EKATO Organization Essay

A team is a formal work group whose members work internally with each other to achieve a common objective. A self-managed team is a small group of employees responsible for an entire work process, improve their operation or product, plan their work, resolve day-to-day problems, and manage  themselves. U. S companies including Ford Motor company, Digital Equipment and Boeing report many positive benefits from their experience with self-managed teams including higher productivity, improved quality and lower turnover. Team Development and Evolution EXATO vision it self as a services organization involve in providing solutions for mixing problems, rather than just designing and manufacturing of mixing machines. EKATO objective was to design a flexible and optimized production facility at a realistic cost, while creating an attractive environment to foster innovation. Therefore the new building was designed to support a cell-based, self-managing culture. Before the change to self managing culture, an extensive consultation and participation programme was conducted. This was based around people, process, technological and architectural strategies. A planning groups consisting of both workers and representatives of the workers’ council was formed to discuss any affect on employees due to those changes. The plan is to have 3 person groups. Wide-ranging internal information was made available to employees to support the new-managing, self-optimising approach in EKATO. With self managing teams approach brought good results; The new decentralised system amortized itself within the first 2 years operation Throughput times were reduced by 50% Inventories fell by 50% Spare parts stores reduced by one-third Machine cost fell Changes to plans reduced by 40% Obtaining information and passing it on cost reduced due to its availability and the easy communication Double time work was eliminated Due to the amount of coordination between that large no. of cells, the company reformed the cells into 8-9 persons instead of 3 allocated to three major manufacturing areas responsible for drives, shafts and impellers. Each manufacturing area has a leader who is responsible of that production group. Conclusion Teams can supply the competitive edge. Group pressures can have influence over individual’s behavior. The basic philosophy is â€Å"Entrusting employees with responsibility assures highest quality standards and low costs to the customer’s advantage†. 2. Evaluate the contribution that an effective HRM operation makes to the organization? Maximizing the effectiveness of the human assets of an enterprise is critical. HRM strategies vary from one company to another but provide similar services to the organization. – In EKATO, the HR is decentralized by making the department managers to be responsible for their staff finance and HR matters especially the appraisal and performance. – HRM includes a variety of activities, the key is deciding what staffing needs you have and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs. In EKATO hiring decision vital since staff composition  determines whether the firm has the necessary creativity skills and attitudes. EKATO maintains relationship with universities that specialised in process and involve this expertise on specific assignment. This open doors for universities students to work with the company after they finish their studies and be part of the organisation. – Attracting new employees by rotating them through different sections of the company for few months including assembly to gain the hand on experience in the entire company and be multi skilled. – Improving employees’ skills by providing extensive training programme to allow them to improve the productivity and have high quality performance. EKATO Team skills were improved through training before and after the move to the cell structure, to allow workers to be multi skilled and able to rotate roles to some extent. Coaching assisted individuals in personally adapting to working in teams on day-to day basis. Group members were trained in conflict resolution, problem solving, interpersonal relationship skills, team roles, group dynamics and decision making, as well as setting goals and priorities. – The typically objective of the HR is to provide an atmosphere in which all employees can perform their jobs to the best of their abilities and creatively contribute to the organization. EKATO retains its people by providing interesting work environment. Working there is relatively challenging because employees need to keep up development by attending seminars and read to stay current and keep up with fast technology. It is easier to make the job interesting for R&D staff than sales people. – They motivate their employee by adjusting the reward system to include an individual bonus for works contribution and the group productivity which encourage workers to work as a team to achieve individual goals. Re-training some employees who resisting the new change of the company to be self managing and group process. In addition, human resources management includes 15 methods to improve competitive advantage. 1. Working security: organization gives employees a long-term contract. 2. Carefully interview: managers should be carefully choosing excellent employee. 3. High salary: the salary is higher than another competitor at least. 4. Appropriate compensation: every month choose the excellent employee and give reward. 5. Employee ownership: provide stock of organization or share in project of profit. 6. The salary concentrating: Narrow the degree of the difference of the salary among employees. 7. Participate in management: let lower level employees join management. 8. Term work and working design 9. Symbolic equality principle: treat all employees equally. 10. Internal upgrade: through upgrade a lower level employee to higher position 11. Measurement practicing: Organization should measure employee attitude, different of the scheme and spirit of creation and ability of employee performance level. Notes: Introducing new technology such as expert system to help the company to manage and share solutions and knowledge, thereby reducing duplication. 3. Discuss the extent to which leaders at EKATO have attempted to change the organisation’s culture? Culture represents the unwritten feeling part of the organization. It refers to the set of values, beliefs, norms, attitudes, assumptions, and understandings shared by all members of the organization. It also defines the basic organizational values and communicates to the new members joining the organization the correct ways to think and act, and how things taught to be done. An understanding of organizational culture helps organizations respond and adapt to external environment by changing and solving internal problems. EKATO is a family owned enterprise. The founder Todtenhaupt was very technically oriented and has excellent relationship with his works and people in the chemical industry. The founder passed the organisation culture to his sons. But his sons changed the culture by bringing in an outsider Mr. Zeiler as CEO/President. The CEO, Mr. Zeiler believes that the leadership has to do with the personality style, values and assumptions. The CEO concentrated on the company internal matters and problems. With his sales background, he changed the company from role oriented i.e. bureaucratic to self managing culture. He focused on his workers by delegating responsibility to them and empowering skilled employees. He implemented the trust and openness culture within the organisation by allowing staff to learn from mistakes. To prevent classical labour problem, the CEO implemented communication and sharing the information culture by having open discussion on the company’s numbers, problems and goals. This is done by having two annual meetings between management and employees where the workers council and the CEO report to the staff. Beside that, top managers meet weekly and senior managers engage in cross-functional weekly problem solving meetings. Top management set the company plan and individual departments’ goals. These  goals are communicated to departments’ managers and then discussed within department staff. Senior mangers then meet quarterly to discuss the direction and review the strategy and areas of innovation. Each department manager is required to present results, costs and innovation capability. The outcome of these meetings are fed back to top management and then shared with staff. Hence, the spreading nature of culture will have an effect on organizational processes such as decision making, design of structure, group behaviour, work organization, and motivation and job satisfaction. Management interest in organizational culture to improve performance and increase competition. It is developed and manifests itself in different ways in different organizations, therefore, it is not possible to say that one culture is better than the other. Hence, there is no such thing as an ideal culture, only an appropriate culture.

History of E-Commerce

The History Of Ecommerce, The Early Years In the 1960s, very early on in the history of Ecommerce, its purpose was to exchanging electronic data long distance. In these early days of Ecommerce, users consisted of only very large companies, such as banks and military departments, who used it for command control communication purposes. This was called EDI, and was used for electronic data interchange. In the late 1970s a new protocol was developed known as ASC X12 which was used for the exchange of business documents and information electronically.Another system was being developed at the same time by the Military known as ARPAnet, and was the first to use the â€Å"dial up† method of sending information via telephone networks. It was considered the grandfather of the modern Internet. I guess we can thank the cold war for something! In 1982 Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol known as TCP & IP was developed. This was the first system to send information in small packets along different routes using packet switching technology, like todays Internet! As opposed to sending the information streaming down one route.These were amongst the largest developments in the history of Ecommerce that set the stage for a revolution in the exchange of electronic data, but it was not for another quarter of a century that Ecommerce became accessible to everyday people like you and me. he History Of Ecommerce, Beginnings Of An Electronic Revolution The Internet took a giant leap into the modern age in 1991 when a computer scientist working under contract for  CERN  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tim Berners-Lee† made a huge advancement by communicating via the Internet using  HTTP. The birth of the  World Wide Web  was upon us!He is now considered the father of the World Wide Web. This opened up the door for everyday people like you and me to use this wonderful new technology, however it was not until 1994 that the first truly user friendly browser was developed with built in security protocol to protect peoples personal information online. This made way for secure transactions to be conducted on the internet. A year later 3rd party credit card payment services became available to the still small online community. The stage was set, and the  future of Ecommerce  was about to take off.The History Of Ecommerce, The Revolution Takes Off! In 1995, with the introduction of  online payment methods, two companies that we all know of today took their first steps into the world of Ecommerce. Today Amazon and Ebay are both amongst the most successful companies on the Internet! One month after selling his first book online, founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos was selling to every state in the U. S and over 40 other countries. Ecommerce allowed the easy processing of orders and shipping also enabling him to buy directly from the publishers.Ebay saw growth that was just as staggering. By allowing anyone to buy and sell online, in just a few short years the co mpany became a household name with a turnover of hundreds of millions a year. From its humble beginning in 1995 modern Ecommerce has become the fastest growing area of business, showing continued growth year after year. Technology has advanced further making it so much more accessible to people from all walks of life, and entire industries have been built around Ecommerce which are today, the who's who of the business world.Today virtually anything can be purchased online, from your pizza to your car. And people love to shop online, figures show that in the U. S over 60% of adults have purchased goods online this is a figure that is set to explode over the coming years as the youth of today mature fast, being the first to have been raised with this exciting environment interwoven into all aspects of life. If there is one thing we can learn from the history of Ecommerce it is that anyone given a little motivation and drive can become successful.It has never been easier to get a footh old into the exciting online world of Ecommerce, all anyone needs is an internet conection a computer and an idea. The  advantages of Ecommerce  are endless. Ecommerce has become the great leveler, giving anyone the ability to  build an Ecommerce website, and sell to a world wide market with outstanding results. The history of Ecommerce has shown us just how fast people can embrace a new technology, It has evolved in leaps and bounds to become what it is today and the future is looking bright. History of E-Commerce The History Of Ecommerce, The Early Years In the 1960s, very early on in the history of Ecommerce, its purpose was to exchanging electronic data long distance. In these early days of Ecommerce, users consisted of only very large companies, such as banks and military departments, who used it for command control communication purposes. This was called EDI, and was used for electronic data interchange. In the late 1970s a new protocol was developed known as ASC X12 which was used for the exchange of business documents and information electronically.Another system was being developed at the same time by the Military known as ARPAnet, and was the first to use the â€Å"dial up† method of sending information via telephone networks. It was considered the grandfather of the modern Internet. I guess we can thank the cold war for something! In 1982 Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol known as TCP & IP was developed. This was the first system to send information in small packets along different routes using packet switching technology, like todays Internet! As opposed to sending the information streaming down one route.These were amongst the largest developments in the history of Ecommerce that set the stage for a revolution in the exchange of electronic data, but it was not for another quarter of a century that Ecommerce became accessible to everyday people like you and me. he History Of Ecommerce, Beginnings Of An Electronic Revolution The Internet took a giant leap into the modern age in 1991 when a computer scientist working under contract for  CERN  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tim Berners-Lee† made a huge advancement by communicating via the Internet using  HTTP. The birth of the  World Wide Web  was upon us!He is now considered the father of the World Wide Web. This opened up the door for everyday people like you and me to use this wonderful new technology, however it was not until 1994 that the first truly user friendly browser was developed with built in security protocol to protect peoples personal information online. This made way for secure transactions to be conducted on the internet. A year later 3rd party credit card payment services became available to the still small online community. The stage was set, and the  future of Ecommerce  was about to take off.The History Of Ecommerce, The Revolution Takes Off! In 1995, with the introduction of  online payment methods, two companies that we all know of today took their first steps into the world of Ecommerce. Today Amazon and Ebay are both amongst the most successful companies on the Internet! One month after selling his first book online, founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos was selling to every state in the U. S and over 40 other countries. Ecommerce allowed the easy processing of orders and shipping also enabling him to buy directly from the publishers.Ebay saw growth that was just as staggering. By allowing anyone to buy and sell online, in just a few short years the co mpany became a household name with a turnover of hundreds of millions a year. From its humble beginning in 1995 modern Ecommerce has become the fastest growing area of business, showing continued growth year after year. Technology has advanced further making it so much more accessible to people from all walks of life, and entire industries have been built around Ecommerce which are today, the who's who of the business world.Today virtually anything can be purchased online, from your pizza to your car. And people love to shop online, figures show that in the U. S over 60% of adults have purchased goods online this is a figure that is set to explode over the coming years as the youth of today mature fast, being the first to have been raised with this exciting environment interwoven into all aspects of life. If there is one thing we can learn from the history of Ecommerce it is that anyone given a little motivation and drive can become successful.It has never been easier to get a footh old into the exciting online world of Ecommerce, all anyone needs is an internet conection a computer and an idea. The  advantages of Ecommerce  are endless. Ecommerce has become the great leveler, giving anyone the ability to  build an Ecommerce website, and sell to a world wide market with outstanding results. The history of Ecommerce has shown us just how fast people can embrace a new technology, It has evolved in leaps and bounds to become what it is today and the future is looking bright.

Rain Man

Rain Man The movie I chose to analyze from a psychological perspective is Rain Man. The character I have chosen is Charlie Babbit . I chose Charlie because it was interesting to see how drastic he changes his moods. At one point he can be happy and the next he could be yelling at everyone. Charlie Babbit is a Caucasian male around his late twenties who works as a car salesman, and has a girlfriend named Susanna. Charlie Babbitt is a selfish man who gets angry very easily. He focuses on what he has to say rather than what others have to say. He is a very demanding person.Charlie has avoided talking to his father for years. When he finds out that his father passed away he didn’t react at all it was like if nothing had happened. Instead he focuses on how much money his father left him in his will. His father left three million dollars to his autistic brother Raymond of whose existence Charlie knew nothing of. The prenatal life of Charlie Babbitt must have been in a time of negati ve life experience and stress for his mother. In order to better understand more about Charlie’s prenatal life would be to know what situations his mother was going through while she was pregnant.It seems to me that Charlie was an unhappy baby. His temperamental pattern must have been difficult. Charlie’s mother died when he was only two years old, and his brother Raymond was put away in a mental institution right after the death of his mother . Charlie did not form a healthy attachment with his parents since his mother passed away at an early stage in his life. During Charlie’s preoperational stage Charlie did not form a health bond with his father while growing up.

Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Canada - Essay Example The country is highly developed and has a diversified economy that has its base in plenty of natural resources and tradeship with other developed countries like the United States. The country is a member of various organizations like the United Nations and Commonwealth. The capital city is Ottawa, Ontario. Canada Day is July 1 (Central Intelligence Agency, 2009). According to the 2009 Estimates, the population of Canada is 33,873,357. The percentage of males is 49 percent and that of females is 51 percent. The median age of male is 38.6 years and that of female is 40-4 years. The birth rate is 10.28 births/1,000 population, death rate is 7.74 deaths/1,000 population, the net migration ratio is 5.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population , infant mortality rate is 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births and total fertility rate is 1.58 children born/woman (Statistics Canada, 2009). Canadians are of multiple ethnic origin, the most common being English, French, Scottish, Irish and German. Originally, the land of Canada was occupied by several Aboriginal groups. Christianity is the predominant religion with majority being Catholics (Roman and Old). The main spoken language is English which is used by 78.3 percent people, followed by French (21.7 percent). The literacy rate of the population is 99 percent in both males and females (Statistics Canada, 2009). Canada is a wealthy country. The per capita income is very high. the country is a member of the G8 and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. the market of Canada is mixed comprising of service, mining, agriculture, energy, automobiles and aeronautics,and other manufacturing sectors (Central Intelligence Agency, 2009). The unemployment rate is low. The debt status of the country is also low. The transportation system is excellent with good road and railways networks, 10 international airports and several small airports and several national and international ports (Statistics Canada, 2008). These

Class reflection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Class reflection - Assignment Example I have been able to use the podcast by sharing my learning experience with other students. Through the podcast, I have been able to develop skills like writing, speaking properly, active listening, managing time, and solving problems. Online learning offers a great opportunity for people to learn at their own convenient time. It provides courses of high quality and students do not have a face-to-face experience with other students and lecturers. It is less expensive as students pay less for online programs as well as there is no transportation cost. In addition, students are able to get immediate feedback and there is the provision of tools that improve the pace of learning. The most challenging part of the course was creating a digital storytelling. Digital storytelling revolves around the idea of telling stories using various digital multimedia like images, video, and audio. The bringing together of the digital graphics, recording an audio narration, texts and the incorporation of video and music to present information on a particular topic proved to be a

Encryption of data in transit and data at rest Research Paper

Encryption of data in transit and data at rest - Research Paper Example Encryption in the field of computer security is a process that allows users to encode their data using a certain key or a certain algorithm. Through the use of encryption a user is able to enhance the security of his or her data. Even though encryption of data does not necessarily restrict the access of data it however does ensure that a hacker is not able to interpret encrypted data and hence use it for personal benefit. Encrypted text is usually referred to as cipher text whereas unencrypted text is referred to as plaintext. Encryption is usually made use of for two basic data types, data in transit and data at rest. Data in transit usually refers to data that is on the move, whereas data at rest refers to stored static data that is used on a few numbers of machines. Encrypting data in transit is usually carried out through the use of private and public keys. Private keys are usually made use of to encrypt the main data that is important to a particular organization or to a particular user. The sender usually makes of an encryption key that only the receiver is aware of. The receiver then makes use of the same key to decrypt the information that is provided by the sender (Salomaa, 1996). Public key on the other hand, is used to facilitate the exchange of the private key. Public key is made use of to encrypt the private key. The sender of the data asks the receiver to provide him or her for an encryption key. The key is then used by the sender to encrypt the message. Once the message is encrypted, its decryption can only be carried out by the receiver (Salomaa, 1996). When it comes to securing data at rest, there are two basic process that can be used, encryption and authentication. Encryption to data at rest can be applied at a small scale, such as to a sensitive file, or it can be applied at a large scale, for example to the complete contents of a device (Scarfone et al., 2007). The type of encryption technique that is

The Game Theory and Long Run Marginal Cost in Microeconomics Term Paper

The Game Theory and Long Run Marginal Cost in Microeconomics - Term Paper Example The mathematical analysis of these situations is called game theory and was originally developed by Von Neumann and Morgenstern in 1944. As the subject develops, it has gained acceptance, particularly in business, politics and with the military. In 1994 the Nobel Prize for Economics was awarded to Harsanyi, Nash, and Selten for their contributions to Game Theory. The second part of the paper involves the study of the long run marginal cost. The long-run marginal cost curve indicates the change in total cost resulting from a change in production when all inputs including capital and plant size are variable. This paper discusses the different cases of long-run cost curve with the categories of returns to scale. Here we only consider two person’s zero-sum games. These are games with two players normally called A and B wherein any play of the game the amount of As gain equals the amount of Bs loss (so the sum of both players gains is zero). We refer to As gain and Bs loss throughout the theory but naturally, B can win games so As "gain" is not always positive. Our object is to find the best strategy for each player. By a "best strategy" we mean that if A (say) deviates from this strategy then B can adapt Bs strategy to gain more than if A stuck to the best strategy. Pure Strategies: To solve the game we first of all look for a pure strategy. This occurs when the best strategy for each player is to choose the same option for all plays of the game. If there is a pure strategy, A plays i  and B play j (say), then the ijth element (the payoff to A per play) is called a saddle point. Mixed Strategies and Dominance: If there is no pure strategy then we look for a mixed strategy which means each player mixes their options in certain proportions. Solving the game means determining these proportions in this case.

Descriptive Statistics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Descriptive Statistics - Case Study Example This would look like a promising finding because it is higher than the current trend on the mean number of weeks that a prostate cancer patient lives after receiving a confirmed diagnosis of being in stage 4 which is 9.6, with a standard deviation of 3.2. Unfortunately, the data contains an extreme point in this instance, which is 45 and this would certainly draw the mean upwards (Doty, 1996), thereby misrepresenting the behavior of the data. It can also be observed that the standard deviation is unusually high, and since it measures the approximate distance of the data values from the mean (Black, 2010), this indicates that the data set is highly variable. In order to provide a more appropriate interpretation of the behavior of the data, the research team may choose to eliminate this extreme point. This is usually done when a data set contains a minimum number of extreme values that affect the results when the mean is used to interpret it (Fink, 2003). Based on the new calculations made once the value of 45 is removed, the data set will now have a mean of 7.64 and a standard deviation of 2.4. Clearly, such results are lower than the current trend.

Genetically modified food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Genetically modified food - Essay Example However, in the contemporary world, scientists have adopted complex measures by integrating the laboratory with breeding, and narrowing down to the building blocks of such attributes; the genes. As such, various methods of genetic modification, alteration, and improvement have developed organisms that are an improvement of the already existing organisms. The improvement is in terms of the rate of growth, resistance to more harsh conditions, and productivity. This has been integrated with food production, with the widespread of genetically modified foods. As much as such developments promote the wellbeing of individuals through reduction of food insecurity and increasing the nutrient density and shelf life of food, many fail to understand the ramifications that such technology holds. Different individuals hold different opinions regarding the genetically modified foods, with some arguing for it, while others against it. However, genetically modified food should be forbidden because it can break the ecological balance. Genetic modifications, also known as â€Å"genetic engineering† involves a deeper meaning than the phrase sounds. With reference to the word engineering, Rifkin suggests that it involves the application of the principles of engineering in life’s genetic blueprints. Rifkin goes further to explain such engineering principles in his article, â€Å"The Bio Tech Century†, as predictable outcomes, efficiency, quality control, quantifiable measurement standards, and utility (Rifkin 2). As such, genetically modified foods are edible plants and animals whose DNA has been altered in terms of the genetic framework to favor a certain sequence, through genetic engineering. Such alterations could be geared towards producing foods that are resistant to pests, grow rapidly, or have an improved nutrient profile. On the other hand, ecology involves the scientific

International Trade Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Trade Operations - Essay Example This issue has been chosen as the central objective of this report and therefore, assessing various payment risks underlying the operations of the company concerned in international markets, this report highlights the crucial steps that need to be taken by ABC Ltd to reduce these risks to the extent that can enable the company to minimize the probability of incurring loss in the course of international trade. As the report declares the company confronts with two kinds of risks undermining the payment in consequence of international trade. These risks could be in two forms; either in the form of non-payment by the importer or in the form of late-payment due to a number of reasons. There are many factors that bring about the risk underlying payment in the international trade. As the business operations are carried out on the cross-border level, several international as well as domestic events taking place within both the exporting and importing countries may have their impact on the extent of risk associated with payment. This is the greatest risk underlying the export trade, which may cause substantial business loss to the exporter. ABC Ltd is providing electronic goods to both the developed as well as developing countries therefore, it comes across many cases in which it fails to receive export payments form the importers due to lack of credit worthiness, no or little information about im porter, government policies and protection, lack of legal action and due to insecure payment modes. RISK OF LATE PAYMENT This is another risk underlying export payments, which may also cause irreparable loss to the company. The manufacture of electronic goods requires continued flow of capital that is ensured by secured payment from the buyers of the products. Late payments may entail innumerable problems for the business in terms of re-scheduling its manufacturing process. Information about buyers and their countries can play an important role in pre-determining the probability of late payments and potential problems that may arise due to it. ASSESSMENT OF PAYMENT RISKS Following are the most common risks that are involved in receiving the payment of goods exported to other countries: Commercial risks The commercial risks that are associated with the export payment are intimately related to the importers credit worthiness. These risks may turn into business loss if the buyer becomes bankrupt or insolvent rendering the exporter unable to receive the payment for goods exported. The commercial risks also include the non-acceptance of goods on the part of importer, showing his unwillingness to pay (Trade Facilitation and Electronic Commerce, accessed 02.01.2006). ABC Ltd also confronts the risk of default on payment by a buyer or importer at the end of the credit period. The company risks the payment against goods exported when the buyer is less credit-worthy. Risks Associated With Different Payment Methods The following are the common modes of payment used by ABC Ltd. in export trade. Some of them are highly insecure and involve risk potential. The risks associated with t

Inclusive Education Essay Example for Free

Inclusive Education Essay This report details the role of educational inclusion, individual and general perspectives on inclusion and how the medical and social models have played a great part in the conception and in its application in regards to inclusion in the past and in recent times. Inclusion has different conception and used in certain terminology that relates to inclusion. It is used in different settings such as in social care and in the educational setting in the society today. In this report I will be focusing on the educational part. The Encarta English Dictionary defines inclusion as the addition of somebody or something to the rest of a whole. This definition has not specified who is to be included but a person or group being part and accepted by the rest of a whole. Inclusion have been defined and interpreted by many as just the integration of children with special educational needs (SEN) into mainstream school. According to (Rigby 2000) these kinds of misconception and viewpoints often lead to the misunderstanding and maltreatment in such a way that it creates room for continuous labelling, bulling and rejection by others without SEN. The term Inclusion according to (The Warnock 1978 Report) was initially used as integration, whereby children with SEN who have been educated in special schools where integrated into mainstream school provided they did not have any effect on adequate use of resources. The definition of inclusion is actually changing and moving, in the sense that, its concept and dynamism is now broader, people are now beginning to fully understand what it means and what it evolve in the society today. It is not just about people with special needs integrating or having the same capabilities to perform but having equal choices on where is more conducive they choose to live, having equal opportunity to engage in whatever they choose to do and being accepted the way they are (Giangreco 1997). Social Inclusion/ Social Exclusion There are no definite definitions for social inclusion and social exclusion, both of them has multiply definitions, it all depends on the context which it is used for and is still being developed. Exclusion can be defined as the act of excluding, or of shutting out, whether by thrusting out or by preventing admission; a debarring; rejection; prohibition; the state of being excluded (Inc Icon Group International 2008). According to the definition above, it indicates that social exclusion is multidimensional; people are not only excluded in the society because of their age, sex, religion, colour, disabilities, race and gender it can also be due to unemployment, homelessness, low income, poor mental health, locality, dysfunctional family, educational achievement, status in the society etc (SEU 2004). This group of people are said to be in a Cycle of Disadvantage ( Pope, Pratt and Hoyle, 1986). Article (136 and 137) of The (1997) Amsterdam Treaty was enacted in order to eliminate exclusion and promote economic and social cohesion. Social inclusion promotes integration and community cohesion, it builds the communities, promotes understanding and unity. Inclusive Education and Government Legislation According to (The 1944 Educational Act) it initially stated that, children’s education should be based on their age, aptitude and ability. During the Act establishment, there was a philosophy that children with special need were to be able fit in the school rather than the school making provision to accommodate them before gaining admission into the mainstream school. The (1944 Act) was in use until 1974, when the Warnock Committee was set up to review the provision that was available for children with Special Educational Need. This committee which was headed by Mary Warnock lead to the publication of the 1978 Warnock Report. The Report concluded that, they were about 20% of children in school population that might have Special Education Need and only 2% of which may require support in the mainstream school. The Warnock Report suggested that there should be a proper provision in place for children with Special Educational Need, which then will ensure that the 2% in mainstream school received the adequate provision. The 1978 Warnock Report had since lead to the enactment and development of various educations Act such as, (1981Education Act), (1993 Education Act), (1996 education Act) and the (2001 Special Educational Needs Disability Act) All these Acts listed above reinforces government’s dedication and commitment to the fully inclusion of children with Special Education Needs into mainstream school and the society as a whole. Inclusive Education and Autism  Abraham Maslow formed a theory on ones personality that has a great influence on education. In his theory of human need, he emphasized that, the student with education need that has a wish or desire to belong to a normal group, that desire creates the motivation to acquire new skills, which the student can only achieve in a learning environment that is void of segregation. He further argued that the sense of belonging is the foundational need that that needs to be met in order to achieve the higher level self actualization. According to (Article 28) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, it stated that every child has a right to education. No child should be discriminated, excluded or deprived on the basis of belonging to a particular group. Therefore Inclusive education can be defined as the integration of adults or children into mainstream school regardless their gender, age, disabilities, ethnicity, colour or impairment (Daniels and Garner 2000). Children with hidden disabilities like autism, which is a life time disability that affects the way a child communicates and interact within the society, are faced with difficulties of being fully included into mainstream school. Prior to the development of the Special Need Education, children with autistic spectrum were viewed under two models of disabilities, Medical or Social Model. These are ways how people viewed and acted towards people with disabilities. The Medical Model of Disability sees the illness in the person first and the individual second, this notion creates a bad and negative conception of disability (Cigman 2007). The Social Model of Disability sees the disable person first before their illness. This model sees the person as an individual, different and unique, who has an equal rights and opportunities to education and other essentials of life. The model recognises the fact that a disable person’s impairment does not regard him or her less than anyone else in the society.

Students stress Essay Example for Free

Students stress Essay ?Introduction paragraph: As we know going to college has a huge importance for every student. Obviously students gain different experiences from each other. Becoming a student has advantages and disadvantages. This essay introduces us with one of the disadvantages which is students stress. Financial problems , time management , changing sleeping or food habits and social activities are some effects and causes that induce students stress. Body paragraphs Topic sentence : Time management is an effect that induces students stress. Connecting explanation: When students don’t manage their time appropriately they find it difficult to study. Detail / Evidence 1 : Not being able to arrange their time ,they find it difficult to find the right time to study or work (or any other activity) Detail / Evidence 2 : The more time spent at work (or different activities), the less time a student spends studying. Example 1: Having to hold down a job and still be a college student is a constant source of stress (Calderon , Hey Seabert , 2001). Connecting explanation : The students that work or attend to social activities find it hard to manage their time so they can achieve what they want. Concluding sentence : As we see from the example above students that don’t manage their time have lots of stress. Time management is an effect that induces students stress. Being regular attendees to different activities makes them to have less time to study. Having a work also complicates the ability to manage their time appropriately. It is important for every student to have at least a guide that explains how they can handle this stress. Being able to manage our time helps us a lot to achieve in the appropriate way our studies , work and social activities. Topic sentence : An important cause that leads to students stress is financial problem. Connecting explanation : Having financial problems it is surely the best way to distract students from their studies. Detail / Evidence 1 : Financial support is a tremendous factor in the success of a college student. Detail / Evidence 2 : The need for financial support leads students to take care of job responsibilities. Example 1 : If the student has a family that involves his or her own children, the support of everyone is needed even more to achieve the goal of graduation (Trockel et al , 2000). Connecting explanation : Not having a financial support leads students to take job responsibilities which causes lots of stress. Concluding sentence : As we see in the example above the support of the family is a huge importance. Having financial problems it is surely the best way to distract students from their studies. Finding how to manage their costs is obviously very stressful. The reason that obligates students to take care of job responsibilities is the lack of a financial support. Being free of financial responsibilities is a relief for them. According to the example , to achieve the goal of graduation the students families must give them support. Topic sentence : Changing sleeping habits its another cause that creates students stress. Connecting explanation: When students go to college change their sleeping habits because of job responsibilities or social activities. Detail / Evidence 1 : Sleep deprivation causes shortened attention span. Detail / Evidence 2 : Increased number of errors that students make on a test. Example 1 : Sleeping shorter amounts of time has shown to increase factors such as anxiety and stress which have been associated with academics performance (Celly et al 2001). Connecting explanation: Usually students that change their sleeping habits for different reasons tend to lose their attention which reduces their grades. Concluding sentence : According to the example above , sleeping less causes much more stress which lowers the academic performance. Changing sleeping habits its another cause that creates students stress. Most of the students when they go to college start a work or attend to social activities which makes them sleep less. A low attention its obviously a lack of sleep. Not being careful to their courses makes them lose lots of information and increases the errors in their tests. According to Celly (2001) Anxiety and stress come from a low amount of sleep and that’s what leads to a reduced academic performance. Topic sentence : Being part of social activities is another cause that induces students stress. Connecting explanation : Following social activities spends the students time more than it should. Detail / Evidence 1 : Taking time out of frequent study hours to work out pulls away from grades. Detail/ Evidence 2 : Exercising too much or not at all can influence academic performance. Example 1 : Students who exercised seven or more hours a week obtain significantly lower grades than students who exercised 6 or fewer hours weekly or not at all. Connecting explanation : Exercising too much reduces students academic performance which leads to lower grades. Concluding sentence : According to the example above , we can see the importance of not spending too much time in different activities. Being part of social activities is another cause that induces students stress. We all know that following social activities is good when its not exaggerated. It is obvious that spending lots of time in activities doesn’t give us the opportunity to study enough. Not studying enough surely reduces students grades. According to the example above , students should understand the importance of spending appropriate hours on social activities. Topic sentence : Another cause that induces students stress is changing food habits. Connecting explanation : Because of different things that students might have during their college they don’t have enough time to cook so they change their eating habits. Detail / Evidence 1 : Having an unhealthy diet is an important detail that leads to students stress. Detail / Evidence 2 : Learning to cook is a new challenge for students. Example 1: Little storage space is available in the average dorm room , and food storage may not be possible at all (Trockel et al , 2000). Connecting explanations : Many students consider learning to cook as a challenge so they choose to have an unhealthy diet which causes stress for them. Concluding sentence : According to Trockel (2000) the reason that students choose to have an unhealthy diet is because of the little storage space available in the average dorm room , or the food storage might not be possible at all. Another cause that induces students stress is changing food habits. Students before going to college were used with moms cooking. Now they have to do everything on their own , concluding cooking. Because of many students consider cooking as a challenge they go to the supermarket to buy something to eat. Having an unhealthy diet its proved that lowers the capacity to study and this causes students stress. According to Trockel (2000) the reason that students choose to have an unhealthy diet is because of the little storage space available in the average dorm room , or the food storage might not be possible at all. Concluding paragraph : As we see there are lots of causes and effects that induce students stress. Last year I was a freshman in an Italian university and I can say from my experience that is very difficult to handle a stress that college induces. I think that those causes and effects are parts of every students life that is why they shouldn’t freak out. Knowing how financial problems , social activities , time management , the change of sleep and food habits effect students should also be a good priority for studiers to find a way how we can handle it. Capable students obviously will be an important step that will lead us to a better future.

Rewards Influence Comparison Older And Younger Management Essay

Rewards Influence Comparison Older And Younger Management Essay Abstract Due to the increasing lifespan and lower birth rates, the world is facing a new challenging era in regard to managing the labor force. Many organizations are in a process of developing new and strategic policies in retaining and motivating the aging work population. Currently, the largest working generation comprises of Baby Boomers who will retire in the following 10 to 15 year. The increasing amount of older people in the labor market causes a shift in the motivation tools that upper management of any organization makes use of. This research paper focuses on how intrinsic and extrinsic rewards influence the motivation of elderly employees in comparison to younger. Key words: aging workforce, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, job satisfaction, job motivation, Baby Boomers generation, Xers generation, generational differences. Introduction The issues related to the global aging workforce are growing significantly in the past few years. Research shows that in the next decade, half of the world workforce will consist of above 55 year old employees (Kanfer Ackerman, 2004; Arnone, 2006; Streb, C. K, Voelpel, S. C., Leibold, M. 2008). The current aging generation of Baby Boomers consists of people who are well educated and trained but also they outnumber the following Xers generation. This fact affects the labor market and will force organizations (Arnone, 2006) to employ new strategies when meeting the expectations of their personnel. Research shows that the larger the number of elderly workers the more implications companies will face (Ng, Thomas W. H., Feldman, Daniel C., 2008). The main threats for managers in the knowledge based economies are the rising organizational costs, lack of well trained young personnel and difficulties to support the older employees (Goss, 2001). Preserving the older employees is an asset to an organization due to their knowledge and experience. To maintain and stimulate this group of people, on other hand is a difficult and costly task for the upper management. Rewards are perceived to motivate employees but little is known which type of reward most likely affects the performance of an older employee compared to a younger one (Giancola, 2008). According to Lord Farrington (2006) the retention and level of productivity of an employee is the result of how effectivelly the individual is motivated. Most of the researchers in this field focus on the factors which motivate personnel in general but age is often not taken into account. Little research has been conducted on age differences and factors that stimulate motivation (Lord Farrington, 2006). There is a substantial amount of academic literature which examines the perceived link between employees job expectations and the actual exchanged rewards in return. According to Wallace (2006) the exchanged rewards are highly correlated with job motivation. There are two main types of rewards intrinsic and extrinsic (ODriscoll, Michael P., Randall, Donna M. 1999). Both types reflect the degree of motivation of an employee. In order to improve the resource strategies, companies and researchers will have to test the relationship between employees perception of rewards, motivation and their age (Lord Farrington, 2006). It is assumed that people belonging to different work generations have also diverse rewards preferences. Therefore, the goal of this research is to investigate whether rewards that trigger job motivation among older workers are different to those that stimulate younger employees. Research gap An issue which arises from the current ageing workforce (Baby Boomers) in the world is the relatively lower percentage of younger specialists (generation X) in variety of business fields (Wallace, 2006). This fact leads to the overall shift in the organizational strategies and structures to retain older people longer on their job positions. It also implies further complications such as knowledge transfer and the retirement process of the Baby Boomers generation. Thus, successful retaining of these employees is strongly connected to motivation and rewards. There is an extensive research conducted on topics such as job motivation and job rewards. However, relatively little attention has been given to understand the impact of worker age on factors that affect worker motivation (Lord Farrington, 2006). There is a substantial empirical gap in studying the influence of aging on work motivation (Kanfer Ackerman, 2004). Job motivators differ between people from the two main working generations Baby Boomers and Xers (Wallace, 2006). The latter has a severe impact on the organizational strategies since the global workforce is ageing and there is immense necessity of retaining older people. Current literature focuses on four main topics: The effect of the global aging workforce on organizational structures and strategies The factors which stimulate job motivation Types of motivation Existing rewards and rewards systems employed by organization This paper deals with describing the effects of rewards on the job motivation in regard to the two working generations mentioned above. The research carried out focuses on the possible differences between rewards preferences of aging personnel. The nowadays average baby boomer is 55 years old while the average Xers is 38 years old. This age difference might influence the affiliation of different job rewards which stimulate the work motivation among both groups. The presented research gap leads to the following research question and conceptual model. Research question and Conceptual Model The main research question addressed in this paper is: What type of rewards influence job motivation among older employees in contract to younger? Who is considered an old and young employee? What are the main age-related working groups? What kind of rewards exists? How is motivation stimulated among employees? Which rewards stimulate the different work generations? Are there any differences between reward preferences of older and younger workers? The conceptual model describes the relationship between rewards and performance. As mentioned before, rewards create satisfaction which increases the job motivation (Herzberg F. , 1987). Rewards are seen as an independent variable and job motivation is the dependent variable. The moderator presented in this model is the age. It is argued that older and younger employees are motivated by different rewards. Consequently, age influences rewards which positively affect the job motivation. In this paper, the addressed questions are analyzed and answered by the use of a literature. Type of rewards and job motivation are further discussed and described in the literature review. By the use of this literature several hypotheses are constructed and a plan how to test these relations is presented in the methodology. Theory Aging population and workforce generations Developed countries all over the world are currently dealing with an exceptional change towards a new era of ageing work population. Research shows that the effect of aging will lead to a smaller ratio of the population being employed in the years after 2010 / 2020 (Kunà ©, 2009). In Europe, old-age dependency ratios are expected to reach 50 per cent by 2050 and the projection for the rest of the industrial countries worldwide has similar estimations (Kunà © 2009, Arnone 2006). For example, in America in 1977, 37% of the workforce was under age 30 compared with only 21% in 2002, and only 38% was 40 or older in 1977 versus 56% in 2002 (Perry, Lance S. 2010; Bond, Thompson, Galinsky, et al, 2003). Research shows that by the next two decades the aging population will double and around 80% of the Baby Boomers will remain professionally active even when they reach 65 years of age (Moberg, 2001). The projected demographic situation will create serious complications in the scope of the or ganizational polices, retirement plans, retaining personnel and knowledge transfer. Baby boomers generation comprise a large percentage of the knowledge-based labor market (those people born between 1946 and 1964) (Head, Baker, Bagwell, Moon, 2006) and since this group ages and retires it is the Xers generation (those people born between 1964 -1981) who will be expected to fill these positions (Wallace, 2006). However, this generation is much fewer in numbers than the previous generation and they are described as being more concerned about work-life balance. The most essential generation differences are related to the role that work plays in ones life (Kennedy, 2003) and as a result, Gen Xers are viewed as less loyal and committed to work, their careers and their employers compared to the Baby Boomers (Wallace, 2006). The latter generation is qualified as being open to challenges and pressure, performance driven and workaholic behavior (Lamm Meeks, 2009). On the other hand, Xers are described as the people who are creative but also like the fun and informality; Fo r them work is a complex challenge and they overcome it with demands for more free time (Lamm Meeks, 2009). Rewards and Motivation Some forty years ago, Hertzberg suggested that suggested that two types of rewards, intrinsic and extrinsic, may be used to motivate workers (Herzberg, 1966;1987). Use of rewards systems would be expected to lead to better organizational results. Later in the years, many researchers concluded that job rewards and motivation are strongly and positively related. Intrinsic rewards are those that exist in the job itself (Herzberg, 1987a). Examples are achievement, variety, challenge, autonomy, responsibility, and personal and professional growth (ODriscoll Randall, 1999; Mahaney, 2006). They also include status, recognition, praise from superiors and co-workers, personal satisfaction, and feelings of self-esteem (ODriscoll Randall, 1999). Employees are thought to be motivated to work hard to produce quality results when they have pride in their work, they enjoy their jobs, they believe their efforts are important to the success of the project, and their jobs are fun, challenging, and r ewarding (ODriscoll Randall, 1999). According to Herzberg, the job satisfaction resulting from these rewards is the source of employee motivation (Bassett-Jones, 2005). On the other hand, extrinsic rewards are external to the job itself. The comprise elements such as pay, fringe benefits, job security, promotions, private office space, and the social climate (Herzberg, 1987; ODriscoll Randall, 1999). Other examples include competitive salaries, pay raises, merit bonuses, retirement plans, and such indirect forms of payment as vacation and compensatory time off, (ODriscoll Randall, 1999). Employees are trained to be motivated to work hard to produce quality results when extrinsic rewards are present and provided because the failure to receive those rewards disappoints them. In other words, extrinsic rewards are not direct motivators but the lack of them causes people being disincentive (Herzberg F. , 1987). However, both types of rewards, intrinsic and extrinsic, have been shown to have positive effects on motivation (Wiersma, 1991). In relation to intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, motivation can be described in the same manner: intrinsic motivation shows the relationship between employees and their job itself (Hui, 2000) (Hui and Lee 2000), and is developed from the individuals perceptions and needs (Sansone Harackiewicz, 2000); and extrinsic motivation refers to the relationship between individuals and external compensations such as salary (Komaki, 1982) Rewards, motivation and age As mentioned earlier there is a limited research done on the interrelations between rewards, motivation and age. A few researchers paid more attention to this issue by discussing the different trends in the values among Baby Boomers and Xers. According to Wallace (2006), Xers value more their flexibility and autonomy to work on their own, while Boomers are strongly committed and attached to the organization they work at. Smola Sutton (2002) describe Xers as being creative and innovative, technically savvy and multi-tasking orientated, while Boomers are seen as hard workers, long office hours and loyal to their employers. Managers are concerned that Xers have a lower level of work ethics and do not find work as significant as the Boomers (Wallace, 2006). Kanfer and Ackerman, (2004) argue that younger employees are more motivated by performance-contingent incentives, such as salary and are strongly motivated by structured supervision. In contrast, older employees value the structured supervision which eliminates effort demands. Jurkiewicz (2000) states that Baby Boomers demand more benefits in regard to their retirment plans, while Xers are interested in child care support. 401(k) retirement plans are mainly employer-sponsored and boomers are stimulated by them; in contrast, Xers could not care less (Jurkiewicz, 2000). Research shows that money is seen as the main extrinsic motivator for any generation (Sansone Harackiewicz, 2000). However, only money is not enough for most of the employees. Other age related differences in motivating employees is the example that Boomers are genuinely more concerned with their quality of time than money and Xers are willing to trade their financial benefits for more leisure time (Jurkiewicz, 2000). Yet, according to Jurkiewicz (2000), younger adults are more concerned about financial compensation than the older workers. According to Giancola (2008), there are most-valued rewards at work for each age group. Baby Boomers for instance, consider flexible retirement plans and assistance, job training and sabbaticals as the most valued rewards (Giancola, 2008). In comparison, Xers find rewards such as flexible working arrangements, skills development, real-time feedback, work-life balance and tangible, immediate rewards as the most important motivators. In addition, Reynolds (2005) argues that management stimulates Boomers by creating a sense that they are needed in the organization and that their contribution is of a vital importance. Xers, are inspired by direct feedback as stating that results are imporant, not the actual time spent on a task; or indications of how well they perform and what skills they can develop (Reynolds, 2005 ). Based on the current literature findings the following hypotheses are generated: H1: There is a significate relationship between employees age and reward preferences. H2: There is a significant difference in the importance of types of job rewards for what? between younger and older knowledge workers. H3: Intrinsic rewards are more strongly related to job motivation for Xers generation compared to Baby Boomers. H4: There is no difference in the level of job motivation between younger and older workers in their current jobs. I would skip this one, and concentrate on the relations between varaibels and not go into descriptions of situations H5: Satisfaction obtained from each reward is the same for Xers as it is for Boomers. In relation to H5 but also a more general remark: there is a difference between satisfaction and motivation. Your model is focusing on motivation, stick with that. Moreover, the relation between satisfaction and motivation is not clear. Some research states that they are positively related with satisfaction leiding up to motivation, some research indicates a relationship that is reverse, and some research states that they are negatively related with a higher dissatisfaction leading up to a higher motivation to act. Methodology The primary method to obtain information and insight regarding job rewards, motivation and older employees is by using secondary data. This data is collected from articles published in academic journals. The main research engine used to collect data is Business Source Premium. The information extracted from the literature found will be applied in constructing surveys and interviews. Please make a concrete plan to collect and analyse primary data with: questionnaire items and scales to measure the variables (stated all explicitly in an appendix), an indication of the sample (number of respondents and how the sample is determined), a description of the statistical analytical techniques that will be used. Parts you already have stated here but add and elaborate when necessary. These tools will be used to collect primary data. A sample of 150 well will be taken across different organization across West European countries. No random sampling will be used, due to the specific of the measur ement criteria. The companies which are meant to participate in this research should employ people from two main age groups and with no less than 50 employees. The age groups consist of employees between 29 and 46 (generation X) and 47+ (Baby Boomers) years of age. The reason why 47 is limitation age is because the youngest Baby Boomers at the moment are 47 years old. The selection of employees will not be random and there will be an equal distribution between participants who belong to either of the mentioned aged groups. These boundaries are set so that motivation versus rewards can be investigated where people have multiple hierarchical levels, age diversity and where decision making is done by more than one person. The reason why well educated people are the primary focus of this research is because skilled jobs are more jeopardized by the aging workforce. Thus, a loss of experienced and well educated employees will occur in the future. The participants in the undertaken research will be either surveyed or interviewed. The time limit for performing these actions will be between four to six months. It is assumed that this is a sufficient time to collect the data. The opinions gathered will be from members of both age groups so that comparison can be made. The survey will consist of open and close ended questions. The purpose of that is to collect ordinal and ratio data which will allow the researcher to perform future correlation and regression analysis. The program used to analyze the data will be SPSS. The last step of this research will be to use both primary and secondary data. This information will allow the researcher to analyze and summarize all the findings. These findings will be included in the Findings and Analysis chapter. The latter will be used to draw conclusions and recommendations. Findings and Analysis This chapter deals with the outcomes of the primary research. Conclusion This chapter presents all the results and conclusions drawn from the literature and primary research. Discussion This chapter describes any additional questions that can be research in the future.

A Comparison of Telling in Knight’s Tale and Miller’s Tale of Chaucers

The Importance of Telling in Knight’s Tale and Miller’s Tale In the Canterbury Tales, the Knight begins the tale-telling. Although straws were picked, and the order left to "aventure," or "cas," Harry Bailey seems to have pushed fate. The Knight represents the highest caste in the social hierarchy of the fourteenth century, those who rule, those who pray, and those who work. Assuming that the worldly knight would tell the most entertaining and understandable story (that would shorten their pilgrimage to St. Thomas Becket), Harry tells the Knight to begin. The Knight's tale of love, loyalty, and battle is placed in the chivalric romance genre. The courtly romance concerns the mythical kingdom of Theseus, wealthy rulers, and pagan (mythical) gods. Throughout the tale, the Knight and the other characters refer to the concept of the "wheel of fortune." In the beginning of the tale, weeping, broken women plead to Theseus to help them avenge their husbands. Although impoverished, they tell Theseus that they were all at one point wealthy and of high rank. Even though Theseus is glorified and powerful now, the goddess will spin the "wheel of fortune" and he will one day be low. The concept of destiny and the wheel of fortune represents the Knight's acceptance of an incomprehensible world. His inclusion of the mythical gods, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Diana furthers this idea. Emily, Arcite, and Palamon each pray to a diety, asking for help and their unattainable wish. In the end, father Saturn decrees Arcite's death. Thus, paradoxical human em otions and senseless tragedy are safely distanced; they are attributed to the will of the pagan gods. Similarly the love triangle between Arcite, Palamon, and Emily stresses tha... ...night, the Miller's characters are not moral or honorable; they simply want to gratify themselves. While the Knight's story ends with an honorable death and a union between lovers, the Miller's tale ends with humiliation: the cuckholded husband is branded insane, Absolom suffered and prank, and Nicolas a painful burn. Consequently the Miller mocks the Knight's prayer. He wishes the company well, but the content of his tale expresses his laughter. In a way he "paid back" the Knight's tale. The Miller tells his tale momentarily to amuse and and embarrass (the Reeve and his own cameo appearance), while the Knight tells a story strong on "sentence" or meaning. The two different motives reveal the fundamental differences between the two men: the noble Knight can still believe in a higher beautiful world, while the Miller cannot accept it ever existed.

On the Road: Jack Kerouacs Rejection of the Middle Class American Drea

Jack Kerouac was one of a group of young men who, immediately after the Second World War, protested against what they saw as the blandness, conformity and lack of cultural purpose of middle-class life in America. The priorities of people of their age, in the mainstream of society, were to get married, to move the suburbs, to have children and to accumulate wealth and possessions. Jack Kerouac and his friends consciously rejected this pursuit of stability and instead looked elsewhere for personal fulfillment. They were the Beats, the pioneers of a counterculture that came to be known as the Beat Generation. The Beats saw mainstream life as a prison. They wanted freedom, the freedom to pick up and go at a moments notice. This search for the true meaning of life was given a literary voice in Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road, written in 1951 but not published until 1957. This essay will investigate some of the aspects of the novel that make it a forceful and complex rejection of the white middle class American dream. Beginning in the winter of 1947 Jack Kerouac undertook a series of journeys by car across the United States and finally into Mexico that he then wrote about in On the Road. The novel conveys a feeling of constant motion, a frenetic search for meaning in an America that is very different from the middle class ideal. Sal Paradise, the narrator of the story, describes an America of constantly changing landscapes peopled by a multitude of colourful characters. Sal Paradise's America is an America where the only commitment seems to be to the immediate gratification found in fast cars, sex, drugs and jazz. Sal's idol and travelling companion is Dean Moriarty, a reckless and hyperactive womanizer who, to Sal, is the phy... ...tual values but also a search for a personal identity that had been lost or maybe had never even existed in the first place. In On the Road, the narrator, Sal Paradise, recounts the details of a search that, ultimately, is not rewarded. Sal's infatuation with Dean Moriarty leads him only to a parting of the ways. When he is abandoned by Dean, whilst seriously ill in Mexico, Sal finally realizes what Dean really stands for. Sal, at last, comes to the understanding that his friend's philosophy is based on the premise that personal authenticity requires the complete abandonment of personal ties. Dean believes that all your energy must be focussed on obtaining your own kicks to the exclusion of everyone else. As Sal says in the final paragraph of the novel, " I realized what a rat he was" (302). Works Cited Kerouac, Jack. On the Road. New York: Viking Press, 1957.

aristotle :: essays research papers

In my opinion the consequences of our actions should play as a reminder in our effort to assess what is ethical behavior and what is not. It can be said as a reminder because, individuals may learn from their actions. The consequences of their actions are either ethical or not. Therefore, every time the individuals look back to their actions, they will remember whether the actions have left them a good result or not. Thus, they will create a habit that may help them to make choices on whether their actions are ethical or not. According to Aristotle’s theorizing of agency, there is a link between ethics and the idea of responsibility to actions performed voluntarily. Based on this explanation, individuals can actually choose their actions assessing which behavior is ethical and which one is not. Individuals live according to moral virtue, which means that they are involved in choosing actions properly. However, there is a moral question that keeps coming up, which is how the individuals choose the right course of action in any given situation. Human beings are both rational and passionate creatures. With their intelligence and emotion or desire, human beings make their decision. They realize that they have a natural function to choose what they think is right and wrong to obtain the â€Å"supreme Good.† More over if a human being follows his or her rational principle, he or she will reach the idea of a good life. The definition of a good life may be different for everyone. However, based on the Aristotle’s ethical theory, it is said that a good life is reached when individuals have fulfilled their proper natural function. There are two modes of thoughts whereby the practical mind apprehends variable, contingent truths. They are: art or technical skill and prudence or practical wisdom. The art of technical skill is the state where an individual make something with the involvement of true course of reasoning. With this skill, individuals can choose and make their decision with reasoning. Therefore, the effort of assessing what is ethical and what is not is made with this skill. Prudence or practical wisdom is where the individuals choose practical actions that are conducive to the sorts of goods. This is also where the individuals decide to take actions that are either good or bad for them. aristotle :: essays research papers In my opinion the consequences of our actions should play as a reminder in our effort to assess what is ethical behavior and what is not. It can be said as a reminder because, individuals may learn from their actions. The consequences of their actions are either ethical or not. Therefore, every time the individuals look back to their actions, they will remember whether the actions have left them a good result or not. Thus, they will create a habit that may help them to make choices on whether their actions are ethical or not. According to Aristotle’s theorizing of agency, there is a link between ethics and the idea of responsibility to actions performed voluntarily. Based on this explanation, individuals can actually choose their actions assessing which behavior is ethical and which one is not. Individuals live according to moral virtue, which means that they are involved in choosing actions properly. However, there is a moral question that keeps coming up, which is how the individuals choose the right course of action in any given situation. Human beings are both rational and passionate creatures. With their intelligence and emotion or desire, human beings make their decision. They realize that they have a natural function to choose what they think is right and wrong to obtain the â€Å"supreme Good.† More over if a human being follows his or her rational principle, he or she will reach the idea of a good life. The definition of a good life may be different for everyone. However, based on the Aristotle’s ethical theory, it is said that a good life is reached when individuals have fulfilled their proper natural function. There are two modes of thoughts whereby the practical mind apprehends variable, contingent truths. They are: art or technical skill and prudence or practical wisdom. The art of technical skill is the state where an individual make something with the involvement of true course of reasoning. With this skill, individuals can choose and make their decision with reasoning. Therefore, the effort of assessing what is ethical and what is not is made with this skill. Prudence or practical wisdom is where the individuals choose practical actions that are conducive to the sorts of goods. This is also where the individuals decide to take actions that are either good or bad for them.

Mental model mind set wk

This great idea is a big money maker for the company. Even though we are bout change we know there will be employees that will have doubts and concerns of this change, we are willing to take risks. A person's mental model/ mindset can be also known as ideas, beliefs, images, and verbal descriptions that we voluntarily or involuntarily form our own familiarities. Mental Models screens us to have facts and ideas that contest or disregard our intensely held views and offer internal steadiness in a world of constant transformation.Mental models are created over so many years of experience and colonization. Mental models are tough to transform if they become threatened in the mind (Wind, Crook, & Gunter, 2005, preface). Bud and Vernon has been with the business for many years. They have a mental mindset that is impossible to change. Mental models like them are known to be set in their ways. Bud and Version's behavior has made great impact on the company, so they are well respected and the y are also a great assess to the company.It may be difficult to get Vernon to agree to the expansion and to try getting Bud to be on board with competing with other business. Changing mental model/mindsets is constantly needed in an organization today. Subconsciously, it is a very difficult thing to do. Like Bud and Vernon, people must be eager to change their mental mindset for betterment of the company, even if there are risks involved. Taking certain phases to change can be a large enhancement on the quality of your performance.Understanding boundaries and authority of mental models should be the first steps our team should take at changing the mental mindsets of Vernon and bud so they could receive the proper information that they may come on board with the team. The second step the team should take is testing the relevance of mental models compared to the changing surroundings meaning o create new models. Introducing Bud and Vernon to this second phase can show them how brand n ew ideas can change the company compared to what they are already familiar with.Reshaping the framework, the thinking of others and by surpassing interferences to change is the third phase to changing a mental mindset. If we can get Bud and Vernon to identify their uncertainties of why they think the way they do then this would be valuable to the team. The fourth phase to changing a mental mindset is changing your perception by functioning swiftly on the new-fangled models, not stopping to irking out a method for valuing and supporting your models (Wind, Crook, & Gunter, 2005, preface).This should have Bud and Vernon to realize the limitations that they may have because of not accepting change can make them see how a new mindset can mean success for the company. Not having an open mind toward certain concerns can put boundaries and limitations on a person's mental mindset. Mental models mindsets can be impacted by Education also. Mental model mindsets are shape by our education and it also practices groundwork that outlines view of the world (Jacobs, 2013). New mental models are more tolerable to Other people if they are more educated than to people who not.If we educated Bud and Vernon on the new money bearing opportunities on incomes and the shipping production, this would undoubtedly be a great influence on their mindset. Training is more like education too. An employee receiving training may feel very important to the company. Training can enhance an employee's abilities in places that they are already good in. There are other extra services that impacts mental mindsets. Personal experiences and being influenced by others are extra services. Personal experiences can be tough to defeat because it can mold a person's personality.This makes AAA Transportation difficult to reason with. Even though Bud and Vernon could be exaggerated with a strong influential like this, so the team is working continuously to see to them overpowering the force. The most commonly used mental mindsets that guides my decision making are being able to unceasingly investigating and smearing a method for evaluating and reinforcing the mindsets of our models. Our team is allowed to learn to adapt and understand the changing environment by using this mindset.

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Essay

When I say Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, what comes to mind? To most of you new age listeners, absolutely nothing, just Spanish guy name, but to all of you in touch musical geniuses, only one word clouds your brain. Volta. The mars Volta is an Avant garde progressive rock group, who at times may not make sense with words, but completely and utterly make up for it with insane riffs, original scales and crazy drum segments. Omar is the guitarist and founder of the mars Volta; he is also the main song writer. Omar has incorporated guitar into his world and career ever since he was twelve year old, starting off with a bass. When he turned fifteen, he claimed he â€Å"needed more strings† and switched to a guitar, this decision changed his life forever. Omar was born on September first 1975 in Puerto Rico, although he grew up in El Paso Texas, and spent much time in South California. He attended high school in El Paso at Coronado where he met his future band mates. In my eyes, Omar is a musical genius; I mean have you ever listened to l’via l’viaquez? Boom, starts off straight with pure riff, of course the Spanish lyrics add to the awesomeness of it, but this guy is a genius. His music never gets boring, ten minute long songs, anthems if you will, they’re long, but not too long, never repeat a scale or rhythm, but you can still hum the chorus, perfect? I think so. Once Omar realized he was an artist, he did more than just play in a band and write music, he decided to write films, including music for the soundtracks. His first film was called the sentimental engine slayer, which was played in numerous theatres, he was good at this indeed, but his true calling obviously lies in the world of fret boards and fender amps. Omar is actually a big fan of Ibanez guitars, his first two were custom, then Ibanez decided to make him his own, which is available for purchase. Omar lives a low radar life, and loves it. He is inspiring to many, including me, the ways he incorporates and uses guitar in his life.

Food Ethics Essay

The ethics surrounding food hasn’t always been a major contributor in ones decision on what to eat. In the beginning, we would have to physically hunt or gather our meals in order to survive. The choice of what was for breakfast, lunch or dinner solely relied on what was accessible to us. The ethical questions would only come as a result of a modernized food system, where other options for food became accessible and convenient. In the essay Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace, the author describes lobsters in New England in the 1800’s as having an â€Å"Unbelievable abundance (238). † These crustaceous creatures were all over the shores of New England. Wallace writes about the Boston seashore as, â€Å"being littered with lobsters after hard storms†¦ (238). † Yet, Lobster were considered â€Å"low-class† and as Wallace states, â€Å"†¦eaten only by the poor and institutionalized (237). † It was considered unethical to even feed the poor lobster â€Å"†¦more than once a week (238). † This was modernized New England, which eventually changed at the turn of the century, just as Lobster shifted from being â€Å"low class† to â€Å"chewable fuel†. As the world became more industrialized, food became centralized. The shift from small businesses to large companies started to occur. The lobster industry changed as well during these times as Wallace describes, â€Å"Maine’s earliest lobster industry was based around a dozen such seaside canneries in the 1840’s, from which lobster was shipped as far away as California†¦ (238). † Just like the lobster industry in New England, many companies in the United States started to fulfill the demands for products to gain a profit. Ethics became secondary to making money. Corporations would produce so much that they would drive the price down, increasing its affordability and making it more accessible and widely consumed. Eventually, large companies would become so efficient and affordable, that small businesses like farms and mom and pop shops found it increasingly difficult to compete. Many small companies and farms had to either adjust their products to niche markets or work as a subsidiary to these corporations. Along with mass production of products, was a new manufacturing process. Foods started to become streamlined in such a way that they would grow in the harshest of environments. These new forms of industrialization lead to the creation of processed foods. The companies found ways to maximize profits while making the costs as affordable as possible for the consumer. The supermarkets offered everything one could think of, packaged and ready to eat. Although the prices for most foods were at an all-time low, hunger and malnutrition still existed. There were also issues arising regarding consumer trust in food safety, and the effects on the human body. As a result of these cost efficient products, people in the United States started to become increasingly heavy, leading to an obesity epidemic and a major health crisis. The ethical issues involving economical behavior of consumers and agricultural ethics are at question. Is it unethical for corporations to mass produce unhealthy foods, knowing the adverse side effects on the environment and growing rates of obesity in the United States? The trend seemed to lead to, the more affordable the food, the more we consume. Is this a personal problem or are the companies to blame for offering these products to us? We must first look into the goals of a business and if ethics play any part in the obligations to supply our population with affordable food. The very basic objective to any business is to create a profit. This is what allows companies to continue function and thrive. The best way for this to happen is to make something that is sellable and where there is room for profit. In the food industry corn is not only a commodity it’s a common ingredient in almost every product on our shelves. According to Michael Pollan, in his book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, It is also used to feed most of the animals that become meats in our supermarkets. To say that corn is widely used would be an understatement. It seemed that we couldn’t produce enough of this plant. Not only is our climate great for growing it, we also were able to store it very effectively. The boom in corn production can be traced back to the nineteen seventies. Since those same years, â€Å"†¦American’s average daily intake of calories has jumped by more than 10 percent (Pollan 102). † The reason for this increased caloric intake leaves many to question whether people are eating more because it’s less expensive or people are eating the same amounts but the food contains more calories. Either way, the companies that were producing these items didn’t seem to be bothered by the problem affecting â€Å"three of every five Americans being overweight (Pollan 102). † The truth is that the companies are driven by profits. The Americans who consume these foods create the profits. Additionally, a lot of these companies are traded on the public market and have a responsibility to their shareholders, who subsequently are the same ones buying these foods. So the companies were being driven to make profits for the people invested. Two of the biggest soda companies in the world, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, have followed these trends as well. As Pollen says, â€Å"By 1984, Coca-Cola and Pepsi had switched over entirely from sugar to high-fructose corn syrup. Why? Because HFCS was a few cents cheaper than sugar (thanks in part to tariffs on imported sugarcane secured by corn refiners) and consumers didn’t seem to notice the substitution (104). †It’s as if these corn companies were monopolizing the industry, trying to turn-over as much product as possible. The increased production would eventually lead to increased portion sizes. Instead of lowering the prices of products, companies started charging a small upcharge for additional food and soda. This practice of continually turning over product has become so dangerous that now, â€Å"†¦in 2000 the number of people suffering from [overnutrition]-a billion- had surpassed the number suffering from malnutrition-800 million (Pollan 102). † There is clearly something broken with this system. These companies are catering to our consumer appetites and enabling us to act accordingly. You would think that the prices of the food being low would solve our food problems globally, but the answer is unfortunately no. These companies are in places where there is both a market for high sales and where they can grow these crops. Most of the areas that are facing malnutrition are in remote areas of the world. These areas wouldn’t make the companies money and therefor there isn’t an incentive for them. On the other hand, America is of course one of the largest consumer countries in the world. Our desire for food is unsurpassed by most counties. There is no question that Americans have a sweet tooth. It is part of the human makeup to consume high energy foods and is linked to natural selection. According to Pollan, â€Å"Add fat or sugar to anything and it’s going to taste better on the tongue of an animal that natural selection has wired to seek out energy-dense foods (107). † Pollan also suggests that, â€Å"natural selection predisposed us to the taste of sugar and fat (its texture as well as taste) because sugars and fats offer the most energy (which is what a calorie is) per bite (106). † It’s only natural for humans to consume these ingredients, because after all we are â€Å"predisposed† to do them. This of course doesn’t mean that we are completely free of blame for our overindulging. We are all individuals and are responsible in formulating our own decisions. The companies which provide us with these calorie-packed foods and beverages also list their nutritional information on the packages. If we were to eat any packaged foods, we would be responsible for understanding the health risks involved. The real problem is whether we have the mental capacity to control our physical urges. There is extensive research that suggests, â€Å"†¦people {presented} with large portions will eat up to 30 percent more (Pollan 106). † At one time in our history, this might have served us. Now, there is no question that our bodies are becoming poisoned from this. Knowing all of this information, companies continue doing their best to offer these calorie-packed foods. This is evident in just about every corner store and fast food restaurant. The ethics concerning public safety and effects on the human body are clear. Companies are only concerned over their ability to raise a profit. Their aim to create profits from the overconsumption of high energy foods has been effective in making Americans unhealthy, while continuing to turn over profits. While the companies are certainly a large part of the problem, the consumers are also to blame. They have enabled this overproduction by continuing to consume the same products making them sick. Additionally, people seem to be ignoring their recommended caloric intakes and are choosing to eat more and more. Companies can only be blamed for producing products with limited nutritional value. They are ethically absolved of their responsibilities if they inform their consumers properly. Their goal is to make profits, not worry whether their consumers are eating the recommended serving size or not. The best way to take control of this issue would to be to consume less and choose healthier options as individuals. The more aware we become as individuals, the healthier we will become as a society.

Globalisation of GAP Essay

An investigation into how Gap inc. has expanded into global markets and to what extent has this been successful? Gap was founded in 1969 by Donald Fisher and Doris Fisher. The name came from the growing differences between children and adults, called â€Å"the generation gap. The Fishers had been frustrated with the lack of decent customer service and fashionable styles at other retailers. One of the original mottos of the company was â€Å"Levi’s for Guys and Gals.† Around 1982, Gap began focusing on its own private label clothing and by 1991-1992, the company had stopped carrying Levi’s. As of April 2, 2005, Gap Inc. had approximately 150,000 employees and operated 3,005 stores worldwide. Donald Fisher retired as Chairman of the Board in 2004 and was replaced by his son, Robert Fisher. The Fisher family collectively owns about 25% of the company. Since its founding in 1969, Gap has provided its customers with clothing and accessories that enhance their personal style. What began as one brand has grown to include Gap, examples of Gap brands are GapKids, babyGap, GapBody and GapMaternity. By providing great style, value and service, Gap has become one of the world’s most recognized brands with more than 1,450 stores in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and France. Today, Gap Inc. is one of the world’s largest specialty retailers, with more than 3,100 stores and 2006 revenues of $15.9 billion. Gap operate five of the most recognized clothing brands in the world including Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Forth & Towne and Piperlime. The culture and ethics of Gap can be seen from the missions statement provided by Gap. Guided by a shared Purpose, we’re able to work together more effectively and contribute to Gap Inc.’s success in a more meaningful way. Inspired by the same Values, we reflect the character, spirit and beliefs of Gap in everything we do. Driven to exceed with the right Behaviors, we work purposefully as individuals, as teams, as a company, to be the best we can be and achieve our vision for growth. Our Purpose Every day, Gap Inc. honors the original reason for founding this company: We’re passionate that you be you. We make it easy for you to express your personal style throughout your life. Our Values To achieve our purpose, we create an environment that encourages our teams to act with integrity and live by the highest standard of ethics. We listen, we respect each other’s time, we value the contributions each of us makes. In a spirit of open-mindedness and trust, we are open to a diversity of ideas, approaches and points of view-across teams and across divisions. We believe in quality and delivering the best result possible, reflecting the realities of price, time and what customers truly value. We find ways to put into balance things that seem to be at odds-work and life, commerce and social responsibility, rapid response and a planful approach. One of the main aims for a business is to grow, once a business has achieved this in it’s own market expanding into foreign markets can be very expensive but profitable. Businesses which operate in more than one country are multi nationals examples of multi nationals are Coca Cola, Sony, Mcdonalds and Gap inc. these businesses have successfully expanded into foreign markets and are now a global brand which is enviable to any business. There are various reasons why companies want to expand into foreign markets. Firstly the world consists of over 6 billion people this is a huge customer base for companies to try to exploit. More potential customers could result in increased sales and revenue because of the larger target market. This could therefore increase profit and even further growth for the business. As a business grows economies of scale can be an essential tool for businesses to take advantage of. Economies of scale allow businesses to buy in bulk and so pay less for each unit, lowering costs for the business. On a global scale the economies of scale the business could benefit would be far greater than that if they just operate in their own domestic market. Also if a business operates in more than one domestic market the risk is spread over several markets. Therefore if one market is not doing well for the business other foreign markets could make up for this. Spreading the risk would be very beneficial as the business would not be reliant on one market. Finally, investing in emerging markets businesses would gain the opportunity to sell to people who’s income are growing strongest and fastest, creating a brand and customer loyalty which would benefit the company greatly when the country further develops. There are however drawbacks and disadvantages to entering into foreign markets. Firstly language can be a major problem in foreign markets. If the business is not familiar with the language of the new market it can cause problems in communicating with employee’s directors and employees. This could then lead to problems in making decisions and implementing any changes. Also setting up in a new market can have very high start up costs. This could include a variety of things ranging from buying land to building factories for production. These high capital costs could inhibit the company from expanding as they may be reluctant to borrow finance. Advertising in the new market can be very expensive, as the company tries to create a brand and gain a competitive advantage TV commercials or adverts in newspapers or the radio could cost the company millions as the advertising campaign may need to be a long term investment. In new markets research and development can also be very expensive as learning about the new market and customers is essential to do well in the market. The company must invest heavily in the research and development as it would be crucial to supply the market with what they need, not just relying on what has been provided in their own domestic market. The government in the new country can also pose a problem. Different laws tax and interest rates can cause a problem for the company. The business could have to pay higher amounts of tax or change some regulations in the company to comply with laws in the country. Decision making can be very difficult. If the head quarters of the business was in America and they had just expanded into China implementing decisions and making decisions would be made so much harder. Overall operating in another market can cost the company millions in a variety of areas. When making the decision the company must take into consideration the opportunity costs of the expansion and not neglect the domestic market. Entering into new markets involves a great deal of risk there are many problems associated with selling in an unknown markets. Businesses attempt to overcome some of these problems in a number of ways, Firstly the company could decide to use joint ventures. This involves the business working together with another company in the country they wish to expand into. Both businesses will expect to gain from the venture. The partnership includes the original company who then teams up with a local company in the foreign market who has the knowledge of the market and already has established distribution links etc. An example of joint ventures could be Coca Cola who have entered joint ventures with bottling companies. They trade brand power for local knowledge of the distribution system. Joint ventures can be very good for companies, they can gain local knowledge without having to spend millions of pounds on research and development. Also initial capital costs would be reduced because you wouldn’t have to build factories or buy land because of your partner company. There is a greater chance of success in the foreign market and the risk is reduced for the company. From the research I have done I have not found any evidence of Gap entering into joint ventures, this could be due to the following negatives of the concept, firstly having to work with another business could be problematic. You may not be familiar with new company and so trust would have to be built between the two businesses in order for the partnership to be effective. The cultures of the two businesses could also be different causing difficulties in situations such as ethics. Decisions would also have to be made together; coming to a collective decision could be difficult. Finally any profits would have to be shared between the two companies, whereas if the original business had set up alone it would receive 100% of the profits. Obviously Gap would have taken into consideration the positives and the negatives about joint ventures but found that the disadvantages were outweighing the advantages. The second idea the business could use would be franchising. For many businesses this is the best way into international markets. Franchises are legal agreements by which local businesses are allowed to set up using the name, logo and trading method of a well known company. They gain all the benefits of a strongly branded product in return they pay a lump sum, percentage of the annual turnover and provide local knowledge. Examples of franchising would be Mcdonalds who have allowed some of their stores to be franchised. I have found evidence relating to various franchised Gap stores around the world. Gap has entered the franchise industry in order to develop its growth in Asia. Gap has signed a franchise agreement with Singaporean group FJ Benjamin Holdings which will see stores opened in Singapore and Malaysia under the Gap and Banana Republic brands. Under the agreements, F J Benjamin will hold exclusive rights to operate Gap and Banana Republic branded clothing and accessories stores in Singapore and will hold exclusive rights to distribute Gap and Banana Republic products in Malaysia. This franchise agreement between Gap and F J Benjamin demonstrates the company’s first step toward expanding the Gap and Banana Republic brands via international franchises. F J Benjamin plans to open about 30 stores in Singapore and Malaysia by 2010, opening the first Gap store in 2006 and the first Banana Republic store in 2007. â€Å"We are bringing Gap and Banana Republic to more customers throughout the world,† Quote from Andrew Rolfe president of Gap inc international. Gap Inc. will gain F J Benjamin’s retail expertise but will provide access to Gap and Banana Republic’s world-renowned clothing and accessories. F J Benjamin will purchase merchandise from Gap Inc. or suppliers designated by Gap Inc. and must keep to Gap Inc.’s quality standards to protect the reputation of the Gap and Banana Republic brands. This year Gap has also brought more franchise partners on board in United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, and plans to have 90 Gap and Banana Republic stores in Southeast Asia and the Middle East by 2010. The second franchising deal that Gap inc have signed is with the Al Tayer group-a leading business in the Middle East. Al Tayer will introduce Gap and Banana Republic brands into five key markets in the Middle East. The Group plans to open about 25 Gap and about 10 Banana Republic stores by 2010. The first Gap stores will open in the later part of 2006 and the Banana Republic stores are scheduled to open in 2007. Under its agreement with Gap Inc, Al Tayer Group will hold exclusive rights to operate Gap and Banana Republic branded clothing and accessories stores in United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and exclusive rights for Gap in Oman. Gap Inc. will again provide access to Gap and Banana Republic’s world-renowned clothing and accessories in return Al Tayer Group’s expertise in building retail outlets in the Middle East. Gap have entered two franchising deals already, if these were to succeed I would not predict against them entering them in the future. The advantages to gap for using franchise deals are as follows; any risk for the business is taken away as someone else will be running the business. The company will be provided with a lump sum and a percentage share of the annual turnover. This lump sum can be invested into other areas of the business such as advertising or research and development. The percentage of the annual turnover could also be retained profit. The business grows quickly and easily a global brand can be created effectively as long as people are willing to buy franchises in your business. Although there are various advantages the company could benefit from there are also disadvantages which could harm the business, actions by the franchised stores could harm the reputation of the company, because they have no control in the market they give full responsibility to the franchisee that could let you down. Also only some of profits are given to the company they have to share with the franchisee. This annual turnover they do receive would probably be significantly lower than the stores gross profit annually. The final growth strategy which could be used by Gap would be licensing, A license allows a business to make, produce and market a product or use the production method, which is protected by copyright or patent. This means that an innovative company can expand into international markets without actually having to invest in locally based production facilities. An example of licensing would be Heineken lager which is brewed under license by Whitbread’s in the United Kingdom. From research I have found that as well as franchising Gap have also entered licensing agreements. In 2006 Gap announced a licensing agreement between themselves and Safilo group. Safilo group are the leader in high-end and luxury eyewear. The agreement includes Banana Republic-branded prescription frames and sunglasses. The agreement includes the design, development, production and distribution of a collection to be launched by the end of 2007 in the United States and Canada. Terms of the agreement include a five-year commitment. The agreement represents the first time Banana Republic will sell its products outside its own distribution channels. â€Å"Their ability to transform eyewear concepts into luxury products is a great complement to our own expertise in extending the Banana Republic brand.† Quote from Marka Hansen president of banana republic, highlighting that both the companies entering into the licensing agreement will benefit from the others expertise in that relevant field. Banana Republic are not familiar with the design or production of sunglasses and so have taken the opportunity to find a leader in the sunglasses market to do this for them. Safilo will benefit from the well know brand identity of Gap inc and therefore the agreement should benefit both companies dramatically. These are not the only benefits that both companies could gain; capital costs of setting up in a foreign market are reduced because the licensee will have to produce the product. Also no local knowledge will be needed because the business will not have to sell in the area. This can save millions in research and development for the company. Finally the risk of setting up in a foreign market is reduced and the business grows quickly and easily, a global brand is created. Having these benefits would be great for both the companies involved in the licensing agreement, but as with all the strategies there are downsides to entering these agreements, somebody else will be running your business you have to trust others will the reputation and brand of your company. If the licensee does something to harm your reputation it could reduce sales. Finally the profits from the new market go directly to the licensee. The business only receives a lump sum for selling the license. This could prove disastrous if the market does very well and profits are alot higher than expected. Assessing which strategy will be best in order to be profitable and best for the business can be very difficult. Making the correct decision on which strategy to use when entering a foreign market could be the difference between success and profits in that market or complete failure. Gap inc. is a global brand, and owns stores around the world, as the table shows below. The company has entered into these markets using different strategies, and so therefore some have been successful and others have not. I will know analyze the strategies used by the company in order to create a global brand and then evaluate whether this has been successful. Country Total number of stores United Kingdom 240 Canada 236 France 54 Japan 153 Germany 20 Source, http://biz.yahoo.com/e/070402 Gap has entered various markets using company owned stores and deciding not to use any of the strategies above. This strategy was used in several European market such as Germany the UK and France. These markets however have not proved as profitable as had hoped, this lead to Gap exiting the German market. Gap has operated in the UK since 1987 and in France since 1993. Overall, Gap’s total revenue in the year ended in January, 2006, was $16.02 billion, down 1.5%. Last year, Gap’s sales in Britain and France combined fell 6.1%, to $825 million. Together, those two countries account for about 7% of Gap’s total revenue. Source- Gap inc Annual report 2006 Source – http://finance.google.com/finance?q=GPS The above diagram shows the share price for Gap inc. since 1987. The graph shows that the share price was relatively low until 1997 when there was a dramatic increase ranging until 1999. We can see that in 1987 when the Gap invested in stores in the UK the share price was $2.87. Even after entering such a mass market and increased possible customers which should inevitably lead to increased sales and therefore profit, in the following years the share price did not reflect this. After four years in the UK market the share price had only increased minimally to $3.37. A larger increase in the share price would have been expected if the sales had gone as predicted. The same can be said about the share price when the company expanded into the French market in 1993, the share price was $4.38 after three years in the market the share price had only increased minimally again to only $6.37. These figures show that there has been an increase in the share price of Gap after the introduction into new markets, but not the kind of increase that was expected. Because Gap was introduced into the new markets by company owned outlets, the start up costs would have been very high and so therefore the company would have expected to have high sales to try and regain some of these costs. The inevitable ending to the Gap stores in these markets would be similar to that of Gap stores in Germany were after years of poor sales the company withdrew from that market Gap was forced into selling shops in Germany to one of their main competitors, Swedish company H&M. The lack of profits and growth in the European markets is highlighted in the quote below. â€Å"Gap International store sales were negatively impacted by weak product acceptance in Europe. Our total store sales increase was due to the 130 new store openings, a majority of which occurred during the second half of the year.† Source – Quote from Gap’s annual report of 2006 This quote highlights the problems faced in the European markets. Gap may have used their experiences and lack of success in the European market to improve their chances in other emerging markets such as Asia. This may have played a part in swaying the decision to choose licensing and franchising as a source of international growth rather than try to go it alone as they did in Europe. Gap’s problems in this market could be down to a number of reasons, for example poor research and development not understanding what the consumer needs or poor pricing strategies. The two franchising agreements between Gap and F J Benjamin Holdings and Al Tayer group are relatively new. The franchises are not trading and so the extent to which this has been successful can not be evaluated. A leading competitor and one of Gaps main rivals in the clothing industry is Spanish company Zara a well branded company known all around the world, has successfully franchised it’s company and is now reaping the rewards. For example a franchised Zara in Helsinki was opened in April 2002 and sales got off to a flying start and were better than predicted. Spanish group Inditex owners of Zara have reported a rise in profits of 14.6 percent, thanks to â€Å"outstanding† sales at its Zara chain. Sales for the three months ended 31 July rose net income at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½144.7 million, up from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½123.6 million last year. These figures from Zara show the type of sales and net income Gap must achieve for there franchise to be a success. Gap can look at Zara’s success at franchising and take on board how they have achieved there success. Sources, http://www.stockmann.fi/portal/english/news_releases/?year=2002&id=880709 http://www.fashionunited.co.uk/news/inditex.htm Again as with the franchising agreements the licensing agreements Gap have entered are relatively new and in the start up phase with the Safilo group. The products are set to be launched towards the end of 2007 and so figures on how successful they have been obviously cannot be researched. Evaluation. Gap inc. have or are soon going to be using various growth strategies in order to try and increase sales and profits around the world. From my research I have found that the first main strategy used by Gap was to open company owned stores in Europe. I found that this was a partly bad decision. I found that Gap found entering into the European market very difficult finding it hard to please the customer and increase sales. As I said earlier Gap’s intention’s when opening stores in both France and the UK were positive however the share price does not suggest this. Both these markets can be potentially lucrative however in the following years the share price did not reflect this-it only increased minimally. Gap found both of these markets hard to enter, but there hardest task was the German market. Here poor product acceptance and poor sales lead to Gap closing operations in Germany and selling their stores to clothing rival H&M. This highlighted the problem for Gap in the European market and if sales continue the way they are at the moment drastic changes need to be put in place or operations in the UK and French market may also have to be closed down. Entering into foreign markets using company owned shops as Gap did, has positives and negatives, setting up can costs millions of pounds in start up costs buying land or having to buy retail shops in city centers can be very expensive. Research and development is also a major factor, because the company can not rely on treating every market as there own domestic market every country will have different tastes and fashions and will have a different view on how much they are willing to pay. Finding this out is crucial for the business to succeed. Even though there are negatives there are some positives all profits made in the new market go directly to the company it doesn’t have to be shared, and also the company’s risk is more spread out so that the company does not have to rely on only one market others can make up for one market doing poorly. From my research I can evaluate that the decision to go into the European market using company owned shops was a bad idea. All of the markets entered are struggling and Gap has already had to exit one of them. Using company owned shops has its advantages but I think that Gap has not benefited from these; this could be for a number of reasons. Even though two of the markets entered are still operating I would predict that if sales do not increase then Gap would be forced into exiting these also. I believe that the franchising agreements set up with both groups in the Middle East is a positive move for Gap. I think the area knowledge that the groups will bring will help Gap succeed in this market were it failed in the European market. Using the Zara case study I found that there previous franchises have been extremely successful and increased profits massively for the parent company Inditex. Gap needs to seriously consider how and why Zara’s franchise agreements have worked and why they have been successful and then implement this into there own agreements. Gap and the franchisee groups could benefit from the agreements massively for a number of reasons, any risk for the business is taken away as someone else will be running the business. A lump sum is received for the franchise and more importantly high capital costs will not be needed because someone else would have to invest the money. This makes this a positive because there are less opportunity costs as less money would have to invested into selling abroad. This money could be used to strengthen the foothold in the company’s domestic market as they cannot afford to neglect this whilst trying to expand. However there are also negatives of this strategy which Gap would have to consider mainly that Gap would not have any control over the franchised stores, the owner could tarnish the reputation of the company on a global scale through one action which would drastically affect the company. Gap would have to ensure the franchisee was the right person for the culture and ethics in the company and a partnership built on trust must be formed. Overall I think that franchising would be an excellent way of growing for Gap. I believe looking at the success of Zara using this strategy that Gap will succeed in the Middle East with the franchised agreements. Gap must be careful however that the Al Tayer Group and F J Benjamin are the right groups to push the Gap brand globally.