Saturday, November 30, 2019

Persuasive Message

E-tailing is the use of an electronic medium like the internet to sell retail goods and services. This method has improved the commercial industry as the goods are sold at minimal costs because the channels involved in the marketing process are minimized. Its growth has fastened the shopping and personalization behavior of the consumers. This form of shopping has influenced the behavior of the consumers, the organization and that of the advertising market target.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Persuasive Message specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The consumer behavior is the reaction and adoption of electronic retailing by the buyers. It is influenced by the quality of the products, the advertising means, the prices and the products diversity. The mode of communication to the consumers is the internet as it enables the buyers compare and contrasts the various items. Websites are designed to meet the needs of the c ustomers and market the products. The websites are a very important tool for e-commerce. This is because, the customers do not have to walk while doing their shopping but, they shop at a place of their convenience. The costs are reduced and they are able to choose from the variety of the items advertised. There is increased flexibility and the consumers are empowered because the shopping process is made easy for them. The communication process involved in the web designing process is made in such a way that the final product reaching the consumer is desirable. A web page is designed with the contents that the firms intend to sell to their customers. They incorporate all the details of the product that the buyer is interested in like the price, quality and the durability. They also include the image of the product, other related products, the category list and the product reviews. The product description and the pricing will determine the immediate response of the buyer. The payment methods should also be included and how the product will be delivered to the buyer. When all this information is included in the marketing and selling websites, the customer can be able to purchase the product with ease. The organizational behavior and structure is affected by the adoption of e-tailing. The adoption of retailing over the internet, affects the organizational structure since the idea is perceived differently. Many workers may oppose the idea because it reduces the costs of the company meaning that people are at a risk of loosing their jobs. The behavior of the organization towards the e-tailing could be communicated using the internet mailing. This is the selling of messages with an aim of passing an idea from the buyers to the sellers and vice versa (March, 2004, p. 4).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company might pass the marketing and selling informati on either directly or using the existing hierarchies. The communication process involves the composition of the intended information by the marketing department. The products being marketed or sold are described and their images are also portrayed. This circulates to the departments involved so that they can make the necessary amendments to ensure that the final product is attractive to the customers. The organization considers that it is competing with other firms producing the same products and thus, they try to come up with a unique and a very attractive strategy. This is because the message they pass to their customers will determine their buying behavior. The information may then be placed on the company’s web page and a description of how to contact them incase of any enquires. E-tailing changes the behavior of an organization because it interferes with the hierarchical structures. For those who manage to catch the attention of their customers through well designed web pages with clear explanations, they are able to improve their marketing, advertising and selling methods. This will make them realize increased sales and profits. The advertising market is also affected by the adoption of e-tailing. Those people who are engaged in sales are affected because their work is reduced and this limits their sources of income. The web marketing is different from traditional marketing and the advertising industry may decide either to incorporate the traditional methods with the modern designs or to start a new market with new designs. The advertisers may not want to do away with their sales people and they may choose to use them and the webs as marketing channels. People could be used to advertise the online purchases while other may chose to use the media. The communication channels in the advertising market could be designed in a way that the involved organization desires. The information concerning the products being marketed is designed in a way that the buyers will understand. They are designed in a way that they attract both the traditional and the modern markets and to meet the needs of all the groups regardless of their background, race, color or nationality. The contacts of the salespersons are then included in the webpage so that interested customers may contact them. These people are the best to use when selling the goods even over the internet because they have adequate marketing skills.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Persuasive Message specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The marketing environment is also critical because the buyers will not want a very noisy environment and this may put them off making them seek to purchase from other firms. The people in the marketing department should be available to receive the enquiries of the customers at all times, meaning that this is a market, which should work around the clock. The communication channel is very important to the advertising market in the adoption and implementation of e-tailing because, it is the market which determines the success of this method of advertising and selling (Ancher, 2002, par. 6-7). E-tailing has become a very useful mode of buying and selling in our society. With the use of the internet, we have been able to develop a market where the needs of the customers are put first. We have taken the products to our buyers making it very convenient for them to shop and we have offered them a great flexibility in their shopping patterns. Since already everyone can access the internet, we need to utilize this resource so that we can improve our buying and selling methods. It is a great opportunity because the firms are giving the buyers a chance to air their views on any modifications on the products. The buyers are in a position to bargain while still in their houses. This is for all of us, we should use these opportunities and we should take our time to visit these we bsites so that we can discover the variety of products offered to us. The firms should take this as a chance to cut down their cut down their expenses and the costs associated with the use of middle men. It is also a great boost to the advertising industry since they have gone international and they attract and sell to customers from all over the world. Who would have thought that shopping could become so easy? Reference List Anchor, N. (2002). E-tailing: an analysis of web impacts on the retail market. Journal of business strategies. Web. March, L. (2004). Determinants affecting organizations, intent of adopting e-tailing: a study based on innovative theories. New York: Association of Computing Machinery.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This essay on Persuasive Message was written and submitted by user Barrett P. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

This paper is a research and persuasive paper on the legalization of euthanasia.

This paper is a research and persuasive paper on the legalization of euthanasia. Assisted Suicide: Ethical or immoral? Assisted Suicide, also known as mercy killing, occurs when a physician provides the means (drugs or other agents) by which a person can take his or her own life. This assistance is one of the most debated issues today in society followed by abortion. Physicians are frequently faced with the question of whether or not assisted suicide is ethical or immoral. Although assisted suicide is currently illegal in almost all states in America, it is still often committed.Is assisted suicide ethical? Studies have found that the majority of Americans support assisted suicide. One must weigh both sides of the argument before they can decide. On July 26, 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld decisions in New York and Washington State that criminalized assisted suicide. These decisions overturned rulings in the 2nd and 9th Circuit Courts of Appeal, which struck down state statutes banning physician-assisted suicide.English: "An Evening with Dr. Jack Kevorkian" host...Those courts had found that the statutes, which prohibited doctors from prescribing lethal medication to competent, terminally ill adults, violated the 14th Amendment. In striking the appellate decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court found that there was no constitutional right to die, but left it to individual states to enact legislation permitting or prohibiting physician-assisted suicide.As of April 1999, physician-assisted suicide is illegal in the majority of states. Over thirty states have enacted statutes prohibiting assisted suicide, and of those that do not have statutes, a number of them arguably prohibit it through common law. Currently, Oregon is the only state that has legalized assisted suicide. The Oregon statute, which came into effect in October 1997, states that a doctor may prescribe, but not administer, a lethal dose of medication to a patient who has less than six months to live. It is required...

Friday, November 22, 2019

SAT Subject Test Dates 2016-2017

SAT Subject Test Dates 2016-2017 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips At PrepScholar, we use the best data to inform you about what the testing schedule and registration deadlines will look like in the future.When choosing your test date and Subject Tests, there are multiple factors to consider and it is vital to plan ahead. You can see the SAT test dates for previous years to get an idea of when the tests normally take place and how long after the test dates scores tend to be released. In this article, I’ll give you the SAT Subject Test dates for 2016-2017 and explain what you should consider when picking your test date and Subject Tests. Test Dates for the 2016-2017 School Year SAT Subject Tests are offered on the same dates and in the same locations as the SAT, but there’s an additional test date in March for the SAT that isn’t offered for the SAT Subject Tests. Subject Test Dates These test dates are listed by the College Board, but they’re still subject to change. Not all of the tests are offered on every date- the language with listening tests are only offered in November. Subject Test October 1, 2016 November 5, 2016 December 3, 2016 January 21, 2017 May 6, 2017 June 3, 2017 Literature X X X X X X US History X X X X X X World History X X Mathematics Level 1 X X X X X X Mathematics Level 2 X X X X X X Biology E/M X X X X X X Chemistry X X X X X X Physics X X X X X X French X X X X X German X Spanish X X X X X Modern Hebrew X Italian X Latin X X French with Listening X German with Listening X Spanish with Listening X Chinese with Listening X Japanese with Listening X Korean with Listening X You can only take Korean in November. Registration Dates The registration deadlines and score release dates are projected by PrepScholar. Test Date Normal Registration Late Registration Score Release Oct 1, 2016 Sep 2, 2016 Sep 16, 2016 Oct 20, 2016 Nov 5, 2016 Oct 7, 2016 Oct 21, 2016 Nov 24, 2016 Dec 3, 2016 Nov 4, 2016 Nov 18, 2016 Dec 22, 2016 Jan 21, 2017 Dec 23, 2016 Jan 6, 2017 Feb 9, 2017 May 6, 2017 Apr 7, 2017 Apr 21, 2017 May 25, 2017 Jun 3, 2017 May 5, 2017 May 19, 2017 Jun 22, 2017 How Accurate Are the Tables Above? The test dates are the anticipated dates provided by the College Board, and the registration and score release dates are our estimations. Even though all the dates are likely to be correct, because the test dates are provided by the College Board, those dates may be somewhat more reliable. However, the test dates aren't confirmed yet. If any of the dates change, they’ll probably be a week earlier or later than the anticipated date. You can use these dates to help determine when you'll take your SAT Subject Tests. If you know your available options, you can select the date that works best with your schedule. Also, you can factor in the specific tests you're taking and the amount of time you need to prepare for the them. How to Choose Your Subject Tests? Here’s what you should consider when selecting your Subject Tests: What Do Your Colleges Require? Know the specific requirements of the colleges you’re applying to or intend to apply to. How many Subject Tests do they require? Are you applying to a school or program that requires you to take science and math? Are you applying to colleges that want to see your skill level in a range of subjects? Are you applying to test optional or flexible colleges that allow you to use Subject Tests in place of the SAT or ACT? If you have any questions about a school's policies, call the admissions office. What Are Your Best Subjects in School? Generally, you'll do the best on the tests related to your best subjects in school. If you thoroughly enjoy physics and you're excelling in your AP Physics class, you'll probably do well on the Physics Subject Test. Are You Fluent in Another Language? Many native speakers of other languages take the Subject Test in their first language, even if they’re not taking a class in that language. Often, this is an opportunity to get a high score and show off your multilingualism. However, make sure you review the content for the Subject Test even if you're fluent. I scored higher on my Spanish Subject Test than some of my friends who are native Spanish speakers because I was more familiar with Spanish grammar rules and written Spanish while they were much more adept at conversational Spanish. Finally, read our articles on SAT Subject Tests for more guidance and to help you study. How to Choose Your Test Dates Review this article on how to select SAT Subject Test dates. Also, keep in mind that you can take one, two, or three Subject Tests on a single test date. WhatIs Your Class Schedule? Generally, you want to take a givenSubject Test when you’re studying the highest level of that subject. For example,If you're taking AP US History in your junior year, you may want to take the US History Subject Test in May or June of that year right after you've spent a full year studying US History and preparing for the AP test. When Are Your College Deadlines? For most schools, the December test of your senior year will be the last time you can take the Subject Tests, and if you're applying early, the October test may be the last possible date for you. Familiarize yourself with your deadlines and give yourself an opportunity to retake the tests in case you don't get your target scores. What IsYour Personal Schedule? Make sure you give yourself time to study and avoid taking the test when you have possible conflicts. If your'e particularly busy with school and extracurricular activities in a certain month, you may want to avoid taking your Subject Tests then. What's Next? If you're preparing for your SAT Subject Tests, you may want to check out our study guides for World History, Chemistry, Literature, or Biology. You can view study guides for additional subjects in our Subject Test articles. Not sure how manySAT Subject Tests to take? Check out our guide to deciding. Finally, learn more about what is a good SAT Subject Test score. Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Motivation. (Literature review) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Motivation. (Literature review) - Essay Example Motivation in different areas of life and work is an important requisite and is perhaps the pathway for success in any field. Consequently, motivation is a widely recognized problem area and hence is an area of research for many years (Stauber, 31-47). As a result, there is a considerable body of literature in this area. This work would undertake a literature review on motivation applied to academic area (Rawsthorne and Elliot, 326-344). Thus, a simple strategy of literature search based on the key words, "academic", "motivation", and "academic motivation" was undertaken on the available literatures in both electronic and print media. Many journals have articles published on this topic, and the most recent were chosen to critically review them. Interesting to note is that a vast amount of literature is on management education. Mele, in his book, Motivation and Agency, has reviewed many studies to characterize motivation. Motivation is an animal instinct but is not universal across animal kingdom. Motivation is a goal-governed phenomenon. Motivated individuals have a capacity to represent goals. Therefore an attitude encompassed by motivation would have either a goal or a means to achieve it. Different individuals have different intensities of motivations, and an intentional agency to do something is always involved in a motivated attitude (Spera, 456-490). While applied to learning or motivation in academic education, it can happen in one of the two main forms, self-directed learning, where the learner has sufficient control over the process and hence over the purpose, form, content, and pace of the learning, and intrinsic motivation can only generate this. The other form of learning is expressive that need to be elucidated by the external environment, hence may need extrinsic stimulation, and goal always do not elucidate that (Mele, 4-58). Elliot and Dweck in their seminal work, competence and motivation, have correlated motivation to presence of competence, and in this book, in the section of motivation, they have conducted a literature review to define the elusive motivation. They have also commented that there are several different kinds of motivation, and as supported in the literature, the first kind of motivation is the motivation to achieve (Elliott and Dweck, 5-12). It has been demonstrated that people who are high in achievement motivation, take moderate risks and challenges to achieve. These people are attracted to tasks that are neither very hard nor very easy. These people often are motivated to strive constantly to better themselves and their accomplishments. The second kind of motivation is competence or self-efficacy motivation that refers to the persons' beliefs in their own ability to solve the problem at hand (Kinlaw and Kurtz-Costes, 295-311). Achievement motivations theorists tend to explain the ene rgization and direction of competence-based behaviour. The traditional motive theory has been replaced by finding casual attributions that are directed by the development of cognitive psychology (Boggiano, Barrett, Weiher, McClelland, and Lusk, 866-879). Debnath and coworkers deal with the problem of student motivation within the classroom, and the authors examine the influence of appropriate classroom

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Global Skills and Global Knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global Skills and Global Knowledge - Essay Example The new insights gained from learning the French culture and language equipped me with the basic skills to increase the possibility of living in Europe and enable me to communicate with others using their language. Further, by reinforcing learning the dimensions of culture, I was able to acquire a better edge from other people of the same qualifications as mine, but without the knowledge of speaking French. Through learning intricate details of the French culture, I was fortunate to have shared interesting facts that could improve communication, interpersonal relationships and possible entry to global organizations from that country, in particular, if given the right opportunity. To reiterate, I enrolled in a French for travel class that provided basic theoretical guidelines on grammar, syntax and frequently used statements for daily communication. In doing so, proficiency in French was initially gained. With regular practice and continued study in higher class modules, I am sure tha t I would be highly proficient in the language. These skills could be applied in future plans to either live or work in Europe. The basic communication skills of learning French would be used for relevant correspondences: both speaking and writing, as one envisions working with a global organization, either in France, or with branches in Europe. As a result of learning a third language, I gained more competence and confidence to communicate with people from France or from other French speaking countries.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Chance & Story Essay Example for Free

Chance Story Essay In third grade through sixth, I had a friend named Chance. We were best friends and often spent long days and nights over at each other’s house. Whenever I stayed at Chance’s, the house was filled with noise from the two of us and his six brothers and sisters. Chance’s family was Mormon, a religion that my family knew nothing about except the name. He once explained why his family was so large, but it made little sense to me at that time. During the summer between sixth and seventh grade Chance’s family moved away to Utah. I’ve learned a bit more about Mormons since but this assignment offered me an opportunity to learn more about the religion of my friend and how Mormons feel about how they are perceived in the United States, especially concerning the law and discrimination. Chance’s family was only one of many Mormons in my town and surrounding areas. Patty is a good friend of mine who attends the Mormon church in town since she was a baby, so through her I was able to find three people to interview. Her parents were not available, but she introduced me to a Mormon missionary Brian, a neighbor Barbara, and Chris, her mother’s home- teacher. Brian is twenty years old and is originally from Nova Scotia, Canada. He is currently nearing the end of his Mormon mission, which is a semi-required two year work for Mormon young men to an area chosen by the head church in Salt Lake City, Utah. He had just graduated high school when he began the training for the mission. His mission is to go door to door in the neighborhoods to share his beliefs and teach anyone interested about the basics of the church. Barbara is also not originally from this area. She was born and raised in Provo, Utah, which is where the Mormon university Brigham Young is located. She moved here ten years ago when her husband’s job transferred. She is forty-three years old, has five children between six and fifteen, has a college degree from BYU in marketing but doesn’t currently work outside her home, and has been married for twenty-three years. Chris is from this area and has lived here all of his fifty-six years. He is an elder at the church, has four children and sixteen grandchildren so far, works as a machine repairer, and volunteers for the church as a home-teacher in which he regularly visits church members for further teaching about the church. Having such different subjects to interview proved very interesting. Each shared that they have dealt with some sort of discrimination in their lifetimes as Mormons. They all indicated that the problems are rarely very serious and never violent, but are more subtle. Barbara notices the negative attitude towards Mormons most of the three because she lived for so long in Utah, which is heavily populated with Mormons, especially where she lived in Provo. She said that when the family moved, she was surprised to find that there are people who still believe Mormons are the many-wives religion. One woman at her children’s school even asked once if Barbara was one of several wives of her husband. Neither Brian nor Chris said that they have had this problem. Brian said his problem is more centered on his mission work. He has often heard people say ‘there go the two-by-twos. ’ The missionaries work in pairs, so he said the term stuck. For the most part, he says people are friendly towards him and often comment that Mormons are the nicest people they know, but very few choose to actually discuss the church’s teachings. Instead Brian and Chris both said that most people are interested in if Mormons are a cult that traps unsuspecting victims. Barbara also said this is something people have asked in round-about ways such as through her kids. All three said that it is often frustrating the poor view that they feel the majority of Americans have toward the Mormon Church. Barbara and Chris’s children mostly have other Mormon friends, and those that are not Mormon are seldom allowed to attend activities organized for the Mormon youth such as dances, outings, or sport activities if they are to be held at the church. They say that no one has said directly why the kids can’t attend, but all three believe that it is related to the negative view of the church. They all also indicated that any issues that arise are always social in nature, that they have never had a problem with employers or the law regarding discrimination. Interestingly, as I interviewed each person, I found myself also curious about the ‘oddities’ of the Mormon church. When Barbara mentioned the many-wives idea, I wanted to know more about it. So I was doing exactly what the three had said most people do: expressing curiosity about the strangeness instead of the good qualities of the church or its teachings. However, I did learn quite a bit about the basic structure of the church, why it is based in Utah, and how Mormons view the world and the after-life. Since the problems that Mormons experience are almost always social, it is a matter of slowly changing the public’s view of the church. Chris believes that the commercials the church has put on television have gone a long way in changing perceptions about the church. Brian said that attitudes are better in Canada towards the church most likely because it started in the USA, where it experienced a lot of discrimination in its beginnings. So it is a matter of time and continued sharing for the Mormon Church to be recognized as a legitimate religion and not as a cult.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Auschwitz :: Essays Papers

Auschwitz Imagine that a man is lying in his bed asleep. He hears a noise downstairs, and gets up to see what the commotion is. Upon going downstairs, he spots ten soldiers, who grab him and throw him into the back of a truck with twenty more people. When the man asks what is going on, he discovers that the truck is heading towards Auschwitz. This situation happened many times years ago, and is known as the Holocaust. Many Jews and other groups were sent to Auschwitz and this report will explain the dark details that occurred there. Auschwitz was the largest German concentration camp and is located close to a Polish town Oshwiecim in Galcia. This camp was set up on April 27, 1940 and could handle its first prisoners by June 14. Auschwitz housed many groups ranging from Jews and Poles, to Soviet war prisoners and Gypsies (wysiwyg://179/http://www.eb.com:180/cgi-b...&hits=10&pt=t&sort=relevance& firsthit=off). The leading commander of this camp was Heinrich Himmler, who was the chief of the Schutzstaffel, Nazi guards, and the secret police. Under Himmler’s direction he was able to create two more camps similar to the original Auschwitz camp. The way that he set up the operations was to have the prisoners sent by rail to the camps, upon arriving at the camps they were then divided into three different groups. One group was sent to the gas chambers within hours of their arrival. The second group was sent to serve as slaves in industrial factories. The third group was sent to different places to underg o medical experiments (http://www.nizkor.org). The first group that were sent to the gas chambers underwent many events before finally being exterminated. When they arrived at Auschwitz, their fate was to be gassed at a smaller camp called Birkenau. At this camp there were many ways that the prisoners could be killed. There were a total of four gas chambers and four crematoria. The gas chambers appeared as showers to the prisoners and the crematoria was used to incinerate their bodies. First, the prisoners would be given a bar of soap and they would be told to go wash in the showers. Then the Germans would ventilate a gas called Zyclon-B into the bath houses. The chemical was invented by a pest control company and could kill the prisoners in a short period of time.

Monday, November 11, 2019

What is the significance of Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory to instructional design in health care organizations?

When dealing with adult education theories, huge credit is always given to the so-called â€Å"Father of Adult Learning† — Dr. Malcolm S. Knowles. His premise, more popularly termed as â€Å"andragogy,† espouses the following assumptions: the need to know, learning self-concept, role of learners’ experience, readiness to learn and orientation to learning.These ideas are said to be important to formulating instructional design in health care organizations in order to make them more effective.Health care organizations are geared towards meeting the health care needs of diverse populations especially among bigger groups. Along this line, instructional designs must be carefully planned so that the objectives of the organization and its stakeholders will be satisfied.Malcolm Knowles’ theory of andragogy allows coordinators and managers to construct activities, situations and undertakings that are important components pertinent to the learning atmosphere of adult members and recipients of particular health care organizations.Applying Knowles’ theory, health care organizations must produce instructional designs that will give an overview to adult learners’ expectations of its programs. Organizers and their beneficiaries must be able to make independent decisions that will give them self-direction and take responsibility for them.Their endeavors must be enriching in that learning can be facilitated accordingly. The learners must also be trained to cope effectively with various life circumstances to become well-adjusted individuals. And finally, motivation must be instilled upon the learners in order to make the health care organization sustainable and cohesive.2. Explain why behavioral and cognitive theories are especially relevant to curriculum development in nursing.Some institutions of higher learning which offer a degree in nursing have problems as to the capacities of their nursing graduates who become registered nu rses in terms of doing the actual nursing job.They may be educationally excellent but problems regarding the services they render may undergo shallow areas because they lack the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for a particular nursing situation due to a deficient and weak nursing curriculum during the course of their education. It is not their fault, however, because these were what they learned inside the nursing school.Cognitive and behavioral theories are fabricated mainly to better understand and help human beings in the face of various life situations. Nursing, on the other hand, is a field of study that deals generally on providing health care needs of sick patients.Seeking a viable association of these two issues, it can therefore be said that cognitive and behavioral theories play an important role in establishing an effective and comprehensive nursing curriculum which would cover what the learner needs to know about nursing. It is also significant in terms of applyin g such theories in actual nursing practice itself.With the proper use of behavioral and cognitive theories, the nurse upon finishing a degree in nursing can better perform the job since he is well-equipped with knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant to the practice of nursing.In this sense, it is thus a requirement that the nursing curriculum must fit according to what humans actually need in the health care setting, say in a hospital, clinic or home care. And with an effective nursing curriculum, health care delivery among nurses can be facilitated more appropriately according to the needs of patients.ReferencesAtherton, J. (2005). â€Å"Knowles’ Andragogy.† Retrieved 30 April 2008, from http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/knowlesa.htm Dover, K.H. (n.d.). â€Å"Adult Learning Theory.† Retrieved 30 April 2008, from http://adulted.about.com/cs/adultlearningthe/a/knowles.htm   

Saturday, November 9, 2019

BP’s Competitive Advantage

Though the product they are probably most famous for in the minds of consumers, gasoline, is thought of as homogeneous, the success of BP in the companies ability to grow and maintain its standing as a multinational energy superpower lies in its management of human capital. BP’s true competitive advantage is not in the commodities or services it sells, their success stems from the companies ability to manage a less easily duplicated resource: knowledge. Collaboration and knowledge management form the core of the BP value system. As expressed by BP in their own words, they aim â€Å"to engage the creative talents of our employees, and develop and apply leading, cost-effective technology and intellectual creativity to enhance innovation and new ideas† (BP, n. d. ). This paper will address this unique aspect of the BP business model, knowledge management, and how it translates into financial performance. Background BP is a global energy leader, the core components of their business are: oil and gas exploration and production, refining and marketing of petroleum supply products, manufacturing and marketing of chemicals, and the manufacture of Photovoltaic (solar) cells. They are currently in the top three internationally in gas reserves, and are the largest retailer of gas in the US, as well as one of the world’s largest marketers of aviation fuel (Corporate Watch, n. d. ). Founded by William Knox D’Arcy from a significant oil find in Iran, they have expanded through growth and merger, currently operating in over 100 countries, employing 97,600 people with 2007 revenues exceeding $284 billion (BP, n. d. ). Knowledge Management The challenge to an organization the size and scope of BP can often be capturing the wealth of knowledge created by their people, engaged in business, learning best practices, and sharing and storing that information between business units to maximize BP’s potential. BP’s methodology is â€Å"encompassed by a simple framework, which describes a learning cycle – before, during and after any event – which is supported by simple process tools† (Kotelnikov, n. d. ,  ¶ 1). The BP learning method is to treat every process as a closed learning loop; lessons learned from each experience are agreed upon and posted on the company intranet to capture knowledge and experience to be shared by all BP business units. Companies create vast amounts of valuable knowledge through practice of their employees, without a system in place to capture this knowledge; it will often leave with their employees. Further, in a large company like BP, the potential exists for it to operate not as a collaborative unit, but as â€Å"a collection of individual fiefdoms in the form of individual business units† (Quelch & Deshpande, 2004, p. 96). To foster this sense of collaborative behavior, BP created peer review and cross business unit interaction strategies (Quelch & Deshpande). An example of how this has positively impacted the companies profitability, recently due to knowledge sharing between business units of engineers, they achieved a cost savings of $74 million in 1998 to meet their collective goal of reducing retail site construction by 10% (SAIC, n. . ). As management of information systems flourished in the decade of the 1990’s, the success of BP’s competitive advantage in their commitment to managing knowledge will invariably lead to other organizations creating practices and infrastructure to support knowledge management in the future. Knowledge management creates competitive advantage by storing and sharing collective â€Å"on the job† learned experiences and distributing them to present and future generations of an organization that would otherwise be lost. BP has maintained their ability to grow and improve profitability through implementation of knowledge management strategy.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Heart of Darkness Essay essays

Heart of Darkness Essay essays Joseph Conrad ¹s novel Heart of Darkness is about a seaman named Charlie Marlow and an experience he had as a younger man. Early in the novel it becomes apparent that there is a great deal of tension in Marlow ¹s mind about whether he should profit from the immoral actions of the company he works for which is involved in the ivory trade in Africa. Marlow believes that the company is ignorant of the tension between moral enlightenment and capitalism . The dehumanization of its laborers which is so early apparent to Marlow seems to be unknown to other members of the Company ¹s management. In this story Marlow ¹s aunt represents capitalism. Her efforts to get him a job are significant because of the morally compromising nature of the work of which she seems totally ignorant. When Marlow expresses doubts about the nature of the work, she replies,  ³You forget, dear Charlie, that the labourer is worthy of his hire ² (12). It is clear that Marlow has mixed feelings about the whole idea. At one point, trying to justify his actions to himself, he says,  ³You understand it was a continental concern, that Trading Society; but I have a lot of relations on the living continent, because it ¹s cheap and not so nasty as it looks they say ² (12). Marlow finally takes the job, however, and tells himself that the pain and unusually harsh treatment the workers are subjected to is minimal. During the tests and the requirements that he has to undergo before entering the jungle Marlow feels that he is being treated like a freak. The doctor measures his head and asks him questions such as,  ³Ever any madness in your family? ² (15). In this part of the story Marlow is made to feel small and unimportant. Any feelings or concerns that he has are not important to the company, and as a result, he feels alone. It is only logical that Marlow would have been ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How To Get Along With Your Roommate In College

How To Get Along With Your Roommate In College You’ve started college or university, everything is new and shiny, everything is exciting, you’re going to meet so many new people! Of course, one of those new people is likely to be your new roommate, someone you are going to be sharing a lot of time and space with over the coming year or so. You need to get along with this person, so how can you do it? Well, hopefully you find someone who is like you in terms of personality, someone who shares common interests and can support you in difficult situations. But dont be desperate if not. Here are a few tips on how to get along with your college roommates, as well as a few pointers on how to set house rules in your dorm room. Don’t Expect Miracles Straightaway Rome wasn’t built in a day they say, and it’s true in many cases in life. Everyone is going to be a bit nervous or even a little defensive when they start college or university. Some people take a little longer to settle in than others. If you find your new friends in college are a little shy, then they may come across as defensive or cold, but that’s not to say they are that way in reality, they’re just finding their feet. Give it a little time, and don’t expect everything to be roses straightaway; in a week or two, you’ll be getting along like a house on fire, although not literally, of course! Be a Little Sociable Suggest a night out or a few social activities in the first week of moving in, so you can enjoy relaxing time away from the house and away from college. When dealing with college roommates, you need to find common ground, and being sociable and relaxed is the ideal way to do this. You will probably find that your new friends are wanting to get out and experience the place just as much as you are, but they’re probably waiting for someone else to make the first move. Set a few House Rules Whilst you want it all to be fun and relaxed, it’s important to set a few house rules for college roommates, so you know you’re all on the same page, and you’re not treading on any one’s feet, so to speak. If someone wants to share food cupboards, but someone else wants to have private ones, you need to find common ground and set a rule. You also need to have rules regarding cleaning, so nobody is going to get resentful of doing more than the others. Appreciate That Everyone Needs Space Not everyone wants to talk all the time, and some people may need a little space away from everyone, in order to get their work done, to speak to friends and family at home, and to basically chill out and have a little ‘me’ time. This is perfectly normal, so don’t get offended if your new roomie decides to lock themselves away for an hour or two; appreciate everyone’s need for space and you should get along fine. Sort Out Arguments and Bickers Quickly One of the best pieces of advice when dealing with college roommates is to sort out any problems quickly, and not to let them fester. You’ve been thrown together, when perhaps you wouldn’t have chosen to live together otherwise, so of course, there are going to be differences in opinion or problems that occur from time to time. Sit down and talk about them, and don’t turn the smallest thing into a slanging match – this means you will be able to smooth out any choppy waters, without it turning into World War Three. Getting along with your new roommate is about give and take – you need to recognise differences. Of course, it’s not going to be plain sailing all the time, but the key is to be adult about the situation and see it as the great opportunity to gain a lifelong friend.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

B200 TMA02-1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

B200 TMA02-1 - Essay Example decades as the cartelization of the oil markets is often viewed as a failure of market forces since prices and output are heavily influenced by the cartel leaving aside the market forces to determine the correct demand and supply of oil in the international market. OPEC- Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries- is the name which is given to the cartel of oil producing countries in Middle East in a bid to control the oil production as well as regulation the oil prices. This formation of cartels is therefore, often viewed as one of the reasons for failure of market forces at work because by not letting a market to determine the demand and supply, such actions create disequilibrium into markets. Therefore, markets are more prone to external shocks causing them not to function in their most appropriate way. Neoliberalism is the basic fundamental philosophy which advocates the lesser role of governments or other external agencies in regulating the market and emphasize giving a chance to the market forces to work for the greater good of the society. Due to this philosophical drive, most of the developed countries in the world including US and UK shifted their policy framework in a way which advocated the use of market forces as the lone regulator of the market without much intervention from the State. There were reasons behind this shift into the policy response from the developed world because of the increasing external shocks experienced by the developed countries, especially from oil embargo by oil producing countries from Gulf Region. Behind the neoliberalism also lies the fact that market forces are considered as the best regulators of the price mechanism within an economy by correctly and efficiently pricing the demand and supply and secondly, this mechanism brings in more efficiency into the system. However, any distortion in this mechanism can lead to the inefficient employment of resources hence the economy may not work at the full employment