Thursday, November 28, 2019

Decolonization or Nationalistic Self

A typical understanding of the term decolonization could mean undoing colonization. It includes all the activities that a country may have done to free itself from powers of their colonial masters (Wong 253). Politically, decolonization could also mean gaining independence or an autonomous rule of a country without external influence and this is when a country is regarded as a sovereign state. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Decolonization or Nationalistic Self-Determination Movements specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, the term may refer to the effort of dismantling neo-imperial empires that were started in Africa and Asia before and after the Second World War. Critically, it has been observed in most cases decolonization could be gained through peaceful negotiation; in practical decolonization was gained through violent revolts and resistance the colonizers. Such revolts or decolonization movements were mostly started by strong people in the colonies that had seen the need for their countries to be free from influence of colonizers. This paper looks into decolonization efforts that were muscled by Kenyan movements against colonization in Africa, Egypt revolts against Britain rule also in Africa and Russian revolts in the former USSR that caused their independence and freedom from influence by European colonies. In addition, the paper looks into the effects that the movements had in national self-determination efforts; the movements have improved or hampered attaining of self determination by many countries. To begin with, we shall start by looking at decolonization movements in Kenya; it was colonized by the Great Britain during the infamous scrabble for Africa (Majdalany 75). The revolution was started at around 1952 to 1960 before the country gained independence. Despite the fact that the rebellion did not get the intended support from the locals, there was a massive suppo rt of the natives living in the central region of the country. The main reason for the massive involvement of central Kenya’s natives being much involved in the movement is since the region was regarded the most productive by then and therefore it was heavily habited by the Europeans (Majdalany 76). According to the British colonials’ description, the decolonization movement was biased and regarded the movement primitive and emotional since it was devoid of reasoning. Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, Mau Mau leaders, as the leaders revolt was popularly known, had a different presentation to make about the group; they were of the opinion that the movement was the most legitimate in the voicing of the needs and the grievances of the whole country (Branch 342). However, there is distorted information that is being obtained from focusing too much on the gains that ha d been made by the Mau Mau Movement to insinuate that the group was squarely dominated by the natives from central Kenya and that the group was only located in this particular region. Another mistake made when analyzing decolonization movements in Kenya is the fact that very few documentations were made on the other non-Mau Mau movements that were also started to fight for independence. The start of the uprising was specifically instigated by the fact that the British settlers had forcefully acquired ownership of the lands that were formally owned by the natives (Majdalany 77). In addition, there were reported cases of forced labor in the farms owned by the colonialists. There were smaller movements that had been accused of rebelling settlement of British farmers in the lands that formally belonged to different communities (Majdalany 77). In addition, Mau Mau was also revolting against high cases of deaths that had been caused by the European settlers as they forced their way int o the highland settlement farms. British colonizers had gained their interests as early as 1895 when Kenya was considered a British protectorate. They showed their interests into the country as British missionaries who got different reception from the various communities in Kenya (Branch 342). There are those that welcomed them and there are those of the opinion that European immigrants wanted to harm the peaceful integration of the communities who inhabited the targeted regions. Another incident that instigated the start of rebellion was financial deprivation of the natives by the British settlers (Branch 342). Settlers had amassed huge chunks of land to themselves leaving natives landless and all they could do was work in the farms owned by the Europeans and take home meager resources or at time get nothing in return (Branch 344). Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Decolonization or Nationalistic Self-Determination Movements specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At around 1952, the violence had been at its peak and the governor of the British Protectorate Company, had to write to the Colonial Secretary indicating that the condition of the uprising was dangerous and the security of the British settlers was at stake (Branch 343). As the fight and the uprising continued, there were increased cases of attacks on the British forces; the then British governor to Kenya declared a state of emergency. Despite all the efforts by the British government to control the spread of the violence and the uprising gaining fame, there was massive loss of land and resources that were owned by the British settlers (Majdalany 78). The movement had graduated from a primitive uprising to a guerilla warfare that had seen the British army give up the hunt. Unfortunately, Mau Mau uprising was almost crushed in 1952; but later, there were peaceful negotiations that commenced the processes of achieving independence; Briti sh colonials relegated their rule over the country. Similarly, the Soviet Union had decided on the ways of getting over colonial involvements in running of the region by forming the communist party which was the great USSR (Wong 253). The union had made sure that European colonizers would only get a controlled access and running of the protectorates. To control the spread and growth of European influence, there was the formation of leaders Marxist-Leninist; the Marxism theory supposed that imperialism in a country normally encourages capitalism and a society could be divided into classes depending on what one owns and what one can be able to control (Wong 255). Having instilled such ideas among the natives, it would be simpler to force for independence among the habitants of the land since the ruling class create a point to stir violence among the natives. The European colonies did not like the idea of socialism; and hence conflict ensued; the Soviet leaders had the capabilities o f starting a cold war to the colonialists. As the fight for independence continued, there was increased response against the cold war; it was massively progressing and giving leaders of the Soviet Union more grounds over their colonizers (Wong 255). The need for cold war had spread to other parts of the world and they were regarded as the best strategies that the oppressed in the world would have felt satisfied and part and parcel of the organization and the management of the countries’ affairs. On the same note, the Americans were of the opinion that cold war would be the best option of dealing with colonialism.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The other attempt to take care of colonization was the Nikita Khrushchev’s shoe banging incident that occurred during the United Nations meeting aimed a discussing colonialism. The incident was an eye opener to a number of countries that had followed the idea of cold war towards colonialist and thereby gaining their independence. On the same note, Egypt in Africa had gone through similar movements that were against colonial rule in the land. There were a number of incidents that caused Egypt to be at its present state in terms of dealing with the European colonies (Mayer 82). There were several movements; one of the movements was the Urabi Suez revolt that was meant to conserve the integrity and the ownership of property by the Egyptians who believed that what they owned was meant for them. In 1882, there was an Anglo-Egyptian war that was composed of violence in the streets of Alexandria and the rioters attacked the Italians, Greeks and the Maltese businesses (Mayer 84). B ritish colonizers were of the opinion that the Egyptians would have given into the efforts by their army to take over the management of the Suez Canal. After the attack in which the Urabi conquered the Colonizers, Egypt became a colony of Britain until 1954 (Mayer 85). Despite the fact that Urabi’s revolt was defeated, it was able to stand as a landmark towards other consequent revolts intended to free Egypt from the influence of British colonialism (Mayer 87). The other example of a revolt movement was the Suez crisis which was started as a way of frustrating Britain from gaining control of Suez Canal. After the Second World War, Britain was of the opinion that it would be beneficial to them if they gained control of Suez Canal which joined Africa, the Middle East and Asia (Kyle 253). This had prompted Egyptian government to sign a peace treaty with the British colonies. As British colonials attempted to disarm violent groups in Ismailia, there were casualties and this pro mpted violence that caused deaths of some foreigners including some Britain nationals (Kyle 253). During the revolt, there were deliberate actions by the Egyptians to avoid any relations between the country and the rest of Middle East countries. These efforts bore fruits and the British government could no longer have control over Suez Canal and as a result it relinquished it back to Egypt. All the above named countries have on one time benefited from the revolts and the anti-colonialism movements. However, the movements have hampered the nationalization of the economic and political mechanisms of these countries (Kyle 253). In the case of Kenya and the Mau Mau, leaders who were prominent in the country distorted the initial intention of nationalizing the country’s economic growth after independence. However, the movement helped citizens of the country appreciate every countryman as having participated towards independence (Branch 400). On the other hand, USSR revolts and a nti-colonial movements affected the management of the huge region under the Soviet Union. This brought about the disintegration of the union to the present federal countries that have individual managements (Wong 257). The movements lacked policies of management; there was a unilateral system of making of decisions in the region. Despite the fact that the movements seem to have affected the integration of the national agendas, Egypt seems to have benefited from the movements due to the eventual nationalization of Suez Canal (Wong 257). In conclusion, decolonization movements were perfect means of controlling and gaining independence from European masters. The movements were mostly fueled by oppression and lack of freedom among the natives. However, the movements came with some negative influences that contradicted the initial goals of forming them. Works Cited Branch, Daniel. Defeating Mau Mau, Creating Kenya: Counterinsurgency, Civil War, and Decolonization. New York, NY: Cambridg e University Press, 2009. Print. Kyle, Keith. Suez: Britain’s End of Empire in the Middle East. New York, NY: I.B. Tauris, 2003. Print. Majdalany, Fred. State of Emergency: The Full Story of Mau Mau. Boston, BO: Houghton Mifflin, 1963. Print. Mayer, Thomas. The Changing Past: Egyptian Historiography of the Urabi Revolt, 1882-1983. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press, 1988. Print. Wong, Kwok Chu. â€Å"The Jones Bills 1912-16: A Reappraisal of Filipino Views on Independence.† Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 13.2 (1982): 252-269. Print. This essay on Decolonization or Nationalistic Self-Determination Movements was written and submitted by user Cohen Fowler 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.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Ford Motor Company Case Study Essay Example

Ford Motor Company Case Study Essay Example Ford Motor Company Case Study Paper Ford Motor Company Case Study Paper Ford Motor Case Study Table of Contents Executive Summary Introduction Issue Identification Environmental and Root Cause Analysis Alternatives and Options Recommendations Implementation Monitor and Control Exhibits 3 4 5 6 8 10 11 12 13 After reviewing Ford Motor supply chain, we became aware of its very complex nature. Due to this complexity we are forced to search for alternatives to overcome the costly supply chain challenges faced by our industry both now and in the future. The present system has an inefficient control of a large database and a vast and complex network of suppliers. We need to change our supply chain in order to make it more cost effective and profitable. After careful analysis we recommend the implementation of a partial virtual integration system, similar to the system used by Dell Computers. With this system, Ford will use information technology and the internet to interact and transact with both their suppliers and their customers. Ford can increase their sales by providing better customer service and faster communication from the supply end through to the manufacturing division and right on to their end user, the customer. This system will be implemented with their xisting supply chain so Ford will cover both markets at the same time. If Ford concentrated only on the virtual system their competition would put them out of business, so by running both systems simultaneously will give them an edge over their competition. Ford Motor Company is the second largest industrial corporation in the world with revenues of more than $144 billion and about 370,000 employees. Their operations span more than 200 countries worldwide. The company has both the design and manufacturing of cars division and they have a financial services division. : Significant evenues and profits are realized in both divisions. The automobile industry has grown very competitive over the last two decades with not only competition being felt from the other two US automakers, General Motors and Chrysler, but also from foreign manufacturers like Toyota, Honda and Nissan. The industry is also facing an increasing over-capacity as developing nations realize the wealth and Job-producing effects of automobile manufacturing, and are encouraged to develop and expand their own export auto industries. The main issue with Ford is the management of their large data base of business artners, in particular their first tier suppliers and their second tier suppliers. When we compare Ford to Dell (See Exhibit 1) we realize that Dell only has about 50 suppliers, but Ford has thousands of suppliers that operate in a very complex network of business relationships. Each Dell computer system is made up of less than a hundred parts, whereas an automobile requires several thousand parts. In addition, where Dell sells directly to the consumer, Ford has a large number of dealerships who are spread through a large geographical area throughout the world. To manage both the suppliers and consumers in a single supply chain is a challenge for Ford. Ford is constantly looking for new ways to better control and to manage its supply chain in a more productive and cost effective way. Another issue faced by Ford is the lack of technology in their first tier business partners. This lack of technology makes it difficult for these suppliers to keep up with Fords demands. It results in a bottle neck situation for the supply chain. This lack of IT technology results in miscommunication and poor coordination between the suppliers which ay result in longer lead times, higher costs and other problems. Because Ford has used independent dealers to sell their vehicles, they dont have control on their end users, the customers. This lack of control, plus the dealers markups, has negatively impacted their ability to control the consumers service experience. Root Cause Analysis Fords main business is the production and distribution of vehicles. Ford also earns substantial revenues and profits from their financial division. These two divisions have resulted in net incomes of over $7 billion and a return on sales of 4% which is rending upward. These results show that Ford has a strong market and financial position. In order to increase their global share, Ford teamed with Chrysler and General Motors to work on the Automotive Network Exchange which aimed to create consistency in technology standards and processes in the supplier network, so that suppliers would not have to manage different means of interaction with each automobile manufacturer. These actions have enabled these American manufacturers to produce better quality vehicles at a reduced cycle time and lower costs due to economies of scale. Ford merged with Daimler-Benz in 1998 and in 1999 Ford also acquired Volvo. These mergers have increased Fords database of suppliers substantially. This has also made their supply chain even more complex and expensive to run and even more difficult to manage. In order to manage these supply chain issues, Ford implemented their Ford 2000 plan, which worked to restructure many of Fords key processes like Order to Delivery and Ford Production System. Their goal was to reduce OTD from 60 or more days, down to less than 15 days. They wanted to convert their supply chain from a push type toa pull type (See Exhibit 2). Fords goal was also to reduce the number of their suppliers and in turn create a more cost effective supply chain. Ford worked with their suppliers to help them better manage their own operations. Another initiative started by Ford was the Ford Retail Network which aims to reduce competition among its own dealerships in the same areas, by having one unified dealer who provides the best possible service to their customers. Our decision now is to either implement Dells supply chain model or not! There are a number of approaches we can take to improve our supply chain. We ould design a system that is a mixture of both an online system and our tradition dealership system. We would have to form procedures to enable customization and ordering by customers over the internet, but we would also have to maintain our traditional dealerships as well. The advantages of this two type system would be the customers would have the ability to customize their own vehicles. This would be basically building a vertically integration business model. This would open new markets and attract clients who prefer to shop online. The disadvantages of this system would be the cost. It would be time consuming and require both internal and external changes with would be difficult to handle and integrate with existing systems. Also the independent dealerships would most likely complain that their own supplier is now a competitor for their customers. Also if Fords own suppliers do not have the abilities to keep up with the speed of Fords IT system, there would be cause for more problems. Another option would be to create a virtually integrated system based on Dells model. Ford and all their suppliers would share information between their systems and the internet to coordinate the flow of materials and roduction. The orders would be taken either by phone or on the internet. Basically Ford would be creating a complete pull system. The advantages of this option would be the same as the first option, the customers would have the ability to customize their own vehicles. The customers requirements are met faster with higher profits being realized due to the elimination of the dealers mark up. Also Ford would be able to directly control the customer service. They would have minimal inventory carrying costs and higher order lead times. They would also improve their ability forecast demand. There would also be an improved relationship with both the customer and the supplier. The disadvantages would be that Ford would have to change their traditional processes and production methods in order to take advantage of this new form of supply chain management. This would definitely be a more risky option due to the costly and time consuming processes. Another problem would be the loss of dealerships, which may also result in this traditional shopping customer going to the competition. Our recommendation would be to implement the first option outlined in the Alternatives and Options, which is to extend its virtual business strategy by mplementing a partial version of the Dell model of supply chain management. The dealers would still play a role in the distribution since the experience of buying a car from a dealership cannot be replaced by something virtual like an online system like Dells. Combining the virtual integration model to their existing supply chain will ensure that Ford has a more efficient and profitable future. Their overhead and inventory costs will decrease, and Ford will be in a better position to interact with their customers. Most importantly the success of this recommendation will mainly depend on the performance of the shareholder value. Implementation Plan In order for Ford to implement this new system, their IT systems should be centralized and shared with their suppliers. Since its tier two and tier three suppliers may not be able to update their IT systems, Fords sharing of their system will aid the suppliers to implement this new virtual system. Suppliers would have access to central design database while Ford controls the access and functionality as per their operational requirements. The IT system would ensure a smooth flow of supplies and reduce any congestion and improve the efficiency of the supply chain nd more importantly, give Ford a competitive edge. The dealerships can play a more involved role by forecasting customer demand and Ford should involve an outside company to help them with the forecasting demand and work with each dealer. In order for the new system to function properly Ford must have an IT specialist to coordinate all IT activities with the suppliers in order to ensure a smooth flow of information between the supply chain partners. This IT specialist should resolve any issues as soon as they arise. Lead times on all online orders should be monitored egularly to ensure that the time trom the customer order to delivery is being met at the predetermined optimum time. Another way to monitor the performance of the system is to start an online customer satisfaction program where the customers can evaluate and rate their experience with Ford. The new system should be review semi-annually to ensure the ideal performance is being met, and if not, make recommendations on improvements to senior management. It is also important to ensure the shareholder value is increasing. This could be done through annual meetings with all executives to review the progress of the new system.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Movie research final project Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research final project - Movie Review Example The killer would usually start taunting his victims through a telephone call befriending the victim and later being annoyed when the victim hangs up on him. He then attacks the helpless victim with several stabs until the victim dies. The movie was released in 1996. Regardless of Wes Craven's Scream, he represents historical events during 1996 and provides descriptions that apply today's adolescents' realities of social life and past culture 90's. It was in the 90s when technology was at its peak with the initiation of most people to personal computers, digital sounds, digital cellphones, microwave ovens and the like. Technology has become a personal issue. Communication was made swift and transportation an easy access. Even in remote places, people can be informed and up-to-date. These major events can be illustrated in the following incidents: In January 1996 particularly on the 5th "Yahya Ayyash, the "Engineer", the elusive mastermind behind a wave of Islamic suicide bombings against Israel, is killed in Gaza, apparently by a booby-trapped mobile phone." And on "Newspapers reported that Microsoft had struck deals with several computer makers that would give it a significant advantage the companies would not be allowed to use Windows." On December 16, "IBM announced on this day in 1996 it would stop selling computers that used that PowerPC chip and ran Windows NT. IBM, Motorola, and Apple had teamed up to challenge Intel Corporation's dominance in chips and Microsoft's near monopoly on operating systems." On the 17th "Intel Corporation and the Energy Department announced the development of a high-speed computer capable of performing more than one trillion calculations per second." Finally on December 26, "Six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey is found beaten and str angled in the basement of her family's Boulder, Colorado, home. The killing remains unsolved" (Rethinking History). [>>>I think this is enough, if you delete some more then you can no longer prove that there was indeed a technology uplift and it was used in connection with killings.] These two events, the killings and the booming of computer technology, are evident in Scream. There is the presence of intentional killing by two individuals to take it as a prank using technology to their advantage. The obvious use of a cellphone and the manipulation of the gadget in order for it to sound differently and distinct about just one type of voice. The computer is also given center stage as in the incident when Sidney could not use the telephone; she opted for the computer to send her message to 911. Although, there was only the use of VHS for movies, it was also reflecting the period because CDs, VCDs and DVDs came later. There were several intentional killings in 1996. The terrorists were using suicide bombers to make their message known

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Simplified Acquisition Procedures Research Paper

Simplified Acquisition Procedures - Research Paper Example The government report uses Simplified acquisitions to illustrate the approach that legalizes a test method that permits government purchasers to acquire profitable items that do not surpass a certain amount (Engelbeck, 2001, p. 29). 2. Describe the circumstances under which the government allows the use of the simplified acquisition procedures One of the conditions offered by the government concerning the use of the Simplified acquisitions is that the government able to validate purchases. Agency officials have been authorized to impose maximum amounts for purchases made. In 1996, the congress widened the use of simplified acquisitions by legalizing a test plan that permits buyers to purchase items that do not go beyond $5 million. As a result, the maximum price set was a requirement that all regime buyers had to follow up. Another condition is the permission of issuing a combined outline and solicitation. This solicitation procedure laid out the plans, procedures, buying modes and v endors to be used throughout the buying procedure. This way, the government would account for every dollar used in the transaction. The issuing procedure might have also needed proposal compliance in less than 45 days as would or else be needed (GAO, 2003, p.3). Government buyers would also be required to set up an official assessment plan or aggressive variety, carry out debates with dealers or achieve quotations or bids. Potential buying risks will be realized through this condition, and make the government less prone to losses or budget upheavals. Another condition that the government applied to all buyers under Simplified acquisitions was the minimization of the credentials needed to give strong reason for compensation decisions. The credentials used for such transactions consume lots of government expenditure, and Simplified acquisitions are one way for the government to reduce expenditure on subsidiary goods and services as such (GAO, 2003, p.2). Currently, the government issu es a test program to include contact procedures for all officers involved in the purchasing procedure. The government seeks maximum efficiency and saving with minimal expenses or financial burdens. Another condition that the government looks forward to is the adherence to the contract clauses prearranged by special documentation that limits administrative costs. This documentation has requirements arranged by FAR 12.3 with the aim of limiting occurrences of sole basis acquisitions. Simplified acquisitions also require a short written report of the processes of employed when compensating the contract file. Other compensations in the contract include the number of bids established, a description of the foundation of the contract reward assessment, and some validation for a sole basis acquisition (Engelbeck, 2001, p. 44). 3. Three examples of the simplified acquisition methods and where they might be appropriate in a government procurement contract An example of Simplified acquisitions techniques is a test plan employed by the government in January 1, 2004. The government used Simplified acquisitions to smoothen the flow of contracting vehicles that federal bureaus use for acquiring goods and services. The test program involved the use of delivery agreements between buyers and the sellers tor educe the chances of acquisition risk, and save time in the course of acquiring the items (GAO, 2003, p.3). Another example is the use of purchase cards that

Monday, November 18, 2019

Billboard Influence On Social Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Billboard Influence On Social Issues - Essay Example Authorities shouldn’t let advertisers place a high pictorial advertisement in congested areas. This study hasn’t put significant light on billboard influence on social issues. For instance, billboards used to contain exaggerated content, which doesn’t have a possible existence. Such falsify practices often blow mistrust environment among people. The author of the study is failed to make logical arguments in the study. He expressed its soft feelings for the business community. Society shouldn’t be dumb on the name of the flourishing business activity. Whatsoever is containing an anoxic substance for society, it shouldn’t let allow proceeding. The structure of the essay isn’t well formulated. Hence, the author has been found with deprived thoughts regarding illustrating the significance of billboards. He attempted to give an edge billboard advertisement for a digital advertisement. The author of essay aimlessly attempted to highlight the existence of billboards nearby villages. African-American neighborhoods have a higher percentage of public service billboards dealing with issues such a dunked driving and school dropout. However, the billboard isn’t only serving to business entities. These have else usages including political promotion campaigns, maps, and addresses. Perception molds mind into a thought set those small business owners often us inexpensive methods to brandish their products. Similarly, the bombardment of billboards is from them. They want the customer to get eased in finding them. Reliability of source references is so important for writing a valuable study. Hence, Edquist, Jessica has significantly explored the impact of billboards during simulated driving.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Essay on Barack Obama Leadership

Essay on Barack Obama Leadership Choose an example of a successful leader from the public/political or private sphere; and explain why s/he is a good example of leadership personified. Support your claim and bolster your argument with the theories and concepts in the text and lectures. Be sure to use facts, statistics, figures, and academic or scholarly articles to support your claims INTRODUCTION Leadership is the art of motivating or inspiring a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. A leaderÂÂ  stepsÂÂ  upÂÂ  inÂÂ  timesÂÂ  ofÂÂ  crisis, and is able to think andÂÂ  actÂÂ  creatively in difficult situations. There are numerous leaders out there who have been successful in leading a group of people, an organization or the general public. Functions of a leader includes: Engaging followers, integrating them, catering to their needs, aspirations, and goals in a common organization while making them better citizens, followers and leaders. (Simmons, 2008). A good example that fits this category of leadership is Barack Obama. Barack Obama was catapulted into national prominence, in part, because of his skill at building bonds of empathy with supporters from a seemingly impossibly broad political base (Noble , 2009). Conservatives marveled at his use of language and metaphors that resonated with their core beliefs, while Liber als and progressives believed that the rise to prominence of a self-identified African American with impeccable civil rights credentials represented a triumph for their own core agenda (Noble , 2009). This paper will focus on the leadership of Barack Obama; how he made history and was able to lead the country during the time of crisis. Furthermore, the theoretical standpoints of postmodernism and transformational leadership will be implemented to discuss some of the reasons he was successful as a leader. BIOGRAPHY Barack Obama was born in 1961 to a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas. He was raised with the help of his grandfather, who served in Pattons army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank (Luce 2008). After working his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, he moved to Chicago, where he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild communities devastated by the closure of local steel plants. After that, he went on to attend law school, where he became the first African-American president of theÂÂ  Harvard Law Review (Luce, 2008). After graduation, he returned to Chicago to help lead a voter registration drive, teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago, and remain active in his community. Barack Obamas years of public service are based around his unwavering belief in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose. In the Illinois State Senate, he passed the fir st major ethics reform in 25 years, cut taxes for working families, and expanded health care for children and their parents (Luce, 2008). As a United States Senator, he reached across the aisle to pass ground-breaking lobbying reform, lock up the worlds most dangerous weapons, and bring transparency to government by putting federal spending online (Luce, 2008). HISTORIC ELECTION November 4, 2008 was an historic day for Americans, as they celebrated the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President.ÂÂ  The election was the longest presidential campaign and the most expensive in history (Green Roberts, 2012). Moreover, the historic event marked the first time that two US senators ran against each other. New York Senator Hilary Clinton was the first serious female presidential candidate, while Senator Barak ObamaÂÂ  was the first African American nominated by a major party for president. For the Republican Party, Arizona Senator John McCain had hoped to become the oldest person elected president to a first term in America. His running mate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was the first woman vice president candidate for the Republican Party (Green Roberts, 2012). The whole presidential race was full of historic moments and it was an election like no other. During the historical presidential race, the media and other experts would often discuss whether a multiracial candidate could win. Some observers argued that Obama may not win because of his racial background. Conversely, other observers viewed him as a post-racial candidate (Green Roberts, 2012). Other opponents mentioned that Obama was too inexperienced, untested, and unready to become the president. Nevertheless, his political savvy, innovative election strategy, and charismatic personality was enough to make him victorious. The former Senator has managed to inspire astonishing numbers of people from different races (Black, White, Latino, Asian etc.) with his wisdom, optimism, wit, and exuberance. In one of his speech that took place on 27 July 2004 at the Democratic National Convention in Boston he spoke of his belief that, Theres not a liberal America and a conservative America, theres the United States of America. Theres not a Black America and White America and Latino America and Asian America; theres the United States of America. (Noble , 2009). TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP After the end of George Bushs presidential reign, the American people had grown tired of the same political atmosphere. Voters wanted something new that could bring change to the country. Transformational leadership places intrinsic motivation on their followers, thereby creating a massive appeal to supporters (Green Roberts, 2012). Bass and Riggio (2005) suggested that transformational leadership assist followers to grow and develop into leaders by responding to individual followers needs, by empowering them, and aligning the goals of the individual followers. Transformational leaders possess the personal characteristics of other effective leaders, especially charismatic leaders (Dubrin, 2013). Transformational leaders who possess a clear and compelling vision can impose their views of reality on followers violating the foundational principle of individual and collective knowledge creation autonomy characteristic of the postmodern value system (Green Roberts, 2012). During the 200 8 presidential election, there was a strong desire by many citizens for change in leadership. There were a number of things that needed to be fixed such as, the imploded housing market and the collapse of the economy. The bush administration achieved one of the lowest approval ratings in history (Green Roberts, 2012). During the presidential election, there was a cry for change. Young voters wanted a leader who inspires and possesses a clear vision. This was exactly what Barack Obama did as a leader. He captured the young voters attention and gave the American people the change theyve been longing for. He is a good example of a transformational leader. LEADING DURING CRISIS Barack Obama got sworn into office during the time of an economic crisis. The country was undergoing a recession but nonetheless, he came into office ready to take action. One of his first priorities after getting into office was to tackle the financial crisis. His stimulus package and some of the carryover from the Bush administration pushed money into the economy when it was needed the most. His auto bailout gave manufacturing a lifeline (GM, Chrysler, Ford), and his support for credit starved banks, slowed down the spread of subprime contagion (Barmak, Beer, Brearto, Castaldo, Cowan, 2012). Even though some believe he did not make the economic life better in his first four years in office, he certainly prevented it from getting much worse. And on re-election day, voters rewarded him for that. According to exit polls, more than half of voters still blamed George W. Bush for the sluggish economy. Only 38% blamed the president (Barack Obama). Surprisingly, four in ten people told po llsters they believed the economy was getting better. Among that cohort, 88% sided with Obama (Barmak, Beer, Brearto, Castaldo, Cowan, 2012). In the last full quarter before the second election, real GDP in the U.S. grew at a slow rate of 1.3% and Joblessness remained very high. No sitting president had ever won re-election with unemployment above 7.4% in the months leading up to a vote (Barmak, Beer, Brearto, Castaldo, Cowan, 2012), but Barack Obama was able to pull it off. During his second and most recent presidential campaign, ObamaÂÂ  argued that the only solution to Americas deficit problem was a mixture of increased revenues and lowered spending. In contrast, Mitt Romney consistently maintained that he could eliminate the deficit without raising taxes. He even promised to cut them below their current rates. Mitt Romneys plan was not realistic and his political agendas were rather inconsistent. Obamas plan was a far more realistic approach. By promising to increase marg inal rates on the very wealthy-essentially by allowing some Bush tax cuts to expire-Obama offered a path that, while not perfect, at least heads in the direction of future deficit reduction (Barmak, Beer, Brearto, Castaldo, Cowan, 2012). POSTMODERNISM According to research, younger generation in the United States and throughout the developed world now possess a more postmodern and post-materialist value system. For the first time in American history, there are four generations co-existing in the workplace. Which are, the Greatest Generation (1922-1945), the Baby Boomer (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), and Millennial (1981-2000) groups (Green Roberts, 2012). It became clear that Obamas campaign communication methods and message appealed to the Millennias sense of community involvement. Barack Obama used the opportunity to connect with his generation and the younger voters population. The Bush administration was not able to meet the new set of values and expectations that the millennial generation is driven by. Some core postmodern traits include challenging authority, attacking conventional wisdom, tolerating ambiguity, accepting diversity, and building constructive reality (Green Roberts, 2012). Consequently, postmodernist s find themselves distrustful of institutions and hard facts. Baby Boomers leadership style is characterized by an autocratic mentality while Millennial are governed by a democratic approach (Green Roberts, 2012). These divergent generational leadership traits inspire some followers while inhibiting others. It is important for a leader (Presidential Candidate) to understand the cultural differences of this postmodern generation in order to win them over as followers/supporters. For example, Barack Obamas inclusiveness regarding the issue of religion was consistent with postmodern assumptions that reject mutually exclusive truth claims (Green Roberts, 2012). He was also able to connect with the younger generation through the internet (e.g. twitter) and was successful in getting more than the usual amount of youths to go out and vote for him. Therefore, one may conclude that Obamas understanding of post-modernism and all the cultural differences of the new generation made a big diff erence for his campaign and contributed to his success as a historic leader. CONCLUSION To summarize in short, Barack Obamas knowledge of postmodernism and his appeal to the different cultural groups across America (Blacks, Latino, Whites and other races) are some of what contributed to his success as a leader. He is a good example of a transformational leader. Barack Obama was catapulted into national prominence, in part, because of his skill at building bonds of empathy with supporters from a seemingly impossibly broad political base. His charisma, honesty and wit made him a unique leader. He believed in the slogan of Change which was what the American people wanted after the Bush administration left office. He was also able to connect with the younger generation through his savvy communication methods and through the internet which got more than the usual amount of the younger generation to go out and vote. This paper analysed the leadership of Barack Obama; how he made history and led the country during the time of crisis. It also incorporated the theoretical standp oints of postmodernism and transformational leadership to discuss some of the reasons why he was successful as a leader. His leadership during the time of crisis was also touched upon with some credible statistical data to back it up.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

American reporter said to be ?OK? :: essays research papers

it sucksPOLICE IN Karachi told NBC News that Saeed’s arrest was a â€Å"major breakthrough† and that he disclosed Pearl was still alive during an initial interrogation. Separately, Jamil Yousuf, head of a citizen-police liaison committee, quoted Saeed as saying of Pearl, â€Å"He’s alive. He’s OK.† However, NBC’s Robert Windrem reported that while the United States believes Saeed â€Å"played a central role in the kidnapping,† officials are not sure whether he knows the whereabouts of the reporter. Saeed, a British-born Islamic militant, was arrested Tuesday afternoon in the eastern city of Lahore and sent to Karachi for questioning, ministry secretary Tasneem Noorani told The Associated Press. Saeed’s arrest was announced one day before Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is to meet President Bush in Washington. The kidnapping embarrassed the Musharraf government, which is seeking U.S. aid as it attempts to combat Muslim extremism in this predominantly Islamic country of 147 million people. Relations between the United States and Pakistan have warmed up significantly since the Islamabad government agreed to support the U.S. war on terrorism in Afghanistan, where Pakistan had been a staunch supporter of the hard-line Taliban regime. Advertisement RELEASED AFTER HIJACKING Saeed, a 27-year-old British born Islamic militant, was freed from an Indian jail in December 1999 in exchange for passengers of an Indian Airlines jet which was hijacked on a domestic flight to Kandahar, Afghanistan. The son of a clothes merchant from Wanstead in east London, Saeed studied at the London School of Economics. Lonnie Kelley, spokesman for the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, said they had no word on Pearl’s fate and were trying to confirm that Saeed has been arrested. â€Å"We are looking into it, but nothing on Daniel yet,† he said. Steve Goldstein, a vice president and spokesman for Dow Jones, the Wall Street Journal’s parent company, declined to comment on whether the arrest revealed new information about Pearl’s abduction. â€Å"We continue to remain hopeful,† Goldstein said in a telephone interview. He also declined to comment on specifics of the case. NOT A CAR CHASE A team of police officers from the southern province of Sindh had been in Lahore searching for Saeed for the last few days, the government-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan reported Tuesday. Police did not reveal the circumstances of Omar’s arrest, but said they had been rounding up his associates and raiding their houses in recent days.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Coffee †Espresso Essay

Coffee shop is one of the best places with an aura indirectly leading to soothing and meaningful conversations. It serves as a venue for personal and social business transactions. It is also a quite place to merely sit down and relax leaving voluminous loads on couches while taking a sip of everyone’s all time favourite, a cup of coffee. Never is it foreign that drinking coffee is by no means new to Filipino taste. In a manner of serving, at home, it is served during meal times while in the office, whether employees are time pressed or not, they always settle over a hot cup of coffee. The pleasure of drinking coffee sparks new creative blends for every coffee aficionado. With best technology ever, these blends are much easier to make for easy and affordable access to coffee lovers and to new ones. Clearly attributable to such coffee shops prestige is the good consumer demand. Increasingly, Filipino consumers are settling for a good coffee instead of alcohol on a night out. Coffee shops have become a status symbol for younger consumers and working people find these specialty coffee shops to be convenient places for afternoon business meetings. Region 12 is slowly taking the curve of global competition, with this, it is expected that its populaces join the bandwagon of total lifestyle change. Alongside of the changes, coffee turned out to be not just a typical beverage at home but a comparative substitute to other drinks offered in the market. Indeed, coffee shops’ coming into light offering coffee lovers their best products is quite a venture. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Industry Background Coffee Cocktail House (C2H) is a coffee industry. Coffee was the second world’s legally traded commodity. There are an estimated 25 million coffee growers around the world that are mostly small-scale farmers. Our country has two most prevalent varieties of coffee—Arabica and robusta. Other varieties are excelsa and liberica. In where the robusta accounts for 75% of the country’s total production, Arabica acconts for 5-10%, and excelsa and liberica accounts 15-20% according to statistics from the International Coffee Organization. It is estimated that around 300,000 Filipinos depend on the coffee industry. According to reports, coffee consumptions continue to increase. Experts predict that the level of consumption will follow population growth. Domestic consumption will also increase by 2. 25% per year. However, coffee production is hindered by the following factors: poor technical knowledge of the farmers in coffee growing and lack of farm-to-market roads to transport the harvested beans, and also old coffee trees also contribute to poor production. The government agencies such as the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry, and even the local government put up financial to conduct a skills training/seminar in Ifugao because coffee industry is considered as a priority for the province. Name of the enterprise: As for the product name, we have come up for the product name that can describe one of our special coffees. We have applied the name in Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and it was not found that it was not yet used by any other business entity yet. Business Name: Coffee Cocktail House USP: Great Taste Happens. Vision Coffee Cocktail House vision is to be the leader in the Cafeteria industry, building strong customer loyalty and customer satisfaction. We are certified quality coffee shop at a reasonable price of products, in a comfortable atmosphere, with exceptional service. Mission Coffee Cocktail House is established with the idea of promoting good relationships while sharing delicious and healthful coffee. It is committed to offer high quality products with the finest ingredients available, innovated, unique and exceptional taste with additional flavours that suits for the ultimate wants of the consumers. Location Coffee Cocktail House (C2H) will be located at the ground floor of the Fort Strip, Katipunan Circle, Fort Bonifacio Global City, Metro Manila, Taguig City, because it is one of the busiest places in Metro Manila and there’s an opportunity that we will get on the location. The location is highly accessible and visible for those who work beside the building and passers-by. The shop will be placed where there is several establishments such as mall, schools, call centers, business offices, and condominiums. Brief Description of the Project For our new business idea, our group have all concurred and agreed the best way to go about developing new concepts and ideas is nonetheless the one that complete the day of a human—coffee. So we decided to on putting-up our own coffee shop. Indeed, and furthermore, we have considered what kind of beverage that we could possibly develop by means of reinventing its taste, by making it more nutritious and ultimately breaking the way people look at it. Then it came to an idea of redesigning a kind of beverage that has been branded as traditional and existing since time immemorial, and also it must be a kind of beverage that people will love and like as well. Instead of doing a coffee alone, we came up to an idea of mixing coffee and alcohol. We arrived in this idea because some call center agents want to drink alcohol but we mix coffee on it for them to avoid drowsiness. We also consider some of the Filipinos are health conscious that’s why we came up to an idea on creating a healthy and nutritious but great tasting organic coffee. Project Long-Range Objectives: * To expand the business by having branches locally and abroad to serve the growing demands for the product and service. * To be known locally and internationally as a Coffee house serving unique and innovated flavours of coffee. * To be one of the most socially responsible business establishment and one of the most socially responsible business establishment and one of the most environment friendly business here in the country by using non-toxic materials and free pollution machineries. Limitation of the Project Coffee Cocktail House (C2H) will only hires a well experienced baristas to make a great taste of coffee and to make sure that we are ahead from the competitors. While the employees are on their work they should train the other to staff in different department so that in case that an employees will leave in some matter the other employee already know the what to do. In the initial year of the business we are not be able to expand our location because of lack of capital. Summary of Findings and Conclusion Marketing Feasibility. Coffee Cocktail House is creating a best Marketing Program in introducing our store especially in our products which caters our local coffees. Also we want to create unique promotional strategies to get our target market’s attention and build a relationship between them and compete in existing competition in the market. Not just serving them a plain coffee but letting them to realize that they’re more than a customer. Management Feasibility Coffee Cocktail house is aiming to manage well our customers both internally and externally. We are not only focusing on our customer’s satisfaction but also in our employee’s satisfaction. This store/establishment is line-type organization as an effective management structure in business. Every employee’s position is well organized from the managers down to waiters. Technical Feasibility In order to maintain the freshness of our product we get high-quality equipment, from machines in processing the products to the equipment in serving our customers and in the maintaining the cleanliness of our store. Financial Feasibility It will serve as an important factor in our business because we can see here the cash flows in operating our business. We can also see here if we gain profit or not also the financial performance and financial position of our business operation in terms of pesos and ratios that can be used in making decisions. CHAPTER 1: MARKETING ASPECT CHAPTER 1 MARKETING ASPECT PART I Introduction â€Å"Only one thing is certain about coffee†¦. Wherever it is grown, sold, brewed, and consumed, there will be lively controversy, strong opinions, and good conversation. † ~Mark Pendergrast Marketing is a very significant part in a body of a feasibility study. Where the 4 P’s of marketing is summarized here for the strategic purpose of the business. Manifestation part of the things needed to be implemented in the whole feasibility project. Coffee is had been part of our daily life. It is the first thing we did every morning. Almost people love to drink coffee and different mixes; they also love drinking coffee while chatting to each other. Marketing aspect is very essential part in establishing a business. It is said to be the life hood of virtually every project feasibility study without the market composed of demand and supply, there will never be a business the success of the business depends on the market. Objectives: * To achieve an effective marketing plan for the productivity of our business. * To be able to see the projection of our demand and supply in market. * To identify and assume what will be the strength and weaknesses of our business. Sampling Size Determination The sampling size will serves as a direction to determine the percentage of people’s demand. Formula: n=__N____ 1+Ne2 Where: n = sample size N = total population (108,769 being the total population of Fort Bonifacio with the nearest baranggay) E =margin of error (5%) Solution: n = 180,769_____ 1 + (180,769) (5%) n = 180, 769___ 1 + (180,769) (. 5) n = 399. 99 or 400 respondents. The 400 respondents will represent the four nearest barangays in the Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. The proponents conducted the survey on the nearest mall (Market Market! ) where the residents of Taguig usually always come. MARKET SURVEY Questionnaire Formulation Based on the distinguished needs and preferences about the coffee shop, residents qualified based on their demographic characteristics like age, gender, monthly income and allowance, and anything that makes them qualified as a respondent whether he or she drinks coffee. The questionnaires are collected, tabulated and analyzed for the interpretation of data gathered. Republic of the Philippines Polytechnic University of the Philippines Sta. Mesa, Manila College of Business Coffee Shop Feasibility: Coffee-Cocktail House (CCH) Dear Respondents, We are students from Polytechnic University of the Philippines conducting research on our Feasibility Study: Coffee-Cocktail House. We would like to request you to answer our questionnaire. Rest assured that your answers will be kept confidentially. Thank You. The Researcher I. Personal Profile. Name (Optional):_________________________________________________________ Instruction: Check the space of your answer. 1. Gender: ? Male ? Female 2. Age: ? 18 – 24 ? 25 – 31 ? 32 – 38 ? 39 – 45 ? 46 – above 3. How much is your monthly income or monthly allowance? ? ? 1 – ? 10,000 ? ? 10,101 – ? 20,000 ? ? 20,201 – ? 30,000 ? ? 30,001 – ? 40,000 ? ? 40,001 – above II. All about coffee and coffee shop. 1. Do you drink coffee? ? Yes? No If yes, what brand of coffee do you purchase? ? Nescafe ? Kopiko ? Great taste coffee ? San Miguel coffee Others: (Specify) __________________________ 2. Do you go to a coffee shop to buy coffee? ? Yes? No 3. How often do you go to a coffee shop? ? Every day ? Every other day ? Weekly ? Monthly. ? Yearly Others: (Specify) _____________________ 4. How many cup/s of coffee do you buy/consume when you go to a coffee shop? __________ Instruction: You may check one or more. 5. If you go to a coffee shop, in what coffee shop do you buy? ? Starbucks ? Gloria Jean’s coffee shop ? Figaro ? Bo’s coffee shop ? Coffee bean and tea leaf ? Seattle best coffee ? Cafe de Lipa ? UCC Cafe plaza ? Cafe cap real ? McCafe of McDonalds ? Others: (Specify) _________________ 6. When do you usually go to a coffee shop? or Why? ? meeting ? break-time ? past-time ? dating Others: (Specify) .__________________ 7. In going to a coffee shop, whom do you come with? ? Co-workers/Officemates ? Clients ? Family Member ? Friends ? Boyfriend/Girlfriend ? I prefer going alone Others: (Specify)___________________ 8. What kind of coffee do you prefer? ? Hot? Cold 9. Do you drink coffee with†¦? ? Frappe ? Toppings ? Desert III. All about Coffee Cocktail House. 1. In going to our coffee shop @ the Bonifacio Global City, Fort Square, Taguig City, what is/are the coffee/s you are willing to buy, interested to try or not interested. Instruction: Please check the best answer. (*) Our Unique Offering. KINDS OF COFFEE| Willing to buy| Interested to try| Not interested at all| Hot Coffee| ? | ? | ? | Cold Coffee| ? | ? | ? | Frappe Coffee| ? | ? | ? | * Coffee Cocktail| ? | ? | ? | * Organic Coffee | ? | ? | ? | 2. What kind of * Coffee Cocktail do you prefer? ? Alcoholic* Coffee Cocktail ? Non-Alcoholic *Coffee Cocktail 3. What are the *Coffee Cocktail you are willing to buy, interested to try or not interested. (Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic drinks) KINDS OF COFFEE| Willing to buy| Interested to try| Not interested at all| * Coffee Infused Vodka| ? | ? | ? | * Spiked Coffee Ice Cream Dream| ? | ? | ? | * Chocolate Mocha-Tini| ? | ? | ? | 4. Do you prefer an organic coffee? ? Yes? No 5. What are the *Organic Coffee you are willing to buy, interested to try or not interested. (Fertilized or unfertilized) **most Unique offering as being the most expensive coffee in the world yet when roasted, it exudes an almost musical, fruity aroma. It has a strong, sweet, dark chocolatey taste that is perfect for that morning kick or high power meetings. Definitely a CLEAN CUP. KINDS OF COFFEE| Willing to buy| Interested to try| Not interested at all| *Rice Coffee| ? | ? | ? | *Corn Coffee| ? | ? | ? | *Coconut Coffee| ? | ? | ? | **Civet â€Å"Alamid† Coffee from Philippine’s finest Arabica, Liberica and Exelsa beans| ? | ? | ? | * Arabica, Liberica and Exelsa Coffee| ? | ? | ? | **********OThank YouO andOGOD bless YOUO********** O†Life is like a cup of coffee. † O -anonymous Survey analysis A part of the survey which all the data gathered was being analyzed for the justification of the objectives of the proponents. The proponents purposively collect more information about the business target market and consumer. It is to understand their needs and to know their perception on the business to be built. Table 1: Distribution of respondents according to gender. GENDER| FREQUENCY(F)| PERCENTAGE (%)| MALE| 165| 41%| FEMALE| 235| 59%| TOTAL| 400| 100%| Figure 1: Gender of the respondents From above data, majority of our respondents are female which is 59% percent while only 41% are male. Table 2: Distribution of respondents according to age AGE| FREQUENCY(F)| PERCENTAGE(P)| 18-24| 221| 55%| 25-31| 58| 14%| 32-38| 49| 12%| 39-45| 38| 10%| 46-above| 34| 9%| TOTAL| 400| 100%| Figure 2: Age of the respondents From data above, 55% of our respondents aged 18-24, 14% are aged 25-31, 12% are aged 32-38, 10% are aged 39-45 and 9% are aged 46 and above. Table 3: Distribution of respondents according to their monthly income MONTHLY INCOME| FREQUENCY(F)| PERCENTAGE(P)| 1-10,000| 168| 42%| 10,001-20,000| 61| 15%| 20,001-30,000| 75| 19%| 30,001-40,000| 78| 19%| 40,001 and above| 18| 5%| TOTAL| 400| 100%| Figure 3: Respondent’s monthly income Data shows that our respondents 1-10,000 the highest percentage which is 42%, 20,001-30,000 and 30,001-40,000 which are 19%, 10,000-20,000 which is 15% and 40,001 and above which is 5%. Table 4: Distribution of respondents who drinks coffee COFFE DRINKERS| FREQUENCY(F)| PERCENTAGE(P)| YES| 256| 64%|. NO| 144| 36%| TOTAL| 400| 100%| Figure 4: Respondents who drinks coffee Data shows that the majority of our respondents are coffee drinkers which is 64% and 36% are not. Table 5: Brand of coffee they buy in store BRAND OF COFFEE| FREQUENCY(F)| PERCENTAGE(P)| NESCAFE| 235| 42%| KOPICO| 155| 28%| GREATE TASTE COFFEEE| 109| 19%| SAN MIGUEL COFFEE| 51| 9%| OTHERS| 9| 2%| TOTAL| 559| 100%| Figure 6: Particular brand the respondents buy From the data above, the highest brand of coffee they buy is Nescafe which is 42%, Kopiko which is 28%, Grate Taste which is 19%, San Miguel Coffee which is 9% and 2% from other brand. Table 7: Respondents who have been to coffee shop WHO HAVE BEEN TO COFFEE SHOP| FREQUENCY(F)| PERCENTAGE| YES| 293| 73%| NO| 107| 27%| TOTAL| 400| 100%| Figure 7: Have you been to coffee shop? Data shows that 73% of our respondents have been to coffee shop and 27% are not. Table 8: How often do you drink coffee? TIMES THEY DRINK COFFEE| FREQUENCY(F)| PERCENTAGE(P)| EVERYDAY| 136| 46%| EVERY OTHER DAY| 61| 21%| WEEKLY | 69| 24%| MONTHLY| 12| 4%| YEARLY| 9| 3%| OTHERS| 6| 2%| TOTAL| 293| 100%| Figure 9: How often they drink to coffee shop. Data shows that 46% of our respondents drink coffee to coffee shop everyday, 24% weekly, 21% every other day, 4% monthly, 3%yearly and 2% from the others. Table 10: How many cups they consume in the coffee shop? NOS. OF CUPS THEY CAN CONSUME| FREQUENCY(F)| PERCENTAGE(P)| ONE| 149| 47%| TWO| 122| 38%| THREE| 24| 8%| FOUR| 8| 2%| FIVE| 10| 3%| SIX| 6| 2%| TOTAL| 319| 100%| Figure 10: How many cups they consume in the coffee shop? Data shows that 47% of respondents can consume only one, 38% can consume 2 cups, 8% can consume 3 cups, 3% can consume five cups, and 2% can consume four and six cups. Table 11: What particular coffee shop they go and buy coffee? COFFEE SHOPS| FREQUENCY(F)| PERCENTAGE(P)| STARBUCKS| 88| 30%| GLORIA JEAN’S COFFEE SHOP| 14| 5%| FIGARO| 44| 15%| BO’S COFFEE SHOP| 18| 6%| COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF| 23| 8%| SEATTLE BEST COFFEE| 16| 3%| CAFE DE LIPA| 9| 3%| MCCAFE| 57| 19%| OTHERS| 24| 6%| TOTAL| 293| 100%| Figure 11: What particular coffee shop they go and buy coffee? Data shows that 30% of the respondents go to Starbucks, 19% at Mc Cafe, 15% at Figaro, 8% at Coffee Bean and Leaf Tea, 6% at Bo’s Coffee shop and Seattle Best Coffee, 5% at Gloria Jean’s Coffee Shop,3% at Cafe de Lipa and 30% from the others. Table 12: What is the reason/s why they go to coffee shop? Data shows72% of the respondents prefer to drink organic coffee and 28% don’t want to buy drink organic coffee. MARKETING ASPECT – PART II A. Product/Service Description The product is the mean of this project, because it is the one that will be to offer to the customer, while, the service is the focus of this project, because this will complete the satisfaction to the customer. At the Fort Strip in the Fort Bonifacio, the proposed Coffee Cocktail House is settled at a 58 sq. m.inside of a three storey building in Katipunan Circle. As the business was being projected inside of the Fort Bonifacio Global City where most of the population are employees and students, good ambiance, peace and pleasing place of a House as good as a house can satisfy them, a house with different kinds of chairs, different interior, different exterior and different service that will surely satisfy the wants of the customer. Coffee Cocktail House (C2H) offer coffee mostly which are: hot coffee, cold coffee, frappuccino, and coffee cocktail and organic coffee, which we uniquely offer to the market. As one of the store’s unique offering, we use coffee cocktail itself for the store name which is Coffee Cocktail House. We also offer cakes and pastries which is good combination to coffee and also Filipino delicacies. B. Location Coffee Cocktail House (C2H) will be located at the ground floor of the Fort Square, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, because it is one of the busiest places in Metro Manila and there’s an opportunity that we will get on the location. The location is highly accessible and visible for those who work beside the building and passers-by. The shop will be placed where there is several establishments such as mall, schools, call centers, business offices, and condominiums. C. Name of the enterprise As for the product name, we have come up for the product name that can describe one of our special coffees. We have applied the name in Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and it was not found that it was not yet used by any other business entity yet. a. Business Name: Coffee Cocktail house b. USP: Great Taste Happens c. Business Logo: Many of the business man and also those who are business minded person think a lot of ideas and most of them uses a trade mark that is 100% connected to their offering, either product or service, to be able to recognize easily. Speaking of trademark, the proponents have come up with this simple trade mark using the company name itself which have a unique style and indeed an attention-catcher because of the color used. Here are the meanings of the colors and symbols that were used to the trademark that the company came up with: Cream (Originated from Yellow which means full of creative and intellectual energy) is a clean light yellow clears the mind, making it active and alert. Brown associated with the material side of life. It gives comfortable feeling of naturalness. Red is the color of blood, and as such has strong symbolism as life and vitality. It also represents the passion of the staffs. Circles symbolize unity, wholeness, infinity and protection. Pentagram (represents the house) can also be a star because of its five-points. It is a symbol of life and perfection. White Cup symbolizing the professionalism of the product and definitely a â€Å"Clean Cup† and a clean working area. Smokes symbolizes that the coffee is always freshly gourmet and also has a pleasing aroma to the nose. D. Nature of the Business For our new business idea, our group have all concurred and agreed the best way to go about developing new concepts and ideas is nonetheless the one that complete the day of a human—coffee. So we decided to on putting-up our own coffee shop. Indeed, and furthermore, we have considered what kind of beverage that we could possibly develop by means of reinventing its taste, by making it more nutritious and ultimately breaking the way people look at it. Then it came to an idea of redesigning a kind of beverage that has been branded as traditional and existing since time immemorial, and also it must be a kind of beverage that people will love and like as well. Instead of doing a coffee alone, we came up to an idea of mixing coffee and alcohol. We arrived in this idea because some call centre agents want to drink alcohol but we mix coffee on it for them to avoid drowsiness. We also consider some of the Filipinos are health conscious that’s why we came up to an idea on creating a healthy and nutritious but great tasting organic coffee. E. Limitation of the Project Coffee Cocktail House (C2H) will only hires a well experienced baristas to make a great taste of coffee and to make sure that we are ahead from the competitors. While the employees are on their work they should train the other to staff in different department so that in case that an employees will leave in some matter the other employee already know the what to do. In the initial year of the business we are not be able to expand our location because of lack of capital. F. G. Project Time Table. Project Time Table Description July 2012 to October 2012 – Feasibility Study Conceptualization about what kind of business should we study. Having a feasibility about the product; conducting survey on the location; Planning on how to promote and what is the demand and supply on it. How were the market aspect, management aspect, technical aspect, financial aspect and social aspect of the feasibility? October 2012 to January2013 – Putting-up Capitalization The proponents will be invested for the capital, amounting P 1,000,000. 00. January 2013 to April 2013 – Registration and Licensing Registering and licensing company. Secure all the permit of the business for its maintenance. February 2013 to April 2013 – Renovation of the Project Location The business location will be develops. Buying the equipments and needed tools. April 2013 to May 2013 – Hiring The company will hire expert baristas because we don’t enough money for the training. The proponents will also work as a manager to save money. – Opening of the coffee shop The store launching will start after the hiring of the baristas and crews. April 2013 to December 2013 – Marketing Program The Marketing Program will aims to simplify and demonstrate strategies that are needed to reach all its marketing potential even to exceed the potential of its market. January 2014 – Product New Ideas Having new ideas to promote and increase the demand for coffee. I. Market Segmentation A. Target market Our target market is aged 18 years old and above particularly young professionals who are working near our stores. They are the one who need our products and the one who can afford to buy our products. There are a lot of people who are passing by in our location and there are some who are just passersby. They are all are potential and target consumer who are possibly will buy some of our products. a. Demographic Characteristics Specifically it is for those 18 years old and above both male and female. Students who have allowance (from 1-5000php and above per month) looking for a convenient place to hang out with their friends and family. There are a lot of young professionals who are working near the Coffee Cocktail House. They are the persons earning 1-10,000php per month who belong to the class C to upper B. b. Psychographic Characteristics Since the target market are young professionals they are in the stage of buying what they want and doing the thing they have not experience when they are studying. They want a place that is relaxing before and after working hours. They are the type of people who are willing to buy a product that suit to their personalities yet affordable. Most of them are health conscious and smart street people looking for every benefit and satisfaction of a product to them. c. Buyer Behaviour Characteristics They are coffee drinker who used coffee as part of their daily routine. It is those people who believe that a cup of coffee will help them to enlighten and cope up for the whole day. They have that belief it will help people to stay awake for a longer hours. II. Competitor’s Analysis Purposively the proponents of this feasibility study wanted to know their possible competitor in the coffee industry especially we wanted to know our competitor within the business location. It aims to perceive the competitor’s capacity along the journey of our business. A. List of Competitors Listing and identifying every competitor we have in the market and within the area of Coffee Cocktail House. Identifying the competitor USP and why the consumers continually patronize their products. a. Direct Competitors Figaro – soon to open at the same area who offers coffee products with its healthy benefits and they have different side dishes and main courses. Coffee vending machines – that offer cheaper brewed coffee. We only have one competitor within the specific location of the coffee shop at the Fort Strip. The Cafe Puccini offering a coffee products and their specialty dish the Italian pasta. b. Indirect Competitors We also have our indirect competitors who used to sell coffee products but it wasn’t their specialization service or product. Retail sachet or instant coffee at the market. 1. Nescafe – which got in our survey that proves their being no.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The French Terms of Order of Events

The French Terms of Order of Events The English word then has two distinct meanings: one related to consequence and the other to time. These two meanings translate differently into French, and the various synonyms fall roughly into two groups: Words commonly used to explain the consequences or effect of an action, like  ainsi,  alors, and  donc,And terms used to indicate the sequence of events, such as  aprà ¨s,  ensuite, and  puis.   Cause and Effect Ainsi 1. so, thus, therefore  (adverb)   Ainsi, jai dà ©cidà © de partir.   So I decided to leave.Jai perdu mon emploi, ainsi je ne peux pas acheter la voiture.   I lost my job, so I cant buy the car. This use of ainsi is roughly interchangeable with donc (below). 2. this way, like that Si tu vas agir ainsi, je ne peux pas taider.   If youre going to act like that, I cant help youCest ainsi ; tu dois laccepter.   Thats the way it is; you have to accept itAinsi va la vie.   Such is life.Ainsi soit-il.   So be it. 3. ainsi que:  just as, like, as well as  (conjunction) Ainsi que javais pensà ©Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚  Just as I thought†¦   Je suis impressionà © par son intelligence ainsi que son honnà ªtetà ©.   I am impressed by his intelligence as well as his honesty. Alors 1.  then, so, in that case  (adverb)   Tu ne vas pas la fà ªte ? Alors, moi non plus.   Youre not going to the party? Then I wont either.Elle ne comprend pas, alors il faut laider.   She doesnt understand, so we need to help her.Je nai pas mangà ©, alors il est difficile de me concentrer.   I didnt eat, so its difficult to concentrate. When used in this way, alors is more or less interchangeable with the first meanings of ainsi and donc; however, alors is not as strong in its cause-effect.  It means so or then rather than therefore. In other words, ainsi and donc indicate that something happened, and specifically because of that, something else happened. Alors, on the other hand, is more well then I guess this will/did happen.2.  so, then, well  (filler)   Alors, quest-ce quon va faire ?  Ã‚  So what are we going to do?Alors l, je nen sais rien.  Ã‚  Well, I dont know anything about that.Et alors ?   And then? So what? 3.  at that time Il à ©tait alors à ©tudiant.   At that time, he was a student. /  He was a student at the time.Le prà ©sident dalors Bill Clinton†¦Ã‚  Ã‚  The president at that time /  Then-president Bill Clinton†¦ 4.  alors que: at that time, while; even though  (conjunction)   Il est allà © la banque alors que je faisais les achats.   He went to the bank while I did the shopping.Il est sorti alors que je ne voulais pas.   He went out even though I didnt want to. Donc 1.  therefore, so, thus  (conjunction)   Il nest pas arrivà ©, donc jai dà » manger seul.   He didnt arrive, so I had to eat alone.Je pense, donc je suis (Renà © Descartes).   I think, therefore I am. This usage of donc is interchangeable with the first meaning of ainsi. The only difference is that donc is a conjunction and, in theory, must join two clauses, whereas ainsi can be used with one or two clauses. In reality, donc is often used with just one clause as well: Donc je suis allà ©Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ So I went†¦ When used in this sense, both ainsi and donc indicate a cause-effect relationship. 2.  then, it must be, in that case Si ce nest pas Philippe cest donc Robert.  Ã‚  If its not Philippe then it is (it must be) Robert.Jai perdu mon stylo donc celui-ci est toi.  Ã‚  I lost my pen so this one must be yours. 3.  then, so  (intensifier or filler)   Donc, elle à ©tait enceinte ?   Was she pregnant, then? So was she pregnant?Voil donc notre conclusion.   So here is our conclusion.Qui donc à ªtes-vous ?   So who are you?Allons donc !   Come on (already)! This usage is similar to the way so is used in English. Technically, so indicates a cause-effect relationship, but it is often used colloquially as a filler. For example, you might greet someone and say So I bought a car or So, are you going out tonight? even though nothing was said previously that the so is linking back to. Sequence of Events Aprà ¨s 1.  after  (preposition)   Il a tà ©là ©phonà © aprà ¨s toi.   He called after you (did).Aprà ¨s avoir tout lu†¦ (past infinitive) After having read everything†¦ 2.  afterwards, later  (adverb)   Viens me voir aprà ¨s.   Come see me afterwards.Quest-ce qui sest passà © aprà ¨s ?   What happened later/afterwards? Aprà ¨s is not interchangeable with ensuite and puis. Those adverbs indicate a sequence of events, whereas aprà ¨s simply modifies a verb to say what will/did happen at a later time. There is no sense of progression from one action to the next when using aprà ¨s. 3.  aprà ¨s que: after  (conjunction)   Aprà ¨s quil est mort, jai dà ©mà ©nagà © en Belgique.   After he died, I moved to Belgium.Je vais le faire aprà ¨s quil arrivera.   Im going to do it after he arrives. Aprà ¨s que is followed by the indicative, not the subjunctive. However, when describing something that has not happened yet, the verb after aprà ¨s que is in the future, rather than in the present, as it is in English. Ensuite 1. then, next, later  (adverb)   Jai mangà © et ensuite je me suis habillà ©.   I ate and then I got dressed.Je suis allà © la banque et ensuite au musà ©e.   I went to the bank and then (to) the museum.Il ma dit ensuite que†¦   And then he told me†¦, / He told me later that†¦ Puis 1. then, next  (adverb)   Jai mangà ©, puis je me suis habillà ©.   I ate and then I got dressed.Je suis allà © la banque et puis au musà ©e.   I went to the bank and then (to) the museum.Puis il ma dit que†¦   Then he told me†¦ This meaning of puis is interchangeable with ensuite, except for the sense of later, which only ensuite has. They do not indicate a cause-effect relationship; they simply relate a sequence of events. 2.  et puis: and besides, moreover (conjunction) Je nai pas envie de sortir, et puis je nai pas dargent.   I dont feel like going out, and besides, I dont have any money.Nous devons à ©tudier, et puis toi aussi.   We have to study, and so do you.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

General Electrics Two

General Electrics Two The Present Strategies of General Electric Marketing/Sales General Electric provides a great variety of products and services to its customers. They include home electric appliances, engines for airplanes, medical equipment, software solutions, etc. Apart from that, the company has established several water cleaning facilities throughout the world (General Electric, 2010, unpaged). At the core of marketing strategies, employed by the management of this organization lies the idea of diversity.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on General Electrics Two-Decade Transformation: Jack Welchs Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is one of the strengths of this enterprise: decline in demand for a certain type of product will have catastrophic effects on the company. However, one should bear in mind that this organization has a very high turnover rate among marketing personnel is very high, and this can be viewed a s a weakness since continuous rotation of the personnel can eventually decrease the performance of the marketing team. To some extent, the turnover rate is the heritage of Jack Welsh’s reign. Manufacturing Operations The manufacturing operations of this enterprise rely on the idea of the so-called â€Å"boundaryless company† in which there are no barriers between manufacturing and engineering (Bartlett Wozny, 2005). Largely, the concept of boundaryless company exemplifies a matrix organization, in which the employees closely cooperate with one another. Furthermore, this company advocates the importance of the lean production and reduction of labor costs. Finance/accounting At the given moment, the net revenue of this organization constitutes the total revenue of this organization $ 157 billion, while the cost of revenue is $ 65,3 billion (General Electric c, 2010, unpaged). It should be noted that in the companies in 2010 the financial performance of this organization has deteriorated especially in comparison with two previous years (General Electric c, 2010, unpaged). General Electric pursues transparent accounting policies. In particular, it reports include not only the information about revenues and operational costs, but also the data about cost of revenue, inventories, debt, long-term reliabilities, and so forth. This transparency enables an investor to better evaluate the efficiency of this organization.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Human Resources/Personnel The principles of HR management in General Electric were laid down by Jack Welsh. The company pays close attention to the assessment of employee’s performance. Overall, this company greatly relies on the so-called vitality curve, in which the workers are divided into five ranks or groups in terms of their performance (Bartlett Wozny, 2005, p 13). The t hing is those employees, who are continuously put in the third category (C) are most likely to be dismissed. This strategy can be viewed as both strength and weakness of the enterprise. On the one, it allows the management to retain only well-performing employees. However, it also results in the high turn-over rate and tension among employees and poor teamwork. Another important feature, we need to mention is the tendency to downside and delayer the personnel. Innovation At this point, RD (Research and Development) efforts of this organization are aimed at the development of nanotechnologies and more eco-friendly technologies (General Electric, 2010, unpaged). On the whole, such an approach to RD can be explained by the fact that the management wants to secure a leading position in these two burgeoning industries. Management The management of this organization has been significantly influenced the strong personality of Jack Welsh, who has radically transformed the company during eig hties and nineties. We can several out several features of the management in the company. One of them is the so-called philosophy of â€Å"Stretch† (Bartlett Wozny, 2005, p 9). It urges the managers and their employees to continuously improve the financial performance of their departments. Secondly, we need to mention that the management of this enterprise always involves the front-line employees into decision-making. Even though Jack Welsh retired in 2001, its successor Jeffry Immelt do not try to alter his managerial policies and policies. Other It is also important to discuss the quality control in General Electric. The company adopts the so-called Six Sigma approach, which relies on interdepartmental cooperation, orientation toward customer needs, the use of numerical and qualitative methods to assess the quality of products and services. (Bartlet Wozny, 2005, p 11).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on General Electrics Two-Decade Transformati on: Jack Welchs Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More New Product/Market Opportunity Alternatives There are several areas to which the management of this organization should pay more attention to renewable energy industry, for example, they may need to engines that would be able to use biofuels. One should remember that in the near future, the demand for eco-friendly technologies would only increase both in the United States and in Europe. Another industry, which could be of great interest to General Electric, is nanotechnologies, since it has applications in various spheres such as electronics, healthcare, IT and so forth. External Threats The increasing importance of renewable energy. General Electronic actively participates in oil production and transportation while a great number of modern manufactures as well as customers are willing to decrease their consumption of oil-related product as it is both expensive and harmful to the e nvironment (General Electric, 2010, unpaged). The adoption of new technologies can greatly diminish the revenues of this corporation. Legal restriction imposed on oil extraction. Again, we need to emphasize an idea that the company is very dependent on the demand as well as supply of oil. In the light of the recent Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the extraction of oil will become even more difficult especially in the United States. The increasing competitiveness in the software market. The company has to compete with such international corporations like IBM, Honeywell International, Microsoft, Apple, etc. IT is one of those industries where the number of market players continuously increases. Mission Statement To formulate the mission statement of this company, we can use the words of its former CEO, Jack Welch, who wanted General Electric to become the â€Å"the most profitable and highly diversified company on earth† (Bartlet Wozny, 2005, p 2). Thus, we may argue that the mi ssion of this enterprise is to retain the status of the world’s leading manufacturer that can respond to the abrupt changes in political, economic , technological and cultural environment. It is also possible to single out several objectives: To strengthen the firm’s position in such industries as renewable energy and nanotechnology. To decrease the turnover rate in the organization. To broaden the range of products and services. Strategies The management can adopt different strategies to achieve these objectives: One of the first tasks is to abolish the use of vitality scales as means of assessing employees performance. To purchase or merge with those companies which specialize in the production of nanotechnologies and renewable energy systems. To invest more capital in the research and development. Internal Environment Analysis The internal environment for GE can be identified through a strengths and weaknesses analysis – the two internal aspects of SWOT a nalysis. Such can be identified with various elements such as management, human resource (HR) strategy, and financials of the internal environment. For GE the first strength include a sound HR strategy that rewards employees based on performance measures that take care of wide array of contribution – e.g. the four E’s (Energy, ability to â€Å"energize others†, edge and execution) (Bartlett Wozny 2005).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Secondly, the entity’s strength lies in a committed leadership with Welch leading from the front, and the support of the management team that he had established. Commitment of leadership team to the values and vision of the organization is identified as a key driver to establishing organizational transformation (Cohen 2004). Thirdly, the strength of the organization lies with its diversification into service businesses that offer enhanced value to the customer. Such services offer the company the opportunity to increase customer satisfaction, an antecedent to establishing long-lasting customer relationships (Gronroos 2004). Finally, the entity’s strong financial performance is critical for supporting its expansion programs across the globe. The entity’s weaknesses on the other hand arise from a centralized decision-making process with Welch at the center of each decision. Such a process is disadvantageous in a number of ways. Firstly, it could limit effective tr ansition with prospective successors being used to a culture of a â€Å"father-figure.† Secondly, such a strategy is limited with the globalization strategy the entity embarked on. With its operations extending into global regions, such a strategy limits the speed of implementation at overseas subsidiaries and may face cultural and political barriers where the organization is perceived to benefit â€Å"foreign† players more. Fig 1:  GE’s Internal Environment During Welch’s Two-Decades at the Helm Strengths Weaknesses Human resource strategy – sound strategy with well-outlined measures of performance and rewards. Management – committed to the organization’s values and vision. Product diversification – Creation of value-adding units e.g. service businesses that could increase customer commitment reading to a long-term relationship. Financials – strong financial performance (appendix for financial ratios). Improved profitability over the period Welch was in leadership. Corporate strategy – centralized with CEO being at the center of all decision-making processes, could affect transition, affect global operations e.g. implementation of strategies may take time if controlled from a centralized place, may also face cultural barriers if not specific to a certain region’s environmental and cultural attributes. External Environment Analysis External environment analysis can be assessed through the opportunities and threats an entity faces – the two external aspects of SWOT. On the threats end, aspects of a political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental nature may affect an entity such as GE. Alternatively, external environment may be assessed for competitiveness based on the porter’s five forces (Dagmar Recklies 2001). These forces are buyers’ bargaining power, suppliers bargaining power, new-entrant’s threats, threat of substi tutes and competitive rivalry between existing players (Dagmar Recklies 2001). From the case study, such aspects that are applicable to GE can be identified on a matrix format. Fig 2:GE’s External Environment Opportunities Threats Expansion to global environments e.g. via acquisitions enhances economies of scale and reduce susceptibility to country-specific macroeconomic shocks, economic meltdowns that provide the company the opportunity to purchase going concerns with a potential at reduced prices as it has previously done (Bartlett Wozny 2005). E-business opportunities – use Internet, social media tools to better customer engagement thus get important feedback to improve its services and product offerings. Use virtual technology to support virtual teams that could have cost-cutting effects. Political – Globalization strategy exposes the entity to different political systems. In countries where there’s political instability, the entityâ⠂¬â„¢s business is affected Economic – though economic downturns provide the entity with buying opportunities, they also present barriers to increased revenues, e.g. in its oil and gas businesses. Socio-cultural – through its expansion into various continents where cultural orientation differs from its home country, GE’s faces a threat of cultural barriers especially with its centralized management that could lead to preference of local providers to the entity. Technology – technological differences in areas the entity operates in may limit the standardization of entity’s process. Such could affect the long-term sustainability of boundaryless strategy that Welch initiated. Environmental – various activities of GE are subject to adherence to set standards for carbon emissions. As environmental policies change (e.g. when emissions trading schemes become altered), the entity could be presented with the pressure of maintaining its business opera tions within allowable limits. Fig 3:Competitiveness Buyer’s power Buyers’ bargaining power is high in a number of its businesses. Customers of rail services and energy products for instance may be governments, which wield high bargaining power. Strategy – form relationship with buyers with high bargaining power such as governments. Supplier’s Power High supplier power in areas such as labor Strategy – enter into agreements with worker’s unions. New Entrants High in some businesses – e.g. credit services by its finance (consumer and business options) could be taken up by many microfinance institutions coming up in many global locations. Low in others – e.g. in rail, oil and gas, and aviation that require high capital investment. Strategy – dependent on the business Substitutes High – e.g., locomotive trains are rivaled by automobile industry in many countries. Water treatment systems can be s ubstituted with chemical purification methods. Strategy – create value-addition services around its products and avoid price wars. Competitor Rivalry GE’s competitors are wide ranging. Financial services have competitors better suited to offer services in that area since it is their core business. Electric distribution – individual countries could have state owned companies that are under protection by the governments. Strategy – invest in competitors, buyout competitors where possible, sell-out to competitors where long-term sustainability is not possible. Conclusion and recommendations Transformational leadership is a core characteristic of successful organizations in the increasingly competitive business environment. This paper evaluated GE’s two-decade transformation during the leadership of Welch (1981-2001). Core strengths of the company noted during the transformation process were a sound human resource strategy, management commitm ent to values and vision of the entity, creation of value-adding units, and strong financial performance. Its centralized management approach during Welch’s time, was however a weakness that could have negatively affected transition and global expansion. Opportunities for the business lie in expansion to foreign markets to enhance economies of scale and reduce susceptibility to country-specific macroeconomic shock, e-business opportunities brought about by increasing impact of the Internet in people’s lives, and using such technology to enhance customer engagement that would help it improve its products. The entity’s threats include political, legal, economic and social aspects brought along by its expansion to global locations. Due to the wide array of businesses that GE is involved in recommendations are wide ranging. In products where the buyer power is high, e.g., where the government is the buyer, GE should create relationship with such buyers by offering i ncentives that would make it the preferred provider. Such incentives could include committing to programs that aim to improve the livelihood of people living in such areas. Similarly, where competitor rivalry is high, GE could evaluate purchasing stocks in local companies that are protected by home-country government policies References Bartlett, CA Wozny, M 2005, GE’s two-decade transformation: Jack Welch’s leadership, Case 9-399-150, Harvard Business School. Cohen, AR 2004, ‘Building a company of leaders’, Leader to Leader, pp. 16-20, influencewithoutauthority.com/images/Building%20a%20Company%20of%20Leaders%203-05.pdf. Dagmar Recklies 2001, Porters 5 forces, Recklies Management Project GmbH, themanager.org/pdf/p5f.pdf. Gronroos, C 2004, ‘The relationship marketing process: Communication, interaction, dialogue, value’, Journal of Business Industrial Marketing, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 99-113. General Electric 2001, GE annual report 2000, ge.co m/annual00/download/images/GEannual00.pdf. General Electric. (2010). The Official Website. Accessed from fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/General-Electric-Company-Company-History.html General Electric. (2010). General Electric Company (GE) annual SEC income statement filing via Wikinvest. Accessed from wikinvest.com/stock/General_Electric_Company_%28GE%29/Data/Income_Statement#Income_Statement Pillai, R Williams, EA 2004, Transformational leadership, self-efficacy, group cohesiveness, commitment and performance’, Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 144-159. Pretorious, M 2009, ‘Leadership liabilities of newly appointed managers: arrive prepared’, Strategy Leadership, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 37-42. Rowold, J Heinitz, K 2007, ‘Transformational and charismatic leadership: Assessing the convergent, divergent and criterion validity of the MLQ and the CKS’, The Leadership Quarterly, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 121-133.