or the Americas for instance, because crops could grow at the same longitude but it was more difficult as they went north and south. Also when cultural or genetic differences have favored Eurasians like for example written language or resistance to epidemic diseases he says these advantages occurred because of the influence and geography on societies and cultures and were not inherited as genes from Eurasian ancestors. Diamond’s book argues that the differences in progress for different societies around the world do not result from one group being smarter or more resourceful than another. Rather, he focuses on the impact of geography — whether food and other key items were plentiful, whether and how disease spread, and how these developments led to different levels of industrialization, and wealth The book â€Å"Guns, Germs, and Steel† was very well written in the sense that Diamond had a question in which was the foundation of the book, he throughout the book acquired evidence and explanations and ideas of how to answer the question. The book had evidence to back it up by explaining how Eurasia had a better opportunity being west to east meaning they had better crop farming. Which led to a growing civilization and soon conquest. The book wasn’t exactly dull or boring but it wasn’t exciting or entertaining either. It was like any other history book it asked a question, then went on to the point. There was an explanation of the main topic which was Yali’s question and evidence that dealt with answering the question. From beginning to end, Diamond stresses that he realizes that efforts to compare societies have frequently been used by racists or nationalists to belittle groups or justify mistreatment of them. He argues that his analysis is in fact anti-racism at work because it shows that the white people who enjoy the comforts of modern life are ultimately luckier than, not more deserving than, people in impoverished nations.