Saturday, December 28, 2019

Online Social Networking Service Created By Paul Budnitz...

Ello is an online social networking service created in 2014 by Paul Budnitz and Todd Berger. This website was created as an ad-free replacement for the existing social media networks such as Facebook and Pinterest. Ello’s manifesto as mentioned on its website is that â€Å"we believe in beauty, simplicity, and transparency. We believe that the people who make things and the people who use them should be in partnership.† Ello is designed by creators, for creators. It is not a service to sell or buy products via advertisements. Ello is a website that allows its users to be spread their art and their creativity to make a living. Ello has formed a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) in which the charter states that Ello would never make money from†¦show more content†¦This missing feature should have been added when they got feedback from users while the product was in production’ however it was not taken care of; which made it one of the reasons behind the pro ducts failure in the market. In today’s generation, the one thing a new upcoming company or business should remember is that mobile phones are becoming a daily driver for most of the consumer. Thus, creating an app would make the company more profitable in the market. Not having a mobile app is a major downside since most people use social media on their phone while commuting somewhere or when they wake up in the morning. No one would want to turn on their laptop and scroll through. It would just make it a big hassle for people. If you want to be successful in today’s market you have to be different than what your competition is using or you won’t survive. In a world of quick technology advancement being ad-free doesn t cut it, you need to be different. Competing to Facebook and Pinterest, social media websites that have already established in the market, it would be hard for a startup with a similar idea to get to that level. Most people are already comfortable with and trust the existing a nd well-known companies rather than someone new and upcoming that isn’t popular. In order to make this product successful the first thing to change would be to make the service be public for all of its users. It should not be an invite only social media

Friday, December 20, 2019

Behind The Urals An American Worker - 1477 Words

In general, primary sources are the original materials of history or the original documents and substances that were created at the time, either by a first-hand experience, picture, etc. To make the primary source, reliable and respectable, the source should be as unbiased as possible, objective, and state the facts of the time. Behind the Urals: An American Worker in Russia’s City of Steel is a book written as a firsthand account on writer John Scott’s life in Soviet Russia. First-hand accounts are generally biased to some extent but it is not hard to separate true facts and opinions. Behind the Urals is a good primary source and the author’s opinion, ideals, and beliefs are glossed over through the memoir, and his efforts to remain objective were recognized. The details in the memoir have biases that are balanced, and understandable in many instances; when one is passionate about a certain thing, it is hard to take a truly objective view. John Scott’s beliefs about America are unmistakable and it is important to realize that he was considered to be ranked higher than the average Russian peasant in Behind the Urals, nevertheless, he does make an unbiased stand on the true cost of industrial accidents, the overwork of the workers, the hyper-industrialization of the five year plans enacted by Stalin, the peasants pushed out of their land in the collectivization program to be forced into becoming industrial laborers, and the severity of the Stalin’s political purges. TheShow MoreRelatedInside a Totalitarian Regime: Key features of Stalinism Essay1652 Words   |  7 Pagesself-sufficient industry and agriculture freed from the constraints of the market. The industrial policy resembled that of a war economy focused on heavy industries such as steel, weapons and the industrial centers were relocated in remote areas such as the Urals and Siberia, rich in natural resources. In 1937, the part of small industries had fallen from a third in 1913 to 6 percent (Davies 1989, 1029). This process revealed to be extremely successful on a macroscopic level. The industrial production roseRead MoreT 34 s Role During The Soviet Union2433 Words   |  10 Pagesdesigned mostly by Russian engineers, built in Soviet and used all over the world. J. Walter Christie was an American who was a pioneer in designing tanks. Mikhail Koshkin got a idea of fast tank from Christie’s BT tanks. Koshkin used Christie’s suspension design for tanks. The American tank had to be secretly shipped to Russia; the BT tanks were shipped as tractor trailers to bypass the American customs. Apart from the suspension, rest of the T-34 was designed in Russia. The T-34 did not come from aRead MoreOrganizational Behaviour and Hr Management: the Case of Aeroflot7062 Words   |  29 Pagesfor the Aeroflot company. In the first years of 1970s Aeroflot had operated over 3.500 destinations. During the summer of 1970 the company carried approximately 400.000 passengers every day. In the 1970s Aeroflot started to serve North and South American directions, still increasing numbers of European, Asian, and African destinations. The network consisted of flights to the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, China, Canada, and Cuba. In 1980 Aeroflot became an official carrier of Moscow OlympicRead MoreEssay Desertification And Deforestation5662 Words   |  23 PagesDeforestation The Amazon Rainforest is probably the most important region that is threatened by deforestation. With over four million squared kilometers it is roughly the size of the United States. The Amazon spreads across nine South American Countries and contains one-fifth of the Worlds fresh water and one-third of the known living species. The land is home to hundreds of indigenous groups and is considered by many to be â€Å"the lungs of the planet†. Most of the Amazon is stillRead MoreComparison Between Japan and Russia13811 Words   |  56 Pagesseemed to be less precarious. More than 200,000 residents were evacuated from areas surrounding both facilities. Problems were later reported at two other nuclear facilities. By Tuesday, March 15, two more explosions and a fire had officials and workers at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station struggling to regain control of four reactors. The fire, which happened at reactor No. 4, was contained by noon on Tuesday, but not before the incident released radioactivity directly into the atmosphereRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesand Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. Black, ed., Modern American Queer History Eric Sandweiss, St. Louis: The Evolution of an American Urban Landscape Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past Sharon Hartman Strom, Political Woman: Florence Luscomb and the Legacy of Radical Reform Read MoreNuclear Decay And Nuclear Energy8049 Words   |  33 Pagesbillion. Many military and some civilian ships use nuclear marine propulsion, a form of nuclear propulsion. A few space vehicles have been launched using full-fledged nuclear reactors: 33 reactors belong to the Soviet RORSAT series and one was the American SNAP-10A. International research is continuing into safety improvements such as passively safe plants, This situation, however, changed in the late 1930s, with the discovery of nuclear fission. In 1932, James Chadwick discovered the neutron, whichRead MoreThe Impact of Agricultural Sector on Economic Growth in Nigeria18675 Words   |  75 Pages This is the â€Å"market contribution† role of the agricultural sector. On the other hand, the ‘factor contribution’ â€Å"role refers to transfer of resources (like capital and labour) from agricultural to â€Å"successor† sectors. 10 The fact that agricult ural sector accounts for up to 90% of nonoil foreign exchange earnings places it at the heart of strategy for economic diversification from oil. In Nigeria, the agricultural sector plays a crucial economic stabilising role including the mitigation of negativeRead MoreHbr When Your Core Business Is Dying74686 Words   |  299 Pagesexamp le, the world’s largest oil exporter, imports ref ined petroleum produc ts like gasoline. So if energy independence is an unrealistic goal, how does everyone get the fuel a world of rising demand they need, especially in , supply disruptions, nat ural disasters, and unstable regimes? True global energy sec urity will be a result of cooperation and engage ment, not isolationism When investment and . expertise are allowed to flow freely across border s, the engine of innovation is ignited, prosperity

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Classroom Observation Report free essay sample

I observed a general education kindergarten class at Monte Vista Elementary school in the Albuquerque public school district in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The setup of the classroom had four round tables with six seats for the capacity of 24 students in total. The round tables were placed as a ‘U’ with the opening towards the front of the classroom. There was a colorful rug in the middle of the ‘U†, with the alphabet displayed on it. With the placement of the tables, it was very easy for the teacher and teaching assistants to walk around to help any student in need. The colorful area rug was designed for out loud reading activities and lessons. The class was very organized. All toys, supplies and materials were labeled and put into storage bins in the back of the classroom where anyone can easily access it. The lesson format was very structured and it was displayed in the front of the class with a time schedule. We will write a custom essay sample on Classroom Observation Report or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Students enter the classroom, put away their belongings and participate in about 20 minutes of free time. Free time consists of socializing, playing with toys, number blocks and more. Students then perform the pledge of allegiance; listen to the morning announcements and any comments the teacher has to make for the day. Then they also select the line leader, door holder and snack helpers for the day. After that, the students go through their morning routine which consists of reciting the alphabet, colors and answering simple questions. Most of the instruction is done on the carpet in the front of the classroom. This space is used so students can interact with the instructor and get close to the book or material that is being presented. The tables the students sit at are used to complete written work or other assignments. The teacher and TA’s use a three strike system with the students. When a student is asked to change their negative behavior for the third time, they are isolated from the rest of the group. For effective classroom management, the teacher set up behavior goals and provides incentives to behave well. While walking around the classroom, teaching assistants stay close to problem spots and turn the ring leaders into class leaders. There were about three students with an emotional or behavior disorder in the classroom. With an emotional or behavior disorder these students have inability to learn, to maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships, they also have inappropriate types of behaviors or feelings and the tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears. One child had a temper tantrum in the middle of the reading lesson. Apparently, he did not like the story being told and decided to scream and cry. Instead of a teaching assistant removing the child and isolating him from the class, she started to scold him and make a scene in front of the other children. The child’s motivation for this behavior was to escape the lesson being told. Early intervention and identification is critical in order to avoid these situations. After observing the first class, I learned that it is essential to create a positive and meaningful environment and incorporate positive reinforcement. The rules displayed were very positive, but the consequences and how the teachers and teaching assistant used negative reinforcement for their students caused a great power struggle.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Consumerism is Beneficial to U.S. Society free essay sample

Consumerism can be defined in different ways. First, it refers to the policies or movement targeted at controlling the services, products, techniques and principles of sellers, manufacturers and advertisers in the interest of the purchaser. Such sort of control may be statutory, institutional, or exemplified in a charitable code agreed to by a specific industry, or it may occur indirectly from the pressure of consumer associations. Consumerism also refers to the theory that a gradually superior use of products is economically beneficial. It can also refer to the accessory of money-oriented values or possessions which deplore the uncontrolled consumerism of the modern society (Twitchell, 2002). Some people argue that consumerism has a lot of negative influence to the United States society yet more others argue that consumerism is actually beneficial to the US society. I strongly believe that consumerism is extremely beneficial to US society because the government, through its regulatory agencies makes sure there is consumer protection. Consumerism also enhances economic growth, competition between corporations and diversity of choices. However, consumerism also makes the society materialistic. Highlighted are some of the reasons why consumerism is significant in US and they are supported with evidences from different articles mentioned. Reason A: Consumerism enhances diversity of choices Evidence 1: There is too much in the world that makes people enjoy life and at least appreciate the reason why they are on earth. According to the article, Does Money Buy Happiness? written by Don Peck and Ross Douthat, it is clear that things that make people happy on earth include drink, food, entertainment and merchandise all of which are acquired with the availability of money. Peck and Douthat argue that despite the fact that money cannot buy everything in life, they facilitate happiness. The authors provide evidence by stating that richer nations are generally happier than poorer nations because they have stable economies while the poorer nations suffer from unstable economies (Peck and Douthat, 2003). This is because richer nations offer its people with the chance to acquire several things through credit which enables them to buy goods or services in large quantities. Consumption also enables people to acquire a sense of status because they obtain numerous items and upgrades all through their life. Evidence 2: The same concept of diversity of choices and happiness is outlined in the article, Enjoyment as an Alternative to Materialistic, by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly who argues that evolution has come with two motivational factors in life which are pleasure and enjoyment. These are some of the things which make people happy because once the economy of a nation is stable; it contains lots of companies which compete in production of goods and services that become easily obtainable making people happy (Csikszentmihaly, 2003). Enjoyment brings forth satisfaction which is brought about by making consumption our way of life. This can only happen if there is diversity of choices which is also brought about by an extremely productive economy. Evidence 3: According to John Schumaker’s article, The Happiness Conspiracy: What Does It mean to be Happy in a Modern Consumer Society? Diversity of items and entities that promote happiness has made several people happy in the world especially in richer nations which stable economy. Schumaker argues that personal happiness is extremely significant and it is the reason why there are how to be happy books, article, TV programs, websites videos and institutions offering happiness courses such as happiness counseling, joyology, life-lift and happiness coaching among others (Schumaker, 2006). All these exist to boost positive thinking and enhance the ability to be satisfied. Generally, diversity offers people a wide range of options when purchasing products and services. Reason B: Consumerism facilitates economic growth Evidence 1: James Twichell states clearly in his article, Needing the Unnecessary that a person is not what he or she makes but what he or she consume. The moment a person is given the opportunity to choose what he or she will consume, everybody goes for the best. The best means what is good for them in terms of quality and benefits (Twitchell, 2002). The best can also mean satisfaction which defines consumerism. Twichell is clear that what people consume depends with the availability of resources in the country and the economic status of a nation. A stable economy nation usually has diversity of products and services which makes it easier for people to acquire what their hearts desires for consumption. Evidence 2: The article The Happiness Conspiracy: What Does It mean to be Happy in a Modern Consumer Society? talks much about how to become happy in the modern society. It states that the initial thing that determines ones happiness is the stability of the nation. Once the economy of a nation is stable, everything becomes okay (Schumaker, 2006). For example, if the economy of a nation is stable, essential products like food, shelter and clothes are always available in large quantities. Such products coupled with services like enhanced security and efficient water supply makes people live easy and satisfactory lives. Consumer happiness enables people to develop thus build on the economy of the nation. Evidence 3: Don Peck and Ross Douthat’s article Does Money Buy Happiness? clearly states that richer nations are essentially happier than poorer nations and the more people are happy the more the economy grows (Peck and Douthat, 2003). Reason C: Consumerism enhances creation of employment and facilitates competition between companies Evidence 1: Csikszentmihaly confirms in his article that economic growth is all about stabilizing the nation through job creation and enhancement of production. Once people are satisfied with what the nation offers, the shift goes to the production companies which have to be extremely competitive because happy people will always go for the best. Evidence 2: Peck and Douthat also confirm that richer nations have happier people than poor nations because the citizens in richer nations easily get what they want including jobs and good products and services. Good products and services come across when there is stiff competition between the production companies. Evidence 3: Schumaker states that what makes people happy in the modern consumer society is there satisfaction with what they get (Schumaker, 2006). This puts pressure on companies to produce high quality products because poor products will never get market in such societies. That is why US is a better place today because there are lots of quality products than in other nations. Refutation Reason: consumerism is an addictive lifestyle which makes people materialistic. Evidence 1: According to Twichell (Needing the Unnecessary), people wish to live a good lifestyle just because they do not understand the negative impact of such a life. First, he mentions that luxurious lifestyle makes people always be addicted to unnecessary things which they can do without (Twitchell, 2002). Evidence 2: Schumaker also mentions in his article that happiness makes people become materialistic since they adopts a culture which can lead them to go into unnecessary debts because they wish to purchase fashionable, best products in the market some of which they cannot afford (Schumaker, 2006). Evidence 3: It is clear that the satisfaction brought about by economic growth makes people become materialistic and choosey. They usually adopt the culture of going for the best in order to be satisfied. According to the article Enjoyment as an Alternative to Materialistic, the problem of such addiction is that because life is not the same every day, people may sometimes suffer a lot when things go astray (Csikszentmihaly, 2003). For example, when a person looses a job and he or she is used to a luxurious life, it becomes difficult for such an individual to adopt a hardship life thus making them leave in a lot of pain and stress. Personal Experience Sometimes back when I was still at my early teenage hood, I also thought life was all about wearing good and fashionable clothes, living luxurious life and enjoying every moment of my life since my dad was rich and could provide me with everything I needed. This means that I had become too materialistic that I could not do without some things. However, my dad was thrown away from work after some misunderstandings. That is when I realized that the desire for material objects is actually a negative because it was too difficult for me to adopt the new life of staying without money (Twitchell, 2002). The new life was all about making ends meet not acquiring what my heart desired. The only obligation my dad remained with was to make sure his family does not go without food but the rest, well, we could do without because we could not afford. It was extremely difficult for me to adjust because I was already addicted to a happy life and the transition affected even my performance in school (Schumaker, 2006). Nevertheless, I do not regret that today because it was one way God used to show me that life is not all about being materialistic. In conclusion, I believe that consumerism is extremely beneficial to our society but it is important to note the effects of being materialistic. People should leave happy lives because it makes them healthy and progressive although they should be conscious about the impacts of getting addicted to consumerism. References Don Peck and Ross Douthat, (2003) Does Money Buy Happiness? Atlantic Media, Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2003/01/does-money-buy-happiness/308430/ John Schumaker’s (2006). The Happiness Conspiracy: What Does It mean to be Happy in a Modern Consumer Society? Retrieved from http://newint.org/columns/essays/2006/07/01/happiness-conspiracy/ Mihaly Csikszentmihaly, (2003). Enjoyment as an Alternative to Materialistic. Retrieved from https://depaul.digication.com/the_faces_behind_the_masked_villains/Rhetorical_Analysis_of_Enjoyment_as_an_Alternative Twitchell, James B. (2002). Needing the Unnecessary. Reasons 34.4 retrieved from http://reason.com/archives/2002/08/01/needing-the-unnecessary

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Aviation Professionalism Essays

Aviation Professionalism Essays Aviation Professionalism Essay Aviation Professionalism Essay Aviation Professionalism The Qualifications, Attributes, Ethics, and Responsibilities of Aviation Professionals Yadvinder Singh ASCI – 202 Anthony Miller March 7, 2013 Once someone joins the Airlines industry as a professional, be it a pilot, a technician, or an air traffic controller, they are committing to a certain level of responsibility and expectation. In my experience I have come across professionals who I have felt suited their role to near perfection while others in the same position at times fall short of basic expectations. The issue of professionalism and responsibility in the airline industry has been in focus recently due to some recent events like the Northwest pilots flying past their destination airport, in-flight breakdowns and rants by pilots and flight attendants, and airline mergers. I feel that sometimes media speculation exaggerates the issues presented to society and highlights mistakes where the public gets the impression that these types of incidents and errors are taking place daily. The reality is that safety measures are an integral part of an airline worker’s training and major errors or incidents occur rather infrequently. At the same time, another reality is that a mistake made by an airline employee, whether pilot, technician, or air traffic controller runs the risk of being fatal and this is where the attributes and ethics of an individual come into play. Pilots are required to complete extensive training and log thousands of hours of flight time before they can land a job with the major carriers, so I feel the qualifications alone can be met by many but perhaps there needs to be some sort of training or measure of ethical behavior of an individual because that can help determine how they will treat the level of responsibility associated with their job. Most flights complete their course without incident and this can naturally cause someone to relax their mind or reflexes a little, but no flight should be treated with any negligence whatsoever. The incident with the Northwest flight (NY Times 2009) crew is an ideal example of this. The pilots had a combined flying experience of over 30,000 hours, yet they committed an error that resulted in a major embarrassment and which could have cost lives. The main cause cited for this blunder is that the pilots were distracted during flight because they were engaged in personal matters on their laptops, which is a violation of airline safety guidelines. Is the root reason for this incident just poor judgment and misbehavior of the pilots or perhaps not enough emphasis on responsibility in their training? The hundreds of hours of flight time required to be a pilot come with a hefty price, so anyone who is a pilot has surely proven their passion and persistence for flying. However, it’s a wonder that this same dedication doesn’t follow through for some once they’ve landed a job with a major carrier and I think it may be because the path is often so strenuous that getting a job itself is treated as the goal, when it actually is a stepping stone to really being a pilot. Air traffic controllers have also been in the news recently with incidents of suspicion that they are distracted and even sleeping on the job (USA Today, 2011). Here is a profession where mistakes are simply not allowed because the repercussions can very likely be fatal. I think there has to be a close monitoring of on the job behavior because the job itself runs the risk of complacency. It’s important to note that fatal incidents have been few and far between, but the risk is still great enough to warrant better oversight. A person who works as an air traffic controller needs to be one who is naturally very focused and detail oriented because the rules, the risks, the guidelines and need to be responsible and focused can be taught, but ultimately, this is behavior they have to showcase. Technicians are a group of people I’ve had several years of close working experience with as both a former technician and in my current role of Inspector. Unfortunately, the current crop of technicians are a group I find to be well intentioned, but without enough working experience as they’re often straight out of high school. This doesn’t mean they don’t possess the necessary attributes or approach to be successful and responsible technicians, because these are often the deciding factors but I think there needs to be more training and understanding of the great deal of responsibility they are taking on as technicians. Professionalism to me is a good mix of knowledge, a candid commitment to ones job, the disciplined passion, and the ability to make proper but sound judgments. To put it into simple terms Professionalism simply means doing the right thing, even when you have had a long day and also when you are not in some spotlight. Whether you are a pilot, a technician, or an air traffic controller or any employee in the aviation profession these attributes or qualities have to be considered in taking the professional approach in today’s aviation profession. Matthew L. Wald (2009, Oct 26). Off-Course Pilots Cite Computer Distraction. NY Times. Retrieved October 26, 2002 from nytimes. com/2009/10/27/us/27plane. html? _r=0 Alan Levin (2011, Apr 21). Recent air controller incidents no signs of crisis, experts say. Us Today. Retrieved April 21, 2011 from http://travel. usatoday. com/flights/story/2011/04/Recent-air-controller-incidents-no-sign-of-crisis-experts-say/46338056/1

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Decision Making Process

Decision Making Process Decision making has a key role in determining the success of an organization, given that resources and other important parts of a company are influenced by decisions made. The speed with which decisions can be made is of essence as it directly determines the rate of duty execution thus; it is paramount for decisions to be timely. This has elicited debate as to which strategy of decision making between decentralized or centralized is better for organizations to adopt.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Decision Making Process specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The management of AES for example, is inclined to the decentralized strategy of decision making. Though the organization stresses on four core values that must be followed by everybody, each department has the freedom of choosing which method to use in executing their duties bearing in mind the core values (O’Reilly Pferffer 2000). Human resource department i s not part of the organization’s strategy of decision making instead, employees are supposed to come up with ways of tackling issues in their line of duty. It is the responsibility of the employees to organize for training sessions whenever they are faced with difficult situations or issues that they are not conversant with. Through this, the employees of AES have learned to be responsible for their actions and they feel they are part of the people who will make the organization succeed and therefore, their level of productivity has increased. The strategy helps the organization in adapting fast to the dynamic business world and expedites the decision making process, as well as enhancing common set of values that are followed by each employee (O’Reilly Pfeffer 2000). Centralized decision making strategy does not provide for flexibility incase there are unforeseen changes in the business environment therefore, giving the opponents a competitive advantage in such instan ces. The easiness and speed of decision making that is associated with decentralized decision making strategy allows quick reaction to the dynamics of the business world, and that is what has helped AES to prosper. When people work as a team, the average output of the organization is improved since team members are ready to help each other hence eliminating inefficiency. Decentralized strategy of decision making highly advocates for employees to work as a team hence increasing productivity (Ariunaa 2010). Different individuals have knowledge in different issues therefore, incorporating them in the decision making process ensures that high value decisions are made. On the same note, decentralized decision making strategy allows employees of various departments to use the experience they might have regarding their department or apply the knowledge they have to run and upgrade these sections. This ensures that the latest knowledge is used to run any given department thus, uphosslding e fficiency in production.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In conjunction with that, employees are able to change the way they carry out some duties without necessarily waiting for approval from the top management, which sometimes takes long thus, increasing their efficiency. It should be noted that it is easier for a person to discover his or her area of weakness and change it rather than waiting for the authorities to correct the same (Griffin 2010). Additionally, decentralized strategy makes use of division and specialization of labor which ensures that each employee performs to his or her best thus, taking advantage of wide expertise of the employees. Furthermore, sluggishness of business operations is avoided in decentralized strategy as opposed to centralized strategy where decision making process may take a long duration because the top management has to meet and make decisions. As far as decentralized strategy is concerned, a problem once discovered can easily be managed and normal operations resume without delay because the people who are supposed to make decisions are easily accessed (Griffin 2010). If a mistake occurs in decision making process, the whole system is not broken down if the organization uses decentralized strategy since only one department gets affected, while in centralized strategy the whole process can easily be brought to a halt by a single mistake. On the other hand, decentralized strategy has its setbacks that can sometimes hinder operations if not taken care of. To begin with, given the diverse views that people may have, it sometimes becomes difficult to make these people agree on one idea regarding certain issues and this may annoy those whose ideas do not carry the day therefore reducing their morale at work (Ariunaa 2010). On the same note, it is very easy for the organization to lose focus on the core values if employees are given too much freedom to do what they think is right, because the tendency of getting out of line is high. Therefore, it is advantageous if an organization decentralizes some of the decision making process but centralizes the implementation of the core values and the promotion of organizational culture and mission.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Decision Making Process specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Each department needs some level of freedom to solve its own problems as the people there have the first hand information of what affects them. On top of that, employees feel valued if they are involved in the decision making process and they will increase their efficiency which in turn increases the general output of the company (Griffin 2010). References Ariunaa, L. (2010). Fiscal Federalism and Decentralization in Mongolia. Potsdam: Universittsverlag Potsdam. Griffin, W. R. (2010). Management. St anford: Cengage Learning. O’Reilly, A. C., Pfeffer, J. (2000). Hidden Value. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Starbucks coffe industry Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Starbucks coffe industry - Case Study Example The organization selected for the study is Starbucks which is a major coffee retail chain based in USA and has operations across numerous areas of the globe. The study would include a theoretical analysis highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each of the strategies mentioned above. In addition the study would also take into account the similarities and dissimilarities between the chosen set of business strategies. Furthermore the study would analyze the external environmental aspects that govern the coffee industry. This would be followed with an analysis for the trends of the coffee industry that would include an industry analysis of the entire industry. Finally a set of strategies would be proposed for Starbucks from among the chosen set of four generic strategies that would help the firm gain and consolidate its market share in the market and to help generate sustainable competitive advantage in the long run. Introduction In the age of increased market competition it ha s become inevitable for business organizations to purse strategies that differentiate their product offering from the others in the market. Porter proposed a set of three strategies namely focus strategy, differentiation and cost leadership that can be followed by firms to gain market advantage. Firms like Wal-Mart incorporate a single strategy like cost while there are others that use a combination of these strategies to create a hybrid strategy to generate advantage for them in the market. The choice of strategy largely depends upon the nature of the business and the target market segment considering the fact that each set of strategy has its own set of advantages as well as disadvantages (Griffin, 2008, p.207). Firms should therefore analyze their internal as well as external aspects before undertaking and implementing a business strategy. This would help them take the best advantage of the market conditions and would also help them channelize their internal resources and capacit ies to create favorable positioning and brand image of their brands and organization in the minds of the target market audience. Theoretical Background Depending upon the internal and external aspects influencing an organization it is necessary to adopt any of the four strategies namely differentiation, low-cost leadership, best cost and focus strategy. The matrix below lists out the similarities and dissimilarities of these strategies. Strategy Type Advantages Disadvantages Focus Focus Strategies help generate efficiency and promote greater learning and innovation. It helps firms to concentrate to a single segment and analyze their needs more effectively (Moore, 2008, p.84-85). Concentration on a single segment can be disastrous if the key differentiators are imitated by another market player. Narrowing down of difference within the target segments can lead to business risk (Longenecker et.al, 2005, p.66) Differentiation Helps beat the market competition. Generate new products acro ss different segments and reduces the business risks and uncertainties (Parnell, 2003, p.91) Loss of cost based advantage Imitation of key features by competitors (Wit & Meyer, 2010, p.343) Low Cost Leadership Ability to take greater advantage of demand and supply factors. Reduction of market risk (John & Harrison, n.d., p.82). Too much focus on cost can lead to deviation from the market and customers. Product aspects like quality and safety may be compromised