Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy Is an effective tool In treating anger Issues In young children, especially teens and adolescents. Cognitive therapy has been used by counselors for many years, and has been proven to be quite effective in the management of teen anger issues. Different methods and techniques have been used for different individuals suffering from anger issues. The specific method used depends on the severity of the anger, and on what works best because each individual will react differently to certain types of treatment.This type of therapy Involves the ability for one to change their irrational Hough processes into more rational and healthier thoughts. Cognitive therapy also allows teens to cope with their anger in a healthier way. It Is especially Important to help teens control his or her anger because teenagers can be very rebellious and stubborn in changing their ways (Hall, 2012). Anger management can be counterproductive for any individual. It can cause problems with relation ships, employment, or during social events. Cognitive therapy teaches teens ways in which this type of unhealthy anger can be channeled properly (Hall, 2012).Counselors have found that cognitive therapy Is extremely effective In reading teenagers with anger problems. Cognitive therapy Is especially necessary In situations in which the teen can have a severe and sudden outburst. These types of scenarios can cause teems to bring harm to themselves or others, and should never be taken too lightly. When anger is noticed in adolescents, it is a necessity that such issues be dealt with at a very young age. If the child is left untreated for too long, serious damage can occur later on In that Individual's life.These types of programs have been proven to change the behavior and the way information is processed for the teen. It shows them a new way to cope with their anger and to change their ways of behaving. Of course these are Just some techniques and tools used for anger management in te ens. Anger management uses different ways of controlling and managing anger to avoid rash behavior. Teenage anger should not be ignored it can lead to violence, substance abuse, or participation in high-risk behavior. An example is a teenage multiple offender with road rage is ordered by a Judge to attend anger management classes.This tool helps teenagers to identify their triggers, warning signs, and ways to diffuse their anger effectively, before they react. It helps reduce stress, anxiety, and antisocial behaviors. An important skill for teenagers to cultivate is healthy anger management. Anger is normal, and we must deal with it in an appropriate way. Anger management skills are stress management techniques, communication, and problem-solving skills. Techniques of anger management require practice but becomes like second nature with repetition.It is acceptable to Just leave the situation that may make the teenager angry. It can be best for them to give themselves time to cool do wn. It is important for the teenager to give creative expression to defuse the emotion. They can write down what they feel and be honest about their feeling and what made hem angry. The writing should be private and not read by anyone. It is important for the teenager to get the feelings out instead of bottling them up inside. Playing calm music can be relaxing to some as well and help settle the anger.A walk, Jog, or work out can help a teenager channel their anger. This helps to reduce a person's emotional tension. Exercise helps endorphins neuron chemicals that help calm and relax them. This allows them to constructively deal with the situation that angers them. The teenager must recognize the emotion and sensations that come with anger to allow them to manage and prevent the anger from turning into rage. The signs are a racing heartbeat and muscle tension. Knowing the signals that trigger the anger can help the teenager constructively deal with the anger.Relaxation is a good tec hnique to use. The five steps that teenagers need to learn are to identify the source of the anger, identify three possible solutions, identify possible consequences, choose their response, and analyze the reaction after the situation is over. The teenagers can use the games found in â€Å"104 Activities That Build†, by Author Alan Jones. They help build on self-esteem and hide anger and fears. If teenagers manage their stress and anger it lowers their risk for eating disorders, depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, and substance abuse.The most critical years for a child's development are his or her teenage years. Children are observing the surroundings and making mistakes to learn new experiences. What the child is exposed to challenges that are pleasant and unpleasant and the way the child learns to deal with them is what molds his or her personality (Crawl, 2009). When that child becomes a teenager, when he or she s exposed to an upsetting or unpleasant situation , the teen often lashes out. When these situations escalate, the situation may become unmanageable, and this is the time to seek professional help for the teen.Learning to control anger and take positive steps to control impulsive behavior can be accomplished through counseling. Counseling helps empower teenagers how to react in a stressful situation and retain this information well into adult life (Crawl, 2009). The teenager is taught through counseling to evaluate every situation before making a decision that may prove to be damaging. Crawl (2009), â€Å"There are various methods for anger management among teenagers, but the end result is what really matters† (Para. 3).Many teens find it easier to express his or her feelings freely and is not afraid to hear what the counselor has to say. The counseling sessions will encourage teens to make slow but steady changes. The teen believe that the therapist provides a supportive environment and the therapist cares what will happen to him or her, so the teen will feel relaxed enough to want to change. There are many effective techniques to help teenagers deal with pressure; cognitive hereby has been proven to work more effectively than others.

Singles

A day I will never forget One day I will never forget would be September first 2014. That was the day that Is made the volleyball team. I was eager to tryout since my friends and I did It last year. Everyday I had to wake up at six o clock In the morning and play volleyball. The coaches made us run a mile, pass to the target, serve, and set. After the first day of tryouts were over I went to straight to Walter and bought a volleyball.That night I practiced and watched volleyball videos on youth working on everything that we did in tryouts. During the tryouts I had to deal with negative people who didn't want to play with me because last year in 7th grade I wasn't all that great. It really hurt my feelings that people didn't want to play on the same team with because of last year. Sometimes those girls made me go to the point where I just didn't want to do tryout anymore because they were so mean and made me feel bad.When tryouts started this year I was determined to make the a team; I had to make it. Through tryouts I striver to be a better volleyball player and a better athlete. When I did really good and got my serves over I would pass to the target the coaches would tell me good Job or keep It up. When they said that It made me want to do better. So I did what they said and kept It up.

Mama Might Be Better Off Dead Essay

â€Å"Mama Might Be Better off Dead: the Failure of Health Care in Urban America† by Laurie Kaye Abraham, follows a families struggles over the course of three years in a poor Chicago neighborhood. Abraham points out specifically how the health care system in the United States has failed the different members of the poverty stricken Banes family. The main character, Jackie has the responsibility of taking care of her sick and elderly grandmother. Jackie also cares for her three young children with little help from her husband, Robert who also suffers from various illnesses. While, there are some government programs set up to help families like the Banes’, the health care system is certainly lacking. Cora Jackson is an African American woman in her late sixties when the book begins. She suffers from many chronic conditions including high blood pressure and diabetes. Cora had a leg amputated because of complications from her diabetes. Diabetics often have poor circulation in their extremities which hinders wounds from healing properly. Besides being bed-ridden and wheel chair bound, Mrs. Jackson suffers from bed sores and incontinence. She also sufferers from severe depression over losing her leg which is common among many with physical disabilities. Despite, her poor health Cora Jackson remains the matriarch of the family. Mrs. Jackson raised Jackie as a young girl and before becoming ill, had a remarkable relationship with her great-granddaughter Latrice. As time goes on, Mrs. Jackson becomes more ill and Latrice begins to pull away from her great-grandmother. This seems understandable because it must be very difficult for children to understand and deal with the terminally ill. Jackie however, remains warm and caring toward her grandmother. She expresses her frustrations, but few of them are aimed at her grandmother. Most of them are aimed at the doctors and particular government agencies set up to treat and help her grandmother. Obtaining health care services is not an easy task for Cora Jackson. Jackie, the primary caregiver for Mrs. Jackson, experiences struggles on a day to day basis. For example, Mrs. Jackson suffers from incontinence which makes her a candidate for adult diapers. However, Medicare sees adult diapers as more of a convenience item and do not see them as medically necessary.  Medicare also covers a large portion of health visits and treatments but they fail to understand the transportation needs of disadvantaged patients. As a result, Mrs. Jackson is forced to miss many scheduled appointments. She misses out on many treatments that are recommended by her doctors. Consequently, Cora is forced to have her remaining leg removed because of an infection which could have been caught sooner. Jackie resorts to calling an ambulance to transport her grandmother to the hospital. This results in in some problems because the ambulance takes her to the closest hospital which is does not have all of he r medical records. I am puzzled by many of these rules and policies. First off, I do not understand how adult diapers are not deemed medically necessary. Diapers are seemed necessary for infants. Why aren’t they necessary for adults who suffer from incontinence? Also, adult diapers help prevent bed sores which many elderly, bed-ridden patients suffer from. This can prevent future hospitalizations and procedures caused by infection. I also have a problem with Medicaid’s spend down policy. Every month, Mrs. Jackson is required to spend a certain amount on medical needs in order to become eligible for Medicaid. By the time, she meets the requirement, she has to do it all over again. Also, there are some services that the Banes are not aware they are entitled to. For example, Medicare covers home health aides for those sick enough to require visits from a home nurse. Jackie turns down this service because she is mistaken and believes it will cost her 110 dollars a month. No one ever tells her this service is free. There are many changes in the health care delivery system that would have improved the experiences of Mrs. Jackson. First of all, keeping track of a monthly spend down of an elderly, disabled patient is ridiculous. In Mrs. Jackson’s case, she needed Medicaid to cover her transportation needs. Its close to impossible to schedule appointments and procedures if you are not sure how you are going to get there. Other patients use Medicaid for numerous reasons. A better option for Medicaid would be to take an average of a few months expenses and use that to determine eligibility for longer than a month at a time. It is common for patients to spend the same amount on medication each month. They also try to visit doctors on a regular basis. Knowing they are covered by Medicaid for longer than a month, would be a huge relief. The patients could keep their appointments without worrying about transportation costs. Also, medicine could be taken as directed instead of trying to make it last longer in fear of losing coverage the next month. Another area which needs addressing is in the area of medically necessary items. Who determines if adult diapers is necessary or a convenience? For an elderly person who does not want to walk to the wash room after going to the bathroom, I can see how diapers would be convenient. But what about the person with no legs and not adequate enough help to lift them out of bed? I would definitely say adult diapers is medically necessary for this person. As a social worker in health care, I would definitely try to be of assistance to Mrs. Jackson. First of all, I would encourage Jackie to take advantage of the services set up to help her and her family. Then I would make sure she was aware of all they were entitled to. It is very common for poor people not to understand government policies, particularly Medicare and Medicaid. I feel there should be more services to explain and help people understand certain policies. Regular visits from a home health aide could have helped both Jackie and Mrs. Jackson immensely. I would talk to her about the stress of taking care of three children, a sick husband and an elderly, disabled grandmother. Paying attention to Jackie’s needs, as she is the primary caregiver, may give her a more clear mind to make decisions for her grandmother. I would also discuss with Jackie all of her options. Jackie could have put her grandmother into a nursing home but neglected to do so until the very end of her illness. I would weigh out the advantages and disadvantages of Mrs. Jackson living in a home. Jackie was scared that by putting her grandmother into a home, she would feel unloved and neglected. I would explain to Jackie, that the care she would receive would be twenty-four hours a day. This would mean, no more missed doctors appointments, no more missed medication and all of her medical records would be in one place. I feel their would be an increase in her quality of life. Jackie states â€Å"Mama, might be better off Dead†. Why not try putting mama in a nursing home first? In conclusion, â€Å"Mama Might Be Better off Dead: the Failure of Health Care in Urban America† really shows many areas of human suffering. In a country based on freedom and equality for all, the area of health care could not be further from equal in America. Every day we see talks of health care reform in the news. Political candidates form plans in their campaigns. However, this book puts a real face on the failure of health care in America. I hope more people become aware of how badly change is needed and they choose to become actively involved in the reform of the system.

Baroque and Architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Baroque and Architecture - Essay Example Wren’s first baroque design for this cathedral was rejected and considered as not practical and too foreign. The crowning dome was taken from that design and since three centuries the dome of the cathedral has been a major attraction in the city. The dome was designed by Wren not only to express the foreign architecture influence on his work but also to uncover the love he had for mathematics. Wren is known as the best architecture for his designs of buildings. He was also known as a leading mathematician and through his combination, he mastered in the shapes and arches of domes. He applied several theories through which he created historic monuments and recorded history’s best used mathematical sciences in architecture. The St Paul’s cathedral was known as the world’s first cathedral with a triple-dome. It was also the first cathedral which was completed in the lifetime of the architect. Wren had designed the cathedral so originally and furnished it with true British furniture that it was hard to believe how easily he did it. He adopted the characteristics of the baroque architecture which consisted of repeated styles and techniques used in buildings and structures. He was an aesthete and the love for art led him to design beautiful churches. As he was also an engineer, he designed and built structures that were acoustically pleasing. St Paul’s Cathedral marked the beginning of the shaky baroque architecture in England. This architecture was further elaborated in the 18th century.

The Cancer Cell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Cancer Cell - Essay Example For a long period, it has become clear that cancer frequently impinges on citizens who are above 50 years. Although the youthful populace also gets afflicted with such illnesses, the majority of populace suffering such ailments as cancer is the old populace (Hobson, 2009). Through the following observation, researchers have started to investigate the affiliation between biological procedures that direct disease and aging processes. Researchers have to this point been able to determine the connection between the two. Researchers have substantiated two ways of viewing the correlation between cancer and age. According to the findings provided, are that the forces that cause damage to human genes may be similar to the forces that compel both cancer and aging (Hobson, 2009). Therefore, this suggests that the processes guard against cancer, the genome and permanence. However, the second reason seems to be a bit complex concerning the correlation among the two. Naturally occurring tumor sup pressor molecules prevent the cells from reproducing or regenerating sporadically. The tumor suppressor cell provokes the fatality of the cells through a procedure regarded as apoptosis or it can shut down the cell’s ability to replicate. These two progressions produced by the suppressor molecules serve to protect the people during their reproductive periods. Therefore, as the populace gets older, the molecules abilities to guard the body through the two methods reduce. For this reason, the body becomes vulnerable to cancer attacks justifying the statement that the cancer cases are more extensive in the old people. For the young generation, the susceptibility is markedly reduced through the action of the suppressor molecules. The older people experience corporal changes that augment the probability of disease and disability and which interfere with the body’s ability to withstand cancer threats. Cancer occurs mainly because of any transformations or alterations on the oncogenes, tumor suppressor molecules and microRNA genetic material (Croce, 2008, 502). These modifications are usually somatic procedures, even though origin transmutation can dispose an individual to genetic or ancestral cancer. In cancer, a single alteration may not be sufficient to initiate cancer instead, cancer development is a multistep progression with alterations occurring in oncogenes (Croce, 2008, 502). Oncogenes are proteins that predetermine for the control of cell propagation, apoptosis or even the two processes. These genes are activated by structural transformations that originate from mutations or amplification (Croce, 2008, 503). Chromosomal reorganization, transmutations and gene extension, help in activation of oncogenes presenting an enlargement benefit or amplified continued existence of cells bearing such variations. In cases where, the oncogenes are activated by mutations, the preset protein is altered structurally in ways that allow for its transforming acti on. Myc is a replication regulator and its genes are usually translocated from the original chromosome to another chromosome. Chromosomal translocations help in joining the cellular oncogene together with immunoglobin that are believed to be vital, in the initiation of the oncogenic progressions in the developments of certain cell types. The translocation can be considered essential in essence, that it helps in the study of the means, heredity and biological outcomes of the translocations.

Turkish Airlines Current 4Ps Marketing Policies Essay

Turkish Airlines Current 4Ps Marketing Policies - Essay Example As of today, almost 51% of its shares are owned by the public, whereas, the remaining are retained by the government. Over the years the company has flourished to the extent that, in 2008 it was named as one of the fastest growing European carriers in terms of traffic and seating capacity (Turkish Airlines, 1996-2012). At a time when the global recession caused other European airlines to cut down their operations, Turkish Airlines managed to demonstrate steady growth in terms of its passenger traffic and seating capacity. The company has over 127 carriers in its fleet and flies to over 145 international and 41 local destinations (Turkish Airlines, 1996-2012). Istanbul is primarily considered to be its gateway to various Middle East destinations. The company’s overall business strategy revolves around expansion and development of its operations. As part of recognition for its strategic efforts, it has been labeled as a four-star airline (Skytrax, 1999-2011). The company, theref ore, is now eyeing the five-star segment and is enhancing the quality and service of its carriers in order to enhance customer experience. An essential part of its overall strategy, therefore, is inevitably the marketing strategy. Holistically, the company is aiming at creating greater brand awareness amongst its target market and to position itself differently from competitors in terms of reliability, safety and quality. The company is targeting the attainment of crucial values such as customer safety and quality service as well as providing value for money. Therefore, the focus of this airline is to provide low cost fares with unmatched quality of customer experience. The 4P’s for the company involve the Product (airline service), Price (fares), Promotion and Place (destinations in this case). As far as the product is concerned, the company has targeted its airline service to a wide range of segments. The company’s primary target market is the leisure customers who m ake up a vast chunk of its overall passengers. The secondary market is the corporate segment, comprising of business executives and corporate individuals. Such customers require corporate discounts (that are perhaps endowed to them by their organizations) since they travel is high volumes. Turkish Airlines has kept this trend in mind and has offered quantity discounts in markets where a large number of multinationals are located. There are several MNCs in Europe such as Shell, Delloit, Deutsche Bank etc that have high volume of business travelers. The company derives a major chunk of its revenues from the â€Å"leisure† segment, as opposed to the business segment. According to a research, 54% of the company’s market share is derived by â€Å"leisure† segment, whereas, 32% is derived from â€Å"corporate† segment. A common terminology used in aviation is that of the load factor which is described as the relation between the aircraft’s lift capabilit y to its weight. Turkish Airline’s load factor has declined over the years, from a rate of 71.5% to 71% (Centre for Aviation, 2010). The company is now taking steps to ensure that its load factor increases, especially during the peak summer period. An efficient load factor of approximately 77% is ideally looked upon as a healthy sign since it shows that the weight is being efficiently utilized through passenger traffic. A crucial aspect of Turkish Airline’s marketing policies has been a focus on Turkish tourism, of which Istanbul is a highly

Getting fired from jobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Getting fired from jobs - Essay Example However, this is not true in some cases leading to the said employees having to struggle to keep up with the requirements of their job description after hiring. This is a leading cause as it puts the employer in a difficult position following this inability, of a highly decorated employee, to learn their jobs in or on time for productive working. In addition, the issue of bringing personal issues into work is not left out. This is following the potential that some workers have in their social lives in relation to their ability to socialize effectively and the inability to keep apart professionalism and personal issues. In light of this, personal issues may be brought through one of two or even both ways, which are gossip on other employees, or even bringing in personal differences with other employees to cause squabbles. These are solid grounds for dismissal as it affects the productivity of the employee in question and others that are involved in the personal differences. In addition, the interference of personal issues in the workplace may also occur through using business hours n the workplace to attend to personal issues. Such issues include family problems or even helping friends take care of their own problem. It may be a positive thing to help others or even take care of one’s own problems, but the negative point comes in when the employee cheats the employer of productive time through the same. For example, if an employee has marital problems with his or her husband or wife, it is only logical to attempt at correcting the problems for peace of mind. However, using time, which one is paid for by the employer and is meant for the benefit of the said employer, for personal gain is grounds enough for dismissal. The proper channel would be to go through the employer and ask for time off to sort out one’s personal issues before

Petroleum Resources and the Economy of Angola Essay

Petroleum Resources and the Economy of Angola - Essay Example In this literature review this issue is studied taking a look at the conflictive positions regarding the "resource curse" that have been taken by different researchers along the years. We have to keep in mind that any kind of resource can't be a curse in itself as it is logical to assume. Everything depends on the use we give to a specific resource. In this line of thought it is obvious that ultimately the effects of petroleum resources on a nation have to be positive. Indeed they should be a blessing rather than a curse as we will see in this literature review. "Even until the mid-(1950s), coal was still the world's foremost fuel, but oil quickly took over. Following the 1973 energy crisis and the 1979 energy crisis, there was significant media coverage of oil supply levels. This brought to light the concern that oil is a limited resource that will eventually run out, at least as an economically viable energy source." (Wikipedia, 2006i). Petroleum is a finite resource, and besides this fact there are some negative environmental side effects that are valid reasons to discourage its use as the Ecology Center argue among other important facts about petroleum. Let's see: "No corner of the world is left untouched by the effects of petroleum ex... Many negative effects are well documented, such as global warming, habitat destruction, and political conflicts over oil supplies. But the petroleum economy extends its often hidden reach into many other aspects of life on our planet. Petroleum, used for transportation, industry, and mechanized agriculture, is the backbone of globalization. Institutions of global trade, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), work hand in hand with oil companies, while militaries provide the armed backup to protect these interests." (Ecology Center, 2003). The position of Ocean Engineering and Energy Systems (OCEES) favors Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) as an alternative fuel produced by the power of the sea. OCEES points out the negative effects of wars as detrimental environmental consequence of the political conflicts around oil control (OCEES International, n. d.). One relevant aspect to be considered about the finiteness of petroleum resources is the "oil peak" established by the Hubbert Peak Theory regarding the terminal depletion of all petroleum resources. The Wikipedia states the following about the oil peak and its practical consequences. "Given past oil production data and barring extraneous factors such as lack of demand, the model predicts the date of maximum oil production output for an oil field, multiple oil fields, or an entire region. This maximum output point is referred to as the peak. The period after the peak is referred to as depletion. The graph of the rate of oil production for an individual oil field over time follows a bell-shaped curve: first, a slow steady increase of production; then, a sharp increase; then, a plateau (the "peak"); and, finally, a steep decline." (Wikipedia, 2006f). Even though the Hubbert Peak Theory has faced

The Principle Of Equality In The Egyptian Constitution Essay

The Principle Of Equality In The Egyptian Constitution - Essay Example Resignation of sovereignty by the people to the government was not, in other words, to be interpreted as the people's having permanently giving up their sovereignty or their having done so unconditionally. Indeed, the very concept of the social contract emphasizes the sovereign rights of the people, acknowledges that a sovereign people have given a certain person, the ruler, their consent to govern over them in exchange for his protection of their rights and liberties, among other things. The social contract is, therefore, the constitution which outlines the legal basis of the state as a moral, political and economic institution and the rights and duties of the citizens within, and the state's responsibilities and obligations towards citizens. The concept of the social contract, as defined and discussed by Locke and Rousseau, shed interesting light upon the phenomenon of modern day constitutions. The constitution, as may be deduced from these theories, is the contract between the government, the state and the ruler and the people. It outlines the duties owed by the ruler to the people and the rights and freedoms of the people within the limits of the law. More importantly, as with any contract, there is a legal obligation to respect it. Indeed, as both Locke and Rousseau concluded, should the ruler violate the terms of the contract, the contract is no longer applicable and the ruler's governance is illegitimate. Accordingly, we may similarly conclude that if a government violates the terms of the constitution, the government becomes illegitimate. It is quite interesting to consider a national constitution as a contract which both parties, citizens and governments, are legally obliged to abide by. It becomes even more interesting when we consider that the violation of the terms of the constitution on the part of the government/ruler, renders that ruler/government illegitimate. This is simply because, were we to apply this as a basic rule, the Egyptian government will, in essence, emerge as an illegitimate entity; an institution which, insofar as it neither abides by constitutional guarantees pertaining to the rights and freedoms of citizens, and constitutional limitations on its authority, has violated the Articles of the Egyptian Constitution. Through an analysis of the provisions of the Egyptian Constitution regarding the equality of citizens and their equal right to political, economic and civil liberties, the research shall initially establish that the constitution defines Egyptian citizens as equal, and endows them with equal political, economic and civil rights. Upon the analysis of the rights awarded minority groups in Egypt, such as Copts and women, the research shall establish that, insofar as they are denied equality, they are effectively denied that which the constitution has guaranteed them. The conclusion to this research shall review the implications of this as regards the legitimacy of the government. 1 The Egyptian Constitution's Provisions on Equality The Egyptian Consti

Explain how inflation targeting operates in the UK and Critically Essay

Explain how inflation targeting operates in the UK and Critically evaluate the benefits of inflation targeting - Essay Example Inflation is all about price stability and it has been agreed by the economist that a rate of between (0-3) percent is the good enough rate fro the economy. With stable prices at that rate, consumer confidence is raised hence propelling the economy, if the consumer confidence is lower, then the economy will be stuck (Ben 2003). Inflation can only be made success through central banks making price stability its primary objective through strong institutional commitment to attaining that. United Kingdom was not the first country to introduce the inflation instead there are countries like Canada which did it ahead of them. Many countries over time have followed suit to introduce the inflation targeting within their economies with many others looking for technical assistance to help them introduce it (Richard 2005). Japan is one of the few who have not adopted it yet because of its well developed economy with rather stable inflation rate. UK inflation is therefore currently more stable in comparison with the past performance. UK quit ERM in 1992 due to rising tension between having to follow a tight policy framework in order to maintain existing exchange rate and the other option of having to cut the domestic downfall by taking down interest rates it (Richard 2005). ... With such big concern about inflation and well versed with knowledge of the trade-off between output and the inflation, the policy maker will then fix interest rates through adjustments informed by the knowledge on relative demand to supply and inflation. The central bank then set in the money markets the nominal interest rate and since prices of goods are somehow rigid then there will be movements around the real rate that always stand in absence of such moves by the central bank (Mervyn 2005). Due to these sticky prices, if a crisis hit the economy, it slips inflation away from the target and central bank can not quickly take it back to the track instead it has to take the longer old route by factoring in the monetary policy on what is the most. This older route will include having to factor in the bigger things that include having to go over the expected demands and supply and he pressure it will have on one another, that is to say the productive capacity of the economy and its co st implication as well as whether the economy is still on the track in relative to the expected inflation (Paul 1998). After all that considerations the central bank will then design a way to bring quickly inflation back to target with consideration of the impact it will have on the output. It will then have to decide on whether to aggregate demand should be stimulated or not and whether to be neutral. With all that there are unobservable effects of inflation on unemployment which it raises, the interest rates and growth of the economy through supply. The monetary policy committee (MPC) targets inflation by setting interest rates. When a shock hit the economy the committee action is not felt immediately. The results of adjustments in interest rates could yield tangible results after even

Human Resource Management and its Role in Managing the Employees of an Assignment

Human Resource Management and its Role in Managing the Employees of any Organization - Assignment Example Overall, the Human Resources department helps in organizing and deals with any issues related to compensation, safety, policies, wellness settlement, general administration, training and development. They are also expected to add value to the employees (Wikipedia, 2010) Health and safety law basically safeguard the welfare of employees and general public. The law holds the person, company or organization liable for any employee injured through accident at work or death of any employee. The Health and safety team can execute a criminal prosecution against the company which may result in penalty or imprisonment against the company management. The affected employee can also seek for damages in the civil court. (Wikipedia, 2010) Risk Management team to access the risks involved to the employees, customers, vendors who are affected by the activities performed inside the company premises. Protecting the health of other people against risks in connection with the activities performed by people at work. Having an effective leadership team and effective workforce management will help the organization in protecting and safeguarding the interest of the employees. The indispensable and critical principles are protecting the health and safety of the employees should be one of the main focuses of the risk management team in any organization. Health and Safety plays an integral and fundamental part of the organization’s success. Management, board members and the leadership team who do not show any focus in this area would never be able to achieve the highest achievement of health and safety management and should be penalized. Failure on the part of the management to incorporate health and safety as a key business risk can result in disastrous and appalling results to the organization. The law states that the leadership team will be personally and collectively liable in the event of a breach of these duties. (Health safety executive, n.d) The management should be held responsible and liable for violating the basic health and safety of the employees.

Lows Gully Essay Example for Free

Lows Gully Essay This case is about British Army adventurous training exercise to Low’s Gully in Borneo, Malaysia. The exercise was intended to build leadership skills and character in 10 volunteer soldiers. The task was to scale down a dangerous and untraversed gully, a 10 mile long chasm that served as drain for rainwater, using abseiling technique and then follow the river out of the jungle. This team was led by two British officers who recruited five soldiers from units in Great Britain and three Chinese soldiers stationed in the British Army’s Hong Kong Military Service Corps. The eight soldiers knew little or nothing about each other. In the face of adversity during the exercise, the participants separated into sub teams despite being individually trained by the army to work well with other soldiers and to follow the ‘golden rule for such expeditions never split up. † (Connaughton 1996). Participants easily could have lost their lives when the planned ten day exercise ended up lasting up to five weeks. Half of the group members actually accomplished the initial objective and the other half had to be rescued by a helicopter. All of them were in ill health and famished and some badly injured. The catastrophic failure also left them mentally scarred and two of them actually quit the army disillusioned or disgraced. Even though attempting to traverse an uncharted and hostile territory is bound to test any team dynamics, it was the leadership failures of Lt. Col Neil and Major Foster that amplified the adversity that faced the team. There were several misjudgments on the part of these two individuals that eroded the trust between the team members. Neil miscalculated the amount of rope required for abseils and was the major reason why the team split, leaving no avenue to regroup in case of adversity. Secondly, he purchased no walkie talkies in an effort to minimize the budget that resulted in lack of communication between the two split parties. Primary tools of communication such as maps, star charts and radio beacons to broadcast locations were also ignored. Another misjudgment on Neil’s part was to go ahead with the mission in the rainy season despite being warned by locals of the unpredictable weather and increased difficulty of scaling down the gully. Each misjudgment reflected the leader’s overconfidence in his judgment – ‘a cognitive bias’ called in literary circles that distorts managerial decision. Neil admits of being overambitious in his diary while he lay in the cave helpless awaiting rescue. As Mann, one of the soldiers put it, â€Å"these are two officers on their last great hurrah†. As these mistakes became evident on the course of the mission, the soldiers trust grew into mistrust of the leader’s abilities and judgments and finally led to a permanent group fracture. This erosion of trust was however gradual. There was a definite initial trust in the team due to communal common grounds. All the members were from the same organization i. e army and had gone through similar training and ethos. They also placed trust in the leader and his superior rock climbing certification and willing followed his instruction in the beginning. It was at a personal level that common ground failed to establish. The team realized early in the start the lack of benevolence on the leader’s part. When the officers ignored warnings from the locals about the harsh weather conditions, the soldiers felt it as inadequate concern for the well being of the rest of the team. Then integrity based doubts began to emerge when the team found out that the leaders were carrying rucksacks lighter than them. They also felt they had been misinformed about the actual difficulty of the task at the time of recruiting. When the Chinese soldiers were expressed their safety concerns, they were threatened rather than being motivated. Hence the initial communal trust failed to hold due to lack of lack of benevolence and integrity from the leaders. The trust turned transitioned into trust with apprehension but even the soldiers continued to follow the leader’s orders refraining from all out disobedience. The final breakdown in communication and permanent and physical split took place when the adversity of the course was at its peak. The group of 10 was split between the most physically fit and the others. Others included both the leaders. Physically fit were told to scale down the gully first and act as reconnaissance party for the others. After abseiling for several days till they reached a point of no return, Corporal Mayfield reported back to the Neil to make him aware of the situation. Neil did not heed to this warning once again and told the ‘recce’ party to go ahead and wait at the bottom. The ‘recce’ party proceeded hesitantly and waited for them at the bottom severely exhausted. When they ran out of rations they finally proceeded out of the woods leaving the group permanently split. The lack of proper communication was at fault when Neil failed to realize the gravity of the situation. As a leader in place of Col Neil, I would have avoided being overambitious and would have carefully assessed the difficulty of the exercise in great detail. Primarily because I was in charge of the safety of my team members and it was my responsibility to prepare them of the task which lay ahead. I would have paid special consideration to the advice of the locals who knew more about the terrain we are about to tread. The amount of rope needed for abseiling and the suitable weather for the task would have had my extreme focus. There will be no compromise on integrity on my part and would never fake my climbing certification to gain acceptance from the rest of the team. In terms of communication, I would have gathered equipment which let all members keep in touch in times of adversity. Radio beacon, walkie talkies and maps are important tools to avoid communication failure and a potential group split and I would make sure to accompany them. Also in order keep communication two ways with my junior team members I would have made sure Major Foster acted as my conduit to team members of my orders and let me know of any apprehensions my soldiers had. This is crucial to repair trust trepidation at its beginning and avoid it to lead to distrust. The information is easier to trickle down but there should be a mechanism where the information has to trickle up as well. This is the reason, as a leader, it is important to heed to junior team member’s assessment of ground and treat them as eyes and ears. Even though ‘recce’ party was established to do that, Neil never realized the gravity of the situation when abseiling the 1 mile gully. The possibility of a permanent split between the team at the gully would be inacceptable to me. Even though I think it is a wise idea to create subgroups with a team to achieve more efficiency, I have would make sure the subgroups consisted of members with complementary skills instead of similar ones. Separating the most physically fit members with the rest was fatal in the end and that is the reason why they accomplished and the weaker members failed.

Rapid developments in technology

Rapid developments in technology Global trends and technological development and their effect on strategy and technology on organisations, with a focus on the Sony Corporation. Abstract In recent years there have been rapid developments in technology which have lead to the opening up of a global market. This has brought both opportunities and challenges to enterprises. Enterprises that want to operate globally have to plan appropriate business strategies. When formulating these strategies they have to consider the importance of the domestic and global situation of the enterprise. This study examines the effect of technological progress and global changes, with a particular focus on how they have affected the Sony Corporation. There is a discussion of Sonys business strategies and their strong points and shortcomings. The study ends with suggestions as to how Sony could resolve some of its recent problems. Introduction In recent years the phenomenon of globalization has taken place. This has come about because of rapid progress in technology and communications. Now the world has become one marketplace and goods and services which were available only in one place in the past can now be bought almost anywhere in the world. This has many advantages for industries as it has expanded their market, but it has also brought many challenges. Among the challenges which must be dealt with by companies wishing to enter the globalization are tariffs and international competition, particularly from newly industrializing counties (NICs) such as Malaysia, China and so forth. This has lead to many enterprises formulating global strategies and many of them have achieved success in the global market. However, to succeed in the global market it is not sufficient to have good global strategies; it is also necessary to be able to use these strategies in a balanced manner. The domestic market and the local culture are ke y elements which must be carefully taken into account in global strategies. Many enterprises look to the example of Japanese companies when determining their global strategies, as it is generally considered that their global strategies have been very successful and have permitted them to enter and succeed in many international markets. The principal focus of this study will be the Sony Corporation. There will be a discussion of Sonys management of new technology and globalization. Examples will be given of Sonys global strategies, and the advantages and disadvantages they have encountered due to these strategies will be presented and discussed. Globalization Every firm should understand the implications of globalization in order to develop a global strategy successfully. The term globalization signifies the increased mobility of goods, services, manpower, technology and worldwide. Globalization may be described as a process by which countries all over the world are joined in a worldwide interdependent community. This process is driven by a combination of economic, technological, socio-cultural and political factors. Raskin (2002) defined globalization as the worldwide integration of economical, cultural, political, religious, and social systems. He added that globalization, through the increasing integration of economies and lifestyles worldwide, leads to similarities in production and consumption patterns, and hence cultural homogenization. From an economic perspective, globalization signifies the convergence of prices, products, wages, rates of interest and profits towards standards of developed countries (Ismail, 2003). Similarly, Theodore (1983) argued that the main factors driving economic globalization of the economy are movement of labour force; international trade; movement of capital; integration of financial markets; cross-border transactions; and free movement of international capital. Basic components of globalization are the globalization of markets and the globalization of production. The former signifies a move away from a system in which national markets are separate entities, divided by trade barriers and barriers of distance, time and culture, towards the merging of national markets into a single global market. The latter, globalization of production, refers to a tendency by individual companies to spread their production processes over various locations around the world in order to benefit from differences in cost and quality of elements of production (Hill, 2007). Drivers of globalization The principal driving forces that facilitate or support the extension of globalization are the following. Advances in transportation: A reduction in the cost of transporting goods and services from country to country assists in bringing prices in the country of manufacture nearer to prices in the export market. Developments in transport technology have lead to a reduction in the cost of transport as well as to an improvement in the speed and reliability of transporting both goods and people. This has meant that it has become cost-effective to access new and expanding markets, thus enabling companies to extend their business further than would have been feasible in the past. Technological advances: The huge reduction in the cost of transmitting and communicating information in recent years has played a vital role in the global growth of enterprises. This phenomenon has been called the death of distance, and is particularly noticeable in the growth of trade in knowledge products through the Internet. De-regulation of financial markets: The process of the de-regulation of financial markets has lead to the abolition of capital controls in many countries. Capital markets have opened up in both developed and developing countries, facilitating foreign direct investment and encouraging the flow of money across national borders. Avoidance of import protection: Many enterprises seek to avoid the tariff and non-tariff barriers imposed by regional trading blocs in order to gain more competitive access to rapidly-growing economies such as those in the emerging markets. Economies of scale: Many economists take the view that there has been a rise in the estimated minimum efficient scale (MES) related to particular industries. Technological changes, innovation and invention in various markets have been factors contributing to this increase. An increase in the MES means that the domestic market may be considered as not being large enough for the selling needs of these industries, making expansion into overseas markets essential. The effect of globalization on international business In recent years, companies have been required to deal with business issues in an international context due to the move towards globalization and internationalization as well as the nature of competition. The principal aspects of global business environments are the following. The forces of globalization Every aspect of the global business environment is affected by the drivers of globalization. Although globalization increases business opportunities, it also leads to an increase in competition. Companies must be aware of the basic and often sweeping changes in both society and commerce resulting from globalization (Wild, Wild and Han, 2008). National business environment Although globalization has initiated a process of homogenization among different cultures, political systems, economic systems, legal systems, and levels of economic development in different countries, many of these the differences remain marked and enduring. Any enterprise wishing to expand overseas must be aware of these differences, and be able to formulate and implement appropriate policies and strategies to deal with them successfully (Hill, 2006). International business environment The international business environment has both a direct and indirect effect on how firms carry out their operations. As can been seen by the long-term movement to less rigid national borders, no business can remain entirely isolated from occurrences in the international business environment. As globalization processes lead to the increasing interrelation of the flows of trade, investment, companies are required to seek production bases and new markets at the same time. Firms must monitor the international business environment closely to determine the impact it may have on their business activities (Wild, Wild, and Han, 2008). Management of international companies The management of a completely domestic firm is not at all the same as the management of a transnational one, as market rules differ and forms must take these differences into account. Thus, it is national business environments which define the context of managing an international firm (Wild, Wild and Han, 2008). Competitive Advantage in the Global Market In the global marketplace, it is vital for companies to sustain competitive advantage. The term competitive advantage was used first by Michael Porter of the Harvard Business School in the U.S.A. Basically, it means the place a company has in relation to its competitors in the same industry. Firms seek to obtain a competitive advantage and then to sustain it. According to Porter (1998), there are three ways that a firm can do these things. The first way is by cost leadership, which means that a firm will have cost advantage is it can offer the same goods or services as its competitors, but at less cost than them. The second way is differentiation. The differentiation advantage refers to when a company can offer better goods or services than its competitors, but for the same price. This company will then become a leader in the industry. The third way is focus. This means that a company can concentrate on a narrow part of the market, which is known as a market niche, to obtain competit ive advantage. Some of them may focus on cost and some of them may focus on differentiation (Porter, 1998). However, it is not easy for a firm to gain competitive advantage and it is even more difficult to keep it (Passemard and Kleiner, 2000). This is because if a company has a differentiation competitive advantage, soon another company will find how to make the same product with the same quality. If a company has a cost competitive advantage, then other companies will look for ways to make their products as cheap (ibid). However, there are several factors that contribute to a firm obtaining competitive advantage. One of these factors is having good resources. Another factor is having a skilled work force. Countries governments also can affect firms, as taxes vary much from country to country and some governments may offer tax incentives or subsidies to companies (Passemard and Kleiner, 2000). The advent of globalization has offered companies with markets all over the world. This has offered many opportunities to expand, but it has also faced them with challenges. According to Ari (2008), globalization is a process of increasing interconnectedness, integration and interdependence among not just economies but also societies, cultures and political institutions. He adds that a result of globalisation is that the borders between countries lose their significance and can no longer deter trade and communication. Regarding business and economics, globalization means that there is liberalisation of trade and creation of world markets (ibid). However, it also means that global industries are competing with all industries in the world. There are many strategies industries can use to obtain and keep competitive advantage in the global market. According to Porter (1998), companies should make their strategy on a basis of strong analysis of the industrys structure and nationally or internationally there are five forces that they should consider carefully, as follows: The threat from new firms in their industry. The threat of products that could replace their products. The bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of customers. Competition between companies in the same sector Segal-Horn (1996) points out that companies must be very careful when they are planning global strategy because some strategies which are effective in one country are not effective in another country. Companies have to decide if they want to have one product and marketing strategy for every country or if they have to adapt their strategy for different countries. Adaptation is more necessary for some industries than for others. For example, requirements of steel are more or less the same globally, but there will be large differences for consumer products and food and drinks. Companies have to consider this very carefully. For example, if they can use the same advertisement all over the world it is much cheaper for them, but the advertisement may not be effective in some countries, so they would lose money (ibid). To make such a strategy it is necessary for companies to have very good information about the country they want to sell their products in, which is called market intelligence (ibid). They have to be careful not to miss the differentiation advantage in any country (ibid). To have such information, they must do much market research. Many companies find that it is useful to have a joint venture with a local company in the country because that company already has good information and expertise about the market there. De Toni et al (2008) state that In global industries, competitive advantage derives in large part from the integration and co-ordination on an international scale of various activities. According to Ward et al (1990) companies in a global market should have five competitive priorities, which are cost; delivery performance (dependability and speed); quality; flexibility (product mix and volume); and innovativeness. If companies are looking for cost advantage there can be many benefits to them from globalization. This is because the can choose to buy their supplies from the cheapest supplier in any country in the world and they are not limited to suppliers in their country, as they were in the past before globalization facilitated communication and transport (Ari, 2008). In addition, they can choose to produce their products in a country where labour costs are less than in their country (ibid). Moreover, they can also sell their products through the Internet and reach millions of customers that were impossible for them to reach in the past Sony Corporation Profile Sony was founded in Japan just after the Second World War by Ibuka and Morita and was known initially as the Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Company. At first their business consisted of radio repairs and manufacturing voltmeters in small quantities. However, Ibuka and Morita were interested in innovative electronics products and were also aware of the importance of international markets. They developed Sony into an international brand, expanding their business first into the U.S.A. and then into Europe. The companys name was changed to Sony Corporation in 1958. Currently, the Sony Corporation employs more than 150,000 people worldwide. It is one of the largest media conglomerates in the world and has six operating divisions, which are electronics, games, music, films, financial services and miscellaneous. Sony Electronics is one of worlds foremost makers of electronic products for both the business and individual consumer markets, while its games division produces, among other products, Playstation, and its music division is the second largest such company in the world. Sonys film division produces and distributes films for the cinema as well as for TV and computers and its financial services segment includes savings and loans. Under the miscellaneous division, Sony is involved in advertising and Internet-related business. For the financial year 2007-2008, Sony reported combined annual sales of  ¥8,871.4 billion with a net income of  ¥369.4 billion. Historical background The Sony Corporation has long been in the forefront of technological innovation and has devoted a considerable portion of its budget to research and development (RD) in order to obtain and keep its competitive advantage. Some of Sonys main developments were the following: In 1949 Sony developed a prototype for a magnetic tape recorder prototype in 1949 and introduced paper-based recording tape a year later. In 1955, the company introduced Japans first transistor radio and was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The Sony Corporation of America (SONAM) was subsequently set up in the U.S.A. and the worlds first direct-view portable TV was introduced in 1960. Also in that year, Sony Overseas S.A. was set up in Switzerland; while a year later Sony became the first Japanese company to offer shares on the New York Stock Exchange in same year. Further technological innovations followed throughout the 1960s, including worlds smallest and lightest transistor television and the Trinitron colour television. Since then, the Sony Corporation have developed and produced the worlds first personal cassette player, the Sony Walkman, which was introduced in 1979, the worlds first CD player, launched in 1982. More recent innovations include the home-use PC VAIO in 1997, Blu-ray Disc drive Notebook PC in 2006 and the OLED television in 2007. The Sony Corporation also expanded into the mobile telecommunications business in 2001 with the establishment of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, while a year later it acquired one of its rival companies, Aiwa, through a merger. Sonys Global Strategies The World Marketplace In the 1950s Japanese products suffered from a poor reputation. In an effort to overturn this, one of its founders, Mr. Morita, went to the United States travelled to U.S.A to learn from companies there and with a view to introducing his companys products to the American market and beyond. In 1958, having obtained the licensing right to the transistor patent from U.S. company ATT, they developed the worlds smallest transistor radio, which they launched in both Japan and the U.S.A. It was at this point the decision was taken to change the companys name to Sony, as it was short, easy to pronounce and memorable. The intention was to make Sony an internationally recognised brand, and in this they have succeeded, as, according to Richard (2002), Sony has become one of the most widely recognized brands in the world (Richard, A. 2002). Global marketing and operations According to Kikkawa (1995), only nine major Japanese companies Sony; Toyota; Honda, Nippon Steel; Toray; Teijin; Sumitomo Chemical; Shin-Etsu Chemical; and Matsushita. Kikkawa argued that these companies succeeded in the international marketplace by supplying products globally and/or carrying out global operations. Sonys products have been developed to fulfil the requirements of consumers worldwide; therefore, the corporation can offer the same products all over the world. One instance of this is the Sony Playstation, which appeals to consumers in every country in the world. In its ability to anticipate and fulfil the requirements of consumers Sony has gained an advantage over its rivals. The strategy of innovation Masaru Ibuka, one of the founders of the Sony Corporation, stated that the key to Sonys success was never to follow the others. In effect, the companys central strategic advantage in its global strategy has always been continual innovation. Global expansion and market selection As far as global expansion is concerned, Sony has always given careful consideration to operating in markets they considered to be important and where they had reason to believe the companys products would be most in demand (Richard, 2002). This lead to the initial decision to expand first to the United States, where they could market their products while at the same time learning from U.S. technology. The rationale behind this was that it would easier to expand to other markets once they had established a strong brand name in the United States. This in fact proved to be the case and expansion to European markets soon followed, as mentioned previously. Advantages of Global Strategy Reducing costs Sony has used several elements global strategy to its advantage. For instance, every Sony factory is able to produce at full capacity due to Sony products being sold all over the world; this results in a reduction in production costs. In addition, although Sony has numerous product lines, they are standard worldwide. This means that Sony does not have the expense of producing several versions of a single product to suit various markets. Worldwide recognition As Sonys products are known, sold and serviced all over the world, brand recognition among consumers is extremely high. This results in increased sales, as consumers feel secure about purchasing Sony products. Enhancing competitive advantage In addition, in recent years Sony has been an enthusiastic participant in the Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign, making efforts to produce energy-efficient products. The corporation is also involved social and environmental concerns through its active and high-profile Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. These activities have contributed greatly to Sonys ability to increase their competitive advantage over its rivals. Sonys CSR programme Sony developed their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme in the awareness that the corporations business has direct and indirect effects on society and the environment in which their business is conducted. The programme is concerned with the interests of all the corporations stakeholders, such as shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, business partners, and local communities. This has contributed to the improvement of Sonys corporate value. The European Commission awarded Sony a Sustainable Energy Europe Award in early 2007, in acknowledgement of Sonys efforts towards increasing the energy efficiency of its products and its participation in the Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign. By 2007, Sony had modified all their TV sets to consume less energy than the market average. This was a result of their research and development and lead to Sony TV sets increasing their market share. In this way, consumers can be satisfied that their television viewing is consuming a good deal less energy than previously, other stakeholders such as shareholders and suppliers are satisfied by the increase in sales of Sony TVs and electricity consumption also decreases. Another element in Sonys CSR programme is its improvement of its system for its employees to take leave to look after their children. Sony modified this system in the spring of 2007, with the aim establishing a working environment in which taking child care leave was facilitated. They also attempted to encourage fathers to become more involved in caring for their children. This modification has lead to an enhancement of the work-home life balance of Sony employees. It can be seen from these examples that Sony has made use of the advantages of globalization in its CSR programme to achieve a competitive advantage over its rivals. Disadvantages of Global Strategy While global strategy offers many advantages for international enterprises, it also brings with it certain disadvantages. These consist mainly of costs related to greater coordination, reporting requirements, and added staff. In addition, international enterprises must be careful to avoid the pitfall of allowing over centralization to lead to a reduction in the quality of management in any country, as this can result in quality toward individual country can be reduced due to which damaging the motivation and drive of local employees. There is also a risk inherent in offering standardised products, as such products may prove to be less appropriate in some countries than in others. Similarly, use of standardised marketing strategies may not always be successful, as, without cultural adaptation, certain strategies may be inappropriate in specific countries. Finally, the over-use of global strategies may also result in unnecessary or inefficient expenditure. In the case of Sony, a considerable portion of the corporations budget is spent on in RD to fulfil international requirements and this may have led Sony to over-diversify. In order to compete with global competitors, Sony has a finger in every pie, so to speak, and this may have led the corporation to stray too far from its core competency which is electronics product expertise. Moreover, the possibility exists that over-diversification may result in clouding consumers perceptions of the brand. Currently, Sony is facing a challenge to its market supremacy from the Samsung Company. In contrast to Sony, Samsungs global strategy consists of limiting its diversification and focusing its resources on a small number of dominant businesses. This strategy has so far proved very successful for Samsung. Recommendations Although the Sony Corporation has succeeded in building one of the most widely recognised brand names in the world, its market dominance appears to be based on increasingly unsteady ground. This is indicated by the fact that Sonys net profit for the third quarter of 2006 fell by 94% to  ¥1.7 billion, compared to  ¥28.5 billion for the same period in 2005 (Benson, 2006). This dramatic fall in profits may be attributed to the crucial strategic concerns confronting Sony. Sonys manufacturing process is in need of restructuring, as the quality of some Sony products has declined. This has resulted in damage to their reputation and a consequent decrease in the competitiveness of their products. For instance, Forbes magazine reported in October 2006 that 9.6 million Sony laptop batteries has had to be recalled as they were prone to overheating and were therefore dangerous. In addition, Japanese consumers expressed their dissatisfaction with the new system of the Sony PS3 (Wonova, 2006). It would appear from these examples that Sonys quality control system is not always as efficient as it should be. Apart from quality control issues, Sony has shown itself unable to respond rapidly and effectively to changes in market demand and its competitive advantage is therefore compromised. One example of this is the delay in the European launch of PS3 because of manufacturing problems (BBC, 2006). Sony was unable to satisfy the market demand, leaving the way open for rivals in the field such as Nintendo and Microsoft to increase their market share. Moreover, Sony did not respond as quickly as certain other television manufacturers to the increasing demand fro plasma television and therefore allowed their competitors to gain a head start on them in this market. Mintzberg et al. (1999) pointed out that the first mover may gain advantages in building distribution channels, in tying up specialized suppliers or in gaining the attention of customers, adding that the first product of a class to engage in mass advertising tends to impress itself more deeply in peoples minds than the second, third or fourth. Hence, Sony forfeited its competitive advantage and a considerable part of the market share in the games and television market. It is evident that Sonys operational strategy is deficient and requires improvement. In order to address these issues, Sony is putting into practice strategies from both the inside out resource-based perspective (Hamel and Prahalad, 1990; Barney, 1991) and outside in positioning perspective (Porter, 1980; Mintzberg et al., 1998), also known as the market-based perspective (Finlay, 2000). It has been suggested that combining these perspectives can optimise an enterprises capabilities and result in achieving and maintaining greater competitive advantages (Finlay, 2000; Thompson and Strickland, 2003; Johnson et al. 2005; Lynch, 2006). According to Hatch (1997) competitive strategy necessitates the exploitation of a companys existing internal and external firm specific capabilities and the cultivation of new capabilities. Sony should determine appropriate methods for managing external changes in the constantly shifting business environment, and also determine how to make full use of their existing capabilities and resources to respond effectively to this environment. Mor eover, Sony must be attentive to potential threats in the future and put in place the mechanisms required to neutralise these. Conclusion It can be seen that globalization brings both advantages and disadvantages for businesses. On one hand, they can sell their products in almost any country in the world, while progress in communication and transport means that they can choose cheaper suppliers and make their products in countries where labour costs are lower. On the other hand, it brings disadvantages in that they also have competitors from all over the world. Appropriate planning and implementation of global strategies within the constantly evolving environment of technology can provide enterprises with opportunities for survival and expansion in an increasingly competitive market. However, inappropriate global strategies which are not well-conceived or well-implemented can result in losses. Several factors could contribute to such losses including increased costs due to additional staff and insufficient attention to the requirements of the local market. It is vital that enterprises find an appropriate balance between over-globalisation and under-globalisation, although there are no precise guidelines for determining such a balance. Among the keys to obtaining and sustaining competitive advantage in a global market is careful planning and strategy, which includes obtaining detailed information about the target country and focusing on cost or differentiation advantage . References Ari, A. (2008). Globalisation. Online at http://www.geocities.com/anil.ari_global/index.html# Accessed on 10th August, 2009 Barney, J. B. (1991), Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage, Journal of Management, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 99-120. Barney, J. B. (2001), Is the resource-based view a useful perspective for strategic management research? Yes, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 41-56. De Toni, A., Filippini, R. and Forza R. (1999). Interational Journal of Operations and Production Management. Vol.12, No. 4, pp. 718 Passemard, D. and Kleiner, B.H. (2000) Competitive Advantage in Global Industries. Management Research News. Vol. 23, Issue 7/8, pp.111-117 Finlay, P. (2000), Strategic Management: An introduction to business and corporate strategy, Prentice Hall. Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C.K. (1990), Capabilities-Based Competition, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 70, No. 3. Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C.K. (1994), Competing for the future, Harvard Business School Press. Hatch, M.J. (1997), Organization Theory: Modern Symbolic and Postmodern Perspectives, Oxford University Press. Hill, C.W.L. (2007), International business: competing in the global marketplace, Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Johnson, G. (2005), Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases, 7th Edition, Prentice Hall. Kikkawa, T. (1995), Growth in cluster of entrepreneurs: The case of Honda Motor and Sony Lynch, R. (2006), Corporate Strategy, 4th Edition, Prentice Hall.<

Challenges Faced By Women In Politics Sociology Essay

Challenges Faced By Women In Politics Sociology Essay Though out history there have always been groups of people who do not feel that they are being adequately represented in modern governments, and women are one of them. Many women have experienced issues regarding whether or not their voices and opinions being heard and truly acted upon by people in political offices. As modern society continues to develop, things are beginning to become more apparent regarding the influence and ideas women have to offer in society and especially politics. Many women feel that there are not enough legislative powers adequately representing them and their voices. Men, because of their gender majority in politics, have the primary decision making when it comes to passing laws, which possibly affects more lives than they realize. There becomes a question if their views and decisions are based on their thoughts and opinions or those of whom they are supposed to be representing. When discussing such sensitive issues as abortion, which clearly relates to de cisions that should also be made by women because of their immediate relation to the subject have minimal say if any because of the unequal representation. Even though America chooses to encourage other countries to build themselves around American values, America herself seems to be falling behind the times. Yet in this male controlled political system that America has chosen to adopt, there seems to be very little change in the ability to sufficiently represent women. This problem can be resolved through more women becoming involved in the political process. Do women have a chance to overcome being head in charge. It has been said during the time when men were the bread maker and women were to be the homemakers. Women have been trying to wear the pants for centuries, whether it is as successful, career or in politics. It has always been debate about whether or not women are capable of succeeding in doing jobs that men have been doing for quite some time. There are many women now in the work force doing jobs that at one time were considered male only types of careers, jobs such as: police officers, fireman, and construction workers, even in politics. Hilary Clinton, who ran for the President of the United States, is a perfect example of modern women in the political arena. Even though she did not win the presidential race she still made her way to the White House; she is now the United States Secretary of State. Many people throughout the United States feel that she will do well with this position. My question is: What makes it hard for w omen to get the qualifying job that men hold and why is there a difference in the pay. Can a woman do the job better and get the job done equally? These are questions that many people in todays society feel need to be answered. Equality in the work place has been an issue for as long as men and women have worked together. Men and women work equally hard and get just as much accomplished as the other. Since the work is equal, the pay should be equal as well. It is seen by many that companies in the United States should be required to pay all employees equally and fairly. Obviously, pay should depend on position. If a woman works as a receptionist, she should not expect the same pay as a man in charge of system security. However, if a man and woman are in the same position, they should be paid the same. There are some jobs that women do better than men and vice versa. Companies need to realize that men and women work equally hard for their money. Often times, women work harder just to prove their equality. Instead of looking at gender, companies should look only at qualifications and how well the employee does the job. Women now are beginning to become corporate executives in businesses, and popular in the fi eld of medicine and law. Women have tried hard to push themselves forward in society to create a balanced and harmonious economy and so far it has been successful. Barriers of all kinds have been broken, well, all except a few, mainly in politics. Politicsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦when one stops and thinks of the word politics what naturally comes to mind? Our founding fathers, Presidents George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson; the popular political figures of today, President Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Al Gore; and now we can think of Hilary Clinton. Is society to blame for this misconception that women do not hold important roles in government and participate in making important decisions for our country? Not really, people just dont hear or read about women in politics as often as they do about men. As most people learn throughout elementary and junior high or middle school, our nation first formed government in 1776 when Thomas Jefferson first drafted our constitution. During this time women did not have a role in government, nor would they for the next one hundred and eight years, until a woman would try to run for office. In 1884, Belva Ann Lockwood the first woman to try a case before the United States Supreme C ourt ran for Presidency (Arenofsky 14). Well, to no surprise she lost, but her groundbreaking campaign made it possible and easier for Jeannette Rankin, thirty-three years later, to run and become elected to Congress for the state of Montana. However, even with this groundbreaking experience, women were still looked down upon for their lack of experience. It wasnt until 1920 when womens suffrage ended and the nineteenth amendment to the constitution, granting women the right to vote, and those women were formally introduced into politics. However, even with voting privileges, women were still looked at as weak feeble creatures. The lack of confidence and the inability to be seen as strong-minded females who were not afraid to voice their opinion hurt the female gender immensely. It wasnt until Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, crisscrossed the country speaking about social problems and serving as the quintessential role model for the politically active fem ale that women began to witness how to present themselves with confidence (Arenofsky 14). Finally, with womens confidence on the rise and their new understanding and attitudes toward government, women were starting to attain a higher status in the political arena. The big break for women came from the decision by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who in 1933 appointed Frances Perkins to the cabinet as Secretary of labor (Gurirab, T., Cayetano, P. (2010). However, in some magical, mysterious way, women are managing themselves quite nicely. Lets face it, there are far more white-collared, wealthy men in the United States, and in the world for that matter, than there are women. Even with women having highly paid corporate executive jobs, women still make far less than that of their male counterparts. For women, this is one of the major issues as to why government is lacking female participation. The most valid explanation for this problem is that the government controls the financial gains of women to limit their power. Looking at the facts, women make up fifty-two percent of our nations population, strange how such a big percentage of population has little representation. The thought of a government developed by males and dominated by females just does not sit well with the vast majority of higher male authority. Therefore, in order to make sure that women do not dominate, without being boldly direct about it, income levels are tampere d with. It may sound bizarre, but in Lyn Kathlenes Studying the New Voice of Women in Politics, she gives some very valid evidence that shows how women are paid in comparison to men in the same high white-collared jobs. The results are quite shocking. Kathlene shows that women are out-paid by men by nearly forty-percent for the same amount of work and jobs! The responsibilities of taking care of their home and loved ones and the lack of funds, the fight for womens dominance in government will never prevail. Does this mean Americans should just sit back and forget about the women before them who fought hard for their right to vote, to be heard, and have equality in government? Social class, status, and power are predetermined by ones gender. Within todays patriarchal society, men simply possess greater power than women, and enjoy greater access to what is valued by the social group. (Gurirab, T., Cayetano, P. (2010). Patriarchal thought produces male dominance, and authority within multiple areas, including politics. Throughout history, governments have designed laws to maintain such divisions of power, resulting in the oppression of women. Patriarchal power relations construct sexual differences as political differences by giving legal form to the belief that women, because of their sex, are fit only to serve as wives and mothers. (Gurirab, T., Cayetano, P. (2010). One must question how women can achieve greater influence within the male political arena if they are not viewed as equal? How are determined women attempting to change their position within society, regarding politics? Multiple changes have been made throughout history regarding the place of women in society, but are they leading towards equality? The main goal of the womens movement was basic citizenship rights for women. For decades, many of the first womens groups strived for their civil and political rights as women. Their central focus was the right to vote, and the right to run for office. The purpose was to claim a role in democratic politics. Many believed that in order to attain political goals, the right to vote was vital. Women assumed that once the right to vote was granted, equality in the eyes of males was soon to follow, along with their new influence within politics. Decades full of protests for womens rights created several political gains, as well as improvements in their status; however, inequality remained. Womens beliefs that political rights would lead to equal opportunity, were overshadowed by the reality that their inequality resulted in their lack of influence within politics. Multiple policies and laws may have been created or changed in an attempt to improve womens role in society, but economic dependence, and physical reliance on men continued as issues. Women remained underrepresented within politics, holding fewer than twenty percent of federal, and provincial elected offices in the United States. Eliminating women from political positions hindered their ability to become a valid influence within the political arena. Unequal pay, workplace harassment, and discrimination continued to plague women in the work force. Many believe that the variance between wages is due to the fact that forty-one percent of women are employed in part-tim e or temporary positions; however, those employed in full-time positions only earn seventy-three percent of what male employees make. Women occupy only twenty-two percent of the countrys highest paying jobs, but hold sixty-eight percent of the lowest paying jobs. With the lack of women in high profile positions, and the belief that women are not as valuable as men, they continue to provide no bearing on the political aspects of society. Women continue to receive less in our patriarchal society. Women have less political power, fewer economic resources, less security, and lower status that do men. (Gurirab, T., Cayetano, P. (2010). This continues regardless of decades dedicated to movements for womens rights, and lobbying for policies designed to alter womens status in society. For those women who are poor, immigrant, Native, or disabled, they find themselves even more inferior than other women. Therefore, the question remains, are women equal? Simply stated, they are not equal. Women continue to fight for liberal democratic political power. Their gender continues to play a role in how society will view them, as well as their position. For centuries, power has been allotted to men, which continues to this day. Few women possess great political power due to the difficulties of obtaining customary equality within society. In a world where men rule, how is a woman able to gain great authority, and step into the political spot light? In a society where women are viewed as insignificant, how are they to influence political decision makers? The law has granted women a voice within politics; however, it remains weak and inaudible. In order for women to increase their influence in politics, they must first become equal with men. Until then, they will be viewed as inferior; therefore, not requiring influence in politics. Gradually women are gaining more power, and prestige in society. Soon, the number in high-paying jobs will increase, creating a less economically dependent gender. As women strive for these changes, men, especially politicians, will be forced to take notice. As power for women intensifies, so will their influence in politics. As the voice for womens rights grows, so will their equality; therefore, leveling out the playing field in the political arena for both men, and women. Society needs to realize that this is the dawn of a new century and the role of the female should indeed be reevaluated. Women are equal to men, and should have the same opportunities as men. Women follow rules and are fair too. Women can cooperate with the government. Women can make good choices, and effective speeches. Most people say, Well what about their kids? Think about it. Men are responsible for their kids just as much as women are. A woman wont run president if she has 3 year olds and needs to stay with them. Shell run when she gets older because her kids will be older. I hope people will change their minds and give them a chance, because theyre there to do their jobs. I hope that one day I can live to see a woman president.

Mantras Essay -- Mantra Spiritual Ancient Asia Essays

Mantras The Mantras are very spiritual things used by the ancient in Asia, now a days this form of meditation has expanded and everyone has access to it. A Mantra can improve your life style by teaching you the art of meditation, by bringing peace to your soul and by helping you control difficult situations. A Mantra is a form of meditation that has existed for a long time; it is used in the whole world and you don’t need to be religious to use it. A Mantra is a word of wisdom that brings you strength when going through a hard time; this word could be related to your religion but this isn’t obligatory. The most common Mantra is the â€Å"OM† which means God in an impersonal way but now days almost any holy word no matter what religion can be used as a Mantra. For example; the Catholic can...

Computer Security in an Information Age :: essays research papers fc

Computer Security in the Information Age Computers; they are a part of or in millions of homes; they are an intricate part of just about every if not all successful businesses, the government, and the military. Computers have become common place in today’s society and the lives of the people who live in it. They have crossed every national, racial, cultural, educational, and financial barrier, which consequently ushered in the information age. A computer is a programmable electronic device that can store, retrieve and process data, and they come in all shapes, and sizes. They can be used for and in just about anything. As stated before, they are used in just about every aspect of modern society. They are so fundamental to modern society that it would be disastrous to society without them. As stated before, there are many areas in modern society that are run by computers. They play an intricate part of millions of homes in the world. Office workers in business, government and the military may use them to write letters , keep rosters, create budgets, find information, manage projects, communicate with workers, and so on. They are used in education, medicine, music, law enforcement, and unfortunately crime. Because computers have become such a part of the world and how it operates, there is a tremendous responsibility for those who are in control of these computers and the vital information that they carry, to manage and protect them properly. This is management and protection is vital because any loss or damage could be disastrous for the affected entity. For example, a mistake or intentional alteration of a personal credit file could affect ones ability to buy a car or home, or can lead to legal actions against the affected person until the mistake or intentional alteration has been corrected. Therefore, with the advent of computers in the information age, and all of the intentional and unintentional violations against them, comes the need to safeguard them and the information they carry with str ong systems and policies of computer security. Computer security is the process of preventing and detecting unauthorized use of your computer. Prevention measures help to stop unauthorized users or intruders from accessing any part of a computer system. Detection helps one to determine whether or not someone attempted to break into a computer system, if they were successful, and what they may have done.

Starbucks Planning

One thing that all managers do is plan. The planning they do may be extensive or it may be limited. It might be for the next week or month or it might be for the next couple of years. It might cover a work group or it might cover an entire division. No matter what type or extent of planning a manager does, the important thing is that planning takes place. Without planning, there would be nothing for managers to organize, lead, or control. Based on the numerous accomplishments that Starbucks has achieved through the efforts of its employees, managers, no doubt, have done their planning. Company Goals As of April 2006, Starbucks had 11,377 stores in 37 countries. During the 30 weeks that ended April 30, the company opened 755 new stores in the United States and 381 new stores overseas. However, that's a far cry from where the company wants and intends to be someday. CEO Jim Donald says Starbucks' long-term goal is 15,000 U. S. stores and 30,000 stores globally. For 2006, the company's goal is to open approximately 1,800 new stores globally and to reach about $7. 6 billion in revenues. Goals for the next 3 to 5 years include attaining total net revenue growth of 20 percent and earnings per share growth between 20 to 25 percent. In addition to its financial and other growth goals, Starbucks has an even â€Å"glitzier† goal. It wants to have a hand in helping define society’s pop culture menu. Although this goal takes Starbucks beyond its coffee roots, it seems to fit well with the unconventional approach to business that Howard Schultz has followed from the beginning. Company Strategies Starbucks has been called the most dynamic retail brand conceived over the last 2 decades. It has been able to rise above the commodity nature of its product and become a global brand leader by reinventing the coffee experience. Millions of times each week, a customer receives a drink from a Starbucks barista. It’s a reflection of the success that Howard Schultz has had in creating something that never really existed in the United States—cafe life. And in so doing, he created a cultural phenomenon. Starbucks is changing what we eat and drink. It’s altering where we work and play. It’s shaping how we spend time and money. No one is more surprised by this cultural impact than Howard Schultz. He says, â€Å"It amazes all of us how we've become part of popular culture. Our customers have given us permission to extend the experience. † Starbucks has found a way to appeal to practically every customer demographic as its customers cover a broad base. It’s not just the affluent or the urban professionals and it's not just the intellectuals or the creative types who frequent Starbucks. You'll find soccer moms, construction workers, bank tellers, and clerical assistants at Starbucks. And despite the high price of its products, customers pay it because they think it's worth it. What they get for that price is some of the finest coffee available commercially, custom preparation, and, of course, that Starbucks ambiance——the music, the comfy chairs, the aromas, the hissing steam from the espresso machine—all invoking that warm feeling of community and connection that Schultz experienced on his first business trip to Italy and knew instinctively could work elsewhere. There's no hiding the fact that Starbucks’ broad strategy is to grow into a global empire. Howard Schultz says, â€Å"We are in the second inning of a 9-inning game. We are just beginning to tap into all sorts of new markets, new customers, and new products. But any growth that Starbucks pursues is done so with great care and planning. CEO Jim Donald says that all company growth is governed by whether quality can be maintained. If there is any uncertainty about quality, a new strategy won’t fly, no matter how good it might seem. Starbucks has designed its growth strategies to exploit the customer connections it has so carefully nurtured and the brand equity it has so masterfully built. And company executives have taken the company in new directions even while continuing to grow store numbers and locations and increasing same—store sales. As the world’s number-one specialty coffee retailer, Starbucks sells coffee drinks, food items, coffee beans, and coffee—related accessories and equipment. In addition, Starbucks sells whole bean coffees through a specialty sales group and grocery stores. Starbucks has grown beyond coffee into related businesses such as coffee—flavored ice cream and ready-to-drink coffee beverages. These Starbucks branded products have been developed with other companies. For instance, its Frappuccino and DoubleShot coffee drinks were developed with Pepsi-Cola. Its Starbucks Ice Cream was developed with Dreyer's. In early 2006, Starbucks launched its ready-to-drink coffee drink, Starbucks Iced Coffee, through a joint venture with Pepsi-Cola. The company extended its success at brand extensions to selected global markets when it launched a fresh Starbucks-branded premium ready-to-drink chilled coffee called Starbucks Discoveries in convenience stores in Taiwan and Japan. This product was enthusiastically embraced by customers immediately. In addition, Starbucks markets a selection of premium tea products since its acquisition of Tazo, LLC. Starbucks has also pursued other strategic initiatives to enhance its core business. For instance, in November 2001, the company launched the Starbucks prepaid card. Since that time, more than 77 million prepaid cards have been activated and loaded with more than $1 billion. The director of Starbucks global card services says, â€Å"We've been pleasantly surprised by the card business, by how fast it's grown in percentage of tender, and how people use the card. It offers so many opportunities to grow from there. It's one of our fastest-growing channels. Industry experts say that part of the reason for its success is its dual use–as gift cards and for customer loyalty. Also important to its success, however; is the fact that the company has made it easy to purchase, reload, and use. The company is on the leading edge in finding innovative ways to get the prepaid cards into potential customers' hands such as parent—student cards, gift-card malls, and business gifts and i ncentives. Having conquered the coffee business, one of the company’s most interesting brand extensions has been music. Selling music at Starbucks began when a store manager made tapes for his store. These tapes proved to be so popular that the company began licensing music compilation CDs for sale. Initially, Howard Schultz had to be persuaded about this product and recalls, â€Å"I began to understand that our customers looked to Starbucks as kind of editor. It was like . . . we trust you. Help us choose. † And it you think about it, music has always been part of the cafe or coffeehouse experience. In addition to selling its private—label CDs, the company launched the HearMusic Cafe in Santa Monica, California, in March 2004. At these stores, customers burn their own compilation CDs. After sampling selections, if they choose to buy, customers can walk up to a music â€Å"bar† and order a custom CD with any variation of songs and have it delivered to their table when it’s completed. Based on the success Starbucks has had with music, it decided to selectively link the Starbucks brand with certain kinds of movies, the first being Akeelah and the Bee. The president of Starbucks Entertainment division says, â€Å"Movies are a very important part of our entertainment strategy. The thought was to start with music, build some success, establish credibility, and then move into films. Eventually, the company wants to be a destination not just for java but also for music, movies, books, and more. Not everything that Starbucks touches turns to gold. One of its big flops was a magazine called Joe launched by the company and Time. It lasted three issues before being called off. A carbonated coffee beverage product called Mazagran, developed with Pepsi—Col a, never made it to market. Too, Starbucks decided to close its Torrefazione Italia cafes when they didn't meet the goals set for them. What about the core industry Starbucks is in? How is it doing? The hot drinks market continues to sizzle. It's forecasted to increase 10. 9 percent between now and 2010. In addition, the 2006 National Coffee Drinking Trends report of the National Coffee Association of the United States says that coffee tied soft drinks in daily market penetration for the first time since 1990. And Starbucks wants to remain at the forefront of the industry. Some 24 percent of Starbucks customers visit 16 times per month—a number that no other fast—food chain even comes close to. There's no doubt that Howard Schultz has built and continues to build Starbucks to be big. Growth has been funded through cash flow, not by selling stock or by using debt financing. Some of the new ideas to be implemented include an aggressive roll-out of drive-through windows, which now number more than 1,000 U. S. locations and 35 Canadian sites; a co-branded Web site between Yahoo! and Starbucks where online daters can arrange to meet and drink free coffee; a partnership between Starbucks and Kellogg that created a hot breakfast product; and two new banana-based blended drinks. Discussion Questions 1. Starbucks has some pretty specific goals it wants to achieve. Given this, do you think managers would be more likely to make rational decisions, bounded rationality decisions, or intuitive decisions? Explain. 2. Give examples of decisions that Starbucks managers might make under conditions of certainty. Under conditions of risk. Under conditions of uncertainty. 3. Make a list of Starbucks’ goals. Describe what type of goal each is. Then, describe how that stated goal might affect, how the following employees do their jobs: (a) a part-time store employee-—a barista—in Omaha; (b) a quality assurance technician at the company's roasting plant in Carson City, Nevada; (c) a regional sales manager; (d) the senior vice president of new markets; and (e) the CEO. . Discuss the types of growth strategies that Starbucks has used. Be specific. 5. Evaluate the growth strategies Starbucks is using. What do you think it will take for these strategies to be successful? 6. What competitive advantage(s) do you think Starbucks has? What will it have to do to maintain that (those) competitive advantage(s)? 7. Do you think the Starbucks brand can become too saturated ·Ã¢â‚¬â€t hat is, extended to too many different products? Why or why not? 8. What companies might be good benchmarks for Starbucks? Why? What companies might want to benchmark Starbucks? Why? 9. Describe how the following Starbucks managers might use forecasting, budgeting, and scheduling (be specific): (a) a retail store manager; (b) a regional marketing manager; (c) the manager of global trends; and (d) the CEO. 10. Describe Howard Schultz as a strategic leader. 11. Is Starbucks â€Å"living† its mission? Explain. (You can find the company mission on its Web site, www. starbucks. com or in the continuing case found at the end of Part 2. 12. Do a brief SWOT analysis of Starbucks.