Gobalisation and Corporate Social Responsibility Essay

Gobalisation and Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example study will focus on the example of a Japanese company, Toyota Motors Corporation, which has slowly but surely gone up in the ranking of profitable automotive manufacturing companies. According to several recent news reports, it has taken over General Motors Corporation as the number one company in terms of sales in the biggest automotive market in the world: the United States of America. The abstract is a 150-word (or less) summary of the key points of the research paper and will inform the interested reader what the research paper is about, how the researcher gathered and analysed information, and what conclusions were formulated. The Introduction contains a brief background of the major topics that would be researched and discussed in the research paper. This also contains the research objectives of the paper, how the research would be carried out (research methods), and how the data gathered would be analysed (methods of data analysis). This portion would also lay out the key terminologies that would need to be defined in the paper, such as globalisation, corporate social responsibility, and production chains. For purposes of this preliminary proposal, the research objective would be as follows: â€Å"To assess and analyse the corporate social responsibility principles and practices of Toyota Motors Corporation (TMC) across its globalised production chain.† For the research study, the primary method for data gathering is through the use of secondary sources which are analysed under the guidance of the research objective. Secondary sources are published materials coming from the company concerned (Toyota Motors) or from other third-party sources such as journals, industry, academic, government or semi-government reports, and newspapers. The Internet would also be helpful in gathering secondary source data. These secondary sources contain important information on the topics being studied, which are the globalisation process, the production chain,

Environment Coursework Essay Example for Free

Environment Coursework Essay CO2 (Carbon dioxide) is a compound composed of two carbons and one oxygen, It is a colorless and odorless gas produced both naturally and through human activities like the burning of gasoline, coal, oil, and wood. People exhale or breathe out Carbon dioxide which releases it into the air. Carbon dioxide are higher in areas with heavier industrial activities due to many factors. Factors such as the number of people present the amount of outdoor fresh air entering the area and whether combustion by-products are contaminating the indoor. are just a few of the many carbon dioxide releasers. Carbon Dioxide is a gas used by plants during photosynthesis for the production of sugars which may either be re-consumed in respiration or used as raw materials to produce polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose, proteins and other organic compounds needed for plant growth and development. Plants role is photosynthesis is extremely important because it remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and uses it to produce oxygen. Deforestation cuts down many plants, trees and forest and reduces the trees available to absorb the carbon dioxide from our planet. CO (Carbon Monoxide) is a molecule that contains one carbon atom covalently bonded to one oxygen atom and is produced from partial oxidation of carbon compounds such as in internal combustion engines. Carbon monoxide burning in air with a characteristic blue flame will produce carbon dioxide. It is extremely toxic but plays a useful role in modern technology. Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO, is a colorless, odorless and tasteless, yet highly toxic gas. Its molecules consist of one carbon atom covalently bonded to one oxygen atom. It is the simplest oxocarbon, and can be viewed as the anhydride of formic acid. There are two covalent bonds and a coordinate covalent bond between the oxygen and carbon atoms. In urban areas, carbon monoxide reacts photochemically with aldehydes to produce a peroxy radical which reacts with nitrogen oxide to increase ratio of NO2 to NO, thus reducing the quality of NO to available to react with ozone. It is a constituent of tobacco smoking. Through natural processes in the atmosphere, it is eventually oxidized to carbon dioxide. Carbon monoxide concentrations are both short-lived in the atmosphere and spatially variable. CH4 is known as methane, a chemical compound that is also the simplest alkane and the principal component of natural gas. Methane is known to be a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential of 72 averaged over a period of 20 years. Methane is oxidized in the atmosphere thus, producing carbon dioxide and water. The Earths crust contains huge amounts of methane. Large amounts of methane are produced anaerobically by methanogenesis. Other sources include mud volcanoes, which are connected with deep geological faults, and livestock, primarily cows. Methane is used for electrical generations by being burned as a fuel in a gas turbine or steam boiler. Methane is also used as a vehicle fuel in the form of compressed natural gas and is claimed to be more environmentally friendly that fossil fuels such as gasoline and petroleum. Answer 2: Area =1000 1000 x 0. 625 gallon/inch x 0. 3 inch = 187. 5 gallons/ Rain = 0. 3 inches 0. 625 gallon/inch Answer 3: Ecosystem services are fundamental to human life. They not only help promote economic benefits but offer the protection of human health and safety. One ecosystem service essential for human life is fresh water. Fresh water is a source of supply that does not have technological substitute for at this time. There may be some water purification processes but it does not replace the need for replenishment of fresh water. The key to maintaining water purification services is to protect and restore the ecosystems that provide these services. The economic cost of this service is priceless in terms of money. Answer 4: Biogeochemical cycles are often disrupted by human activities such as cultivation of land to grow annual crops disrupts the nutrient balance in the soil. This results in the nutrients being removed from the area as the plants are being shipped off for food and the straw is removed for other purposes. Plant material then breaks down and farmers replenish the removed nutrients by adding fertilizer to the soil further disrupting the biogeochemical cycle. Logging is another way that disrupts biological chemical by reducing the amount of oxygen in the air and allow gave room for the buildup of carbon monoxide. When logging occurs, what happen is that millions of trees and plants are removed from the earths atmosphere making them unable to convert the carbon monoxide in the air into oxygen, thus, allowing carbon monoxide build up as well as reducing the overall amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. In order to help stop this disruption, we must find a way to protect the few natural land that we have left from the destruction of farming and logging by not being wasteful of the resources that are available to us and to make it a responsibility to recycling paper product as a part of our lifestyle. References: Raven, Peter H. , Johnson, George B. (2002). Biology. Boston. McGraw Hill.

Workforce Diversity And Competitive Advantage Commerce Essay

Workforce Diversity And Competitive Advantage Commerce Essay The purpose of this paper is to study the trend of leadership style over the relationship between organizations workforce diversity and its competitive advantage with mission and vision statements as intervening variable which shows the concern of organization leadership towards the diversity management. Most organizations are adopting diversity into their policies and procedures to embrace its benefits and there is a growing recognition that it makes business sense to take diversity seriously. The demographics of working population has changed in last two decades with more mature workforce remaining in the workplace and at the same time more female employees are seen in higher positions while having variation in their cultural backgrounds. Therefore, it seems beneficial for organizations to hire diverse workforce to meet the demands of customer expectations. Organizations that are flexible and responsive to a demanding marketplace require the service of multi-skilled and adaptable w orkforce. One clear competitive advantage for organizations having diverse workforce is that it provides an environment that values differences among employees and encourages them for different ways of thinking and behaving during work to fully contribute to organizational aims and objectives. Employers providing such an environment get the support of their employees and develop a positive public image. It must be understood that each member of diverse workforce holds his differences and similarities; hence, valuing and managing diversity is about recognizing the unique contribution each employee can make to the organization. It is about creating an environment in which everyone feels valued, welcomed, and able to make an important contribution toward the attainment of corporate objectives. Additionally, companies facing challenges in competing global marketplace for market share can use diversity as competitive advantage in a multicultural environment with a diverse pool of talente d and experienced individuals who can bring innovation and creativity to the organization. (U. Yozgat and F. Oben, 2009) studied the effects of leadership style on creativity which leads to the competitive advantage in organizations. This paper is to identify the organizational attitude towards the workforce diversity globally and comparing to Pakistan based organizations. The results showed the great concern of US and UK based organizations towards diversity management and no concern in Pakistan based organizations. Literature Review In this section, literature of workforce diversity is reviewed in correspondence with competitive advantage. Further, different types of leadership are discussed from the literature and then the role of leadership to achieve competitive advantage is reviewed. Workforce Diversity Diversity is not only associated to limited attributes that can be observed but also to those invisible characteristics such as differences in educational background, creativity, understanding, learning style, and problem-solving ability (Nafukho et al., 2011).So organizational performances and processes can be influenced by an individual or a group representing different categories of diversity within a workplace. (van Knippenberg and Schippers, 2007). Diversity is defined as any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another (Giovannini, 2004, p. 22). Hence, diversity affects the organizations effectiveness and performance in terms of competitive advantage. (Joshi and Roh, 2009; Klein et al., 2011). This presumes that performance has a relation with organizations ability to achieve goals with respect to its mission or vision (Devine and Philips, 2001). In other words, performance is deemed as an outcome which is a result of some purposeful activity t o achieve competitive advantage as mentioned in mission or vision statements of an organization (Swanson and Holton, 2009). As the organization strives to achieve its goals or objectives, conflict may arise within the diverse groups to cope up the challenges of differences among them which keep them from achieving organizational performance (Østergaard et al., 2011). Since, Human Resource Department (HRD) deals primarily with performance of individuals, groups and organization at large to achieve competitive advantage, so diverse workforce demands the attention of HRD scholars and practitioners on the issues that arise in organization basing on the differences. It can be observed in modern trends for companies to use diverse workforce for completing special tasks which help achieve competitive advantage (Garrison et al., 2010) and there is always potential for the occurrence of conflict among such diverse groups which can derail the organization from achieving effectiveness. Henc e, it becomes the responsibility of HRD to address such conflicts in advance and use the knowledge of how to build the high performing and productive teams of diverse workforce who can to the overall competitive advantage of organization (Klein et al., 2011). In the past two decades several academic researchers have conducted research on various issues relating diversity. Richard (2000) examined the impact of diversity on organization and its productivity while Jackson (1993) found the positive relationship between diversity and creativity. Diversity research has also addressed the factors involved in assimilating new employees into an organizations culture (Berry and Sam, 1997). However, some argue that by its fundamental nature, assimilating new employees to obtain greater fit between the person and organization is achieved at the expense of diversity (Powell, 1998). In other research, Tsui et al. (1992) showed that race and gender has negative relationship with diversity as compared to age. Other studies have also consistently found that observable attributes have negative effects on outcomes such as identification with the group and job satisfaction at both the individual and group level of analysis (Milliken and Martins, 1996). Furth er, Milliken and Martins (1996) supported the argument of Tsui et al. (1992) that racial and gender diversity can have negative influence on individual and team outcomes in some cases regardless of age. As an example, they referred to those groups members who differ from the larger group tend to show less commitment, more turnover and absenteeism while at the same time this results in additional costs, such as, group coordination cost, communication cost and training and development cost. So, according to them, diversity results in increase in coordination and control costs. Workforce Diversity and Competitive Advantage: Most companies find diversity as a way to gain competitive advantage by increasing business competency, improving net income, building the effectiveness to compete in global markets, improving business performance, achieving higher employee satisfaction, enhancing corporate governance, attracting diverse talents and skills and retaining the workforce that maintains the customer base (McCuiston et al., 2004). Moreover, culturally diverse workforce brings benefits to business economy (Ferley et al., 2003) and leads to better performance of the business (Richard, 2000). According to Adler (1997), a company with a diverse workforce has greater chances for building an innovative working environment. This statement is beautifully expressed in the words of White (1999), who states that creativity thrives on diversity. These benefits can be derived from the proper implementation of diversity-promoting policies (Jamrog, 2002). Many firms today seem to be increasingly embracing racial, ethnic and gender workforce balance, not for legal or ethical obligations, but as a matter of taking a progressive perspective on economic self-interest (Coil and Rice, 1993). It has been recognized recently that increasing diverse workforce has presented both opportunities and challenges for organizations which are striving for efficiency, innovativeness and global competitive advantage (Barak, 1999). As the global markets are getting more complex, utilization of organizations knowledge, skills and abilities is getting even more crucial in this rapidly increasing competition where organizations want to be more creative and innovative (Ng and Tung, 1998). In order to manage the growing diversity of the work force, organizations need to implement such systems and practices so that the potential advantages of diversity are maximized and the potential disadvantages are minimized (Cox, 1994). Managers in the organizations prove to be ineffective when dealing with a diverse workforce and language is reported as main hurdle when communication fails between the different nationals in employment Dadfar and Gustavsson (1992). However this negativity of the diverse workforce can be handled successfully by taking effective and rational decisions Watson et al. (1993). Those who decide to have diversity as a source of creativity and innovation, this proves to be much challenging to manage a diversified workforce. Many businesses experience failure when attempt to employ the diversity in its full picture to see its results on operations of the organizations (Farrer, 2004), as it demands the much energy and attention to manage the diversity. Effective diversity management have to cope with many of challenges like work ethics, authority, work relations, culture and ethical standards (McCuiston et al., 2004). Leadership In the literature, many authors which have interest in studying topic of leadership, offered definitions of leadership and defined this concept as a complex process by which a person influences others, applying his/her leadership attributes like belief, values, ethics, character, knowledge and skills, to accomplish a mission, task or objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent (Greenberg Baron, 2000). In addition to, it is seen that there are differences in connection with the types of leadership. Burns (1978) was one of the firsts to identify two types of leadership styles, transformational and transactional. Leadership remained the single most important issue in annual surveys for identifying top management issues during all times (HRI, 2002a). To manage a diverse workforce, organizations need visionary leaders but availability of them is scarce. According to the study by Diversity Inc. (2002), it is forecasted that many top management of several leading companies will lose one in five top managers due to retirement. Let alone, US companies will lose 40 percent or more of their top executives till 2015 (Wellins and Byham, 2001). One solution offered to this scarcity is to develop leaders at every level and in every function in an organization (Hesselbein, 2002). For this solution, Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society (2002) advised the most effective leadership components to manage diversity, which are: Sensitivity and awareness about diverse workforce. Resources to strengthen and improve the quality of diverse individuals Inter-communication skills to solve mutual differences Strategies to maximize the effectiveness of diverse workforce. The goal should be to develop cross-cultural leaders and generate a new crop of multicultural professionals (Yukl, 2002). These leaders are provided with the required resources and authorities to manage workforce. The focus should be to enhance their listening, learning, networking, communication, and experimenting skills to manage a diverse workforce (Melymuka, 2001). Finally an effective strategy must be developed to include diversity at all levels of management, and there must be commitment to diversity at senior levels where it is strategically more important (Conklin, 2001). This strategy must be evident in organizations mission and vision statement and should involve a systemic, results-oriented, business-based approach (Fitzpatrick, 1997). Yet companies do not seek diversity unless this business competency results in increased profit and metrics that substantiate the necessity to expand the emphasis on diversity (Diversity Inc., 2002). Irrefutable measurable benefits can be de rived from properly implemented policies to promote diversity (Jamrog, 2002). The most evident measurable benefits are improved bottom line, competitive advantage, superior business performance, employee satisfaction and loyalty, strengthened relationship with multicultural communities, and attracting the best and the brightest candidates. Competitive advantage defined in diversity as, Recruiting and retaining people of diverse backgrounds who can share a common set of values. . .and approach to business is a priority for todays competitive organization (McCormack, 2002, p. 1). Jamrog (2002) suggested three-point approach to enhance effectiveness of leadership to manage diverse workforce: premise, guidelines and actions. There are three premises that leaders need to value diversity: (1) One size doesnt fit all leaders need to use different approaches for solving problems and developing workers as all situations and individuals are not the same, (2) Not everyone can be a leader organizational should focus only on individuals who have the ingredients of becoming a good leader, and (3) Leaders can be at any level or function anyone who can inspire, influence and guide others in the organization is a leader regardless of position. The five guidelines that leaders need to value diversity are: (1) Communicate, communicate, and communicate share freely your ideas, suggestions, opinions; listen to ideas of others with interest, (2) Build contact into your daily actions and duties Plan your actions, meetings, and duties so as to maximize contact with multiple p eople in the organization. (3) Manage and lead by walking around Be outside the office frequently and interact informally with others of different levels, functions, backgrounds and experience, (4) Champion diversity Bring in the contribution of everyone to increase commitment, innovation and creativity, and (5) Sponsor diversity Defend the decisions, actions and interactions while supporting everyone in the organization. Lastly, the five actions that leaders need to value diversity are: (1) Assessment of leadership potential within the organizations, (2) Provision of training and tools, (3) Inclusion of diversity at all levels, (4) measuring and rewarding efforts, and (5) encouraging the organization to be patient. (Daniel Goleman, 2000) explored different leadership styles to affect the organizations in successful manner. (Malini Janakiraman,2011) identified the concern of the business leaders in treating the diversity management as a source of attaining and sustaining the comp etitive advantage. Organizational vision and mission is strongly related with leadership styles (John J. Sandi L., 2007), which includes the mentioning of competitive advantage explicitly. (John A. Pearce II Fred David, 1987) identified the competitive advantage as a major component in the organizations mission statement. Conceptual Framework: The literature reviewed thus far indicates that there is a positive relationship between workforce diversity and the benefits derived by organizations in the form of competitive advantage (McCuiston et al., 2004). Mission statement should mention the competitive advantages ( John A. Pearce II, Fred David, 1987) so that the goals and objectives can be aligned to attain or sustain the competitive advantage of the organization. Organizations using the diversity management as a competitive advantage or basis for then the organization are to mention the diversity in their mission statement. This study goes around finding the different country based organizations dealing the diversity management as a competitive advantage and the countries not taking it as strength to capitalize for competitive advantages. Data Collection: The data in this paper is based on top 100 companies of Forbes Global 2000 (2012). The mission, vision and strategy statements of these 100 companies are studied carefully. The website links of these statements are provided at the end of this paper in Appendix I. During the study, two of these companies are omitted from the list because both were in Portuguese language and further two are added to complete the list. Moreover, 50 companies of Pakistan from KSE-100 Index (2012) are also studied. The website links of the mission, vision and strategy statements reviewed are also provided in Appendix II of this paper. During the data collection, it was made sure that a company from every sector with revenue over Rs.1 billion is included. Those multinational companies that are working in Pakistan and listed at KSE-100 index were omitted to avoid double entry. The date is shown in following table. Region Diversity No Diversity America 30 8 Europe 25 12 Asia 10 15 Pakistan 1 49 Overall 66 84 Source: http://www.forbes.com/global2000/list/ The criterion set to study these statements is to find the exact word diversity in the mission, vision or strategy statements of these companies. The data collected is shown in following graph. The American region comprising North and West Continents seems to have more awareness about workforce diversity, as shown in the table. While there is no surprise that only one company (KAPCO) in Pakistan mentions diversity in its vision statement. Findings and Conclusion: The results depict that those companies which are multinational require a clear vision and strategy about workforce diversity. North and South American countries including USA, Canada, Brazil, and Chile have more awareness of workforce diversity while European countries are also inclined towards it. Findings also indicate that Asian companies are not as diverse as rest of global players because most of these are located in China, Japan and South Korea. Moreover, companies leadership plays a considerable role in inclusion of diversity because usually the top brass establishes the vision, mission and strategy of the company. So, the role of top leadership may not be ignored here. This paper began with the review of diversity and its role in achieving competitive advantage. Further going through the literature it linked to leadership because to include diversity for achieving competitive advantage, managerial leadership needs to have better vision. This evidence in literature was also shown that leadership moderates the affect of diversity to achieve competitive advantage. The requirements of becoming a visionary leader are further discussed which can influence the mission, vision and strategy of the organization. The limitation in this study was the time-frame due to which the exact leadership style could not be established. In future research, a leadership survey can be conducted to determine the style of leadership which can be beneficial for diversity inclusion.

Don Juan Ponce De Leon :: essays research papers

Spanish 10th essay Ponce De Leon Don Juan Ponce de Leon "To bad he had to kick the bucket!" 	Don Juan Ponce de Leon was a Spanish conqueror and explorer. He was born around 1460 in San Tervas de Campos, Spain. Ponce de Leon lived during an age of great discovery and excitement. Ponce de Leon is well known, claiming and naming what is now Florida, the discovery of Puerto Rico, and his never-ending search for the old time classic, the Fountain of Youth! On November 19, 1493 Ponce de Leon was one of the first Europeans to see the small island of Borinquen, the Indian name for Puerto Rico. Ponce de Leon sailed to Puerto Rico in 1506 with two hundred men to the island and found out that it had rich gold deposits. He enslaved the natives, and forced them to mine gold for him. Ponce de Leon left Puerto Rico and returned again in 1508 this time he brought with him only fifty men. On this voyage his ship went through a terrible storm that caused him to run onto the rocks on two occasions. The crew was forced to throw over much of their supplies in order to keep the ship from sinking. After Ponce de Leon finally arrived in Puerto Rico he became the governor of the island. This caused him to become very wealthy, and the most powerful man on the island, who only received orders from the kind himself! In 1511 King Ferdinand ordered Ponce de Leon replaced as governor by Diego Columbus. Life for Ponce de Leon would have been difficult if he stayed in Puerto Rico since much of his power over the island was taken when his rank was taken away. It was at this time that Ponce de Leon began his search for the Fountain of Youth. Many historians feel it was not only to discover the LENGENDARY waters, but also for the gold and silver that was supposed to be at the sight of the fountain. Ponce de Leon explored many regional islands in his search for the Fountain of Youth, including the Bahamas and Bimini. It was during Ponce de Leon's search for the Fountain of Youth that he came to a land that he eventually named, La Florida or "land of flowers". He made two visits to this new land. On his first visit the native inhabitants were friendly to Ponce de Leon and his men.

American domestic life after World War II Essay

Assess some of the important changes to take place in American domestic life after World War II. This essay will deal with the following changes which took place in American domestic life after World War II; the growth in population and mobility, suburbanization, the consequences of suburbanization in the cities, the role of women in the post-war years and the status of African Americans. The Second World War brought suffering, destruction and devastation in Europe and to the rest of the world. Ironically, America, for her relatively less sacrifices, gained an unprecedented growth in the economy which manifested in booming industries in all spheres of America. In the first two decades after the war, America was transformed on such a scale that the rest of the economic powers could not match her in many decades to come. The American economy had grown during World War II, but it grew even stronger after the War. The American Gross National Product (GNP) increased from $200 billion in 1940 to $300 billion in 1950 but it reached$ 500 billion in 19601. The advances in technological development during the war have been transferred to manufacturing cars, televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners and several other domestic gadgets. As the economy was growing, so the wages increased which meant that new products were made and sold constantly. Television became a major part of America’s daily life, which not only provided the entertainment but it also exposed the people to advertisements and commercials. The unsuspecting public was buying all kind of devices available whether they were necessary or not. Advertising managers realised the power of commercials and huge financial gains therefore concentrated on improving their art of enticing the public. Computer technology had replaced the large and slow machines so the economy prospered rapidly. The result was the American middle class moved up the ladder and became upper middle class and some of the working class stepped up towards middle class. In contrast, African Americans and the poor white population stayed at the bottom of the pile and were not given the same opportunities to share the fruit of the prosperity. The birth-rate increased during the war but it peaked after the war. The population increased by 19 million in the 1940s, which was over twice the rise in the 1930s and later jumped up to 29 million in the 1950s. Although the rising birth rate was the main reason for the population growth, so the advancement in curing the illnesses meant that the death rate decreased. Therefore the average life expectancy for whites was 70 years and for blacks 642. As the population grew the people started moving towards the Pacific states more quickly than the other parts of America. The cities in Southwest grew more rapidly, for example Houston, Albuquerque, Tucson, and Phoenix. Los Angeles replaced Philadelphia as the third largest city, and California took over New York as America’s most populous state. In the 1950s the white middle class population moved out of crowded cities to the suburban areas. They moved to suburban areas to buy their own homes with gardens and garages. The building industry met the growing demand of new and better housing at faster rate than ever. The houses were built by developers such as William Levitt on a massive scale which were cheap, simple but comfortable. However, many American did not like the new housing developments and labelled them,’ugly boxes arranged in circles’ especially the architect profession. Architectural critic Lewis Mumford described such suburbs as: ‘a multitude of uniform, unidentifiable houses, lined up inflexibly, at uniform distances, on uniform roads, in treeless communal wasteland, inhabited by people of the same class, the same income, the same wage group’.3 The ownership of these houses was helped along through Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Administration (VA) who provided the loans on easy terms. The other factor was the availability of cars; people no longer depended on public transport. Car production increased from 2 million in 1946 to 8 million in 1955. The government began to build the highways on a large scale and linked them with different parts of the country. In June 1956, Congress authorised $32 billion to build new highways. By creating 56,000 miles of highways, federal government helped industry and commerce to move outside the cities4. The justification was that it would not only make people’s journeys easier it would also make the evacuation quicker in the event of nuclear war. Whatever the motivation was businesses began to realise where their future lay, so they began to move their businesses to suburbs. New shopping centres were built all over the country with entertainment, leisure and sports facilities. As a result, employment was brought to the door step and so people no longer travelled to cities to spend their money. Instead people from cities came to suburban areas to spend their dollars. The black people, the other minorities, and the poor section of the white population shopped in their localities where quality was decreasing and prices were increasing. For these ever growing mobile customers the franchise system was established. The first franchise right was bought from a fast-food establishment by a young entrepreneur Ray Kroc, and then gradually the franchise system became a prominent pattern in the country. While the Levitt development was satisfying one section of the community, the rest of the building industry started to cater for a wider range of income groups. These housing developments included shopping centres, schools, and churches. The private builders were proving to be successful in providing housing for American’s suburban families. Soon, all over the country the pattern was repeated as moderate-income families settled for inexpensive prefabricated dwellings in the fringes of the cities. These were in part for the war veterans helped by FHA and VA, but these facilities were not available to black war veterans. The wealthier population chose architect-designed houses in suburbia. However, again this development was mainly for the white population and was not available to blacks. This meant that segregation and discrimination was systematically continued and deepened the division between two races. The white population was moving out of crowded cities to better housing and a cleaner environment, and blacks were moving into the cities where the living standard was low, but factory work and other manual jobs were available to them. The result was that as the white population declined in the cities the black population increased. Other minorities such as Hispanics and Native Americans did not share in the benefits of the American Dream and like black people were treated as second-class citizens. On the surface, cities were losing out to suburban areas as the races shifted. Indeed, some fundamental changes were taking place underneath; the American social fabric was changing with equal speed. The gap was not only widening between the living standards of white people, it was becoming more prominent between cultures but it was ignored in the daze of prosperity. The building industry was helped by several Congressional laws to build the new houses in suburban areas. By 1972 some 11 million families owned their own houses with the help of the FHA. 22 million people had improved their properties with the aid of the VA in owner-occupied units. Some people were paying fewer for their mortgages on their new houses than they would have paid in rent for their rooms in the city. The FHA reinforced the racial segregation policy by refusing to assist the racially mixed cities to build new houses or improve the old ones. According to an administrator, ‘[it is] a conservative business operation rather than a programme of providing housing for all social groups on an equal bases’5. Consequently, the black population was not only deprived from better housing they were losing out from all the other facilities; good healthcare, recreational facilities, and better shopping facilities. The impact of the firms and white population moving out from the cities to suburban areas was that jobs and tax revenue were no longer available to improve the urban areas. In addition, the older and larger manufacturing firms were making losses and declining while tailor-made factories in suburban areas were growing and extending and creating new jobs. The blacks were expecting that their sacrifices during the war would be recognised and acknowledged by sharing in the economic boom, but instead they were overlooked once again. After the war women were expected to return to their traditional roles, whereas during the war they took over the jobs of servicemen and adjusted to their new roles comfortably. However, on their return from the War, men were given their jobs back and the women reluctantly retreated to their homes. Some women carried on working and others got married, stayed at home and looked after their children. Although women adjusted to their shifting roles, doubts and questions were beginning to surface. Women were again pulled back into the job market during the Korean and Vietnam wars. The labour saving devices in the home gave women freedom to work outside the home. Women also found it necessary to work in order to secure their newly defined identity. The number of working women doubled between 1940 and 1960. Prior to the Second World War, the majority of employed married woman came from a lower income family, but in the post-war women from middle class joined in as the first group tailored off. During the 1950s and 1960s, the women contributed 15 to 25 percent to their household income6. Women increased their white-collar jobs at a faster rate than men during the 1970s, but by the end of the decade they were still at the bottom of wage scale. It is a fact that after World War II, in the first two decades the United States economy grew at such a scale that it has changed American society and its standing in the world as a superpower. The wealth generated in those post-war years had been used in the development of the country’s infrastructure. The advances in living standards, schools, research, training for engineers and scientists and improved farming techniques as well as the network of highways meant that America was transformed. The technological advances were not limited to provide consumer goods; they also made the American military machine the most advanced force in the world. America won the space race, but it failed to include its black race in their astronomical and earthly achievements. However, the scale of its economic and technological achievements was matched by the disruption in the social fabric of the nation as its inequalities and injustices were magnified. The implications of the divisions created by this skewed economic growth will have its effects in the centuries to come, in racial tension, in domestic crime and social trends, and internationally as American culture is adopted as an aspiration for a globalise and consumer-centric world. Bibliography Books Chafe, W.H. The Unfinished Journey: America since World War II. Fourth Edition (Oxford University Press 1999). Issel, W. The Contemporary United States: Social Change in the United States 1945-1983 (London Macmillan Publishers LTD1985). Winkler, A.M. Modern America: United States from World War II to the Present. (New York Harper & Row Publishers 1985). Boyer, P.at al. The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People. Concise 4th edition (Boston, 2002). Brogan, H. The Penguin History of the USA. New edition (London Penguin 2001) 1 A.M.Winkler, Modern America: United States from World War 11 to present.p.82. 2 Ibid.,p.84 3 W. H. Chafe. The Unfinished Journey: America since World War II. p.117. 4W. Issel. The Contemporary United States: Social change in the United States. p. 92. 5 W. Issel. The Contemporary United States: Social change in the United States. P. 90. 6 A.M. Winkler. Modern America: United States from World War 11 to the Present. p.78.

Clean Edge Razor: Splitting Hairs in Product Positioning

Clean Edge Razor: Splitting Hairs in Product Positioning Name: Yuanxu He (Jason) Semester: Fall, 2012 Course Number: MBA 812A Date of paper: September 25th, 2012 Executive Summary The Clean Edge which is Paramount’s newest nondisposable razor has powerful influence in the market since 2010. It was improved design and used the new skills to make the razor’s properties become better than before. Lots of men like it and consider it was the closest, cleanest and smoothest. The article analysis the Paramount’s situation, competition, product positioning, marketing strategy through the U. S. azor market, market segments and consumer behavior and the trends of nondisposable razors and refill cartridges. After the company overview, the analysis of competition, design and testing and compare the marketing budget, Randall think that the Clean Edge has the significant mainstream potential and will become the new standard in men’s shaving. 1. Non-disposable razor category has changed a lot these years. The article pointed that nondisposable razors experienced approximately 5% growth per year from 2007 to 2010. Numerous innovations and product in the super-premium segment has grown a lot.The expenses of advertising increased a lot because of the need to promote new benefits from advances in razor technologies. Changes in retail channel distribution have also been noted in the category. Male-specific grooming products seemed to be a bright spot in the industry from 2007 to 2010 and the segment saw much more growth because shaving became more than just shaving – it started to include body spray, fragranced shower gel and skincare lines proliferated. Channel distribution for the razor category has become increasingly important through the Exhibit 4. It has been quite demand for male-grooming products.Competitive Position: Paramount has been a global consumer products giant with over $13 billion in worldwide sales an d $7 billion in gross profits for 2009 since it entered the nondisposable razor market in 1962. Paramount established itself as unit-volume market-leader in 2009 based on nondisposable razor sales. The nondisposable razor category market is entering a new phase with technology products and new competitors entering the market, it’s a threat to Paramount. Strategic Life Cycle Challenges: Consumers are becoming more experienced and always looking for new technologies.Namely, they want to spend more money and buy products which are satisfy the necessity of a smooth shaving experience. In other words, through the Exhibit 1, there is a category of consumers called â€Å"Maintenance users† that made up 33% of consumers; they were not interested in buying products with superior technology. These consumers cannot be ignored. So, to the challenges, it should provide a product with good cost x benefit but with a short life cycle for the 33% called â€Å"Maintenance users† keeping these users buying their products and interested in their brands. And then, launch the Clean Edge product with a longer life cycle. Meanwhile, making this product profitable creating a high quality from the consumer when they buy cartridges for refill.2. The nondisposable razor market is segmented to three parts base on price and quality which are: value, moderate and super-premium. From 2009, consumers purchased razors and replacement cartridges more frequently and they were distinct to â€Å"Maintenance Shavers†, â€Å"Social/Emotional† and Aesthetic†. The â€Å"Maintenance Shavers† who almost not interested in the product category. The â€Å"Social/Emotional† shavers were motivated by the overall shaving experience and â€Å"Aesthetic† shavers were interested in cosmetic results.3. Niche| Mainstream| Pros| Cons| Pros| Cons| Increase profits and market share| Increased marketing budget costs to launch the new product and provide inc entives to â€Å"Maintenance users†| Increase profits| Potentially could result in elimination of Paramount Pro| Existing products can be retained and used to target â€Å"Maintenance users†| | Increase market share| Paramount will not be focusing â€Å"Maintenance  users† with new product line| Branding strategy can be arefully planned and deployed for maximum success| | Help prevent loyal Paramount customers form being wooed away to more innovative brands| Opportunity to utilize existing products and gain increased sales| Through the pros and cons, I will recommend the Clean Edge for a niche strategy. Because Rosenberg said that they will siphon off consumers if he considered a mainstream positioning strategy. A niche strategy will make more sense.4. | Niche| Mainstream| Planned capacity Razor (Year 1)| 1. 0| 3. 3| (Year 2)| 1. 5| 4. 0| Razor: Production per unit cost| $ 5. 00| $ 4. 74| Razor: Manufacturer price| $ 9. 09| $ 7. 83| Razor: Suggested price| $ 1 2. 99| $ 11. 19| Revenue (Year 1)| 9. 09| 25. 84| (Year 2)| 13. 64| 31. 32| Production Costs (Year 1)| 5| 15. 64| (Year 2)| 7. 5| 18. 96| | Planned capacity Cartridge (Year 1)| 4. 0| 9. 9| (Year 2)| 10. 0| 21. 9| Average Production unit cost| $ 2. 43| $ 2. 24|Manufacturer price| $ 7. 35| $ 6. 22| Suggested price| $ 10. 50| $ 8. 89| Revenue (Year 1)| 29. 4| 61. 58| (Year 2)| 73. 5| 136. 22| Production Costs (Year 1)| 9. 72| 22. 18| (Year 2)| 24. 3| 49. 06| | Capacity costs (Year 1)| $ 0. 61| $ 1. 71| (Year 2)| $ 0. 87| $ 2. 45| Advertising (Year 1)| $ 7| $ 19| (Year 2)| $ 7| $ 17| Consumer (Year 1)| $ 6| $ 17| (Year 2)| $ 6| $ 14| Trade promotions (Year 1)| $ 2| $ 6| Year 2)| $ 3| $ 8| Subtotal of Other Costs (Year 1)| 15. 61| 43. 71| (Year 2)| 16. 87| 41. 45| Total Costs (Year 1)| 30. 33| 81. 53| (Year 2)| 48. 67| 109. 47| Trough the chat above which compares the revenues and costs, it’s easily to find out the Niche is the better one. About the marketing budget, through the c omparing, the advertising and promotion of Clean Edge Razor is $15m and $ 16m, and we can reduce the budget for existing products of advertising.Because the consumers become more sophisticated and the research shows that these will be the mature phrase of the product life cycle in the future. I consider that if it launch the product to the Niche market, it will bring a huge profit to Paramount. So, I want to make the brand name called The Clean Edge Razor by Paramount.ConclusionBy the time, consumers really purchased razors and replacement cartridges more frequently than they than in any year previously. It’s no doubt that the Clean Edge has huge potential in the super-premium segment.It should keep developing by the Niche strategy and this will bring the biggest benefits and profit to the company and beat the other competitors.Work Cited S. E. Smith, â€Å"One Tool, Many Uses: Single Edge Razor†, (Aug 02, 2012), http://www. networx. com/article/one-tool-many-uses-sing le-edge-razorJeremy Pingul, â€Å"Paramount Health & Beauty: The Clean Edge Razor†, (2012, January), http://prezi. com/pjd6evuzfndc/paramount-health-beauty-the-clean-edge-razor/

Moral and Political Justice essays

Moral and Political Justice essays Affirmative action is the nations most ambitious attempt to redress its long history of racial and sexual discrimination. Born of the civil rights movement three decades ago, the policy calls for minorities to be given special consideration in employment, education, and contracting decisions. Institutions with affirmative action policies generally set goals and timetables for increased diversity and use recruitment, set-asides and preference as ways of achieving those goals. Affirmative action is undoubtedly an issue of justice. From this point forward well define justice as it is found in Merriam-Webster: the maintenance and administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims; the assignment of merited rewards or punishments. Furthermore, for the issue to be thoroughly understood we must approach it from both a moral and political perspective. What does it mean to be morally just... politically just? The discrepancy in definition will inevitably be displayed in their determination on the issue. The term moral justice suggests an abstract, idealistic system which bases its rulings on a universal code of morality and ethics. To be moral is to conform to a standard of right behavior, always operating with ethical judgment. One would think this to be a faultless system. Political justice, on the other hand, seems more realistically applicable in human society. Every system of justice is created with the same primary intent- to uphold a nations standard of living. We are granted rights as humans and citizens and are prohibited from inflicting on others rights. This must be the foundation of any system. While moral justice remains consistent and uncompromising, political justice is dependent upon government rule and socio-economic factors. In countries where there exists an oligarchy or dictatorship, justice can be misconstrued to mean whatever proves to be ben ...

Critical Appraisal of healing in place of decline. Hamilton, Canada. Essay Example

Critical Appraisal of healing in place of decline. Hamilton, Canada. Essay Example Critical Appraisal of healing in place of decline. Hamilton, Canada. Essay Critical Appraisal of healing in place of decline. Hamilton, Canada. Essay Essay Topic: Hamilton Landscapes of a place provide for hurting or healing an individual living in the place. A place of residence provides identity and security to the person. It is the â€Å"setting of daily life† (Gesler 1992, 1993; Porteous. 1990). With improvement in economic conditions industrial places were labeled as ‘places of decline’. â€Å"Access to unadulterated nature and to green space has become central to conceptions of individual health and community well being† (Gesler, 1993; de Vries et el 2003; Takano et al; 2002). Certain places may become stigmatized and the people living in these places are assumed to lack awareness. â€Å"Individuals rarely identify their own neighborhood as polluted in relation to others. †(Bush et al 2001 and Bickerstaff and Walker 2001). The main objective of the case study made by Sarah Wakefield and Colin McMullan on Hamilton, an industrial city in Canada is to establish that renegotiation of local place image is central to the maintenance of wellbeing of its residents. The Central theme of this study is based on, how healing processes play a part in less than pristine places, unhealthy places. The case study includes in depth interviews with local residents, local officials and reports with details of descriptions of the areas and the feedback responses from the respondents between July 1996 and March 1999. Three separate research programs conducted in two suburban communities . It had a sample population of respondents with maximum difference in age, gender, distance from site of pollution, neighbor hood types, respiratory health, with or without children and members of local and environmental group. The third group also consisted of prominent Municipal members, representatives of the local government, health and social service organizations. Data collected from different groups, tape-recorded interviews transcribed and analyzed developed a set of key themes of relevance . They told similar stories. Steel industry formed the backbone of Hamilton and the people here earned more . The city appeared a smoke piled, ugly industrial wasteland known as the ‘Birmingham of Canada’, (Peace, 1989, p. 76) with the image of an ‘ugly blue collar town’ (Elliot. 1999). Northeast Hamilton had a bigger proportion of low income households, low in education, more unemployed, less ethnically diverse and high home owners. The physical environment of Hamilton was hazardous, with local harbor being the dumping ground for sewage and industrial waste. The Socio-demographic figures on Ontario’s health survey, endorse the above facts. Air pollution remains, with dust smoke odor, making an extensive effect on daily life. Social and environmental ills of north-east Hamilton make it a poorer health place than the rest of the city. Over the last four years, extensive cleanup efforts have been taken. Effort made on image makeover began with citizens reorienting themselves by associating with ‘good’ places that are recognized as healthy urban areas and alienating themselves from more polluted ‘bad’ areas like ‘North-end’. The residents tried to reduce the social stigma of staying here, by taking pride in having home ownerships and strong social connections. Image reconstruction occurred at two scales, one at the regional level attempting to redefine the place as a naturally inviting place, and the other at the local level emphasizing health making features, drawing marginal boundaries, promoting the healthy aspect of social ties, reliability and mutual help. The positive features of image constructions say, that, even if a place is understood to be disadvantageous, its residents may still vouch for the health affirming features related to their daily lives. The author of the study Sarah Wakefield and Colin McMullan have drawn up a fairly detailed and factual study of therapeutic landscaping in Hamilton, an industrial city in Canada. The author wants to point out that a place or dwelling may be marked as ‘good ‘or ’bad’ depending on the healthy features associated with the place. Yet its residents may not agree with the ‘bad’ element of the place in totality. The facts and figures given by the authors corroborate the findings, making the study a true experience. The details of experience of the residents only add to the conformity of the study. Thus the arguments raised by the authors are well supported with facts, figures, and feedback from the residents. The introduction to the study appears too elaborate and abstract, making it difficult to hold the span of attention of the reader. Comprehending the real purpose of study is vague and makes room for boredom to creep in. The style of writing is not much clear. Facts stated are not crisp and to the point. Too many facts have been brought under the consideration for a reader, adding to the ambiguity of the exploration. Actual information has been, more or less, lost between the quotes and citations made by the authors. Absence of clear demarcation of topics in paragraphs has made the whole reading lackluster. The interest wanes in the beginning and it is only after the feedback details of the interview are placed, that reading of the study gathers momentum. I think the paper should be given an ‘average’ grade. There is plenty of room for improvement in making the reading interesting. Language structure needs to be kept simple. The complex sentences used makes comprehension difficult. The completeness of the study definitely speaks for the success of the exploration, but it is complete with its limitations. Work Cited Bickerstaff. K. Walker. G. 2001. Public Understanding of air pollution: the ‘localization’ of environmental risk. Global Environmental Change (2) 133-145. Bush. J. Moffatl. S. Dunn. C, 2001. Even the birds round here coughs: Stigma, air pollution and health in Teesside Health and Place 7 (1) 47-56. Elliot. H. 1999. Restoring Balance is the Goal, Hamilton Spectator, 15 Dec, ppA12. DeVries, S. Verheej. R. A, Groeneweger. P. PSpreeuwenbergP. 2003, Natural environments healthy environments, an exploratory analysis of the relationship between geenspace and health Environment Planning, A35 (1717-1731). Gesler. W. M. 1998, Bath as a healing place. In Kearns R. A. Puting Health into Place. Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, New York pp 17-35. Gesler . W. M. 1991, the Cultural Geography of Healthcare, University of Pittsburg Press, Pittsburgh, PA. Gesler. W. M. 1992, Therapeutic Landscape: Media issues in light of the new cultural geography. Social Science and Medicine 34, 735-746. Peace. W. 1989 Landscape of Victorian Hamilton: the use of visual materials in recreating interpreting the past. Urban History Review xviii 75-85.

Analyzing Romanticism in Pushkins The Shot

Analyzing Romanticism in Pushkin's "The Shot" A theme that is immediately apparent in Pushkin’s The Shot is â€Å"the noble man with a romanticized view of life†. This theme was common during the Romantic Era, the period in which Pushkin wrote, but is important for more than historical reasons; in many ways, such romanticization guides the entire experience of reading Pushkins storyline. As it often did, this theme takes place in an emotionally charged, descriptive narrative. Yet the true importance of Pushkins romanticism, here, is the manner in which romantic ideals guide the life of the Silvio, the character central to The Shot. From the onset of the story, Pushkin makes his protagonotist an outsider. While he lives in a military outpost surrounded by Russian men, his name is â€Å"Silvio†, which is clearly not of Russian origin. He is older than the rest of the men and has mysterious qualities to him. His personality traits are paradoxical; he is inviting and keeps the door to his home open for all, yet mentally he is aloof from the rest. This aloofness makes the other men simultaneously respect and fear him. Pushkin wrote that â€Å"nobody knew what his circumstances were, or what his income was, and nobody dared to inquire about them† (23). While Silvio keeps his life separate from everybody else’s, the other men all scramble to understand what makes him seem so powerful. Pushkin makes the reader curious about this aloof character when he writes that Silvio’s walls â€Å"were riddled with bullet holes, and were like a honeycomb in appearance† (23). The idea of a noble ou tsider is already romantic and embodies the greater romantic theme of the isolated, heroic man. The reader knows from the start that there is something heroic about Silvio. Even his name sounds subjectively heroic. Pushkin writes that â€Å"nobody knew the reasons that had prompted him to resign his commission and settle down in a wretched little town† (22), making it clear that Silvio’s life was once much more important. Silvio also rejects material wealth; his â€Å"rich collection of pistols was the only luxury in the wretched mud-walled cottage in which he lived† (23). Even before the Romantic Period, going back to religious philosophy in Buddhism and Christianity, people who rejected their material wealth were historically viewed as heroic. Heroism stemming from individuality was an important theme in literature during The Romantic Era because it paralleled the surrounding environment that Romantic Era authors lived in. Many authors writing during the Romantic Era, such as Pushkin, experienced oppression from their government and expressed their free will through writing. Writers would often brighten their otherwise bleak reality by writing imaginative stories where an outsider, just like them, stood up against a formal, oppressive lifestyle to live passionately. The setting of this novel parallels Pushkin’s own struggle to do that; a group of men are entrapped in a monotonous military outpost where â€Å"there was nothing to look at but each other’s uniforms† (22) and they create a more arousing life for themselves by regarding Silvio as â€Å"the hero of some strange tale† (24). Silvio is a hero to them because he practices individuality in an otherwise conformist setting. Pushkin continues to slowly reveal more details about Silvio’s life to the reader. The reader finds out that Silvio had once entered a duel that ended in an unusual way. Pushkin romanticizes this duel in its entirety. At the beginning of the duel, Silvio offers the first shot to his opponent, who would not agree to take it (27). A duel in which one’s life is at stake is not the time to try to be heroic, or, I guess in the case of a Russian Romanticist novel, it’s the perfect time. Next, Pushkin focuses on psychology and introspection, giving the reader a glance into the thoughts of a man that is about to shoot another man. When telling his story to the narrator, Silvio says: â€Å"He stood in range of my pistol, selecting ripe cherries from his cap and spitting out the stones so that they almost fell at my feet. His indifference infuriated me. ‘What’s the use’, I thought, ‘of depriving him of his life when he sets no value upon itâ€⠄¢Ã¢â‚¬  (27)? While duels are considered barbaric in the present day, Pushkin presents the duel as a showcase of pride and sentiment that is valued above a victory. The reader ultimately finds out that Silvio was waiting to finish the duel when his opponent began to value his life. Silvio waited five years for his opponent to become a happily married man, and every day during those five years he practiced his shooting skills. When Silvio continues the duel, he ends it by forcing his opponent to shoot at him, and then tells his opponent, â€Å"I am satisfied. I have seen your alarm, your confusion; I forced you to shoot at me, and that is enough. You will remember me. I commit you to your conscience† (32). Silvio waited to not even take this man’s life, but to make this man remember him indefinitely. Silvio then took a shot, marking a bullet hole above the one his opponent made, showing that his opponent’s life may well have been his. Knowing that Silvio had trained five years to become a perfect shot just to nobly let his opponent keep his life makes the ending emotionally charged and romanticizes the ideals of honor and pri de. Works Cited Gibian, George. The Shot. The Portable Nineteenth-century Russian Reader. New York, NY, U.S.A.: Penguin, 1993. 22-33. Print.

The social role of magazines is as uncertain as their commercial basis Essay

The social role of magazines is as uncertain as their commercial basis - Essay Example Over the years, there have been reports of increasing demands among customers regarding a certain extent of control and influence over their media experiences as the media and technology industries have compelled them to do so. At present, digital formats can enable readers to easily navigate and establish interactions with the magazine content. Publishers have increased their ability in retaining the design conformity of a typical print magazine and, at the same, integrate the dimension of interactivity which attracts readers and generates a more engaging and dynamic experience (Machin and Thornborrow, 2003). In addition, the engagement of advertisements can also be enhanced owing to this digital resolution. However, there is still an increasing concern as to how magazines can retain their readers, establish and sustain effective brands, and increase profitability. Therefore, a number of factors must be emphasized, including brand awareness as well as the engagement of customers and their intentions to purchase. This paper will then focus on how readers relate to the magazine as a brand and how this process can influence their recall of the brand along with their intentions of purchasing such publications. Opportunities from the use of the new media have been recognized; if publishing will strongly depend on effective content delivery, consequently, the conventional print format will experience considerable threat. Retail wastage along with excessive reliance on distribution through newsstands has been associated with such format in the United States and in a number of European countries (Al-Olayan and Karande, 2000). On the other hand, the new delivery of media content has offered publishers and companies various opportunities; for instance, it helps reduce waste similar to the advantages of subscriptions, and provides real time interactivity between the readers and content. Such immediate interaction with these readers often entails a considerable culture ch ange which brand owners and manufacturers should effectively carry out to retain their readers. Finally, online publishers increase their ability in become a search engine with which a magazine site can help direct their readers to the source of information which they are seeking, implying that their magazine fits the readers’ lifestyle. Owing to the fact the online market has continued to present increased choices, one of the most crucial actors for success when using the new media is brand image (Vargo and Lusch, 2004). Many publishers have recognized that the branding concept is a solution to the threats of the new media. On the whole, the customers’ awareness of a certain product, also characterized as their ability to think back to it, has typically been viewed as a crucial factor that determines their choice of purchase. However, others have underestimated the advantages that branding can provide by overlooking the usage of new media or considering such as a non- profit platform, similar to the free supply of magazines during events. The fact that numerous publishers have been offering their magazine content for free through the Internet can bring about risks for these firms. As branding has been increasingly deemed as an important component for magazine publishers, this emphasizes the traditional role of these publications in the society, which is to bring together

The Lost Television Series Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Lost Television Series - Essay Example The pilot excels in the introduction of characters, addressing the genre of the show, which is mysterious to the audience, and in using exciting storyline and great visual effects in making the viewers amazed (Roberts 41). The Lost writers made no fault in naming the first episode of Lost as the pilot. The naming was not through accident. As illustrated in the show, the naming was not done for the sake of doing it. It was named purposefully. This can be illustrated by the fact that as one goes through the show, he or she will discover that every little information that the writers give to lost fans has a particular meaning connected to the storyline earlier or later on in the Lost’s mysterious plot. In this case, it is wise getting the meaning of name the Pilot. The episode is about the search for the cockpit of the oceanic 815 airliners. The pilot of the airliner is in the cockpit. Therefore, the Lost writers chose the name the Pilot intentionally to create a play on words since the pilot was in the cockpit, which was being searched. This name choice was a subtle hint given to the audience by the writers. In other words, they were revealing to the audience the sign of what to expect. It should be, however, noted that nothing has been put straightforward in the Lost show (Douglas 27). The introduction of the main character in the Pilot has been done quite nicely in the first season of the show. Consequently, it is Matthew Fox, Doctor Jack Shephard who has been introduced as the first character in the show’s first scene. A golden lab sprinting through the jungle awakes him. On waking up Jack there is a very exciting overhead shot of his eyes. Among most of the characters found throughout the season, we find many shots. The shots are meant to perhaps bring a reflection of the notion the eyes constitute the windows for accessing the soul.  Ã‚  

Compare two separate popular weight loss plans Research Paper

Compare two separate popular weight loss plans - Research Paper Example The weakness of the SlimFast program is that it does not induce a long-term behavioral change in the individual. The SlimFast program only replaces a couple of meals and snacks by powered drink mixes and pre-packaged bars. Another weakness of the SlimFast weight-loss program is that the individual does not find the powdered drink mixes tasty enough to stick to for a long time, though it provides the individual with a good alternative to a milk shake in terms of reduced intake of fats and calories. A potential drawback of the SlimFast weight-loss program is that it does not provide the individual with any social support. The Fit or Fat weight-loss program is very popular among people. Millions of copies of the series of eight books written by Covert Bailey have been sold since their publishing (Tate, 2008). The Fit or Fat weight-loss program encourages the individual to lose weight through increased exercise. The plus points of the Fit or Fat weight-loss program are that not only is it safe to undertake, but is also very inexpensive as it does not rely on special diets to cause a reduction of weight in the individual. The Fit or Fat weight-loss program resembles the SlimFast weight-loss program in that it offers no social support to the individual. People attempting to reduce the weight through the Fit or Fat weight-loss program are encouraged to undertake such exercises as weight lifting, aerobic exercises, and cross training. Their food is rich in vitamins and low in the sodium content and fat. The Fit or Fat weight-loss program is better as compared to the SlimFast weight-loss program in that it relies on natural techniques to cause weight loss in the individual rather than prescribing them expensive diets. Exercise is a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle, which provides an individual with a whole range of benefits in addition to causing loss of weight. Such benefits include but are not limited to reduction of the risk of

Reconstitution against Renunciation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reconstitution against Renunciation - Essay Example â€Å"Male fashion of the 18th century was less varied than female fashion as it consisted of the same set of garments throughout breeches, waistcoat and just a corpse† (Bender, 2006). What follows are photographs with brief descriptions of eighteenth-century male fashion.It can be seen from the above photos that the waistcoat with a slit at the center back was opened at the bottom end. The front edge of the just a corps was curved slightly, with a narrow torso. Stockings were sometimes worn under the breeches, and the shoes were square-toed, with small buckles. The sleeve cuffs also reached up to the elbow. Curly wigs were worn, but compared with seventeenth-century wigs, these were shorter in length. Gentlemen were expected to always have the following accessories: the tricorn hat, walking sticks and, most importantly, the sword as a status symbol, sticking out from underneath the coat’s slit. As a further status symbol, the slit was necessary for riding a horse.Chang es in eighteenth-century male fashion noticeably become more pronounced, as evidenced by the above photographs. It can be seen that the waistcoat no longer sports the flaring bottom edge, paving the way for the eventual tailcoat, and can be buttoned only at the chest. There are lesser decorations, indicating the advent of the "new simplicity" that originated in England and had, by this time, swept all across Europe (Bender, 2006). Cuffs were smaller, and the wigs changed up to the point when they were altogether done away with.

The Housing Financial Crisis Speech or Presentation

The Housing Financial Crisis - Speech or Presentation Example The housing crisis or the sub prime crisis is getting worse rather than cooling off, this means that the US economy is only going to get adversely affected and this in turn is going to affect all the major economies of the world. The labor market is also getting affected and this means that there will be less job opportunities in the future for the people seeking jobs. The sale of new homes has fallen by almost 50% in the US and people have stopped purchasing new homes in the US because of the housing crisis in the country. Body: I. What triggered the crisis? A. The crisis began in the middle of 2007 and into 2008 1. Affected all the major economies 2. The US economy was perhaps the most badly hit B. Almost the whole world started living on a shoestring, deep pockets were reduced to mere pockets and lucre had certainly fallen short. 1. Countless people got their pink slip while some other got their walking papers. 2. AIG, Lehmann Brothers, Northern Rock, Goldman Sachs are some elite names that suffered the most because of the economic crisis also known as recession. 3. Lehmann brothers filed for bankruptcy while AIG and a few other elites just hanged in there with the skin of their teeth. II. This economic crisis is still having repercussions on countries like Greece and Spain; there are a few other countries that have been not so severely affected by the same. A. The crisis triggered off because of unchecked debt, banks kept issuing loans to people who invested heavily in buying assets. 1. Several things were taken for granted but when proved otherwise there was hardly a place in the world to hide. 2. The subprime crisis triggered off because of excessive borrowing, there was no money to pay back and this is why so many financial institutes went flat broke. B. The Great economic depression triggered off in the year 1930 in the US, it was triggered off by the collapse of the US stock market which is now known as Nasdaq. 1. The economy of the US recovered from t his setback only to suffer from a similar setback of a lesser magnitude which is called recession. 2. Overvaluation in real estate is perhaps the biggest cause of the current economic crisis, it is better known as the subprime crisis in the US. 3. Factors like bad income tax practices have added insult to injury, bad mortgage lending also contributed heavily to this current economic crisis. III. Prevention is better than cure. A. The situation could have been prevented 1. The FED should have taken responsibility 2. Lending should have been checked B. The Bailout package worked to a certain extent 1. The current situation remains precarious. 2. Good things to come in the future for the US economy. Conclusion: The stock market slaughter has weakened almost all the major economies of the world and this is because of the housing crisis in the US. High oil prices have affected all the people across the globe and especially the importers, inflation has been constantly on the rise because of the high oil prices and the same has affected the global economy. The confidence of the investors has taken a real beating because of the financial crisis; people have stopped investing the way they used to before the financial crisis.  

Compare two separate popular weight loss plans Research Paper

Compare two separate popular weight loss plans - Research Paper Example The weakness of the SlimFast program is that it does not induce a long-term behavioral change in the individual. The SlimFast program only replaces a couple of meals and snacks by powered drink mixes and pre-packaged bars. Another weakness of the SlimFast weight-loss program is that the individual does not find the powdered drink mixes tasty enough to stick to for a long time, though it provides the individual with a good alternative to a milk shake in terms of reduced intake of fats and calories. A potential drawback of the SlimFast weight-loss program is that it does not provide the individual with any social support. The Fit or Fat weight-loss program is very popular among people. Millions of copies of the series of eight books written by Covert Bailey have been sold since their publishing (Tate, 2008). The Fit or Fat weight-loss program encourages the individual to lose weight through increased exercise. The plus points of the Fit or Fat weight-loss program are that not only is it safe to undertake, but is also very inexpensive as it does not rely on special diets to cause a reduction of weight in the individual. The Fit or Fat weight-loss program resembles the SlimFast weight-loss program in that it offers no social support to the individual. People attempting to reduce the weight through the Fit or Fat weight-loss program are encouraged to undertake such exercises as weight lifting, aerobic exercises, and cross training. Their food is rich in vitamins and low in the sodium content and fat. The Fit or Fat weight-loss program is better as compared to the SlimFast weight-loss program in that it relies on natural techniques to cause weight loss in the individual rather than prescribing them expensive diets. Exercise is a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle, which provides an individual with a whole range of benefits in addition to causing loss of weight. Such benefits include but are not limited to reduction of the risk of

The Housing Financial Crisis Speech or Presentation

The Housing Financial Crisis - Speech or Presentation Example The housing crisis or the sub prime crisis is getting worse rather than cooling off, this means that the US economy is only going to get adversely affected and this in turn is going to affect all the major economies of the world. The labor market is also getting affected and this means that there will be less job opportunities in the future for the people seeking jobs. The sale of new homes has fallen by almost 50% in the US and people have stopped purchasing new homes in the US because of the housing crisis in the country. Body: I. What triggered the crisis? A. The crisis began in the middle of 2007 and into 2008 1. Affected all the major economies 2. The US economy was perhaps the most badly hit B. Almost the whole world started living on a shoestring, deep pockets were reduced to mere pockets and lucre had certainly fallen short. 1. Countless people got their pink slip while some other got their walking papers. 2. AIG, Lehmann Brothers, Northern Rock, Goldman Sachs are some elite names that suffered the most because of the economic crisis also known as recession. 3. Lehmann brothers filed for bankruptcy while AIG and a few other elites just hanged in there with the skin of their teeth. II. This economic crisis is still having repercussions on countries like Greece and Spain; there are a few other countries that have been not so severely affected by the same. A. The crisis triggered off because of unchecked debt, banks kept issuing loans to people who invested heavily in buying assets. 1. Several things were taken for granted but when proved otherwise there was hardly a place in the world to hide. 2. The subprime crisis triggered off because of excessive borrowing, there was no money to pay back and this is why so many financial institutes went flat broke. B. The Great economic depression triggered off in the year 1930 in the US, it was triggered off by the collapse of the US stock market which is now known as Nasdaq. 1. The economy of the US recovered from t his setback only to suffer from a similar setback of a lesser magnitude which is called recession. 2. Overvaluation in real estate is perhaps the biggest cause of the current economic crisis, it is better known as the subprime crisis in the US. 3. Factors like bad income tax practices have added insult to injury, bad mortgage lending also contributed heavily to this current economic crisis. III. Prevention is better than cure. A. The situation could have been prevented 1. The FED should have taken responsibility 2. Lending should have been checked B. The Bailout package worked to a certain extent 1. The current situation remains precarious. 2. Good things to come in the future for the US economy. Conclusion: The stock market slaughter has weakened almost all the major economies of the world and this is because of the housing crisis in the US. High oil prices have affected all the people across the globe and especially the importers, inflation has been constantly on the rise because of the high oil prices and the same has affected the global economy. The confidence of the investors has taken a real beating because of the financial crisis; people have stopped investing the way they used to before the financial crisis.  

Mother and Daughter, a Heavenly Relationship Failed Essay Example for Free

Mother and Daughter, a Heavenly Relationship Failed Essay Daughter and mother relationship is an endless topic for many writers. They are meant to share the bond of love and care for each other. In the real world, however, their relationship is not as successful as it ought to be. The stories How to Talk to Your Mother and I Stand Here Ironing are the examples of this conflict. Lorrie Moore is distinguished for the clever wordplay, irony and sardonic humor of her fiction. How to Talk to Your mother is a short story in her collection Self-Help. It is about a failed relationship of a daughter and her mother over time. Similarly, Tillie Olsens I Stand Here Ironing portrays powerfully the economic and domestic burdens a poor woman faced, as well as the responsibility and powerlessness she feels over her childs life. Both stories have the same theme, but each has different technique, and the conflicts from the characters are opposite. Poor communication over time is the theme both stories share. In How to Talk to Your Mother, Ginny, the author, faded the relationship with her mother as time goes and things changed from 1939 to 1982. In 1952, Ginny started to break away by slamming the door and say Dont I know it (Moore 105) when her mother asks about her crush in junior high. Then, she becomes a young adult with a new life and would not come home for holidays. However, it is not until her mother called her by her sisters name that makes she feels uncomfortable. Learn that you have a way of knowing each other which somehow slips out and beyond the ways you have of not knowing each other at all (Moore 103). The simply How to title belies the complexities of broken communication between mother and daughter. Ginny attempts to communicate with her mother throughout decades, but it never works. In I Stand Here Ironing, the mother faced the same problem with poor communication. Readers feel deeply sorry for the mother as she is economically alone, lonely, overworked and tired. The mother is always busy and preoccupied with other children. I was working, there were four smaller ones now, there was not time for her (Olsen 191). She has little or no time to talk to Emily, the daughter. The only time they met each other is at night, when Emily is struggle over books and the mother be ironing, or do other house chores. In both stories, the mothers and daughters have really  poor communication. Each character has her own life and stared to ignore their love ones. Ginny lives her wild life with romance. On the other hand, the mother in I Stand Here Ironing is so busy with her low-class life. As a result, their relationship failed as time rolls. Although both stories share similarity, each story was written with different styles, point-of-views, and languages. Lorrie Moore presents How to Talk to Your Mother in reverse chronological order, from latest to earliest. This technique supports her main idea by illustrating the broken communication pattern existing since the narrators childhood. With this style, readers find it amusing as they can read forward or backward. Moreover, this kind of writing is very rare in literature. Tillie Olsens I Stand Here Ironing was written in a traditional flashback. It started with the mother blaming herself for Emilys outturn. Then, she remembered all the life events that result in bad decisions she made for Emily. Both stories also have different point-of-view. How to Talk to Your Mother is told in second-person, using you, instead of I. The second-person narration distances the narrator from the pain inflicted by her mother, father, and lovers. This is Moores clever choice. Readers can relate and sympathize with Ginny. On the other hand, I Stand Here Ironing is told in first-person. The mother is telling readers about her faults and her attempts to help Emily through difficult years. Readers can see the hardship the mother faced and understand her situation. Nevertheless, Moore writes the story like one would write in her diary, very informal. The full title is How to Talk to Your Mother (Notes), and the language is not very aesthetic. On the contrast, Olsen writes her story in formal, literature language. In response to her story, Helen Pike Bauer writes: Olsens story is a dialogue between circumstances and desire, constraint and love, absence and presence, silence and speech, power and helplessness. The conflicts of each character are opposite. The primary conflict in How to Talk to Your Mother is between Ginny and herself. She feels like she has her own life and her mother becomes annoying. In 1971, she wrote: Go for long walks to get away from her. Walk through wooded area; there is a life you have forgotten (Moore 103). Throughout the story, readers can see the  broken relationship is resulted from the external events of her life. She has three abortions and involving many relationships with men that she dont even like. Sometimes you confuse her with the first man you ever love, who ever loved you (Moore 102). Ginny almost blamed herself for their relationship. Her mom is always there, in her house since 1967. A year before death, her mother tells her: Is that any way to talk to your mother (Moore 101)? While Ginny experienced the external conflict of her life, the mother in I Stand Here Ironing faced an internal conflict involving Emily. She makes a very meaningful statement at the end of story: help Emily to know that she is more than this dress on the ironing board, helpless before the iron (Olsen 193). The mother constantly referred to the bad decisions she had made for Emily during her childhood. She sent Emily to live with her relatives as a toddler and came back with all baby loveliness gone (Olsen 188). Then, she sent her off again to a convalescent home. These decisions caused the mother to constantly nag at her internal self. Emily turned to a comedic teen is the result of the mothers ignorant and poor relationship, which makes the mother blaming herself. She feels like the conflict is caused by her and Emily deserved a better life. Thackeray says, God cannot be everywhere and therefore he made mother. Parents are the caretaker of their children. From their experiences, they know what is best and they would never mean ill for them. How to Talk to Your Mother and I Stand Here Ironing are short stories that remind readers to cherish their relationships with parents. Both stories have the same theme of communication, but each has different technique, and the conflicts from the characters are opposite. Their situations are very difficult: poverty, low-class, and early motherhood. Lorrie Moore writes How to Talk to Your Mother to mock the popular How-to style. She marks off each stage of the plot by repeated works and ideas of heart, babies, containers, and unsuccessful talks between mother and daughter. Tillie Olsen writes I Stand Here Ironing with many symbolisms. For example, the iron is the torment, outside pressures. The dress is her problem, or Emily. The mother is ironing out the problem from inside her heart. Both stories carry the same message of mother and daughter relationship that most people faced the same path. In the society right now, there are many children experienced  child abuses. As for many parents, they could not get their kids to listen to them. The heavenly relationship failed as lives go on.

Nissan Change Implementation

Nissan Change Implementation In todays rapidly challenging business environment, it is readily acknowledged that it is necessary for organisation to make changes in order to stay competitive. Change management is vital in an organisation as it act as a way to ensure that business is moving in the right decision which indeed requires proper handling as it relates to human involvement. Many researchers argued that implementation is not solely the end point of a process of formulation but rather the interaction of many interactive and discontinuous factors i.e. management decision processes, environmental and business sector characteristics (Wilson, 1992:49). Before implementing a change, a lot of planning is required to ensure all the aspects of a particular problem are properly identified to avoid uncertainties and ambiguities. Thus, in order for management to have positive consequences, it is vital to identify and analyse the overall impact of the change programme i.e. organisation structure, employees attitude, beliefs and behaviours. The aim of this report is to discuss and evaluate the factors affecting the implementation of change in Nissan Motor Company (Nissan). Background of Nissan Due to huge debt, Nissan built alliances with Renault S.A. (Renault) to ensure the survival of the business. The said alliances benefited both parties in terms of market penetration and capabilities. As a result from the said alliance, Renault obtained an equity stake of over 36% in Nissan and its leader, Carlos Ghosn was appointed as the key person in charge for the implementation of the change. During the transition change, Ghosn met will all the employees from different departments to discuss on the current state of Nissan and the way to move forward. Thereafter, a radical or transformational change plan was implemented in order to ensure the success of the business in terms of profitability. Based on Beers model of effective change strategies, Nissan adopted the combined strategy of Theory Economic (E) and Organisation Development (OD) (Beer and Nohria, 2000). This is supported by Eriksson and Sundgren (2005) conclusion that both theory E and OD should coexist as the success for a change relies in the interface between the two strategies. In Nissan, the application of the E strategy is seen from the implementation of aggressive cost-cutting plan through downsizing, lay-offs and restructuring that is related to the its performance while in terms of OD, it involves the change in having English as the medium of communication in the organisation, setting up of the nine cross-functional teams for generation of ideas and culture change within the organisation which mainly touched on the Human Resource practices that overall leads in creating the capability to sustain competitive advantage. With the said changes in place, Nissan has managed to revive its business to compete in the market and at the present moment is one of the leading automakers in the industry. The implementation of change in Nissan Much literate suggest that implementing change is not an easy process. Although the change is foresee as an advantage to the organisation, there will always be mental rejection from the humans included in the process. Therefore, implementation of change needs to be handled sensitively with a structured approach to ensure the success transition from current to future state. In terms of Nissans implementation, it is classified under the blue print change (Hayes, 2010:427) as the final result is known i.e. Nissan to be profitability and be one of the top auto producers in the industry which Ghosn was able to formulate a clear plan of action in achieving the said vision. Factors affecting the implementation of change in Nissan Organisations readiness for change Readiness for change is believed as one of the key factors leading to a successful implementation of change. It was noted that one half of all unsuccessful organisation change efforts failed due to lack of readiness for change (Kotter, 2007). Refreeze Move Unfreeze Figure 1: Lewins three step change process Drawing on Lewins three step stage model of change, it clearly explains the importance of successful implementation of change by unfreezing the current situation followed by adaptation of the current changes which leads to new behaviour and norm (Hayes, 2010:29). The unfreezing stage creates a situation for readiness for change through motivation in terms of the companys clear vision which is seen attainable in the future that consequently increase the employees level of confidence in accepting to the need for change. Once the alliance took place, Nissan minimises barriers to change by maximising the opportunities of a change effort which are accentuated in the unfreezing process. All changes have been well planned in a short span of time. Meanwhile in the moving stage, change has been recognised and acceptance of change has taken place in the workforce. As everyone in Nissan is aware on the urgency for a change, it has automatically built a powerful coalition between management and employees. Beer et al. (1990) highlights the importance of coordination and teamwork especially for companies acting the change process in relation to cost, quality and product development opportunities. Self and Schraeder (2008) conclude that positive perception to a change is due to the visibility of support and commitment while the negative perception is due to visible lack of support or inconsistent behaviours of the management. Due to the positive acceptance in Nissan, Ghosn has managed to restore and reinforce th e new changes in the company in the refreezing step. Based on Kotters 8 step change model, the success of the transformational effort depends on the right action at each stage. Establishing a sense of urgency is very important step as it defines the current state of the company. It was argued that the need for change will only occur until a clear and present danger is recognise which need something to be done in ensuring the viability of the company (Self and Schraeder, 2008). Not only management demonstrate the need for change but must also provide indication that the requirement of a change is the right decision made for the company (Self and Schraeder, 2008). Readiness of change is a key to ensure a successful implementation process of change as when the level of readiness is high, employees are likely to initiate change with greater effort by displaying more cooperative behaviour that will result to more effective implementation. Nissan was in bad shape before the alliance exercise due to its financial position and needed a solid strategy to ensure the viability of the business. Hence, the sense of urgency has been established at the highest priority with the support from the management. Kotter (2007) indicate that to ensure the success of the change, it is important to obtain 75% of the companys management in supporting the change effort or otherwise the transformation process could not succeed and the long term future of the company is in jeopardy. As there is a sense of urgency for change, a leader must promote change by creating vision (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). Kotter (2007) highlights the importance of a clear vision as it is needed in guiding people through a major change which leads to a reduction of error rate that determine the success or failure of the implementation. It is argued that vision is not based on originality but on how well it serve the interest of important constituencies such as employees and stakeholder (Kotter, 2001). Therefore, a vision needs to be clearly defined with development of strategies in order to direct the change effort. The said vision will assist employees to understand the reason for the change. According to Kotter (2001), aligning people to a shared vision by communicating the new direction will help in creating coalitions which consequently draw the importance of the vision by committing to achievement. Kotter (2007) indicate that by not having a sensible vision, it will dissolve t he transformation effort as it creates confusion that leads the company moving in a wrong direction. This is supported by Kotters (2007) finding that most companies have sense of direction but it is to complication to be useful and consequently result to a failure in managing change. For Nissan, the main vision for the alliance exercise is to turnaround the company from a loss to profitable business while maintaining the companys identity and self esteem of its employees (Ghosn, 2002). The vision is clearly stated which is align with Kotters (2007) suggestion on the important of a vision. Organisation culture Many researchers highlight that culture is one of the important key aspects to be considered for the implementation of change. According to Smith (2003), culture in an organisation is not only related on how things are done but the set of values, beliefs, customs and systems that are build uniquely in the organisation which differentiate one with another. To change the culture in an organisation is not an easy tasks as usually employees are comfortable with the job and organisation and as a result they are resistant to change. Burnes (1992:291) suggests that in approaching cultural change, a more considered and organisation specific approach should be adopted. For a company to implement a change, comparison between strategic significance (the importance of the companys future) of the cultural resistance needed to be analyse to ensure the success of the implementation change process (Schwartz and Davis, 1981). The process relies heavily on managerial judgment as decision are made with degree of certainty whether to ignore, manage and maintain the existing culture to fit he change environment. Hence, steps are taken to identify the degree of cultural risk involved in the change process that overall has an impact to the companys culture and vice versa. Nissan is a company based in Japan with strong build culture in the organisation. It was difficult for the employees to accept the changes particularly in reward and progression system i.e. from seniority to performance based. It is the culture of Nissan to ensure that all employees have a lifelong career in the company which certainly create the culture of complacency that impacted Nissans competitiveness. Meanwhile, another culture problem faced was the organisations inability to accept responsibilities of which having a culture of blame. Ghosn has observed that all the said factors have contributed to Nissans performance which requires a radical change process. It is noted that Nissan adopted Schwartz and Davis suggestion as mention above wherein the companys culture was change ultimately to ensure the success of the change implementation. During the change process, employees were given a period of one year to change their attitude and to adapt to the changes accordingly. The chan ges implemented have affected the employees work orientation in terms of resistance to change as it was foresee that their particular job was at risk. The impact of resistance to change has been aversely discussed and many researchers highlight that it is the most significant threat to the success of implementation to change (Lines, 2004; Self and Schraeder, 2009). The expectancy theory clearly indicates that individual consciously choose course of action based upon perceptions, attitudes and belief which result to desires in enhancing pleasure and avoiding pain (Hayes, 2010:195). In order to avoid this to happen, awareness for changes need to be communicated to the employees through a clear vision and well defined strategy to ensure the effectiveness of the implementation process. Kavanagh and Ashkanasy (2006) suggest that particularly for culture change, active engagement of the top management is required to ensure the effectiveness of the change. Management plays a vital role in supporting the change as they set as a leader whereby employees will adhere to the changes faster. This can be effectively done by showing the implication of the change to the organisation in terms of profits, productivity or quality work life. For the case of Nissan, a clear focus on the companys priorities and plan and successfully executed accordingly with the backup of a good leader. Transparency was built as a new culture in the organisation as it allows others to provide ideas rather than only top management. This as a result leads to a consistency between how the organisation operates in thinking and doing its daily operations. Level of communication Another important aspect in implementation change is communication as it has an important impact to the success or failure of a change programme. It plays a vital role in the change process as it allows leaders to create a shared sense of direction, establish priorities, reduce disorder and uncertainty as well as facilitating learning (Hayes, 2010:177). In having a good communication, leaders need to ensure that all communication channels will provide information sharing that allows accurate absorption of relevant information by employees. Employees need to be constantly aware on the changes as they contribute to the success of the implementation of change. Meanwhile leaders on the other hand should continuously collect feedback by interacting with employees as well. As a result, organisation will look forward for a successful outcome in the change implementation. Clampitt et al. (2000) indicate that communication strategy has a huge impact on how events will be remembered which in turn shapes employees response. The environment for communication should be open and supportive to enable employees in sharing their concerns, frustration and need without fear of revenge which will lead in building the credibility of the company for a better implementation process (Self and Schraeder, 2008). Meanwhile Abrahamson (2000) suggest that dynamic stability plays a vital role in communicating change implementation as it suggest carrying change by involving elements within an organisation by engaging employees gradually. It aligns the overall concept of change as employees are aware on the proposed changes while management collects feedback by interacting with employees. The application of dynamic stability will allow organisation for a successful outcome in change implementation. When the change process took place, Nissan adopted underscore and explore communication strategy wherein the message was conveyed to all level of employees all across the company in order to get employees aligned with companys goals. This is supported by Clampitt (2000) findings which indicate underscore and explore is the most effective communication wherein it combines two strategies together i.e. tell and sell strategy; and identify and reply that allows managers to shape the change outline and allow reaction from the concerns of employees. Ghosn reiterate that the success of the company relies on the employees and as a team all employees should work hard in aiming to achieve the targeted goals. Despite pouring all the information, Nissan listens to the employees concerns and in fact created a new way of communicating through email. The said method reduces ambiguity and provides a clear picture on how the change will develop a better future for Nissan. Employees are likely to acce pt the pain of change if it clearly shows how their contribution affects the future gains. It is a norm that people expect something in return for the sacrifices made in the foreseeable future. Moreover, Kotter (2007) points out the effect of communication both in words and behaviour are the most powerful form which nothing undermines change more than behaviour by individuals that in consistent with their words. Role of leadership Kotter (2007) indicate that by definition, change requires creating a new system which sequentially always demands leadership. The role of leadership in change management includes creating a vision, aligning relationship around the vision and inspiring others to achieve the vision (Hayes, 2009: 117). In implementing change, a leader plays a key role in shaping the success of the change process which is in line with Beer et al. (1990) suggestion on the role of a leader in mobilising the initial commitment as a step to begin for the change process. Evidence from literature indicates leaders role in the change process wherein it have an impact to the success of change through the linkage between both leader and follower behaviour (Higgs and Rowland, 2005). Ghosn is considered as a transformational leader as he brought changes in the company and the effect of the changes is sustained under his leadership style. Studies have indicated that transformational leaders are able to realign the employees values and norms by promoting both personal and organisational changes which indeed enhance employees ability to accept change (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). Ghosn leadership is not based on the Japanese style but rather applying the multicultural experience that enables him to embrace culture differences and building on them. This is considered one best way to manage change as studies have found that a flexible, loosely applied culture based on some diversity and possibly involving the existence of number of subcultures is prove more effective (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). For a change to take place, leaders need to convince people on the necessary of the change which usually need a strong leadership and visible support from the management. Kotter (2007) indicate that managing the change is not enough, as leaders have to lead the direction in ensuring the implementation of the change. One of the changes made from the alliance exercise was the implementation of a new management style by setting up a nine cross functional team which the main objective is to achieve the goal for Nissan Revival Plan and business commitments. With the new management style, teams are given three months to review their operations and come up with recommendations for profitability and growth. As a result, it brought employees into a new organisation context through new roles and responsibilities that consequently create a situation that forces new attitudes and behaviour on employees in accepting the need for change which is supported by Beer et al. (1990) as the most efficient way in changing behaviour. Based on findings, it is noted that most successful cases in change relies on powerful coalition in the company (Kotter, 2007) as it is influence by the nature of work environment and organisational culture of which leaders could affect the employees attitudes in working towards change and motivation (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). The new functional team have allowed employees to think in a different perspective which leads to the mechanism in explaining the necessity for change across the entire company. Ghosn as a leader incorporate the values of team work in Nissan to ensure all employees are dedicated to the shared vision in building urgency and momentum around the need for change. The requirement of more coordination and teamwork between functions and business units is identified as one of the key factors in implementing a change which is supported by research findings where there is linkage between leadership behaviours to the activities involved in implementing change (Higgs and Rowland, 2005). Proper planning and coordination for the change Literature indicates that successful implementation of change is a difficult goal (Higgs and Rowland, 2005) and often flounders because of improperly framed by management. Finding from a survey with organisations indicate that 66% has agreed that one contributing factor for the implementation problems is ineffective coordination of implementation activities (Alexander, 1985). Leaders have a very important role in the selection and planning of a suitable management approaches as proper planning needs to be carefully identified to ensure a strong foundation which leads to an easier process of implementing change. Goodman and Rousseau (2004) indicate that time is key factor in organisational change but it is always neglected due to performance driven results. It takes time for ensuring a success of change as rushing and expecting too many outcomes will lead to failure. It is agreed that organisation is more effective when components such as structure, technology, systems and people are aligned with each other and when there is a good fit between the organisation and the environment (Hayes, 2010:305). In implementing change, action taken for the change should be identified to determine the flow of changes to ensure the outcome of the change process. Goodman and Rousseau (2004) suggest that it will help organisation to understand the lag between change and results by paying attention to feedback cycles which allows identification on mistakes as well as recommendation action for improvement. Planning should not only include the aspect of the results but to also determine the obstacles for the change to materialise. Goodman and Rousseau (2004) suggest that change intervention allows the increase of knowledge sharing for a better result performance where it reduces time for a given engagement that will result to faster outcome on the result. It is noted that knowledge system is widely used due to its beneficial functions such as positive feedback on a change as it improves in performance. However, it is argued that knowledge exist in the organisation but is not properly used that affects the coordination of the implementation process. For Nissan, the company has indentified the main problem of the company and tried to apply a new set of actions in a different manner which in line with the double loop learning process. Argyris (2002) indicate that double loop learning take place when errors are corrected through exploring the possibility in doing things differently. Information sharing will increase the knowledge of the employees which can be adapted through a learning process that allows a collective ability to act more effectively in an organisation (Hayes:2010: 322). Moreover, creating a new learning experience will allow companies to build its competencies as it is related to detection and correction of errors (Argyris, 2002) which is associated with continuous improvement. Hayes (2010:308) indicated that most literature in organisational learning focuses on the acquisition of knowledge, the recognition of its potential and its application to improve organisational performance. Based on Nissan case, it is summarise that the key to implementing change is a continuous improvement built in terms of information between people and processes, combination both business and human dimension towards shared objectives. Despite identifying the need of organisational learning, it is feasible for companies to plan a systematic training approach within the organisation as change is related to individual change. Change will need employees to think and behave in a different way and it is vital for organisation to provide the knowledge and skills to ensure the success of the change. Hayes (2010:350) indicates that training and development enables company to align between competencies of the employees and leaders as well as the task and structure of the system. Conclusion Managing change successfully has never been an easy task and can neither be problem free. Buchanan et al. (2005) summarised the related factors influencing the nature and outcome of change are such as individual, group, organisational, social and political. Therefore before any change takes place, it is important for a leader to properly analyse the implementation of the organisational change in order to determine the extent for the change that will benefit both organisational performance and employees. From the Nissan case, it was observed that one of the main lessons learn from the implementation of change process is the clear focus set by Ghosn wherein a clear plan is executed based on priorities. Ghosn brought in clear vision by altering the core organisational process with the nine cross functional team. Moreover, factors such as having a high urgency level for the need to change and a strong guiding and powerful coalition has managed Nissan to motivate the employees while creating an environment that accept change and subsequently sustaining the companys competitiveness. Based on the Nissan performance after the alliance exercise, it is concluded that the company is able to sustain its change due to these aspects of organisational readiness; fit with the competitive strategy, managerial values and internal power distribution and the values and power of key stakeholders (Buchanan et al., 2005).