Spread of Islam in Europe in the Last Century

Stanford Prison Experiment

Stanford Prison Experiment Introduction The unsettling aspect of the experiment was that it seemed to prove the pervasive behaviour of the prison guards and prisoners was due to an aspect of human psychology, deeply embedded in the human nature, rather than an acquired ill reasoning. However, there are arguments as to whether the experiment used the right procedure and parameters to obtain objective results.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Stanford Prison Experiment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The guidelines violated The study violated the ethical guidelines of any experiment involving human beings since it did not have any ethical acceptability. The set APA standards require that any experiment, including those investigating psychological issues, be free of any kind of torture. If the guards had stuck to the recommended course of action when handling the prisoners, the experiment could have resulted in outcomes that were more ob jective. The researchers disregarded the subjects’ welfare, which is against the APA guideline requirements. Moreover, the experiment planners failed to consider the gravity of the events if the anticipated risks turned into a reality. The APA guidelines require the experimenter to structure the experiment in such a way that the risk is not too detrimental to the physical and emotional wellbeing. The leader of the team, doctor Zimbardo, was also the person who conducted the analysis of the course and the results of the experiment. According to the accepted standards in modern research, the leader of the team flawed the experiment by acting as an observer while disturbing the process. This violated another guideline, which advocates for minimum disturbance. Zimbardo’s personal opinion and feelings exposed the experiment to distortion. The experiment’s validity was questionable since before the commencement of the process all actions in the prison were anticipated . The guards had premeditated inflicting torture and curtailing the subjects’ freedom contrary to the APA guidelines on experimentation (Blass 235). There were no admissible criteria of equating the experimental prison’s conditions to those of a real prison. The experimental conditions could have been far much worse than the real conditions of an average prison. Furthermore, some conditions in real prison are necessary while experimental conditions were deliberate efforts to inflict mental stress. The researchers altering the Study Although there was no way to modify the experiment to reflect a real prison in totality, the team could have adopted measures that ensured the experiment stayed within the admissible criteria of practical experimentation.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The experiment would have obtained better results if the prisoners and the guards were subjected to the procedure without being guided on how to react to various situations. The decision to instil mental strain on the prisoners distorted the experiment. On the contrary, gradual, automatic, and natural mental strain on the guards and the prisoners was a more appropriate approach. Another measure that could have been useful to the experiment was the random selection of the prisoners with the freedom to request release. In a real prison, the prison community is composed of individuals with random backgrounds. In this essence, the experimental team should have been composed of a random collection of individuals picked in a non-discriminatory way. An independent observer would have been useful in ensuring that the participants in the experiment did not have any interest in the experiment’s outcome. This would facilitate the most accurate natural response of the experiment’s subjects to the conditions in their undisturbed environment. Furthermo re, the participants in such an experiment must have only limited information regarding the issue in question. This ensures that the subjects are not subconsciously aware of the aim of the experiment while deciding on each of their moves (Huggins et al 263). Cognitive dissonance Cognitive dissonance is a phenomenon where individual are attracted to do things that require more effort or responsibility rather than take on the easier options. This trend is evident in the Stanford experiment among the prisoners and the gaurds. The guards strive to ensure that the prisoners suffered for no particular reason. Moreover, the prisoners had no cause to rebel if the guards maintained a professional stance in the experiment. However, the guards opted to oppress the prisoners and later deal with the ensuing crisis. This evidence of cognitive dissonance in the prison community seems to confirm in a limited manner, the existence of a substantial negative psychological part in the comprehensive hum an nature (Festinger 32). The prisoners had clear characteristics of cognitive dissonance. They chose to flout the prison’s regulations and then later endure the repercussions although there were no clear benefits of their actions. In addition, the prisoners chose a more difficult relationship with the prison authorities with the intention of creating a conflict. These actions implied that the trait is a natural tendency of the human being to choose to confront the more challenging situations rather than the easier procedures (Cooper 42).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Stanford Prison Experiment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion The study produced substantial evidence to prove the existence of cognitive dissonance in human beings. Although the experiment’s procedure breached major guidelines on experimentation, the results contain details that objectively point to the natural tenden cy of the human beings to take on more challenging options. Blass, Thomas. Obedience to authority current perspectives on the Milgram paradigm. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2000. Print. Cooper, Joel. Cognitive dissonance: fifty years of a classic theory. Los Angeles [u.a.: SAGE Publ., 2007. Print. Festinger, Leon. A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 19621957. Print. Huggins, Martha Knisely, Mika Fatouros, and Philip G. Zimbardo. Violence workers: police torturers and murderers reconstruct Brazilian atrocities. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002. Print.

Deciding whether to use flexible staffing Case Study

Deciding whether to use flexible staffing - Case Study Example Flexible Staffing Services, FFC, is a late entrant into the staffing industry priding itself in the provision of qualified human resource. Kaiser Manufacturing Company on the other hand is an experienced company operating in the manufacture and sale of agricultural products. The company that has operated for the past fifty ears remained stuck in the traditional system of managing human resource thus resulting in the modern operational stalemate in the company. Kaiser Manufacturing Company, KMC, continues to experience diminish demand for its products while the labor costs in the company continues to rise owing to the fact that the company has an older workforce. Such a workforce boasts a well of experience in the traditional mechanisms of both production and marketing but do not appreciate the changes in the market a feature that validates the company’s dwindling fortunes. The company therefore requires the services of a contemporary staffing company, one that understands the industry and will sustain the provision and effective management of employees at the organization thus enhancing the company’s profitability. Flexible Staffing services provide employees in unique packages that safeguard the interests of the client. The situation at KMC requires a pool of employees hired in appropriate mechanisms in order to low the escalating cost of labor at the company. The Flexible Staffing Services promise the diverse workforce that the company require. The company furnishes its clients with numerous classes of employees qualified in varied sections of an organization including production, management, technical and clerical. KMC requires such a wide range of employees a feature that makes the staffing company essential. The company promises a group of unified employees besides the fact that the company will provide KMC with a large pool of possible employees to choose from (Klemmer, 2009). Among the primary

History through A Geographers Lenses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History through A Geographers Lenses - Essay Example 244). We can take this to mean that modern society began sometime in the late 1800s and early 1900s and last to this day. What made the 19th century a turning point Van Doren further cites (p. 245) the progress resulting from the disruptive technological discoveries that took place, whether "it be new energy sources like oil and electricity, new means of living comforts like electric lights and cheap cast iron stoves, and new devices for communication on both a local and global scale such as the telegraph and the telephone." Several lenses are available to read the history of modern societies from that point on, and what we use will depend on one's point of interest. A student of geography like myself would use as my lenses the three dimensions most appropriate for the task: speed, space, and time. From a geographer's viewpoint, one can see the development of modern society and its history in relation to how human activities affected and was affected by speed, space, and time. ... human interaction by which ideas and information in the form of physical signals like words and actions are exchanged, was limited by space or distance and time. The time it would take for ideas to travel from one point of the globe to another depended on the (rather slow) speed of the carrier of the message, a combination of horses, ships, pigeons, or human runners before Morse discovered the telegraph in the mid-1800s. In some regions like the jungles of the Amazon or the wide plains of America and Europe, messages were carried across limited distances by drums and flags. The effectiveness and efficiency of these modes of communication were limited by distance, the speed of sound, and the sharpness of hearing and sight. Prior to the discovery of the telegraph, sharing and receiving information and then taking action or giving feedback took a long time, which accounted for the slow pace of development of human history that is the result of the interaction of human activities. The telegraph changed all that by accelerating the exchange of information and increasing the pace of human interaction and, in its turn, the amount of human activity. What resulted was a snowballing of social consequences that gathered in size and the power to effect change. The telegraph reduced space because it made human interaction across great distances possible, allowing people across the continents hundreds or thousands of miles apart to communicate and to initiate appropriate action. It also reduced time in a radical way, because by speeding up the exchange of information, it was possible to undertake human action sooner instead of wasting time while waiting for information and feedback to come. However, the telegraph had one major drawback: information in the form of messages had

International Trade & Finance Speech or Presentation

International Trade & Finance - Speech or Presentation Example Imports and Exports balancing Maintaining surplus balance of payments is critically important for the economic growth of a country. Exports bring more foreign currencies to a country which in turn can be used for making payments for importing necessary goods or services. Excess exports to imports result in favorable balance of payments whereas excess of imports over total exports of a country during a stipulated period of time result in unfavorable or deficit balance of payments. When there are surplus imports to US, for instance, since it largely depends on foreign oil products, the balance of payment can be said to be deficit. Until 2011, America’s dependence on foreign oil products such as crude oil, natural gas, fuel oil etc has always been driving trade deficit. In 2011, US imported $ 332 billion of petroleum related items and this was greater than what it exported (Amadeo, 2012). When there are surplus imports of a particular product or service in to a country, traders i nvolved in selling of the same will have to face import barriers if they are already in effect. Tariffs and quotas are thus examples of trade barriers and they cause traders increase their expenses of tax and other charges. International trade and GDP Foreign trade in goods or services is primarily a channel for economic integration and this seems to be a critically important tool for small countries since small countries are more integrated in relation to their gross domestic product. Small countries, in contrast to large countries like USA, Canada, India, China, specialize in a limited numbers of sectors and thus they need to export and import more goods and services to satisfy the domestic demands (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2010, p. 58). Within the domestic market, increase in exports mean that GDP is high and since exports bring foreign currency to the domestic market, more and more traders will be able to meet their payments for importing highly de manded products or services from other countries. Similarly, when there are surplus imports to the domestic market, it may adversely affect home products and balance of trade figures as well. For university students, international trade is benefitting in a way that they gain wider access to large numbers of universities abroad, scholarships, information, libraries and so on. Trade restrictions and international relation Trade barriers such as tariffs and quotas are found to have impacted adversely on the economic as well as political relation between countries. Tariffs are taxes imposed by a government on imports of certain products from certain or all other foreign countries. Quotas are physical limiting for importing gods from certain or all foreign countries. By imposing these two restrictions, for instance, the country attempts to minimize bringing of certain goods or services from certain countries and this in turn affect the exports of those countries. This is how tariffs and quotas impact the economic as well as political relationship between two countries. Foreign Exchange rates In international trade, countries need to exchange goods and services for currencies that are acceptable between buyer and seller. Different countries do accept different currencies and therefore buyer needs to exchange their currencies with seller’s currencies to make payment convenient between them. Foreign exchange rate is the price of one currency in

Factors For Popularity Of Reality TV Show

Factors For Popularity Of Reality TV Show The recent onslaught of new reality programmes on general entertainment channels has once again brought this genre of programming into the limelight. Reality TV is not a new genre here; it has just become more popular (and controversial) now. Reality shows are almost a decade old but thus far, soaps have reigned large in terms of television ratings. With rising competition, however, in recent months, non-fiction-based programmes have made a stunning comeback, albeit in a new avatar-titillating reality programming. After an overdose of saas-bahu (daughter-in-law-mother-in-law) soaps, the producers and also the audience seem to be happy lapping up more realistic soaps (fiction) and reality (non-fiction) programmes. In the list of the top 10 programmes on television currently are two reality shows and some socially relevant soap operas. There are two things about reality shows that attract viewers and generate controversy: the concept of reality or realism; and the shock effect. The concept of reality TV draws from realism in cinema. So, its a format that presents ordinary people in live, supposedly unscripted (though often deliberately manufactured) situations, and monitors or judges their emotions, behaviour or talent. Such formats usually invoke competition and provide big money as rewards. Still, the very dissonance between the fact that these programmes are real and relevant (for the audience) and that contestants usually compete in them for fame and money-thereby being willing to do things they wouldnt otherwise do-raises issues related to the honesty of reality shows. The situation is exacerbated when producers use the concept of reality to shock and awe audiences-one way to break through the clutter. The point still remains: What determines the popularity of reality television show? 2.0 Review of Literature The process of QDA: John Seidel, in his article, discusses at length, the intricacies of the process of qualitative data analysis (QDA). The author goes on to explain that how the complex and rigorous practice of QDA is based on a simple foundation. QDA is described as a process of Noticing, Collecting, and Thinking about interesting things. QDA process has the following characteristics: Iterative and Progressive: The process is iterative and progressive because it is a cycle that keeps repeating. For example, when you are thinking about things you also start noticing few things in the data. You then collect and think about these new things. In principle the process is an infinite spiral. Recursive: The process is recursive because one part can call you back to a previous part. For example, while you are busy collecting things you might simultaneously start noticing new things to collect. Holographic: The process is holographic in that each step in the process contains the entire process. For example, when you first notice things you are already mentally collecting and thinking about those things. 1. Noticing Things and coding data Noticing simply means making observations, writing field notes, tape recording interviews, gathering documents, etc. When you do this you are producing a record of the things that you have noticed. Reading the record helps you focus your attention on that record, and notice interesting things in the record.Coding data is a simple process. When you read a book, underline or highlight passages and make margin notes you are coding that book. 2. Collecting and sorting instances of things This process follows once you have noticed and coded things. The author compares this process to a jigsaw puzzle where you start by sorting the pieces of the puzzle. In a puzzle picture with a tree, a house, and sky, a common strategy for solving it is to identify and sort puzzle pieces into groups ( e.g., frame pieces, tree pieces, house pieces, and sky pieces). When you identify piece, you are noticing and coding them. When you sort the pieces you are collecting them.The author suggests that disassembling, coding, and then sorting and sifting through the data, is the primary path to analysis. But intensive data coding, disassembly, sorting, and sifting, is neither the only way to analyze data, nor is it necessarily the most appropriate strategy. 3. Thinking about things In the thinking process, one examines the things that have been collected with a view to achieve the following goals: . Your goals are: a) to make some type of sense out of each collection, b) look for patterns and relationships both within a collection, and also across collections, and c) to make general discoveries about the phenomena you are researching. One must compare and contrast each of the things that have been noticed in order to discover similarities and differences, build typologies, or find sequences and patterns. In the process one might also stumble across both wholes and holes in the data. Popularity of Reality TV The article explains the results of a new study that examines the ongoing popularity of reality TV. Unlike other shows such as news programs or sitcoms, reality TV allows viewers to imagine themselves as actual participants. People may find a certain fascination in contrasting what they think they would do in a given situation to the actions taken by the real participants a group of individuals they perceive as their peers. In many of the reality shows, ordinary people are placed in exotic, unfamiliar surroundings where they are pitted against the elements. Others focus on ordinary people engaging in common activities such as dating or home redecorating. In both instances, viewers are given the chance to compare and contrast their own lives with those of the shows protagonists. The resulting experience is a complexly constructed and highly individualized experience the researchers call hyper authenticity. That viewers may be drawn by the chance to mentally test their behavior against that of the actual participants contrasts with the common criticism of reality TV viewers as passive voyeurs thereby blending fantasy and reality. Most participants agreed that the main thing that made reality TV shows more interesting than sitcoms is that they are unscripted. In conclusion, the author senses that the success of reality-based entertainment may be the depiction by certain shows that it is totally foreign to viewers. It may reflect nostalgia for authenticity among the class of consumers to whom it is most rigorously denied. According to the researchers, others may appeal simply because they are so familiar, and therefore understandable, to viewers. http://www.wfanet.org/pdf/med_documents/Whatadvertiserswantfromonlinemeasurement.pdf What advertisers want from online audience measurement The objective of this paper is to help inform current and future efforts to advance online audience measurement by providing advertisers constructive input on this vital issue Advertisers increasingly communicate to and interact with their target audiences through the online media in all its variations and platforms for a broad range of purposes and objectives including search, social networks, display, extensions of traditional media, advertisers own sites or services, on fixed and mobile platforms, one-way and interactive. The information needed is specifically related to the following: Assess the appropriateness and economic value of various online media alternatives and vehicles, Predict and plan delivery against targets, build online-and-offline strategies and related media mix, arbitrate between solutions, allocate budget resources and project ROI Purchase commercial space (and/or other inventory, e.g. search) according to properly defi ned and reliable metrics for contacts with the target audience Monitor actual execution and post-analyze if, when and how the purchased spaces or other inventory had been delivered Evaluate the results and ROI to improve future strategies The challenges inherent to the collection and production of the information arise as The online media is still in a nascent stage Exposure or commercial contact themselves are not clearly defined Receptiveness of commercial communication by the audience varies by format The vast majority have small, segmented audiences, the same person belonging to the audiences of a large number of different vehicles. Large samples and/or specific data collection procedures are required.Interactivity provides a major opportunity, which barely exists in other media: Interactivity of the devices: The technical ability to monitor (and potentially track across time) the actual display/delivery of each and every piece of content on every single device in front of the audience Interactivity of the audiences: most frequently the audiences, when reached, are in a posture/situation where feed-back is attitudinally natural and technically possible/seamless. Another opportunity arises from the relative youth of the media. As new measurement systems are introduced in parallel with the medias evolution, the industry can set them up according to the needs of all parties: Consistently across markets whilst benefitting from cross-border sharing of experimentation and experience. Objective statement: To study the factors responsible for popularity of reality TV show Variables: Dependent factor: Performance of reality TV shows Independent factors: (i) Target audience Age group Professional and cultural background Psychological mindset (ii) Social context Political issues in domestic country Social issues in domestic country (iii) TV programming Time slot in which the program is broadcasted TRPs of other TV programmes on this channel (iv) Competition TRPs of TV shows on other channels Profitability of the channel versus that of other channels Target Audience Social Context Popularity of Reality TV show Competition TV programming Measurement of variables Variable Measurement Age group Age group and gender Professional and cultural background occupation, , number of family members, Education, Psychological mindset tourist destination, idle time, you relate to, connect with reality TV program Political issues in domestic country political issue that concern you Social issues in domestic country political issue that concern you Time slot in which the program is broadcasted number of hours of TV watching, length of program (airtime) favorite time of slot for TV TRPs of other TV program on this channel favorite TV programs, TRP ratings (secondary source) TRPs of TV shows on other channels TRP ratings (secondary source) Hypothesis The popularity of reality television shows is influenced by the political issue in the mind of the respondent ( using ANOVA) The popularity of reality television shows is influenced by the social issue in the mind of the respondent (using ANOVA) There is relation between the respondents preference of activity in idle time and different genre of reality television show(using CROSSTABS) There is a relation between age group and preference of time slot (using CROSSTABS) The educational background of the respondents is independent of popularity of reality shows (using Chi Square) There is a relation between the reason for watching TV and popularity of reality TV shows. Research Methodology Recent success of reality television programs made us inquisitive about the factors that dictate their success. We turned this idea into a research question. We reviewed few articles from literature related to this topic so that the knowledge gained will help us in mapping these factors and giving importance to them. We decided to conduct the following studies: Survey-questionnaire: behaviors, beliefs and observations of specific groups are identified, reported and interpreted. Analysis: classes of data are collected and studies conducted to discern patterns and formulate principles that might guide future action We created our hypothesis to continue our studies. Our hypothesis were based on our reading over internet, blogs and personal opinion. The data will be collected and hypothesis will be analyses accordingly. We select convenience sampling methodology for which we created an Online questionnaire in Google documents and passed the link to out friends by email, Google chats and social networking websites. We were able to collect their responses and analyze the data using SPSS 17. We then again checked our hypothesis to reach to the conclusion. On analysis, anomalies in the pattern if any will be captured and the research outcome can create an impact on programming reality television shows in future. The final research report will be submitted to NMIMS university. 6.0 Sampling technique In this form of research, it would be ideal to test the entire population, but the population is just too large that it is impossible to include every individual. This is the reason why we rely on sampling techniques like convenience sampling, the most common of all sampling techniques. Many researchers prefer this sampling technique because it is fast, inexpensive, easy and the subjects are readily available. USES: Researchers use convenience sampling not just because it is easy to use, but because it also has other research advantages. This sampling technique is also useful in documenting that a particular quality of a substance or phenomenon occurs within a given sample. Such studies are also very useful for detecting relationships among different phenomena. CRITICISMS: The most obvious criticism about convenience sampling is sampling bias and that the sample is not representative of the entire population. This may be the biggest disadvantage when using a convenience sample because it leads to more problems and criticisms. Systematic bias stems from sampling bias. This refers to a constant difference between the results from the sample and the theoretical results from the entire population. It is not rare that the results from a study that uses a convenience sample differ significantly with the results from the entire population. A consequence of having systematic bias is obtaining skewed results. Another significant criticism about using a convenience sample is the limitation in generalization and inference making about the entire population. Since the sample is not representative of the population, the results of the study cannot speak for the entire population. This results to a low external validity of the study. Total Sample (n=88)Sample Regular television audience (n=60, 69%) Moderately regular television audience (n=26, 29%) Rarely watch television programs (n=2, 2%) Although we rely on convenience sampling, we have a fairly distributed sample in terms of viewership of television programs Age profile Sex profile Limitation: Since we ask our respondents to rate their favorite reality shows which actually belong to different timelines. Hence the true rating is basically relative to actual shows aired on television channels today. The same limitation also applies to data obtained from Secondary sources Secondary Data We have obtained secondary data from TAM peoplemeter system which measures audience viewership (in the form of TRPs). Since our research is based completely on TRPs, we have obtained the TRP ratings of different genre of Reality shows (Average TRP captured in the period in which the show is captured) Television Rating Interpretation: We observe that the sigma value for Thriller shows, aspirational shows and adventure politics (Fear Factor, Rakhi kaa swayamvar and Roadies) are below 0.05, hence at 95% significance level we reject the null hypothesis (u1 not equal to u2 not equal to u3 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. ). This means that we accept the alternate hypothesis which is the popularity of this show depends on social situation in mind of the respondent. For the rest of them, we accept the null hypothesis which states that the popularity of these shows do not depend on social factors. c) Hypothesis: There is relation between preferred activity in idle time and reality television Interpretation: From the above table, we observe that respondents who like meeting and hanging out with friends are generally the ones who rate reality programs on higher side. Another point is those who prefer Socialising with relatives actually like shows with high entertainment value and politics around 50% of Big Boss viewers. D) Hypothesis: there is relation between age group and favorite time slot Interpretation: Assuming 90% level of significance, we reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternate one and conclude that the liking of reality television program depends educational background of the respondents. f) Hypothesis: There is a relation between the reason for watching TV and popularity of reality TV shows. Interpretation: The above figure is a Percentage Bar Graph that shows the distribution of responses of various factors that people connect the reality shows with. Roadies Out of all the respondants who have rated Roadies as their favourite show, majority of them connect with Roadies as a pure entertainment show. The next big bunch of individuals connect with Roadies or watch Roadies as a Stress Reliever. It shows that the people interested in this show are looking for something as a stress buster. Big Boss Almost one-third of the respondants who like Big Boss relate to the show as a source of only Entertainment. It is followed by another big set of people who connect with the show as a stress reliever. SaReGaMaPa SaReGaMaPa the musical show also comes out as a major source of entertainment. Rakhi Ka swayamvar Unlike other shows, in case of Rakhi ka Swayamvar, people look at the show as a source of knowledge. This knowledge might include the curiosity of people to understand the prevailing rituals in the society. For most of the other shows, the research highlights that people look at these shows more as a source of general entertainment than anything else.

Maxwells Demon - Not a Perpetual Motion Machine :: Physics Essays

Maxwell's Demon - Not a Perpetual Motion Machine Entropy is not a difficult concept to just take at face value, but it is a difficult topic to gain a good understanding of. To do this some background must be given such as the first and second law of thermodynamics. The second law of thermodynamics states that any event that occurs spontaneously must result in an increase in the randomness of lhe syslem. This means that as an ice cube melts the water molecules that it is composed of will progress toward a less ordered arrangement. The leaves that fall from the trees do nol arrange themselves in a pile on the ground because the second law of thermodynamics is against it. Entropy is a concept that most high school chemistry and physics students enjoy learning about because the now have an excuse for having a messy room, they are fighting nature. For a better understanding of the theory of entropy it helps to understand the first law of thermodynamics, energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it may only change forms. In other words the energy of the universe is constant. For the universe (the ultimate system) to give up energy to increase ordered is not a likely event. Therefore ,for a system, a persons room for example, to become more ordered, energy must be put into the system, cleaning the room. Everything in the universe is governed by entropy through the Gibbs free energy equation which states; the heat content of the system, minus the temperature of the system times the entropy, or randomness will dictate whether the event will be spontaneous. Entropy is actually centered around the probability of an event occurring. The greater the statistical probability of a particular event occurring, the greater the entropy. A good example of this is an experiment with a new deck of playing cards. When the cards are first unwr apped they are arranged in numerical order and according to suit, if the cards are thrown into the air and allowed to fall to the floor. When they are swept up and restacked, we will almost certainly find that the cards have become disordered. We would expect this disordering to occur because there are millions of ways for the cards to become disordered and only one way for them to come together again in their original sequence. Another result of the second law of thermodynamics is that spontaneous changes are always accompanied by a dispersal of energy into a more disordered form.

Human Resource Management: Dreamworks Animations Essay

With Jeffrey Katzenberg as their CEO, DreamWorks Animation’s business encompasses animated content creation for theatres and television as well as merchandising and licensing of their associated characters (Fixmer, 2013). DreamWorks Animation has been an exemplary example when it comes to keeping its employees happy at work, being voted 12th on Fortune’s 2013 top 100 best companies to work for (CNN, 2013). DreamWorks Animation goes through great measures in order to maximize the potential of their employees by ensuring that they are always motivated. By organizing regular special events such as movie screenings and family get-togethers, DreamWorks Animation acknowledges on ensuring work-life balance (Stanger and Groth, 2012). Jeffrey Katzenberg would also initiate communication with his employees daily through social media (Stanger and Groth, 2012). Apart from motivating the employees, this gesture removes the barrier between employer and employee, allowing effective communication. To encourage freedom and expression of creativity, the company allows employees to personalize workstations and create an environment which would maximize their potential (CNN, 2013). DreamWorks Animation depends heavily on their employees who will directly affect the  quality of products. To ensure that DreamWorks Animation is able to meet organizational goals and gain a competitive edge over competitors such as Disney Pixar and Sony Entertainment, it is important that the right human resource management practices are being utilized to maximize the potential of the company and to create a high-performance work system. Such a system is achieved through human resource management by reacting to trends such as increase in emphasis of knowledge workers, empowerment of employees, and improving of teamwork (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.35). . Analysing and design of jobs For DreamWorks Animation whose main business focus is on the development and creation of animation using state-of-the art technology, this process requires technical knowledge and creativity from their employees in many different specializations. Therefore, it is imperative that job analysis and design of jobs must be done to match the right person to the right job and maximize the potential of the company. The first step is using work flow analysis to gain a better idea on what the work needs to be done is. This is achieved by first determining the products of DreamWorks Animation, followed by the work processes including activities required to produce it, and finally the inputs such as raw materials, equipment, and human resource (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.100). In the case of DreamWorks Animation, an animation is produced using state-of-the art technology by teams of experts in niched specializations from content creation up to licensing. After determining the work processes and inputs, the next step is to zoom in to the specific job roles and functions. Through the use of job analysis, DreamWorks Animation will be able to get more detailed information and understanding of the jobs in order to match it with the people which best fulfils its requirements (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.103). The company can get more information about certain job roles and requirements using the Fleishman job analysis system by asking existing employees to fill up surveys based on 52 categories of abilities (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.108). Having been in the job for a certain period of time and accumulating experience in the certain specialization, a 3-D modeller, for example, could advise on what kind of software knowledge is required by a prospective employee. Once the information is gathered, the next step is to create the job description which would list out the task, duties and responsibilities of the specific job (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.103). This is important as it provides prospective employees with a clear indication of what is expected of them and the key roles which they will be playing in the job. For DreamWorks Animation, a company which requires knowledge workers who possess specific skillsets and talents in order to fulfil roles within the production process, the emphasis on job specifications is important. By evaluating the job function and understanding the inputs which they invest in such as the equipment and technology, DreamWorks Animation would have to indicate clearly the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics required for the job (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.103). By indicating the need of certain software skills or technical certification important in content creation of an animation, DreamWorks Animation will be able to attract the right people for specific jobs. Using job design and redesign, DreamWorks Animation could enhance job performance by fully utilizing the strengths of their employees (Rehman, 2011). One of the ways is by designing efficient jobs, for DreamWorks Animation, could be the passing down of operating procedures from senior employees to speed up certain work processes. Being assigned to specific jobs for extended periods could demotivate employees due to the monotony of the job. By introducing self-managing work teams giving autonomy with regards to schedules and duties to achieve project based objectives, employees feel more empowered and the job becomes less rigid (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.116). Introducing flexi-time whereby employees are allowed to choose their working times as long as they meet targets set by the company, DreamWorks Animation can also benefit from having a more motivated workforce, in turn encourage generation of creative ideas and improve efficiency. DreamWorks Animation is a company whose product creation involves an intensive work process which requires the expertise and technical nous of knowledge workers. Through the use of job analysis and design, they could benefit from finding the right people for the right jobs by clearly defining the description and requirements (Rehman, 2011). DreamWorks Animation could also increase efficiency and motivation of their employees, benefitting from increased productivity and reducing the turnover rate. Recruitment As DreamWorks Animation depends on development and creation of creative content as their main business function, the quality of employees they have plays a large factor on the quality of product produced. Therefore, employees become the most important resource the company has, and being able to identify and attract potential employees through recruiting becomes a top priority. The decision made by the company in recruiting consists of three main aspects; personnel policies, recruiter traits and behaviours, and recruitment sources (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.143). In order to attract top talents in their relative specializations to choose DreamWorks animation over their competitors, the first step is using image advertising. Under personnel policies, image advertising is the focus on creating a good impression of the company by advertising the positive experiences of working for them (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.144). By advertising what DreamWorks Animation has done to provide opportunities for existing employees to showcase their talents and how they have provided a working environment which encourages creativity, the company would be able to appeal to potential employees who value such a working culture. In many cases, especially in a highly-competitive labour market where top talents in the animation industry are highly sought after, DreamWorks Animation should also adopt personnel policies such as lead-the-market pay in order to attract employees with top potential. This is achieved by paying the potential employee a higher salary compared to any others in the current market for the same position (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.144). For DreamWorks Animation where top talents are needed in niched positions for the creation of their product, they could also offer the potential employee benefits in the form of profit-based bonuses from the project they will be working on. This way, not only does DreamWorks Animation benefit from acquiring a top quality employee, the employee would also be highly motivated to excel due to added benefits. Once the personnel policies are in place, the company would have to make decisions based on recruitment sources. It is important to use the appropriate sources to attract the ideal employees out of a huge job market (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.145). One option is through internal sources whereby current employees are sourced to fill up newly opened positions. This can be done through job posting whereby information of the position is  communicated to the employees through employee publications or the intranet (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.145). By recruiting through internal sources, the company will benefit from having an employee who already has experience in the industry and would be able to adapt easily. It will also increase the morale of existing employees as they will see the opportunity for future advancements with the company choosing to recruit from within. DreamWorks Animation could also choose to recruit through external sources such as tertiary institutions. By tapping onto universities, especially those with good reputation and track record for producing the top students in certain specializations, DreamWorks Animation could benefit from attracting the best talents. This is done through enhancing of the company’s presence by attending job fairs and providing internships to students (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.151). In order to attract the best talents, top companies such as Google have not only provided interns with the opportunity to participate in real projects, they are also paid in the average of US$6000 per month (Buxton, 2013). Once the recruitment process has been completed, DreamWorks Animation should also evaluate which sources attract the best talent and this would help them with future recruitment decisions. Last but not least, DreamWorks Animation should ensure that they provide training to the recruiters who are an extension and representative of the company. By providing guidelines on what are the behaviours to display as well as information which should be provided, recruiters will be able to appeal more to the prospective recruits. With proper utilization of human resource practices in recruitment, DreamWorks Animation will benefit from recruiting the best employees in the industry. This is important as it ensures that not only will they be able to create and develop the best products, they will also gain a competitive edge over their competitors by staffing the company with employees possessing the right competencies and are able to fit in seamlessly to contribute towards achieving organizational goals (Chew and Horwitz, 2004). Performance Management Another important human resource practice DreamWorks Animations should look into is managing of their employee’s performance. There are three main purposes for performance management and the first one is to achieve  strategic purpose whereby the company will be looking to reach organizational goals and business objectives (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.236). It is also done for administrative purpose which helps the DreamWorks Animation make decisions on appropriate compensation as well as identifies employees who are not meeting required standards (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.237). Lastly, is to achieve development purpose whereby the strengths and weaknesses of employees are evaluated to provide them with feedback or suggestions to improve their knowledge and skill (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.238). The first step to effective performance management is to understand the desired outputs and goals set for the company (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.236). For DreamWorks Animation, the overall objective would be hitting certain profit margins from the successful launch of a new animation. Next, is to evaluate the goals and performance requirements set out for individual employees in order to achieve the organization’s goals, the consequences and performance outcomes should also be evaluated (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.236). Once the goals are set, it should also be followed by observing and providing of constructive feedback to employees to guide them in achieving the goals (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.235). With the process in place, DreamWorks Animation should decide on methods or combination of methods most suited for measuring performance. One of the methods could be attribute measurement through graphic rating scale. Through this scale, the employees are being rated based on a list of traits and to what extent do they display such traits (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.242). This is a highly customizable method which allows DreamWorks Animation to rate their employees according to certain traits which are important for the company such as knowledge and creativity. The company can also measure results through management by objectives by setting goals flowing from top to bottom which contributes to achieving the overall organizational goals, and using of these goals to evaluate performance of employees (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.248). The goals are often set by individual departments through discussion between managers and employees whereby the goals are specific and challenging (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.248). For DreamWorks Animation whose business objectives hinges on the success of their animated content, using its profitability as a measurement for evaluating performance is also valid. However, such a method might be unable to predict factors such as climate of the market and efforts put in by the employees (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.249). By comparing between employees using the simple ranking method, DreamWorks Animation would also be able to have an idea of how employees fare among their peers. This method is carried out by ranking the employees in the department from the best downwards (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.240). With the method of performance management formulated, the next step is on the delivery to the employees. DreamWorks animation should emphasize on scheduling regular appraisals to ensure that their employees have ample time to correct. Managers providing the feedback should also be trained on how to deliver and prepare for the appraisals (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.257). To minimize any errors in performance management which may result from difference in standards of judgment or bias which may occur in any of the above methods, DreamWorks Animation should utilize the 360-degree performance appraisal. This method gathers feedback not only from managers, but from the peers, customers, as well as the individual (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.253). Performance management should also be done in a legal and ethical way to ensure that employees are treated fairly. With proper performance management, DreamWorks Animation will be able to benefit from not only having employees who have a clear idea on what are their goals and ways they could improve, constructive guidance and feedback will also ensure that the company is focused on achieving a common objective. As a result, the productivity of DreamWorks Animation will be improved and employees will be more motivated to work towards their goals. Conclusion With the above human resource management practices in place, in the next five years, DreamWorks Animation will be able to benefit from understanding specific requirements of each job and improve productivity. Having the right people at the right job where their talents are fully utilized, they will create effective workgroups and ensure that their resources are well invested to improve performance. Through finding ways to improve on the current jobs would also be beneficial in their corporate branding as a top company to work for, attracting the best talents around the world. The improvements to existing jobs would also ensure that the employees are given more support and encouragement to realize their potential, therefore  empowering employees. With the right recruitment practices, it would also ensure that their resources would be maximized on sources which would generate quality hire. The emphasis on performance management also allows gives a clear direction on organizational goals and guides employees towards working more effectively. On the whole, DreamWorks Animation will be able to create a high performance work system, they will also see a huge increase in employee morale and reduce turnover rate. Reference List Buxton, R. 2013. Google Intern Salary Reached $6000 A Month, Plus Free Food And Gym. Huffington Post [Online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/12/google-intern-salary_n_3429746.html [Accessed 6 June 2013] Chew, I.K.H. & Horwtiz, F.M. (2004): ‘Human Resource Management Strategies in Practice: Case-study Findings in Multinational Firms’, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 42, 1: 32-56. CNN Money (2013). Fortune: 100 Best Companies to Work For. [Online] Available at: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/2013/snapshots/12.html?iid=bc_fl_list [Accessed 5 June 2013] Fixmer, A. 2013, DreamWorks Animation CEO Says TV Will Give Revenue Boost. Bloomberg [Online] Available at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-18/dreamworks-animation-ceo-says-tv-will-give-revenue-boost.html [Accessed 5 June 2013] Noe, R.A., Hollenback, J.R., Gerhart, B., Wright, P.M. (2014): Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 5th Edition, Singapore: McGraw-Hill. Rehman, M.S. (2011): ‘Job design and job performance relationship: A study of Pakistan Public Sector employees’, Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research In Business, 2.12: 562-76. Stanger, M. & Groth, A. 2012. 23 Companies With Employee Perks That Will Make You Jealous. Business Insider [Online] Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/companies-with-awesome-perks-2012-10?op=1 [Accessed 5 June 2013]

Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation Essays

Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation Essays Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation Paper Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation Paper Do you think Kappmeyer should sign the proposal, and why? What pushed USS to stay with conventional technology? My recommendation based on analysis of the case and understanding the basic nature of disruptive technologies, and their impact on the general industry is that Kappmeyer should not sign the proposal. The main reason for that is USS is tying itself to an existing, but dying business model and technology. While this plan may make sense in the short-term, it does not have long-term sustainability. The market has already indicated that it is changing, adapting to minimills, and this trend would likely continue. As minimill technology becomes more sophisticated, their quality and other disadvantages would reduce and they would start competing with integrated manufacturing even in the high-end markets. Unfortunately for USS, there is no silver bullet. Since USS is already invested in the market, they will have to go through a difficult, and expensive, change, or they will end up perishing as the industry changes around them. USS current decided to stay with conventional continuous casting technology simply because they were looking at the shorter-term future, and was not willing to take the financial hit and risk associated with a new disruptive technology. Additionally, they were tying themselves to the requirements of the current customers, and ignoring potentially new users for the future. Did the USS team get the right answer to the wrong question? What if, rather than asking whether USS should install CSP in Mon Valley, Kappermeyer has asked whether USS should invest in or participate in this technology? Would you have answered that question differently than you did when the problem was framed as a Mon Valley issue? My recommendation was that USS should not sign this proposal, and that remains the same whether the issue is addressed with respect to Mon Valley or independently. The main reason for disagreeing with investing in the proven conventional continuous casting process is that it would only commit USS to an older technology going extinct. While it may sense in the short-term foreseeable future, for long term survival USS would need to embrace the disruptive technology. Looking at CSP technology only from the Mon Valley perspective is a mistake – the current plant puts a lot of restrictions on the project. If the technology and market is looked at independently from Mon Valley, then my recommendation would be more concretely recommend investing in a new greenfield plant based on the minimills model. It may also be practical for USS to house the disruptive technology as an independent entity. As the market and industry changes, minimills and CSP would mature to improve quality, and further widen the gap between themselves and integrated producers such as USS. Sooner or later, USS would have to modify its production and business models to survive the industry. If it does not do that right now, there is a good possibility that it will be too late. What are other decision alternatives? What are the reasons of choosing each alternative? What will these reasons look like in five years? The company should follow a combination of the following options to maintain long-term competitiveness: Close Mon Valley: USS already has close to 25% of unused capacity. Currently (1990) they have approximately 14. 4 million tons of capacity. The Mon Valley plant would add another 3MM in capacity which is not necessarily needed. Maybe there is an opportunity to shift some (or most) of the orders from this plant to another plan, and even close this facility. In the worst case scenario, USS would loose $26. 3MM (%75,000 * 3,500 workers) for laying-off unionized workers. This number may be reduced if some of the workers could be relocated to an existing or a new Greenfield plant. Since USS is committed to invest in a continuous casting capacity at Mon Valley, this may be the only way to save $800MM investment, unless USS can renegotiate with the union. This plan would give USS some time and money to invest in one of the other options for CSP technologies. CSP at Mon Valley: USS had investigated the possibility of adding 3MM tons of capacity in CSP at Mon Valley through three or four caster strands. While difficult, maybe more investigation can make this process feasible. CSP technology would bring USS closer to Nucor’s projected low costs, but not all the way there. This would still be a short-term strategy if USS decided to increase capacity, as there are other cost advantages that Nucor’s minimill production model still has. NEW CSP greenfield project: Invest in new greenfield plant operating on similar models as the minimills. While this may not be very financially viable in the short run – given the success already enjoyed by minimills, it is necessary for USS to start shifting its assets in that direction for long term survival in the market. Through research and analysis conclude there may be the possibility to conclude that there will be ample demand and orders to pay back for this investment in conventional casting technology in approximately 10 years. Then they can consider signing this proposal, but keeping in mind that the disruptive technology would be improving at a faster rate. So as long as the disruptive technology does not catch up in 10 years, this may still be feasible. This may be hard unless USS can get customers to commit to long-term orders, and through more technical research conclude that Nucor’s lower product quality would prevent it from competing with USS’s products in the high end markets. oWhile this strategy may seem financially viable, it is not a long term strategy and should only be executed if USS can also follow one of the short-term strategies to pursue CSP technology. The question facing Kappmeyer at the end of the case is, What should USS’s next technological move be? Should USS take another â€Å"long shot† to leapfrog ahead of Nucor? Or should it â€Å"get on the ground† neck-to-neck with Nucor, employing a viable commercial technology as soon as possible incrementally improving CSP? USS would probably need to employ a combination of a long-term and a short-term technology strategy to remain competitive and survive the changing market. Ideally, USS should invest in research to take a leapfrog ahead of Nucor in order to redefine the market with its disruptive technology and set the new standard in its favor. But given the time that may require, it may not be possible. Competing neck-to-neck with Nucor employing a commercial technology may not be the best idea considering the rate of improvement of the disruptive technology is far higher than the rate of improvement of the proven technology. In fact, that’s exactly what the conventional continuous casting technology would have been. It would have given a short term incremental advantage to USS at best for the high end markets, but it would not be sustainable.

Olympics Boycott essay

Olympics Boycott essay Olympics Boycott essay Olympics Boycott essayThe Olympics boycott of 1980 was one of the major sports event of the 20th century that revealed the full extent to which politics influenced the world sports and Olympic movement. At the same time, being driven by morally just reasons, the Olympics boycott of 1980 became the failure of the US because the US made the move that put under a threat the survival of the Olympic Games as one of the few international events that united sportspersons and nations globally, regardless of their political background. In addition, the boycott had failed to become a truly global decision. Instead, the boycott was virtually forced on close allies of the US but it had never been fully supported in the world, while its effects were negative not only for the USSR but also and mainly for American sportspersons, who were deprived of an opportunity to participate in the main sports event of their life which they fairly deserved, because of political concerns of Jim Carter’s a dministration.The Olympics boycott was triggered by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan as the USSR deployed its military to support the pro-Soviet, communist regime in Afghanistan (Mertin 235). In response to the military intervention of the USSR in Afghanistan, the US and its allies introduced sanctions, among which the boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow was a part of sanctions. The military intervention of the USSR into Afghanistan was apparently the unfair and challenging decision but this political and military move was not new in international politics, taking into consideration the Soviet troops deployment in 1968 in Czechoslovakia, Hungary in 1956 and threatened to deploy its troops in Poland in 1980, while even the US deployed its troops to reach their geopolitical ends, as was the case of Korea in 1953 or Vietnam in 1956-1975. However, neither of the aforementioned conflicts did result in sanctions affecting sportspersons and major sport events like the Olympics.At the same time, the expansion of sanctions on the Olympics evoked controversial responses not only in the world community but also among allies of the US. In fact, many countries were unwilling to support the Olympics boycott initiated by the US. Therefore, even allies of the US were not willing to support the Olympics boycott, while countries that took the position close to neutral were even more unwilling to join the boycotting cohort. As for social states, they were neither willing nor capable to boycott the Olympics in Moscow, especially in light of the extensive deployment of the Soviet army in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Obviously, socialist states were not willing to trigger the outrage of Moscow which threatened the deployment of troops against states that manifest their disloyalty.Nevertheless, the US conducted the large scale campaign aiming at the support of the boycott. The US attempted to use celebrities to persuade the public and political leaders along with national commit tees of other countries to support the US Olympics boycott. For instance, Muhammad Ali’s voyage to Africa before the 1980 Olympics aimed at persuading leaders of some African countries and their national Olympic committees to support the boycott.The alternative Olympics Boycott Games were conducted in the US. In fact, this was the weak attempt to save the Olympics for those, who supported the boycott because the alternative Olympics were not recognized by the International Olympic committee or by the international community as the Olympic Games. As a result, there were just regional games, a sport event that involves some popular sportspersons but could never be viewed as a large scale, major event of four years period as the Olympics normally are.Many countries refused to support the Olympics boycott, while many US allies, such as West Germany, had to apply a considerable pressure to persuade their national Olympic committees to support the boycott. At the same time, some co untries, which officially refused to participate in the Olympics, still sent their sportspersons, although they participated under the Olympic flag and did not use their national flags and anthems. For instance, French, British and other sportspersons participated in the Olympics in such a way.Remarkably, the Soviet television did not show the sportspersons under the Olympics flag to maintain the general impression of the worldwide participation and involvement into the Olympic Games. In such a way, the Olympics boycott had failed to defeat the Soviet propaganda since the population of the USSR was just fed up with the Soviet propaganda and the average spectators watching the Olympics in the USSR on TV did not even notice that something went wrong but the absence of the American sportspersons, whom they perceived as enemies and did not really care about their absence.The Olympic boycott was generally perceived as the failure because even the allies of the US participated in the 1980 Olympics, although their participation was informal. Other countries just refused to support the boycott (Corthorn 51). Even though sixty-five countries did not participate in the Olympics at all, the boycott did not reach its main goal, which it was launched for. The USSR did not withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. The public image of the USSR did not suffer much because its response to the boycott was predictable as well as the boycott itself. In addition, the USSR had the powerful propaganda machine that shaped the public opinion in the USSR as the ruling regime wished. Hence, the boycott could not have any significant effects on the public opinion and the population of the USSR and Jim Carter’s administration expected.On the other hand, sportspersons of those countries, which supported the boycott, suffered the most, whereas the boycott did not affect the USSR much (Cousineau 76). Therefore, the boycott has not reach its main goal to raise the public opinion in the USS R as well as internationally since the USSR public remain basically ignorant or indifferent to the boycott, while the world community was rather willing to participate in the Olympics than support the boycott initiated by the US out of political reasons and concerns.The aftermath of the Olympics boycott was the deterioration of international relations between the US and the USSR and their allies. In response to the Olympics boycott in 1980 in Moscow, the USSR responded with the boycott of the Olympics of 1984 in Los Angeles (Sarantakes 121). The USSR was supported by thirteen socialist states, which were allies of the USSR. At the same time, there were only two states that supported both boycotts and did not participate in neither Olympics, these states were Albania and Iran.In fact, the Olympics boycott of 1980 was rather a failure than success. The US failed to make the boycott global. In this regard, undemocratic, socialist states naturally ignored the boycott and participated in the Olympics in Moscow. Moreover, even close allies of the US did not really support the boycott because, in spite of the formal support, sportspersons of the US allies still participated in the Olympics. At the same time, the boycott had a negative impact on the development of sports in the US because the entire generation of sportsperson was deprived of the possibility to participate in the Olympics, which they prepared for during four years. As a result, the refusal of the US Olympic Committee to participate in the Olympics in 1980s in Moscow deprived American sportsperson to participate in the Olympics which was the only lifetime chance for many sportspersons to participate in the Olympics.Thus, the Olympics boycott of 1980 was rather a failure than success. The politically driven sanctions did not have desirable effects on the USSR and its allies, while the extrapolation of the political struggle between the two superpowers on the Olympic movement contradicted to fundamental p rinciples of the Olympics which always stood on the ground of the peaceful competition between all sportspersons from all over the world.

4 Different Questions that need to be answered about 60-70 words per Assignment

4 Different Questions that need to be answered about 60-70 words per question - Assignment Example The mission of leadership initiative will be to educate, inspire, and empower the young student, and through mentoring, this mission will be accomplished. Thus, the students’ new student will be able to observe, interact, and learn from other students. The following steps were applied during the development of time management skill that serves a role model in the next class. I wrote somewhere the things that I was supposed to accomplish such as personal, and homework. Then I came up with deadlines for every task that I was to accomplish. I made sure; I did not multi-task. And then, I applied my downtime. Finally, I rewarded myself after finishing my activities. Particular approaches helped me to acquire decision-making skills. For instance, before making any decision, I could first weigh the pros and cons before making the best decision. After that, I narrow the options so as to stick to the best. I made sure, I evaluate the significance of the potential decision, and then final, I made sure I go for the well informed

Analysis of Sony Experia Mobile Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Analysis of Sony Experia Mobile Market - Essay Example 39-48) for promotion and activation of the brand worldwide. It further discusses the market positioning and targeted segments of the market for its launch of S, P, U and Z segments in the smartphone market. It further classifies and explains the impact of aggressive marketing techniques and campaign promotion of the brand itself. The report also highlights the evaluation report on the smartphone itself and its effect on the consumer smartphone market. Company Overview Sony Ericsson (Sony, 2013) has a great impact on the environment and the society with its commitment to innovation and improvement in its smartphones. It tends to follow a holistic approach evaluating three-dimensional approach to sustainability, such as economic, environmental and social aspects, thus enabling the triple line bottom thinking of the company. Sony Ericsson (2013) is the leading international mobile phone manufacturer in the world with wider market that facilitates innovative mobile technology. It attribu tes towards the development and design, manufacturing and economies of sales of electronic devices and equipment. It is also engaged in the production and distribution of motion pictures, home entertainment, recorded music labels and other television and financial products. Its primary manufacturing facility is located in Asia and have broader sales network in approximately 200 countries worldwide (Gow, 2006, pp. 20-28). Its primary market is in Japan, United States and Europe but is also renowned and reached its target market worldwide (Sony, 2013). Sony Experia – Overview Sony Ericsson launched its first handset in 2008 with an expectation to give the market a huge competition and the company would start a flagship line in the industry. It includes Xperia NXT, Xperia S, P and U series (Sony, 2013) that are all targeted towards different concentrated market affordable and reachable to the mass audience. The new range of the Xperia smartphones is sought to capture the major a udience and the league of the smartphones all over the world (Sony, 2013). The smartphones will address to a larger market and will be suitable to customers’ form all walk of life. It also emphasized that each smartphone will have its one distinctive quality and personality that will distinguish it from the crowd (Millett, 2012). The Xperia S will be a high-end smartphone while Xperia P is slightly smaller than S and comes with the White Magic technology that relishes that device can be viewed in the direct sunlight too. It is reachable to the masses at affordable prices. Lastly, Xperia U is the least expensive smartphone in its kind and is not only affordable but user friendly smartphone equipped with the latest technology and apps reachable to low end to high end classes worldwide (Sony, 2013). Market Industry The market is very competitive and volatile (Aaker, 1997, pp. 347-356) with high end to low end players in the smartphone leagues. Its major key players are Blackberr y, HTC, Samsung, and Nokia smartphones. The industry is experiencing continuous growth and expansion with various new competitors in the market explicating more sophisticated devices every day. The smartphone industry is known for its competitive and memorable advertising campaigns and launches. The industry is full of creative minds with competitive marketing campaign pouring in the market that could capture the attention of the customer’