Flash Your Headlights and Die An Urban Legend

The story is that a new gang initiation ritual has become prevalent in your city. The hoodlums pile in a car, at night, and drive the highways and byways with their lights off. The first person who flashes them with their lights (in the time-honored gesture of hey, idiot, your lights are off!) becomes their prey. The gangbangers then pursue the samaritan and the initiate must gun him or her down without mercy. Sounds like a myth, right? But do you suppose there is a kernel of truth to the rumor; that perhaps somewhere at some time some thugs did, in fact, use this modus operandi? The Stuff of Legends Apart from one or two copycat incidents which may have been inspired by this urban legend (not the other way around), probably not. This story has run rampant in virtually every major U.S. city since the early 1990s, sparking public panics and police investigations, but no one has ever documented an actual gang initiation incident matching this description in all that time. It is believed that one of the earliest outbreaks of the rumor (in 1993) may have been inspired by a real-life incident that occurred one year before -- the shooting of Stockton, California school secretary Kelly Freed, who was a passenger in an automobile whose driver gestured at a car full of teenagers to inform them that their headlights were off. Mistaking the hand signal as an insult, one of the teens fired a gun at the car Freed was riding in, killing her. Police determined that none of the youths were gang members, nor was the incident connected with an initiation rite. On the Internet Email versions of what has come to be known as the Lights Out legend began appearing in October 1998, perhaps inspired by the release of the popular horror film ​Urban Legend, in which the apocryphal gang-initiation tale figured prominently. The online alerts resulted in a fresh flurry of panicked inquiries to police departments in cities and towns throughout the U.S., many of which were already aware of the rumor by then but lacked the information to either substantiate or disprove it. In November of that year, John Moore, senior research associate at the National Youth Gang Center based in Tallahassee, stated that to the best of his knowledge the Lights Out legend is completely false: I know of no incident in the country where this type of thing occurred, he told a reporter for the Washington Post. This is one of the wonders of the Internet, that you can take something that has no basis in fact and make people believe it. Nevertheless, probably because they fear the possibility of copycat outbreaks, some law enforcement agencies still recommend that motorists play it safe and refrain from flashing their headlights when driving in areas where gang activities are known to occur. Example #1 Email text contributed by Trevor M., Nov. 25, 1998: Subject: FW: WarningTHIS IS NOT A JOKEPLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD.The police officer that works with the DARE program at an elementary school passed this warning on.... If youre ever driving after dark and see an on-coming car with no headlights turned on, DO NOT flash your lights at them! This is a common gang member initiation game that goes like this: the new gang member under initiation drives along with no headlights and the first car to flash their headlights at him is now his target. He is now required to turn around and chase that car and shoot at or into the car in order to complete his initiation requirements. Make sure you share this info with all the drivers in your family!! Stay safe!! Example #2 Email text contributed by Ernest W., July 3, 2000: Subject: A Warning****** STATE POLICE WARNING TO NIGHT DRIVERSTHE FOLLOWING BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHED BY THE BETHLEHEM,PA. STATE POLICEPlease be advised if you are driving after dark and you see a car without headlights on DO NOT FLASH YOUR LIGHTS.... BLOW YOUR HORN... DO NOT SIGNAL THE CAR IN ANY WAY!!!This is a new GANG MEMBER initiation called GAME going on in the street and it works like this: The new member being initiated drives along with their headlights off until someone notices and flashes their at him. The car that signals to the gang member is now the TARGET of the game. The gang member is required to chase the car that signaled and SHOOT at, or into the car in order to complete initiation requirements.Police ask you to share this information with your family, friends and anyone else you come into contact with. This bulletin originally came from the 3rd district of Cleveland, Ohio Police Department. We understand it is beginning to happen in the Pittsburgh, PA area also and the warning is because this could escalate into any other geographic areas.THIS IS NOTA JOKE IT REALLY IS HAPPENING JUST CHECK WITH LOCAL STATE POLICE!!!!!PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS

Why did the United States Withdraw From the Vietnam War

Why did the United States Withdraw From the Vietnam War? The United States withdrew from the Vietnam War for several reasons. The Army had to fight in unfamiliar territory, was lacking in moral, were not prepared for the conditions, could not shut down the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and were untrained to respond to guerilla warfare. This combination of disadvantages and the loss of public support led to the United States withdrawing from Vietnam. The United States Army was forced to fight in a new land that had different weather and geography than the U.S., and put the army at a disadvantage from the beginning of the war. Vietnam is a very hot, tropical country, as it is fairly close to the equator. It has jungles over most of the land, bit also†¦show more content†¦soldiers were fighting because they had been drafted. They just wanted to survive and go home. They would not have to face any direct consequences of losing the war. The Viet Minh, however, were fighting for a cause, and used much the same tactics as the United States in their war for independence. The American Revolution used guerilla warfare tactics to defeat the superior power of the British army. The U.S. could have taken from this experience, and perhaps fared better in Vietnam. The United States battle tactics did not fare well against an unseen enemy, who rarely presented himself in a full-scale battle, but rather picked at units one by one. A conversation between a colonel in the U.S. army and a colonel in the Vietnamese communist army summed up the guerilla warfare tactics used: You know you never defeated us on the battlefield, said the American Colonel. The North Vietnamese Colonel pondered this remark for a moment. That may be so, he replied, but that is also irrelevant. The revolutionaries in Vietnam used hit and run attacks. They would assault small groups of soldiers, by sneaking up on them. This worked well, because it allowed the Viet Minh to avoid bigger battles, which they were not trained for. They knew that the U.S. soldiers were unfamiliar with the battlegrounds and jungles, so they used this weakness to their advantage, by being able to move more quickly and stealthily than the U.S. troops. They also knew how toShow MoreRelatedU.s. Militar y And Political Relations With Vietnam1573 Words   |  7 Pagesrelations with Vietnam today help think about why the U.S supported South Vietnam and participated in the Vietnam War and how the relationship turned into the way it is today. The Vietnam War started on November 1, 1955 and lasted until April 30, 1975. This war involved many significant leaders such as Richard Nixon, Lyndon B Johnson, John F Kennedy, Ho Chi Minh and many others. North Vietnam leaders had a great impact on the war by organizing many guerrillas and offensives while the South Vietnam leadersRead More How Can They Succeed?1034 Words   |  5 Pagesis behind him.† In the Vietnam War, many official soldiers and civilians took part in the combat. It started from December 1956 to 1975, nearly 20 years, in Vietnam. The Vietnam War was a war between North Vietnam and government of South Vietnam that United States participated and supported. It was a highlight in Vietnamese history and United States histor y also which was recorded, commented, discussed, debated in many books, journals and articles. In the South of Vietnam, there was a political organizationRead MoreUnited States Withdrawal From Vietnam Essay1142 Words   |  5 PagesUnited States Withdrawal From Vietnam America went to war in Vietnam with an aim of destroying the Vietcong to protect South Vietnam from Communism. America was against communism and they wanted to stop the spread of it. They did not achieve what they set out to do as they had many boundaries in their way. Events both inside and outside of Vietnam led to the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam. I am going to be looking at the reasons as to why American troopsRead MoreVietnam War : The Longest And Most Unpopular American War1059 Words   |  5 PagesVietnam War The Vietnam War was the longest and most unpopular american war of the twentieth century (Mintz S. S. McNeil). Resulting in roughly 58,000 american deaths and 2 million vietnamese deaths, the twenty year war was a long and bloody battle that not only impacted the soldiers, but many civilians as well (â€Å"Vietnam War†). â€Å"It’s estimated that 70,000 to 300,000 Vietnam Veterans committed suicide and around 700,000 veterans suffered psychological trauma† (Rexy). Starting in (debateably) 1955Read MoreThe Vietnam War : We Can Not Understand War Without Understanding Culture1267 Words   |  6 PagesThe Vietnam War â€Å"We cannot understand war without understanding culture† â€Å"Involvement in two world wars and the Cold War transformed America into a â€Å"crusader state† convinced of the superiority of its institutions and way of life and intent on imposing them on the outside world. † Whether fought at home or abroad every war is to impact all parties involved. Such example of staggering influence on one country’s culture is no more evident then in America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Upon enteringRead MoreVietnam War Turning Point Essay1425 Words   |  6 PagesHome The Vietnam War was a long and bloody war between a communist government against South Vietnam along with its ally, the U.S. After long years of fighting and many deaths, the war ended on April 30, 1975 after President Nixon and the communist government negotiated secretly about a compromise. The paris peace accord solved a long-lasting issue, that was the vietnam war. The Paris Peace Accords was a major turning point in the Vietnam War because it ended the Vietnam War, brought peace to theRead MoreEssay about Why the U.S. Withdrew Its Forces from Vietnam in 1973924 Words   |  4 PagesWhy the U.S. Withdrew Its Forces from Vietnam in 1973 The USA’s involvement in Vietnam started in 1954, for a few reasons. Firstly, the Americans were, as always, concerned with the spread of communism. They wanted to stop communism spreading through south-east Asia. They were worried that if one country were to fall to a communist leader, so would neighbouring countries. This was known as the Domino Theory. These reasons for joining the war in Vietnam and the factRead More Explain why america left vietnam Essay1319 Words   |  6 PagesExplain why the United States left Vietnam A culmination of problems within Vietnam, domestically and internationally forced the United States to leave the nation. The key reasons for withdrawal were bulging economic costs, an increasingly impatient home front, an underestimation of North Vietnamese ideology, events which turned the war and ineffective strategies. The United States was left in an unpleasant situation. The French President, Charles de Gaulle, had warned the US against its Vietnam involvementRead MoreProtests That Were Heard Around The World Protests867 Words   |  4 Pagesmodern day United States was vastly completed, an intensifying sense of greed began to take over the minds of governing officials, as it did in other modernizing countries. Wars began to dismiss civil and humanitarian explanations, and instead were focused on factors such as territorial expansion and possible resource prosperity. These factors were often held close to officials while the general population relied on misconceptions that were created by media. The war that took place in Vietnam was certainlyRead MoreEssay on History of The U.S. Military1196 Words   |  5 Pages nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;History of The U.S. Military nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The history of the United States military is a very prestige, brave, heroic, and memorable one at that. Starting on September 3, 1793 the United States was officially it’s own nation and it’s own military. At that time many other countries didn’t believe that we would succeed but, now we are one of the strongest, freest, and most prestige country to possible ever be developed. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The

Sustainable Marketing and Management

Question: Write an essay on "Sustainable Marketing and Management". Answer: Introduction Founded in the year 1915, Haighs chocolates are the oldest makers of chocolates in Australia owned by the Haigh family. The fourth generation of the Haigh legacy Simon and Alister, have been the joint managing directors since the year 1990 with John Haigh as the Chairman of the board of directors, manage the Company today. Haighs Chocolates is famous for their passion for the art of making chocolate. The companys vision is to ensure a splendid chocolate experience every time a customer consumes one. The company understands the importance of being caring and compassionate towards its employees, the suppliers, customers, shareholders and everybody in the community whose trust and faith in the company has made Haighs chocolate what it is today. The company strives to work in a positive and friendly working environment to achieve the best for the business and the community. Haighs chocolates have always paid a high regard to respecting everybody associated to the company. There is a reason why the company is a legacy today. The people at the top positions have demonstrated the art of leadership by example, holding themselves responsible for each of their actions and working their best to maintain sustainable practices relating to the environment. Background Headquartered in Adelaide, Australia, Haighs Chocolates is a confectionery company selling premium quality chocolates to its customers in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. The company has 14 stores across Australia with six stores in Adelaide, six in Melbourne and the rest two in Sydney(Devin 2016). The most recent one was opened in the Queen Victoria Building. Although the company has its stores only in Australia, it has strong international recognition. It recently received two stars out of three for the Haighs premium milk chocolate by the judges of the World Chocolate awards. This is a huge achievement for the company since only fifty-eight brands received these ratings worldwide and Haighs chocolates was the only one in Australia(Haighschocoloates.com.au 2016). Haighs chocolates are mainly a family business, which has been into existence since the year 1915.Haighs comes under the category of Australias great medium sized business owned by the family, which has a turn over of about forty million dollars, earned from making chocolates from the scratch in their factory based in Adelaide(Devin 2016). The chocolates, as mentioned before are sold through the stores in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide which are owned by the family. The company understands its responsibility towards in making positive contribution towards the community and indulging in actions and practices which are environmentally sustainable in nature. Haighs chocolates are certified by the UTZ which means that a certain amount is paid on the market price to the farmers of the country which enables them to learn better and environmental friendly farming methods(Mountgambier.sa.gov.au 2016). Haighs chocolates are a part of the international partnership with the non-government and government organizations to enhance the life of the African cocoa farmers. The company is also a member of the World Cocoa Foundation which aims at improving the cocoa farming communities worldwide. Greenpeace has given the company a green tick because they source their ingredients from origins which are not genetically modified. Its cardboard boxes and all the packaging materials are all 100 percent recyclable. Haighs chocolates offer a category of chocolates which include loose chocolates as well as boxed chocolates. The company also manufactures a premium range of chocolates called the Centenary collection. Chocolate bars are also made with perfection along with an array of chocolate novelties. These include well crafted chocolates in the shape of animals and teddies which are a huge favorite among its customers. The company also provides factory and store tours for the locals as well as the tourists so that they can experience a day in the life of the chocolate makers of Haighs premium chocolates(Mountgambier.sa.gov.au 2016). Australia doesnt have a strong cocoa industry hence it is supplied from regions like Africa and South America. The other required raw materials like milk, sugar and nuts are supplied by the local Australian producers. The customers of Haighs chocolates are spread all around Australia regarding the brand as a premium one. The company enjoys more loyalty from the older age group from the customers compared to the younger age bars(Statedevelopment.sa.gov.au 2016). Marketing Mix: Haighs Chocolates is the Australian confectionary business that sells high quality of chocolates to the people of South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria. Chocolate helps the people to get relief from depression and thus help in making people happy. The marketing mix implies towards the high pricing strategy which also led the company to provide high quality towards the customers (Huang and Sarigll 2012). The pricing strategy effectively depends on the need of the customers towards the product and also the involvement of the customers towards purchasing behavior of the customers as well. The pricing strategy also depends on the economy of the country which influences the effective strategy within the organization as a whole. The pricing strategy that is effectively implemented within Haighs Chocolate includes three factors that help the business to attract more loyal customers towards the organizational products: Product Branding Strategy - The product brand strategy helps Haighs Chocolate to improve the quality of the product which helps to gain more satisfied customers and also help the company to gain the competitive advantage as well. The branding strategy also helps the business to gain positive reputation and increase the profitability rate in the market (Czinkota and Ronkainen 2012). Promotion The promotion of the product also helps in influencing the pricing strategy within the business. The promotional activities thus help the business to advertise the quality which further helps in satisfying the need of the customers more towards Haighs Chocolate as well. Product Line The product line of the food product also help Haigh's Chocolate to increase the sales rate (Wilson and Gilligan 2012). The product that ensures the well-being of the customers helps to gain loyal customers. This helps the corporate to influence the pricing strategy as well. Product and Target Market Strategies The product always aims towards the targeted customers who help the business to gain competitive advantage. The target customers help the business to increase the profit rate and also help in implementing effective pricing strategy within the workplace. Promotion Strategy: The effective promotional strategy by Haigh's Chocolate helps to attract more loyal customers within the workplace. The promotional strategy helps the business to promote the product and helps in gaining customer satisfaction as well. Segmentation The segmentation of the product help Haighs chocolate to divide the various products by the market need which helps the business as a whole to satisfy the need of the customers (Ferrell and Hartline 2012). The segmentation of the product also helps the corporate to attract more loyal customers through the quality of products. Targeting The business increases the sales rate through targeting the acute customers who help the business to increase the profit margin. The effective promotional strategy of Haigh's chocolate helps the business to attract more customers through advertisement and thus helps to get exposure in the market. Positioning The positioning of the products refers to the branding of the products towards the target customers. The positioning also helps Haigh's chocolate to increase the brand value which further help the business to get the positive response and help in gaining increased profitability in the market as well (Fifield 2012). The positioning also helps the business to create a corporate identity which helps to have the positive impact towards the customers and thus help in promotion as well. Advertisement The advertisement of the product also help Haighs chocolate to gain more customers and thus help in getting more exposure towards the market. The advertisement thus helps the business to analyze the need of the customers and thus implements the strategy accordingly. Thus, it helps to attract more customers and helps in profitability of the business in the market. Distribution Strategy: The Distribution Strategy helps Haighs Chocolate to provide the products around the country and thus attract customers in accordance to their need (Gilligan and Hird 2012). The distribution strategy thus includes the various ways towards the supply of goods or services towards the customers. The strategy thus includes: Business to business (B2B) distribution The B2B distribution helps Haighs chocolate to connect with the different suppliers and distributers which help the company towards development as well. Business to Customer (B2C) distribution The B2C distribution helps the business to develop a relation with the customers and thus manufactures the product according to the need of customers (Fifield 2012). This helps the business to gain more loyal customers and thus help in profitability of the business as a whole. The distribution channel thus helps the business directly as well as indirectly which helps the business to gain increased loyal employees as well. Thus, it also helps the company to increase the profit sales and helps in competitive scenario a well. Thus, it also helps the business to get positive impact towards the customers and help in retaining productivity as well. Competitor analysis SWOT Analysis Strength Haighs chocolate has a robust branding legacy and has been operating since 1915. The quality of the product is high, and the brand equity is also strong The product has a consistent presence in the many parts of Australia- Victoria, new South Wales and South Australia. The company offers a wide range of chocolates. They are reputed Chocolate manufacturers in Australia, and their packages add to their brand recognition and acceptance among the customers. The variety of chocolates provided by the company is dark chocolate, milk chocolate, liquor chocolate, etc. The pinnacle of success was the alternative provided by the company for Easter Bunny was Easter Bilby. To publicize the company, a tour is conducted year for the public of the factory to show them the making of the chocolate (Hollensen 2015). Weakness The company faces the issue of low market share due to the inability to expand the business. The company's failed to acquire the certification from the Fair Trade Foundation. The company has a weak brand portfolio. The future debts are disturbing issue faced by the company(Ayub 2013) Threat The increase in health consciousness might restrict the sales of the company. Another threat might be the maintenance of the good quality as inadequate storage condition, and discoloring of the chocolate would hamper the brand image. Strong competition by the other strong brands poses a threat to the company as the profitability of the company to restrict too. The change in tax regulations is critical to the growth of the company. The cash flow of the company is low. The cost of the raw materials is rising in the rising inflation. The labor cost in Australia was high and now rising exponentially. The increase in interest rates of the banks and the debts of the company are limiting the growth of the company. Opportunity Online sales and home delivery are new trends that would expand their periphery in the virtual world. Incorporation of the dissemination of gift vouchers to the corporate and reward programs are avenues in which the company should invest more. The expansion of the company in other regions of Australia and gradually escalate to the global platform. The company should bring in some new and varied types of new products and flavors in their chocolates. The demand for the chocolate products is rising and in particular, the brand acceptability is growing sturdily. Positioning The company is a family owned business that focuses on the quality of the product rather the expansion of the company. The pricing placed for the chocolate products are very high; almost equivalent to the pricing range of the global premium chocolate brands like Belgium chocolates (Birchall 2013). The company has positioned themselves as a premium brand that produces handmade fine quality chocolate that would change the experience of the customers about chocolate. Nestle falls into the low price and low quality products. Mayfield falls into the same category as Nestle. However, it falls into the lower range of the category. Cadbury produces varied kind of products from very high range of price and quality to very low range of price and quality. Thus, on an average, the company fall into the lower range of the high price and high quality product category. Haighs chocolate falls into the high quality and high price category (Figure 2). Thus, the positioning map of the four companies cl early defines the marketing segment they are targeting, and the comprehension of the positioning of the companies within the market is made definite by the positioning chart (Cheung and Jansen 2014). Competitors Haighs chocolate faces major competition from Cadbury, Nestle and Mayfield Chocolates in Australia. Cadbury and Nestle are global brands that have major shares in the Australian market. Mayfield Chocolates are comparatively new brand. However, the expansion model adopted by the company might pose serious problems for Haighs chocolate. Cadbury is the strongest competitor for the Haighs chocolate as Cadbury is a global brand and has the capability to offer a varied range of products and with a wide range pricing. Whereas, Haighs chocolate offers high quality products with high pricing. This factor is instrumental in restricting the market segment that Haighs chocolate is targeting. Consequently, this clearly explains the restricted growth of the company in comparison to the other companies (Wilson and Gilligan 2012). Recommendations Haighs Chocolates is a company which is perceived by the customers as one which makes premium chocolates and are the masters of the art of chocolate making. The company, however, seems hesitant to expand its business beyond the boundaries of Australia due to low market share. It enjoys more loyalty from its older customers compared to the young ones who often chose its competitors over the company. Therefore, Haighs chocolates must indulge in intelligent and effective marketing strategies to make a strong customer base. The company also has a weak brand portfolio. Hence, the company owners must give a try to introduce more types of products other than chocolates. The company must also make adequate strategies to make its business a global one, for a lot of opportunities wait for Haighs chocolates if they cross the boundaries of its origin country. Conclusions: Haighs is well known for its chocolate manufacturing across the country and thus gain satisfied customers around the country. The business thus effectively implements strategies that help the business to attract more customers and thus help in gaining competitive advantage as well. The business thus implements effective pricing and promotional strategies which further help the company to increase the profit sales of the company as well. The business also incorporates the distribution strategy which helps to satisfy the need of the customers and thus help in increasing the quality of products as well. The company faces various challenges in the expansion as Australian companies face high labor cost which also affects the economic structure of the company. The company also faces the threat from competitors regarding low cost flow and thus stands as a constraint on the expansion of the market as well. The effective strategies and positioning of the company help Haigh's Chocolate to gain sustainability and also helps in retaining loyal customers towards the business. References Australian food history timeline. (1910). Australian food history timeline-Haigh's Chocolates founded. Ayub, A., Razzaq, A., Aslam, M.S. and Iftekhar, H., 2013. A conceptual framework on evaluating SWOT analysis as the mediator in strategic marketing planning through marketing intelligence. European Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 2(1), pp.91-98. Birchall, A., 2013. Niche working a treat. Management Today, (July 2013), p.30. Cheung, M. and Jansen, M.L., 2014. Positioning map views to show more optimal route information. U.S. Patent 8,676,489. Czinkota, M. and Ronkainen, I., 2012.International marketing. Cengage Learning, 22(1), pp.32-38. Devin Mancuso - Digital Product Designer. (2016). Haigh's Chocolates E-Commerce | Devin Mancuso. Ferrell, O.C. and Hartline, M., 2012.Marketing strategy, text and cases. Nelson Education, 12(1), pp. 124-132. Fifield, P., 2012.Marketing strategy. Routledge, 23(1), pp. 58-64. Gilligan, C. and Hird, M., 2012.International marketing: strategy and management(Vol. 17). Routledge, 36(1), pp. 55-64. Hartley, S., 2013. Darrell Lea's rocky road. Hitt, M., Ireland, R.D. and Hoskisson, R., 2012. Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning. Hollensen, S., 2015. Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Huang, R. and Sarigll, E., 2012. How brand awareness relates to market outcome, brand equity, and the marketing mix.Journal of Business Research,65(1), pp.92-99. Uhlenbruck, K.N., 2014. BMGT 604.60: Competitive Strategy. Wilson, R.M. and Gilligan, C., 2012. Strategic marketing management. Routledge. Wilson, R.M. and Gilligan, C., 2012.Strategic marketing management. Routledge, 32(2), pp.48-54.

Language Acquisition Essays - Language Acquisition, Linguistics

Language Acquisition Language acquisition is the process of learning a native or a second language. Although how children learn to speak is not perfectly understood, most explanations involve both the observation that children copy what they hear and the inference that human beings have a natural aptitude for understanding grammar. Children usually learn the sounds and vocabulary of their native language through imitation, and grammar is seldom taught to them; that they rapidly acquire the ability to speak grammatically. This supports the theory of Noam Chomsky (1959). that children are able to learn the grammar of a particular language because all intelligible languages are founded on a deep structure of universal grammatical rules that corresponds to an innate capacity of the human brain. Adults learning a second language pass through some of the same stages, as do children learning their native language. In the first part of this paper I will describe the process of language acquisition. The second part will review how infants respond to speech. Language Acquisition Language is multifaceted. It contains both verbal and non-verbal aspects that children seem to acquire quickly. Before birth virtually all the neurons (nerve cells) are formed, and they migrate into their proper locations in the brain in the infant. When a baby is born, it can see and hear and smell and respond to touch, but only dimly. The brain stem, a primitive region that controls vital functions like heartbeat and breathing, has completed its wiring. Elsewhere the connections between neurons are wispy and weak. But over the first few months of life, the brain's higher centers explode with new synapses. This helps an infant to be biologically prepared to face the stages of language acquisition. According to the textbook Child Development: A Thematic Approach, 3rd Edition (D. Bukatko & M.W. Daehler, 1996, p. 252) there are four main components to language acquisition. These components are phonology, semantics, syntax and pragmatics. Phonology is the study of how speech sounds are organized and how they function. It is the main linguistic accomplishment during the first year of life. The phonology of language refers to fundamental sounds units and the rules for combining them. Each language has a certain number of sounds called phonemes. Phonemes are the smallest unit of sound that affects the meaning of a word. Infants are able to identify hundreds of variations of sounds. For example, an infant who is six months old can detect the difference between ma and pa. An infant`s first year is mainly receiving messages but also working on being able to produce messages. As they physically develop infants form the ability to make sounds. Some of these initial sounds are cooing, vowel like utterances occasionally accompanied by consonants and babbling which are consonant-vowel combinations. During the first 6 months of life, physiological changes, such as the shape of oral cavity, tongue development, motor control of lips, and tooth eruption, also take place that contribute to speech development. One of the infants task is to identify phonemes. According to the textbook (D.Bukatko & M.W. Daehler, 1996, p. 202) infants show an early sensitivity to prosody, which is patterns of intonation, stress, and rhythm that communicate meaning in speech; the fluctuations of the voice. For example, raising your voice to ask a question or lowering it to let the infant know you are serious. This helps infants to learn the phonology of their language and prepares them for the next stage of learning which is semantics. Semantics is the meaning of words or combination of words. Shortly before babies have their first birthday, they begin to understand words, and around that birthday, they start to produce them (Clark, 1993). Words are usually produced in isolation. This one-word stage can last from two months to a year. Children's first words are similar all over the planet. About half the words are for objects: food (juice, cookie), body parts (eye, nose), clothing (diaper, sock), vehicles (car, boat), toys (doll, block), and household items (bottle, light, animals (dog, kitty), and people (dada, baby). At this time children usually start to use gestures to call attention to an object or event defined as protodeclarative communication. Protoimperative communication is the use of a gesture to issue a command or request. For example a child throws his bottle down to show that they no longer want it or they point at specific objects they want the parent to see. Around 18 months, language changes in two ways. Vocabulary growth increases and the child begins to learn words at a rate of one every two

Essay on The Civil War in the United States in 1861-1865 part 2

Essay on The Civil War in the United States in 1861-1865 part 2 Essay on The Civil War in the United States in 1861-1865 part 2 Essay on The Civil War in the United States in 1861-1865 part 2Essay on The Civil War in the United States in 1861-1865 part  1South was lack of basic necessities. Its small industry worked for the war effort, and sea blockade prevented export of cotton to Europe and getting food and medication. Although the human and material resources of the South were at the limit, its military power has not yet been broken.In the spring of 1863, under the command of Lee, southerners again dealt a severe blow to the federal army on the Virginia portion, but it was the last major victory of the rebels. Human resources of the North were huge, former slaves appeared to be good soldiers. Industry of the North, which ended the industrial revolution, worked at full capacity, farmers expanded supply of agricultural products (they purchased cotton in England or replaced with wool), thousands of immigrants came to the states.The army of Lee was stopped at Gettysburg (PA) and dropped back to Virginia in J uly 1863, and the Grant troops took Confederate stronghold on the river Mississippi. This marked a turning point in the war. In the spring of 1864, federal troops began an offensive in the west in the heart of the Confederacy Georgia. In the fall, General William Sherman took the largest industrial center of the South, Atlanta, and began famous march to the sea. On April 9, 28,000 army of Lee was surrendered, as well as troops of the other generals of the South (175 thousand people). Thus ended the civil war, which killed over 600 thousand people from both sides (Mousseau, 2012).Lincoln’s deathOn April 14, 1865, in the theater Lincoln was shot by the actor Booth, fanatic killers. It was the revenge of the slaveholders. Lincolns death plunged America into mourning. He gained respect and love of people of different political views and beliefs. Consistently following the universal values in politics and in life, unselfish and friendly, a great American, was one of the few polit ical figures of his time, who impressed even the supporters of revolutionary class struggle.Lincoln did not sought to the dictatorship in relation to the South. He wanted to restore the US on the same, equal to all states constitutional basis, with the only condition the recognition of the abolition of slavery. He considered magnanimity to the defeated, restoration of their political rights the most appropriate course of promoting civil peace. Life has shown, however, that solving problems of post-war reconstruction of the South was not so easy, and events have gone in a different direction than Lincoln relied.Reconstruction Era (18651877)   Slavery was abolished in the country irrevocably by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which was approved in April by the Senate, and by 3/4 of the states in December, 1865. There remained unresolved specific questions of the further existence of the South the conditions of admission of the former Confederate states into the Union, posi tion of former slave owners and freed slaves, device power and others. In the US, there was no consensus in ruling circles in this respect. A group of influential congressional Republicans headed by Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner insisted on a military dictatorship over the South, deprivation of active participants of the rebellion of civil rights and providing them to blacks.After the death of Lincoln, disagreement between the President and Congress worsened. The new President Andrew Johnson, a former vice president, continued Lincoln’s course. He had neither fame nor the authority of his predecessor, and the practical results of the first peacekeeping policy turned against him. He adopted the decree of amnesty in May 1865, which restored the planters in civil, political and proprietary rights (except the right to have slaves).Confiscated during the war plantations were returned to former owners, who forced and threatened black population to work for former owner. There branched terrorist organizations, including the famous Ku Klux Klan. Having power, they adopted black codes laws that deprived former slaves land property rights, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, assembly and meetings, right to marry whites, and so on (Harvey, 2012).In July 1866, Congress passed the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. It deprived the leaders of the Confederation of the right to hold public office, and equalized the rights of blacks with whites. Radical Reconstruction meant the forced democratization of life in the South, with the support of the army, which entered southern states, but without unleashing terror and dictatorship.The agrarian question was decided by a resolution to buy property. By 1880, almost total illiteracy among blacks reduced to 70%. By the end of the 60s, in the southern states they actively used their political rights and were elected even to Congress. Constitution of the southern states was revised, which was a decisive factor in i ts acceptance to union on a new basis.A booming capitalism in a natural, evolutionary way leveled the differences between the North and the South, and in the 70s Radical Reconstruction gradually diminished. As the Democratic Party stepped up its mass base, including the expense of the farmers and poor whites of the South, the Republican lost its former influence over the masses. In 1876, presidential candidate of the Democrats, Samuel J. Tilden (NY) received more votes than Republican Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio. However, the election results were reviewed and majority was given to Hayes. Leaders of both parties made a deal: the US president was a Republican in exchange for a commitment to withdraw federal troops from the territory of the South.Meaning of the Civil War and Reconstruction Era   Both events were a single entity, and went far beyond the military victory of the North over the South. Conflict of free enterprise and plantation slavery can be seen as a conflict between t wo forms of ownership and diametrically opposed types of work organization of capital: slavery excludes wage labor, and vice versa.The main outcome of the Civil War was the abolishment of slavery. The remaining components of the US economy industry, commerce, agriculture farm developed before the war. In the northeast United States, the industrial revolution ended before the 60s. The Civil War temporarily reduced the rate of economic growth, but ultimately it prepared the development of capitalism on a much broader basis. Adopted in 1862 Homestead Act was the most progressive solution of the agrarian question, and the Republican Party, staying in power from 1861 to 1884, held a series of activities for the benefit of entrepreneurs.As for the South, after the Civil War it still was behind the North and West of the USA. Part of plantations were transferred to new owners, a part was divided into small plots and leased. Still mostly blacks worked on plantations, but as farm laborers or tenant sharecroppers, giving part of the harvest to the owner.The abolition of slavery created a crucial prerequisite for the formation of the labor market in the South, but it was not fully formed even in the years of radical Reconstruction. The main obstacle was the fact of racial discrimination black Americans usually could get only the most difficult and dirty work. Black people in general remained at the position of lower class, although a small portion of them became educated people, owners and even entrepreneurs.Reconstruction could not solve all the problems of turning the South into the same region of the US, as free north and west. However, it pushed the events follow the evolutionary path.ConclusionIt took almost a century the struggle of black Americans for their civil rights to culminate in the actual, real success. This occurred not only under the influence of their own struggle, which took sometimes violent forms, but also because of the evolution of American societ y on the way of recognition of human values and respect for human rights, which for the first time were proclaimed in America in 1776. The first step in this direction was made by the great document abolishing slavery, signed by Abraham Lincoln.The civil war between northern and southern states was the inevitable consequence of the contradictions between the two social systems in the country. The question of slavery, which was entirely determined by the economic and political interests of the planters, was the key issue. Maximum program of the most aggressive circles of the South was turning the US into a single slave power, but they were quite satisfied with separation from the Union as an independent state (Carroll, 2011).In the winter-spring 1861, Confederation of 11 southern states was formed. On April 13, southerners unleashed hostilities with shelling federal Fort Sumter in Charleston bay (South Carolina), whose small garrison capitulated and lowered the American flag. Thus be gan a four-year Civil War the most bloody and destructive of all that took place on the territory of the United States. The turning point in the war in favor of the free states was achieved through conducting it in a revolutionary way. Homestead Acts from May 20, and the act of freeing the slaves from September 22, 1862 had a crucial meaning. While South was lack of basic necessities, the north finished industrial revolution. On April 9, 1864 the victory was taken by the north and there started Reconstruction Era (1865-1877). The main outcome of the Civil War was the abolishment of slavery.

How To Make Scented and Colored Bath Salts

How To Make Scented and Colored Bath Salts This is a recipe for making scented, colored bath salts. Difficulty: Average Time Required: 15 minutes Heres How: Mix salts together in a bowl.Stir in remaining ingredients. Generally a drop of two of fragrance is sufficient. Use ingredients containing water with care (color, certain fragrances), since too much water will dissolve salt.Spoon salts into the jars and seal them. Decorative labels listing ingredients are nice! Tips: Make certain jars are absolutely dry. Salts absorb moisture, so this project will work better in low humidity.Kitchen fragrances work well. Try extracts of vanilla, lemon, orange, cinnamon, or mint.Not all essential oils are appropriate for bathing! Suggestions to try include lavendar, rose geranium, rosemary, or jojoba.Colors or fragrances may be omitted, if desired, for persons with chemical sensitivities.Some essential oils are naturally colored (e.g., chamomile is blue). What You Need: 2 C Epsom Salts1 C Sea Salt or Rock Salt1/4 tsp GlycerineFood ColorsEssential Oils or PerfumeJars with Lids/Stoppers

Discussion Question Week 2-1D Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Question Week 2-1D - Essay Example This difference between research questions and hypotheses can also be comprehended with the help of a simple example: Research Question – What percentage of people living in Ireland prefer cold-coffee over conventional coffee? Hypothesis – On average, 50-60% of population living in Ireland prefer cold-coffee over conventional coffee. Therefore, in one sense, research hypothesis is an assumption made by the researcher in response to a formalized research question, which helps in the assessment of researcher’s personal knowledge and approach on the subject over which study is intended. Further, it is not always possible that a research hypothesis is proven to be the right answer for the research question by results of study, and in this case, researcher explores the reason why his/her generalizations got wrong. 2. Extraction of Research Question from Hypothesis: Example 1: Sample Hypothesis: The effects of changing climate will have no contributions in Malaria pene tration into Alaskan population.

The Basic Function Of Strategic Management Accounting Essay

The Basic Function Of Strategic Management Accounting - Essay Example In terms of capital investment decisions, Tesco Plc should set up more grocery outlets in other communities. Based on prior feasibility studies done on a prospective new location, Tesco will use both investor funds (retained earnings reserved for branch expansions), and long-term borrowings to finance another big Tesco grocery outlet. In terms of the evaluation of multidivisional companies, Tesco Plc should conduct classify each multi-divisional company as cost and revenue centers. Each company will generate its own financial statements. Thus, the financial statements will indicate the number of a multi-divisional company under Tesco Plc that generates profits. Likewise, the same financial statements will vividly indicate the number of multi-divisional companies generating net losses (Garrison, 2003). The strategic management accounting system of Tesco Plc focuses on ascertaining if the company’s final reports conform to international accounting standards.The strategic managem ent accountant of Tesco is a driving force to develop a global accounting system is the desire to underwrite securities in any, or all, of the world's capital markets using a single set of financial statements. Currently, the Tesco Stocks are listed in the stock exchanges. A positive incentive for a capital market to support a global accounting system is the enhancement of its volume of business by being able to participate in underwritings in other capital markets.   Reinforcing the positive incentive is the realization that a capital market, which ignores the development of a global accounting system, may find itself with a unique set of accounting standards while the rest of the world relies on a common set of accounting standards. This would lead to an irretrievable loss of business (Brigham & Houston, 2002). Heely (1993;25) emphasized â€Å"the globalization of corporate activity, coupled with

Bsa 375 Week 2 Individual Paper Essay Example for Free

Bsa 375 Week 2 Individual Paper Essay IT Solutions: Proposal for New HR System By University of Phoenix BSA/375 09/02/2013 Proposal for New Human Resource System In our quest to ever better ourselves the IT department, of Riordan Manufacturing, is submitting this Request for Proposal to integrate a more sophisticated, state-of-the art, information systems technology in our Human Resources department. Riordan Manufacturing has always strived to better ourselves by keeping up with technology in all of our operating systems and our manufacturing systems. Our goal is to remain at the forefront of the manufacturing community as we keep leading the way in all of our business systems and, at the same time, keeping the feel of a customer friendly company. We want to make sure that our customers can feel safe in the knowledge that we will do what is necessary to fulfill their business needs. As of now, our Human Resource, (HR), Operating System, (OS), has fallen short of this goal. Please understand that the system that is in place, while it has the ability to complete the task at hand is not sufficient enough for our growing organization. Right now, we are running many separate applications to process all of the HR system requirements. This process is not only time consuming, but is not a cost efficient solution that this company is looking for. If we want to accomplish our goal we need to combine all the old HR systems into a single integrated application. The IT department is looking to complete this project in approximately six (6) months, so the new system can be utilized in the second quarter of next year. We want to have a prototype system available for testing in approximately two (2) months before final system deployment, for training and technical support purposes. Our goal is to have all training and any problems fixed one (1) month before start up. This way we will have time to apply any necessary changes to the system. The new HR system will have many applications that can be used across most of our other business systems from Marketing and Sales to Inventory and  Warehousing. We are hoping for companywide training to be completed within four (4) months of startup, making the new system available for all departments before the end of the third (3rd) quarter. Below are some requirements that will need to be accomplished so that the process of integrating the new HR system will go smoothly. Access the Stakeholders Involved in System Startup The first step in setting up the new Human Resource Application, (HRA), is to gather information about the system requirements and user needs from everyone that will be involved in the startup and rollout of the new system. The process of gathering information from involved stakeholders can be a tedious process if the wrong techniques are used. So, to expedite this in an orderly and timely manner we will be passing out questioners to all members of the Human Resource Department and to all Department heads. Using Questioners will help the IT department get an idea of what requirements are expected from the new system. It is not cost efficient to talk to each employee so, it would be very beneficial for all that every questioner is filled out in a timely manner. We will be emailed to each employee on Monday September 9th, 2013 and would like a response no later than Thursday September 12th, 2013, (for processing purposes). Questioners will also be available on the Employee Web Site under HR applications. Another technique of gathering the needed information will be to conduct group meetings with the HR department executives and managers. The IT department will be holding Joint Application Development, (JAD), sessions starting Monday September 16th, 2013. These sessions are managed processes that the IT department uses to gather information in an efficient, cohesive manner. We want to use team involvement so that we can gain a firm understanding of what you, the client, will want out of the new HR system. The JAD session will help all of us jointly develop the new system. Ensuring Successful Gathering of Project Information We, in the IT department, want to make sure that every system requirement that maybe be asked for will be deployed at the time of the system prototype introduction. To insure that this goal is accomplished we must gather correct, concise and relevant information from each of you, the stakeholders  involved in the system development. Gathering good information will help us develop the system molded to what you want. We understand that the information gathering process can be a daunting task, but with your help we can make this as painless as possible. Remember, without your input on this project the IT department cannot rollout a system that will be an effective tool for Human Resources and the rest of Riordan Manufacturing. The ability to gather good information is the most important process in all parts of every System Development Life Cycle, (SDLC), and with everyone’s support in this process the system rollout will go smoothly. Developing the Project Scope and Project Fea sibility Riordan Manufacturing wants all projects that go into development to be successful. If we want the new Human Resource system to be successful we will need to institute a project scope system. Even with the feedback and involvement of each stakeholder and the success of other projects delivered from the IT department there is a chance that this new system can still fail. At any given time there will be necessary changes to the project. These changes can have a negative effect, but our goal is to remain focused on the system requirements. We want to delivers the new system on time and under budget with the required functions that are expected. Our plan is to set up a system to manage key aspects of the new systems development: * Project Size – Understand how large this project will be * Project Goals – Make sure goals are set and achievable * Project Requirements – All system requirements are carried out To deliver a finished project that meets the goals above our Project Scope will need to follow a these five (5) steps: * Project Initiation – evaluate the need of the new system and deliver appropriate solutions. * Scope Planning – Create a feasible Work Breakdown Structure, (WBS) that charts all the work that will be done on this project. * Scope Definition – Working with you, the end user, expand in detail the work breakdown the will be needed. * Scope Verification – Timely scheduled work assessment and acceptability checks by the end user and the IT department during the SDLC of the new application. * Scope Change Control – Put a formal system in place to control any system changes that will take place. This will  limit Scope Creep, (Unauthorized access to changes to the system). As you can see, applying proper scope management will be crucial in the development of the new Human Resource system. Conclusion To stay as one of the leaders in manufacturing we must keep trying to evolve. While we at Riordan Manufacturing have strived to be the best in the industry there are occasions when we must look into ourselves and see what changes are needed so that we can remain an innovator in manufacturing techniques while still being a customer friendly organization. The current Human Resource system has fallen behind and is keeping us from maintaining all that we have set out to accomplish. Integrating a more sophisticated, state-of-the art, information system in our Human Resource department will accomplish more than just the above goal. It will streamline our business applications into an easy to use easily accessible system that will be cost efficient with little maintenance. This is what we have always strived to accomplish and this new system will keep us on track. With proper planning, creating a good project scope, gathering good, reliable and relevant information and with your constant in volvement throughout the SDLC of the new HR system we will be guaranteed of a successful project completion and rollout. Thank You. IT System Manager 09/01/2013 References Wich, Darren. 2009. â€Å"Project Scope Management† IS 6840. Online http://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/6840_f09_papers/Wich/scopemanagement.html Heldman, Kim. PMP, April 14th, 2009. â€Å"The Importance of the Project Scope Statement†. Lakewood, Colorado. Online. http://pm.97things.oreilly.com/wiki/index.php/The_Importance_of_the_Project_Scope_Statement Blankenburg, Joanne. September 9th, 2012 â€Å"Use Joint Application Design (JAD)

Essay --

Hadirin yang dihormati sekalian, Adakah anda masih ingat kepada pesan ibu dan bapa yang selalu mengingatkan bahawa rajinlah belajar agar jalan kehidupan tersedia luas terbentang untukmu? Ingatkah kita kepada kata-kata Plato dan Confucius berbunyi â€Å"tuntutlah ilmu hingga ke negeri China†. Mengapa hadirin, sejak dari zaman dahulu hingga ke hari ini dan di setiap pelosok dunia sama ada di Eropah, Afrika mahupun Asia, pandangan terhadap pendidikan ialah sama iaitu pendidikan merupakan asas perkembangan umat manusia. Tetapi mengapa pendidikan menjadi begitu penting kepada kita? Hadirin yang saya muliakan sekalian, pendidikan dapat melatih minda manusia untuk berfikir dengan lebih luas dan rasional. Melalui pendidikan, pengetahuan maklumat dapat diluaskan dan digunakan untuk kebaikan bersama. Sebagaimana yang diungkapkan Daoed Joesoef (1986) tentang pentingnya suatu pendidikan yang mana beliau menyatakan bahawa "Pendidikan merupakan segala bidang penghidupan, dalam memilih dan membina hidup yang baik, yang sesuai dengan martabat manusia" dan sudah tentulah daripada pernyataan tersebut kita dapat menyimpulkan bahawa mempunyai pendidikan pada masa sekarang merupakan hal yang sangat penting kerana jika kita tidak mempunyai pendidikan kita tidak akan kemana-mana. Tanpa pendidikan dan tanpa kemahiran membaca, capaian pelbagai akses terhadap pelbagai bentuk pengetahuan seperti buku, internet atau media lainnya sama sekali tidak memungkinkan kita untuk melangkah maju ke hadapan. Pendidikan merupakan tunj ang utama kepada pembentukan modal insan yang akan membantu kepada pembangunan negara. Pendidikan mempunyai impak yang besar ke atas pelbagai peluang kehidupan manusia agar masa depan seseorang tersebut terjamin dan kualiti kehidupannya terpelih... .... Kesimpulannya, corak pendidikan yang diaplikasikan di Malaysia adalah lebih menyeluruh kerana ia merangkumi aspek fizikal dan rohani. Pendidikan di Malaysia bukan sahaja ingin membentuk pelajarnya yang aktif dan cemerlang dalam kurikulum dan kokurikulum malah ia juga memberi fokus kepada kelengkapan rohani dan moral agar pelajar yang dilahirkan sempurna dari segala segi. Maka dengan itu hadirin, saya sekali lagi menegaskan, pendidikan ini bukan sahaja penting untuk mengembangkan minda dan bakat manusia, malah ia juga penting untuk memacu legasi pembangunan negara. Ini adalah kerana pendidikan merupakan nadi kepada pencetus kegemilangan dan martabat sesebuah negara tersebut. Oleh itu, penting sekali untuk kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia dalam melancarkan aspirasi negara iaitu mencapai kecemerlangan dalam pendidikan untuk menaikkan nama negara di persada antarabangsa.

Managing AIDS

Introduction In the situation with Frank Deloisio, a middle manager who had AIDS, Jean Langone Smith had one of the greatest tests of her career. She was encountered a case of the type which so many managers can come across, as one in every 250 Americans has been diagnosed with the plague of the twentieth century, yet the situation is so delicate that few books can help a person in managing position to sort out the ethical issues that relate to it. Managing AIDS: Issues To Confront In a sense, managing a person diagnosed with AIDS is similar to managing any other person who has been diagnosed with a different terminal illness like cancer or tuberculosis in the final stages. However, AIDS is a special social phenomenon due to the stigma associated with this contagious disease. It has come to symbolize the bohemian lifestyle of the homosexuals and prostitutes, and many people feel that a person is to blame for having incurred such a condition. Besides, despite the medical professionals’ assurances, there are still fears that a person with this condition may infect somebody in the environment, which makes the removal of such a person from the group desirable for some. One more issue that was associated with AIDS in Frank’s case was his frequent absences. He in some ways had to use Jean and others to be able to pay for his disease. The employees at DEC had to put in extra time and carry the extra workload to compensate for his frequent treatments. Besides, people were not even informed about the reason of his absences, and thus had a reason to believe that he was merely using them to take time off work to attend to his personal matters. Utilitarian Perspective If Jean had viewed the happenings from a utilitarian perspective, she would merely be concerned with the consequences of her decisions, and in evaluating those consequences, her primary focus would be the amount of happiness or unhappiness of the people that would result from it. Thus, dismissal of Frank Deloisio seems a plausible option. If he had been fired for his illness, the company would have to replace him with a different person who would most likely be able to handle the responsibilities, devoting more time to them. Then all the employees would be happy, as they would be relieved of their extra responsibility. As for Frank, he would be less important, as his troubles are those of a single person. Deontological Perspective From a deontological view, it is necessary to do what is right regardless of the consequences. The view taken and the practical steps depend on the stance adopted towards what is right or wrong. Thus, if the right thing is standing by the sick person, then the right thing is to help Frank in his predicament, sharing his responsibilities. One could say that a sick person is not able to care for oneself, and thus it is correct from the ethical standpoint to share the benefits available to other people to help the sick one. On the other hand, if one adopts the view that the ultimate good is efficiency, then Frank’s dismissal is a viable option as he is clearly in the way of the company’s success. His replacement with a different person would contribute to the efficient functioning of the company as a whole. Fairness to AIDS-Infected Person Fairness means dealing with people honestly and in accordance with principles. In this sense, the manager’s obligation consists in dealing with employees fairly, without bias or prejudice. Thus, a person suffering from AIDS should be dealt with in the same manner as any other person who is suffering from a serious health disorder. This also means that the manager should induce all the employees to treat the one infected with AIDS in the same manner. Thinking about Rights Maintaining the rights of a person requires the adherence to a certain set of principles. For instance, the sick person has the right to confidentiality, and this is what Jean has been trying to do for Frank. Besides, Frank was also entitled to company’s medical insurance, and the full coverage of the costs associated with his illness. Regarding a case from this perspective involves the maintenance of a number of basic principles, but there is always the danger that something might fall through the cracks. For instance, if the person is not entitled to a change in job responsibilities, this will not be pursued by the manager as it is not part of the sick employee’s specified rights. How Jean Did Jean, although unprepared to deal with a situation like that, lived up to the challenge of solving organizational problems in her department. She was not reached by the AIDS programs to the extent that she could derive her knowledge of what she could do from that source, and thus she was acting based on her own ethical judgement. Jean went far beyond what was necessary according to the formalities at the company. She assisted Frank in adjusting his responsibilities to suit his current health conditions, and even had an idea to coin a new position designed for him where he could emphasize his technical skills, without putting pressure on him that he could not handle. When his health deteriorated, she relaxed his responsibilities even further. This raised her authority with the personnel, allowing people at the company to see that she was ready to go beyond what was prescribed by the rules to accommodate her employees. In a way, her own ethical perspective was changed: if previously she looked at the people as professionals, restricting her relationship with them as a purely business one, now she could show that she was ready to see them as unique individuals that are important not only as cogs in the machine. Perhaps the clear-cut nature of the case that involved helping a sick person helped Jean to make a leap from a strict and formal manager to a life-and-blood personality. If Jean had been confronted with a more ethically ambiguous case like accommodating the frustration of person in the middle of a divorce, she would be more tempted to think along the lines, â€Å"They have to cope with their problems on their own†. Facing a situation of someone hopelessly ill changed her behaviour and views. Conclusion Jean did well as she preserved the rights of a sick person, acted fairly, and was good at maintaining the basic principle of helping a sick person. Jean’s actions were also right from the utilitarian perspective in a sense. Supporting an employee in need helped her to uphold her image in the eyes of others, as well as the image of the company. The employees at DEC were able to draw the conclusion that if they fall ill with AIDS, they can probably expect the same sensitive and insightful treatment. This idea is going to boost their morale in the long run, and increase their loyalty for the company. The case made headlines, which is going to serve as positive publicity for DEC, elevating the corporate image. It is perhaps unfair to suspect Jean of such a motivation being her primary driver, but this serves to show that her actions gain support from both deontological and utilitarian perspective.

Early Childhood Educator Essay

The inspiration for the Reggio Emilia approach came from Reggio Emilia, Italy. In Italy, all the preschools are centered on this approach. It is a city run program for children from birth to the age of six (Cyert Center, 2004). The philosophy is that, â€Å"children’s interactions and relationships with other children and adults are a vital component of their learning† (Schiller, 1995). Reggio Emilia schools in the United States, Italy, and other countries around the world differ greatly from standard preschools here in the United States. Some of the key differences and components of the Reggio Emilia program is its role in the community, attention to the environment, and its emergent curriculum which functions as a part of the teachers and the children. Role of the Community The community is a big part of the Reggio Emilia schools. There are regularly scheduled meetings for parents to take part in. These meetings are scheduled in the evening so that working parents are able to attend. The parents and teachers discuss issues regarding school policies, child development concerns, and curriculum planning and evaluations (Wikipedia, 2007). The parents are involved in the whole process of the education of their children. Teachers send home journals of children’s thoughts and ideas expressed in class. This kind of cooperation among teachers and parents make learning on the children’s part much easier and complete. Attention to the Environment According to Lilian G. Katz, â€Å"The physical environment of a preschool center is considered a ‘teacher’ in and of itself! † (Katz, 1990). This holds true in a Reggio Emilia school. The environment is considered the â€Å"third† teacher to the students attending this kind of program. The building itself and classrooms are filled with indoor plants, vines, and lots of natural light. Natural light enters the classrooms through wall-sized windows letting the children connect with the outside world. All of the classrooms have a door to the outside and open to a center piazza. Each classroom flows well with each other and the surrounding community. The lunch rooms, courtyards and bathrooms are designed in a way to encourage community among all the students (Wikipedia, 2007). Incorporated into each school is a common space available to all children in the school that includes dramatic play and work tables (Cyert Center, 2004). Each classroom is connected with a phone, passageway or a window. The classrooms are equipped with art centers called atelier (Gandini, 1993). In the atelier are easels, watercolors, crayons, markers, paper, and any art materials children need to be creative. Another part of the classroom has books about artists and a place where children can read comfortably (Schiller, 1995). Displayed around the classroom, among all the photographs of the children and carefully placed mirrors in the school, are works completed by the children with transcriptions of their discussions about the work. The physical environment of a preschool center is considered a ‘teacher’ in and of itself! † (Katz, 1990). Emergent Curriculum There is no time schedule where at some part of the day the students are learning about science, then language arts, and then math. The kind of schedule the students follow is that there is a group meeting when the students arrive in the morning. Then there is a work period, play period, lunch time, play time, nap time, and then another work period or play period (Hertzog, 2001). For their work period, there is no set curriculum that the teachers must follow. The curriculum is an emergent curriculum which is child centered. Emergent means that is builds upon the interests of the child. The teachers have broad goals but can follow the lead and interests of the children (Schiller, 1995). During the work periods, a teacher will work with one small group on their project while the other students are engaged in self selected activities. The projects are teacher directed and child initiated and begins with the teacher observing the children and asking the children questions on a topic that interests the child. The students then do in depth studies of the content that interests the children of that group (Wikipedia, 2007). The project moves in unanticipated directions. To avoid confusion the teachers help children make decisions about direction of study, how to research the topic, and how to represent the topic (Cyert Center, 2004). The projects can range in length from one week to the whole school year. When the students are content to be complete with their project they depict their knowledge through drawing, sculpting, dramatic play, or writing. At every school, there is a visual art specialist, an atelierista, who works closely with the other teachers and children (Gandini, 1993). The atelierista guides the children into appropriate media choices to complete their ideas and projects. Because art is such an integral part of all activities, the students’ old works, finished and unfinished, are available to them to finish or add on. While they work on their art projects, the teachers talk to the children and write down any thoughts or ideas the students have. They display the students’ discussions with their art work around the classroom and school (Schiller, 1995). In order for this curriculum to work, the teachers must also learn with the students. The teachers take turns with the following roles: observing, note taking, and recording observations between children. After all observations are recorded, they are shared with other teachers and parents in the planning of the students’ projects. It is crucial that teachers become skillful observers of the children. Their observations guide the curriculum planning and implementation (Wikipedia, 2007). Conclusion The Reggio Emilia approach to learning is a constructivist approach where the students learn at their own pace and guide the curriculum. It is all about the children. The children’s interests lead them into a project that is researched in depth at a level that they can understand. The children’s thoughts and ideas are implemented into the curriculum and planning and are shared with the community. Reggio Emilia works because the children are learning what they want to learn with the help of their parents, teachers, and the community.

Free Essays on Media Comparison

Case Studies in Mass Political Communication The most important tool for any democracy is information. Because by definition the supreme authority within a democracy rests with the people, mass communication becomes an essential element of informed decision making by that aggregate authority. In this way, any manipulation or lack of factual information has serious negative implications for the ability of a body of people to act consciously on its own behalf. Only an informed citizenry can participate in the cognizant decision-making process necessary for the advancement of its own needs. The question then arises as to the current state of mass communication within democracies. Are the media that communicate on a mass scale fulfilling their roles as scrupulous disseminators of information? What biases exist that may affect how the information is presented? How do the effects of these biases translate into the idea of an informed citizenry? All of these inquiries tap into the wide-ranging social implications of mass media. What follows is an analysis of a selected group of American mass media outlets for the purpose of determining strengths, weaknesses, similarities, differences, and biases, all in the context of their social implications. Means The media analysis will focus on five mass media outlets, including both print and broadcast media, and will compare each outlet’s coverage based on two consecutive days of reporting on a particular ongoing issue or story. For the purposes of diversification, three categorically different topics shall be used, which can be classified as international, national, or local news, respectively. For each individual topic, two of the five sources will be compared and contrasted, and have their coverage of the topic examined in terms of framing, journalistic practices, and â€Å"the four information biases that matter†: dramatization, personalization, fragmentation, and authority-disor... Free Essays on Media Comparison Free Essays on Media Comparison Case Studies in Mass Political Communication The most important tool for any democracy is information. Because by definition the supreme authority within a democracy rests with the people, mass communication becomes an essential element of informed decision making by that aggregate authority. In this way, any manipulation or lack of factual information has serious negative implications for the ability of a body of people to act consciously on its own behalf. Only an informed citizenry can participate in the cognizant decision-making process necessary for the advancement of its own needs. The question then arises as to the current state of mass communication within democracies. Are the media that communicate on a mass scale fulfilling their roles as scrupulous disseminators of information? What biases exist that may affect how the information is presented? How do the effects of these biases translate into the idea of an informed citizenry? All of these inquiries tap into the wide-ranging social implications of mass media. What follows is an analysis of a selected group of American mass media outlets for the purpose of determining strengths, weaknesses, similarities, differences, and biases, all in the context of their social implications. Means The media analysis will focus on five mass media outlets, including both print and broadcast media, and will compare each outlet’s coverage based on two consecutive days of reporting on a particular ongoing issue or story. For the purposes of diversification, three categorically different topics shall be used, which can be classified as international, national, or local news, respectively. For each individual topic, two of the five sources will be compared and contrasted, and have their coverage of the topic examined in terms of framing, journalistic practices, and â€Å"the four information biases that matter†: dramatization, personalization, fragmentation, and authority-disor...

Government Sales of Public Land (BLM)

Government Sales of Public Land (BLM) Contrary to bogus advertising, the U.S. government does not offer free or cheap land to the public. However, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, does occasionally sells parcels of publicly-owned land under certain conditions. The federal government has two major categories which it makes land available for sale to the public: real property and public land. Real Property is primarily developed land with buildings, usually acquired by the federal government for specific purposes, such as military bases or office buildings. Persons interested in buying real property should contact the General Services Administration (GSA), which is the federal agency responsible for selling developed surplus property.Public Land is undeveloped land with no improvements, usually part of the original public domain established during the western expansion of the United States. Most of this land is in the 11 Western States and Alaska, although some scattered parcels are in the East. Government Land Fast Facts The U.S. federal government no longer sells land to the public for less than the property’s appraised fair market value.The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) occasionally sells developed real property or undeveloped (raw) publicly-owned land by either direct sales or through competitive bidding at public auctions.Most undeveloped public land sold by the BLM is located in the Western States and Alaska. Developed real property, including buildings and utilities may be located in any part of the country.Under federal law, the BLM is required to hold most land and real property in public ownership, unless its disposal is deemed appropriate by the agency’s land use officials. Not Much Public Land for Sale The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for the sale of surplus public land. Because of congressional restrictions enacted in 1976, the BLM generally retains most public lands in public ownership. However, the BLM does occasionally sell parcels of land where the agency’s land-use planning division finds disposal of surplus is appropriate. What About Land in Alaska? While many people are interested in buying public land for homesteading in Alaska, the BLM advises that due to existing land entitlements to the State of Alaska and to Alaska Natives, no BLM public land sales will be conducted in Alaska for the foreseeable future.   No Water, No Sewer The parcels sold by the BLM are undeveloped land with no improvements (water, sewer, etc.) and are usually located in the western states. The lands are generally rural woodland, grassland, or desert. How the Land is Sold The BLM has three options for selling land: modified competitive bidding where some preferences to adjoining landowners are recognized;direct sale to one party where circumstances warrant; andcompetitive bidding at a public auction. The method of sale is determined by the BLM on a case-by-case basis, depending on the circumstances of each particular parcel or sale. By law, the lands are offered for sale at fair market value. There is No 'Free' Government Land Public lands are sold at not less than fair market value as determined by a federal appraisal. Considerations such as legal and physical access, the highest and best use of the property, comparable sales in the area, and the availability of water all affect the land value. There are no free lands.By law, BLM must have the property to be sold appraised by a qualified appraiser to determine the current market value of the property. The appraisal must then be reviewed and approved by the Department of Interiors Appraisal Services Directorate. The minimum acceptable bid amount for a parcel of land will be established by the Federal appraisal. Who Can Buy Public Land? According to the BLM purchasers of public land must be: United States citizens 18 years of age or older;corporations subject to the laws of the United States or of any state;a U.S. state, state organization, or state political subdivision authorized to hold title or property; orentities capable of conveying and holding lands or interests therein under state law.   Some federal employees are prohibited from buying public land and all buyers are required to submit a Certificate of Eligibility and may be required to submit articles of incorporation or other documentation. Can You Just Buy a Small Home Site? Many people are looking for small lots or parcels suitable for building a single home. While the BLM does occasionally sell small parcels suitable as home sites, the agency will not subdivide parcels of public land in order to facilitate a prospective buyer’s wish to acquire a home site. BLM determines the sizes and configuration of parcels for sale based on factors such as existing land ownership patterns, marketability, and costs of processing. What if You are the Low Bidder? Winning bidders on public land sold by competitive sales or at public auctions are required to submit a non-refundable deposit of no less than 20% of the bid amount before the closing of business on the day of the auction. In addition, all sealed bids must include guaranteed funds, such as a cashier’s check or money order, for no less than 10% of the amount of the bid. Balances of the total sale price must be paid in full within 180 days of the sale date. The public notices of the sales will contain detailed information on the requirements, terms, and conditions applicable to the sale.  Ã‚   How BLM Land Sales are Advertised Land sales are listed in local newspapers and in the Federal Register. In addition, notices of land sales, along with instructions to prospective buyers, are often listed on the various state BLM websites.

An exegetical study of Genesis 32 verses 22-32 Essay

An exegetical study of Genesis 32 verses 22-32 - Essay Example and have prevailed.† 29Then Jacob asked him and said, â€Å"Please tell me your name.† But he said, â€Å"Why is it that you ask my name?† And he blessed him there. 31Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh. 32Therefore to this day, the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip. (New American Standard Bible) The account of Jacob’s wrestling match at the ford of Jabbok is, admittedly, a rather difficult passage to interpret because of the surrealism of the occurrence: In the middle of the night, Jacob decides to send his wives and children and their possessions over the ford (vv. 22-23); from out of nowhere, a man appears and wrestles with Jacob who, for some reason, is left behind or stays behind on the other side of the ford (v. 24); the match goes on for an extended period, that is, until daybreak (v. 24), and Jacob demands for a blessing when the man tries to disengage (v. 26); right there, Jacob’s name is changed to Israel, and the place is named Peniel as well (vv. 28, 30). On the surface, the meaning of the passage is not made immediately clear, for as one goes through it initially, it reads as though it is a dream sequence. However, there seems to be no concrete reason to suppose such. It seems fairly clear that there was an actual crossing that occurred (v. 22), an d that Jacob was physically hurt by the encounter (v. 31b â€Å"†¦and he was limping on his thigh.†). Hence, the passage indicates rather clearly a turning point not only in Jacob’s life, but in the consequent Israelite history, as evidenced by the effects of the nocturnal encounter (v. 32). At any rate, this particular analysis of the narrative focuses on the name changes that are apparent in the text, specifically the change of Jacob’s name to Israel, and the place of the struggle being named Peniel. Such name-changing has

Litigation v. Mediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Litigation v. Mediation - Essay Example f a lawsuit, case, or controversy – which is a contest authorized by the provisions of law, and at a court of justice – which is aimed at the realization or the pursuit of enforcing the breached rights or the expected parts of the deal in question. The participants in such a case are the plaintiff and the defendant – who within the subject of the lawsuit are referred to, as the litigants. Mediation on the other hand, is an ‘alternative dispute resolution’ model, which is used to complement or substitute other modes – as a way of assisting the disputants reach an agreement, through the creation of improved dialogue between them. In such a case, the parties involved are to consider the mediation process – as resolving the dispute to their mutual advantage – besides facilitation by an impartial mediator. Considering that the dispute is of a business nature, it is conclusive that the right or the duty to be enforced must have some financial value – as well as a time-span within which its value may be perceived. Therefore, in the case the legal pursuit is to extend to the level – which the value of the legal practice or pursuit exceeds the value of the breached agreement; then from a business perspective, the pursuit will not be logical or rational. On the basis of this argument, mediation as opposed to litigation is a better option; as it will require less time and cost incurrence. The advantages that Alexander is likely to enjoy, in the case he chooses to take mediation instead of litigation include the following: A timely resolution of the dispute, which is basically – because the neutral and experienced third-party will push for increased dialogue between the disputants, from which better understanding of the dispute premises will be established, therefore making the case easier to resolve. In this regard, the better understanding as well as the pursuit for voluntary agreement and mutual advantage will enable the disputants to arrive at

Theories of Late Capitalism in the World System Essay

Theories of Late Capitalism in the World System - Essay Example The global market was significantly expanding in the late 1960s and early 1970s, resulting to rivalry on both the US labor and capital. Moreover, the post-war long cycles of expansion saw the US manufacturers investing enormously in fixed capital and capacity building such that by late 1960s, profits margins for these investors were beginning to decline due to the significantly high capital-labor ratio of operations. Rephrasing this, the huge amounts of â€Å"sunk costs† especially in the form of plant, equipment, or fixed capital, had enormous eroding impacts on their profit rates. These changes in the realignment of the global market and the actual production conditions led to the abandonment of Keynesian economics, contrary to what Keynesian and liberal partisan claims. Actually, it was globalization of capital and then labor, making the New Deal-type and Keynesian economic policies loose their favor to capitalist profitability, paving way for Neoliberal and Ronald Reagan a usterity economics (Wallerstein 132). This is according to the theory of capitalist crisis, globalization, and theory of falling profit rates emphasized by Harvey and Frieden. The integral dynamics of capitalism lies at the center of the theory of falling profit rates. ... Part 2 With the falling profit rates, political leaders sought to make some amendments to capital accumulation laws and regulation with an objective of increasing or maintaining rates of profits. These changes came in as state policies seeking to regulate capitalism, essentially raising the living standards of the working class and their working conditions and increase capitalist profits (Harvey 168). Consequently, capitalist states introduced social welfare cuts, geographic expansion of capitalist production, and a series of mergers, acquisitions, and bankruptcy. These policies brought together led to the revival of profitability, particularly in the US beginning early 1980s. Lean production generalization through service and industry significantly increased the rate of exploitation (labor productivity). The series of mergers, bankruptcies, and acquisitions was the primary source of the financial sector growth, leading to desertion of old and inefficient operations. Political leader s also enacted regulations to reduce production capacity in some industries such as steel production, leading to a shift of investment to other fields of production (diversification of steel production into oil exploration). The boundaries of the world economy expanded due to the construction of global production chains, enabling labor-intensive operations shift to low-wage regions in the global south (Postone, 15). The economic policies of neoliberal capitalist states encouraged capital restructuring. The deregulation of labor and capital markets, together fiscal policies that focused on disinflation, enabled capitalist firms to respond to rising profits with more equipment and plant investment (majorly inventory systems

Strategic Analysis Of Nestle Company Management Essay

Strategic Analysis Of Nestle Company Management Essay The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the strategic decisions that have occurred over the corporate history of Nestle mentioned in the case and to what extent has Mergers and Acquisitions and Strategic Alliances played a role in NESTLEs strategy in that period. In order to evaluate these strategic decisions, the paper shall outline Nestlà ©s historical strategic decisions; give a brief description of each decision and how mergers and acquisitions contributed to the growth of the company. The paper goes on to explain the current strategies of Nestlà © and how sustainable these strategies may be in the future. It explains the rationalisation of these current strategies and the new strategies that ought to be developed. The paper then looks at the future strategies of Nestle to outline the issues that are likely to be faced when these strategies are implemented .Likely actions are then suggested which may help give solutions to problems faced by Nestle on implementation of its future strategies. The strategic decisions involve new product development, extensive research development and entry into new product category which were mostly achieved through mergers and acquisitions. The current strategy was noted as unsustainable in the long term due to the fact that most of the products of Nestlà © cannot be classified as healthy .The suggestion made was that Nestle should come up with strategies that will make them healthier than their competitors. Nestlà ©s future strategies were also scrutinized and possible solutions given to overcome some of the strategic implementation issues the organization is likely to face. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Evaluate the strategic decisions that have occurred over the corporate history of NESTLE mentioned in the case and to what extent has Mergers and Acquisitions and Strategic Alliances played a role in NESTLEs strategy in that period?    Expansion According to Bell and Shelman (2009), Nestlà ©s sales expanded rapidly across Europe a few years after its inception. The company started developing an international reputation, and in 1905 it took the strategic decision of acquiring its main competitor, the Anglo-Swiss Condensed milk company (Bell and Shelman, 2009). The Federal Trade Commission refers to this as a horizontal merger where a firm acquires a former competitor allowing for a consolidation of companies in the same industry (Barney, 2011). As a result, Nestle in the early 1900s began positioning itself as a powdered milk, and infant food company. Furthermore, the combined companies through the Nestle brand name continued to grow through product and market extension mergers. Barney (2011) describes a product extension merger as one which adopts a complementary product through an acquisition, as seen in the case of Nestle which aligned product adoption in categories such as sugar, milk, cocoa and coffee. Nestlà © further undertook market extension mergers which involve gaining entry into complementary markets through acquisitions (Barney, 2011); whereby Nestle entered the confectionary, coffees, cereals, soft drinks, ice cream, water and prepared foods markets (See Ansoff Matrix below). Ansoff (1965) would argue that Nestlà © uses four different approaches to grow its products and markets. To explain the reasoning behind Nestlà ©s past MAs they can be assigned into these categories of growth which include: market penetration, product development, market development and diversification (See Ansoff Matrix above). During the 1920s, Nestle diversified its portfolio from infant formula to include Milo. This was its first powdered drink not created for infants. Spanning from 1938 to 1948, Nestlà © made the decision to enter into coffee and tea sector with the launch of Nescafe and Nestea. Nestle also diversified into the confectionary market, prepared foods, water, pet foods, energy bar and weight loss markets with the acquisitions of Peter, Cailler, Kohler Swiss Chocolate Company, Maggi, Vittel, Friskies, Powerbar and Jenny Craig respectively. Diversification outside the food and drink industry to enter pharmaceuticals and cosmetics was executed in the 1970s when it became a minority shareholder of LOreal (25%) and later acquired Alcon Laboratories. Barney (2011) highlights that acquiring new companies leads to reduction in production or distribution costs through economies of scale and vertical integration. Mergers and Acquisitions are also beneficial In increasing market share For industry know how and positioning For Financial leveraging (See appendix 3) Reasonable for this industry To improve profitability and EPS (See exhibit 2 for EPS 2006 and 2007) Source: Lasserre (2012) According to Lasserre (2012), MAs can also create several types of values for a company. He argues that they are justifiable if the economic value of the two entities is worth more combined than the sum of independent values before the merger (2012). Thus, the businesses must create shared economic values through synergy by increasing revenues whilst decreasing costs. Lasserre assumes these created values can be both short-term (one-off value) and long-term (synergistic effects). Diversification and global reach were the main values created for Nestlà © in its acquisitions. For example, Carnation enabled Nestle to extend not only in its product range but also to reach new areas around the world. The following table outlines the values created through Nestlà ©s MAs. Nestlà ©s MAs Value created Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consolidation Maggi  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diversification Acquisitions in canned and frozen foods, water, ice cream and pets food  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diversification Alcon Laboratories  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diversification  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Options (to monitor the evolution of the technology) Carnation  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Global reach  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diversification Ralston-Purina  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diversification Jenny Craig  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diversification Novartiss Gerber  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Global reach  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Options (to monitor the evolution of the technology) Table: Nestlà ©s MAs and their value created. Source: Authors own creation based on information from Bell and Shelman (2009) and Lasserre (2012). Furthermore, the relationship between Nestle and LOreal developed further when they created two joint-ventures: Galderma and Laboratories Inneov. According to Barney (2011), joint ventures are undertaken in order to manage risk, share costs, and enter into new markets and industries. It is assumed that Nestle saw the benefits of alliances rather than acquisitions into the cosmetics market due to its lack of knowledge on the industry. Once Nestlà © diversified its portfolio, they followed-up by expanding brands through what Ansoff (1965) refers to as market penetration. In order to utilise its current resources, and take advantage of the market opportunities created by Milo and Nescafe, Nestle developed new brands such as Nesquik and Nespresso (Bell and Shelman, 2009).   Additionally, Nestlà © acquired more brands consistent with its presence in the water and pet foods market: e.g. Vittel and Friskies.   Ã‚   According to Ansoff (1965), market development is the introduction of existing products into new markets. This can be seen through Nestlà ©s acquisitions of Stouffer, which enabled the company to sell its food products to different markets: frozen prepared meals. Lastly, Nestle used product development to introduce new products such as Buitoni, Carnation, and Kit Kat to grow within its existing market of food, powdered drinks and confectionary. Nestlà ©s diverse portfolio provides it with a competitive advantage, and has enabled the company to become the worlds largest food and Beverage Company (Bell and Shelman, 2009). However, it seems that some product diversifications through mergers and acquisitions led to the downfall of its profits; especially visible in the years leading up to Mauchers administration (Bell and Shelman, 2009). Barney (2011) suggests that mergers and acquisitions between strategically unrelated businesses do not necessarily create significant economic profits. Thus, it can be assumed that Nestlà ©s strategically unrelated acquisition of Alcon and partial acquisition of LOreal between 1974 and 1977, contributed to a decline in profits between 1978 and 1981. Supply Chain Rationalisation As Nestle grew and entered new markets, they worked towards horizontally integrating their supply chain. According to Christopher (2005), companies such as Nestle seek to spread geographically, whilst reducing costs through economies of scale by prioritising manufacturing and operational processes. This can be seen throughout the 1900s as Nestle invests in its value chain by: opening processing plants within the U.S., Britain, Germany and Spain; manufacturing in Australia; warehouses in Singapore, Hong Kong and Bombay; and factories in the U.S. and Brazil (Bell and Shelman 2009) (See Nestlà ©s value chain). Firm infrastructure Decentralized organization Executive Committee consists of the CEO and 12 top managers The company is structured through 43 regional organisations reporting to directors of three geographic zones (zone Europe, Asia/Oceania/Africa and zone Americas). Country managers are given a large degree of autonomy when dealing with customer matters. Nestlà ©s Value chain Human Resource Management Focus on developing local management Investment in training and providing cross experiences People start from the bottom and move their way up in the organisation Unique culture/ focus on long term results Developing people from acquired companies. Technology Development Strong RD platform/ open innovation model Big investment in RD (investment to support pharmaceutical businesses and food, nutrition, health and wellness) Creating an innovation acceleration team to support rapid product introductions. Initiating a common technology infrastructure/ a comprehensive information system named the GLOBE. Margin Procurement Purchasing some raw materials instead of processing them in-house. 60% of materials purchases from emerging economies Direct sourcing -In developing countries agricultural commodities are bought from local markets and often directly from farmers- rather than on the world market Service Jenny Craig -personal nutrition counselling / Jenny Direct website and phone /Home delivery. Personalized services 24/7 service though telephone and internet help line for Nestlà ©s premium products. Marketing sales Positioning the company as healthy Strong brands product and brand differentiation. Dealing directly with consumers. Medical nutrition: market to professionals Outbound Logistics Synchronization of data between manufacturing and retailers- through the GLOBE system. Introducing new distribution channels for some brands (e.g. Nespresso corners, boutiques and home delivery) Inbound Logistics Ware- Housing Operations -Manufacturing, food processing plants -Producing locally -About half of the factories are in developing countries/ production for the local market. -Partnership with local farmers -providing advice and support -Implementing quality control processes. Moreover, Nestle made the strategic decision of establishing local supply chains which meant deploying its agricultural capabilities down to  the farm level through strategic alliances. This is referred to as their milk district model which allows farmers to supply milk to the company directly and in exchange Nestle provides its resources and know-how, such as providing storage and chilling facilities (Nestle, 2012). This highlights the fact that Nestle was seeking to establish its value chain activities, or Global business system, earlier on in its history (See value chain above).   According to Hill and Hill (2009), this type of model has the capability of reinforcing a companys competitive advantage as it is able to overcome barriers to integration, better respond to delivery speed, simplify sharing of information and reduce costs of production (Bell and Shelman, 2009). Adapting to a Global Role Nestle recognised that for it to sustain its competitive advantage it needed to establish a global technological platform to capture data, manage information and create knowledge (Bell and Shelman, 2009). Consequently Brabeck made the strategic decision of initiating the GLOBE system. Using this common technological infrastructure, it would be able to share information amongst all Nestlà ©s businesses and allowed for a synchronization of data in its supply chain (Bell and Shelman 2009). Refocused Strategy: Nutrition, Health and Wellness Nutrition has always been an integral part of Nestlà ©s vision, dating back to its first nutritious infant formula. However, due to Nestlà ©s realisation of consumers being increasingly aware of the link between food, health and personal wellbeing, there has been more of a shift away from a technology and processing-driven image towards health and wellness (Bell and Shelman 2009). Under Brabecks tenure, a Nutrition Strategic Business Division was created, along with the acquisitions of Proteika, Musashi (nutrition business), Jenny Craig (diet centres) and Novartis Medical Nutrition (Bell and Shelman 2009). Restructuring of Research and Development Unit Nestlà © also made a strategic decision of restructuring its RD unit to satisfy customer needs and internal growth. This was by shifting away from small decentralized units set up globally to limited large resource-intensive centres. This was done to renovate old brands by finding multiple uses for its product. Under Brabecks tenure, a 60/40 preference rating system was introduced where products were either discontinued or sold if they did not achieve the 60% level. This was done in order to ameliorate the companys performance and market orientation (Bell and Shelman, 2009). 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚   To what extent is the current strategy of NESTLE competitively sustainable in the future? How should it be rationalised and what new strategies ought to be developed in the future? Current strategy Nestlà ©s current strategy was to achieve worldwide sustainable competitiveness through four strategic pillars: low cost, efficient operations, renovation and innovation of the Nestle product line, universal availability and improved communication with consumers through better branding. They also had a vision of transforming the company from a technology-and processing-driven food and beverage company towards a vision of nutrition, health and wellness. (Bell and Shelman, 2009, p.3). Nestlà ©s current strategy of reorganizing its operations did come as an advantage as in some cases moved away from its agricultural and processing roots to buying the ingredients from outside suppliers (Bell and Shelman, 2009). This can be argued on the basis of Nestlà © reducing the steps of its value chain activities as Brabeck explained some of these activities could not add value to some businesses. An example would be the fact that Nestlà © exited from cocoa roasting but still carried on producing chocolate. This in turn reduced the costs and made the value chain more efficient. In fact, in terms of strategic operations, Lasserre (2012) argues that making fundamental changes in the value chain can lead to developing new products and services which can help a company sustain its innovative advantage. Moreover, to enhance the reliability of its suppliers, Nestlà © implemented a strategy of forming partnerships with its suppliers by creating direct links with them and providin g them with support and technical advice. This helped the company cope with the volatility of the supply market and enhance its operations.   Therefore, in terms of operational efficiency, Nestlà © can be seen to be sustainably competitive. Secondly, Nestlà ©s current strategy was focused on renovating and innovating its product line through reorganizing its RD.   Lasserre (2012) suggests that organizations such as Nestlà © could be trying to gain a critical mass advantage. He further explains that in order to achieve this, a minimum amount of resources needs to be mobilized for an activity to perform efficiently and effectively. Hence, Nestlà ©s shift from decentralized units of RD to few large resource-intensive centres. As a result of its RD centralization, Nestlà © was able to reinvigorate old brands; an example was finding multiple uses of the Nesquik brand from not only being a powder but to also present it as syrup and into ready to drink varieties. However, this strategy came at a disadvantage to Nestlà © as they lost the benefits of decentralization. These benefits include proximity to markets which gives a firm the ability to create products that fit local customer specificities, gaining access to geogr aphical clusters of knowledge creation and development access to good-quality scientists and the capability of a firm to learn from different market and cultures (Lasserre, 2012). Therefore, in terms of its RD strategy, it could be argued that Nestlà © will have trouble sustaining its competitive advantage in the future since part of its future strategy is to expand to other markets. Thirdly, with the introduction of GLOBE in the mid-2000s, Nestle initiated an era of capturing data by tying all of Nestlà ©s entities together under a common technological platform. This led to the company standardizing its data to manage its vast information and create and share knowledge among its Strategic business units, manufacturers and retailers. The main idea was to use shared knowledge to enhance the collaboration between all the different units of the company which can reduce costs and produce value all over the organisation. Bauwens (2012) outlines this as a social innovation where knowledge is shared and can be used by others. A good example would be the fact that the Globe system allowed for a synchronization of data leading to an improvement in order fulfilment between manufacturers and retailers. This has allowed Nestlà © to sustain its competitive advantage by adapting much faster to change and delivering value to customer (Lasserre, 2012). Therefore, knowledge sha ring has the potential to play a big role in helping Nestlà © maintain its competitive advantage.    Nestlà ©s final strategic pillar of improving communication between the organization and consumers through better branding could signify the companys efforts to differentiate its products. Barney (2011) would argue that Nestlà © could be trying to alter perceptions of current and potential consumers by altering its product features. In fact, Nestlà © focused on reducing fat and calories as well as incorporating healthy and natural ingredients into a wide range of products. It could be argued also that better branding is linked to its vision of moving from a food and beverage company to a wellness, health and nutrition company. This could also be Nestlà ©s way of differentiating its products by taking advantage of its reputation in the marketplace as a leading company in its industry. Therefore, customers would, in the long term, respond positively to the companys efforts of producing healthier products. Thus, if Nestlà © actually succeeds in changing peoples perceptions and posi tion itself as a health driven company, it can manage to maintain its competitive advantage in the future. It is through these four strategic pillars that Nestlà © derives its current model, the Nestlà © model, which refers to the companys long term of objectives of organic growth (target of 5% and 6% each year), continuous yearly improvement in EBIT and improve capital management which determines the assets of the company against the profit it generates (Bell and Shelman, 2009). The company seems to be achieving its objective as it has slightly improved its earnings before interest and taxes as seen in exhibit 6; it has slightly made progress in its capital management through its improved return on capital employed as seen in Appendix 2; and it has been able to achieve its objective of organic growth between 5% and 6% except for 3 years between 1996 -2007 years also indicated in Exhibit 6. Therefore, it is safe to assume that Nestlà ©s current strategy is competitively sustainable in the present however it remains to be seen if it can be successful in the future with its new vision . This is due to the fact that Nestlà © is possibly trying to implement both product differentiation and cost leadership strategies. Porter (1980) defines such firms as stuck in the middle (Barney, 2011). On the one hand, three of its strategic pillars indicate the companys intention of becoming a cost leader through low cost operations, restructuring its product line and efficiently managing its knowledge. On the other hand, it wants to differentiate its whole portfolio of products and services by changing the product features or by diversifying their products. Porter (1980) cited in Barney 2011 further explains that if a firm tries to implement both strategies then one of them will fail. He continues to add that for a firm to be economically superior in a single industry then they need to sell   at a high price and have small market share (product differentiator) or sell at a low price and gain significant market share (cost leader) therefore Nestlà © needs to decide which of the two it wants to become . As a result, a lot of their organizational requirements such as organizational structure and management control systems are stuck in the middle for example the fact that certain products need to be managed globally especially in the nutrition division while others are locally managed. Nestlà ©s current strategy could be rationalized by foregoing their vision of being a nutrition, health and wellness organization. Instead they should focus on being more of a healthier food and beverages company as a cost leader with its current Nestlà © model. First of all, if Nestlà © was to pursue a health, nutrition and wellness strategy Nestlà © would then have to restructure its product portfolio by getting rid of its unhealthy products such as Hot Pockets, and Kit-Kat. In exhibit 8 it can be seen that these products do not deliver growth to the company yet in exhibit 9 they seem to have a higher market share. This shows that the unhealthy products are in fact the cash cows of Nestlà © which indicate that they are the foundation of the company. It should try and follow Unilevers example of focusing on its core products. Therefore, Nestlà © should frame new strategies and make changes to its vision. Instead of holding on to unrealistic goals, the company could reposition itself in the market as becoming healthier than the competition. In fact, Nestlà © has already implemented this approach in the past with several products by introducing some nutritional improvements. As an example, Nestlà © reduced ice-cream fat by 50% and calories by 30% for Dreyers Slow Churned ice-creams and added healthy ingredients to some chocolate snacks (Bell and Shelman 2009). This indicates that the company has the resources needed to deploy this repositioning strategy. The company should also revaluate its SWOT analysis in terms of switching its vision to Health, Nutrition and Wellness. (refer to Appendix 2) Indeed, the strong RD platform enables Nestlà © to produce more healthy products while maintaining its taste. Moreover, Nestlà © has the capabilities of doing so with its open innovation model (global network with 5,000 scientists and technologists as well as RD centres worldwide) which enables the company to maximize its chances of coming up with new and innovative products. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚   With regards to future strategies what are the strategic implementation issues likely to be faced by the company and what actions should they take to overcome them? Future strategies One of the future strategies of Nestlà © is to grow internally instead of growing through mergers and acquisition. Implementing this strategy could be catastrophic for the company as its growth has been largely relying on acquisitions and joint ventures. Nestlà © would also lose the benefits of using joint ventures, strategic alliances and acquisitions (Appendix 4). This would then imply that Nestlà © would have to use its own resources and core competencies to expand thus placing a greater risk on the business. It can also have a negative impact on the liquidity position of the company. A way in which this issue could be overcome is by applying both strategies. By applying both strategies, the company would be able to spread its corporate risk and share its costs as its return on capital employed still continues to generate profits for the company. Additionally, Nestlà © has managed to build strong foundations through mergers and acquisitions which has led it to improve its financial position. As seen on Exhibit 4, the acquisition of businesses has increased from 447 million in 2006 to 456 million in 2007 which has improved its cash flow. Therefore, in order to maintain a strong position, Nestlà © should carry on with mergers and acquisitions as well as growing internally. Another of the future strategies initiated by Bulcke is to shift the structure of Nestlà © from an organisation by country to an organisation by business through sharing best practices using GLOBE (Bell and Shelman 2009, p.10). He argues that this would enable Nestlà © to start managing its operations globally instead of adapting to every market. However, using the McKinsey 7s framework, many issues can be foreseen as seen on the table below. Factor Strategy Produce variety of quality products, wide variety of brands. Focus on nutrition, health and wellness. 4 strategic pillars (low cost, efficient operations, renovation and innovation of the Nestle product line, universal availability and improved communication with consumers through better branding) (Bell and Shelman, 2009, p. 3) Structure Decentralised and relatively flat organisational structure which helps to cater for local needs thus increasing flexibility. organized by country/ every country is like a small kingdom It has operations worldwide through strategic business units. System Comprehensive information system:   the GLOBE Employees move from the bottom up in the organisation. Style Democratic leadership style: managers are given autonomy to take decisions.   As such, they feel a sense of belonging in the organisation Staff Nestlà © maintains local companies with regional staff in local markets as they better understand the needs of customers. 43 regional organisations. More than 275,000 employees. It has a pool of experts- its staff consists of scientists, technologists from top universities (Bell and Shelman, 2009, p. 6) Skills Nestlà ©s competitive advantage is its RD. It has a high level of technology (23 Product Technology Centres), and  a network of experts around the world. (Bell and Shelman, 2009, p. 9). Shared Values Deliver long term value to shareholders. Focus on long term results. Unwritten culture strong personal culture (Bell and Shelman, 2009, p. 8). Although the change in the structure and the strategy was supported with a change in systems by adapting the GLOBE, other elements of the framework have not been adapted. For instance, the style used by Nestlà © was a democratic leadership style where management in the different countries are given a great deal of autonomy. By changing to a more centralized and global management style some internal resistance from the people can emerge.   The different markets are used to operating as small kingdoms (Bell and Shelman 2009, p.10). Therefore, given that country managers in the different countries were used to be given a great deal of freedom especially when dealing with issues related directly to the customer, this new strategy can produce some internal problems for Nestlà ©. To overcome this issue, other elements of the 7s framework have to be adapted. The main element that links everything together is shared values. Nestlà © has to work on making changes to its internal culture by introducing new shared values between its people. Implementing the GLOBE is not enough to implement the new strategy, a culture of sharing information and best practices should also be introduced and reinforced. Nestlà © should teach its people to move from a management style of taking control and matters into their own hands to a style of sharing control and producing decisions globally and collectively. The implementation of this approach may differ across countries due to the cross-cultural differences between countries. According to Lasserre (2012), country specific cultural values influence managerial values and assumptions in an organisation. As an example, Lasserre (2012) illustrates that western countries are more individualistic while Asian countries are collectivists which heavily impacts how business is done in these countries. In terms of implementing a culture of sharing, it can be assumed that Asian countries would respond more positively to the change than western countries.   Ã‚   Nestlà © intends to achieve its future growth by implementing four platforms for growth which are health, nutrition and wellness (to be the centrepiece), emerging markets, out of home consumption and premiumisation of existing products. (Bell and Shelman, 2009).The aforementioned strategy for growth is expected to double Nestlà ©s sales in the next 10 years. (Bell and Shelman, 2009)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bulcke emphasized that the priority should be on health, nutrition and wellness to implement the vision into every product segment and every country. This vision is in line with Brabecks strategies of going beyond food to Nutrition, Health and Wellness (Bell and Shelman, 2009). The total sales for Nestlà © Nutrition segment has significantly increased from 5,964 million in 2006 to 8,434 in 2007, which represents an improvement of 41% as shown in Exhibit 11. Although total sales have increased, most products that have led to this increase in sales were unhealthy. So, in order to maintain its vision as a Health, Nutrition and Wellness, Nestlà © should give up its unhealthy products in the long term. However, this would negatively impact on the financial position of the company as these are its core products. Moreover, making the same products available in every market might not be adapted to the needs of every customer in terms of tastes, preferences and nutritional value so Nestlà © should make sure at least every different product are tailored to the needs of every different market.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Regarding emerging markets, Bulcke found out that these markets are growing at a faster pace and therefore Nestlà © should integrate further into it as there is a high potential for growth. The implementation of popularly position products (PPP), a strategy designed for low income earners so they can afford good nutrition products on a daily basis, is ex