Free Strategic Management Essay IMAX Free Essays

1. Presentation Harberber and Rieple (2008) characterize methodology as a lot of deliberate or incidental arrangement of activities through which an association builds up the necessary arrangement of assets, productively target significant clients, meet monetary targets and contends successfully. These key choices drive the drawn out course of the association, the extent of its exercises, assist gain with advantaging over contenders, and address changes in the business condition. We will compose a custom exposition test on Free Strategic Management Essay: IMAX or then again any comparative point just for you Request Now The instance of IMAX starts in 1994 when colleagues Gelfond and Wechsler chose to buy the association from its unique proprietors and take the organization open. IMAX works in a people situated business, working inside media outlets. During that time the proprietors have put forth key attempts toward contacting new crowds. These endeavors, notwithstanding IMAX’s outside condition, will be investigated and investigated in the segments that follow. The consequence of this examination will be the correlation of the firm’s methodology with the distinguished business endurance and achievement factors, in an offer to find out the applicable components that would drive future development. 2.IMAX’s business condition Various scholars, outstandingly Michael Porter (1979) have built up a few systems for comprehension and breaking down the impact that an organization’s outer condition could have on its intensity and productivity. These structures distinguish the accompanying as eminent powers: Threat of new participants; Threat of substitutes; Bargaining intensity of providers; Bargaining intensity of purchasers; and Intensity of opponents. This model has refreshed by Haberber and Rieple (2008) to incorporate Complementary powers, distinguishing ventures that by implication influence each other. Applying these 6 powers to IMAX, it becomes apparent that the best danger to new participants is the high capital speculation and specialized expertise required to go into the hardware dispersion, creation and conveyance industry. Likewise, as for appropriation channels, IMAX has had the option to set up associations with films all inclusive (Firn and Alpeyev, 2010; MarketWatch, 2010) to exhibit its movies. Also IMAX has either somewhat or completely possesses (for example David Keighley Productions) organizations gaining practical experience in the pre and after creation parts of its business. Notwithstanding, the expansion of less expensive computerized film creation and 3D gear innovation may essentially diminish that danger in coming years. According to substitutes to IMAX, the examination centers around potential choices, for example, DVD’s, pay-per-see, video on request, amusement parks, games, and different options in contrast to motion pictures. MPAA (2009) uncovers that in 2009 amusement parks were seen to be the biggest substitute danger to the film business. The purchaser penchant for such substitutes is supposed to be moderate in the way that IMAX films are commonly exceptional and can't be effectively replicated, additionally the lower costs of motion pictures have been considered as a significant motivation behind why it would consistently surpass amusement stops and games (Bangkok Post, 2010) IMAX’s in house hardware fabricating, long haul relationship with providers, utilization of firm possessed mechanical assets, and number of licenses, fundamentally decreases the bartering intensity of providers. With the approach of the downturn and the unpredictable budgetary condition, clients are getting progressively touchy to value changes. IMAX isn't invulnerable to this change. IMAX’s item separation permits it to be one of, if by all account not the only, provider of its specific items. In any case, the vertical mix rehearsed by the industry’s significant purchasers, are progressively expanding their purchaser power. IMAX’s significant clients are building up their own huge arrangement and 3D innovation (Georgiades, 2010), which may represent a noteworthy danger to the fate of IMAX on the off chance that they choose to quit depending on its innovation. It would likewise expand their haggling power in the event that they plan to renegotiate their current agreements on the premise that they would now be able to give serious quality on their huge organization and in house 3D designs. The biggest danger anyway is the idea of serious contention. Film creation studios are discharging more motion pictures in 3D design, which could represent a danger to IMAX’s inhouse assortment of huge arrangement 3D narratives (Georgiades, 2010a). Its purchasers are vertically incorporating to manufacture their own enormous configuration screens, and it is workable for them to begin offering it to contenders (Pacher, 2009). The achievement pace of films in the market likewise makes it progressively hard to turn a noteworthy benefit on each film highlighted in IMAX screens. Notwithstanding, the business is encountering development. In spite of the fact that it is progressively getting full grown in US/Canada, Worldwide film industry income has expanded consistently as of late (as found in figure 1). Development was knowledgeable about all areas of the world, particularly Asia Pacific and Latin America (MPAA, 2009). As indicated by Georgiades (2010), the ongoing development of the film business has been driven by the presentation of new innovation, especially enormous configuration screens and 3D, through which watchers can have another vivid film understanding. Figure 1: Worldwide Box Office ($ Billion). Source: MPAA (2009) Pachner (2009) expressed that the film business was progressively getting developed and declining, as various film chaperons would want to sit tight for DVD discharges, anyway this has changed with 3D innovation. The ongoing achievement of the film Avatar is a demonstration of the expanded interest for new advancements, for example, CGI and 3D (Firn and Alpeyev, 2010). 3D viewings have additionally expanded significantly inside the previous barely any years and now comprise 11% of all out household film industry inside the US and Canada, accordingly representing the unstable development the business is confronting (MarketWatch, 2010) Haberberg and Rieple (2008) in their portrayal of the Industry Life Cycle model, express that an association encountering development is normally entrusted with conceivably expanding rivalry, productivity, need to separate its items and market mindfulness. These are progressively getting apparent in IMAX regarding contenders, purchasers and moviegoers. Following the examination of the business condition in which IMAX works the accompanying key components for progress have been recognized: 1.Competitive favorable position through item separation and specialization (exceptional item) 2.Market pioneer through vital collusions 3.Technological ability (new advances, licenses, and so on.) 4.Value as an instructive asset 3.Analysis of IMAX’s system The most perceived asset of IMAX is its scholarly capital related with the company’s innovative predominance and licenses. The innovation used to shoot and produce an IMAX film is exceptionally advanced and specialized. A great part of the innovation utilized has been created in-house and IMAX is viewed as a specialist in such progressions. Gelfond, in an announcement in regards to vertical coordination by purchasers unequivocally brags â€Å"It took a hundred million dollars in RD to construct the Imax mark and make the Imax experience†¦ I think placing a ‘X’ in a name and building a big screen doesn’t reproduce the Imax experience† (Georgiades, 2010) IMAX’s center abilities additionally exist in its outer and inner linkages with its providers and wholesalers. Great connections exist among deals and acquirement that lead to upgraded capacities in new item improvement. IMAX’s can profit vigorously from its associations with organizations, for example, AMC and Regal. The company’s particular capacities in innovation can likewise be viewed as a center competency. As indicated by Johnson et al (2008), maintainable upper hand is accomplished by creating strong key abilities that give advantage after some time. IMAX’s significant abilities, being the pertinent and industry driving exclusive innovation in huge configuration screening, computerized discussion and 3D screening are important and uncommon, and similarly non substitutable. In any case, they can be imitated. Mechanical upgrades have made it feasible for theater chains to introduce their own huge organization screens. It has likewise made it workable for makers and wholesalers with ease to deliver and alter motion pictures. In spite of the fact that IMAX may profess to have assembled a brand and obtained licenses throughout the years, purchasers can without much of a stretch pick to watch competitor’s groups at less expensive costs. These contenders would be glad to introduce this innovation, as they are additionally not bound to income sharing understandings, along these lines representing a sensible danger (Georgiades, 2010). The company’s invasion into 3D innovation, and transformation of Hollywood motion pictures into huge 3D position has seriously disintegrated its past specialty market and center separation nonexclusive procedure. Its expanding center to retrofit theaters with important innovation, rather than focusing on its dominating edutainment methodology, could be a chance and a danger. This freshly discovered wide based item separation technique (Ormanidhi and Stringa, 2009) would draw in another portion of moviegoers as found in figure 2, yet in the process it might lose its following of younger students and edutainment centered people that have come to connect its image with enormous organization teaching narratives. By embracing this methodology, IMAX may likewise miss out on the new influx of teaching and engaging narratives that guardians are probably going to put resources into for their children’s insight. Joanna Pachner (2009) additionally contends that IMAX dangers losing its image picture by changing its situating and division technique. Figure 2: Moviegoer segment in US/Canada. Source: MPAA (2009) How

The Elements of Argument Essay Essay Example for Free

The Elements of Argument Essay In a contention article, an author basically contends a point or will we say guard a side to a dubious issue. He guards his focuses by expressing confirmations and with legitimate thinking. Numerous articles are essentially contention papers. More often than not we work papers to offer out our input on something so we may likewise convince others to have similar assessments. There are two fundamental components to an Argument: a proposal and explanation of proof. The proposal of a contention is the thing that an essayist shields. A case of a theory might be: Smoking is extremely unsafe. The quality of your contention will rely significantly upon the quality of your proposition explanation. The following component of a contention would be proof. No contention will be finished without proof supporting it. The majority of time, thinking alone won't do the trick to reinforce your contention on the grounds that a counter contention may handily be made to refute your case. This is the reason proof is exceptionally critical to your contention. There are a considerable amount of sources to discover proof for your contention, to give some examples, encounters, books, studies, surveys, distributed articles, and so forth. Without these two components in your contention your work won't be powerful to others thus your paper will be nothing but bad. So it is basic to locate a decent proposition articulation and assemble enough proof to back you up. Contention utilized in The Declaration of Independence It is plainly perceived how Thomas Jefferson utilizes contention in The Declaration of Independence and that the components of a contention article can without much of a stretch be found. In the second section we can discover the proposal of the contention which is that all men are made equivalent and are altogether with unalienable rights. The primary contention is that the King of Britain is plainly utilizing his capacity to preclude individuals from securing their privileges. On most pieces of the presentation we can locate the second component to contentious papers, proof. Thomas Jefferson expresses various situations where the King of Britain is in away from of human and social liberties. These evident realities are what makes this article exceptionally solid. The theory is all around upheld. Here we can perceive how the components of a pugnacious exposition impacts how great the work will be. The better utilization of a proposal and proof comes to your meaningful conclusion clear in this manner making your work increasingly enticing which is the general objective of a contention, convincing individuals to share your thought.

This January I Switched to Apple. What are You Tolerating in Your Life

This January I Switched to Apple. What are You Tolerating in Your Life I’d say it was a long time coming, given that I’ve had nothing but problems with my Dell PCs for the last … oh … 20 years? For the most recent 3 or so of those 20, several of my friends and colleagues have been begging and pleading with me to convert to Apple. Did I listen? No. Changing just seemed like way too much work. Then, in January, I hit a limit. My 1-year-old Windows 8 computer, whose operating system I had just reinstalled, was not working any better than it was before I reinstalled it. My programs were constantly going to “Not Responding.” Tech support could not fix the problem and was telling me I needed a more powerful computer with more RAM. Sales was telling me the 8 GB of RAM on my current computer should be plenty. I figured either sales was wrong or tech support was wrong, and Dell should either fix the problem or give me some amount of credit toward a new computer. They claimed to be unable to do either. It was decision time, and I was DONE with Dell. Perhaps you are celebrating, along with many of my friends, colleagues and even distant acquaintances, that I waltzed into an Apple store and bought a MacBook Pro. In the end, this change happened in an instant. It wasn’t easy getting up to speed on the MacBook. The delete button drives me crazy. The command button is located in the most inconvenient spot I can imagine. My files are all organized differently now. Outlook was downloading all my email repeatedly and I had to get tech support to get a duplicate deletion program. I needed a new way to access my accountant’s server so I could use my QuickBooks program. I had to call HP support to get my printer working wirelessly. I blew out two adaptors trying to connect the Mac to an external monitor. And there’s more. This is why I did not want to switch to a Mac. But get this: The computer doesn’t use battery power while it’s asleep. It wakes up immediately. I can leave my house carrying my laptop and no power cord and trust that the battery will last. The programs work and don’t slow down on me ever. And iCal integrates with Google Calendar without a 3rd party program! Most of the issues I faced were ramping up issues and are all resolved. And I get all the good stuff. I’m starting to be a proud Mac user. My question out of all of this is, “Why the heck did I wait so long?” You can ask any of my close friends and relatives and they will attest to the fact that I was spending hours upon hours with Dell tech support for years. I have never been happy with a Dell computer! And yet, I resisted change. Pure and simple. I kept choosing to upgrade to a “better” Dell, hoping it would solve my problems. It never did. People do this. Look at how many people stay in relationships that require hours of conversation to try to make them work. Look at how many of these people move in together, or get married, thinking that the “upgrade” will help. Or they have children in order to fix their relationship. Now that’s an upgrade! We so often avoid the risk of starting over with someone else because it would require an unknown amount of work â€" even if we have a strong inkling that ultimately the benefits would justify the investment. We resist change even if all our friends are telling us to “switch to Apple.” Many of us stay in jobs that are not a good fit. Even if we’re miserable, at least we’re dealing with a known quantity. I myself kept working for 10 years as a lawyer, because it was safe and provided a living wage, even though there was no amount of adjusting and mind talk that could make me enjoy that job. I even accepted a promotion (my “upgrade”) before reaching my breaking point and starting something new. The February issue of LeaderMag featured an article by Bruce Hodes, Five Ogres and an Angel, about the resistance to change in organizations. I love this quote which he shares: “Change is hard because people overestimate the value of what they have and underestimate the value of what they may gain by giving that up.” James Belasco and Ralph Stayer, Flight of the Buffalo (1994). Hodes asserts that two of the main elements blocking change are “comfort” and “drift.” Comfort is something we’re all familiar with. We humans like things to stay the same. We get attached to our routines like a warm blanket, even if they aren’t serving us. And drift, the pull of the current always in the same direction (toward the status quo), affects us whether in our homes or workplaces. Hodes’ advice: “Trust your intuitionâ€"be convinced that even in the face of resistance this is the way forward.” The payoff according to Hodes is Performance Improvement. I certainly got that with my MacBook Pro. My question to you is: Where in your life are you resisting change, falling victim to comfort and drift, when you really know it’s time to make a move? Where is there room for performance improvement in your life? Maybe it’s time to stop “upgrading” what you already have and to start something new.

What effects does social media have on an individual - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2571 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/04/05 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Social Media Essay Did you like this example? Sigmund Freud believed that the psyche, what we call our personality, has three structures: the Id, the ego and the superego. The Id is the structure of personality consisting of our base instincts. It is completely unconscious and has zero contact with reality. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "What effects does social media have on an individual" essay for you Create order The ego is the structure that concerns with reality and is considered as the reasoning and decision making part of the personality. Both the Id and the ego have no morality, which is ultimately taken care of by the superego. The invention of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others, paved the way for a virtual human interaction cutting across geographic racial, cultural and socioeconomic boundaries. Social media, which was once created to be a way for people to interact with people from all around the world, has turned into an isolation device for humans to interact with. We as a society and as individuals do not realize that what is known as human civilization is now characterized as a civilization living in two worlds: the real world and the virtual world. The world perceived by Freud is much different from the world we live in today. When Freud created this theory, he could not perceive a world with such advancements in technology, especially those having the ability to change a humans mental state. Social media is used to foster communication. Yes, social media sounds great and its fun to use. But what people dont take into consideration when using social networking sites is the negative effects it has on an individual such as: lowering self-esteem, anxiety, depression and the vulnerability to being catfished or cyberbullied. This is a problem that millions of people are facing, but dont even realize that social media is to blame due to their lack of knowledge on the issue. This problem is growing tremendously and needs to be addressed more seriously. Anxiety is the feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. Depression is a feeling of severe despondency and dejection, both of which if not recognized and treated properly can lead to even more serious problems such as suicidal thoughts or suicide itself. According to Jacob Amedie, social media causes anxiety and depression in two ways: by being constantly alert, and constantly trying to reach perfection. People may not realize it, but as they are sitting there waiting for a new social media message they are forcing their fight or flight limbic system to kick in which causes a release of the stress hormone, cortisol. This may not sound all that bad, but eventually enough of it can cause you to undergo some serious mental changes which could later lead to physical changes. For example, the constant release of the stress hormone cortisol, from heavy social media usage, over time causes damage to your gastrointesti nal tract (gut), which opens the door to an immune-inflammatory response in the body and brain, leading to depression anxiety. When things turn physical, it all of the sudden sounds more serious. Another way that social media causes anxiety and depression, Amedie argues, is through the idea of perfection. The social anxiety of stress is portrayed by trying to project a perfect self at all times. The continuous stress from constantly trying to project an image of perfection? †a perfect career, perfect marriage, perfect life†leads to the release of the exact same hormone, cortisol. This idea of trying to be viewed as perfect leads people to create a false intimacy. Primarily because social media promotes putting up a facade that highlights all the fun, excitement and success we seem to enjoy but tells very little about where we are struggling in our day to day life (Amedie 9). Many would rather embrace this happy illusion of virtual connection rather than share and develop real life relationships. An example showcasing the damage of the false sense of intimacy created by social media is that a friend of mine who goes to the gym often, posted a selfie and it was not received very well on facebook. It started out fine with twenty or so likes, and friendly, encouraging, congratulatory remarks about her getting into shape. But then someone commented negatively on the photo, jeering about her current weight. Other spiteful comments followed, first by Facebook friends she had that I knew about, but then strangers started to insult her appearance as well calling her with ethnic slurs. Eventually she was forced to take the photo down, because the comments were becoming too obscene and could not be ignored any longer. Whether or not social media creates or promotes this issue, people still participate in it partially because they fail to see the dangers in doing so. In a recent study, Joanne Davila and a few of her colleagues conducted an experiment on social networking and depressive symptoms among youth. During the study they came across two related variables: co-rumination and depressive rumination. Co-rumination refers to excessive discussion of problems within friendships, including repeated conversations, conjecture about causes, and heightened focus on negative emotions. Given the frequency that young individuals engage in social networking activities, they are more likely to be involved in co-ruminating. For example, imagine the life of a teenage girl. Social media is the perfect go to medium for these repeated discussions because it allows for the constant rehashing of the conversations over these girls problems, which ultimately causes them to obsess over the problem and prevent them from moving on in life. In the past, girls would write about their problems in journals or confide in peers over the phone. But now social media is the pr imary source for teens to vent current problems in their lives. This is where the issue comes into place. When a teen posts a problem online it is likely to receive both positive and negative feedback and comments, which causes an obsession to develop on this post. Once something is shared online, it can never be taken off; even if the post is erased it can still be taken as a screenshot on another device, leading the sender to further into anxiety and depression. Davila discovered that adolescents involved in co-rumination, are associated with a more immediate and direct negative effect of depression and may encounter more severe symptoms. Depressive rumination refers to passively focusing on symptoms of distress and their possible causes and consequences, leading to a fixation on problems and negative feelings. Davila discovered that individuals who are prone to depressive rumination are more likely to use social networking sites because of their dependent nature and have negative social networking experiences because of their interpersonal problems, and those experiences may be particularly depressogenic because of their tendency to ruminate on them (Davila 2). Besides the fact that social media can cause anxiety and depression, it can also cause other serious problems that are psychologically related. In Online Social Networking and Mental Health, Pantic deals with the affects social media has on the mental health of its users. Pantic states that some scientists have indicated that certain social networking sites activities might be associated with low self-esteem, especially in teens. One of the explanations regarding the negative relationship between social media and self-esteem, is that all social networking platforms where self-presentation is the principal user activity, causes or at least promotes narcissistic behavior. This indicates that individuals with lower self-esteem are more active online in terms of having more self-promotional content on their social media profiles (Pantic 5). For example, the typical Facebook user will every day have multiple visits to his/her own profile page during which he/she will view his/her already posted photographs, biographical data, relationship status, and so on. All of these events, especially in light of similar data obtained from other users profiles, may lead to either a short-term or a long-term reduction in self-esteem. It is probable, however, that the overall impact of social networking sites on self-esteem is much more complex. Constant self-evaluation on an everyday basis, competition and comparing ones own achievements with those of other users, incorrectly perceiving physical, emotional, and social characteristics of others, feeling of jealousy, and narcissistic behavior†these are all factors that may positively or negatively influence self-esteem. Social media is not only capable of shaping or changing a persons personality, but also capable of shaping and changing a persons physical features as well. Kim Harris, a teacher at a Korean school, wrote an article regarding social medias impact on a persons psychological well-being. Harris wrote that social media can shape a persons views and beliefs and the way they see things through adaptation and imitation. Violent content, whether its from an online video game, a live video, or a made-up cartoon, can affect an individual psychologically by encouraging antisocial attitudes and aggressive tendencies among adolescents and adults. Social media exposure is found to be associated with the outcomes of negative self-perception, eating disorders and substance abuse (Harris 3). Looking at the effects of social media on the brain one can see how this has a negative effect on the psychological aspects of ones life. Psychological effects take place due to popular activities online. Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. Paul Malcore stresses that cyberbullying occurs when individuals use technology to write aggressive, embarrassing, or hateful messages to and about peers in order to intimidate, harass, shame, and control them. Malcore states that approximately 80% of teens use a smart-phone regularly, 92% of teens report going online at least once a day, and 56% go online several times a day (Malcore). With social media having such high activity, teens will either witness cyberbullying, be a victim of it, or become a perpetrator. Statistically speaking, 81% of teens state that cyberbullying is easier to get away with than with face-to-face contact. The rest believe that its just entertaining or funny. Many teens also bully because of anger, revenge, or as a way to vent frustrations. Teens hav e also been known to cyberbully because they are bored, have too much time on their hands, or an abundance of tech toys. Cyberbullies may also participate to avoid being bullied themselves. Cyberbullying comes in many different forms. Teens and even adults partake in excluding others from an online group, cyberstalking, gossip, outing/trickery, harassment, impersonation, cyber threats and flaming which is known as fighting online that involves hateful or offensive messages. Cyberbullying is one of the most important and most common forms of social media issue. People dont take into consideration when bullying someone on social media is that cyberbullying often leads to suicide which has in fact increased severely over the years. According to Malcore, cyberbullying victims are 2 to 9 times more likely to commit suicide. Another popular activity on social media is catfishing. This is a trend that is increasing as people are putting more of themselves and their life on social media. Ca tfishing is the act of luring someone into a relationship by means of a fictional online persona. Sue Scheff, a blogger on Huffington Post, wrote an article on catfishing and the issues behind it. Scheff states that catfishing is a trend that is especially popular with predators such as pedophiles, human traffickers and other criminals. Catfishing is an easy method to prey on people, especially those who are uneducated on the problem. A lot of human traffickers use catfishing to entice teens into an industry which holds fake promises of modeling, traveling, becoming famous, and receiving a lot of money (Scheff). Social media is an easily accessible way to indirectly lure children and teens into being kidnapped. In conclusion, cyberbullying and catfishing are two dangerous issues that should be discussed more in depth on ways to resolve this problem. While some people believe that social media only negatively affects an individual psychologically, others seem to believe that social media can also have positive effects on an individuals psyche. When considering the positive effects of social media, it is important to remember that individuals in todays society are hardwired for socialization, and social media makes socializing easy and immediate. Individuals who struggle with social skills, social anxiety, or who dont have easy access to face-to-face socializing with other teens might benefit from connecting with other teens through social media. For example, teens in marginalized groups, including LGBTQ teens and teens struggling with mental health issues, can find support and friendship through the use of social media. When teens connect with small groups of supportive teens via social media, those connections can be the difference between living in isolation and finding support. Although Kim Harriss main focus was on the negati ves, she did however provide a counter argument. In The Impact of Online Social Networking on Adolescent Psychological Well-being, Harris states that certain kinds of media can actually produce positive and pro-social attitudes. Its been proven that social media can even be used to teach problem solving skills. Harris mentions that social media creates learning opportunities, greater access to health promoting information, and ways to socialize. Jacob Amedie focused mainly on the negative effects, but he did mention some positives. Amedie states that social media allows for groups of like-minded people to work together and connect. He expresses that social media also benefits students. Social networking sites help students do significantly better in school by allowing students to connect and interact with one another on assignments through social media platforms. For example, some schools successfully use blogs as teaching tools, which also has the benefit of reinforcing skills in E nglish, grammar, written expression and creativity. Some social media sites have even been known to help raise self-esteem and increase a sense of belongingness. While there are some positives to using social media, the negatives can however, heavily outweigh the positives. Where there is a problem, there must be a solution. The first step in solving this crisis, is to educate individuals on the proper use of social media and the dangers associated with the improper use of sites. Parents should be more responsible with monitoring their childrens social media sites. With the help of parents, cyberbullying and catfishing can be eliminated tremendously. In schools, social media is required to be used by the children for numerous reasons. Instead of only relying on parents to educate their children on the issue, schools should be required to provide social media education classes. Another way to educate people in a much faster way would be public service announcements. All people whether they are children, teenagers or adults, should be educated on the proper use of social media. However, educating people isnt enough; we should also hold social media creators more accountable for the content they allow on their sites. As a last resort, laws could be created to enact, oversight, and enforce penalties on social media abuse. Overall, there isnt much that can be done regarding the use of social media without interfering with the peoples rights as well as those of the corporations. The improper use of social media can have horrifying outcomes that requires our attention. Its a major part of our world today, and will likely become even more so in the future, which is why these issues must be addressed. If these issues remain unsolved the psychological issues people are facing today will only continue to evolve eventually leading to creations of new psychological disorders.

The Metaphysic Of Morals By Immanuel Kant - 1199 Words

Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals by Immanuel Kant: A Reflection and Analysis Author name Name of institution In man’s attempt to figure out what is right or wrong, they have developed a number of systems that purportedly deal with such matters. Immanuel Kant expanded on his moral philosophy in his work, Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals. This paper will be a reflection upon Kantian ethical principles presented therein and their relation to what is generally called morality. People have tried to understand and define morality for thousands of years. It is and has been a complex issue that seems to elude simple answers, but many would agree that morals are principles that distinguish between right and wrong, usually in†¦show more content†¦A categorical imperative is an unqualified command: independent of what one desires, one should to behave in some manner.This differs from a hypothetical imperative, which gives a conditional command: if one desires X, then one should act in a way that helps bring about X. His three formulations of the categorical imperatives are as follows; 1) people should only act in accordance with a dictum that they can also wish to become a universal law, 2) they should act in manner that always treats the whole of humanity never as a mere means, but always as an end, and 3) all are required to act as if he were, by his axioms, responsible for the formulation and enactment of laws in a universal sense. Immanuel Kant’s had a deontological view of ethics, meaning that it gauges the morality of a behavior or an act based on a set of dictates. He believed that for people to behave in a truly moral manner, their act must be derived from a sense of duty. He believed that these duties should be based on â€Å"pure reason† and drew a distinction between perfect (universal and logically coherent) and imperfect duties (situational, yet still based on reason). Kant believed reason to be both a logical and a transcendental. As a logical form, it produces moderated judgements through conceptual abstractions, as a transcendental faculty, it creates hypotheticals and contains a priori perceptions that cannot be justified empirically.He also felt that the only thing that made an action right wasShow MoreRelatedThe Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel Kant Essay1150 Words   |  5 Pagesof morals in the Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, Immanuel Kant explores the question of wh ether a human being is capable of acting solely out of pure duty and if our actions hold true moral value. In passage 407, page 19, Kant proposes that if one were to look at past experiences, one cannot be certain that his or her rationalization for performing an action that conforms with duty could rest solely on moral grounds. In order to fully explain the core principle of moral theory, Kant distinguishesRead MoreImmanuel Kant - Metaphysics of Morals Essay1580 Words   |  7 PagesIn his publication, Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, Immanuel Kant supplies his readers with a thesis that claims morality can be derived from the principle of the categorical imperative. The strongest argument to support his thesis is the difference between actions in accordance with duty and actions in accordance from duty. To setup his thesis, Kant first draws a distinction between empirical and a priori concepts. Empirical concepts are ideas we reach from our experiences in the worldRead MoreImmanuel Kant s Metaphysics Of Morals897 Words   |  4 PagesIn Immanuel Kant’s Groundwork of Metaphysics of Morals, Kant argues that one’s duty requires an individual to act against one’s inclinations, wants and desires, in order to achieve a higher moral worth. For Kant, the concept of duty is something that you ought to do despite not wanting to, assuming the duty is possible. A duty contains the concept of good will, or acting on one’s duty, against one’s inclinations, which is how moral worth is achieved. In order for an individual to achieve a higherRead MoreImmanuel Kant s Metaphysics Of Morals2091 Words   |  9 PagesImmanuel Kant’s Metaphysics of Morals The Greeks classified their philosophy into three fields, namely: †¢ Physics †¢ Ethics †¢ Logic All these three fields tend to interrelate in an attempt to describe nature and the life we live in. Physics is also known as the ‘doctrine of nature’ since it attempts to describe almost all the happenings of life (Wood W. Allen). Physics explains phenomenon such as why does the sun come out during the day, why do we see different colors and so on. It is an attempt toRead MoreGrounding For The Metaphysics Of Morals And On Groveling By Immanuel Kant891 Words   |  4 PagesImmanuel Kant discusses the second and third translation pieces in â€Å"Key Selections.† In Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals and On Groveling, Kant explains that humans have an animal-like nature. If Kant was charged with the statement, â€Å"Bottom line, humans are nothing more than insignificant creatures with an animal nature,† he would have a mixed response to the charge. Although Kant may not believe that neither humans or animals are insignificant, he would recognize the re lation and similaritiesRead MoreImmanuel Kant Metaphysics of Morals Essay895 Words   |  4 PagesKant argued that moral requirements are based on a standard of rationality he dubbed the Categorical Imperative (CI). Immorality thus involves a violation of the CI and is thereby irrational. This argument was based on his striking doctrine that a rational will must be regarded as autonomous, or free in the sense of being the author of the law that binds it. The fundamental principle of morality Ââ€" the CI Ââ€" is none other than this law of an autonomous will. Thus, at the heart of Kants moralRead MoreA Summary of Groundworks of the Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel Kant1290 Words   |  6 Pages------------------------------------------------- Critique of Practical Reason and Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals Summary Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals, published in 1785, is Kant’s first major work in ethics. Like the Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, the Groundwork is the short and easy-to-read version of what Kant deals with at greater length and complexity in his Critique. The Critique of Practical Reason, published three years later, contains greater detail than theRead MoreThird Breaking Down His Most Important Philosophies1097 Words   |  5 PagesGroundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals 2. Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science 3. Critique of Practical Reason 4. Critique of the Power of Judgment 5. Critique of Pure Reason a. Knowledge b. Metaphysics Topic: Critique of Pure Reason In order to understand Kant’s position, we must first understand the philosophical environment that influenced his thinking. There are two major historical movements in the early modern period of philosophy that had a very large impact on Kant: Empiricism andRead MoreComparing David Hume and Immanuel Kant Essay1356 Words   |  6 PagesComparing David Hume and Immanuel Kant David Hume and Immanuel Kant each made a significant break from other theorists in putting forward a morality that doesn’t require a higher being or god, for a man to recognize his moral duty. Although Hume and Kant shared some basic principals they differed on their view of morality. In comparing the different views on human will and the maxims established to determine moral worth by David Hume and Immanuel Kant, I find their theories on morality have someRead MoreImmanuel Kant And The Ford Pinto Case991 Words   |  4 Pages Immanuel Kant and The Ford Pinto Case Immanuel Kant ¶s theory on morals states that  ³nothing can possibly be conceived in the world, or even out of it, which can be called good, without qualification, except a good will. ´ 1 Kant points to other human qualities such as courage, intelligence, wit and others that are  ³undoubtedly good and desirable, ´ 2 however, can become bad if the will of the person using them is not good. Kant maintains that in order for an action to be considered moral, it

Sacsccsac Free Essays

Therefore, speed = length of the tape chosen Time interval for that length You are provided with a runway and a data-logging system with a motion sensor. Describe how you should use the apparatus to conduct an experiment to demonstrate the relationship between the net force and the acceleration of a trolley. You may use additional apparatus if necessary (5M) Adjust the runway for friction compensation (1 M) Pull a trolley down the runway using an elastic thread. We will write a custom essay sample on Sacsccsac or any similar topic only for you Order Now Keep the extension of the elastic thread constant all the way. M) Record the motion ot the trolley wit data-logging system and find the acceleration of the trolley. (1 M) Repeat by pulling he trolley with 2, 3 and 4 identical elastic threads, side by side and extended by the same length as before. (1 M) From the experiment, it is found that the acceleration of the trolley is directly proportional to and in the same direction of the net force. (1 M) It is not preferable to carry an excessive amount of goods on the bicycle when he is riding in the street, why? (3M) The larger the mass, the larger the inertia the bicycle has. 1 M) By newton’s second law of motion, the deceleration of the bicycle would become smaller when John applies the brake. (1 M) As a result, the stopping distance ncreases (1 M) So the chance of having an accident is larger. In supermarkets, bottled drinks are usually stored in refrigerators with shelves inclined at an angle B with the horizontal. Explain why there is such an arrangement. Also state the minimum angle required to achieve the purpose above. Given mass of a bottle ‘M’, friction between a I-kg bottled drink and the inclined shelf is f’. 3M) If the bottled drinks are put on inclined shelves, they would slide down automatically when the first bottle is taken. It is more convenient for customers. (1 M) MgsinB f (f/M9 (1M) Therefore, the least inclination angle is sinA-1 ( f/Mg). In some parts of the world, it is common for people to shoot firearms straight up into the air during celebrations. Falling bullets pose a significant danger to bystanders. As a bullet falls, its velocity increases until it reaches a constant terminal velocity. Explain, in terms of forces acting on the bullet, why this happens. Also, assume the air resistance is bv , derive the terminal kinetic energy of the bullet. (5M) As the bullet falls, its downward weight and the upward air resistance (or friction) are acting on it (1 M) Firstly the bullet accelerates. The air resistance opposing the motion of the bullet increases with its velocity. (1 M) Finally, its weight is balanced by the air resistance at a certain velocity. (1 M) As the net force acting on the bullet is zero, the bullet will continue to fall at this constant velocity which is called terminal velocity. mg = bv) (1M) KE=O. 5mv?2 = 0. 5mA3 g,N2 /bA2 (1M) A basketball player Jumps up such that his height reaches a height of 3m. Using Newton’s laws of motion, explain why the player can gain an initial speed to leave the ground vertically. (3M) The player exerts a force onto the ground when he is about to ump. (1 M) This results an equal normal reaction force from the ground according to Newton’s 3rd law of motion. (1 M) As the normal reaction force is greater than the weight , the player will be forced to accelerate up according to Newton’s 2nd law of motion. 1 M) Chapter 8 What is the advantage ot using the spanner„3z to turn a screw* effort(force) required can be reduced. (2) The efficiency can be increased. X (3) The energy required can be reduced. X For (2) and (3), they are wrong as moment is not related to energy. (Force is perpendicular to the displacement, the work done should be zero. ) Chapter 9 There are two methods of raising the block from the ground to a certain height. (2M) Method 1 : Pulling the block up a inclined plane Method 2 : Lifting the block vertically upwards. Method 1 is better than method 2 in terms of forces as smaller force is needed to raise the block in method 1. (1 M) However, method 1 has a lower efficiency because some energy is lost in overcoming the friction between the block and the plane. (1 M) What are the functions of the counterweight in a lift system? (3M) To reduce the power required to raise the car (1 M) To reduce the load acting on the motor (1 M) To improve the efficiency of the lift (As less energy is lost to overcome the friction between the cable line and the drum) (1 M) Verify the conservation of mechanical energy. Given a simple pendulum, a protractor, a light gate, a ruler. (7M) Set up a simple pendulum, a protractor and a light gate. (1 M) Displace the bob and read the angle B between the string and the vertical from the protractor. (1 M) Start data-logging and release the bob. (1 M) Record the time t taken for the bob to pass through the light gate. Measure the diameter of the bob(this is the distance travelled by the bob while passing the light ate, which is very small so the instantaneous speed of the bob in the lowest position calculated is relatively accurate), and hence estimate the speed v of the bob at the lowest position. 1 M) Use a ruler to measure the length I of the pendulum. Apply the conservation of mechanical energy and calculate the speed v of the bob at the lowest position. (1 M) V = {square root (2gh)} , where h = I(1-cosB) (1 M) Conclusion, the two values of speed calculated is quite close so the law of conservation of energy is proved. How to cite Sacsccsac, Papers

Theory of Contracts with Limited Enforcement †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Theory of Contracts with Limited Enforcement. Answer: Introduction: The issue of this scenario is that whether Emma will be liable for the damage caused to Richard. The issue of this scenario is that whether Richard will be liable to pay 10% extra rent each year to George. The issue of this scenario is that whether Tom will be liable to buy the car from Richard as he had promised. The issue of this scenario is that whether Richard will be liable to for breaching the agreement, which was made with Martin. According to the Law of Torts, negligence refers to a situation where an individual fails to take care over something. Negligence is a tort that is treated as a breach of legal duty to take care of which, it results in damage that is undesired by the defendant to the plaintiff. As observed in the case study of Donoghue v Stevenson, it was established that an individual owe a duty of care to people who are to get affected closely by the actions of that individual (Burke, 2016). Four essentials of negligence, which includes duty to take care, breach of duty, cause of the damage and harm (Ryan, Callaghan Large, 2015). According to law, a promise or agreement is formed under the Contract Act, an agreement is made between two parties when there is an involvement of promise. An agreement is said to be revoked or breached when one party backs out or denies with the elements of the agreement. As per the Contract Act, there can also be a stance of misrepresentation when one person fails to understand the other in a certain case as observed in the case of Paye v Cave. The agreement was based on a promise made between two individuals (Hunter, 2017). However, it was not a contract since there was no offer and acceptance in the promise. As per the Law of Contract, an offer and acceptance are the basic foundations of the formation of a contract. One party makes the offer and the other person accepts based on a consideration, contract is formed. Without the involvement of offer and acceptance, a contract will be considered to be invalid. Consideration and capacity are the two most significant essentials of a contract. This has been observed and analyzed in the matter of Gibson v Manchester City Council. An offer should be unambiguous and clear of the terms upon which the offeror is willing to form the contract and the person to whom the offer is directed to decide to accept (McKendrick, 2014). According to Contract of Law, an agreement or a valid contract is formed based on the offer and acceptance, free consent, legal relationship, lawful objects, lawful consideration, certainty and registration. Therefore, while the contract or agreement is created, these essentials should be present as without these an agreement or a contract will be considered to be invalid. The offer must be stated in clear terms so that the other person can comprehend it (Martimort, Semenov Stole, 2017). Therefore, without the requisites elements, a contract cannot be constituted as observed in the case of Clifton v Palumbo. The scenario in the given case study states that Emma, being negligent provided the wrong brochure and information to Richard on buying shock absorber for off-road driving. Due to the wrong information the jeep of Richard had crashed down by causing a damage of worth $2000 to his body. Emma had conveyed Richard the information over the phone and was looking at the wrong page of the brochure. Therefore, due to negligence of breach of duty to care, Emma will be liable to pay for the damages caused to Richard (Gordon MacKay, 2018). In this scenario, the case study states that George was the leased a premises to Richard for his business for $5000 per month since 2016. The lease made between the parties claimed that the rent will be paid every six months and by every year it will increase by 10%. Richard failed to do so and requested George if he could pay him back later. George agreed but later asked for the extra additional amount of 10% the original rent amount (Solinger et al., 2016). However, there was an agreement of lease between them Richard and George and if Richard fails to pay the amount there would be a breach of contract. In this scenario, Law of Contract can be applied as a contract was formed between Tom and Richard. Tom wanted to purchase a car from Richard and therefore he that was finally agreed and accepted by Richard made an offer. Both of them agreed on the terms and conditions and proceeded with the contract. Thereafter, when Richard arrived with the car and for the money on the decided date, Tom refused to take it. It can be observed that Tom had breached a valid contract and will be liable. In this given case scenario, the study states that Law of Contracts will be applicable as an agreement or contract was formed between Richard and Martin. Role of consideration existed as well which was money and the car. Martin was a well wisher and looked after the car of Richard. He took his permission for borrowing it over a price of $50 per day but was granted for free as he had looked after the car before. Thereafter, when the original day arrives of Martin taking the car, he found out that Richard had already hired it to a customer. Therefore, there was a breach of contract in this scenario. It can be concluded by stating that Emma will be liable for committing negligence due to which Richard had a massive damage and loss. In this scenario, the conclusion states that Richard will be liable to pay the extra amount as it was agreed upon in the lease. It can be concluded saying that Tom will be liable to pay for the damages to Richard as he had breached the contract.Lastly, it can be stated that Richard backed out from the contract and hence will be liable although there was no form of consideration. References: Burke, A. (2016). Risk: Duty of care to prospective beneficiary under a will?: Bedenach v Calvert.LSJ: Law Society of NSW Journal, (27), 74. Gordon, A., MacKay, K. (2018). The element of wrongfulness.Without Prejudice,18(1), 32-33. Hunter, H. (2017). Modern Law of Contracts. Markovits, D. (2015). Theories of the Common Law of Contracts. Martimort, D., Semenov, A., Stole, L. (2017). A theory of contracts with limited enforcement.The Review of Economic Studies,84(2), 816-852. McKendrick, E. (2014).Contract law: text, cases, and materials. Oxford University Press (UK). Ryan, C. J., Callaghan, S., Large, M. (2015). The importance of least restrictive care: the clinical implications of a recent High Court decision on negligence.Australasian Psychiatry,23(4), 415-417. Solinger, O. N., Hofmans, J., Bal, P. M., Jansen, P. G. (2016). Bouncing back from psychological contract breach: How commitment recovers over time.Journal of Organizational Behavior,37(4), 494-514.

NATO And Cold War Essays - NATO, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council

NATO And Cold War The latter half of the twentieth century has been dominated by the Cold War and the actions and events surrounding it. During this period different alliances and treaties were formed and many of these were institutionalized. One such alliance was the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This organization was set up by the Northern Atlantic Western Powers to combat the Eastern Soviet threat. Today however NATO still exists and plays an active role in international relations. The question asked then is why after the Soviet Threat has dispersed an organization that was set up with the sole purpose of defeating the Soviets, is still persisting. NATO was formed on the 4th of April 1949 with an alliance of twelve independent nations committed to defence and security. Between 1952 and 1982 four more nations joined and three more in March 1999. The original alliance was formed with the purpose of stopping Soviet expansion in Europe, with the United States as the main driving force. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the consequential end of the Cold War it may be asked why has NATO survived and still plays an active and influential role in European interstate politics. NATO has a definite reason for still continuing on in Europe. According to Michael Ruhle (Senior Planning Officer, Policy Planning and Speechwriting Section of NATO's Political Affairs Division) NATO has changed from a singular-purpose organization to a multi-purpose institution, "working together to create a more benign strategic environment." Mr. Ruhle argues that NATO is contributing to the "emerging Euro-Atlantic security architecture." It is not really an institution but an architect. The architecture being a "series of key political processes that shape the strategic environment, the European integration process, the evolution of Russia, the development of transatlantic relations, and the evolution of crisis management in the Euro-Atlantic area." NATO can be seen to be an institution aiming at peace and security within Europe. There are other alliances than NATO that have become or are multi-purpose institutions. This can be seen through the EU, with its enlargement operation and its designs for Russia. Also the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in defusing minority obstacles in Europe, overseeing elections in Bosnia and working with an agreement in Kosovo. NATO, according to Mr. Ruhle is however, unique as only it can offer coherency in bringing about these processes. The NATO website offers an interesting perspective on the reasons for NATO's existence. "Today following the end of the Cold War and of the division of Europe, the Alliance has been restructured to enable it to participate in the development of cooperative security structures for the whole of Europe. It has also transformed its political and military structures in order to adapt them to peacekeeping and crisis management tasks undertaken in cooperation with countries which are not members of the Alliance and with other international organizations." Its peace plans and structures includes the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC), replaced by the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) and the Partnership for Peace (PfP). However there is a different way of looking at the persistence of on organization such as NATO in contemporary international relations. Stephen Walt argues that alliances that persist are a result of hegemonic leadership, preserving credibility, domestic politics and elite manipulation, the impact of institutionalization and ideological solidarity, shared identities and security communities. A strong driving force behind an alliance will sustain it even after the immediate threat has gone, especially if that force is willing to bear the costs of the alliance and its purposes. The hegemonic power within the alliance must be strongly committed to preserving and even expanding the relationship. They must also be stronger than any in the alliance that may no longer wish to participate or contribute. To survive the alliance must be a symbol of credibility and resolve. Nations may be unwilling to pull out of an alliance in case an opponent or another ally may see this move as a lack of resolve. Walt argues that US involvement in Bosnia was a result of the fear that no response would create further suspicion on NATO's role and future, rather than a genuine care for the Bosnian people. Alliances have also been known to survive because of groups within a state are interested in the continuation of a particular alliance. In the case of NATO, there has been active support for NATO enlargement by Polish-Americans. Walt argues that the higher the level of institutionalization there is the harder it becomes to break up an alliance. Mr. Ruhle calls

Enthalpy of Atomization Definition (Chemistry)

Enthalpy of Atomization Definition (Chemistry) Enthalpy of atomization is the amount of enthalpy change when a compounds bonds are broken and the component elements are reduced to individual atoms. Enthalpy of atomization is always a positive value and never a negative number.Enthalpy of atomization is denoted by the symbol ΔHa. How Enthalpy of Atomization Is Calculated If pressure is held constant, enthalpy change equals the change in the internal energy of a system. So, enthalpy of atomization equals the sum of the enthalpies of fusion and vaporization. For example, for the diatomic molecule chlorine gas (Cl2), the enthalpy of atomization under standard conditions is simply the bond energy of Cl2. All that is needed to atomize the substance is to break the bonds between gaseous molecules. For sodium (Na) metal at standard conditions, atomization requires separating atoms joined by metallic bonds. The enthalpy of atomization is the sum of the enthalpy of fusion and the enthalpy of vaporization of sodium. For any elemental solid, the enthalpy of atomization is the same as the enthalpy of sublimation. Related Term Standard enthalpy of atomization is the enthalpy change that occurs when one mole of a sample is dissociated into its atoms under standard conditions of 298.15 K temperature and 1 bar of pressure.

Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Justice - Essay Example Therefore, all through the Bible, the nature of God remains constant (Comereason.com, 2010). Gods essential nature is the foundation of his justice or righteousness. Nevertheless, just as with man, it is not something conceptual but it is seen in his relation to the world – it is his kingship founding and preserving the right. This appears as retributive justice, meaning that response of His holy will, as grounded in His eternal being against wickedness wherever found. God himself cannot fail to be concerned about good and evil. All the Major Prophets maintain on Gods demand for righteousness. However, this is not the major feature of Gods justice. Theology has attempted to portray Gods justice as the basic fact in His nature with which we must reconcile His mercy the best way possible. Actually, the Scriptures most frequently regard Gods justice, or righteousness, as the act of His mercy. Justice imply the relief of the afflicted and needy, thus Gods justice is His kingly authority engaged on behalf of men, and justice and mercy are continually joined (Bibleencyclop edia.com, 2010). Many people mistakenly deem and wrongly charge that God in the Old Testament was a brutal and angry God, fast to judge and punish, whereas God in the New Testament is loving and full of grace. This certainly does not recognize that the God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament. In addition, there are those who allege that the writers of the Old Testament were too primal to comprehend God and they therefore misinterpreted His nature and recorded those misinterpretations in the Bible (City-data.com, 2010). Primarily, justice had to do with behavior concerning others, particularly with regard to the rights of others. Businesses apply justice where there is demand for just measures and weights. It is also required in courts, where the rights of the poor and the rich, sojourner and Israelite, are regarded equally. In general, this justice is

Different Views on Organic Food Annotated Bibliography - 1

Different Views on Organic Food - Annotated Bibliography Example The department of agriculture in the US wanted to accept genetically engineered sugar seeds to be sold to farmers. There was the assertion that this decision will increase the risk of organic food being contaminated by genetically engineered materials. This has prompted a proposal to guard organic foods against genetically engineered seeds. Some people argued that genetically engineered foods do not co-exist with organic foods because these two methods of farming do not relate. However, it has been argued that genetically engineered foods contaminate organic foods through transfer of genetic materials via pollen grains, which in turn threaten organic foods. It is unclear to determine the health benefits of organic foods because they are believed to contain microbial bacteria that is found in organic fertilizer. These bacteria are risky to the health of a person. However, organic foods are not more contaminated like conventional foods because the use of synthetic fertilizers in conventional foods is very risky in that these fertilizers contain dangerous chemicals like phosphorous that affect human metabolism. As Dena et al argue, organic foods are safer and healthier than conventional foods since they contain more nutrients and are chemical free. Further, Dena et al  state that eating organic foods may decrease exposure to herbicide residues and pesticides resistant bacteria.

Five essays on introduction to leadership essays

Five essays on introduction to leadership essays Introduction to Leadership Essays This assignment is comprised of five essays based on the completion of self-assessments on (1) Self-Confidence, (2) Leader-Member Exchange, (3) Trust in Leadership, (4) Job Affect, and (5) Motivation to Lead. Self Confidence The purpose of this assessment is to assess a leaders generalized self-efficacy. A leaders job is a very complicated one and leaders need to have self-confidence to overcome this. To accomplish this, leaders should avoid thinking in terms of perfection and imperfection to overcome their fears. The leadership self-assessment was done to determine leadership styles and effectiveness. Many factors were taken into consideration in this self-assessment that allowed for positive and realistic perception regarding leadership abilities. The self-assessment was characterized by many factors, such as, how disciplined and effective a leader feels at completing their work on time; how well they handle difficult situations, and how secure they feel about their ability to perform. The score on this self-assessment ranged from a scale of one through seven, with one indicating that the statement is strongly disagreed upon, and seven indicating that the statement is in strong agreement. This assessment required that a score of six or greater must be achieved to be an effective leader. The highest score on this assessment was a seven. There were seventeen questions on this self-assessment. On the question of making plans work, I achieved a score of seven out of a total score of seven. When faced with difficult situations, a score of four was achieved out of a total of seven. On this self-assessment my overall score was a 5.3. According to the criteria set for this assessment and in interpreting the scores, it was identified that the one area that I need to improve upon is when handling difficult situations. This can be gained by having confidence in the skills required for the job, and achieving set goals related to the job. The score further shows that when I am faced with difficult situations that I need to overcome my fears. By overcoming my fears, it will help me to persist in times of crisis. Leaders must also have self-esteem to boost their morale and this comes from a feeling of being accepted and approved by team members and co-workers. As a leader, I need to display a positive image by being happy, and competent. Displaying these traits will make those around us approve and accept us as being a virtuous leader. These traits were among the seventeen questions in the self-assessment to identify whether leaders have strong generalized self-efficacy. The action plan that I have set to address needed growth and to improve on this situation, is to take stock of the present, address and focus on the future. I must make a commitment to starting this action plan and staying with it so that the needed growth can be realized. In preparing for this journey, I will take a look at what I have already achieved and make a list of all the things was accomplished successfully. Among some of the things I will list will be whether I was instrumental in getting a major project done; whether I was able to increase the sales level for the company in a given period; and whether a project deadline was accomplished. I will then review this list often and spend time each week enjoying the success that was achieved, so that improvements can be built to further the growth of this success. Another technique that I will use to address needed growth is to use the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. I will use this to analyze the opportunities and threats that I am being faced with. This will lead to think about what is important, and what direction to take. Once I have accomplished this, I will then set objectives to achieve the goals that I have set. By hitting on the targeted goals, and coupled building on my self-confidence, key factors in enhancing growth areas will eventually be achieved. The leadership self-assessment was very helpful in identifying areas that I to needed to improve upon since these areas directly relate to the role I play as a leader. Since every leader must know and trust their value, the interpretation of the scores on the self-assessment provides me with an awareness of my worth as a leader. This has helped me to become more aware and confident about the skills that are important when carrying out the function of my job as a leader for instead of speculating. The findings from the self-assessment will further help me in recognizing areas that need improvement to enhance leadership ability. Enhancing on my leadership abilities will help in sound planning, and decision making which will ultimately result in attaining strong leadership qualities. . Leader-Member Exchange The Leader-Member Exchange self-assessment is to determine leadership as a relationship between leader and follower. The purpose of this assessment was to determine a leaders fairness, trust, and ethical behavior, and to determine whether leadership mediates the relationship between past and future team performance. There were seven statements that were rated on a scale from one to seven with one indicating that the statement is strongly disagreed upon and seven indicating that it is in strong agreement. Pierce and Newstrom state: A high score of (6 and greater) suggests that you have a high-quality leader-member exchange relationship with your leader. A low score of (2 or less) suggests that you have a low-quality leader-member exchange relationship with your leader. (p. 31) On this assessment my overall score was a 6.5 on each of the seven statements. According to the criteria set for this assessment, the interpretation of my score of 6.5 shows that I have a high-quality leader-member relationship. This score has connected to key concepts that are presented in the text. For example, according to Wayne, Shore, and Liden (1997), Recent evidence suggests that followers who experience a high-quality leader-member exchange relationship may help their leader by carrying out their required role activities and by engaging in good citizenship behaviors (p. 92). I agree with this statement because due to the confidence and trust I have with my leader, when ask to go extra mile, it is accepted without hesitation. The action plan that I have set to address needed growth areas is to search for answers as to what makes me a unique employee in the organization, and identify any accomplishments that was achieved that I will be proud of. Reflecting on the most important work-related values, and figuring out values that are met, and those that are not, will help me improve on areas that need improvement. When building growth areas, by reflecting and finding answers to questions such as whether I am comfortable working with people, or alone, working with data, or technology will help me identify which mixture would be most satisfying to me and why. Taking a look a look at my performance review will also help in identifying and improving on areas that need to be strengthened. This will help enhance my growth areas because an employees performance is connected to a supervisors view on that person. To further enhance on my growth areas, asking good probing questions, and avoiding ones that give only yes, or no answers will assist, and allow the best way to gain a deeper understanding of what really matters to an employer. The findings on this self assessment, and based on the scores that were achieved, shows that I have a high quality leader-member exchange relationship. The lesson learned from this self-assessment show that part of leadership is observational learning done by the subordinates. Further findings show that it is important for leaders to demonstrate ethical values and conduct at all times. If given a leadership role, I will definitely use this self-assessment to help identify areas that I need to improve upon. One of the advantages of being a good a leader is display confidence, and this can be achieved by having experience in the role you play. Applying the action plan that is set above for the improvement of leadership growth areas seems realistic based on the interpretation of the scores that were achieved on this self-assessment, and based on the findings. As part of my job responsibilities, I have to liaison with staff members on a daily basis by giving them instructions. The action plan that is outlined here will help address needed growth areas, and the findings will be used in a constructive way to improve on my leadership skills. Trust in Leadership: This self-assessment was created for the purpose of evaluating trust in leadership and team performance. This assessment consisted of nine questions that were based on the evaluation of the team leader. The questions were graded on a scale from one through seven with one reflecting that there is strong disagreement with the statement and seven indicating strong agreement. Achieving a score of six and above on this assessment reflects a high level of trust in leadership and team performance. Achieving a sore of two or less indicates a very low level of trust. On this assessment I achieved a score of eight. The interpretation of this score shows that there is a high level of trust in the leader. This score further shows that when it comes to acceptance of the leaders activities, goals, and decisions, that I will support and accept them without uncertainty. The specific plan of action that needs to be addressed to improve on my growth areas will be to become and more effective employee by gaining the trust of those around me. Since effectfive work groups are based on trust, I will work toward strengthening on this area. To accomplish this, I will first identify, and enhance on the responsibilities of my present position. Once this is clearly identified, I will use focus groups, interviews, etc., and then set short-term and long-term goals in achieving my objectives. These objectives will be set for, and focused on the improvement of trust, and team performance. The enhancement of growth areas based on the interpretation of the scores will be used to further improve on my leadership skills. The findings on this self-assessment will also help in making things happen. As a leader, one must be confident, know the job, be a role model to your team and most of all get the job done. Knowing my strengths and weaknesses, and being a team player, are important attributes to building trust, and having the best team. Job Affect This self-assessment measures an employees mood at work. The purpose of this self-assessment is to determine how employees felt during the past week while on the job. Pierce and Newstrom state: Mood at work, as assessed here is a state-based condition. As a state-based condition, people can express different moods, depending upon the state to which they are exposed. Mood can, however, be relatively stable across emotional states (situations) and across time. (p. 71) This self-assessment was graded on a scale from one to five with five indicating agreement with the statement and one signifying not in agreement. On this self- assessment, I achieved a score of four. Achieving a score of four and above on this assessment shows a high level of affect. A score of 2 and under indicates a low level of affect. The score that was achieved and its interpretation have given me an indication about my mood at work. This assessment also shows the various type of mood an employee display at their place of employment, and at the same time taking into consideration the environment to which they are exposed. Pierce and Newstrom state: It has been noted that some people have a sunny disposition seeing the glass as almost full as opposed to almost empty. Others nearly always appear gloomy. Affectively (to be distinguished from affect as measure by this instrument) especially reflects an individuals pervasive mood. Negative affectivity and high negative affectivity reflect negative emotionality. Those people are distressed, scornful, hostile, fearful, nervous, and jittery. Positive affectivity and high positive affectivity reflect positive emotionality. These individuals tend to feel active, excited, enthusiastic, peppy, and strong. (p. 71) These scores have helped me in figuring out why I act the way I do at work. Being a positive person, always excited to take on new responsibilities, and a team player, this self-assessment has proven to me that I have the qualities that are needed to becoming good leader. The action plan that I have set for addressing needed growth areas will be centered on becoming more assertive and compliant. Since these traits are important when making decisions, improvement in these areas will enhance my ability to perform more productively as a leader. To enhance growth areas, action needs to be taken to gain a thorough knowledge about the company and other technical matters to create suitable strategies. Once these strategies are identified, correct decisions can then be made when solving problems. This can be developed through training and experience. As a leader having confidence, being optimistic, and competent in what you do, shows that you have the drive and energy to motivate others resulting in a productive work group. This will change your employees mood so they will feel active, excited, and show enthusiasm when carrying out their duties. The job affect self-assessment will help and can be used to improve my leadership growth in such areas as traits, skills, and behavior. It was identified when interpreting and evaluating my scores that the needed traits corresponding to my leadership role must be implemented and nurtured to be a successful leader. We live in an environment that is constantly changing, and being a good leader is essential to keep up with todays competitive environment. The findings on the job affect self-assessment will be used to strengthen my skills, and behavior. This will help me to better understand how they work together to benefit the companys needs and to inspire team members. Specific training and development is needed to enhance my leadership ability to effectively deal with the challenges being faced, both competitively and economically. This will ultimately lead to the enhancement of overall business performance because I will have the ability to inspire and engage team members. Motivation to Lead This self-assessment is centered on a Leaders motivation to lead. There were 27 statements that focused on whether a leader is influential, and has the ability, and motivation to become a good leader. According to Kirpatick and Locke (1991): Leadership motivation involves the desire to influence and lead others, and is often equated with the need for power. People with high leadership motivation think a lot about influencing other people, winning an argument, or being the greater authority. They prefer to be in a leadership rather than subordinate roleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (p. 48) On this assessment, achieving a score of six and above on each of the three motivations to lead dimensions, shows that the leader has strong motivation. Achieving a score of two or less shows weakness in leadership ability based on the specified factor. The highest score is a 7 and the lowest a one. I scored a 4.6 on the affective identify-based motivation. On the non-calculative-based motivation, a score of 4 was achieved, and a score of 4.8 was obtained on social normative based motivation. An average score of 4.5 was achieved on this assessment indicating that I have the traits necessary to become a leader. According to Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991), à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦traits do matter. Six traits on which leaders differ from non-leaders include drive, the desire to lead, honesty/integrity, self-confidence, cognitive ability and knowledge of the business. (p. 48) The interpretation of the scores shows that having these traits are important preconditions and the potential to be an effective leader. Although these traits are accounted for a small portion of the criterion variance, they are an important part of the whole picture. These traits must fit the leaders situation. Specific action plan that are needed to address growth areas in motivating a leader, and key traits that need strengthening were identified in this self-evaluation. For example, it was identified that having a desire to lead, and having a good knowledge of the business are important traits that need to be strengthened. Other possible characteristics that should be considered for improvement will be creativity, originality, flexibility, and adaptiveness. Knowledge of the industry, and aspects of self-confidence can be developed through experience and training. While honesty is important, it does not require skill-building because it is a virtue that one achieves or rejects by choice. A leaders trait is important and it must fit the situation. For instance, a strong relationship between intelligence and leadership exists because a person does not emerge as a leader simply by possessing key leadership traits. Being proactive is essential for a leader because they must make choices and take action that will lead to change instead of reacting to events or waiting for things to happen. Leaders must show a high level of initiative. In conclusion, the five assessments discussed in this paper were very helpful to me, and I believe should be used as a measure to determine whether a person has the right personality, and qualities to fit the required leadership role. to becoming a good leader. .

Major Educational Challenges Assessment for Kenya Education System Essay

With a total population of over 43 million, Kenya is the biggest and most advanced economy in the east and central Africa. It is well-known for its natural resource and the vast variety of wildlife, which contribute a large proportion to Kenya’s GDP in agricultural and service sectors. It’s prosperous capital Nairobi is also given the name â€Å"East African Paris†. But behind the misleading impression of affluence left by a minority of urban population, Kenya is still a poor developing country with half of the population living in total poverty. Even though with a GINI index of 42. which is only medium, the economic status inequality of Kenyans is relatively high: The rich has a condo with four private cars and two maids while the poor in shabby clothes are living in slums just two miles away. The economy of the country also leads to problems in the education sector in Kenya. The objectives of this memo is to identify three most important issues that may be challenges for Kenyan Government and Kenyan education sector, and come up with potential solutions and strategies to address them. 1, Educational inequality between urban and rural areas There’s been a significant educational inequality between urban and rural Kenya. From the data provided by â€Å"Exploring Kenyan Education† site, School Location Density (2007), most schools distributes around big cities in the southern and southwestern Kenya where the majority of the population lives in. These cities includes Nairobi the Capital, Nakuru, Kericho, Kisumu, Eldoret, Kakamega, Meru and Mombasa. Since the school density does not show any problems because it follows the demography theory, but the enrollment rate and the educational investment may tell a part of the story. In big cities like Nairobi, the gross enrollment rate of primary education is as high as 103% and the net enrollment rate is 91% (2009). But as of northeastern and northwestern Kenya the ratio is as low as 35% or even 25%. Even though the primary education is free and uniform in Kenya, there are still extra costs. One that blocks the way of education for children is the school uniform. Students drop out of schools simply because they don’t have school uniform, the situation is even worse in those tribe territories and extreme poor areas. The school uniform costs almost a thousand Ksh that many families cannot afford. Even though there has been official regulation noting that no student ought to be turned away for not having uniform, uniform is such an ineradicable â€Å"culture† in Kenya schools that either schools or parents keep students away from school for not having schools uniforms. Lacking of resources becomes another. Lacking of sufficient textbooks and necessary stationaries makes students in rural areas hard to study. Students normally depend on what their teachers can provide to them and most of the time a textbook is shared by two plus students. Even there are articles saying lacking of teachers is another problem, but according to the data by Kenya Open Data, the Pupil-Teacher Ratio in rural areas is not significantly higher than that is in developed area) -Possible solutions Providing free school uniforms targeting economically challenged students (application by student or their parents). Education ministry should also take responsibility to make sure every single student can have the textbooks they need. Unified and organized studying necessities delivery should be arranged at the start of each semester. 2, Primary-to Secondary Bottleneck The primary education in Kenya is free and an average of over 90% of eligible school-age children are enrolled into primary schools, but the net enrollment rate only ranges from 3%-50%, that means even in the best conditioned area, nearly half of the students quit studying at the age of 15. Tuition Fees remains the largest barrier for going secondary school. Data shows that a primary student cost around 3,000 Ksh (32 USD) per household per year (2005), but surges to 25,000 Ksh (270 USD) for secondary education, which accounts for more than half of Annual income per household. Despite government subsidies for secondary schools, some national and top provincial schools charge fees as high as 73,600 Ksh for one year. Such excessive education expense may be totally fine for students from privileged families, but for kids from middle class or poor families who fight all the way to those schools, that becomes a disaster. The other factor that creates the bottleneck is the poor education quality in most of the public primary schools. Primary school students need to reach over 250 points in KCPE (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education) to be qualified to continue secondary education. There are better teachers teaching in private schools and students are receiving â€Å"elite† education. 77 percent of private primary school students (2007) score over 250 compared to only 45 percent among public school students. This really reveals the poor teaching quality which fails students in public schools, thus most economic privileged families send their children to private schools. -Possible solutions: More government subsidies – Though the secondary education receives governmental subsidies, more subsidies are needed to help those students with economical difficulties. Document students who need tuition aid and set up foundation targeting those students. Thus the resource can be concentrated to those in need. Further more, more money should be invested for better teachers, better infrastructures in public schools. Strengthen subsidy usage supervision – Kenyan Ministry of Education spends more than 10,000Ksh per secondary student annually. This amount of money is controlled by schools instead of directly by the students, and the tuition gets even higher each year. Many secondary schools charges suggested annual tuition standard by MOE for only one semester, and most of them cannot explain the subsidies usage. Having government nominated supervisor sent to schools regularly to make sure the subsidies are in proper use would be a potential solution. Heath problems that contribute to the dropout and poor education quality Health problem has been a huge challenge for students in Kenya and the country’s heath system has been always in a difficult time trying to provide accessible heath care for its population. Poor nutrition, underweight, intestinal worms, malaria, HIV, unexpected early pregnancies, etc. have greatly influenced students’ academic performance. In some areas such as Naivasha and Thika, own illness/disability becomes the biggest reason for not attending school. The ratio may be as high as over 70% and some time reaches over 90%. Also, early pregnancy is also a main contributor to the high dropout rate among girls. -Possible solution School heath program: a school based heath system should be set up to secure students’ health condition. Since families may not be able to provide enough food supply especially for those poor families, government should help schools provide at least one meal per day to ensure students’ nutrition supplement. Also, 3. 6 million children were dewormed in 2009 and continuing implementing deworming program has been proved to be an effective way to increase attendance. Then schools should also take responsibilities for sex knowledge education which most children could not receive at home.

GLO-BUS: Developing Winning Competitive Strategies

GLO-BUS Developing Winning Competitive Strategies Welcome to GLO-BUS. You and your co-managers are taking over the operation of a digital camera company that is in a neck-and-neck race for global market leadership, competing against rival digital camera companies. All digital camera makers presently have the same worldwide market share, although shares vary by company across the four market regions – Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America. Currently, your company is selling close to 800,000 entry level cameras and 200,000 multi-featured cameras annually.Prior year revenues were $206 million and net earnings were $20 million, equal to $2. 00 per share of common stock. The company is in sound financial condition, is performing well, and its products are well regarded by digital camera users. Your company’s board of directors has charged you and your co-managers with developing a winning competitive, marketing strategy, one that capitalizes on growin g consumer interest in digital cameras, keeps the company on the ranks of the industry leaders, and boosts the company’s earnings year after year.Some Background Information Your company began operations five years ago and maintains its headquarters in Lisle, Illinos,USA. It assembles all of its cameras at a modern facility in Ha Noi, Vietnam and ships them directly to cameras retailers (multi-store chains that sell electronics products, local camera shops, and online electronics firms) located in Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America.The company maintains regional sales offices in Milan, Italy; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Toronto, Canada to handle the company’s sales and promotion efforts in each geographic region and help support the merchandising efforts of area retailers who stock the company’s brand. Retailers endeavor to maintain ample inventories of camera models in their own stores and warehouses to satisfy shopper demand. S easonal Production and Seasonal Demand. Camera demand is seasonal with about 20 percent of consumer demand coming in each of the first three quarters of each calendar year and 40 percent coming during the fourth quarter holiday season.Retailers place orders for digital cameras roughly 90 days in advance of expected sales, so as to have ample numbers on hand to satisfy camera buyer demand in the upcoming quarter. Thus, during Quarter 1 they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 2; during Quarter 2 they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 3, during Quarter 3, they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in the peak holiday season fourth quarter; and in Quarter 4 they order the number of cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 1 of the following year.Assembly and Shipping. The company has a staff of people engaged in new product R&D, engineering, and design; this group has the capability to develop new and improved camera models as directed by top management. Once co-managers settle on the desired specifications and performance features for the company’s line-up of camera models, the needed parts and components are obtained from suppliers having the capabilities to make deliveries to the company’s Ha Noi assembly plant on a just-in-time basis.Cameras are assembled by four-person product assembly teams at well equipped workstations. Shipping department personnel ready retailer’s orders for shipment and stack them on the loading dock for pickup by independent freight carriers. The cameras are delivered anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks later, depending on a retailer’s location and the means of transportation. The cost of boxing the cameras, packaging them for shipment, and freight averages $3 per camera. Many countries have import duties on cameras.Import duties in each of the four geographic regions currently average $5 for entry-level cameras and $10 for multi-featured cameras. Import duties are subject to change in upcoming years. Competitive Efforts. To capitalize on advances in digital technology and keep its cameras appealing to consumers, the company from-time-to-time introduces new and improved models, adds performance features, restyles its camera bodies or housings, and upgrades the internal camera software.Aside from company efforts to make its cameras lines appealing and competitive with those of rival companies, the company’s sales volume and standing in the marketplace is affected by the prices at which it sells its cameras to retail dealers, advertising expenditures, the number of retail dealers it is able to attract to carry its brand, the number and length of quarterly promotions, the size of the price discounts offered to retailers during these promotions, the length of the warranty periods on its cameras, brand image and reputation, and the caliber of the technical support provided to its digital camera users.Stock Listings. The companyâ €™s stock is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange in the United States and on several other stock exchanges. The closing price in Year 5 was $30 per share. The company’s financial statements are prepared in accord with generally accepted accounting principles and are reported in U. S. dollars. The company’s financial accounting is in accord with the rules and regulations of all authorities where its stock is traded.The World Market for Digital Cameras The industry your company competes in consists of 4 companies. All companies are on an equal footing from a global perspective, but there is one essential difference in the competitive positions of the rival companies – the percentage of cameras being sold in the four geographic regions (Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America) are not identical from company-to-company as follows:Percentages of Company Sales Volume in (unit sales) North America Europe-Africa Asia-Pacific Latin America Yo ur Company 40% 30% 20% 10% Competitor A 10% 40% 30% 20% Competitor B 20% 10% 40% 30% Competitor C 30% 20% 10% 40%In effect, each company presently has a strong market position in one region, intermediate market positions in two regions, and a weak market position in one region. So there are market share differences among the companies in the industry within each geographic region of the world camera market. In upcoming years, company managers can undertake actions to alter their sales and market shares in all regions, opting to increase sales and share in some and to decrease sales and share in others. Market Growth.The global market for digital cameras is projected to grow 8-10% annually for the next five years (Years 6-10) and then to grow at a slower 4-6% annual rate during the following five years (Years 11-15). These projected growth rates apply to all four geographic regions and to both entry-level and multi-featured cameras. However, in any one year, the growth rate in each r egion can deviate from the 9% average for Years 6-10 and the 5% average for Years 11-15 by as much as 1% in either direction, with different size deviations for each region. The same goes for the projected growth rates for entry-level and multi-featured digital cameras.Hence, there is an element of uncertainty surrounding just where within the 8-10% range and the 4-6% range the growth rate for a particular year will actually fall, for either a given geographic region or a particular type of camera. Ratings of Digital Camera Performance and Quality. The World Digital Camera Federation, a well respected affiliation of camera industry trade groups and camera experts, tests the performance and quality of the camera models of all competitors and assigns a performance-quality or P/Q rating of 1 to 5 stars to each company’s entry-level camera line and multi-featured camera line.Currently, both the entry-level and multi-featured camera lines of all competitors have a 3 star P/Q ratin g. Spirited competition among rivals is, however, likely to result in different P/Q ratings in the forthcoming years. Digital Camera Retailers. Worldwide, there are some 50,000 retailers of digital cameras scattered across the world; each of the four major geographic regions of the world market has 12,500 retailers, some of which are multi-store retail chains (100 per region), online electronic retailers (400 per region), and local camera shops (12,000 per region).Retailers with store locations that also sell cameras on their websites are not included in the online category. Multi-store chains account for the biggest percentage of entry-level camera sales, with online retailers second; local camera shops account for the biggest share of multi-featured digital camera sales, with online retailers second. Retail markups over the wholesale prices of digital camera makers run 50% to 100%; thus an entry-level digital camera wholesaling for $160 could retail for $300 or more and a multi-fe atured camera wholesaling for $360 might carry a retail list price of $700.Such markups give retailers the latitude to put digital cameras on sale from time-to-time at 10% to 20% off regular price and still make a decent profit margin. Retailers typically carry anywhere from 2-4 brands of digital cameras and stock only certain models of the brands they do carry, but in all four geographic markets there are around 20 ‘full-line’ camera retailers that stock most all brands and models. Chain store retailers are drawn to carry the best selling brands and mainly stock entry-level cameras.The makers of weak selling camera brands have difficulty convincing major retail chains to devote display space to their models. Local camera shops and online retailers are, however, more amenable to stocking and promoting low-volume brands, especially those with above average P/Q ratings and respected brand images. Local camera shops and online electronics retailers devote much of their mer chandising effort to multi-featured digital cameras because of their bigger profit margins.In the multi-featured camera segment, local camera shops enjoy an advantage over online retailers because many multi-featured camera shoppers prefer to â€Å"touch and try out† the functioning of the multi-featured cameras they are considering and seek out the opinions of camera savvy personnel in local camera shops before finalizing their purchase. In choosing which brands of multi-featured cameras to carry and feature in their local ads, local camera shop owners put a fairly heavy weight on P/Q ratings, warranties, brand image, and the number, length, and price discounts of manufactures’ promotional discounts.Online retailers use essentially the same criteria in deciding which multi-featured camera brands to give top-billing and search priority on their websites. Digital Camera Buyers. Digital camera shoppers are generally quite knowledgeable; many do extensive Internet researc h to educate themselves about the features, performance, and prices of competing digital camera brands and models. The World Digital Camera Federation’s much publicized P/Q atings are trusted by camera shoppers; its frequently visited website has detailed information concerning the results of its performance tests and the basis for its P/Q ratings of each camera brand. Both camera makers and online electronics retailers have extensive information on their websites about currently available models. Numerous websites and publications review new and improved camera models as they are introduced by manufactures.The buyers of entry-level digital cameras are considerably more price sensitive than multi-featured camera buyers and many do comparison shopping on price in selecting which brand to purchase. The purchasers of multi-featured cameras are much more particular about camera performance and picture quality. Many price sensitive consumers shopping for their first digital camera are inclined to wait to make a purchase until electronic retailers have special sales promotions and offer entry-level camera models at sizable discounts off the regular retail price.It is common for camera retailers to also have special sales promotions for overstocked multi-featured models. The Competitive Factors That Drive Market Share Competition among rival camera makers centers around 11 sales determining factors: – How each company’s wholesale selling price (for both entry-level and multi-featured cameras) compares against the corresponding industry-wide average price in each geographic region. – P/Q ratings. – The number of special promotions each quarter. – The length of the special quarterly promotions (in weeks). The size of the discounts off the regular wholesale price during these promotions. – Advertising expenditures. – Product selection, as measured by the number of models in each line of cameras (entry-level and mul ti-featured). – The number of retailers carrying the company’s brand. – The length of the manufacturer’s warranty period. – The ease with which users of a company’s digital cameras can obtain responsive technical support when they encounter difficulties. – Brand reputation among buyers and retailers.With these 11 competitive determinants of sales and market share in play in each camera segment in each geographic region, you and your co-managers have many options for crafting a strategy capable of producing good profits and return on investment and keeping your company in contention for global market leadership. For example, you can – Employ a low-cost leadership strategy and pursue a competitive advantage keyed to having lower costs and selling your digital cameras at lower prices than rivals. Employ a differentiation strategy that sets your company’s digital cameras apart from rival brands based on such attributes as a higher P/Q rating, more models/styles to select from, and such marketing attributes as more advertising, longer warranties, more promotions, better technical support for owners of your digital cameras, or a bigger network of retail outlets carrying the company’s brand. – Employ a more value for the money strategy (providing 4-star digital cameras at lower prices than other 4-star brands) where your competitive advantage is an ability to incorporate appealing attributes at a lower cost than rivals. Focus your strategic efforts on being the clear market leader in either entry-level or multi-featured cameras. – Focus your company’s competitive efforts on gaining sales and market share in those geographic markets where your company already has high sales and deemphasize sales in those areas where your company has a comparably low market share or where profit margins are relatively low. – Pursue essentially the same strategy worldwide or else have regio nal strategies tailored to match the differing competitive conditions and actions in North America, Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Focus your company’s competitive efforts on those regional markets where sales are highest or most profitable and either deemphasize or withdraw from one or more geographic areas where market share is low and/or profit margins are small. Thinking Strategically: The Importance of Trying to Out-Maneuver Rivals Making Decisions. The following areas should be the basis of your decision making process. They are as follows: Product Design Marketing Assembly Compensation, Training, and Labor Force Special Order Bids Social Responsibility and CitizenshipFinance What Your Board of Directors Expects. The Board of Directors has given you and your co-managers broad strategy-making and operating authority to pursue the achievement of performance objectives, subject to two primary constraints: (1) Your company may not merge with another company ; the Board wishes the company to remain independent. And (2), company co-managers are expected to comply fully with all legal and regulatory requirements and to conduct the company’s business in an ethical manner. Good Luck. R. G. Revers PhD