Monday, November 4, 2019
Personal management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Personal management - Essay Example Some recommendations have also been suggested for organizations about how they can implement workforce diversity in an effective and efficient manner. Diversity can be defined as understanding, acknowledging, valuing, celebrating and accepting differences that exist amongst people in relation to various factors like age, ethnicity, class, gender, mental ability, physical ability, sexual orientation, race, status of public assistance and spiritual practice (Esty, Griffin, & Hirsh, 1995). Not only gender and race but there are many differential factors which explain the term diversity. If we talk of a workplace, diversity is manifested through different forms like gender, age, physical attributes, ethnicity, educational background, sexual orientation, marital status, income, spiritual practice, geographical location, work experience, parental status, etc. Workplace diversity is becoming more and more pronounced because of the advent of globalization. The success of a business organization and its rate of growth can be determined through its ability to manage diversity in different aspects of the company in an efficient and effective manner. The organization can think of growth and development only if it is ready to accept people coming from various beliefs and background in its company so as to develop an organizational culture which would allow everyone to work together in the form of a team. One of the primary ways to achieve this objective by an organization is by valuing diversity and working for it. As days are passing diversity is becoming an important issue for an organization because the employees of the companies are becoming more and more heterogeneous in nature. Organizations have realized the importance of workforce diversity and how it can increase productivity and lead the company towards growth and development in the future. The trend of increasing diversity is observable in a significant way amongst
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Rotork Fluid Systems as a Global Company That Is Designed To Serve Essay
Rotork Fluid Systems as a Global Company That Is Designed To Serve Customers for All Needs That Are Associated With Fluid Powered Actuators - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that Rotork Fluid Systems have their manufacturing plants in the United States, Germany, and Sweden which is supported through the application of a strategic network of Centres of Excellence, control system packing, serving application engineering, and commissioning and support sales support for local industries installation. Rotork Fluid Systems practices quality and safety production of pneumatic and electrical actuator valves using a custom test systems that test the correct operation and product functionality and assist with the development and research. Rotork Fluid Systems manufacture high-quality Pneumatic Actuators. Actuators that do not perform well have serious consequences to the production process. Pneumatic actuators are used to plug, ball and butterfly valves. In addition, they can be used in various quarter turn applications that include pressure regulators and dampers. They are made of aluminum alloys of high duty that provide corrosion resistance and optimum strength. They have different variety and sizes that range between twelve to four thousand nanometers. Pneumatic actuators are produced in two versions; the single and double acting. The two versions have been designed in a way that there are no movements on the outside. By this, they become safe, easier installation and low maintenance needs. In addition, the pinion construction and pinion rack mean that they are lightweight and have a little volume to occupy. The double and single acting actuators are made use of in most safety systems. They have the ability to return automatically to fail-safe positions and have modular spring packages that ensure they are easily applied within a wide prospect of supply pressures and operating conditions. The actuators are fitted by use of drive inserts. This is done to enable them to become directly mounted onto the right valves and eliminate the call for a coupling and bracket type of mounting kit. The continue d use of directs mounts cut the costs of a valve assembly. The choice of an actuator is dependent on the valve torque requirement.
Thursday, October 31, 2019
An Analysis of the Benefits and Historical Development of Theatre in Essay
An Analysis of the Benefits and Historical Development of Theatre in Education - Essay Example The changes that have occurred within education and theatre are now able to benefit students in developing the craft of theatre more than past techniques, specifically because of the development into new and experimental approaches. The purpose of theatre in education from a historical context was to develop the craft of acting for students interested in performing literary works. However, newer models of theatre in education have created an alternative approach to understanding why theatre is used in schools. The curriculum and the main goals have changed the way that theatre is approached as well as what is used within the classroom for students. The concept of expression is now not only used for the study of acting and literature, but is also used for social and psychological development. When certain plays are interacted by students they have the ability to understand and interact with the information that is linked to this. The first objective that is achieved is instructional, which relates to the classroom teaching and the cognitive process used. The second objective is related to the expressions used. The educational level that is used within this is created specifically for an understanding of social a nd cultural issues that are prevalent in society and which need to be looked into (Jackson, 256). The development of theatre in education is not only important with the implementation and understanding of different cognitive processes. It is also essential because of the extra skills that it provides children with as they are moving through different development stages. Theatre for children that is developed in the correct manner can help with social skills and the ability to work within teams, specifically because of the way that different scripts are developed. More importantly, the use of different scripts can help with the development of communication and confidence. For all areas of academia as well as with
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Turning Point Of My Life Essay Example for Free
Turning Point Of My Life Essay The engines of the 747 jumbo passenger jet roared loudly in my ears with a resonance that said â€Å"There’s no turning back.† I tried to ignore this humming, chanting, vibrating message shaking my legs and rocking my spine. I fumbled with the cool, silver metal of my seatbelt buckle and checked one more time that I was really locked in. I felt the aircraft rolling left, then taxiing right, and I tried as best I could to believe it knew the best way to go.  I took Sonia’s slender hand in my own clammy palm without ever looking up. In my mind I saw the historic monuments and pastoral countryside of France sweeping past, out of view, though I knew I was still safely on the runway. I saw my mother and father, my lifelong friends. And then my back pushed hard against the seat as the engines raged into a frenzy and the wheels of the airplane lost contact with the ground.            As a small child in France I used to play with my best friend XXXX in the schoolyard. We were equipped with arsenals of toy cars and trunks, ships and robots. I always loved the airplanes best; I remember holding them as high as I could against the backdrop of the blue sky, my point of view convincing me I was among the clouds, thousands of feet above our little playground. I would climb to the top of the slide and continue my flight, achieving the most spectacular heights with which no boy, anywhere, could compete. I imagined flying away to parts of the world I didn’t yet have names for, exploring mountain peaks and silty ocean bottoms. I ventured alone into the furthest reaches of the globe, a fearless pilot explorer. As I sat now in the belly of a real life airplane, soaring off to meet my destiny, I hoped I was as brave now as I was back then.            They told me lots of things about Washington, D.C. They told me to be careful as the crime rate was high and I didn’t want to get shot. They told me the Washington Monument was a sight to behold. They told me Washington was where political deals are made that affect the entire planet. They told me D.C. was the land of opportunity. I couldn’t wait to get there and find out who was right and who was wrong. I wondered how the Promised Land would compare with France, the only land I’d ever called home.            I knew Sonia was excited. We were like twins, she and I. Same small home town, same field of study, same destination. She displayed the kind of adventuresome free spirit I did as a little boy, and I admired her for it. We were both giddy to move into our cozy new apartment together and finally begin a life together, on our own to make it or break it. We were all starry eyes and heads full of possibility as we hurtled over the ocean toward the land they called America. We grasped each others hands tighter as we told bad jokes and laughed nervous laughs about what awaited us when the wheels of our aircraft touched the ground.            Back in France, my brother Georges and I loved watching sports together on the weekends. We’d argue over our favorite teams and cheer on the local favorites over lots of food and drinks. We’d been close growing up and I knew I’d miss those weekend bonding sessions. I wondered when and if Georges would get the chance to come to the States to see his brother, a big time Business major in Washington.  And what about mom and dad? I knew they were at once sad and overjoyed that their little boy was rushing off to make something of himself, and I wondered which emotion won out. I hoped, for their sake and mine, that they were happy in the knowledge that I was growing up alright. As Sonia quietly sipped a complimentary diet soda, I could see in her eyes that she was having the same wistful thoughts of home. I told her it was all going to be ok and that, hey, we would practically be neighbors with George W. Bush. We both had a good laugh at that one.            As I alternated between watching the second hand on my watch tick off the time and staring out over the billowing clouds below, I daydreamed of the future. I saw our cozy apartment, furnished with a nice sofa and chairs, a television, and our very own bowls, plates, cups, and silverware.  I imagined us under a blanket on a frosty D.C. night, watching American sitcoms and eating take-out. I saw us working feverishly behind computers and in libraries, expanding our minds and moving closer toward our goals. We would hang out with our new American friends in American bars and drink American beer. We would go see American rock concerts and joke about how Americans think we French folks are rude. Maybe one day we’d get a dog or a cat. The possibilities seemed fascinating and endless.            As the plane made its final descent, my heart was in my throat. â€Å"This is it,†the engines of the plane said. Once again I checked my safety belt to make sure I was fastened in. Though I loved to fly, the landing was always my favorite. I loved seeing the expanse of a new city, laid out in miniature before my eyes. I loved to watch as the tiny model world with me floating above it became the looming, real world with me in the middle. Sonia and I smiled oversized, childlike smiles at each other as the wheels of the jet rubbed against the concrete landing strip, sending small puffs of up smoke into the air. We bobbled and bumped along the jet way as the passengers stretched and gossiped amongst themselves until, finally, the plane came to a stop.            Sonia and I departed the plane, hand in hand, and breathed in the air of our new home. The airport seemed to heave in and out with the swarms of people moving through it. Momentarily, all thoughts of home, my childhood, and my future departed as I became intoxicated with the overwhelming here and now. We stopped briefly for a greasy airport hamburger before hustling to collect our baggage and hail our first American cab to take us home. Anxious, Sonia did a little dance next to her bags as I waited for the cabby to load our things into his bright yellow vehicle. We closed the cab doors behind us with a bang and were on our way.            Sonia and I have been enjoying our new life in the States. We finally got our things unpacked and situated in our cozy new apartment. We do all of the things I’d imagined on that airplane, and then some. In some ways life in a new country is like life on another planet, and Sonia and I enjoyed playing the extraterrestrials. Each day at a shopping mall and each night at a club or a theater was a new adventure. We were in uncharted territory and we wanted to map as much ground as we possibly could, drinking in the ups and downs of our newfound culture.            Of course, we became engrossed in our studies. Though we are early on in our American education, I can sense the small milestones as we work our way along toward that fateful graduation day. Until then, we enjoy our classmates and our professors and try to do the best we can with what we have. We’re very lucky to be here, as so many people in the world never see the land beyond their hometown. We’ve seen the lands beyond and the waters in between.            As for my friends back home, I keep up with them via email and telephone. I wonder how people must have gotten by without the wonders of the Internet. I e-mail photos back home of Sonia and me at various landmarks and field questions about what it’s like living in Washington. Of course, I inquire as to how my old pals are doing and try to keep up on the latest local gossip from home. A couple of my friends have promised to come and visit, and I certainly hope they do. Experiences like this are so much better when you can share them with people who really know you.            And then there’s Georges. We keep in touch the same way, and I keep him up to speed on American sports while he fills me in on French sports. I’m trying to get him excited about American football, but I don’t know that I’m succeeding. Sometimes we talk on the phone on during weekend sporting events and for awhile it is almost like we’re back home again, together.            Sonia and I are discovering what it’s like to live together as a couple. We bicker about small and unimportant details like an old married couple, but we enjoy it and we’re enjoying our time together. We’re beginning to learn what it’s like having to give in to each other’s wants and needs in order to keep each other happy. We talk about the future, about next year, about what happens after graduation. We enjoy making plans but are careful to also enjoy the present. Someday when I’m an important business executive, I’ll look back at my time in college as the best time of my life. I want to live life and remember as much of it as I can.            Of course I miss my family, my friends and my France. Some things here will just never compare – I think most people feel that way about home. Restaurants will never compare to my mother’s cooking and even my best American friends won’t remember the time I fell down on the playground and skinned my knee. My time away from everybody has made me appreciate them all more and I look forward to the times when we get to talk.            Sometimes I think back to that time in the plane on the French runway. I think about my sweaty palms and the roar of the engine and the tight seatbelt. I think about my uncertainty towards leaving my home country, and I think about how well we’re adjusting so far. I feel the same way when I think about my life and what my future holds – I hear the roaring jet engines telling me â€Å"This is it.† I guess all one can do is try their best and keep moving forward. Stepping onto that airplane is the hardest part. After that all you can do is sit back and enjoy the ride.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Case Study On Strategic Analysis Management Essay
Case Study On Strategic Analysis Management Essay This will be done through analysing the variety stores industry in which Woolworth operates, the companys past, present and future growth strategies and its current performance. Using recognised strategic tools, the various options available to the company will be recommended and evaluated. METHODOLOGY: The Methodology that will be used to compile this dissertation will mainly be in the form of secondary research. This is largely because the nature of the project requires the co-operation of managers at very strategic level of the company. The Managers understand and have sufficient information on the strategic direction of the organisation. The writer was unable to arrange interviews with the management in the company, as information they have cannot be made public for confidential reasons. As a result it is deemed that the information gathering from other sources within the company would not be as reliable as desired for this topic. Informal primary research interviews will be arranged to gain general information on Woolworths PLCs policies and operations with members of Woolworths store staff. Secondary information will also be used to compile this dissertation due to the availability of reliable and valid information on Woolworths PLC and the variety retail industry. Secondary research will be conducted through examination of annual reports and accounts of the company and its main competitors. To evaluate these, sources such as Mintel Marketing Intelligence Reports and Marketing and Business trade journals will be used. Published academic books on Strategic Management will also be used to assist with the theoretical elements of this dissertation. HISTORY Woolworths is generally described as a variety store. These are organisations that concentrate their efforts on the retailing of a range of products in the lower and more popular price ranges. They provide a walk in, shop and carry facility as the major route of purchasing (home delivery and pre ordering being rare), with open display and self-service merchandising. They are unlikely to be departmentalised. Other related categories include department stores, discounters and specialist shops (also known as category killers) (Oxford English Dictionary 2001). Woolworths was first established by Frank Winfield Woolworth in 1879 with the concept of selling products costing no more than 5 cents. This proved a popular idea with the consumers and the turnover continued to grow. The concept was of no frills shopping, with a range of low priced, non-perishable items. When F.W. Woolworth died in 1919, he had built an empire of 1,081 stores with sales in excess of $118 million per year (Faulkner et al 2003). The company continued to grow and developed internal competencies in areas such as marketing, finance and estates management (Faulkner et al 2003). Faulkner et al also comment that this period of Woolworths history was characterised by the focus of its strategy: it was able to deepen its existing competencies and incrementally expand both its competency base and it knowledge of different market environments (such as suburban retailing) (Faulkner et al pp. 279 2003). However, this was to prove insufficient when discounters and category killers became more prevalent in the market. Wal-Mart had begun trading in general merchandise at low prices and specialist retailers, such a Toys- R- Us provided a destination shopping location for those consumers seeking a particular product, a wider range of products or specialist knowledge about the products. Woolworths began a decline in sales in real terms due to its lack of insight of how to capitalise on the prevalent retail preferences. They failed to take the move to expand their business either into a wider focus or a narrower one, strategies which would have given them a platform from which to take on their competitors. It wasnt until the late 1980s that Woolworths changed their strategy in the United States with their diversification into specialist areas, such as Kids Mart and Little Folks, as well as entering the discount retail business with the Woolco concept. However, they lacked the competencies and capabilities to make up for the time they had lost which had allowed their competitors to establish a strong market lead and in 1995, Kids Mart and Little Folks both closed down. This was on top of the closure of 400 stores in the USA and the sale of 122 Canadian Woolco stores to Wal-Mart (Faulkner et al 2003). One of the specialist areas they had entered into, footwear, did prove to be a success and led Woolworths in the USA to open over 7, 000 athletic footwear stores covering a range of gender and age segments by 1998. The company decided at this stage to change its operating name in the USA to the Venator Group (Faulkner et al 2003) and to reposition itself as a specialist sports footwear reta iler. The groups business in the UK moved in a different direction and kept the original company name. At present, in the UK, Woolworth currently owns around 900 stores selling toys, confectionary, house wares, seasonal products and electronic entertainment. The UK business has also moved into specialist areas with the introduction of MVC home entertainment and electronics which currently has 85 shops, E.UK, which is the largest distributor of home entertainment products in the UK, and the music and video publishing arm VCI (Cornell date unknown). Having become a public company in 1931, Woolworths was briefly taken over in 1982 by Kingfisher, but returned to public ownership again in mid-2001. Woolworths stated aim is to be at the heart of the community and the best loved retailer for kids, home and family leisure (www.woolworthsgroupplc.com). As will be seen Woolworths performance has been variable over recent years and in January 2005, they received a takeover bid from the private equity group, Apax. Although the Woolworths board rejected that offer, a higher one was received four weeks later and is currently under consideration. This means that the future for Woolworths is an uncertain one, with the possibility of a substantial cash injection, but diminished control for the current management team. Should the Apax offer be rejected again, Woolworths is likely to receive offers from its major competitors. PORTERS FIVE FORCE ANALYSIS. Threat of new entrants Despite the high number of retailers dealing with general merchandise, two areas are seen as being particularly relevant. Currently, there are only two catalogue based shopping concepts in the UK, Argos and Next. This market remains highly under-represented considering the success particularly of Argos and it could be expected that the concept will be taken up by more companies in future. These businesses offer the full range of house wares, electrical goods, toys and gifts as available from Woolworth, and have a distinct competitive advantage in their practice of minimal stock holdings in store allowing extra selling space to be released. They may face difficulties in finding the number and size of locations they would need to become a major player in this market, but this could be overcome through the acquisition of an existing retailer. Further new entrants may be seen as foreign companies try to increase their market share. These have already been seen in two main forms. Firstly the specialist retailers who started from nothing in the UK and have achieved good organic growth. Examples include Toys-R-Us, Ikea, Gap, HM, Beneton and Poundstretcher. The second group are those who gain a foothold in the UK market through acquisition. These include Wal-Mart, Brantano and Claires Stores. There is no reason to expect the level of foreign retail interest in the UK to decrease. Bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers has been much diminished with the development of e-commerce. Because of the vast increase in access to information between potential suppliers and buyers, the suppliers pricing strategy may be the only way to secure business. This is likely to increase as more use is made of the Internet. One recent development has been the practice of reverse auctions where a retailer specifies what they want and competing suppliers out bid each other, via a web site, by lowering the price rather than by raising it as in the traditional auction (www.gusplc.com). Once suppliers have been agreed, the large size of this retail sector also ensures buyers can act from a strong negotiating base, as they have significant control over the future health of dedicated suppliers. Recently there has been publicity around the practice of large retailers setting what are seen as unfair terms with suppliers and of insisting on price reductions even though the supplier then operates at a loss (Telegraph 2005). However, it is not expected that any legislation will bring about changes in this situation in the foreseeable future. On the negative side, specialist suppliers such as those supplying mobile phones and computer games, have an increasing amount of power due to the demand for their products. A retailer would need to ensure they have sufficient quantities of a product such as the latest Playstation, for the Christmas market, but are frequently left in the hands of suppliers who can give preferential service to other customers. Threat of substitutes Product substitutions can be used in two different ways. Firstly, as is the strategy of many of the main supermarkets, own brand labels are seen as acceptable substitutions for everyday grocery items. The cost of substitution is low to the customer i.e. they feel that there is little risk because of the loyalty they have to the store. The other type is through introducing higher priced, luxury type items. This strategy can be seen in the Marks and Spencer food sector where they market the products as being superior to other brands.For the variety retailers, the concept of substitution does not seem to have been fully exploited and it is a possible strategy for securing market share in the future. Bargaining power of customers The high level of competition amongst retailers has led to a position of power for the consumer. Having moved from seasonally driven sales events to permanent deals, the aggressiveness of these approaches has also increased. Customers now expect to be able to get three for two offers throughout the year. This puts the retailer at a disadvantage, as they will lose the potential benefits of targeting marketing promotions and means they are continually forced to take the path of competitive pricing. This can lead companies to over rely on the profits made from a limited range of products whereas the rest of the ranges operate at unsustainably low profit margins as loss leaders. Competitive rivalry within the industry The variety stores sector is highly competitive and there is no reason why this should not continue to be the case. It is suggested by retail analysts, Peters, Elworthy and Moore, that the variety store business in the UK has become saturated and that the larger stores are likely to take over or merge with the independents (cited in Potts 1996). Competition from superstores and supermarkets is expected to increase as they add to their ranges of non-food items in a bid to gain a higher share of the overall consumer market (Potts 1996). It is also expected that the differentiation between department stores, variety stores, home shopping and supermarkets will become less sharp as retailers look to alternate channels and increasing product ranges to maximise their turnover (Potts 1996). This will make it difficult for new entrants to enter the market unless they benefit from a unique selling point such as discounting, as has been seen with companies such as Wilkinsons. PEST ANALYSIS: Political Ecological/environmental issues- corporate social responsibility (csr)- The main belief around csr thinking is that the practice of businesses within the capitalist economy to concentrate their efforts on providing wealth for its shareholders, is unacceptable and that companies should take the responsibility of considering the well being of society as a whole (The Economist, January 22nd 2005). It has been countered by Lynch that failure to make a specific statement on ethical issues, does not mean that a company is not fundamentally ethical in the way that it does its business (Lynch 2003). Retailers generally are coming under increasing pressure to ensure they cannot be charged with poor practices with regard to the developing world or the environment. The activities of and publicity around the anti-globalisation movement, may dissuade organisations from expanding their markets abroad, although many see these as a small minority and it is questionable as to whether their activities would cause a company to alter their strategy. It is more likely that they will take the issues into account in terms of having a robust csr policy and when reporting to the media. Woolworths made the following statement on csr in their latest financial statement: During 2003/4, through the CSR Committee, Woolworths Group has continued to work to understand the impacts, both positive and negative, of our business. A proper understanding of the risks we must manage and the opportunities we have to be a catalyst for improvement is a fundamental part of how we do business (www.woolworthsgroupplc.com). Woolworth has specific policies on the areas of timber and chemical usage, a strict code of ethical trading and has set up its own charity (Woolworth Kids First) to provide the opportunity for their employees to help children on a local basis (www.woolworthsgroupplc.com). Whilst Woolworths are outwardly taking their csr seriously, it is an area that has come from nowhere to heavily impact organisations in the past and Woolworth would do well to bear in mind the impacts on Nestle of the baby milk episode and on Marks and Spencer of the sweat shop issues.  Legislation- a new White Paper has been announced that will give retailers the ability to offer legal advice through their own law companies. Dubbed Tesco Law, it provides a further service to encourage the one stop shop approach of the large supermarket chains (BBC D). Supermarket chains, which are one of Woolworths main sources of competition, have had a strategy of offering a one-stop shop opportunity to their customers with the introduction of such facilities as pharmacies, banking facilities and insurance. It is not yet known whether Woolworths is planning to introduce such offerings in its store. Government policies- in the recent budget, Gordon Brown announced a doubling of the threshold for stamp duty on house purchases to  £120,000. This was done to assist particularly first time buyers. Encouraging the housing market will have a beneficial effect on Woolworths house wares, furnishings and DIY ranges, but this will obviously extend to their competitors as well. Government term and change- whilst a General Election is due in the UK, the writer believes that there would be no significant impact, either positive or negative, were the political party currently in power were to remain or change. Economic Home economy situation- the current economic situation in the UK can be seen as a positive factor for Woolworths with low interest rates (2.7%) and high property values leading to record levels of borrowing. However, there are concerns over the level of borrowing as debt levels for have reached more than  £1 trillion (BBC E). It should also be noted that low interest rates would dissuade people who are living off investments from spending, although these tend to be those in retirement who are not considered to be Woolworths target consumer. They have identified that their typical customers are mothers with dependent children living at home(www.woolworthsgroupplc.com). Home economy trends. The Government states that Council tax will rise by an average of 4.1% in the next financial year, the lowest increase in more than ten years (BBC B). In the housing market, figures for changes in house prices vary by source with the Halifax quoting a 0.5% rise and the Nationwide a 0.5% fall (BBC A 2005). There is currently no solid evidence of a crash in the housing market. Should this occur, the impact on the whole retail industry would be immense. Overseas economies and trends- oil prices had risen to a high of $56.15 per barrel in mid March (BBC F). Although they are currently falling, they remain 25% higher for the year (BBC F). Long term, the situation is likely to worsen as demand for oil increases from growing economies such as China, where the economy is growing at 9% and a 10% increase in oil use is predicted for 2005 (BBC F 2005). High oil prices will affect both production and distribution costs for all retailers and will have to be passed onto the consumer through increased prices if alternative savings cannot be made in the value chain. Market and trade cycles- despite good economic factors such as low interest rates, the UK retail economy seems to be slowing down. In March Morrison, Boots and Jessops put out profit warnings and it was reported that data suggests generally poor retail sales and weak spending for the period since Christmas (Verdin 2005). The figures point to a growth in consumer spending of only 0.2% for the last quarter of 2004 the weakest figure for almost two years (Duncan 2005).No specific cause for this downturn has been identified; although the writer would suggest that the publicity around levels of personal debt and the worsening pension crisis may have some influence. Social Consumer attitudes and opinions- Mintels annual lifestyle report has found that consumers are shunning the larger supermarkets and chain stores which they find impersonal, and are much more likely to frequent local, independent shops (cited in BBC C). The implications of this for Woolworth could be positive or negative. To many people, they may be classed as a multi-site retailer and therefore avoided by the consumer. However, the history of the company, its generally high street locations and the nature of the products it sells may lead some to choose it as a shopping venue over large supermarkets. In this area, the history and reputation of Woolworths can only be beneficial. Fashion and role models- the value of celebrity endorsement is well understood by the retail industry and icons such as Jamie Oliver, Delia Smith and David Beckham have all become associated with particular brands. Woolworth identified this pattern and adopted the puppet characters, Woolly and Worth, for their 2004 Christmas campaign. Its success has encouraged them to continue the use of these characters for future advertising campaigns (www.woolworthsgrouppls.com). Technology- the rate of increase in use of cutting edge technology based items has given retailers a highly lucrative new product range. For example, mobile phone technology only became widely available in the early 1980s, but today, approximately one in six of the worlds population owns one and in most of the developed countries, market penetration exceeds 70% (The Economist 2005). As well as the phones themselves, the associated hardware and software are highly popular and unexpected markets have developed, for example, ring tones. There are no indications that these products will do anything other than maintain their growth and the continual developments in technology help to keep the market buoyant. Consumer buying mechanisms/technology- the growth of e-commerce has provided two new strategic directions for retailers. Firstly, there is the opportunity of selling the technology itself- mobile phones, personal computers, software, downloads, games- and secondly, it provides a further channel through which to sell goods. All the major retailers have web sites on which customers can research products, compare prices, order and pay for goods and, as such, there is reasonable competition to encourage consumers to visit particular web sites. An extra dimension is the number of companies who sell only through the Internet. This provides them with a competitive advantage of having lower overheads as premises and shop floor staff are not required. A good example of this is the book retailer Amazon.com who have diversified into clothing, apparel, DVDs and compact discs following their success with books. Further channels have yet to be fully utilised including ordering goods through mobile phone technology and digital television shopping channels. Whilst building their e-commerce business, Woolworths need to ensure it is based on a stable and secure foundation. Although not alone in the experience, they had to close their www.woolies.co.uk site for two months in 2000, when a customer reported that they could view other peoples credit card details on the site (Azeez 2002). Maturity of technology- Radio Frequency Identity Tagging (RFID) is seen as the way forward by many retailers who are undertaking trials of the technology. The most well known is probably Tescos who have been testing it on their high relative value, easily portable items such as razors. Woolworth had been trialing systems but has announced this year that there is no longer funding for the project (www.woolworthsgroupplc.com). They are allowing the technology to reach maturity and should then be able to capitalise on the research done by others. There are some risks with this strategy as it gives the competitors the opportunity to realise the benefits of such technology at an earlier stage. However, it also protects Woolworths from the high level of risk associated with this technology and dealing with issues raised by the Data Protection Act. STRATEGIC GROUP ANALYSIS. The competitors of Woolworth are deemed as being: Discounters those stores which offer stock at particularly low prices and have this as a unique selling point. These would include: Wilkinsons, Asda-WalMart and Poundstretcher Supermarkets stores that historically sold predominantly food items, but have now generally expanded their range to include substantial non-food categories. Examples are: Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda-WalMart and Waitrose Department stores a store which sells a range of items, usually non-food, that divides its goods into distinct areas of the store. In the UK this category includes: MS, Debenhams, House of Fraser, British Home Stores (BHS), and John Lewis Catalogue stores the retailer has a large proportion of the store space dedicated to storage rather than selling space. Few, if any goods are on display and customers select from a catalogue, usually without viewing the product first. Argos and Next are the most well known in the UK. Special ist stores those who concentrate on selling a particular product, which corresponds to part of the Woolworth range. For example, Mothercare and the Early Learning Centre for childrens clothes, BQ, Homebase and Focus DIY for DIY products. Competition is high for all segments of the retail industry which has lead to a blurring of the differences between the categories. Many companies are diversifying into new sectors or aiming for higher market penetration in their existing products. A good example are the supermarkets which have had many years of fierce competition with the main three, Tesco, Sainsbury and Asda, regularly changing places in the retailer league. Their strategy involves adopting a hybrid approach. Cost leadership to some degree by ensuring they maintained competitive pricing for generic products and then offering their own brands at a significantly lower price and differentiation in terms of the range of products they offer by branching out into greater ranges of non-food items. New entrants to the market had to have a unique selling point to appeal to the consumer and found it in terms of outperforming the established market in cost leadership. Aldi, Netto and Lidl have achieved some success in this, p roviding generally unfamiliar brand named, everyday products at a significantly lower price than the main supermarkets. The supermarkets also attempted to increase their market share through increasing their ranges of products and increasing the size of their stores to include superstores and hypermarkets. Other tactics include offering an appearance of being more exclusive (such as Waitrose and Marks and Spencer), positioning as a leader in corporate social responsibility (as in the Co-Operative stores and their Fair-trade products) and seeking new selling opportunities (for example, Marks and Spencers food outlets in service stations). The amalgamation of Asda and WalMart and Morrisons and Safeway showed that some of these strategies left companies with no clear customer focus, trying to be all things to all people, and, with decreasing sales and market share, they became attractive propositions to companies wishing to achieve a foothold in a new geographical location (the south of England in the case of Morrisons and the whole of the UK in the case of WalMart). The biggest threat to Woolworths from these stores has been through product diversification. Initially seeking to offer a one stop shop experience, with selling general merchandise, they then took on specialist stores such as Lloyds pharmacies, and non-retailers with the offerings of financial services. The specialist stores have had to recognise that as well as competing between themselves where products overlap, they are now also having to take on the supermarkets. Music retailers, such as HMV and Virgin, are experiencing pressure from supermarkets, who area able to take them on in terms of cost leadership due to economies of scale and value chain efficiencies, leaving the music stores with the only option of maximising their niche qualities. However, the increasing popularity of e-commerce, both in terms of new retailers and innovative product formats (such as downloads), has put this strategy at risk as their niche status is coming under attack. The implications for Woolworths high street stores are that they are having to rely on appealing to customers who are not seeking a specific item when they enter a store, as they cannot compete on grounds of price or specialism. Their appeal is to the impulse purchaser or those who are buying for someone else and are unsure of what they want. This merges well with the Woolworth strategy of concentrating on Kids and Celebrations. However, if they are positioning themselves as a one stop shop provider for celebration events, they are still in competition with the supermarkets who are able to provide the same items and the opportunity to purchase them whilst doing the regular grocery shopping. In areas where Woolworth has traditionally been seen as a key provider, childrens clothes, again, the supermarkets are offering a cost leader alternative with a strong fashion selling point, by employing well-known designers to support their products (such as George at Asda). Tesco recently showed their power by offering Levis jeans at a price point lower than the manufacturer. Coupled with this is the strategy of other companies to move into this line as a new product or to increase their market share. Key players are Mothercare and The Early Learning Centre. Seen as specialists for the child market, their threat to Woolworth is significant as is that of clothing retailers identifying the market for childrens clothes and exploiting it using their strength in reputation to appeal to the consumer (Gap Kids for example). Whilst all these forms of retail outlet vie for the consumers business, there is an inherent risk for all of them in terms of being able to convert their sales into profit. With competition being so fierce and coming for several different directions, most retailers have to ensure that whilst they are not necessarily the cheapest, they are competitive. The exceptions to this are those that promote themselves as exclusive, such as Waitrose. All these retailers are seeking to reduce their costs through driving savings with the value chain. This has wide reaching implications. As pressure increases to produce the goods at a lower cost, the source of production moves to countries with lower wages and poorer working conditions. As well as affecting the UK economy through increased unemployment, there have been cases where the apparent violation of human rights has produced poor publicity for the retailer. An example of this is the situation Marks and Spencer encountered in the late 1990s. On the one hand they were being accused of being too expensive, so they moved production of their clothes to developing countries. This led to an outcry in the media when companies in the UK who had been supplying them for years, could no longer operate and had to close down. Another strategy to reduce production costs is to use cheaper raw materials, but again, the negative aspects of this receive attention, with the current example being the questions raised over the nutritional value of cheap food products. Within the organisations themselves, streamlining head office personnel in terms of numbers and outsourcing support functions such as recruitment, have shown to be effective in the short term, but the long-term effects of cutting costs in areas such as research and development and training has yet to be seen. SWOT ANALYSIS. Strengths Many of Woolworths strengths come from its long history. They have a recognised internal competence in supply chain management and are able to use this both to reduce their costs and to enter into agreements with organisations that would traditionally be classed as their competitors, such as Tesco. They are using their expertise to provide additional turnover. Their contracts with other companies that utilise their strengths also allow them to minimise the risks to themselves. Having been long established, Woolworth has a good reputation in the UK and is a recognised name on the high street. They have a strong presence in toys, house wares, confectionary and seasonal products markets and due to their size can boast a dominant position over the majority of their suppliers. The perception of consumers is of a high level of corporate social responsibility, having not been subjected to significant poor publicity in any areas. The general economic conditions in the UK are promising although the recently reported slow down in consumer spending must be regarded as a risk. The locations and number of stores operated by Woolworths can be seen as a further strength, especially as consumer preference moves away from out of town shopping. They have made a good move in the adoption of advertising icons, which are considered to be a key element of their marketing campaign. Recent improvements in their stock management systems involving the introduction of an integrated replenishment system and the Kingstore till systems, gives them the ability to manage their stock levels more efficiently, thereby reducing both costs and instances of stock outages. They have undergone a recent review of how they can improve their operational efficiency and this shows a proactive strategy to take on their competition. They have a high level of understanding of customer base which they have developed through their long history in the retail market. This enables them to predict changes in consumer requirements and gives them the potential to maintain a competitive edge. Their decision to increase their use of their own brand products gives them the opportunity to heighten their market penetration in these areas, whilst their expansion of electronic entertainment offerings shows a desire to widen their range within a specific sector. These strategies seem to be successful at present.
Friday, October 25, 2019
International Laws Essay -- International Law
First coined by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, international law is customarily recognized as the law that regulates the affairs between sovereign states, the foremost issue of international law. Public international law only concerns itself with the issues of rights involving a number of nations, or nations and its people, or matters of other nations. It differs from private international law, which deals with dissimilarity between private individuals, natural and/or juridical, by developing from circumstances that have a noteworthy relationship to more than one nation. (Brownlee, 2008) International law contains the necessary and typical notions of law in the national legal systems – â€Å"status, property, obligation, and tort.†(Hall, 2010) According to Ian Brownlee, this also incorporates substantive law, procedure, process and remedies. (2008) International law is deep-seated with the agreement of the nation states which represents the system. There are six major essential sections of international law: international economic law, international criminal law, international environmental law, international security law, international humanitarian law (or law of war), diplomatic law and international human rights law. (Hall, 2010) However, conventional and customary laws are the primary sources of international law. Customary law and laws that are set by an international understanding have an equivalent authority just as international law. (Schmidt, 2008) Political parties may allocate a higher precedence to another source by way of agreeance. Conversely, various rules of international law are acknowledged by the international population as â€Å"authoritative, allowing no exemption from the rule.†(Brownlee, 2008) Such rules... ... multilateral agreements that govern the interactions of nations and international businesses and the nongovernmental organizations worldwide. Without such laws and organizations, many societies would end up with extremely corrupt governments and the risk of being in a continuous war with other nations would be highly probable. Works Cited Brownlee, I. (2008). Principles of public international law. Birsfelden: Oxford University Press. Hall, K. (2010). Jus gentium- law of nations. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Law, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Retrieved from http://www.law.harvard.edu/index.html Schmidt, S. (2008). What are the causes of international conflicts?. Mason: Cengage Learning Publications Un public administration programme. (2010). Retrieved from http://unpan.org/DPADM/Home/tabid/420/language/en-US/Default.aspx
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Fostering Teacher Student Relationship in Nursing Essay
The teacher student relationship is very important for children. Children spend approximately 5 to 7 hours a day with a teacher . We ask ourselves what is considered a good teacher? All of us have gone through schooling, and if fortunate had a favorite teacher. A positive relationship between the student and the teacher is difficult to establish, but can be found for both individuals. The qualities for a positive relationship can vary to set a learning experience approachable and inviting the students to learn. A teacher and student who have the qualities of good communications, respect in a classroom, and show interest in teaching from the point of view of the teacher and learning from a student will establish a positive relationship in the classroom. I will be focusing on the relationship between a nursing student and teacher, involving a setting of classroom and at the clinical settings which I have found to be extremely important for the student to gain a positive attitude towards their profession for the rest of life. Each student has different strategies for learning and achieving their goals. A few students in a classroom will grasp and learn quickly, but at the same time there will be those who have to be repeatedly taught using different techniques to be able to understand the lesson. Also, there will be students who roam around and use college as entertainment. They won’t like our instructions or policies. Teaching then becomes difficult, especially if there is no proper communication. Like wise the student disruptions may occur in classes that are poorly organized and managed where students are not provided with appropriate and interesting instructional tasks. The main thing teacher can do is continuously monitor the student in order for him or her to be aware of any difficulties that he/ she is having. Understanding the child’s problem, fear, or confusion will give the teacher a better understanding about the child’s learning difficulties. Once the teacher becomes aware of the problems, he or she will have more patience with the student, thus making the child feel secure or less confused when learning is taking place in the classroom. The same thing happens in clinics also. The students may face many problems in their clinical areas. Many of the students expressed the despair of having a wide practice-theory gap. Eventhough nursing students are learning many subjects in deep; they may be feeling that they can’t practice it all in the actual practice. They may be feeling that they are doing the very basic nursing care that even the nursing aids can do. In my student life I was sometimes observing the evaluative role of teacher, instead of teaching role. So teachers can avoid creating such situations by making the clinics a best teaching arena. A teacher who acts as a good facilitator or supporter at the clinical setting can easily enter in to the minds of young students and this will enhance the development of a hearty relation between these two parties. The student is also responsible for making the communication a positive one. They can approach the teacher for open their mind during their academic or personal crises situations. Of course a teacher is not going to understand every problem for every child in his or her classroom, but will acquire enough information for those students who are struggling with specific tasks. A significant body of research indicates that â€Å"academic achievement and student behavior are influenced by the quality of the teacher and student relationship†(Jones 95). The more the teacher connects or communicates with his or her students, the more likely they will be able to help students learn at a high level and accomplish quickly. Those teachers, who demonstrate respect towards their students, automatically win favor by having active learners in their classroom. The arrogant or offensive teacher will lack these positive qualities due to his or her lack of control over the children. Teachers should assert that they should also be treated with respect . Teachers can blend their warmth and firmness towards the students in their classroom, but with realistic limits. Teachers who are in a classroom might have experienced one time or other students who are disruptive or find learning boring. Teachers understand that if this behavior continues in the classroom and if they do nothing to prevent this from happening, the outcome proves to be disastrous for both types of participants. The student will conclude that his or her behavior is permissible, and will draw away from learning; therefore it is essentially important for the teacher to explain to the child the importance to learn. Though we understand that learning cannot be forced, learning becomes a process for an individual where he or she feels comfortable with learning whether it’s in a classroom or at clinics. Children in first year feel the urge to talk about their problems, fears, or even show their knowledge, but at the same time they want to be listened too. The student will feel valued and respected. Students feel happy when the teacher eventually gives them the option of contributing, or in other words the teacher asks for an opinion, which is usually not offered to the students. The teacher does not have to give up all their control, rather teachers share control with students and encourage interactions that are determined by mutual agreement. A close, but limited relationship between the student and teacher can be helpful for those students who are shy, and find speaking in front of the classroom difficult or children who have low self-esteem. The tension of these students will prevent them to develop the confidence they had always wanted, but never achieved due to not having a good relationship with the teacher. Therefore, how does a teacher hold a relationship that leads to effectively teach the children? The answer becomes clear when teachers interact with, and learn more about their students. Our first educational experience, which takes place in the primary years of our life, sets the principles for our future education. Having established a positive relationship with students will encourage students to seek education and be enthusiastic and to be in school. Remembering our favorite teacher will be recognized because they had at least in one way or another the qualities I discussed in this writing although we are not aware of it during the time we are in school, but teachers are well recognized at a later time of our lives.
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