Tuesday, December 31, 2019
An Analysis Of The Oedipus And Plato - 1636 Words
KAUFMANNââ¬â¢S OEDIPUS AND PLATOââ¬â¢S SOCRATES In Chapter Four of his book, Tragedy and Philosophy, Walter Kaufmann claims that Sophoclesââ¬â¢ play Oedipus Rex is one of the greatest tragedies ever written in part because it presents so vividly five characteristics of human life which make our existence so tragic. The purpose of this paper will be, first, to present Kaufmannââ¬â¢s view and, second, to apply these same characteristics to Platoââ¬â¢s dialogues in general and to the characters in Platoââ¬â¢s dialogues, particularly Socrates. Unfortunately, Kaufmann would disagree with me. He argues throughout his book that Plato is anti-tragic. This paper will not address Kaufmannââ¬â¢s argument, although much that is said here is an attempt to refute his reading of Plato. The most striking claim Kaufmann makes about Sophoclesââ¬â¢ play is, ââ¬Å"Sophocles constructs his whole plot around Oedipusââ¬â¢ relentless quest for truth, although the old story wa s not a story about honesty at allâ⬠¦The central spring of the action of Sophoclesââ¬â¢ tragedy is not, as it well might have been, fate, but rather Oedipusââ¬â¢ imperious passion for the truthâ⬠¦All the conflicts in the tragedy are generated by the kingââ¬â¢s quest for the truth (121-123). I would add that it is not a quest for truth in any sense, but a quest for self-knowledge, which drives Oedipus and which ends when he finally comes to know who he is. Oedipus is presented as a man who follows the Delphi oracle, ââ¬Å"Know thyselfâ⬠to its bitter end. This very quality inShow MoreRelatedJustification of Creon in Antigone by Sophocles Essay994 Words à |à 4 Pages Antigone is a tragic play written by Sophocles in about 441b.c. The play is a continuation of the curse put upon the household of Oedipus Rex. Sophocles actually wrote this play before he wrote Oedipus, but it follows Oedipus in chronological order. The story of Antigone begins after the departure of Oedipus, the king of Thebes, into self-exile. Oedipusââ¬â¢ two sons, Eteocles and Polyneices, were left to rule over Thebes. An argument over rights to power forces Polynices to leave Thebes. Read MoreAncient And Medieval Civilizations1805 Words à |à 8 Pagessuch as; What it means to live just and good? How do we best order relationships for the common good? What do we know and how do we know it? these themes have been recurrent in the stories of Gilgamesh, the Bible, Platoââ¬â¢s Cave and the Oedipus Trilogy. Further analysis has shown that to live a just and good life is to first gain knowledge and understand what it means to be good and just. Putting yourself first en ables you to help others and lastly we are only able to really know what we experience andRead MoreThe Mind Is An Action2001 Words à |à 9 Pagesdifferent, in which contributes to the world for further use and exploration. In depth, philosopher Plato, thinker Francis Bacon, and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, have all been put into perspective for new ways of developing and analyzing thought. Initially, philosopher Plato with his work of The Allegory of the Cave is still on display at the present, ultimately used to examine the age of enlightenment. Plato, was a student of another great philosopher, Socrates, taking on his teachings and making itRead MoreAnalysis Of Snow s Midsummer By Guan Hanqing1629 Words à |à 7 PagesMichel de Polignac ANALYSIS PAPER 1: Retributive justice is a very common element found not only in literature but in almost all text that tries to evoke moral values. A nemetic ending is often used to provide the reader or spectator the satisfaction of seeing the hero be rewarded for his or her virtuous actions. Alternatively, the evil or malicious characters are usually punished thanks to the hero s actions and thus brings a somewhat ââ¬Å"happy endingâ⬠to the conflict. Many authors and playwrightsRead MoreEssay on Freud Meets World3137 Words à |à 13 Pagespsychoanalysis for both his theories and his type of treatment. A period of intense work and self-analysis, further inspired by the death of his father, led Freud to his best known publication, The Interpretation of Dreams in 1900, and Psychopathology of Everyday Life in 1901. During this period of rigorous self-analysis, Freud introduced two new theories, including infantile sexuality, and the description on Oedipus complex. When he first began to present his psychoanalytic theories, other physicians reactedRead MoreCharacter Is Destiny2530 Words à |à 11 Pagesââ¬Å"Character is Destinyâ⬠is a phrase associated with Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher of the 6th century BC who is recognized as one of the most significant philosophers before Socrates and Plato. Unfortunately, very little is known about his life other than what can be gathered from his own statements. Heraclitus lived in Ephesus, an important city on the Ionian coast of Asia Minor, not far from Miletus, the birthplace of philosophy. Ancient biographies of him consist of nothing more than inferencesRead MoreComparison Between Aristotle and Plato on Mimesis4881 Words à |à 20 PagesiA comparison between Aristotle and Plato on mimesis 1. Introduction Mimesis, as a controversial concept starting from the 15th century, is among the oldest terms in literature and artistic theory, and is certainly among the most fundamental. Developing centuries, the concept of mimesis has been explored and reinterpreted by scholars in various academic fields. The word ââ¬Å"Mimesisâ⬠developed from the root mimos, noun designating both a person who imitates and a specific genre of performance basedRead More Matthew Arnold versus Aristotles Poetics Essay examples3833 Words à |à 16 Pagesenough the first thing to be said about Arnolds view of Aristotle is that it is more a Platonic than an Aristotelian view. In short Arnold was primarily, though not merely, an idealist. If, for the sake of clarity we could for the purpose of this analysis call Aristotle a realist, we might be better able to see the proper scope of this account. What we have then is the case of a man who was primarily a scientist and philosopher -- a realist in the best sense of the word, influencing a poet and visionaryRead MorePlato s Views On Death And The Afterlife1815 Words à |à 8 Pageswho donââ¬â¢t, we often see many differences in the answers relating to death. In the contrary, the similar answers to theist and atheist are evident strongly in two great thinkers and their works. The focus will be on Socratesââ¬â¢ speech in the Apology by Plato setting in 399 BCE and De Rerum Natura by Titus Lucretius 300 years later. Titus Lucretius, an atheist or agnostic Roman poet and philosopher inspired by the works of Epicurus. Lucretius believed in the theory of atomism which lead to materialisticRead MoreAncient Greek Culture2704 Words à |à 11 Pagesto develop medical theories which many were proven false, but his ideas sparked a surge of experimentation (Scarborough, 2013). Other important people include Demosthenes, Aristotle, Aspacia, Pericles, Plato, Pythagoras, Sappho, Sophocles, and Thucydides. These people have formed many of our current trends and philosophical ideas in a variety of different subjects. First of all Demosthenes was a great orator, even though he had a severe lisp and had difficulties
Monday, December 23, 2019
Effects Of Prolonged Sexual Abuse On Youth And Children
Abstract As the internet expands and the United States becomes a more interconnected nation through the use of computers, the conversation of sexual abuse has opened up a bit more. More and more people are discussing the events of sexual assault. There also appears to be a slight increase of support towards victims and the idea of speaking out. However, even if one was persuaded by this, essentially, web based support, there is a portion of untapped victims that, for the most part, are unable to encounter the internet world; children and preteen youth. Within my paper, I will provide a plan to counteract prolonged sexual abuse in youth and children. Introduction According to The National Center For Victims of Crime, ââ¬Å"Self-report studiesâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦There is very rarely, if at all, formal discussions explaining how to approach the situation. As a sexual assault survivor, I, myself, noticed a lack of knowledge on how to approach the situation. I was not sure who to go to, what to say, how to speak up and now I wish to provide a path for current victims to do so. Sexual Education isnââ¬â¢t taught often within many schools and if it is, there is almost never any information regarding sexual assault. To add to the issue, those who do seek justice arenââ¬â¢t always granted it. Convictions for sexual assault can be quite rare. It is often word against word due to lack of physical evidence. Even those who once had scars, often speak up when they are later in age, after the scars are long gone. That is one of the reasons it is crucial for a child to speak up as soon as it happens. These things often isolate the victim and adds to the idea of there being no way out. Research Design/Procedure As a solution to the issue, I would like to incorporate safe environments within schools that encourage speaking out against sexual abuse, or any type of abuse for that matter. I would like to place an 8 week course with Sumner Elementary School. Classes will take up about 30 minutes of instruction time at least once a week, dedicated to going about sexual abuse. The first tests will take place withShow MoreRelatedAmerican Psychological Association Defines Traumatic Event989 Words à |à 4 Pagesadulthood. A 2013 study by National Survey of Childrenââ¬â¢s Health reported about 35 million children in the United States, almost half of the nationââ¬â¢s children population, have experienced one or more serious traumas().According to National Center of Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence report, almost 26% of children witness or experience a traumatic event before the age of four. Reports from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administratio n (SAMHS) in 2011 found 60% of adults report witnessingRead MoreNegative Effects Of Dancehall Music1224 Words à |à 5 Pagesportrayal of sexual immorality, violence and drug abuse. The increase of promiscuous behaviors and sexual acts are common elements in dancehall music and the lyrical content tends to influence its youthful listeners. Some lyrics stress immoral sexual behaviors of young people. Songs such as ââ¬Å"Suh Mi Like Itâ⬠by Spice and ââ¬Å"Feverâ⬠by Vybz Kartel can be used as references to depict this kind of behavior. The immoral sexual behavior of young people due to the stimulating effect of sexual music allowsRead MoreCauses And Effects Of Trauma Essay1285 Words à |à 6 Pagesnatural disasters, but the most common and harmful to a childââ¬â¢s psychosocial well-being are those such as domestic violence, neglect, physical and sexual abuse, maltreatment, and witnessing a traumatic event. While some children may experience a traumatic event and go on to develop normally, many children have long lasting implications into adulthood. The effects of trauma can be looked at into two separate categories however, they both are interrelated: neurodevelopment and psychosocial development. Read MoreThe Social Phenomenon Of Female Juvenile Prostitution Essay1652 Words à |à 7 Pagesthat young girls are finding their way into the complex system of prostitution is often met with disbelief (OJJDP, 2002). In order to understand prostitution, it is necessary to understand: 1. Lethal gender inequality 2. Incest and other childhood sexual assault 3. Poverty and homelessness 4. The ways in which racism and colonialism are inextricably connected with sexism in prostitution 5. Domestic violence, including rape 6. Posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, mood and dissociative disordersRead MoreChild Welfare And The United States Department Of Justice1692 Words à |à 7 Pagesof American children are exposed to a type of violence every year (Finkelhor, D., Turner, H., Ormrod, R., Hamby, S., and Kracke, K. 2009). These forms of violence can be perpetrated by a victims home, community or school, with majority of children knowing the perpetrator(s). These experiences with violence whether primary or secondary, can cause serious psychological trauma to a child and in worst case scenarios death. The 2009 survey by the Department of Justice also found that children exposed toRead MoreCauses of Homophobic Bullying1551 Words à |à 6 Pagesrefers both to the causes and the effects of bullying based on sexual orientation, simply referred to as homophobic bullying. Homophobic bullying is a phenomenon that is reviewed throughout scholarly literature and books, as well as popular culture. The causes of homophobic bullying are deeply rooted in social stigmas and prejudices against same-sex romance and sexuality, while the effects of homophobic bullying are personal (suicide, depression, substance abuse) and social (the perpetuation of intoleranceRead MoreThe Effects Of Drugs On The Academic Performance Of The Students1147 Words à |à 5 Pagesbecause of peer pressure (National Institute of Drug Abuse). It is at this age when the teenagers and youths are seeking recognition and identity. The period of transition is not easy for them and therefore prompt them to carry out activities or take on behaviors just to be identified with a certain group that would make them appear cool in the eyes of their peers. Indulgence into illegal drug use often leads to acts of delinquency as well as sexual activities. Use of heroin affects the academic performanceRead MoreChild Abuse and Later Maladjustment in Adulthood Essay1603 Words à |à 7 Pagesearly in their childhood. Abuse can be traumatic for any individual but it is especially troubling when endured at one of the most vulnerable developmental stages of the personââ¬â¢s life. Although intervention has been known to help dramatically, children can be easily manipulated into keeping the abuse a secret. For this reason, an emphasis is placed on the importance of professionals constantly interacting with children, being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse, so that any suspicionsRead MoreDevelopmental Narrative : Developmental Development951 Words à |à 4 PagesDEVELOPMENTAL NARRATIVE According to the Search Institute, children who possess strong support in both external and internal developmental assets are less likely to engage in poor community engagement, criminal behavior, and/or other health-risk behaviors. A study by Keith Zullig, et al, states, ââ¬Å"Similar to a lack of developmental assets, lower levels of life satisfaction are related to increased violent and aggressive behavior, substance use, and risky sexual behaviorâ⬠(Zullig, et al, 20011) . As noted, BrianRead MoreEssay on Is Censorship Justified?1174 Words à |à 5 PagesIs Censorship Justified? Ever wondered the reason behind racial discrimination, sexual discrimination, children committing crime or violence? The main reason is that censorship is not properly imposed or there is a need of censorship in the society. Censorship is the suppression of ideas and information that certain people, individual, groups or government officials find it objectionable, offensive or dangerous on others. There are varieties of other definitions but all have in common the concept
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Wawa Free Essays
A single tube of cerebrationââ¬â¢s fluid is received In the laboratory and the following tests requested: total protein, albumin, Gig quantization, microbial culture, Gram stain, leukocyte count and differential cell count. The specimen should be sent to the various laboratories in which order? A. Chemistry lab, homology lab, microbiology lab b. We will write a custom essay sample on Wawa or any similar topic only for you Order Now Homology lab, chemistry lab, microbiology lab c. Microbiology lab, homology lab, chemistry lab d. Homology lab, microbiology lab, chemistry lab 3. You need to prepare a 1 TTT (1 :4 or h) dilution off serum specimen using saline before analysis. Which of the following petting steps would result in this dilution? A. Pipette 0. 5 ml serum, then add 1. 0 ml saline b. Pipette 1. 0 ml serum, then add 2. 0 ml saline c. Pipette 1. 5 ml serum, then add 4. 5 ml saline d. Pipette 2. 0 ml serum, then add 5. 0 ml saline 4. The major components of a spectrophotometer are represented in the following diagram. Which component determines the factor ââ¬Å"bâ⬠in Beerââ¬â¢s law, A=BBC? A. Component A b. Component B c. Component C d. Component D At pH of 7. 4, which of the enzymes listed catalysts the following reaction? 5. Private + NADIA a. Lactate oxides b. Lactate dehydrogenate . Private kinas lactate * AND pH 8. 6 is used for serum protein electrophoresis so that 6. A. All serum proteins will have a net negative charge b. All serum proteins will have a net positive charge c. Electromagnetisms is avoided d. Heat production is minimized Seasonality measurements determine the 7. A. Activity of ions per kilogram of solvent b. Grams of dissolved solutes per kilogram of solvent c. Moles of dissolved solutes per kilogram of solvent d. Equivalents of dissolved solutes per kilogram of solvent Which of the following formulas can be used to calculate serum seasonality? 8. A. 2. 5 x An+ . An+ +K+ +CIA- +CO content c. (1. 86 x An+) + (1/18 x glucose) + (112. 8 x BUN) +9 (An+ + K+) -? (CLC- + HCI) 11. A serum sample is diluted 1 to 3 (1:3) before analysis and the following results obtained: Total protein ââ¬â 4. 1 g/del Albumin- 1. 5 g/del Which total protein concentration should be reported? A. 4. 1 g/del b. 8. 2 g/del c. 12. 3 g/del d. 16. 4 g/del 16. Review the following serum test results: Creating 2. 5 MGM/del (0. 75- 1. 5 MGM/del) Cholesterol 220 MGM/del 126 MGM/del b. A serum glucose 200 MGM/del at anytime 38. If OLD receptors are non-functional due to disease, the plasma level of which lipid loud increase the most? . Fatty acids b. Cholesterol c. Cholesterol esters d. Triglycerides 39. Which of the following serum protein electrophoresis patterns is most typical of the nephritic syndrome? Albumin alpha alphas b. Normal d. Normal beta gamma 40. Which analyze is most likely to be elevated in a specimen drawn 2 hours after an uncomplicated myocardial infarction ? A. KC- MBA (KC-2) b. Mycologist c. Titration I d. Titration T 41. Which of the following serum results correlates best with the rapid cell turnover associated with chemotherapy treatment regimens? A. Creating of 2. 5 MGM/del b. Potassium of 5. Mol/L c. Urea nitrogen of 30 MGM/del d. Uric acid of 10. 0 MGM/del 42. Which set of serum electrolyte results (in Mol/L) is most likely obtain from serum with an elevated lactate level? An+ a. 125 4. 5 b. 135 3. 5 c. 1454. 0 HCI 10 95 28 90 15 43. The following arterial blood gas results are obtained: PH 7. 28 APPC 53 meg POP 75 meg 26 Mol/L HCI- These results correlate best with patient experiencing a. Metabolic acidosis b. Metabolic alkaloids c. Respiratory acidosis d. Respiratory alkaloids 44. The patient with intermittent hypertension has an elevated value for urinary catecholamine metabolites (e. G. Malignancies acid [VIM]). This result may indicate a. Hyperventilationââ¬â¢s b. Hyperthyroidism c. Idiopathic hypertension d. Phosphorescently 45. Blood from newborn has low thyroxin (TO) and elevated thyroid ââ¬â stimulating ââ¬â hormone (TTS) compared to reference ranges for that age. These results are most consistent with a. Congenital hypothermiaââ¬â¢s b. Congenital primary hypothyroidism c. Congenital secondary hypothyroidism d. A normal response to pregnancy ââ¬â induced changes in maternal thyroid function 47. The following results are obtained from a patient whose admission diagnosis is billiard obstruction Test Result Conjugated blurring increased Serum: Total blurring Blurring Urine: increased positive Which of the results obtained is inconsistent with the admission diagnosis? A. Serum conjugated blurring b. Serum total blurring c. Urinary blurring d. Urinary rebilling 49. Which of the following enzymes provides the best indication of obstructive liver disease, I. E. , schoolmates? A. Amylase b. Alkaline phosphate c. Separate nontransferable d. Lactate dehydrogenate 50. In a cerebrationââ¬â¢s fluid (SF) sample, which of the following proteins is quantitative to assess the permeability of the blood/brain barrier . Albumin b. Gig c. Transferring d. Preferable 51. The following urinalysis are obtained: Glucose by reagent strip: negative Stones by reagent strip: positive These results are most consistent with a. Starvation b. Polynesia c. Diabetes mellitus d. Diabetes insipid 52. A patient with Type l, IDEM has the following results VBG Patient 1 50 MGM/del Ref Range 70- 110 MGM/del FSP 2. 6 Mol/L 2 ââ¬â 2. 9 Mol/L 53. The patient has the following thyroid profile TTT: decreased OFT: decreased Thyroid peroxides anybody: positive TTS: decreased This patient most probably has a. Hyperthyroidism b. Hypothyroidism . A normal thyroid d. Graveââ¬â¢s disease 53. Choose the diagnosis most consistent with the following: Serum total bill: elevated Serum direct bill: O MGM/del Serum indirect bill: elevated Urine blurring: negative Rebilling: decreased a. UDP ââ¬â GET deficiency b. Posthypnotic bile obstruction c. Dublin Johnson syndrome d. Intramuscular hemolytic 5. When is a blood sample for determination of the trough level off drug proportionately drawn? A. During the absorption phase of the drug b. During the distribution phase of the drug c. Shortly before the drug administration d. Two hours after the administration Which of the following is used in the treatment of manic depression b. Lithium c. Calcium d. Chloride Which of the following is a commonly encountered xanthium that could potentially interfere with the determination of Diophantine? A. Nicotine b. Caffeine c. Amphetamine d. Proclaimed Which of the following drugs is used as an instrumentation in organ transplantation, especially in liver transplants? A. Metamorphose b. Emendation c. Cloistering d. Parenting Free drug levels can generally be determined by analyzing what body fluid? 9. A. Whole blood b. Illiterate of the plasma c. Urine . OFF of plasma 10. For what colorimetric reaction is the Trainerââ¬â¢s reaction widely used? A. Acetaminophen b. Proponent c. Silicates d. Barbiturates 11. Anticoagulants whole blood is the preferred specimen in determining the exposure to what compound? A. Methanol b. Mercury d. Carbon monoxide 12. Free erythrocyte proprietorship (FEE) levels are useful as a screening method to which of the following metals? A. Zinc b. Lead c. Iron d. Mercury 13. Of the following specimens, which would be appropriate for determining the exposure to lead? A. DEED plasma b. Serum c. Whole blood d. SF 14. Identification of the urinary metabolite bioengineering would be useful in determining exposure to which of the following drugs? A. Codeine b. Cocaine c. Amphetamines d. Proponent 15. TECH is the principal active component of what drug? A. Benedictine b. Marijuana c. Morphine d. Codeine 17. When screening urine for toxic substances, which of the following will not be identified be Irenics Test? A. Bismuth b. Arsenic d. Cyanide 18. Which of the following tests would be particularly useful in determining sopranos exposure? A. Serum seasonality and urine acetone b. Urine seasonality and serum seasonality . Urine acetone and urine seasonality d. Serum sodium and serum acetone 19. Which of the following methods would yield reliable quantification of ethanol in the presence of sopranos a. Reaction with permanganate and chronometric acid b. Conway diffusion followed by dichloride c. Alcohol dehydrogenate reaction d. Gas ââ¬â liquid chromatography 20. Levels of 8 ââ¬â 9% chronologically saturation of whole blood are commonly found in which of the following situations? A. Fatal carbon monoxide poisoning b. Acute carbon monoxide poisoning c. Non ââ¬â smoking residents of rural areas d. Cigarette smokers How to cite Wawa, Papers
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Effective Security Management Butterworth -Myassignmenthelp.Com
Question: Discuss About The Effective Security Management Butterworth? Answer: Introduction The IT services can prove beneficial to any operations, it can flourish the business growth as well as the marketing share of the entire company. The cloud technology can add more benefits to their services. The report will, however, discuss the threats, vulnerabilities as well as the security features on diminishing those risks. Thus the IT services can give them the competitive edge and these factors will be broadly discussed in the report. Review in regards to the financial services The risks associated with the financial services must be assessed accordingly and should act upon it responsively. The systematic risks The systematic risks are typically those risks on which the individual and the organisation has no control. The risks that are associated with systematic risks are war, interest rates and the recession. All these risks generally take place due to the external factors and these factors can prove disastrous to any industry and o any enterprise to a greater extent (Wu Olson, 2015). The risks are divided into- market risk, purchasing risk, and the interest rate risk. No one has any clue for the following risk. The Unsystematic risks The unsystematic risks are the risks which are under control and can be diminished within time, the risks can be managed well by the employees and the executives and the managers of the company. The unsystematic risks are liquidity risk, operational risk and the financial risk (McNeil, Frey Embrechts, 2015). The effect is minimal compared to the systematic risks which are beyond control. Relevant risk The relevant risks are those risks that can be controlled, thus the unsystematic risks are considered as the relevant risks. The risks generally involve the regulatory risks, legal risk, solvency risk and the operational risk (Lam, 2014). These risks must be detected at first, then they should be assessed accordingly and lastly, they should be controlled. Strategic risk Aztek if not take a proper decision and this faulty decision and faulty strategy can lead to project failure and ultimately can lead to delay in project deadline. The project failure can lead to and reputation of the company (Chance Brooks, 2015). Thus it can affect the IT services severely. For this reason, a proper decision must be made, the right strategy can save a lot of money and protect the reputation of the enterprise. Market risk The price of the products if gets increased can affect any organisation adversely and Aztek is no exception. The market risk is correlated with the financial risk, market risk, equity risk and the interest rate risk (Chance Brooks, 2015). The market risks get aroused due to the abnormal price rise of the resources and the commodities. Credit risk The credit risk arouses if the lender gives money to the borrowers and borrowers fail to repay the loan somehow. The risks arise when the lender sends the money and borrowers fails to meet the expectation of the lender. In this case, the lender loses all the money and the interests along with it. All the countries' legal compliance is almost same and Australia should follow the compliance as well. This legal compliance can help them to run the business in well-secured manner and also fast (Bromiley et al., 2015). The external risks can prove a disastrous effect on the enterprise and can the threats and the risks can be augmented. The internal risks within the enterprise are- The transparent techniques and procedures follow through The communication procedure Aztek must adopt some advanced strategies to meet the goals of the company, should act proactively so that the companys projects can get executed with lesser risks and lesser hassles. The employees should take the approach to educate his employees as the employees if have the required knowledge to defend the threats and the vulnerabilities on the projects the company can be greatly furnished (Sadgrove, 2016). They too adept with the IT services they are desiring. The market shares of Aztek and the core business activities can furnish as a whole. Government regulations Australias federal body have applied rules and policies and every organisation must follow those rules to get the productivity benefits. Even Aztek can carry out their financial services in more proficient manner. They can also carry out business activities more ethically. Thus they should act energetically and must follow these rules (Sadgrove, 2016). The rules if followed can benefit them as well as their clients. The parameters that must be followed are- The rules and the policies must be revised thoroughly and only based on that they must take the best decisions that can help to gain the financial benefits as well as clients appraisal. They must look upon the policies as that can help them in conducting the business operations. The risks that have the possibility to incur must be assessed as soon as possible and based on that the financial risks must be assessed and properly mitigated timely otherwise the threats and the risks can spread their wings and can make a devastating effect (Bolton, Chen Wang, 2013). iii. Aztek must consider the best solutions possible that it can help them to run the business operations without any hassle, thus company's monitory losses can be checked, the reputation can be protected. Best practices Aztek must follow the best practices that can benefit them in the long run. The challenges that Aztek faced must be well noticed by Aztek and Aztek must discuss all the aspects of IT services with the investors and the stakeholders for the best possible outcome. The report showcases all the benefits of the IT services (Bolton, Chen Wang, 2013). Along with the benefits, they must focus on the security model via which they can get the maximum productivity. Review of project along with the current security measures The IT services that Aztek has planned to conduct are the installation of the application server, the proper management system of the desktop. Aztek also has planned to perform the network configuration as well. Aztek needs to consider the various parameters of the IT services and the risks associated with it as that can help them to conduct the business activities in the more flourished way (Ali, Warren, Mathiassen, 2017). There are various strategies that they have planned that help them in coming future. The stakeholders involve the The government agencies must work in collaborate manner and should work in related to the outsourcing of IT services The management team of Aztek iii. The staffs of Aztek The clients of Aztek The investors of Aztek Analysing threats, vulnerabilities and the final outcome Like every other organisation, Aztek should have an effective strategy to defend the threats, vulnerabilities of the enterprise and implement a security model so that they can effectively carry on their business activities in the agile and effective way. In this way Aztek can get the desired outcome they want, the productivity of the company can be greatly embellished due to the security model. The threat and the vulnerabilities removal can facilitate the entire Aztek and Aztek's clients. Aztek deals with clients of entire Australia, they deal with the financial activities too (Rittinghouse Ransome, 2016). Thus security is a great concern and they must be careful about the data as is those data got breached they can get into trouble. That is why they must assess the threats at first and then applying suitable solutions must remove the risks and the threats incurred. Aztek should know that the risks if not get mitigated in time can create havoc. The entire system and the database can get threatened by the malicious activities of the hacktivists. This can lead to a huge lot of money (Choo, 2014). This can affect their reputation to the utmost. Thus they must implement a security model to assure their enterprise core activities. They should also listen to the clients and should work as per demands. The Azteks security model is based on the below parameters- Strategies for detecting the objectives- To meet the objectives and goals proposed by the company, a security model must be configured as this secured model can save them from all kinds of vulnerabilities or loopholes of the system. The assessment of applications- Aztek must be choosy while choosing applications for their enterprise. The assessment of risks and thereafter choosing appropriate applications for the enterprise can assist them in procuring the goals they want. The business operations can be flourished to the utmost (Islam et al., 2016). The best effective plan can help them to ensure safety and security and at the same time can help them to enjoy the best IT services. The highlight of the features of the security objectives- Aztek conducts financial activities and their database contains all the financial data. Also, their database contains their clients' sensitive data and the information. These data can get breached if Aztek deals with the data inattentively (Choo, 2014). Thus they must act responsively and proactively and should deal with the data in fast and effective manner. The client's data must be safe all the time and it is the duty of the clients to look after that Identification of threats Phishing attacks- The phishing is one of the deadliest attacks from which the Aztek clients can suffer, the attackers can hack the Aztek's clients' database and can rob Aztek's clients' vital data. The attackers mainly copy one's website HTML code and make a similar website which is the original website's copycat, thus the attackers can make a fake website out of it and fools the Aztek's clients in a similar fashion (Albakri et al., 2014). Another type is sending spam emails and cheat the Azteks' clients. The innocent Aztek clients click on the link and surf the website and fall into the trap of attackers. Data Packet Sniffing- The attackers taking advantage of the insecure network can carry on their unscrupulous activities and in this case, the data flow through the insecure network got hijacked and in this case too there is a high chance that the sensitive credentials of the Azteks clients can get compromised. IP spoofing- IP spoofing must be added to the list as it provides the same disastrous effect (Albakri et al., 2014). The attackers basically hide in the background and carry on their unscrupulous activities, for this reason, Aztek fails to discover the source where the malicious activities are going on, the hacktivist take the advantage of this and prey on the Aztek's clients and make their life miserable. Port Scanning- This is another kind of threat of Aztek where the hacktivist can identify the services carrying on in the premises of Aztek. The port scanning methods let them know the services and the vulnerabilities residing within the services. Backdoors- The backdoors are created within the website during the development stage, the web developers for their advantage to see the code and regulate the code and to assess whether the website is executing properly or not (Sennewald Baillie, 2015). This backdoor can prove disastrous if the hacktivist takes advantage of it. Identification of vulnerabilities Predictable session identifiers- Base 64 usage can let the attackers recognise the session identifiers, they also reverse engineered the algorithms and modify it and carry on their malicious activities. Dependence on client-side validation- The browser history and settings of Aztek clients can get hijacked and thus, the privacy and security of the system of Aztek and the database of Aztek can get endangered. iii. SQL injection- Another noteworthy threat is SQL injection. The hackers can gain the credentials of the clients exploiting the account of the clients. Unauthorised execution of operations- The authentication can be severely violated due to the attack of the hacktivists and Aztek can face the disaster (Albakri et al., 2014). Cross-site scripting- The attackers purposefully rob the useful cookies form ones system browser and make the whole system vulnerable, they have the web development knowledge (Peltier, 2016). They have the knowledge and skills of scripting language, they have the knowledge of scripting language, they have the knowledge of CSS and HTML and they can use all their knowledge to exploit ones system. Issues related to uploading- The malware can prove disastrous to the Azteks clients. The attackers via XSS and the Trojans can expose Aztek client's system. vii. Issues related to logging out- The clients sometimes feel too lazy to log out of the system, the attackers can gain into the Aztek account via an insecure network and can rob the important data of the database, thus the clients' data can get breached (Sennewald Baillie, 2015). viii. Passwords- The clients sometimes set very easy predictable passwords for their system which can be guessable and thus the system becomes vulnerable to attack. The lazy approach from the clients can prove dangerous (Rittinghouse Ransome, 2016). The hackers via brute force method can gain access to the system and expose the vulnerabilities residing within the database and the system of Aztek. The unencrypted passwords- The clients unknowingly store passwords in their system as they tend to forget the password. The attackers attack the system via virus and malware and Trojan virus and acquire those files where the password is written. Also, the hackers search for the hidden files in the system where the password is saved in unencrypted form. Phishing attack- The phishing attack is another noteworthy mention which is a disastrous one, the hackers send spam emails to the clients of Aztek claiming that they are sending emails from Aztek (Almorsy et al., 2016). The clients can unknowingly enter those malicious sites and thus can lose confidentiality and lose all the credentials and can even lose all the sensitive data. The absence of account lockout- The account lockout absenteeism can lead to cybercrime attack. xii. Not showing the previous sessions- The innocent clients unknowingly can enter their personal information again and again and thus risks their own privacy. In this way by catering the username, password the clients can get into trouble and their confidential data can get breached (Ahmad Maynard, 2014). xiii. No appropriate settings for cookie security: The hackers can develop a channel for Aztek clients and the server and via this channel, the browser cookies get transmitted (Siponen Mahmood Pahnila, 2014). The hackers first exploit the system and gain access to those browser cookies and this way threats can spread all over Aztek. xiv. Weak cyphers- The hacktivist can crack the SSL key and gain into the system of Aztek's clients, they can even keep track of the data being transmitted through the network of Aztek's clients. Thus it can be a threat to both Aztek and Aztek's clients The management team of Aztek should take effective decision to mitigate the risks related to financing and the IT services. The executive should act in a proactive manner. They also should have sound knowledge on the security and the control measures via which the information security system can be greatly embellished. They must follow the federal body's rules and policies as that can give them the option to run the business activities more securely and ethically and effectively. They must take up the code of practice that is based on ISO strategy and they can gain huge benefits by this methodology (Chen et al., 2013). The risks residing within the Aztek premises can be checked to a greater extent with the help of this method. For this reason, they must adopt the control measures and should follow the guidelines effectively to make the required changes to enhance the quality of IT services. Aztek can enjoy the cloud technology and this can cater Aztek with the best services that they can get. The cloud technology can help them to communicate with the clients throughout day and night. Also, the cloud technology can make their business procedures fast and effective. However, they should be mindful of the problems related to cloud computing. All they need is fast bandwidth and fast and secure network connectivity to carry out their business activities (Sawik, 2013). The below factors must be considered while carrying out the business activities and they are- Issues which is related to integrity Company trust The transparency that to be followed by Aztek and third party outsourced companies Confidentiality Use of the features available for IT services Availability of the options The above factors suggest that Aztek must take up the effective decision strategy to carry out their business. The effective decision strategy can also help them to fight with the system and the database loopholes or vulnerabilities (Pascoal, 2012). The outsourced tasks can be largely benefitted due to the methodology and decision they adopted. For this reason, to get the maximum productivity and the advantages, Aztek must take up the effective service level agreement (Dotcenko, Vladyko Letenko, 2014). The approach can help them to overcome the barriers and can help them in the long run. Security measures to check the threats associated with Aztek Managing an accurate inventory of control system devices: Aztek should not allow their computer nodes to stay connected with any kind of wired or wireless network partly if gets connected to any sort of network partly then the hackers will get the opportunity to grasp over the insecure network (Kimwele, 2014). Therefore, Aztek must keep an eye on the system nodes whether they are connected as a whole and should check whether they are partly connected or not, otherwise via those loopholes the hackers can enter the system. Developing network boundaries: The network boundaries are there to assure security to the system and the database and to detect any defects within the security framework model (Fenz et al., 2014). These are the controls that are used to filter out the inbound and outbound traffic. The firewall is network boundary equipment and is used to check the malicious data flow and in this way, the network must be governed. iii. Using Secure Remote Access methods: Aztek should use the Virtual Private Network as they are known to cater the secure channel via which they can carry on their business operations. The Aztek clients can conduct all the financial activities in a safe and secure manner, they can also protect and safeguard their system due to this secure channel (Crossler et al., 2013). Aztek can safely use the printers and websites connecting to the Internet due to this secured channel. Establishment of role-based access controls: The clients should be given certain permission to use the database and system and that should not exceed. The employees should also be given the permission to access the database according to their job role. In this way, the hackers' entry can be checked to an extent. Thus Aztek can carry out their business activities in a secure manner (AlHogail et al., 2015). This initiative also let us know that the malicious activities of the hackers. Aztek can also utilize the logging capabilities and via this method, Aztek can enhance their security in their office premises. Use of strong passwords: The clients must act in a proactive manner while using the Aztek system. They must utilize a password which is not predictable, cannot be guessed easily and cannot be predicted so easily that is why the password which the clients set must contain at least one big case letter, one small-case letter and one symbol, and the password must be overall eight digits long. The password set by the clients cannot be anyones one place or anyones name (Bell, Ndje Lele, 2013). Thus setting a strong password they can assure safety and security of them and also Aztek, otherwise, the weak password can lead to vulnerabilities like hacking of one's personal data. Thus they all must be careful while choosing the password for their system. Installation of antivirus software: Aztek must not deny the positive effect of antivirus software. Aztek must choose antivirus software wisely otherwise there is a chance their vital data can get breached. They must know that the antivirus software is capable to defend that malicious software those try to enter the system. The system can get overall security due to the approach. They also should use the latest hardware, latest software and the latest operating system as this can help them to achieve the goals. They also must update their system and the database regularly along with that they must apply patches (Singh et al., 2013). Thus it will help them to carry out their business activities in agile and effective manner. The outdated software and hardware are threats to any system and Aztek is no exception so they must be careful. vii. Enforcing policies for mobile devices: The mobile devices must have an antivirus installed and along with that the clients must use a strong password for the system. This can save the sensitive information stored in the system by the installation of the aforesaid approach. viii. Cybersecurity: The cybersecurity plays an important role to fight with the hackers. The Aztek employees must know all the security measures as that will help them to carry out their business operations in safe and secure manner. Any hackers if want to gain entry to the system they can get to know the vulnerable attack and also about the vulnerable network (Singh et al., 2013). The cybersecurity team thus can educate the Aztek employees to conduct the business activities Involving executives: The executives can prove to be beneficial while identifying any cybersecurity risks erupt within the system; they can also help to connect to the stakeholders (Bell, Ndje Lele, 2013). The executives are aware of the cybersecurity threats thus can provide best solutions to the check the IT risks and also this effective decision can help them in the long run. Implement a disaster plan beforehand: A disaster management plan must be made as this can help to effectively run the business and to make best decisions, also the companys huge losses can be controlled (Bell, Ndje Lele, 2013). Like any other organisations, a disaster plan is an absolute necessity for Aztek too. Conclusion It can be concluded from the above discourse that they can get significant benefits if adopt the IT services and the cloud technology. The cloud technology can help them in their business in the long run. The cloud technology can assist to cater better IT services thus more productivity can be expected. This can also help them to build a healthy relationship with clients. However, they should be mindful of the risks, threats and the vulnerabilities in relation to IT services. Therefore, they must adopt the security framework model to secure the business process. They can abide by the policies to execute their business process ethically and effectively. The report has highlighted all these aspects in details. References Ahmad, A., Maynard, S. (2014). Teaching information security management: reflections and experiences.Information Management Computer Security,22(5), 513-536. Albakri, S. H., Shanmugam, B., Samy, G. N., Idris, N. B., Ahmed, A. (2014). Security risk assessment framework for cloud computing environments.Security and Communication Networks,7(11), 2114-2124. AlHogail, A. (2015). Design and validation of information security culture framework.Computers in human behavior,49, 567-575. Ali, A., Warren, D., Mathiassen, L. (2017). Cloud-based business services innovation: A risk management model.International Journal of Information Management,37(6), 639-649. Almorsy, M., Grundy, J., Mller, I. (2016). An analysis of the cloud computing security problem.arXiv preprint arXiv:1609.01107. Bell, B. G., Ndje, Y. J., Lele, C. (2013). Information systems security management: optimized model for strategy, organization, operations.American Journal of Control Systems an Information Technology, (1), 22. Bolton, P., Chen, H., Wang, N. (2013). Market timing, investment, and risk management.Journal of Financial Economics,109(1), 40-62. Brender, N., Markov, I. (2013). Risk perception and risk management in cloud computing: Results from a case study of Swiss companies.International journal of information management,33(5), 726-733. Bromiley, P., McShane, M., Nair, A., Rustambekov, E. (2015). Enterprise risk management: Review, critique, and research directions.Long range planning,48(4), 265-276. Chance, D. M., Brooks, R. (2015).Introduction to derivatives and risk management. Cengage Learning. Chen, Z., Han, F., Cao, J., Jiang, X., Chen, S. (2013). Cloud computing-based forensic analysis for collaborative network security management system.Tsinghua science and technology,18(1), 40-50. Choo, K. K. R. (2014). A cloud security risk-management strategy.IEEE Cloud Computing,1(2), 52-56. Cremonini, M. (2016). Cloud Security Risk Management.Cloud Computing Security: Foundations and Challenges, 87. Crossler, R. E., Johnston, A. C., Lowry, P. B., Hu, Q., Warkentin, M., Baskerville, R. (2013). Future directions for behavioral information security research.computers security,32, 90-101. Dotcenko, S., Vladyko, A., Letenko, I. (2014, February). A fuzzy logic-based information security management for software-defined networks. InAdvanced Communication Technology (ICACT), 2014 16th International Conference on(pp. 167-171). IEEE. Fenz, S., Heurix, J., Neubauer, T., Pechstein, F. (2014). Current challenges in information security risk management.Information Management Computer Security,22(5), 410-430. Goldstein, A., Frank, U. (2016). Components of a multi-perspective modeling method for designing and managing IT security systems.Information Systems and e-Business Management,14(1), 101-140. Islam, S., Fenz, S., Weippl, E., Kalloniatis, C. (2016). Migration Goals and Risk Management in Cloud Computing: A Review of State of the Art and Survey Results on Practitioners.International Journal of Secure Software Engineering (IJSSE),7(3), 44-73. Kimwele, M. W. (2014). Information technology (IT) security in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). InInformation Systems for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises(pp. 47-64). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Lam, J. (2014).Enterprise risk management: from incentives to controls. John Wiley Sons. Latif, R., Abbas, H., Assar, S., Ali, Q. (2014). Cloud computing risk assessment: a systematic literature review. InFuture Information Technology(pp. 285-295). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. McNeil, A. J., Frey, R., Embrechts, P. (2015).Quantitative risk management: Concepts, techniques and tools. Princeton university press. Peltier, T. R. (2016).Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: guidelines for effective information security management. CRC Press. Pritchard, C. L., PMP, P. R. (2014).Risk management: concepts and guidance. CRC Press. Rittinghouse, J. W., Ransome, J. F. (2016).Cloud computing: implementation, management, and security. CRC press. Rittinghouse, J. W., Ransome, J. F. (2016).Cloud computing: implementation, management, and security. CRC press. Sadgrove, K. (2016).The complete guide to business risk management. Routledge. Sawik, T. (2013). Selection of optimal countermeasure portfolio in IT security planning.Decision Support Systems,55(1), 156-164. Sennewald, C. A., Baillie, C. (2015).Effective security management. Butterworth-Heinemann. Singh, A. N., Picot, A., Kranz, J., Gupta, M. P., Ojha, A. (2013). Information security management (ism) practices: Lessons from select cases from India and Germany.Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management,14(4), 225-239. Siponen, M., Mahmood, M. A., Pahnila, S. (2014). Employees adherence to information security policies: An exploratory field study.Information management,51(2), 217-224. Wu, D. D., Olson, D. L. (2015). Financial Risk Management. InEnterprise Risk Management in Finance(pp. 15-22). Palgrave Macmillan U
Friday, November 29, 2019
Mavericks at Work Book Review free essay sample
In the past 10-20 years, the environment changed vigorously due to globalization and rapid development of internet. If organizations just follow the old success formula, probably it will go out of business. In the book ââ¬Å"Mavericks at Workâ⬠, William C. Taylor Polly Labarre mentioned how ââ¬Å"Mavericksâ⬠leaded their company to success in this fast changing environment. According to Oxford Dictionary, Mavericks means ââ¬Å"an unorthodox or independent-minded personâ⬠. This book showed how Mavericksââ¬â¢ unorthodox thinking leaded companies to success. 4 mains areas were focused in this book, ââ¬Å"Rethinking Competitionâ⬠, ââ¬Å"Reinventing Innovationâ⬠, ââ¬Å"Reconnecting with Customerâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Redesigning Workâ⬠. These 4 topics can be seen as innovative way of planning, leading, controlling and organizing functions of management. Part One: Rethinking Competition In the 21st Century, competition is much more vigorous than before. Many companies put too much focus on how to compete with its competitors. Their competitive strategies were to provide the same product or service as their competitor does. We will write a custom essay sample on Mavericks at Work Book Review or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Quality and cost are the only difference between different competitors. It will finally lead to loss loss situation. In part one, we can see how the Mavericks perform differently in planning process. Analysis on the market and identify a competitive strategy Different from the other competitors, the Mavericks tried to find a market that is not discovered by other companies. ING was one of the successful Mavericks. In the year 2000 all banks targeted customers with large amount of money for high risk investment purpose. ING targeted the customers who only wanted to deposit a small amount in the bank for saving purpose. After ING found this new market, it used a focus differentiation strategy so that their products are uniquely designed for its targeted customers. As the products are unique in the market, the customers are loyal to the company. Setting Mission and Goals The mission set by Mavericks is unique in the market. For example mission of ING is ââ¬Å"leading Americans back to savingsâ⬠while the others are about making profit or be the top. Therefore both employees and customers can easily find the difference between the Mavericks and other company. Formulating strategy While formulating strategy, companies usually focus on short term benefit rather than long term benefit to get higher bonus and credit from shareholders. However the Mavericks focus on long term benefit instead of short term benefit. For example, ING rejected big customers because if they accepted the big customers, its targeted customers will be ignored and finally it will lose its uniqueness as well as the targeted customer. Part Two: Reinventing Innovation Usually we think that innovative ideas are coming from laboratories and scientists. Most of the companies still see them as the only source of innovative ideas. However, due to high education level and well developed internet nowadays, the Mavericks realized that there are many ideas can be created by the grassroots all over the world. Organizing the grassroots How to find and organize the grassroots became the first question faced by the Mavericks. They found a place where most grassroots can be found ââ¬â the internet. However these grassroots cannot be organized and managed by normal management way because they are not employed by the company. Some mavericks like Goldcorp organize the grassroots by setting up internet competition platform. It posted all its data about mining on the web and asked the participants to submit their ideas of where should be drilled. Motivation By the views of Maslows hierarchy of needs, most companies motivated their workers by safety needs such as employment and salary. Instead, the Mavericks motivate the grassroots mainly by Esteem, i. e. roviding worldwide recognition to these grassroots which they canââ¬â¢t get in a traditional workplace. Communication As there are too many grassroots and they are worldwide located, the company cannot communicate with them one by one. Lower communication channel richness methods such as email / Memo were used. Therefore the Mavericks focus narrow and tightly define so that every participant could understand the requirements easi ly. An example is when Marketplace limited the competition topic to single country and single theme, better ideas were generated by grassroots. Leadership As different from internal management, an open source leader does not have any leadership position power over the grassroots. The only thing the leader can do is to be open and transparent. Part Three: Reconnecting with Customers Many companies only focus on their products, their controlling process is mainly focus on the cost and quality of their product. They seldom connect with the customers and even set tricks in hotline to stop their customers reaching them. However, the Mavericks performed the controlling process mainly based on customersââ¬â¢ experience and they even make use of the customers in controlling process. Controlling Culture Even a company has good mission and competitive strategy, the employees may not follow and the customers will not be convinced. An example in the book is Commerce Bank, aiming at ââ¬Å"Greating memorable experienceâ⬠of the customers. In order to have good control in the organization to achieve its mission, the Mavericks built up company culture so that the employees themselves are internally aligned with the company. It created loose, fun, unapologetically cheery culture which made the employees feeling fun when they are working. It also had a volunteering ââ¬Å"Wow Patrol Teamâ⬠to organize elebrations, ran contests and otherwise contributed to Commerceââ¬â¢s culture. Everyone in the company was happy and their customers can feel it, which finally created unique experience and brand image to the customers. Controlling message received from customers Many companies see their customers as the one who only pay for their goods. Some better companies may use customer feedback to control the organization. The Mavericks further involve the customers themselves in the controlling process. An example in the book is Netflix which is a DVD rental store. It created a society where the customers can rate the movies, so others customers would follow and rented the highly rated movie. Netflix was benefited as the customers themselves forecasted the customer needs and therefore the store would not buy too much bad movies or too few good movies. Part Four: Redesigning Work People is the most important part of the company because company itself does not generate ideas but the employees do. Talents are even more important in Mavericks companies. This part mentioned how the Mavericks work in recruitment and designing structure in organizing process. Recruitment Companies usually post ads and waiting for talents to apply. The Mavericks never wait for the talents because they believe that talents almost always have a good job so they wonââ¬â¢t find job by themselves. Instead, they find talents actively such as internal referral used by Starbuck or setting recruitment ads as search result by Google. Normally academic result or experience are the important requirement used to select talent, but the Mavericks select suitable talents by attitude and aptitude. They believe knowledge can be trained but attitude is in born and difficult to change. Many companies may just try to improve the compensation package to attract talents. However the Mavericks understand that attractiveness of job content is the major factor that affects the choice of the talents. For example IBM offering challenging projects, high quality team member and dynamic work place to the candidates. They also see hiring great talent as attractive point to other talents because all talents like working with great talents and learning from them. Designing structure Unlike formal structure, some mavericks such as SEI designed ââ¬Å"Achocracyâ⬠structure with very high mobility. There is no formal structure in SEI. When there is a new project, the employees form a temporary team themselves and work on the project. The team will be dismissed after the project is completed. Conclusion In conclusion, the mavericksââ¬â¢ way of management is to make the company unique in market. Industries of banking, product industry, information technology etc were very success after applied the Mavericks way of management. According to contingency theory, there is no best theory and it depends on different situation. From my point of view, the Mavericks way of management is more suitable for the companies which are ambitious, product can be differentiated, customers can be segmented and competition exists. An counter example is government because she has too much limitation such as they cannot target narrow customers to maintain fairness nor sharing information to customers because most information is confidential. The governmentââ¬â¢s decision cannot too depends on her customers because it may harm the long term development like Greece. In 2006 when the book was published, the unorthodox way of management mentioned in the book is very innovative. However in 2011, many companies tried to copy the Mavericks way of management. If every company used the same way of management, the Mavericks companies will face head to head competition. Instead of the Mavericks way of management, the most important point I learnt from this book is the Mavericks thinking, i. e. being innovative to design my own Mavericks management way, rethink and rethink about management so that my management way can always be unique even in the fast changing environment.
Monday, November 25, 2019
The Witches In Macbeth Essays - Characters In Macbeth, Fiction
The Witches In Macbeth Essays - Characters In Macbeth, Fiction The Witches In Macbeth 1 The witches in Macbeth serve to advance the story, reveal human weakness, heighten the tension and give the audience a hint of things to come, but they do not control Macbeth or anyone else in the play. The only power they have over Macbeth is their ability to reinforce an idea that was already in his head. Their role is made clear when Hecate speaks to them, And which is worse, all you have done Hath been but for a wayward son. ( act 3 scene 5 ) She suggests that they do not have the power to make him do the evil and mischief that they want. Nor do they need that power. Macbeth is fully capable of doing all the mischief and evil on his own. How do individuals control others? How would the witches control Macbeth? This can usually be done by physical and/or emotional force. Fear and threats, rewards and praise work to control others. These tools work to different degrees on different people. So much of what is called control depends on the person that is being controlled. The promise of a throne may send some people to their knees while others will take to their heels. When the witches hold out their promises to Macbeth the only surety they have is a knowledge of his ambition and his need for power. In the end this was all they needed to be sure of. They may try to manipulate, but they do not need to control. The character flaws that Macbeth has will be enough to fill their needs. It is interesting to note that the witches do not ask for anything in 2 return for their prophecies. Macbeth does not have to promise his soul in exchange for any information. His soul was already in trouble before he met the witches. He was their logical choice. At the start of the play, Macbeth and Banquo are returning from the battlefield when they meet the witches. At this time they predict that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and king of Scotland. It is an interesting thought and the start of an idea. He has fought bravely for king and country, but when the first prophecy comes true, and he is made Thane of Cawdor , he says to himself, The first step toward the ultimate goal, the throne. ( act 1 scene 3) If he calls the ultimate goal, a throne, then he has been entertaining this idea before. In his life he has prioritized his ambitions, and the title of king is what he considers the highest step. As a brave an honorable leader of the kings army, shouldnt his highest goal be to serve? As an honorable man with strong morals shouldnt his ultimate goal be a decent life and a heavenly reward? Ambition drives Macbeth. He only needs the suggestions of things that might be his to push him on. There is no sense of moral right to keep him from murder. He hesitates only because he fears the earthly consequences not because it would be sinful. If the assassination could trummel up the consequences. But in these cases we still have judgment here. ( act 1scene 7) He does not realize that his struggle is not against evil but for good. The witches do not command Macbeth to kill Duncan or anyone else. The 3 murder of his king is his decision. This is the only way that he can see to reach his Ultimate Goal. One murder leads to another. Macbeth has spun a web that has trapped him in a paranoid mess. Soon he believes that everyone is out to get him. Traitors are behind every stone in his castle. He has no trusted friends left, and even his wife has fallen into a pit of madness. The only way to deal with this is to kill and kill again. He must know what the future holds for him, and again he turns to the witches. Maybe they can reassure him. At this stage of the play, Macbeth is in desperate need of some measure of security. The witches are only too happy to oblige. Theyll give him just what he wants almost. Hecate has forecasted Macbeths weakness when she
Friday, November 22, 2019
Significance Of Customer Portfolio Management In Modern Business Envir Essay
Significance Of Customer Portfolio Management In Modern Business Environment - Essay Example A loyal customer is an invaluable asset to any organization that contributes to the accomplishment of the firmââ¬â¢s long-term goals and objectives. Scholars reflect that efficient customer portfolio management at different levels of an organization is a fundamental driver of strategic as well as financial success. The concept of customer portfolio can significantly contribute to the firmââ¬â¢s efforts to retain the profitable segments of its customers because customer portfolio is a potential way to achieve enhanced customer satisfaction. According to experts, ââ¬Å"in much the same way that we can examine a portfolio of products or brands, the importance of customers as assets and investment centers mandates a similar portfolio analysisâ⬠(Hooley, et al. 2008, p.436). This paper will explore the concept of customer portfolio management. The paper will also discuss how a company can apply this concept in its strategic management.à The term portfolio is often used by ma nagement professionals in the context of investments to represent the collection of assets owned by a person or an institution. With regard to customers, this term has a parallel meaning. A customer portfolio can be defined as ââ¬Å"the collection of mutually exclusive customer groups that comprise a businessââ¬â¢s entire customer baseâ⬠(Buttle, 2009. p.125). In simple words, a customer portfolio encompasses different groups that make up a businessââ¬â¢s customer base. For instance, Coca Colaââ¬â¢s customer portfolio comprises grocery stores, amusement parks, and restaurants. The thorough analysis of customer portfolios can assist a company to identify how a specific customer group is performing.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Opposing Viewpoints Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1
Opposing Viewpoints - Essay Example Genesis is not merely prolonged exercise of metaphors rather it provides an in depth analysis, as evolutionary believers have used metaphors for their interpretations as well. Natural selection in case Charles Darwin mechanism and Dawkins talk of selfish genes. Early scientists believed that God has created earth and life primarily based on some knowledge and not merely a divine whim which would be revealed through inquiries. Life is governed by rational, cognitive and eternal set of laws. Although grudgingly, yet the persecution of Galileo was accepted as mistake of the past. However, the recent events have unfolded the defamation of therapeutic cloning by the same conservative and erratic school of thought. Science and religion co-existence is the only way forward. At times science has owed to the nature. Science has profoundly admired the explicit concepts of nature and making a premise for the fathoming of science and religion. Similarly religion cannot stand alone or the proposition of denying religion with reference to science should be obliterated. Like the early scientists, who were as Christian as evolutionist paved the way for the harmony among science and religion. Also, both science and religion should adapt to the ever changing world and embrace the new concepts emerging on the surface of the world. The religion must not abscond the realms of the science for the prosperity and developments of nations, societies and world at large. 8. Louis Bolce and Gerald De Maio. "American Politics Is Dominated by Battles Between Religious and Secular Voters." At Issue: How Does Religion Influence Politics?. Ed. James D. Torr. Detroit: Greenhaven Press,
Monday, November 18, 2019
PERSUASIVE ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
PERSUASIVE ANALYSIS - Essay Example The obvious solution to this paradox, according to Holcberg, is legalization and monetary recompense for donated organs. He rationalizes his solution by appealing to the reader's sense of logic by equating payment for organs "as a type of life insurance" and the fact that this would be "mutually advantageous" to both the family who "gets needed money" and the "transplant patient" who "gets a vital organ." Holcberg then broadens his line of reasoning to organ donation while living, as well as after death. He supports his logic with reference to authoritative figures such as the Mayo Clinic, wherein they claim that the "the extraction of a section of liver" is "less than1 percent" risk to "the donor's life," and the New England Journal of Medicine, which states that this risk "is even smaller." By referring to authority, the reader is more likely to agree, or to at least take notice of what Holcberg has to say. At this point in his article, Holcberg endeavors to attract both proponents and opponents of his appeal by referring to a number of contrary standpoints. For example, he mentions that "those who object to a free market in organs would deny" a father who "may decide that one of his kidneys is worth selling to pay for the best medical treatment available for his child the right to act on his own judgment." He further states, that although these same opponents claim that "poor people are incapable of making rational choices" the fact is that they "do have the capacity to reason, and should be free to exercise it." In taking this approach, Holcberg appeals to the idea of human rights and is more likely to gain the reader's attention and agreement. He retains this attention on human rights by stating that "if the law recognizes our right to give away an organ, it should also recognize our right to sell an organ."While continuing his negation of opposing views, Holcberg dismisses their co ncern for the possibility of people committing "murder to sell organs," as scaremongering and uses evocative words such as "financial lure" and "difficult-to-execute criminal action" to suggest that organ trade would decrease the number of murders. Holcberg's use of language here, successfully leads the reader to question the irrationality of such opposing views. Holcberg's final counterargument against opponents of organ trade donation is a rejection of their concern that organs would go to the wealthier rather than the more needy people. He asserts that people's lives will be damaged (a seller would not get "the best price for his organ" and a buyer would not be able to purchase "an organ to further his life.") by giving organs to the needy. He refers to "charity" for the needy and effectively gives himself the last word on the issue by stating that "a free market would enhance the ability" for the needy to obtain organs from such "charitable organizations," and thereby demonstrates how their views are either questionable or wrong. Finally, after finishing his negations, he stimulates the reader's sense of self-preservation by asking whether, "If your life depended on getting an organ wouldn't you be willing to pay for one" and "If you could find a
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Environmental factors affecting McDonalds management functions
Environmental factors affecting McDonalds management functions Executive Summary This analytical study aims to investigate and analyse the various environmental factors that can affect the working of McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation and provide strategic recommendations for the enhancement of its organisational effectiveness, profitability and competitive advantage. The operations of the firm, especially the globalised nature of its working and its extensive geographical reach, make it subject to various environmental influences. The writer has accordingly shortlisted 12 important environmental factors, namely Customers, Products and Services, Competitors, Employees, Technology, Political Factors, Economy, Environmental Factors, Culture and Religion, Globalisation, Legal Issues and Shareholders and analysed them in detail. The writer has thereafter made use of the TOWS framework to provide several strategic recommendations for the enhancement of the firmââ¬â¢s productivity, profitability and competitive advantage. The main recommendations pertain to the utilisation of organisational resources for expansion of the nutritional value of the firmââ¬â¢s products, the creation products for elder age groups and the expansion of the customer base of the organisation. It is recommended that the organisational management of the firm should specifically focus upon removing prevailing perceptions about the nutritious value of the firmââ¬â¢s products and thus remove important customer associated apprehensions to future growth. Table of Contents S. No Contents Page Executive Summary 2 1. Introduction 4 2. Product Line 4 3. Environmental Analysis 6 3.1. Customers 7 3.2. Products and Services 7 3.3. Competitors 7 3.4. Employees 8 3.5. Technology 8 3.6. Political Factors 9 3.7. Economy 9 3.8. Environmental Factors 10 3.9. Culture and Religion 10 3.10. Globalisation 10 3.11. Legal Issues 11 3.12. Shareholders 11 4. Strategic Analysis and Recommendations 11 4.1. SO Strategies 12 4.2. WO Strategies 12 4.3. ST Strategies 12 4.4. WT Strategies 13 5. Conclusions 13 References 14 1. Introduction This analytical study aims to investigate and analyse the diverse environmental factors that impact the management and marketing functions of McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation and thereafter provide strategic recommendations for the future. McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, founded in 1940 as a barbeque restaurant, has grown over the years to become the largest global chain of fast food restaurants (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p. The organisation has operations in 119 countries, approximately 440,000 employees and more than 36,000 retail outlets (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). McDonaldââ¬â¢s is one of the worldââ¬â¢s most successful business corporations and its operations have been studied in detail by various researchers (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, .p.: Kennedy, 2014). The organisation has become a symbol for American business enterprise and corporate globalisation (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p.: Kennedy, 2014, n.p.). The comparative price of a McDonaldââ¬â¢s burger has been used to compare the purchasing power of different countries (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). The firm owns approximately 15% of its outlets and operates them directly, the balance being operated by others through diverse franchising and joint venture organisations (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). The corporation operates in extremely challenging environmental conditions, characterised by intense competition from several large global food retailing firms and differing environmental conditions in its various markets (McGrath, 2013, n.p.). The firm has faced criticism from various groups of activists for its products and HR strategies (McGrath, 2013, n.p.). The next section of this structured analytical study provides details about the organisationââ¬â¢s products; this is followed by sections on environmental analysis and strategic analysis and recommendations. The study ends with a summative conclusion. 2. Product Line McDonaldââ¬â¢s is known to be a hamburger fast food restaurant, which also sells soft drinks and a variety of sides (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). The organisation has however over the years developed a wide range of food products that can be categorised into six segments: Burgers and Sandwiches Drinks Snacks and Sides Desserts and Shakes Salads Breakfast (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p.) The following table provides the details of its products and product mix for the US market. Table 1: Details of McDonaldââ¬â¢s Products and Product Mix Product Segments Details Product Segments Details Burgers and Sandwiches Angus Snacks and Sides Wraps Big Mac Apple Slices Quarter Pounder Fruit Hamburger Fries Cheeseburger Desserts and Shakes Ice Cream Crispy Chicken Sundaes Grilled Chicken Mcflurry Fish Shakes Mcribs Cookies Drinks and Beverages Milk Pies Water Salads Side Salad Juice Premium Salad Coffee Breakfast McMuffins Ice Tea McGriddles Coke Products Biscuits Cinnamon Melts Bagels Burritos (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p.) McDonaldââ¬â¢s has also recently introduced Its McCafe range of coffees, chocolate drinks and smoothies (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). The firm also provides meal bundles like favourites under 400 (calories) Dollar menus, Extra Value Meals, Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). The corporation is attempting to broad-base its food products to cater to diverse types of customer food needs (McGrath, 2013, n.p.). 3. Environmental Analysis McDonaldââ¬â¢s has to operate in an extremely complex environment on account of the internationalisation of its operations and the intense competition it faces from diverse firms in the fast food business. The business environment of an organisation has several internal and external environmental factors that can influence and impact its working and shape its organisational strategies and policies. McDonaldââ¬â¢s environment contains various elements, the more important of which are depicted in the following chart. Each of these factors is taken up for detailed analysis below. 3.1. Customers McDonaldââ¬â¢s has retail operations in 119 countries and serves the needs of millions of customers (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014). Whilst researchers have tried to segment McDonaldââ¬â¢s customer base in various ways, the organisation primarily caters to the needs of children, young people, parents, and business customers (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2008). Each of these customer segments has specific needs and the organisation has to fulfil them as much as possible (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2008, p 2). Children, for example love to visit McDonaldââ¬â¢s because it is a fun place and McDonaldââ¬â¢s responds to their needs with various toys, special facilities for birthday parties and other fun things for children (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2008, p 3). It aims to provide nutritious meals for parents with children and has affordable menus for teenagers (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2008, p 4). Business customers are provided with quick and affordable meals that fit in with their working schedules (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2008, p 3). The organisation is constantly focusing upon the enhancement of customer satisfaction (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014 n.p.). 3.2. Products and Services McDonaldââ¬â¢s provides a range of food products to its customers in clean, well designed and attractively laid out retailing environments (Frenchman, 2014 n.p.). The organisation aims to provide customers with a range of tasty and nutritious food, delivered swiftly and at affordable prices (McDonaldââ¬â¢s, 2008, p 4). The organisationââ¬â¢s products and services constitute its strongest attraction for customers and the organisation very obviously has to ensure that they meet customer needs and continue to delight them (Frenchman, 2014 n.p.). 3.3. Competitors McDonaldââ¬â¢s has several competitors, each of which is constantly seeking a greater share of the market (Raphel, 2014 n.p.). It is important to recognise that the organisation faces competition from various large organisations, like for example Burger King, Wendyââ¬â¢s, KFC and Subway and also numerous small fish and chip and fried chicken establishments (Raphel, 2014 n.p.). It also faces competition from strong firms like Starbucks, Taco Bell, Dunkin Donuts, Pizza Hut and Dominoââ¬â¢s Pizza (Raphel, 2014 n.p.). Each of these competitors is constantly working on its quality of food and service, as well as on diverse other options and strategies to attract customers (Jargon, 2014b, n.p.). It is important to appreciate that competition for McDonaldââ¬â¢s has increased significantly in the past two decades, which in turn has resulted in the slowing of the organisationââ¬â¢s growth and some reduction in its market share (Jargon, 2014b, n.p.). The nature and intensity of the competition faced by the organisation very clearly shapes its organisational strategies. 3.4. Employees McDonaldââ¬â¢s is overly reliant upon its employees for both the preparation of its food and for the quality of its customer service (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). Restaurant workers form the largest group in the companyââ¬â¢s employment structure (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). Each McDonaldââ¬â¢s restaurant has average workforce strength of 50 employees; many of these employees join at the entry level and as part-time workers (McDonaldââ¬â¢s, 2008, p 3). McDonaldââ¬â¢s has been subjected to substantial criticism in the past for its low wages, as well as for the high turnover of its restaurant employees, who comprise teenagers, transitional workers, students and working mothers (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). The effective deployment and marshalling of its employees constitutes one of its most important organisational objectives (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). The organisation provides vocational training to all of its employees as well as the opportunity for securing promotions to higher positions, including executive positions in the organisational hierarchy (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). McDonaldââ¬â¢s has constantly worked upon its HR management strategies and attempts to motivate its staff with diverse rewards and incentives (McDonaldââ¬â¢s, 2008, p 3). All employees in the top 10% of McDonaldââ¬â¢s restaurants receive bonuses on the basis of mystery shopper scores. The organisation also rewards its outstanding employees with awards and trophies at Gala functions. Neal Blackshire, a senior official at McDonaldââ¬â¢s, states that the organisation recognises employee behaviours, ensures that recognition and reward are right for the workforce and understands what employees wish and value (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). 3.5. Technology Technological advancements are affecting every aspect of the social and business environment and McDonaldââ¬â¢s takes care to ensure appropriate use of technology for achievement of organisational objectives and competitive advantage (Baldwin, 2013 n.p.). It works on technology constantly to enhance the optimisation of its operations (Baldwin, 2013 n.p.). The preparation of a big Mac,for example,now takes 60 seconds and is processed in three stages, including packaging (Baldwin, 2013 n.p.). The organisation is making use of several types of technology for storage of food, regulation of temperature, preparation of food, control of supply chain and financial management and reporting (IncisiveMedia, 2004, n.p). McDonaldââ¬â¢s is linking different responsibility centres through appropriate communication systems in order to enhance optimisation of efficiency and productivity (IncisiveMedia, 2004, n.p ). 3.6. Political Factors McDonaldââ¬â¢s operates in several countries, many of which have different political systems (Han, 2008, p 73). It thus has to cater to various types of political pressures in order to ensure the meeting of its objectives (Han, 2008, p 73). Various governments are currently attempting to increase their control over the fast food sector on account of health associated issues; some of them are restricting the issuances of licences to franchisees (Han, 2008, p 74). Local political pressure has also been applied on the firm from time to time for its perceived role in the dilution of local culture (Han, 2008, p 75). The corporation thus has to constantly anticipate the political environments of the different locations in which it works and take appropriate proactive or reactive action. 3.7. Economy The general economic environment plays an important role in shaping the organisationââ¬â¢s business strategies and policies (Thompson, 2002, p 36). The economic climate can affect discretionary incomes, customer footsteps, market brand, availability of labour and the prices and availability of materials (Gasparo, 2012, n.p; Gould, 2012, p 608). The organisational management of McDonaldââ¬â¢s, both local and central has to thus constantly work towards anticipating and overcoming diverse types of economic challenges (Gasparo, 2012, n.p; Gould, 2012, p 608). It is important to however appreciate that the demand for affordable food products is by and large inelastic and stays high, regardless of the health of the economy (Gasparo, 2012, n.p; Gould, 2012, p 608). McDonaldââ¬â¢s makes use of this benefit by ensuring that people can come to its outlets when they wish and purchase affordable meals for themselves and their families (Gasparo, 2012, n.p). The organisation has shown remarkable resilience during the recent recession and has protected its profit margin by balancing its low priced menus with premium products (Gasparo, 2012, n.p; Gould, 2012, p 608). 3.8. Environmental Factors McDonaldââ¬â¢s, as the largest food retailing chain in the world, has to deal with several types of environmental factors (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p; McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2010, n.p.). The firm makes significant use of beef, packaging materials, napkins, carry bags, oil, water and power. Its operations also result in generation of substantial amounts of solid waste (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p; McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2010, n.p.). The firm has over the years worked towards the enhancement of operational sustainability and improving the ecological soundness of its operations (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014, n.p). It has tied up with the Environmental Defence Fund (EDF) to ease the companyââ¬â¢s environmental burden (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014,n.p; McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2010, n.p.). It has introduced policies for enhancing the recycled content of its packaging material and for reducing the use of polystyrene (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014,n.p). It has developed a rain forest policy and adopted beef purchasing practices that do not lead to deforestation (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014,n.p;). 3.9. Culture and Religion McDonaldââ¬â¢s has to necessarily work in diverse countries with different cultural and religious environments. It has taken the lead in offering customers taste and appearance variations in accordance with the demands of local cultures and religious customs (Cheek, 2014,n.p). It followed up its entry into India, where Hindus do not eat beef and Muslims do not eat pork, by introducing vegetable McNuggets and a Maharaja Mac with lamb meat (Cheek, 2014,n.p.). It has furthermore obtained certification for Halaal food for Islamic countries like Pakistan, Malaysia and Morocco and has advertised it on its menus (Cheek, 2014,n.p.). The firmââ¬â¢s menu in Morocco offers dates, milk and cookies during the holy month of Ramadan (Cheek, 2014,n.p.). The organisation has taken care to ensure the standardised structure of its menu, even though it has provided for several local variations (McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation, 2014,n.p.). 3.10. Globalisation Economic and cultural globalisation essentially involves the economic and cultural intermingling of different cultures (Salisbury, 2014,n.p.). McDonaldââ¬â¢s, as an eminent food retailing organisation, is a leader of globalisation and has spread the American food culture across the world (Salisbury, 2014,n.p.). It has, whilst doing so, had to take account of various social, cultural and global issues and respond to them with sensitivity, cultural sensibility, economic foresight and wisdom (Salisbury, 2014, n.p). The adoption of such carefully thought out approaches have helped it to overcome strong resistance in various areas of the world and establish successful operations (Salisbury, 2014, n.p). 3.11. Legal Issues McDonaldââ¬â¢s has over the years been challenged by various legal issues in different countries. Its success has led many businesses to copy its name and logo and the firm has responded by taking legal action in several trademark associated cases (Petersen, 2014, n.p). The organisation has also been involved in several litigations involving its employees and worker rights (ABC News, 2007, n.p). Some of these cases have gone against the organisation, leading to penalties and fines (ABC News, 2007, n.p). One customer was awarded several million dollars after suffering from third degree burns because of spilling a hot cup of McDonaldââ¬â¢s coffee on herself (Petersen, 2014, n.p). The corporation very clearly has to pay great attention to the legal aspects of its operations (Petersen, 2014, n.p). 3.12. Shareholders Shareholders comprise one of the most important stakeholders of the firm. McDonaldââ¬â¢s has rewarded its shareholders well over the years in terms of market appreciation and dividends (Jargon, 2014a, n.p). The firm plans to increase its payout to shareholders by 10 to 20% over the next three years, even when it is under pressure to enhance sales performance (Jargon, 2014a, n.p). 4. Strategic Analysis and Recommendations This section entails the conduct of a strategic analysis and the provisioning of appropriate recommendations. A TOWS analysis involves the analysis of organisational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and the subsequent utilisation of strengths and minimisation of weaknesses for the exploitation of opportunities and countering of threats. 4.1. SO Strategies SO strategies entail the utilisation of strengths for exploitation of opportunities (Henry, 2008, p 42). McDonaldââ¬â¢s is a global brand with a strong global presence (Lesser et al., 442). It has economies of scale, a strong real estate portfolio, branded menu items and one of the worldââ¬â¢s most recognised logos (Research and Markets, 2013, n.p.). It also paradoxically has high employee turnover, a customer base that mainly comprises children and young people and is yet to develop a reputation for healthy and nutritious food (Research and Markets, 2013, n.p.). The firm should thus very clearly use its resources for expanding its customer base and for enhancing the nutritious value of its products (Lesser et al., 442). It should focus on developing a range of food products that are targeted at elderly people who are likely to have health conditions associated with blood pressure, blood sugar and the heart (Lesser et al., 443). The development of products for this customer segment will help McDonaldââ¬â¢s in opening up a completely new customer segment and in the development of truly healthy products (Lesser et al., 443). 4.2. WO Strategies McDonaldââ¬â¢s has numerous opportunities for enhancing its organisational effectiveness, success and competitive advantage (Research and Markets, 2013, n.p.). The growing population of the world, along with changing lifestyles and improving economies provides the organisation with significant opportunities for greater growth (Jurevicius, 2013, n.p.). It can reduce the weaknesses in areas of nutrition to target customers across its different segments (Jurevicius, 2013, n.p.). McDonaldââ¬â¢s does have some salads on its menu, which offer health eating options to customers. The organisation however continues to be perceived as a purveyor of high calorie products that can lead to obesity and other health problems (Lesser et al., 445). It can take several more steps, like the introduction of hummus and tahini paste, feta cheese, and olive oil in its product range (Research and Markets, 2013, n.p.). Such efforts will certainly help the organisation in attracting more customers and enhancing sales. 4.3. ST Strategies ST strategies involve the utilisation of strengths for the reduction of threats (Williamson et al., 2003, p 109). McDonaldââ¬â¢s currently faces threats on account of the continuance of economic difficulties, foreign currency fluctuations, intensifying competition, nutrition associated issues of its products and perceptions about the unhealthy attributes of its food(Lesser et al., 445). The firm can use its organisational strengths to enhance its supply chain management and improve its operating margins (Jurevicius, 2013, n.p.). It can engage in significant and focused advertising and outreach campaigns to focus upon its commitment to various customer segments (Jurevicius, 2013, n.p.). 4.4. WT Strategies WT strategies involve the reduction of weaknesses for the avoidance of threats (Thompson, 2002, p 32). The firm can engage in specific advertising to reiterate its commitment to health, fitness and sports (Lesser et al., 445). The sponsorship of sports programmes across schools, college and universities can assist the firm in enhancing th
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Baldwin In A Microcosm :: essays research papers
Baldwin in a microcosm "Not everything that is faced can be changed but nothing can be changed until it is faced." - James Baldwin Racism has been a part of American and world history for centuries, and has become a pattern in cultures. James Baldwin was an African-American author who, like many black men and women, struggled against the inherent hate/racism in America. Baldwin had the opportunity to travel to a microcosmic Swiss village atop a mountain. His story of the native's curiosity towards him and eventually fondness challenges the idea that racism is quickly overtaking the world. A microcosm, by definition is a representation of something on a smaller scale. In the Renaissance age, philosophers considered the world to be a macrocosm hosting millions of individual microcosms: people. The term microcosm signifies the creation of the human being as a complete world. In contrast, macrocosm refers to the idea of the whole universe outside humanity. This idea that an individual person is a world unto himself, surely influenced Baldwin in the writing of his essay pertaining to the small Swiss village that was "virtually unknown" (124). The village that Baldwin verbosely writes about is not specified although he tells us that the warm springs are a tourist draw and that the village is "only four hours from Milan and three hours from Lausanne" (124), but this gives the reader little information about the city. The imagery that forms while reading the passage comes directly from the population of the village. The men, women, and children, are all astounded by Baldwin's skin color and hair texture. Some of the inhabitants believed that Baldwin's hair "was the color of tar, that it had the texture of wire, or the texture of cotton" (125). The sheer astonishment of the village natives took Baldwin by surprise, as did the young children shouting "Neger Neger!" The people of the town, although geographically sheltered, are the same people that Baldwin knew as he grew up. He says that "America comes out of Europe, but these people have never seen America, nor have most of them seen more of Europe than the hamlet at the foot of their mountain" (127). Baldwin grew up in Harlem and suffered from racism in many ways. He recalls be called the very same derogatory word that the children in the Swiss village called him, but the difference was that the children in Harlem had an inbred racism and the Swiss children had never seen a black man before.
Monday, November 11, 2019
El Presidente Essay
El Presidente was a film which portrays the happenings from the past when colonization of other country started while Emilio Aguinaldo was the president.à After watching the film, though we watched it bit by bit because of limited time, I can say it was still worth it, because it at least showed to us the events in the past with the creativity of the people behind it. The film was good. I enjoyed watching it, though in some parts of it were kind of confusing to me maybe because I donââ¬â¢t have enough knowledge of history. There are parts when Andres Bonifacio had been a traitor and had been punished to death because of him being a traitor, this confused me. Way back years ago, when I was in elementary and high school years, I can still remember that A. Bonifacio was one of the people I salute in the Philippine History, for being the Father of Katipunan and founder of it. But when I saw that film, Iââ¬â¢m confused with what to think of him because of what he acted when someone kind of insult him for not having a higher level of education. He loses his patience and that led to his betrayal to the katipunan. I think if I was in his position, I wouldnââ¬â¢t do what he did, I would prove them wrong about what they think an uneducated or someone who has lower level of learning unworthy to lead, with that he should have proved himself worthy in stead of being eaten by his anger. Also, thereââ¬â¢s another thing of the film which Iââ¬â¢m confused, its Emilio Aguinaldo. It seemed like E. Aguinaldo was a type of person who do not have any flaws in the film. Overall the film was worth watching. It gave me goose bumps in some part of it because of its intensity, and that hurt feeling seeing how our ancestors fight for our freedom that weââ¬â¢re having now because of their bravery even though they had risked their lives for it.
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