Monday, September 30, 2019

Bakra Beverages Negotiation Case Essay

The negotiation was fast. BebsiCo gave me a price for a yearly contract of $4 M and I agreed. We agreed to negotiate again next year after seeing the percentage of the target market we have reached. The deal was fair, and created value for me (reputation and possibility to obtain financing). I also noticed them about the availability to distribute in the largest chain-restaurant in the country (low cost for us, high value for them). This was an example of a claiming value negotiation, where both parties tried to achieve an individual gain (the best price) and only the price being discussed. However, it has integrative issues as well, because it is important to build a long-term relationship to keep distributing in the future. My BATNA was bankruptcy, and my reservation point very low, so any deal for me would be good. It was important to try to get a lot of information from the other party before you negotiate the price, because you may find out something. The opening party discussing the price shows a lot. So I tried to give her all the information I had (about my experience, my contacts) and ask her about things such as â€Å"why don ´t you want to work with Kabir† or â€Å"why are you interested in working with us†. Based on our answers, it was clear that we both had the same interest: succeed together. I learned from this negotiation that in claiming value negotiation, there are ways to include creating value issues. We could have negotiated including â€Å"if you do this, then you get that†. I also learned that it is important to know the reference points before you negotiate to get a fair deal. Parties may have assymetric information, but sharing information helps achieving your interest.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Brand and River Blindness

Stake for Vagelos as CEO and for Merck as a company in deciding whether to invest in Dr. Campbell’s idea Although Dr. Campbell’s idea of a drug (Ivermectin) that could cure River blindness was a path-breaking opportunity for Merck, the company was faced with a number of ethical, financial and moral issues that forced its CEO to undergo deep thought and contemplation before investing in this idea. * Feasibility: There were concerns about the use of this drug on humans and the potential adverse side effects, if any. High Costs: The high costs associated with research and development coupled with the fact that the drug was to be used by lower income groups meant that it showed little or no economic promise. * Cannibalization: From a pure business standpoint, Merck worried that this drug could cannibalize profits from the animal version of the drug through the creation of possible black markets in the affected countries. Percentage of research budget that Merck should inves t in drugs that will produce a substandard return on investmentAs a company that produces drugs to cure diseases in both humans and animals, Merck operates in a complex dynamic that requires it to take decisions that may not lead to profitability. Further, its corporate philosophy always revolved around the fact that the company’s first priority was the safety of people and only then did profits follow. I, therefore, believe that Merck should invest a large amount ( ~80%) of its research budget even on drugs that will produce a substandard ROI, provided the drugs promise to fully cure diseases without harmful side effects and they are the first in the market to do so.This could help them build a strong brand equity, goodwill and reputation in the long run thereby creating a foundation for profitability in future. For instance, I believe that Merck has a social responsibility and a moral obligation to invest heavily in the cure for River blindness. Merck’s explanation t o a shareholder who might complain about a decision to invest in research on River blindnessMerck could use the following points to strengthen its decision to invest: * Improves image of the company: The decision will lead to a positive impression about the management and its commitment leading to high brand equity and good reputation, resulting in future profits. * Improves employee productivity: Working towards a philosophy that the company consistently stands for will motivate employees and lead to higher job satisfaction thereby increasing employee productivity and hence profits. Attracts support from investors and society: The decision could be a significant differentiating factor. This coupled with superior brand image could generate investor interest and support from the community. It could also be used as a marketing tool. Merck’s selection of drugs to invest in As stated earlier, Merck must strive to achieve a balance between profitability and corporate social respon sibility.The following criteria could be used to make decisions: * Definite and safe treatment: The drugs have a strong potential to result in safe treatment to life-threatening diseases, without harmful side effects. * First mover advantage: Merck must invest in drugs that give it a strong advantage to develop patents and move into market spaces that are unexplored by other drug companies. * Profitability: While it must remain true to its corporate philosophy, it must also target profitability to sustain itself and maintain its position in the industry in the long run.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Globalization and Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Globalization and Technology - Essay Example Information technologies such as the internet are a factor that positively influenced globalization around the world. The internet has influenced globalization in several ways. People can use the internet to communicate across the world with other people. Cultural barriers were broken due to the internet because people can use the internet to learn about other cultures. A database that can be access with the facility of the internet that is very useful to learn about cultural matters is the CultureGrams database. An example of a website that has used the internet to reach the global population is Facebook. The internet led to the development of virtual companies. One of the most successful virtual companies with global sales of $8.7 billion in 2009 is the online auction site EBay (Ebay, 2011). EBay is one of many companies that is benefiting from e-commerce transactions. In 2010 the size of the US e-commerce marketplace was $153 billion (Plunkett Research, 2011). The corporate world can utilize the internet for many purposes. One of the primary benefits of having a corporate website is that it can help a company generate additional revenues. The revenues that a company can generate using e-commerce are not limited to their domestic region. The internet allows companies to reach global customers. Normal physical stores do not have that capability.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Reflection on Ellen White Readings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reflection on Ellen White Readings - Essay Example Followers of the Christian and Catholic faiths should abide by the law that God had declared. The observance of the Sabbath Day is part of the Ten Commandments that were given by God to Moses at Mt. Sinai. Not all Christians or Catholics follow this commandment anymore. Even the calendar that is being used during the past centuries has their weeks starting on what should be considered as the Sabbath day which is Sunday. The Sabbath Day should be observed by those people who believe not just in the scriptures but also in the whole religious belief. God himself laid out the first week as for man to pattern the succeeding weeks that will come. A statement from White in The Desire of Ages, â€Å"Six days were employed in the work of creation; upon the seventh, God rested, and He then blessed this day and set it apart as a day of rest for man.†2 Many urged that Sundaykeeping had been an established doctrine and a widespread custom of the church for many centuries. Against this argument it was shown that the Sabbath and its observance were more ancient and widespread, even as old as the world itself, and bearing the sanction both of angels and of God.3 Sabbath has been barely observed by people especially during the latter decades of the 20th century and even during the first decades of the 21st century. It would be either people are too busy having their leisure vacations or others may have shifts at work. Because of worldly reasons, people have started to ignore the observance of the Sabbath and stating reasons or justifications that God will understand the fact that they need to work or enjoy at least a day after weeks or months filled with strenuous work. There has been an increasing number in the population who fails to observe the Sabbath Day. Could this be a reason why even when people continuously work hard day and night, they still fail to achieve the contentment in different life aspects? White stated that, â€Å"The true joy of life is

Thursday, September 26, 2019

School shootings and active shooter and the media Research Paper

School shootings and active shooter and the media - Research Paper Example This act has obtained wide media attention and are frequent in the United State of America. They have resulted in countrywide change of schools’ rules concerning discipline and security. Among the reasons for this shooting are school bullying and psychiatric drugs. (Schechter DS February 16, 2011) Schools bullying public seems to play a big part in the lives of many of the school shooters. It consists of the criminal, casualty and one or more witness. This create public disgrace for the victim. The victim being disheartened develop depression, poor social skills and do worse in school performance. Psychiatric drugs has caused hostility, ferocity murderous ideation, and zone of high profile of school shootings. At least 41 school shootings are committed by those taking these drugs. (Schechter DS February 16, 2011). Apart from school shootings, there is also a rise in active shooters. The active shooters specifically engage in killings or try to kill people in a limited population area. They also use rifles. This act has raised up and results to pressure of insecurity to the student in the education institution and the country at large. (http://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness) Media as the source of data has worked hard to eradicate the crime. The media have developed some refrains that inspires public perception of school violence. They include: social problematic frames (Evans, 2011) This common form incites fear by characteristic performances of school as wide spread wonders. It has taken information which suggests that school violence incidents are out of regulations and offer evidently support in the form of recent statistic to support the argument. (http://moralpanic.wikispaces.com/1.09.+Media+Portrayal+of+School+Shootings) Good news- Bad news frame. Although certain parts of an article may deliver the data that rates of school hostility have dropped, the frame

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

American history-us constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American history-us constitution - Essay Example The 19th century saw the birth of a rigid US Constitution with the adoption of the Ordinance of 1787. May 14th saw the Constitutional Convention meeting at Philadelphia and on September 17th, the Constitution was finished and signed by the delegates. The 20th century is the modern period of the US even though seriously marred by the two World Wars (1914 - 1918 and 1939 - 1936 respectively) and the Great Depression of the mid 1930s. The history of the America has been a very dynamic one. It can be divided into a five timelines: timeline of the colonization (1000 - 1764); the timeline of the American Revolution (1765 - 1786); Adoption of the Constitution (-'the biggest experiment in democracy'); the Civil War and Modern Times timeline (1861 - 1904); the World War II timeline (1939 - 1945).1 This dynamism is described by the Professor of History at the Moritz School, Ohio State University, Michael Les Benedict, in more than 40 essays in American History. Perhaps Benedict's works give the most comprehensive analogy of the biggest experiment in the history of democracy; the United States Constitution. The US constitution can be considered as the apex of US history. In an essay entitled Expanding the Scope of American Constitutional History, Benedict asserts that 'in the nineteenth century every history of the United States attended closely to the nation's constitutional development--to the constitutional issues that precipitated the American Revolution, to American History 3 the operation of the Articles of Confederation, the framing and ratification of the Constitution itself, issues of state rights versus nationalism, constitutional aspects of slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction.' (Benedict) This statement by Michael Les Benedict is a clear indication that US history is mainly inscribed in its Constitution. The United States is a former British colony and at the time of the colonization used mainly Crown laws in its colonies. In effect, the authors of the Constitution of the US attempted to do away with those aspects of British laws that limited democracy and civil liberties in the light of the history of that great nation. That was the reason why the Bill of rights was inserted into the US constitution to protect the rights of the minority and to ensure equality for all in the USA. An analysis of post Constitutional Amendments proves that Benedict's findings on the US constitutional history can still be confirmed today. All constitutional amendments of the US Constitution are indeed geared towards ameliorating the ethical values of a revolutionary people. The Bill of Rights has given the US the name of the most democratic nation of the World and has equally given the US the fame of a land of freedom. From its discovery to the present, the US has always been called the 'land of opportunity' for all. Equally inscribed in this debate are recent measures taken by the US to assert the protection of its constitution and civil liberties of US Citizens in the fight against terrorism. This fight saw the adoption of the US Patriot Act post 9/11. 'No nation is more proud of its system of

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Report about Vodafone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Report about Vodafone - Essay Example A network service provider is an organisation which is involved in the selling of bandwidth or gives access to its network to facilitate communication. Telecom network in UK plays a vital role in the growth of its economy. It accounts for nearly 75% of the total service revenue in the UK’s communication sector. The revenue from voice service was on the higher side prior to 2009, but started declining thereafter. During the same time the industry witnessed a massive growth in the internet segment. The widened accessibility of rapidly fast broadband network and the changing demand of consumers in the UK market made it possible. There was a huge increase in the number of mobile internet user (Ofcom, 2010, p.279). The players of the industry includes orange and T-mobile, Vodafone, O2, 3 mobile service and others. The name Vodafone appeared from the words voice data-phone and collectively got its name, Vodafone. Vodafone group Plc. is an organisation indulged in the business of providing telecommunication services. The company was headquarters at Berkshire, but recently it has changed its base to London, United Kingdom (BBC, 2009). It has its presence in Europe, Africa, Asia pacific, Middle East and the United States of America. It employs around 70,000 employees around the world. Vodafone has its presence in 30 countries around the world and also holds a mammoth base of 371 million subscribers around the world (Vodafone, n.d.). In this changing environment and rapid technological development has made the customers to demand at the extremes levels. Therefore in order to satisfy its customers the network of Vodafone gets periodically updated with the launch of any technicalities. To cite an example the company has incorporated the 3G technology in its network. It has made possible for the company to provide the subscribers with the access of voice communication as well as data transfer at a rapid rate. The competitors of the company includes 3 mobiles, telenor, airtel, t-mobile, AT & T, orange mobile, pennon, TMN etc. and also other local player belonging to different countries. Mission Statement The company has put forward its mission statement as ‘We will be the communications leader in an increasingly connected world’. The mission symbolizes that the company is optimistic in nature. The company is currently the third largest telecom provider of the world after china mobile and singtel accordin g to the number of customer. Therefore the company clearly portrays that they would like to achieve the elite position in the years to come. The company is also highly focused on developing the products which goes according to the technology as well as which satisfies the need of the customers. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is a tool which is used to do strategic planning and is also used to evaluate the internal strengths & weakness as well as the external opportunities and threats. Therefore it is considered as essential element which matches the company’s capabilities and resources to the environment where it operates along with its competitors (Richter & Pahl, 2009, p.1). The SWOT analysis of Vodafone has been illustrated below:- Internal Strengths International presence Huge Brand value Technically up to date products `Weakness Poor connectivity in some rural areas. Depends on European market External Opportunity Larger geographical access Sound diversification strategy Th reats Tremendously competitive and saturated market. Emergence of low priced

Monday, September 23, 2019

History of Lichtenstein Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

History of Lichtenstein - Research Paper Example The second fact is that the largest city within the country is known as Schaan located in the north of the capital city. It covers an area of 10.3 square miles and it is located in an area covered by mountains and forest. Its population is estimated to be 5, 806. The third fact is that the country covers an estimated area of about sixty two square miles, and is the sixth smallest independent country in the world. The total population of the country,   according to the census of 2010 is 36,010. The fourth fact is that the ethnic group of the constituting the country is majorly Alemannic Germans, but there are also other small ethnic groups like the Turks and Italians. The fifth fact is that the administrative division of the country is divided into eleven communes who are composed of single villages or towns. The sixth fact about the country is that energy production in the country is 145 million kWh whereas its electricity consumption is 1.36 billion kWh. The last fact about the co untry is that its national day is celebrated on August 15 as a commemoration of its independence from Germany (Claitor's Law Books and Publishing Division., 2014). The country Lichtenstein has a had an extensive past as their sovereignty has been changed a number of times. The country’s history is traced back to the year 1866. Different scholars have discovered forms of human existence in the country during the Neolithic age. Forms of colonization started in the areas as early as 800BC by the group known as the Rhaetians. Later during the 15BC, the country was colonized by the Romans and set up the castle known as Schaan castle to protect their territory in the region from the tribe was known as the Germanic people (Newsnet. "History of Liechtenstein.", 1996).  

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Does organic pollution affect E.Coli growth Essay

Does organic pollution affect E.Coli growth - Essay Example The paper tells that biological analysis of water to detect and quantify water pollution is a non-sensitive process. Microbes such as E.coli, which is a fecal contaminant, are able to survive the effects of water pollution through genetic adaptation. The changes in cellular metabolism that take place during this adaptation can be detected at a sensitive level, such as the quantity of E.coli in the water, or the amount of stress proteins being synthesized by the bacteria. Therefore, E.coli can act as a bio-indicator of water pollution. My research question and experiments were designed to study what effects take place on the growth and protein synthesis of E.coli when the bacteria is exposed to environmental stress. The growth of E.coli from lakewater was also compared with that of genetically engineered E.coli DH-5, to determine whether plasmid-mediated mutations assist in the survival of lakewater E.coli under environmental stress. My results showed that DH-5 was inhibited by the po llutant benzene and by high and low pH and temperatures. E.coli from lakewater survived in a greater quantity under these stressors compared t the genetically engineered strain DH-5. Also, the growth of E.coli from lakewater was inhibited to a small extent by the stress of temperature and pH change until a limit. Beyond these limits in the conditions, E.coli could not grow at all. Thus, the adaptation of E.coli to pollution is a characteristic with limitations. In conclusion, the changes in the growth and protein synthesis of E.coli under stress makes it suitable as a bio-indicator of water pollution. Further studies are needed to examine the usefulness of detecting synthesis of specific stress proteins by E.coli as sensitive bio-markers of water pollution. Table of Contents Interest in Topic 5 Introduction 6 Methods 8 Results 12 Discussion, Conclusions and Limitations 13, 14 Images 15 Bibliography 21 Interest in Topic My selection of my research topic is based on my interest in con ducting biological research, my concerns regarding environmental pollution, and my ambition to reduce the consequences of pollution through the results of my research work. I have been highly concerned regarding the many severely polluted water sources in my environment that I have observed. Various unchecked and unregulated commercial and industrial activities near rivers and lakes have released harmful substances into the water, destroying the ecology of these areas. I learned that to prevent and correct these changes, monitoring of the water quality and changes taking place in the aquatic environment are necessary. I have always been fascinated by the science of how some microorganisms work to solve the problem of pollution by producing signals and changes. I was also interested in learning how biological studies are used to derive information and understanding of the many mechanisms happening in our surroundings. After background reading, I developed an interest towards solving the problem of effective biological water analysis, which would

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Adlerian Theory Essay Example for Free

Adlerian Theory Essay Introduction and Rationale School counselors work with students in academic development, social and emotional skill development, and college/career development. Their work supports student success through education in these domains, improvement of skills, reduction of stress, and improvement in mental health functioning. As I read the article, School Counseling Outcome: A Meta-Analytic Examination of Interventions, I couldn’t help but realize the importance of continued research on the effectiveness of school counseling interventions. This article focuses on the effectiveness of an array of school counseling interventions and not solely on individual and group counseling. The primary aim of this research was to review various literature pieces that relate to school counseling and identify their outcome and implications to the practice of school counseling. In this study, Meta-analysis 1 involved treatment control comparisons and Meta-analysis 2 involved pretest-posttest differences. The overall average weighted effect size for school counseling interventions was .30. The study examined whether relevant moderator variables influenced effect sizes. See more:  Social Satire in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay The pretest-posttest size was not significant, so moderator analyses were conducted on treatment control comparisons. Analyses of moderator variables indicated school counseling program activities or interventions varied in effectiveness Strengths and Weaknesses A meta-analysis of school counseling outcome research found an overall effect size of .30. Students who participated in the interventions improved almost a third of the standard deviation more than their peers who did not receive the interventions. In other words, school counseling interventions have a larger effect size than aspirin for preventing heart attacks (ES of .06) and an equivalent effect size to sertoline (Zoloft) compared to placebo, for  treating major depressive disorder (ES of .31). (Whiston Quimby, 2009). The use of meta-analysis offers some weakness on the research which is actually a common thing for meta-analytic researches. This results from the fact that the effect size’s quality is dependant on the quality of research and accuracy. Sampling inaccurate of ineffective research cases may also render the meta-analytic research weak due to the weakness of the researches sampled. The meta-analytic research may also be stronger due to the fact that it samples a mean of similar variables under various researches and thus providing an average that is a true representative of all researches. In order to improve the meta-analytic exercise it is good to first make an analysis of the article and ensure that they are classified appropriately and their content has high validity so that they may not negatively affect the analysis (Sexton, L.T., Whiston, S., 1998). Summary of Research Outcome A meta-analysis of school counseling research (117 studies, 153 school counseling interventions, and 16, 296 students) found an overall effect size of .30. The authors found that students who participated in school counseling interventions tended to score on various outcome measures about a third of a standard deviation above those who did not receive the interventions. School counseling interventions produced quite large effect sizes in the areas of discipline, problem-solving, and increasing career knowledge. The effect sizes were smaller, but significant, related to school counseling interventions’ impact on academic achievement. Surprisingly little school counseling research was found related to individual counseling. Concerning guidance curriculum, small groups were more effective than interventions that involved entire classrooms. Outcome research reflects that group counseling can be effective with students who are experiencing problems and difficulties. Applying this Research to Practice School counselors can improve the climate in their schools. They can also draw from a vast array of interventions that will help students increase  their academic achievement (Brown, 1999). One intervention that has been used for more than a quarter of a century is behavioral contracts. Behavioral contracts must have specific objectives, set attainable short-term goals, be monitored regularly, allow for immediate reinforcement, and be adjusted when they are not promoting the desired change. Other direct interventions frequently employed by school counselors include study skills groups, time management training, classroom guidance units aimed at improving test taking skills, and achievement motivation groups. Achievement motivation groups are led by the counselor, but involve input from the teachers and support for increased achievement from the students in the group. When students have educational and career goals, they do better in school. Counselors can facilitate the development of educational and personal goals by engaging students in individual and group activities that focus on goal setting. Some school counselors routinely ask students about interests, educational plans, and occupational goals and record these in their portfolios as one way of emphasizing the importance of goal setting. Research supports what educators have long understood: parent involvement is an important factor in student achievement (Brown, 1999). Parents who have a high level of commitment to their children, set high standards, maintain a stable home environment, and support achievement, have children who do better in school. Counselors can involve parents through parent consultation, parent education classes that teach parents how to support their children in schools as well as parenting skills, and by advocating for parents and students when students are not treated fairly by the educational establishment. They can also help keep the parents of children who are having difficulty in school apprised of their children’s progress by encouraging teachers to communicate more frequently with parents than once per grading period. Conclusion School counselors are under pressure to assist in the effort to increase student achievement. They can respond to this challenge by working to improve the school climate, using direct interventions such as teaching study skills and involving students in achievement motivation groups, and by increasing the involvement of parents in the educational process. As our culture and educational institutions change, school counseling practices are emerging to better meet the needs of today’s students. Resources Brown, D (1999). Proven strategies for improving learning and academic achievement. Greensboro, NC: CAPS Publications Sexton, L.T., and Whiston, S.C. (1998). A review of school counseling outcome research: Implications for practice. Journal of Counseling and Development volume 76, issue number pp 412-426. Whiston Quinby (2009). Review of school counseling research. Psychology in the Schools 46(3), 267-272. Schatzberg Nemeroff (2009). Textbook of Pyschopharmacology. Arlington, VA: The American Psychiatric Publisher. Whiston, Susan C; Wendi, Lee Tai; Rahardja, Daryn; Eder, Kelly. Journal of Counseling and Development. Winter 2011. Vol. 89. Issue 1, p. 37-55.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Skills And Competencies To Be A Change Leader Management Essay

Skills And Competencies To Be A Change Leader Management Essay For the past two decades, the amount of significant change that the organizations faced in order to survive has tremendously increased, and many of the researchers argued that this situation will continue and demand more of future leaders (Wren Dulewicz, 2005; Senge et al., 2002). Leadership is such a crucial component for undergoing these changes, and identifying the key components of leadership is important for the success of these transformation efforts (Beer Nohria, 2000). Kotter (1996) considered that, leadership is the key to creating and sustaining the successful organization, because it helps the organization to shape its future and sustain its growth. To succeed consistently, good leaders need to be skilled not just in evaluating people but also in evaluating the abilities and disabilities of their firm as a whole. In addition, leadership competencies are also essential to lead the change processes in an effective way (Christensen Overdorf, 2000). According to Sanchez et al., (1996), leadership competencies have a cognitive aspect, with regard to knowledge and skills the leader possesses, and an action aspect that enables a leader to deploy their competencies in a coordinated manner. Leaders competencies and skills will influence the actions, structures and processes that enhance the change and it further strengthen the effectiveness in implementing change (Gilley et al., 2009). This essay will critically analyse whether anyone can adapt these leadership skills and competencies which is necessary to be a successful change leader. The analysis will be done based on the references of academic research that has been already conducted in this field. Necessary Skills and Competencies to be a change leader Leadership is different from management; leadership complements management but it does not replace it. Because management is about coping with complexity but the leadership is about coping with change (Kotter, 1990). The leadership-skill requirements will vary based on the leaders positions and their levels. The most important skills where the leaders need to be possessed are cognitive skills, business skills, strategic skills and interpersonal skills. Across all the leadership levels cognitive skills are founded to be more important. In addition, interpersonal skills are required for a leader in greater degree than business or strategic skills (Sparks Gentry, 2008). For example) during the group work on simulation game, the leaders of the successful teams had contributed a great part by understanding the views of the team members and through the organization of team meeting. This helped the team to bring out fruitful ideas and plans uniquely and also it helped the group leaders to emphasize their cognitive and interpersonal skills effectively. Compared to other skills, the significance of business and strategic skills is more required for the leaders in managerial level (Sparks Gentry, 2008). Possessing these leadership skills in change management has been linked to bringing about effective and successful organization change. Although, some of the factors are considered as the barriers for the success of the change, they are lack of understanding of change implementation techniques and the inability to alter ones leadership style or organization functions (Bossidy Charan, 2002; Gilley, 2005). The other barriers identified by the analysis include the inability of the leaders to motivate others to change, poor communication skills, and failure to reward or recognize the individuals who make the effort to change (Kotter, 1996). Hence the ability to understand and manage the change processes is valued as a necessary capability of change leaders. Many of the scholars defined this ability as a social intelligence skill, which is the ability to understand ones own and others feelings, behaviours and thoughts in interpersonal situations and to respond appropriately, which includ es emotional ability (Burke, 2002). Finally, leaders thoughts and skills are manifested through the actions of implementing change across the organization. In this stage, the leaders need to be aware about avoiding coordination issues when the different functional groups in an organization work on a common task. Because lack of coordination will raise conflicts in implementing change and it reduce its success (Kuhl et al., 2005). For example, while working for the multi-product task, the lack of coordination across the leaders from different departments affected the implementation of change. There were lot of conflicts aroused in allocating the budget across each department of the organization and hence it led to the ineffective change implementation. As per Zaccaro (2002), effective leadership requires social reasoning skills to understand, judge and diagnose social situations accurately, and relational competencies to respond to the change and manage them successfully. Since change implementation involves the understanding of multiple level of people (i.e., individual, group and organizational), social-emotional competency is regarded to have a direct impact on the capacity to lead change. It acts as a greater predictor of leading change than managing complexity. Social-emotional competency includes observing the employees views, providing constructive feedback, encouraging the cooperation among team members, maintaining effective interpersonal relationships with others and treating others with respect regardless of their position or rank (Mathew, 2009). For example) while working for the simulation game, in some of the groups, there was a long debate happened among the team members about the implementation of change strategies with different views and hence conflicts aroused. The leaders of those teams were also failed to maintain cooperation within the team. This led them to choose inappropriate change strategies and directed towards failure to reach their target. But while enquiring the teams who reached the target, I came to knew that the team leader had delegated the roles to each team members based on their knowledge about the game and by providing constructive feedback on their views. This helped them to maintain a good cooperation within the team without giving the ways for any conflicts and also it provided a way to reach their target within the time limit and budget. Within a change specific context Higgs and Rowland (2000, 2001) indicated a cluster of change leadership competencies associated with coaching and developing others. In addition Giglio et al. (1998) also emphasized the importance of leaders coaching role in the change process. Because a good leader should motivate their employees in order to make them aware of the change process. This will be done by providing appropriate coaching to them. According to Hudson (1999), coaching skills enable leaders to approach situations from new perspectives and to question the status quo. Moreover, the leaders who coach their employees can enhance their renewal capacity and resilience, which has significant influence on organizational success. Finally and more importantly it allows others to make and learn from mistakes. Huq (2006) argued that the leadership competencies can help to create the six sigma cadre in an organization. He argued that the personal and corporate competencies play a vital role in creating this six sigma cadre. Personal competencies include the technical knowledge and charisma of the leader. Whilst the corporate competencies include the combinations of skills and knowledge or experience that enable a leader to implement the change program successfully. But the available evidence shows that, even the experienced leaders were deviated from these competencies in some circumstances. The most recent examples of sudden corporate implosions (Enron, Lehman Brothers) have apparently raised concerns about the nature and influence of bad leadership. Higgs (2009) have identified that the causes of this leadership failure were due to combination of personal flaws and performance shortfalls. While exploring this concept, he also identified a range of causal factors for these implosions which are skill deficiencies, being insensitive to others, betraying trust, arrogance and being overly ambitious. He argued that the personal flaws were more vital than skill deficiencies as drivers of derailment.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace, by Amy Bruckman :: Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace

Ever since I have been in college my telephone has been shorting out every time I try to have a conversation with someone on it. It has been so aggravating! Especially when I am trying to talk and the person on the other line keeps saying, what, what...What did you say? It drives me crazy! Well when I got to college I was advised, and later informed, that it was a requirement to know how to use the Internet. So I signed up for an E-mail account. In high school I never used the computer for anything but assignments, but now I constantly find myself on line. I am either E-mailing friends far away, or talking to my family on IM (Instant Message). The Net has been most helpful to me when it comes to contacting others, especially since my phone doesnt work. Most importantly, I feel that the Net has brought my family and I closer together. After I read Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace, by Amy Bruckman, an essay explaining that to enjoy the Net we need to find our own place, our own communit y, so I realized that my community on the Net is E-mail, enabling me to talk to the people closest to me. The movie You've Got Mail starring, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, exemplifies how two people become closer through E-mail. Making it easier for people to connect in ways they always could, but never new how. Both the movie, Youve Got Mail, and Bruckmans Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace explore how the Net brings out a side of us that cannot be seen by the human eye. You've Got Mail is a love story about a man and woman who meet on the Internet and use e-mail to talk to each other. Although they havent met face to face they know so much about each other that if they were to meet, it wouldnt matter what the other person looked like. Hankss character owns a very popular bookstore that in turn makes Ryans tiny family bookstore go out of business. Therefore, Ryan hates Hanks throughout the whole movie. Everyday they seem to run into each other not knowing that the person(s) behind their face s are their soul mates. Little do they know the person they see everyday and the person that they despise is the same person they talk to every night when using E-mail or their I. Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace, by Amy Bruckman :: Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace Ever since I have been in college my telephone has been shorting out every time I try to have a conversation with someone on it. It has been so aggravating! Especially when I am trying to talk and the person on the other line keeps saying, what, what...What did you say? It drives me crazy! Well when I got to college I was advised, and later informed, that it was a requirement to know how to use the Internet. So I signed up for an E-mail account. In high school I never used the computer for anything but assignments, but now I constantly find myself on line. I am either E-mailing friends far away, or talking to my family on IM (Instant Message). The Net has been most helpful to me when it comes to contacting others, especially since my phone doesnt work. Most importantly, I feel that the Net has brought my family and I closer together. After I read Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace, by Amy Bruckman, an essay explaining that to enjoy the Net we need to find our own place, our own communit y, so I realized that my community on the Net is E-mail, enabling me to talk to the people closest to me. The movie You've Got Mail starring, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, exemplifies how two people become closer through E-mail. Making it easier for people to connect in ways they always could, but never new how. Both the movie, Youve Got Mail, and Bruckmans Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace explore how the Net brings out a side of us that cannot be seen by the human eye. You've Got Mail is a love story about a man and woman who meet on the Internet and use e-mail to talk to each other. Although they havent met face to face they know so much about each other that if they were to meet, it wouldnt matter what the other person looked like. Hankss character owns a very popular bookstore that in turn makes Ryans tiny family bookstore go out of business. Therefore, Ryan hates Hanks throughout the whole movie. Everyday they seem to run into each other not knowing that the person(s) behind their face s are their soul mates. Little do they know the person they see everyday and the person that they despise is the same person they talk to every night when using E-mail or their I.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Antisthenes Concept of Paideia :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Antisthenes' Concept of Paideia ABSTRACT: Antisthenes of Athens was an older student of Socrates who had previously studied under the Sophists. His philosophical legacy also influenced Cynic and early Stoic thought. Consequently, he has left us an interesting theory of paideia (reading, writing, and the arts) followed by an even more brief one in divine paideia, the latter consisting of learning how to grasp the tenets of reason in order to complete virtue. Once properly grasped, the pupil will never lose it since it is embedded in the heart with true belief. However, there is a danger of being confused by human learning, which may delay or obviate completing divine paideia. Nonetheless, with the help of a teacher who gives a personal example, like Socrates or the mythical Centaur Chiron, the pupil has a chance of reaching his or her goal. Through a series of myths, Antisthenes gives us the foundations of his logical and ethical theory together. Reasoning is both a way to grasp virtue and also to fortify it. Althou gh he would have chaffed under a modern university educational system, we may learn from him to value concise philosophical studies as a necessary adjunct to basic lessons in liberal arts. Antisthenes of Athens (445-360 B.C.) is remembered for being one of Socrates' older pupils. (1) In fact, he was old enough to have first studied under the sophists, before he met Socrates. (2) He thus stands straddling three important periods in the history of Greek philosophy. As a 5th century philosopher, he copied the rhetoric of Gorgias in his famous Ajax and Odysseus speeches and like the sophists, believed that virtue was teachable; surviving into the 4th century, he was taken seriously by Plato and Aristotle, composing essays in which he propounded an individual logical theory of his own; (3) and as precursor of Hellenistic Cynicism, he composed dialogues, teaching new ethical and social norms that resurfaced after his death in the teaching of Diogenes of Sinope and the Stoa. (4) In this paper, I would like to examine some aspects of Antisthenes' educational theory and his concept of paideia. In at least one of his lost Hercules dialogues, Antisthenes seems to have described Hercules' visit to the Centaur Chiron and subsequently to the Titan Prometheus. (5) Both these episodes ascribe to Hercules a different type of paideia. The first episode is often connected with a the mythological theme of Chiron's school, where the just Centaur was said to have taught heroes and demi-gods various branches of paideia:

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Alfred Hitchcock :: essays research papers

Films were a great form of entertainment from their debut in the early 1900’s and continued to grow more popular over the years. The film making business hit a growth period in the 1920’s. In Hollywood, the assembly line â€Å"studio† system of producing a movie was changed and refined, and the famous studious that dominate Hollywood production today, such as Universal Studious, were being put together. Censorship regulations were being formulated for the first time, and Wall Street began to take a more prominent, powerful role in film making. It was the era of short silent films that were backed by organists who could play a variety of famous composers such as Beethoven, and Sousa, and who mastered other sound affects for further enhancement of the movie. It was a time when movies came and went quickly and films that had no pretense of being art were made in mass. Nobody ever expected a movie to have an afterlife. They were made only for entertainment and to ma ke money, and were considered disposable back then. It took decades to develop movies as a concept of art. During this time of rapid change in the film making business, a certain aspiring director began his dream of working with cinema. Eventually, the talented and mysterious director, Alfred Hitchcock, played a huge part in establishing his and others’ masterpieces as an art. Born on August 13th, 1899, in London, England, Hitchcock’s childhood was that of a lower class Roman Catholic child who attended church regularly. His parents were greengrocers, William and Emma Hitchcock. A strict man, William once told a five year old Albert to go to the police station with a note from his father after some mischief making. Upon reading the note, a sergeant put young Alfred in a cell and left him there for ten minutes. The policeman returned only to tell him, â€Å"This is what happens to naughty boys.† This story and Hitchcock’s Roman Catholic background encompassed all the themes Hitchcock would later put in is his work such as terror inflicted upon the unknowing, and sometimes innocent victim; guilt, both real and the appearance of it; and fear and redemption. He grew up with his older siblings, William and Ellen Kathleen in Leytonstone, part of London’s East End. Fascinated by numbers and technology, Hitchcock was educated at the Jes uits’ St. Ignatius College, a day school for boys.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Corporate Veil Essay

In the main, traders and business people are risk averse; as a result, in whatever they do they always fight for risk minimization. The aforementioned factor –i.e. of minimizing risk- contributes, to a significant extent, for the decisions by traders and businessmen to forming companies. Consequently, traders and businessmen will see as the main attraction of forming a company the advantage of avoiding liability for business debts. This advantage arises from the concepts of separate legal person and limited liability which are embodied in the doctrine of corporate veil under company law. However, some businessmen, law scholars and the public at large argue that corporate veil is nothing but a fallacy meant to dupe business people into a false sense of security. The following presentation seeks to discuss this assertion, bringing out the significance and exceptions of the concept of corporate veil. The doctrine of corporate veil emanate from the ruling of the case of Salomon vs Salomon 1897, whose facts are as follows: Aron Salomon was a successful leather merchant who specialized in manufacturing leather boots. For many years he ran his business as a sole proprietor. Salomon decided to incorporate his business as a Limited company, Salomon & Co. Ltd. Mr. Salomon himself was a managing director who owned 20,001 of the company’s 20,007 shares – the remaining six were shared individually between the other six shareholders (wife, daughter and four sons). Mr. Salomon sold his business to the new corporation for almost  £39,000, of which  £10,000 was a debt to him. He was thus simultaneously the company’s principal shareholder and its principal creditor. The company almost immediately ran into difficulties and only a year later the then holder of debentures appointed a receiver and company went into liquidation. Its assets were sufficient to discharge the debentures but nothing was left for the unsecured creditors. The liquidator argued that the debentures used by Mr. Salomon as a security for debt were invalid on the grounds of fraud; hence Salomon was not a genuine inco rporator. The foundation of company law came by the ruling made by the House of Lords in the Salomon case. It was held that Salomon’s company was a legal person separate from Salomon and since Salomon had become a secured creditor of the company, he had to be paid first before all other creditors. Once legal personality was established, the issue of shareholding could not  be necessary. In concurrence with the Houses‟ (court) finding Lord McNaughten at P 51 said; â€Å"The company is at law is a different person altogether from the subscribers†¦..and though it may be that after incorporation, the business is precisely the same as it was before and the same persons are managers and the same hands receive profits, the company is not in law the agent of the subscribers or trustee for them. Nor are the subscribers as members liable, in any shape or form, except to the extent that in the manner provided by the Act†. It is always hard to exaggerate the significance of the case of Salomon Vs Salomon and Co Ltd in terms of its contribution to company law globally. By re cognizing an incorporated firm as a corporate legal persona, it led to the creation of the corporate veil which brought a hatful of benefits to the business people. A corporate veil is defined as a legal concept that separates the personality of a corporation from the personalities of its shareholders, and protects them from being personally liable for company’s debts and other obligations (m.businessdictionary.com). In other words, the corporate veil can be described as being the separation between a company and its members. Due to the separate legal status of a company from its members this is usually very strictly maintained. This will, on the other hand, provide a true sense of security to business people. As a separate legal persona, a company has; a limited liability, perpetual succession, ownership of property, rights and obligations in its own name and easy borrowing means as its features which are of great importance to investors and other stakeholders. These features make a company enticing to business people. The corporate veil plays a pivotal role in maintaining the corporate legal persona status of a company, hence providing entrepreneurs with a less risky means of pursuing ideas and projects in the business world as they enjoy the benefits arising from the characteristics of the concept of separate corporate persona. One of the benefit arising from an incorporated company that of limited liability. According to Anton Behr, â€Å"Stand behind the veil of incorporation is the principle of limited liability that the court will use to prescribe that a company will be responsible for all the debts that have been incurred instead of its shareholders or members. In the case of Tatro v. Citigroup, Inc. D.R.I. March 15, 2010 where the courts recognized limited liability  of manager under Georgia law and dismissed claims against manager because complaint did not allege facts plausibly suggesting direct knowledge or personal involvement by manager in alleged fair credit reporting violations by the limited company. This gives the shareholders a great level of security. They are able to profit from the successes of the company whilst being safe in the knowledge that their personal liability is limited to the value of the shares they have purchased. Limited liability is even enforced in S7 of company act. H owever, it may not be attractive to potential creditors who may require additional security for their loan. Furthermore; a company, through the effect of the corporate veil, holds property in its own name as illustrated in the case of Macaura v Northern Assurance Co ltd (1925) wherein Mr Macaura had insured timber under his own name and this was then destroyed by a fire. When Mr Macaura claimed for compensation, his claim was rejected on grounds that he did not have insurable interest since a company is a separate legal persona distinct from Macaura. As a result, by owning its own property, a company gives more security to its members than if when a leaving director was able to enforce a sale and division of any company property he owned. Pursuantly, the shareholders’ investments are made more attractive and secure. However, this may be to the detriment of a trader as in Macaura case. Another benefit flowing from the concept of corporate veil is of efficiency. As soon as it is recognised that a company is a distinct, legal person in itself then the company can create contracts in its own name. As a result, trade is made simpler when it involves complex commercial organisations. Members of different races and background can also benefit in trading in some areas where they are not personally allowed under the shield of the corporate veil. For example in the case of Dadoo Limited V Krugersdorp Municipality where there existed during the apartheid regime legislation which prohibited non-whites from owning land in a certain area which was reserve for whites only. Mr Dadoo was an Asian and he formed a company called Dadoo Limited and it bought land in the white area and set up business there. The municipality sought to enforce the legislation and remove Dadoo from the place. It was that Dadoo Limited was a company and enjoyed legal personality separate from its members. A company could not be said to be white or Asiatic as race/ colour did not have any effect on the legal personality of the company. Equally important, the company can sue or  be sued on its name as illustrated in the case of in the case of Foss v. Harbottle (1843). Held: The action could not proceed as the individual shareholders were not considered as proper plaintiff. He held that a wrong was committed against the company, and only the company could ta ke the legal action. The members did not have legal standing to sue the wrongdoers because the members and the company were separate legal entities. By shielding the company from its members, the corporate veil enables perpetual succession of an incorporated company. It can only be subsequently terminated by the law the conditions for which are specified in S206 of CA 24-03. Unlike people, companies are immortal and will continue to exist after the exit or death of its members by the process of perpetual succession. Even if all the members die, it will not influence the privileges, immunities, estates and possessions of a company. The principle of perpetual succession is clearly illustrated in the case of Re Noel Tedman Holdings Pty Ltd (1967).The company had a husband and a wife as its only shareholders. They were also the company’s directors. They died in an accident, leaving behind an infant child. After their death the company was still in existence. The problem that arose was, as the shareholders and directors had died, the shares could not be transferred according to the will of the deceased to the infant child. The court thus allowed the personal representative of the deceased to appoint directors of the company, so that these direc tors could allow the transfer of the shares to the child. Therefore, the company may even continue to exist despite the death of all its shareholders and directors. It will last until it is deregistered or ‘wound up’ On the contrary; even though the corporate veil is one of the main advantages of establishing a company as it will provide a liability protection against lawsuits and creditors, it also crucial to note that there are times where there are some exceptional circumstances where the court would ignore it and strip the company members’ and shareholders’ limited liability that they enjoy. This is called the â€Å"lifting of the corporate veil,† which is defined as a legal decision which will treat the rights and obligations of a corporation as the rights or liabilities of its owner. In this case, the members will be responsible in carrying out their fiduciary duties towards the company. If they act in bad faith, the court will lift the company veil and they shall have a personal liability  (ammango molly.blogspot.com) Lifting the corporate veil writes off the sense of security once instilled in business people. Generally, the corporate veil is lifted through two ways namely by judiciary evasion and statutory evasion. The former involves the use of common law to lift the veil. The courts have the following exceptions to peep behind the corporate veil: Firstly, where there is fraud and improper conduct. The Courts will not allow the corporate veil to be used as an engine of fraud. The Courts have been more that prepared to pierce the corporate veil when it fells that fraud is or could be perpetrated behind the veil. This is shown in the case of Gilford Motor Company Ltd v. Horne. Mr. Horne was an ex-employee of The Gilford motor company and his employment contract provided that he could not solicit the customers of the company. In order to defeat this, he incorporated a limited company in his wife’s name and solicited the customers of the company. The company brought an action against him. The Court of appeal was of the view that â€Å"the company was formed as a device, a stratagem, in order to mask the effective carrying on of business of Mr. Horne†. The Court of appeal regarded it as a mere sham to cloak his wrongdoings since it was clear that the main purpose of incorporating the company was to perpetrate fraud. Secondly, courts also lift the corporate veil where the principle of corporate personality runs contrary to state interests. This exception supports the concession theory which holds that legal personality is just a concession by the state or a privilege granted by the state which the state may withdraw at any time. For example, as was held in case of Daimler Company V Continental Tyre Company. Daimler was a German company and during the course of the business, it came to be owed money by continental Tyre Company. World War 1 broke out and Daimler Company claimed the money owed to it by Continental Tyre Company which refused to pay arguing that since Daimler was a German Company and German was at war with England, paying Daimler Company the money would be tantamount to trading with an enemy. The court upheld the argument. The courts may also apply the agency construction to lift the corporate veil by holding that a wholly owned subsidiary would be acting as an agent of the holding co mpany. This was clarified in the case of DHN Food V London Borough Of Tower Hamlet. There were two companies, one holding the other a subsidiary. The subsidiary was wholly-owned but using land which belonged to the holding  company. The municipality wanted to compulsorily acquire land but it was supposed to compensate the owner of the land if he disturbed him in business. The question was whether the holding company was disturbed in business. It was held that the holding company was entitled to compensation since the subsidiary company was acting as its agent. The corporate veil can also be lifted by the use of the Companies Act; this is known as statutory evasion. The following sections of the Zimbabwe Companies Act explain the situations on which the corporate veil can be lifted leaving the members of the company liable: Section 32 – imposes personal liability on a member who knowingly allows a company to carry on business for a period of more than 6 months without members. Section 58 and 59 – imposes civil and criminal liability for misstatements contained in the prospectus. Section 124 – imposes liability on directors who fail to properly hold statutory meetings. Section 126 – directors are liable for failing to hold an extra-ordinary general meeting. Section 186 – directors are liable for failing to disclose interests which they have in company contracts. Section 318 – directors are liable for fraudulent conduct of the company business. Consequently, lifting the corporate veil leaves the members of the company without security which is the reason why some people say the corporate veil is a fallacy. In the eyes of the law removing the shield of incorporation discourage business people from using a company as a vehicle of fraud hence serving justice. To sum up, it is certainly true that some of the implications of the corporate veil have proved damaging some of the time. However, it is submitted that the benefits generated as a consequence of the corporate veil hugely outweigh the negative effects that it has had. BIBLIOGRAPHY: GOULDING SIMON, COMPANY LAW SECOND EDITION 1999 MAVHUNGA. M. (UZ) CORPORATE LAW AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION STUDY PACK NCUBE LISON (NUST), COMMERCIAL LAW 1204 MODULE, 2014 COMPANIES ACT CHAPTER 24:03 www.lawteacher.netm.businessdictionary.com

“In “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” and in “The Fifth Child” Essay

â€Å"In â€Å"Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde† and in â€Å"The Fifth Child† an outsider is progressively released into an existing society destroying peace and goodness as it comes† In â€Å"Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde† by Robert Louis Stevenson the outsider is Mr Hyde. Dr Jekyll is a very clever person who does not like having to be a good, respectable member of society and trying to live up to his reputation all the time. After living his life like this for a while and becoming ever more frustrated by living like this he uses his knowledge of drugs and medicine and Mr Hyde is born as the evil side of Jekylls personality. In â€Å"The Fifth Child† by Doris Lessing the outsider is a boy called Ben the fifth of five children from a couple called David and Harriet. David and Harriet wanted a happy family life with many children and a big house. This dream world was going fine until the outsider Ben is introduced. This essay is going to look at the similarities and differences between the two books and the two outsiders. The reader from the first time they are met views both Ben and Hyde as outsiders. Harriet just after she has given birth to Ben describes him as â€Å"a troll or goblin† This is certainly not the usual reaction a mother gives her new born child or â€Å"creature† as Harriet describes him. Ben was not like other new born babies â€Å"he was muscular, yellowish, long† â€Å"his forehead sloped from his eyebrow to his crown. His hair grew in an unusual pattern from the double crown where started a wedge or triangle that came low on his forehead, the hair laying forward in a thick yellowish stubble.† â€Å"He did not look like a baby at all.† The first time we meet Mr Hyde he is attacking a small child in the street â€Å"trampled calmly over the child’s body† whi ch is not normal practice for the normal man in the street. Stevenson makes this more horrific by saying â€Å"it sounds nothing to hear† but I think it does sound quite nasty to hear â€Å"but it was hellish to see† implying that it is much worse than it sounds. Mr Hyde’s appearance made the doctor who would usually have nothing to hold against Hyde â€Å"turn sick and white with the desire to kill him†. Later in the book Mr Utterson tries to describe Hyde â€Å"there is something wrong with his appearance, something displeasing, something downright detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked and yet I scarce know why. He must be deformed somewhere, he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn’t specify the point†. All this suggests that Mr Hyde is not normal. Stevenson then goes to describe Hyde through his house and his front door. Mr Hyde’s house lies just past a market that is described as having â€Å"an air of invitation, like rows of smiling sales women†. Mr Hyde’s house is nothing like this being situated in a court and is one of â€Å"a sinister block of buildings† this description immediately makes you imagine a dark house with dark anti-social inhabitants. Stevenson then goes on to say the house â€Å"showed no windows, nothing but a door on a lower story† and â€Å"the door which was equipped with neither bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained† all of this is not actually just describing the house but Hyde as well. It says Hyde is a dark anti-social man that does not like visitors and does not generally fit in. In â€Å"The Fifth Child† there is also an object like Mr Hyde’s door used to describe, but this time peoples feelings and what is going on. This is the big table; it is used to show the state of the family and relationships. The table near the beginning of the book before Ben is born is full of people at Christmas who are all happy and Christmassy but when Ben is born less and less people come around until at the end of the book the table is totally empty apart from Harriet. Harriet is imagining what it used to be like before Ben was born with many people all enjoying themselves and how much better it would have been without him. Mr Hyde and Ben are both violent people. Mr Hyde had trampled over a small child in the street and killed an MP with a walking stick; both of these people were people that someone of Hyde’s age should have been stronger than, an old man and a small child. Ben had sprained his older brothers arm and â€Å"attacked an older girl in the playground†, both of these people should have been able to overpower someone of Ben’s age but Ben seems to be abnormally strong. When Ben was a small baby his mother did not breast-feed him like she did with her others because it hurt too much â€Å"the child looked at her and bit, hard†. This may suggest that Ben is more evil than Hyde in being able to attack people that should be stronger than him. Stevenson describes the event of Hyde trampling a small child in a different way to the way Lessing describes how Ben attacks a girl in the playground. Stevenson tells the story through Mr Enfield who is talking to Mr Utterson but Lessing uses Harriet’s thoughts to tell the story of Ben. Stevenson doesn’t just describe what Hyde did to the girl he goes on and makes the incident more realistic and tries to compare Hyde with other things such as a â€Å"juggernaut† to provoke more feeling in the reader â€Å"it sounds nothing to hear but it was hellish to see†. Lessing on the other hand describes Ben’s actions almost as a series of bullet points, stating what he did and nothing else â€Å"he had pulled her down, bitten her and bent her arm back until it broke†. For this reason, that Stevenson used more description in parts of his book I can find parts of â€Å"Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde† more believable and mare memorable. These parts of the two books also show how far apart they were written. In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Stevenson uses the word juggernaut, which then meant a large unstoppable force but in today’s world has become to be associated with large lorries. Also in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde there are few women and the ones we do hear about are servants or maids but in the Fifth Child there are many women and one of the most important people in the book, Harriet, is a woman. We also do not hear many people called by their first names in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde but in the Fifth Child last names are seldom used. The title of this essay I agree with most of except for the part that says, â€Å"progressively released†. This part of the statement is true for Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, as Mr Hyde is only really understood at the end of the book â€Å"he is not easy to describe†. In the Fifth Child Ben is thrown into the middle of everything suddenly and can even be different before he was bourn â€Å"David felt a jolt under his hand†. The second part of this statement â€Å"destroying peace and goodness as it comes† I totally agree with. In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Hyde causes Jekyll so much pain that eventually he commits suicide. In the Fifth Child Ben scares Harriet and David off having any more children and breaks the family apart by making some of Harriet’s other children go to boarding school and by making them go and live with relatives.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Managerial Leadership role for Nurses’ Use of Research Evidence Essay

The rapid noticeable change in healthcare delivery coupled with professional responsibilities of nurses to incorporate research evidence into their decision making underscores the need to understand the factors involved in implementing evidence-based practice. Linking current research findings with patients’ conditions, values, and circumstances is the defining feature of evidence-based practice. Significant and rational for using evidence in practice in nursing care Evidence-based practice (EBP) is an approach to health care where the best evidence possible is used in health professionals to make clinical decisions for individual. It involves complex and conscientious decision-making based on the available evidence, patient characteristics, situations, and preferences( McKibbon, 1998). Evidence-based practice in nursing is defined as â€Å"integration of the best evidence available, nursing expertise, and the values and preferences of the individuals, families and communities who are served† (â€Å"Sigma Theta Tau International position statement on evidence-based practice February 2007 summary,† 2008). The gist of evidence based health care is the integration of individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence and the values and expectations of the patient. There are different recourses of evidence which includes the following: †¢Research Evidence: which refers to methodologically sound, clinically relevant research about the effectiveness and safety of interventions, the accuracy of assessment measures, the strength of causal relationships and the cost-effectiveness of nursing interventions. †¢Patients Experiences and Preferences: identification and consideration of patient’s experiences and preferences are central to evidence-based decision making. Patients may have varying views about their health care options, depending on factors such as their condition personal values and experiences, degree of aversion to risk, resources, availability of information, cultural beliefs, and family influences. †¢ Clinical Expertise. AS the mixing of these different types of evidence may be influenced by factors in the practice context such as available resources, practice cultures and norms leadership styles, and data management, we must consider the level of evidence while using the research evidence to take the proper decision, look to appendix A which is represent the level of evidence. (Haynes, Devereaux, & Guyatt, 2002; Sigma Theta Tau International position statement on evidence-based practice February 2007 summary,† 2008). Evidence-based practice is a prominent issue in international health care which is intended to develop and promote an explicit and rational process for clinical decision making that emphasizing the importance of incorporating the best research findings into clinical care to ensure the best possible treatment and care derived from the best available evidence (E. Fineout-Overholt, Levin, & Melnyk, 2004) Once a new research is completed new evidence comes into play every day, technology advances, and patients present with unique challenges and personal experiences(Krainovich-Miller, Haber, Yost, & Jacobs, 2009). The nurse who bases practice on what was learned in basic nursing education soon becomes outdated, then becomes dangerous. Patients are not safe if they do not receive care that is based on the best evidence available to assist them at the time their needs arise, so all aspects of nursing, from education to management to direct patient care, should be based on the best evidence available at the time (Reavy & Tavernier, 2008). Through reviewing the literature there is a dramatically changing and advancing in the technology, available body information and quality of care provided, the rapid pace of change in healthcare delivery coupled with professional responsibilities of nurses to incorporate research evidence into their provided care and decision making underscores the need to understand the factors involved in implementing evidence-based practice (Bostrà ¶m, Ehrenberg, Gustavsson, & Wallin, 2009; Ellen Fineout-Overholt, Williamson, Kent, & Hutchinson, 2010; Gerrish, et al., 2011; Gifford, Davies, Edwards, Griffin, & Lybanon, 2007). Before that nurses must first believe that basing their practice on the best evidence will lead to the highest quality of care and outcomes for patients and their families(Ellen Fineout-Overholt, et al., 2010; Melnyk, et al., 2004). To let change occuring, â€Å"there must be a clear vision, written goals, and a well-developed strategic plan, including strategies for overcoming anticipated barriers along the course of the change†(Melnyk, et al., 2004). Emerging evidence indicates that the  leadership behaviors’ of nurse managers and administrators play an important role in successfully utlizing research evidence into clinical nursing(Amabile, Schatzel, Moneta, & Kramer, 2004; Antrobus & Kitson, 1999; Gifford, et al., 2007). There is a consistency between many researches that clamethe importance role of the leadership and leadership factors such as support and commitment of managers on the staff at the implication of EBP(Aitken, et al., 2011; Antrobus & Kitson, 1999; Melnyk, et al., 2004; Winch, Creedy, & Chaboyer, 2002). Nurse managers and administrators are responsible for the professional practice environments where nurses provide care, and are strategically positioned to enable nurses to use research. As being a role model, administrators must be committed to provide the necessary resources such as EBP mentors, computers, and EBP education. Some administrators have tried to encourage a change to EBP by integrating EBP competencies into clinical promotions. However, Miller (2010) argue that this extrinsic motivational strategy is unlikely to be as effective as when people are intrinsically motivated to change. Also there is a claimed that if people are involved in the strategic planning process, they are more likely to change to EBP. Intervention protocol for promoting nurses compliance to EBP As the Decision making in health care has changed dramatically, with nurses expected to make choices which based on the best available evidence and continually review them as new evidence comes to light (Pearson et al, 2007). Evidence-based practice involves the use of reliable, explicit and judicious evidence to make decisions about the care of individual patients. As an important role in providing safe and high quality care the nurses must take into account the quality of evidence, assessing the degree to which it meets the four principles of feasibility, appropriateness, meaningfulness and (Doody & Doody, 2011; Johnson, Gardner, Kelly, Maas, & McCloskey, 1991). What nurses need to operate in an evidence-based manner, is to be aware of how to introduce, develop and evaluate evidence-based practice. There more than one model for introducing the EBP in health care one of them that I chose is the Iowa model. The Iowa model focuses on organization and collaboration incorporating conduct use of research, along with other types of evidence(Doody & Doody, 2011; Johnson, et al., 1991). Since its origin in 1994, it has been continually referenced in nursing journal articles and extensively used in clinical research programmes. This model uses key triggers that can be either problem focused or knowledge focused, leading staff to question current nursing practices and whether care can be improved through the use of current research findings(Bauer, 2010; Doody & Doody, 2011; Johnson, et al., 1991; Titler, et al., 2001). By using Iowa Model; a question is generated either from a problem or as a result of becoming aware of new knowledge. Then a determination is made about the question relevance to organizational priorities. If the question posed is relevant, then the next step is to determine if there is any evidence to answer the question. Once the evidence has been examined, if there is sufficient evidence, then a pilot of the practice change is performed. If there is insufficient evidence, then the model supports that new evidence should be generated through research (Bauer, 2010). Step one of the Iowa model is to formulate a question. The question if asked in a PICO format is easier to use to search the literature. A PICO format uses the following method to frame the question: Frame question in PICO format †¢ P= Population of interest †¢ I= Intervention †¢ C= Comparison of what you will do †¢ O= Outcome(Hoogendam, de Vries Robbà ©, & Overbeke, 2012). The final step to the process is to share the outcomes of the practice change with other in the form of an article or poster. In using the Iowa model, there are seven steps to follow in detail as it is outlined in the figure shown in appendix B. Step 1: Selection of a topic In selecting a topic for evidence-based practice, several factors need to be considered. These include the priority and magnitude of the problem, its application to all areas of practice, its contribution to improving care, the availability of data and evidence in the problem area, the multidisciplinary nature of the problem, and the commitment of staff. Step 2: Forming a team The team is responsible for development, implementation, and evaluation. The composition of the team should be directed by the chosen topic and include all interested stakeholders. The process of changing a specific area of practice will be assisted by specialist staff team members, who can provide input and support, and discuss the practicality of guideline. A bottom-up approach to implementing evidence-based practice is essential as change is more successful when initiated by frontline practitioners, rather than imposed by management. Staff support is also important. Without the necessary resources and managerial involvement, the team will not feel they have the authority to change care or the support from their organization to implement the change in practice. To develop evidence-based practice at unit level, the team should draw up written policies, procedures and guidelines that are evidence based. Interaction should take place between the organization’s direct care providers and management such as nurse managers, to support these changes(Antrobus & Kitson, 1999; Cookson, 2005; Doody & Doody, 2011; Hughes, Duke, Bamford, & Moss, 2006). Step 3: Evidence retrieval Evidence should be retrieved through electronic databases such as Cinahl, Medline, Cochrane and up-to-date web site. Step 4: Grading the evidence To grade the evidence, the team will address quality areas of the individual research and the strength of the body of evidence overall (see appendix A for level of evidence). Step 5: Developing an Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) standard After a critique of the literature, team members come together to set recommendations for practice. The type and strength of evidence used in practice needs to be and based in the consistency of replicated studies. The design of the studies and recommendations made should be based on identifiable benefits and risks to the patient. This sets the standard of practice guidelines, assessments, actions, and treatment as required. These will be based on the group decision, considering the relevance for practice, its feasibility, appropriateness, meaningfulness, and effectiveness for practice. To support evidence-based practice, guidelines should be devised for the patient group, health screening issues addressed, and policy and procedural guidelines devised highlighting frequency and areas of screening. Evidence-based practice is ideally a patient centered approach, which when implemented is highly individualized. Step 6: Implementing EPB For implementation to occur, aspects such as written policy, procedures and guidelines that are evidence based need to be considered. There needs to be a direct interaction between the direct care providers, the organization, and its leadership roles (e.g. nurse managers) to support these changes. The evidence also needs to be diffused and should focus on its strengths and perceived benefits, including the manner in which it is communicated. This can be achieved through in-service education, audit and feedback provided by team members. Social and organizational factors can affect implementation and there needs to be support and value placed on the integration of evidence into practice and the application of research findings(Aitken, et al., 2011; Doody & Doody, 2011; Gerrish, et al., 2011; Reavy & Tavernier, 2008) Step 7: Evaluation Evaluation is essential to seeing the value and contribution of the evidence into practice. A baseline of the data before implementation would benefit, as it would show how the evidence has contributed to patient care. Audit and feedback through the process of implementation should be conducted and support from leaders and the organization is needed for success. Evaluation will highlight the programme’s impact. Barriers also need to be identified. Information and skill deficit are common barriers to evidence-based practice. A lack of knowledge regarding the indications and contraindications, current recommendations, and guidelines or results of research, has the potential to cause nurses to feel they do not have sufficient training, skill or expertise to implement the change. Awareness of evidence must be increased to promote the translation of evidence into practice . A useful method for identifying perceived barriers is the use of a force field analysis conducted by the team leader. Impact evaluation, which relates to the immediate effect of the intervention, should be carried out. However, some benefits may only become apparent after a considerable period of time. This is known as the sleep effect. On the contrary, the back-sliding effect could also occur where the intervention has a more or less immediate effect, which decreases over time. We must not to evaluate  too late, to avoid missing the measures of the immediate impact. Even if we do observe the early effect, we cannot assume it will last. Therefore, evaluation should be carried out at different periods during and following the intervention (Doody & Doody, 2011). Nursing leadership is an essential role for promoting evidence-based practice while the nurse managers and administrators are responsible for the professional practice environments where nurses provide care, are strategically positioned to enable nurses to use research. AS the leadership is essential for creating change for effective patient care the leadership behaviors are critical in successfully influencing the stimulation, acceptance, and utilization of innovations in organizations (Antrobus & Kitson, 1999; Gifford, et al., 2007). From my perspective I consider that the leaders and managers are the corner stone for utilizing researches and make practices based on evidence. By playing a role model for staff and handling the authority they have a magic force to urges the staff to use evidence based in there practice. Leaders can encourage the staff to use EBP in their practice in several ways such as increase the staff awareness, stimulating the intrinsic motivation of people, implying an effort to increase the will and internal desire to change through support encouragement, education, and appealing to a common purpose, monitoring performance, strengthen the body of knowledge that the staff have by forcing them to attend and participate in conferences, workshops & Journal clups, giving rewards to staff who collaborate in finding, utilizing and applying the EBP and make promotion and appraisal according to adherence to application of EBP. Implication of EBP For implementation to occur, aspects such as written policy, procedures and guidelines that are evidence based need to be considered. There needs to be a direct interaction between the direct care providers, the organization, and its leadership roles (e.g. nurse managers) to support these changes. The evidence also needs to be diffused and should focus on its strengths and perceived benefits, including the manner in which it is communicated. This can be achieved through in-service education, audit and feedback provided by team members. Social and organizational factors can affect implementation and there needs to be support and value placed on the integration of evidence into practice and the application of research findings. There are many ways that can be used to create an environment to implement and sustain an area of EBP such as : -Development of EBP champions; – Use of EBP mentors; – Provision of resources such as time and money; – Creation of a culture and expectation related to EBP; – Use of practical strategies including EBP workgroups, journal club and nursing rounds (Aitken, et al., 2011). EBP is being used in every aspect of the life, especially in the health care. The most common application of EBP is not only in intervention or treatment plane, but also the EBP process has been applied to making choices about diagnostic tests and protocols to insure thorough and accurate diagnosis, selecting preventive or harm-reduction interventions or programs, determining the etiology of a disorder or illness, determining the course or progression of a disorder or illness, determining the prevalence of symptoms as part of establishing or refining diagnostic criteria, completing economic decision-making about medical and social service programs. Nursing research proves pivotal to achieving Magnet recognition, yet the term research often evokes an hunch of mystery. Most of the policy, guidelines. And protocols that guide the work in the organization are based on evidance (Weeks & Satusky, 2005). Also, it is also useful to think of EBP as a much larger social movement. Drisko and Grady (2012) argue that at a macro-level, EBP is actively used by policy makers to shape service delivery and funding. EBP is impacting the kinds of interventions that agencies offer, and even shaping how supervision is done. EBP is establishing a hierarchy of research evidence that is privileging experimental research over other ways of knowing. There are other aspects of EBP beyond the core practice decision-making process that are re-shaping social work practice, social work education, and our clients’ lives. As such, it may be viewed as a public idea or a social movement at a macro level (â€Å"Evidence-Based Practice: Why Does It Matter?,† 2012). Cost effectiveness of using EBP in health care  Beneficial outcomes of the implementation and use of evidence-based practice by staff nurses include increased ability to offer safe, cost-effective,  and patient-specific interventions. Critical thinking skills and leadership abilities can also grow because of the use of evidence based practice; it is a way for staff nurses to become involved in change and regain ownership of their practice (Reavy & Tavernier, 2008). EBP used in clinical practice lead to make improvement in quality of provided care, which lead to improve the patients outcome, patient satisfaction and employee satisfaction. All these aspect are directly and indirectly lead to increase the cost effectiveness of the organization. When the patient satisfaction increased the patient acceptance to the organization increased, the employee satisfaction also increases and turnover will decrease all these things will increase the financial revenue to the organization. Also when using EBP in health care this will lead to decrease errors, complications and losses (e.g. compliance of evidence based infection control guidelines will lead to decrease incidence of infection, decrease length of stay an d decrease the cost of patient treatment), another example is using EBP to treat diabetic foot will result in decreasing the loses and increases the satisfaction so adherence to EBP will be costly effective when it result in better outcome, quality of care and satisfaction. Sometimes using EBP in certain area is costly; in such cases we must weighing the benefits ( immediately and after considered period of time) and mak e our decision based on the collected data and information. References: Aitken, L. M., Hackwood, B., Crouch, S., Clayton, S., West, N., Carney, D., et al. (2011). Creating an environment to implement and sustain evidence based practice: A developmental process. Australian Critical Care, 24(4), 244-254. Amabile, T. M., Schatzel, E. A., Moneta, G. B., & Kramer, S. J. (2004). Leader behaviors and the work environment for creativity: Perceived leader support. The Leadership Quarterly, 15(1), 5-32. Antrobus, S., & Kitson, A. (1999). Nursing leadership: influencing and shaping health policy and nursing practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 29(3), 746-753. Bauer, C. (2010). Evidence Based Practice:Demystifying the Iowa Model Providing optimal care through promotion of professional standard, networking and development, 25(2). Bostrà ¶m, A.-M., Ehrenberg, A., Gustavsson, J. P., & Wallin, L. (2009). Registered nurses’ application of evidence-based practice: a national survey. Journal Of Evaluation In Clinical Practice, 15(6), 1159-1163. Cookson, R. (2005). Evidence-based policy making in health care: what it is and what it isn’t. Journal Of Health Services Research & Policy, 10(2), 118-121. Doody, C. M., & Doody, O. (2011). Introducing evidence into nursing practice: using the IOWA model. British Journal of Nursing, 20(11), 661-664. Evidence-Based Practice: Why Does It Matter? (2012). ISNA Bulletin, 39(1), 6-10. Fineout-Overholt, E., Levin, R. F., & Melnyk, B. M. (2004). Strategies for advancing evidence-based practice in clinical settings. Journal of the New York State Nurses Association, 35(2), 28-32. Fineout-Overholt, E., Williamson, K. M., Kent, B., & Hutchinson, A. M. (2010). Teaching EBP: strategies for achieving sustainable organizational change toward evidence-based practice. Worldviews On Evidence-Based Nursing / Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society Of Nursing, 7(1), 51-53. Gerrish, K., Guillaume, L., Kirshbaum, M., McDonnell, A., Tod, A., & Nolan, M. (2011). Factors influencing the contribution of advanced practice nurses to promoting evidence-based practice among front-line nurses: findings from a cross-sectional survey. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 67(5), 1079-1090. Gifford, W., Davies, B., Edwards, N., Griffin, P., & Lybanon, V. (2007). Managerial leadership for nurses’ use of research evidence: an integrative review of the literature. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 4(3), 126-145. Haynes, R. B., Devereaux, P. J., & Guyatt, G. H. (2002). Clinical expertise in the era of evidence-based medicine and patient choice. ACP Journal Club, 136(2), A11-A14. Hoogendam, A., de Vries Robbà ©, P. F., & Overbeke, A. J. P. M. (2012). Comparing patient characteristics, type of intervention, control, and outcome (PICO) queries with unguided searching: a randomized controlled crossover trial. Journal Of The Medical Library Association: JMLA, 100(2), 121-126. Hughes, F., Duke, J., Bamford, A., & Moss, C. (2006). Enhancing nursing leadership: Through policy, politics, and strategic alliances. Nurse Leader, 4(2), 24-27. Johnson, M., Gardner, D., Kelly, K., Maas, M., & McCloskey, J. C. (1991). The Iowa Model: a proposed model for nursing administration. Nursing Economic$, 9(4), 255-262. Krainovich-Miller, B., Haber, J., Yost, J., & Jacobs, S. K. (2009). Evidence-based practice challenge: teaching critical appraisal of systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines to graduate students. Journa l of Nursing Education, 48(4), 186-195. Melnyk, B. M., Fineout-Overholt, E., Feinstein, N. F., Li, H., Small, L., Wilcox, L., et al. (2004). Nurses’ perceived knowledge, beliefs, skills, and needs regarding evidence-based practice: implications for accelerating the paradigm shift. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 1(3), 185-193. Reavy, K., & Tavernier, S. (2008). Nurses reclaiming ownership of their practice: implementation of an evidence-based practice model and process. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 39(4), 166-172. Sigma Theta Tau International position statement on evidence-based practice February 2007 summary. (2008). Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 5(2), 57-59. Titler, M. G., Kleiber, C., Steelman, V. J., Rakel, B. A., Budreau, G., Everett, C. L. Q., et al. (2001). The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice to Promote Quality Care. Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America, 13(4), 497-509. Weeks, S. K., & Satusky, M. J. (2005). Demystifying nursing research: to encourage compliance with Magnet accreditation standards, f urther your facility’s research initiatives. Nursing Management, 36(2), 42. Winch, S., Creedy, D., & Chaboyer, W. (2002). Governing nursing conduct: the rise of evidence-based practice. Nursing Inquiry, 9(3), 156-161.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Philippine Land Law Expert Chatbot Essay

The researchers tend to work on an expert system with integration of Philippine land laws. They chose to focus on land laws since one of the major problems of the Filipinos who seek law experts’ advice are due to land. The researchers deliberates the possible ways on how can they share knowledge and guidance that works like a real lawyer advising a client but have not taking an account to replace to seek a real land law experts guidance. Also, putting an expertise into a machine happens in many ways. So, the researchers find a way on constructing an expert system on Philippine land law using different techniques. In giving solution to the stated problem of the researchers, this study implements techniques such as Natural Language Processing (NLP) with sub-processes of Tokenizing, Part-of-Speech Tagging, and Parsing for input abstraction and validation, as well as Natural Language Generation (NLG) for the construction of answer/s. The developed system entitled, â€Å"PHILEX: Philipine Land Law Expert Chatbot† focused on providing answers to the user’s questions. Such users who are in need of information, assistance and knowledge and those who seek counselling in regards to any Philippine land law or land rights can benefit from the said expert system but must always know that the researchers do not intend to substitute the land law professionals. Upon various tests that the researchers conducted aiming to know the accuracy, specificity and sensitivity of the system, researchers came up with such conclusions. A technique, Precision and Recall, was used to test the system’s capability of answering the user’s questions relying from correct result (true positive or tp), missing result (false negative of fn), unexpected result (false positive of fp), and correct abscence of result (true negative or tn). This study also intends to identify the evaluation of the experts when it comes to sy stem’s user-friendliness, speed of response, and completeness. Five (5) land law experts chose twenty (20) test questions used to assess the system’s competency. Conclusion made by the experts based on the results is PHILEX, being the system for giving answers to user’s questions pertaining to Philipine land laws, is acceptable as a reliable source of knowledge and guidance without intending to replace the professional practitioners. The system got an overall percentage in terms of accuracy, a 75%, specificity with the percentage rate of 55% and sensitivity with 80.8%. Summing up the scores in terms of user-friendliness, speed of response, and completeness resulted to an overall weighted mean of 4.36, 4.32, and 4.16 respectively, interprets that the system as an acceptable tool for land law consulations. In the future, the authors would like to extend their work and knowledge by making the system possible to access by everyone through web or what we called â€Å"web-base application†.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Mountain Dew Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mountain Dew - Research Paper Example The advertising campaign of Mountain Dew’s is currently directed at the right market segment in terms of age, since the new campaign targets the teenager consumers to the consumers in their 20s. The ads are made for different mediums including television and radio and a diverse lineup of up to seven celebrities has been used to tailor the appeal to the needs of regional markets. However, the use of celebrities has not been made rightly. For example, as of the year 2011 in Los Angeles, there is a majority of white persons i.e. 71.8 per cent. The second largest population is of the Hispanics or Latinos i.e. 48.1 per cent, the non-Hispanic Whites make the third-largest population in Los Angeles with a population of 27.6 per cent of the total, Asians are the fourth-largest population i.e. 14.2 per cent, whereas the African Americans are the fifth-largest group in Los Angeles with a population of only 9.3 per cent (United States Census Bureau, 2012). Taking these statistics into co nsideration, Mountain Dew should have used a white celebrity in its ad for the audiences of television in Los Angeles whereas it included Lil Wayne in the ad who is an African American. Mountain Dew does not differentiate the product from the competition but the advertising campaigns run in the past have emphasized on the products’ benefits, e.g. â€Å"Ya-hoo! Mountain Dew! It’ll tickle your innards† (Stanford, 2012) and â€Å"Shore as shootin’, there’s a bang in every bottle† (Stanford, 2012). Mountain Dew has taken certain initiatives in the right direction like introducing new varieties and different flavors in addition to the original version in the states. To make more sales, Mountain Dew needs to make new customers without loosing its old customers. There has been a decrease in the percentage of the non-Hispanic consumers of Mountain Dew from the year 2000 to 2012 by almost three per cent. This is a huge loss for Mountain Dew since the whites make 80 per cent of the total population of Mountain Dew consumers. To make new customers, Mountain Dew needs to reflect in its ads that it caters for the interests and needs of people from all races and ethnicities. While there has been a decrease in the population of whites since the start of the 21st century, there has been a corresponding increase in the population of the non-whites in the US in general and the African Americans in particular. By casting Lil Wayne in its new TV advertising campaign, Mountain Dew has provided the African Americans with a means to identify with Mountain Dew, but not the audiences belonging to other races. The ad has been made strategically since it conveys the message in catchy phrases e.g. â€Å"If you got anything from me, it’s to find your thing and do you† (Stanford, 2012). In this sentence, Lil Wayne is drawing the audiences’ attention toward Mountain Dew. To generate a more universal appeal through its campaign, a better approach would be to use multiple stars belonging to different races and ethnicities in the ads meant for all states rather than including a star from a particular race or ethnicity to ensure maximum sale among particular groups within a state instead of everybody in general. This can be achieved by including stars from different races like Lil Wayne and Jason Aldean in the same ad. This