Wednesday, August 26, 2020

British Airways Supply Chain free essay sample

Activities and Supply Chain Management ESMT Case Study British Airways: A Journey in Procurement Transformation Q1 In the case what are the difficulties looked by the acquisition bunch in coming 2 years ahead? There are a few difficulties the acquirement bunch looked somewhere in the range of 2004 and 2006. Above all else, staying aware of the accomplishment of the previous years, particularly the expense and execution enhancements and furthermore keeping financial specialists upbeat (consistent increment of offer cost since the start of 2003).Secondly, the obtainment bunch was to confront difficulties while excusing the quantity of providers, building cross business adjustment to build up a uniform sourcing process, lessen spending and utilizing it. The turn out of extra instruments of Ariba’s spend the executives arrangement, which should cover all spend classifications was another test. Since it before all else just comprised of a little gathering of providers stretched out over the coming month, which may prompt challenges when attempting to build similarity with favored providers. Those will be diminished to 2000, which will make it simpler to oversee them and furthermore to create legitimate sourcing systems. Anyway incorporating the diverse Ariba framework instruments spoke to another test, and was imperative to ensure that requests depend on the equivalent concurred terms. Moreover the acquisition bunch intended to alter indexes. The difficulties it looked here were to make requesting easier, bolster exchanges with favored providers, decline receipt jumbles, accelerate endorsements and advance demand accuracy.In expansion to this another future test was to rollout to abroad activities and auxiliaries. This would mean another decrease in representative headcount in different divisions and could lead again to protection from change among workers. In this manner change the board would be a fundamental instrument to handle this test, while the specialized piece of the turn out ought not be an issue. Q2 What were the arrangements proposed and how could they address the issues confronted? Arrangements proposed were to adjust to a nonexclusive sourcing process.Initially it comprised of five tollgates. Later it was decreased to three tollgates, as a result of substantial outstanding burden looked by the people in control (External Spend Group) during the audit procedure, which would have undermined the significant level of proficiency. It upheld an increasingly organized, straightforward and mindful work process, buying procedure and cost controlling. It tended to the up to that point liberal administration of purchasers, who now and then could approved spending up to ? 1 million without endorsement by managers. Adjusting to another sourcing procedure additionally intended to rebuild BA’s authoritative buying process. So as to do as such, extra programming for value-based buying of administrations and items was presented. Up to that point this procedure occurred through extremely asset escalated strategies. At the time the required programming was still going to create and it required some investment to locate the correct one. This new programming from (Ariba Buyer) should fill the hole of productively (time and cost) buying in the acquirement procedure, which existed in this area.It ran on an outer Internet stage, which empowered BA to set up working arrangements all the more rapidly. With its capacity to join a few administration abilities and to halfway deal with the parts of the acquisition procedure the framework tended to the issues beginning through the prior referenced hole. Another issue looked by BA during the execution of the acquirement change program was the protection from this new procedure and to utilization of the product in all areas.It was a steady issue since the quest for acquisition process programming and simultaneously continuous employment cuts of the â€Å"Future Size and Shape† activity in the year 2000. After three years BA began to handle the issue by demonstrating the benefits of Ariba Buyer, offering support (e. g. call place for purchasers) and preparing (â€Å"Learning Programme†). An effective apparatus turned into the â€Å"Z-card†. It was a little enough card to be hefted around all over the place and clarified in pictures and straightforward language the means of the new procedure and technique. It likewise clarified how this new advancement fit with the â€Å"Future Size and Shape† activity. Q3 What signs are there that the progressions worked? 1999-2004 In 2003, a fast increment of key obtainment forms indicated that the usage of the five tollgates had worked. Additionally the help administrations for purchasers like the get focus ended up being a triumph with more than 100 calls for every day. The adjustment in obtainment system and procedure had likewise a positive effect on the main concern. Acquirement investment funds had consistently expanded since the beginning of the change in 1999.In 2001/2002 the new improvement lead to reserve funds of about ? 50 million. Only three years after the fact in 2004/2005 it had expanded by multiple times to ? 200 million of reserve funds. With such an improvement the expense for Ariba Buyer was returned in only five months. Another sign that the progressions worked demonstrated quick increment of requests trough the Ariba Buyer framework in the second 50% of 2003. A few extra advantages showed that the progressions had worked. For example, progressively straightforward spending, which shows an ascent in orders prepared through Ariba Buyer.This likewise diminished the measure of providers utilized up to that point by 63% in 2003. Another expansion was recorded in contract consistence, where favored providers began to turn out to be a piece of the day by day business, not simply lessening off agreement spending and bringing about lower costs for merchandise and ventures bought, yet additionally decreasing regulatory endeavors through less agreements. With better data on buying spend, it was conceivable to investigate which sum was spend for which provider and item. This empowered the acquisition gathering to begin utilizing buying power and along these lines spare expenses in various regions like in-flight cooking in the US (15%), ground fuel at the London air terminals (22%) and group settlement in the US (17%). Additionally inside handling costs have been diminished, with a positive effect on mistake rates, exchange cost (diminished by 48%) and request preparing time, with the majority of the requests being executed electronically. This gives workers more opportunity to focus on esteem include exercises, prompting higher representative efficiency. Since the work process had been upgraded less workforce was needed.Therefore BA had the option to diminish headcount utilized particularly in acquirement and safe extra expenses. Q4 What could have been done another way? The obtainment group ought to have been thorough about the utilization of Ariba Buyer directly from the earliest starting point at the usage of the product. This could have been f inished by intently observing the use of the product by purchasers, yet in addition by ensuring that representatives really realize how to utilize it and what the reason for the product is. This could have been effectively accomplished via preparing workforce and supporting the product directly from the earliest starting point as ell. The time taken until strengthening measures (like in 2003 for more tight NDI controls) was excessively long. During this time purchasers were excessively enormously enabled with a lot of opportunity about their dynamic. Additionally the presentation of the tollgates came late all the while and ought to have been as of now set up when the new programming was propelled. The individuals in control ought to have likewise been proactive with advancing the acquisition change program directly from the earliest starting point among workers, by presenting the expectations and objectives something like the â€Å"Z-card† directly at the beginning.This would have diminished opposition against the change. Likewise one ought to have thought picked an alternate opportunity to present the â€Å"Future Size and Shape† activity, which at the t ime was simply one more change and caused extra obstruction. The beginning of this activity directly toward the start of the obtainment change program would have been something more. Or on the other hand one ought to have held up until individuals have acclimated to the underlying changes and afterward concoct this plan.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Mr. Darcy Overcoming His Pride

Pride and Prejudice composed by Jane Austen in the nineteenth century, recounts to the tale of a high society man Mr. Darcy over coming his pride, to become hopelessly enamored with working class Elizabeth Bennet, who consents to wed him subsequent to getting over her own biased issues. The story is set in the mid 1800’s in England, when class and social request were significant, and individuals wedded for cash and economic wellbeing. Austen has composed the book to scrutinize and make jokes about a portion of these strange qualities in a mocking manner, and positions the peruser to see that marriage isn’t about cash or economic wellbeing, yet genuine romance. Through the way Jane has composed the story and developed the characters, as a peruser we are situated to react pleasingly to the manners by which she has spoken to thoughts and depicted generalizations and customs dependent on the social standings and issues of the regime time. In Pride and Prejudice, one of the fundamental topics centers around marriage. Austen accepts that marriage ought to be for affection, not for monetary and social solidness. Austen has built comparing couples to depict how couples that wed for genuine romance proceed to adore and live joyfully, while couples who wed for cash and status end up hopeless. There are a few characters in the novel that wedded for money related and social prosperity; Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins, Mr. Wickham and Lydia and Mr. also, Mrs. Bennet-all built with antagonistic character qualities. At the point when Mr. Collins visits the Bennet’s house at Longburn-where he is beneficiary to the domain, he is looking for a spouse ideally a Bennet sister as he feels somewhat regretful as they will be kicked out of their home when their dad passes on and he will acquire the home. At the point when Mr. Collin’s first proposes, it is to Lizzy, and his thinking is totally deficient with regards to feeling and depends on â€Å"logic and convenience†, as he clarified â€Å"My purposes behind wedding seem to be, first, that I think it a correct thing for each minister in simple conditions (such as myself) to set the case of marriage in his area. Besides, that I am persuaded it will add extraordinarily to my bliss; and thirdly †which maybe I should have referenced before, that it is the specific exhortation and suggestion of the extremely respectable woman whom I have the pleasure of calling patroness. This discourse shows that he is just considering his picture a priest, and how he would satisfy Lady Catherine and help out the Bennet family simultaneously. It was not love that would add to his bliss however more that he was accomplishing something respectable and would be found in a decent light by others. Austin depicts this assessment of the period further when the peruser perceives how aloof Mr. Collins is, after Lizzy’s gracious â€Å"no thank you†, he constantly asks her, before at long last surrendering and after three days getting connected with to Lizzy’s closest companion, Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte who had purposely focused on Mr. Collins, supporting him after he is declined by Lizzy, was 27 years of age, and thought it was profoundly far-fetched she would improve offer of marriage. As she talked about with Lizzy, she was wedding for budgetary security and accepted that â€Å"Happiness in marriage is altogether a matter of possibility. † When Charlotte saw Lizzy’s stunned face as she reported her commitment she reacted with â€Å"Oh, quiet. Not we all can stand to be sentimental. I've been offered an agreeable home and security. There's a great deal to be grateful for. This gives us that however Charlotte was an insightful woman, she had an even minded way to deal with marriage with no feeling of sentimental fascination in Mr. Collins-that she â€Å"accepted him exclusively from the unadulterated and uninvolved want of an establishment†. When Lizzy visits Charlotte at her home in Kent, she fundamentally discloses to Lizzy that she attempts to dis pose of her significant other by sending him cultivating and off on pointless outings limiting the time they spend together. Austen is demonstrating us the absurdity of them wedding for standardized savings and how in their relationship they scarcely even address one another. As a peruser, we are urged to see the marriage between Mr. Collins and Charlotte as a prime model in supporting Austen’s center around the possibility that marriage ought to be for affection not money related and social asylum. Austen has situated perusers to consider these to be as the logical thinkers of the novel. Perusers are not so much urged to like these characters. Austen leaves us, as perusers, regarding Lizzy’s choice to wed for affection and feeling scorn and scorn for Mr. Collins and Charlotte and their decision to have a cold, troubled marriage. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen has portrayed Mrs. Bennet and her little girl Lydia as senseless, uproarious and negligible characters, genuine instances of the silly conduct and qualities found in a portion of the center/high society ladies. Austen has portrayed these characters to permit us as a peruser to see them as ludicrous contrasted and Lizzy. Mrs Bennet is appeared as a discourteous tyrannical mother, who’s sole desire in life is to get her five little girls wedded into the best money related and social position conceivable. At the point when a solitary rich man Mr. Bingley shows up in Netherfield, Mrs. Bennet is determined to getting her oldest little girl Jane to wed him. When Jane is welcomed over to the Bingley’s, her mom requests â€Å"†You would be advised to go riding a horse, since it appears to probably rain and you should remain all night†. When Jane falls wiped out, and should wait at the Bingley’s, Mrs. Bennet is supported in light of the fact that â€Å"As long as she remains there, it is all very well†. This shows Mrs. Bennet doesn't consider her daughter’s wellbeing, just about her most obvious opportunity with regards to wedding and increasing a rich legacy. Lizzy who thinks her mom is been silly, snidely remarks â€Å"If Jane should pass on; it would be solace to realize that it was all in quest for Mr. Bingley†. Austen has utilized this line, to help build up the image that we as perusers comprehend that Mrs Bennet is silly, ravenous and her needs with respect to her daughter’s wellbeing and marriage are jumbled. Anyway as an elective perusing, we could decipher that Mrs. Bennet as just attempting to support her little girls, as center/high society ladies would be considered ineffectively, on the off chance that they found a new line of work, and in the event that they had no legacy, there would be no cash source; so it was vital that they got hitched at a youthful age to make sure about monetary security. Anyway Austin composes Lizzy’s character as beating these issues without this silliness. As referenced Lydia Bennet, similar to her mom is noisy, unimportant and regularly a shame to her family. She is the most youthful of the Bennet sisters at just 15 and is depicted as juvenile, senseless and credulous. Being the most loved of her mom, (as they are both so indistinguishable) Lydia is spoilt and has never truly been instructed the proper behavior or carry on out in the open. So when Lydia is offered consent to leave to Brighton, Lizzy isn't content, contending with her dad that â€Å"†Our significance, our decency on the planet, must be influenced by the wild unpredictability, the affirmation and scorn of all limitation which mark Lydia's character. This gives us as perusers, a gander at how she is seen by good individuals in the public eye through Lizzy’s exchange we are urged to think the equivalent. Lydia is additionally coquettish, as Lizzy proceeds to portray her as â€Å"A be a tease, as well, in the most exceedingly terrible and meanest level of tease; with no fascination past youth and a middle of the road individual; and from the numbness and void of her mind†. Through different people’s depictions of Lydia, we as perusers disdain her humiliating and hasty disposition. At the point when Lydia runs off with Mr. Wickham, she puts the family name shredded and doesn't in any event, recognizing the dishonorable thing she had done. The message that Jane Austen is attempting to show is that the Regency Era had such exacting and silly practices, qualities and class disparities. Through utilizing ironical methods she has urged us as perusers to react by loathing the exaggerations of Mrs. Bennet and Lydia, as they help speak to the absurdity of the general public during that period. Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen is a sentimental novel, which difficulties and deri des the period wherein it was composed, the mid nineteenth century. Austen, has utilized ironical language and incongruity as principle abstract procedures, to help structure the thoughts of how she saw the general public. Jane’s point of view was that marriage ought to be for adoration, not money related security, and that economic wellbeing and class; including their jobs, qualities and habits, had an excessively significant influence in characterizing the general public. Through the over misrepresentation of cliché individuals from this period, Austin has effectively set us to decipher the characters, thoughts and messages of the book to her comprehension. As perusers, we are constrained to abhorrence and chuckle at a considerable lot of the characters talked about, as they speak to the negatives of period. Austen has effectively built this novel through these negatives and the positive qualities of Lizzy and Mr. Darcy to guarantee, that the crowd is convinced to feel unequivocally and concur with Austen on the messages that marriage ought not be for social and money related soundness, and that the general public ought not rotate around class and economic wellbeing.

Friday, August 21, 2020

A Sorting Hat of Sorts

A Sorting Hat of Sorts Ahh summer. The fresh air. The copious amounts of free time (HA!). The Temporary Housing Assignments. Hard to believe that it was years ago I received my temporary housing assignment (Simmons), and since being at school Ive lived in many different parts of the housing system (West Campus, East Campus, Off-Campus). And from those experiences I think its worth saying that for me at least, where you choose to live can be hugely important for your health and happiness, as well as your academic success. Thankfully the MIT Housing system is designed to give everyone the best chance at being put where theyre happiest. Of course no system is perfect and there are no guarantees, but its flexible enough that most people can end up where they want to be. It all starts with your temporary housing, which actually means practically nothing. Its mostly just a place to put bodies while all the freshmen go out and experience REX (Residence Exploration). REX is where each of the dorms pulls out all the stops that they can to try and showcase their culture and the people who live there so that the freshman can get the best idea of where they want to live. At the end of REX, you can enter the readjustment lottery, where you can re-rank the dorms youd like to live in. Maybe REX changed your ideas, maybe they didnt. But the readjustment lottery tries really hard to maximize everyones preferences through some fancy algorithms and voodoo. I seem to remember that most people get their first or second choice for where they want to live. The key to the whole party though, is to pick a place you feel most connected to the people in. I cant stress that enough. A lot of times, I see students getting charmed by beautiful buildings, nice facilities, bigger rooms, more singles etc (myself included). But none of those things matter if you dont like the people youre living with. Thankfully, with such a wide number of Dorms and FSILGs (more on that in a minute) youre bound to find a group of people with whom you connect. It would be impossible to categorize each dorm concisely and completely, so Ill give you my impressions (thats my blog is for after all right?). Your mileage may vary. Without further adieu, heres my insultingly shallow and biased descriptions of the dorms, each in 144 char. or less! #twitteristakingover : WEST CAMPUS: Many newer dorms. Same side as the student center. Generally considered more tame than East Campus. â€"Baker: Largely athletic and social. Lots of normal college kids. Extremely popular choice among freshmen. â€"Simmons: New and modern. Unestablished culture and quiet. Lots of nice things, but a bit far from campus and other dorms. Has a Puerto Rican floor. â€"McCormick: All women. Former hotel. Dont know much since Im not a woman, but seems to house many international students. â€"Next House: I always confuse Next and New. I dont actually know much I can in conscience say about it. Near the end of dorm row. Everyone I know from Next is Asian, but thats not statistically significant. â€"MacGregor: Very tall. Has a convenience store which is, well, convenient. For a long time I thought this was a mens only dorm, but thats not true. â€"New House:  Has several international floors including a french floor, a spanish floor, and an African-American floor known as Chocolate City. â€"Burton-Conner: A curious number of bloggers have lived in Burton-Conner. In my admittedly limited experience, the most east of the west dorms. Has a jewish floor. â€"Maseeh Hall: Brand-Spanking-New. Choice location next to campus. No experiences to speak of, since this will be the first year its open! EAST CAMPUS: Older side of campus, with lots of heritage and very unique cultures.   â€"East Campus (EC): Truth be told, probably my favorite dorm. Large number of nerds. Lots of Course VI majors. They build a rollercoaster in their courtyard every year, and theyre super close to most classrooms youll frequent. â€"Senior House (Haus): Non-house residents shouldnt spell it like Haus. The oldest dorm on campus. Very accepting of alternative lifestyles. Residents of Senior House seem to have a really strong bond with the place and the other residents. They throw a big party called Steer Roast in the spring. â€"Random House: Not near the other East Campus dorms, but more or less aligned culturally. Lots of kids who love deeply nerdy things like LARPing and RPGs. (The games, not the weapons). Their isolation relative to campus tends to make them a tight knit bunch. ??? Campus: â€"Bexley: Bexley is crazy. Nuff said. Primo-location for campus. Of course, your experiences will vary greatly from mine, but the most important thing is that you find a place you like to live. Living near people you like and get along with has, for me, made studying easier, and life better. MIT is hard, and having people you care about and who care about you goes a long way in helping you get through it. More questions about dorms? Ask away in the comments! Post Tagged #REX

Sunday, May 24, 2020

The effects of Credit Card limit practices of banks on their financial performance and consumer brand preference A Study of Banks in Karachi - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1231 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Cause and effect essay Did you like this example? RESEARCH TITLE: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"The effects of Credit Card limit practices of banks on their financial performance and consumer brand preferenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢: Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The effects of Credit Card limit practices of banks on their financial performance and consumer brand preference: A Study of Banks in Karachi" essay for you Create order A Study of Banks in Karachi INTRODUCTION: Many researchers have aimed to find the different levels of customer preferences regarding financial services (Schmidt, Bergsiek Kolesnikova, 2007), (Tarawneh, 2006). Schmidt, Bergsiek and Kolesnikova (2007) have also observed that todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s dynamic economy is exposing financial institutions to the increasing competitive forces and performance-oriented pressures. In addition, innovative business ideas and increasing competition increases the challenges for the financial institutions to achieve (Hopkins Hopkins, 1997). Based on these dynamics in the financial service industry (Hopkins Hopkins, 1997), a research study that has been conducted investigated the effects of credit card limits (Ausubel, 1999) on customer brand preference (Schmidt, Bergsiek Kolesnikova, 2007) and bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s financial performance (Tarawneh, 2006). In todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s time it is very difficult to prejudge the bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s credit limit (Feinberg, 2003). In recent years, performance study of banks has received higher attention (Seiford Zhu, 1999). According to the study, bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s financial performance includes growth and changeability in the profits of the banks, cash flows and market value of the assets and equity of the financial institutions (Capon, Farley Hoenig, 1990). Moreover, financial institutions lack knowledge about the risk involved with the individual borrower (Dey Mumy, 2005). The goal of this study is to determine customer brand preferences (Schmidt, Bergsiek Kolesnikova, 2007 ) and evaluate bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s financial performance (Tarawneh, 2006) based on the factor of credit card limit practices (Dey Mumy, 2005) . This study tries to determine the differences in customer preference in choosing a particular brand (Schmidt, Bergsiek Kolesnikova, 2007) and provide an understanding to what extend financial institutions grow due to the extensive use of credit card limit (Tarawneh, 2006). STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: To study the effects of credit card limits practices of banks on their financial performance and consumer brand preference. MODEL/FRAMEWORK TO BE USED: The Variables on the left side of the Model are treated as a cause of bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s financial performance (Tarawneh, 2006) and consumer brand preference (Schmidt, Bergsiek Kolesnikova, 2007) regarding the financial institutions. These variables are taken because no study has been done on such combination in Pakistan. The study will be conducted through testing these variables in the banks of Karachi and through consumers in Karachi to determine the effect of Credit Card limits and practices on the bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s financial performance and consumer brand preference. VARIABLE TO BE STUDIED Independent Variable: Credit Card limits practices: Credit Card is a way through which consumers borrow money. By using a credit card, consumers can make purchases without the use of cash (Dey Mumy, 2005). Banks propose a fixed limit to their likely consumers (Dey Mumy, 2005). Dependent Variable: Bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Financial Performance- Bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capacity to conserve on operating expense they incur in constructing their customer and giving customer services (Pastor, Lovell Tulkens 2001). The higher the financial performance, the higher and more improved will be the activities and functions of the institution (Tarawneh, 2006). Consumer Brand Preference- Consumerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s compliance to give an amount for a brand depends on previous experiences (Bronnenberg Dube, 2010). Consumerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s choice related to banks according to the frequency of visit to the representative, most preferred modes of communications or services offered by the bank (Chernev, 1997). PROPOSED RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS H1;Higher level of Credit Card Limits has a relation with Bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Financial Performance. H2; Higher level of Credit Card Limits has a relation with Consumer brand Preference. SOURCES OF INFORMATION The sources of information are primary as well as secondary which includes the financial reports of the Banks of Karachi along with the consumers availing the financial institutionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s services. The study will try to reach to the consumers directly engaged with the service for gaining the best available information regarding the effects of credit card limits and practices. SAMPLING TECHNIQUE AND PROCEDURES The study proposes convenience sampling technique which is a non-probability sampling technique where subjects are selected because of their convenient accessibility and proximity to the researcher. The subjects are selected just because they are easiest to recruit for the study and the researcher did not consider selecting subjects that are representative of the entire population. Convenience based sampling is chosen because of the following reasons: Time limitation Resources Limitation The Sampling procedure would be that the researcher visits the concerned organization decided upon and where ever a manager is found willing to participate he/she will be filling the instrument of data collection. SAMPLE SIZE The Study proposes a sample of 250 Consumers who are either consuming the credit card service or any other services provided by different banks. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE The Survey will be conducted through questionnaires given to the consumers availing bank services to fill out and gather information in order to determine the factor that affects consumerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s preferences of selecting financial institutions. Then statistical tests will be conducted in order to gather / analyze the results and as far as the procedure is concerned the questionnaires will get filled by getting them filled personally from the consumers of the banks in Karachi. INSTRUMENT/S OF DATA COLLECTION Questionnaires developed will help the study to determine the effect of credit card limits and practices on the bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s financial performance and consumer brand preference. Test will be conducted on dependent and independent variables of financial performances of banks and consumer brand preference. The Questionnaire is proposed to have 10 questions, where all the questions are closed ended on the basis of a likert scale. STATISTICAL TESTS TO BE USED Following test would be used to check the variables. Regression To check whether the relation between the variables exist of not. Co-relation To check the magnitude of variables. POSSIBLE RESARCH FINDINGS The research might show the following possible outcomes: Financial Performance of banks has direct relation with the credit limits practices of banks. Consumer Brand Preferences has indirect relation with the credit limits practices of banks. LIST OF REFERNCES Alex Chernev [1997], à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Effect of Common Features on Brand Choice: Moderating Role of Attribute Importanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Journal of Consumer Research Inc., Vol 23. Bart J. Bronnenberg, Jean Pierre H. Dube Mathew Gentzkow [July 2010], à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Evolution of Brand Preferences: Evidence from Consumer Migrationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , University of Chicago and NBER. Jesus T. Pastor, C. A. Knox Lovell and Henry Tulkens [2001], à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Evaluating the Financial Performance of Bank Branchesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Department of Economics, University of Georgia. Lawrence M. Ausubel [1999], à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Adverse Selection in the Credit Card Marketà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Department of Economics, University of Maryland Lawrence M. Seiford and Joe Zhu [Sept. 1999], à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Profitability and Marketability of the Top 55 U.S. Commercial Banksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Management Science, Vol 45 No.9, pp 1270-1288. Martina K. Schmidt, Micha Bergsiek and Marina Kolesnikova [2007], à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Customer Preference of financial services across the US, Russia and Germanyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Journal of International Business and Cultural Studies. Medhat Tarawneh, [2006], à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A Comparison of Financial Performance in the Banking Sector: Some Evidence from Omani Commercial Banksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , International Research Journal of Finance and Economics, Issue 3, Euro Journal Publishing Inc. Noel Capon, John U. Farley, Scott Hoenig [1990], à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Determinants of Financial Performanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Management Science, Vol 36 No.10, pp 1143-1159. Willie E. Hopkins and Shirley A. Hopkins [Sept.1997], à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Strategic Planning- Financial Performance Relationships in Banks; A Causal Examinationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Strategic Management Journal, Vol 18 No.8 pp 635-652, published by: John Willey Sons. Robert M. Feinberg [Jul., 2003], à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Determinants of Bank Rates in Local Consumer Lending Markets: Comparing Market and Institution-Level Resultsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Southern Economic Journal, Vol. 70, No. 1, pp. 144-156.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Alive Movie Report Group Dynamics - 3811 Words

1) Baseline Description Early After the Crash The first few days following the crash of the Uruguayan Air Force plane carrying 45 passengers en route to Chile was surely made out to be some of the hardest days throughout what would become an amazing 72 day fight for survival. In the first few days the team had to fight through anxiety, mental instability, chaos, and perhaps the most important barricade—the fight to stay unified, positive and team-orientated. This is what makes it such an amazing story because without the strong team development and commitment, survival would not have been possible. Prior to the announcement that the search party had ceased its efforts, the group was just waiting and depending on the search party to find†¦show more content†¦On the fourth day the team saw the plane that flew by and tipped its wings. This sparked false hope, which led to the storming stage of team development. Everyone believed that they were saved; consequently, they ate and drank what little food and wine they had. Members of the team had broken the rationing guideline and Antonio had to manage the conflict which involved reprimanding the team after they violated the ‘team contract’. The next stage entered was norming. After the search had been called off, Nando created the new goal for the team of getting out of there themselves. Nando and Canessa enhanced team commitment and focus by getting team members to cannibalize. The team then went back to the storming stage of team development. This was reflected by a couple conflicts. First, there was the conflict with the transportation of the batteries and how it wasn’t possible. As well as the conflict of trying to bring the radio to the batteries in the tail and the disagreements of which group members were going to partake in this event. Canessa used a forcing approach to influence the group member’s participation. Finally, the team had reached the most desirable and effective level of functioning, the performing stage of team development. The three team leaders embarked on an unknown journey to find help. They fostered extraordinary performance and developed a clear mission which involved over the top commitment to the team and theirShow MoreRelatedEssay on Portrayals of John Anderton1095 Words   |  5 Pagesexists in Philip K. Dick’s famous short story, The Minority Report. Using the adaptation made by screenwriters, Scott Frank and Jon Cohen, DreamWorks was able to release the film version of Dick’s short story in 2002. Furthermore, this futuristic age film was directed by the famous director, Stephen Spielberg. The main focus of the short story and film surrounds the lead character John Anderton and his efforts to understand the minority report. 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Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Taran And Ero An Excellent Shot With A Bow And Arrow

During their southward travels to Camelot, Taran and Ero acted as father and son, they hunted, and Taran discovered his father – it still seemed strange to refer to Ero as â€Å"father† in his mind – was an excellent shot with a bow and arrow. Taran was a decent shot, too, though Kahl never was. Taran caught himself constantly watching Ero for clues about Taran’s own history and development. Ero had a quirk where he often opened and closed his jaw to loosen it, and Taran had always done the same. But beyond those quirks, it was Ero’s temperament that Taran felt matched his own so closely. Ero was reserved, though humorous around those whom he knew, often shy, and held strong beliefs about the equality and justice. The two were more alike than Taran had ever dreamed. What would have been otherwise a long anadromous trip in biting cold, Taran found himself happier than ever. Every morning he woke, the day seemed full of new possibilities. He was no longer anchored by Kahl’s legacy. He had a father and a betrothed who loved him. This was the happiest he had ever been. Even so, he missed Veerah terribly, but picturing her kisses and erotic touches as he rode soothes the ache. He would be back in her arms and bed soon enough. Meanwhile, he would treasure this time with Ero, as it was unlikely they could ever act as father and son again. They were closing in on the end of a fortnight of travel, and Camelot was a mere two-days’ ride now. They would arrive early for the wedding and

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Extinct Animals Research Essay Example For Students

Extinct Animals Research Essay : Woolly Mammoth: We have learned much aboutthe Woolly Mammoth almost more than any other dinosaur that has been identified. Due to the fact that the Woolly Mammoth so closely resembles todays elephants,care for them would most probably require most of the same factors to keep italive. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-* Copyright DueNow.com Inc. *Category:SciencePaper Title:Extinct Animals Research: Woolly MammothText:We have learned much about the Woolly Mammoth almost more than any otherdinosaur that has been identified. Due to the fact that the Woolly Mammoth soclosely resembles todays elephants, care for them would most probably requiremost of the same factors to keep it alive. Since the Woolly Mammoth has beenextinct for 4000 years, it is difficult to tell exactly what they lived on, butwe can hypothesize. The Woolly Mammoth lived during the Ice Age, so if alive today, it must bekept in a tundra environment. For food, only basic tundra vegetation isnecessary. Due to the thick pelt that the Woolly Mammoth has, any known Ice Agetemperatures would suffice since the thick fur protects the animal in anyextreme temperatures. Large enclosures would not be needed as they would be for a normal elephantsince the Woolly Mammoth is only three meters high. The huge tusks would allowit to scavenge for its own food, so no special feedings would be necessary. Feedings would also be needed on a less frequent basis since the Woolly Mammoth,much like todays camels, keeps under its sloping back a thick layer of blubberas nutrition when food was not needed. The problem in keeping a creature such as the Woolly Mammoth in a zoo- likesurrounding would be poachers. Due to the endangerment of such a magnificentspecies, poachers of pelts and ivory would most certainly be after its hugetusks and thick furs, so it would be necessary to post guards around its cageat all times. A large-scale habitat would be constructed for this creature since, duringthe period it lived, the Pleistocene, there were no restrictions on the placesit could roam to. There was nothing stopping this beast from stomping along towherever it wanted to go. A Woolly Mammoth might find it peculiar to be stuck ina twenty foot ice field with no predators or other animals whatsoever. To solve this problem, it would be possible to include other animals from theWoolly Mammoths time period. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Anna Pavlova

Anna Pavlova Dates: January 31 (February 12 in the new calendar), 1881 - January 23, 1931 Occupation: dancer, Russian ballerinaKnown for: Anna Pavlova is especially remembered for her portrayal of a swan, in The Dying Swan.Also known as: Anna Matveyevna Pavlova or Anna Pavlovna Pavlova Anna Pavlova Biography: Anna Pavlova, born in Russia in 1881, was the daughter of a laundry-woman. Her father may have been a young Jewish soldier and businessman; she took the last name of her mothers later husband who likely adopted her when she was about three years old. When she saw The Sleeping Beauty performed, Anna Pavlova decided to become a dancer, and entered the Imperial Ballet School at ten. She worked very hard there, and on graduation began to perform at the Maryinsky (or Mariinsky) Theatre, debuting on September 19, 1899. In 1907, Anna Pavlova began her first tour, to Moscow, and by 1910 was appearing at the Metropolitan Opera House in America. She settled in England in 1912. When, in 1914, she was traveling through Germany on her way to England when Germany declared war on Russia, her connection to Russia was for all intents broken. For the rest of her life, Anna Pavlova toured the world with her own company and kept a home in London, where her exotic pets were constant company when she was there. Victor Dandrà ©, her manager, was also her companion, and may have been her husband; she herself distracted from clear answers on that. While her contemporary, Isadora Duncan, introduced revolutionary innovations to dance, Anna Pavlova remained largely committed to the classic style. She was known for her daintiness, frailness, lightness and both wittiness and pathos. Her last world tour was in 1928-29 and her last performance in England in 1930. Anna Pavlova appeared in a few silent films: one, The Immortal Swan, she shot in 1924 but it was not shown until after her death it originally toured theaters in 1935-1936 in special showings, then was released more generally in 1956. Anna Pavlova died of pleurisy in the Netherlands in 1931, having refused to have surgery, reportedly declaring, If I cant dance then Id rather be dead. Print Bibliography - Biographies and Dance Histories: Algeranoff. My Years With Pavlova. 1957.Beaumont, Cyril. Anna Pavlova. 1932.Dandrà ©, Victor. Anna Pavlova in Art and Life. 1932.Fonteyn, Margo. Pavlova: Repertoire of a Legend. 1980.Franks, A. H., editor. Pavlova: A Biography. 1956.Kerensky, Oleg. Anna Pavlova. London, 1973.Gaevsky, Vadim. The Russian Ballet - A Russian World: Russian Ballet from Anna Pavlova to Rudolf Nureyev. 1997.Krasovskaya, Vera. Anna Pavlova. 1964.Krasovskaya, Vera. Russian Ballet Theatre at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century vol. 2. 1972.Money, Keith. Anna Pavlova: Her Life and Art. 1982.Lazzarini, John and Roberta. Pavlova. 1980.Magriel, Paul. Pavlova. 1947.Valerian, Svetlov. Anna Pavlova. London, 1930.International Dictionary of Ballet. 1993. Includes an inclusive list of her roles and a more complete bibliography. Print Bibliography - Childrens Books: Anna Pavlova. I Dreamed I Was a Ballerina. Illustrated by Edgar Degas. Ages 4-8.Allman, Barbara. Dance of the Swan: A Story About Anna Pavlova (A Creative Minds Biography). Illustrated by Shelly O. Haas. Ages 4-8.Levine, Ellen. Anna Pavlova: Genius of the Dance. 1995.

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Personality and Leadership Essays

Personality and Leadership Essays Personality and Leadership Essay Personality and Leadership Essay A Comparing Traits and Skills Theories Impact on Leadership Robert L. Reese Grand Canyon university October 1st, 2014 Introduction In this review (see table 1) two empirical articles were compared, one that reviewed Trait Theory of leadership, and the other that reviewed Skills Theory of leadership. Personality and Leadership: A Qualitative and Quantitative Review, authored by Timothy A. Judge, Joyce E. Bono, Reams lies, and Megan W. Gerhardt conducted quantifiable evaluations of the connection between character traits and Leadership. The rationale of this research study was the existence of unreliable and inadequate results from prior examinations that have, until recently, provided a deficient configuration for categorizing and consolidating qualities. The authors were able to build a strong case based for their approach; by using the five-factor model of personality as a unifying structure to predict relationships between character traits and leadership. Additionally, there were relationships containing several standards were used, because of the apprehension with past personality trait research as to whether comprehensive or precise character traits forecast leadership? The article further investigates the comparative projective power of wide-ranging versus precise measures of these five traits (Timothy A. Judge, 2002). The leadership skills strapless: Leadership skill requirements across organizational levels the authors Troy V. Uniform, Michael A. Champion, Frederick P. Morrison; endeavors to not classify the features of leaders (that has had a varying history of success), but instead focuses attention directly on the job requirements of the leader, as well as the skills it squires, not focusing on the person. A further consideration of the skills required for leadership across an organizations level is examined by Identifying four distinctive classifications of leadership skill requirements that occur across structural levels. According to this article, the requirements for leadership are described as being stratified on one hand, yet a complex of various classifications. As such, skills needed for leadership can be described using a strapless selling the stratification and multifaceted nature of the skills required for leadership and the correlation within The research questions posed by Judge, et. Al (2002) in the research examination of the five-factor model of personality and how this model relates to leadership : 1 What are the associations between personality traits and leadership? 2. ) What is the overall connection among the Big Five character traits and leadership? (the Big Five character traits are defined in this article as: Neurotics, Extroversion, Openness, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness) 3. ) What is the relationship that lower level personality constructs have to leadership? (Timothy A. Judge, 2002) In the research inducted Uniform, et. Al. Several questions were posed in the form of hypotheses: (1) Will the Cognitive, Interpersonal, Business, and Strategic skill categories be empirically distinguishable in relation leadership? (2) How will Leadership skills requirements will vary by skill category such that Cognitive skills will be needed the greatest amount, followed by Interpersonal, Business, and Strategic skills, respectively? (3) Will Cognitive, Interpersonal, Business, and Strategic skill requirements will be positively related to the Jobs level in the organization? How will the skills required in leadership interact within different organizational level? For example: a. Which skill requirements will be more strongly related to organizational level; strategic, cognitive, interpersonal, and/or business skills; b. Will the business skill requirements needed of leaders be more strongly related to organizational level than cognitive or interpersonal skills; and c. Will the interpersonal skill requirements needed for leaders be more strongly related to organizational level than cognitive skills? (Troy V. Uniform, 2007 ). Sample Populations The two articles reviewed used different methods with different characteristics and or qualities, as well as examining two distinctly different theories related to leadership. Judge, et. Al. (2002) samples consisted of 1023 professional employees within international agencies of the United States government. These people were working within five different career fields and encompassed 1 56 different countries.. The organizational positions examined included people that were involved in supervision of the purchasing of goods and services, managing financial endeavors, and negotiating and monitoring contracts. The personnel were selected from different levels within the organization; Juniors with 1-5 years of experience, mid- level with 6-20 years, and seniors with 21+ years (Timothy A. Judge, 2002). In the research conducted by Uniform, et. Al. (2007) an examination 998 plus past studies was conducted. Searches of articles were conducted and this resulted in 1,447 abstracts, 263 Journal articles and 77 dissertations. Of these articles used sixty studies were examined with 73 independent samples in all, which contained 222 associations that were categorized into one or more of the traits. In addition the article, examined 20 studies relating self-esteem or locus of control, together with two of the 60 five-factor model studies. However when research on leadership (before 1950) failed to report the information necessary to obtain a linkage, these were excluded by the current research. Also, the articles omitted studies that defined leadership related to salary level, career success, or the person most liked by peers exclusively. Studies that were included in the examination, were studies defined as representing leader development or leadership effectiveness based on the authors Within the research study Personality and Leadership: A Qualitative and Quantitative Review (2002) Judge et. Al the following results were determined. First, Extroversion showed the most closely related correlation to leadership, then Conscientiousness and then Neurotics. Also, Openness to Experience showed a correlation with leadership but was the weakest correlation of the areas researched. This indicated confidence that the relationship of four of the Big Five traits were distinctive when examined across situations. Finally, Agreeableness presented a moderately weak connection with leadership. However, four characteristics displayed reasonably strong associations with leadership?sociability, dominance, achievement and dependability. Two personality traits, Extroversion and Openness, were significantly predictive of leadership across the criteria studied. Results in the Judge et. Al. (2002) study offers strong evidence in favor of the personality trait method and suggests that research on the characteristics of leadership has evolved (Timothy A. Judge, 2002). In the Uniform, et. Al. Search study of the leadership skill requirements across organizational levels, the results supported the four-factor model of dervish skill requirements and the question presents in Hypothesis number one. Cognitive skills were higher than Business skills although they both showed movement in the predicted directions and were not statistically noteworthy. Thus according to this study, hypothesis two was somewhat supported. Hypothesis three, through the research received full support, because leadership skill requirements increased with organizational level on which the leader was. Results indicated that the relationship between the skill requirements of leadership and organizational bevel was stronger for strategic skills than for interpersonal and cognitive skill requirements, and this provides partial support for hypothesis four (a). Hypothesis four (b) was fully supported within the research by the relationship demonstrated between skill level and organizational level being stronger for business skill requirements than for interpersonal and cognitive skill requirements. Finally, hypothesis four (c) was also completely supported, because the difference between the leadership skill requirements-to-organizational level correlation; was significant for interpersonal and cognitive skill requirements. Finally, Uniform, et. Al. Proposed a hypothetically rich leadership skills order, and tested this hierarchy in a sample of over 1000 lower, middle, and upper level leaders, these results provided support for the model and its key hypotheses (Troy V. Uniform, 2007 Conclusion Within their research study Personality and Leadership: A Qualitative and Quantitative Review (2002) Judge et. L. Searches were conducted for studies on personality traits-to-leadership relationship in two phases; (1) entering the keywords personality and leadership along with each of the Big Five traits in a database, (2) urinals were manually searched that were thought to be particularly relevant, then (3) the database was searched using leadership and 48 other traits such as; self- esteem, locus of control, modesty, and self-control that were known to have been studied as directly related to leadership (Bass, 1990) (Timothy A. Judge, 2002). The article, The leadership skills strapless: Leadership skill requirements across organizational levels by Uniform et. Al. (2007), examines previous conceptualizations of leadership skill requirements and suggests that this can be understood in terms of and (4) Strategic skills (Troy V. Uniform, 2007 The research study of Personality and Leadership: A Qualitative and Quantitative Review (2002) Judge et. Al. Discusses the following limitations. In the review and subsequent research it was found to be important to determine which traits are relevant, as well as why. Within this study these process oriented issues could not be addressed. According to the authors there are many situational reasons that may impact the validity of personality characteristics in actually predicting leadership. A drawback of the meta-analysis within the study was that there may be representative effects on the lower order rats. Specifically, personality traits within a particular Big Five dimension may be differentially connected to leadership across the settings. Judge, et. Al. (2002) point out using the example, that dominance may display greater association with leadership in student settings than in military or government settings (Timothy A. Judge, 2002). In Uniform, et. Al. Research study of the leadership skill necessities across structural levels, limitations were examined by looking toward what would be appropriate for future research. According to the authors future research will have to cake advantage of the conceptual and concrete findings and further experiment with the model in throughout other organizations. Furthermore, future research must refine management development, placement, and selection systems in within different organizations. Finally, other researchers should explore the degree to which these results can be replicated when other information is taken into consideration and determine the impact leadership skill requirements (Troy V. Uniform, 2007 ). References Bass, B. M. (1990). Bass and Goodwills handbook of leadership. New York: Free Press. Timothy A. Judge, J. E. (2002). Personality and Leadership: A Qualitative and Quantitative Review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 765-780. Troy V. Uniform, M. A. (2007 ). The leadership skills strapless: Leadership skill requirements across organizational levels. The Leadership Quarterly, 154-166. Appendix Comparison Matrix Article 1 Article 2 Title/Author(s) Personality and Leadership: A Qualitative and Quantitative Review Authors: Timothy A. Judge, Joyce E. Bono, Reams Lies, and Megan W. Gerhardt The leadership skills strapless: Leadership skill requirements across organizational levels Authors: Troy V. Uniform, Michael A. Champion, Frederick P. Morrison http://library. GU. Deed:2048/login? URL=http://search. Boycotts. Com. Library. GU. Deed: 2048/gin. Asps? Direct=truedb=bthAN=12130448site=eds-livescope=site http:// library. Cue. Deed:2048/login? URL=http://search. Boycotts. Com. Library. GU. Deed:2048/ login. Asps? Direct=truedb=bthAN=24385837site=eds-livescope=site Purpose of the Study What is the authors rationale for selecting this topic? Does he build a strong case? The purpose of this article was to provide a quantitative review of the relationship teen personality and Leadership. The rationale for this study is; the inconsistent and disappointing results from previous reviews are that, until recently, we have lacked a taxonomic structure for classifying and organizing traits. I believe the authors build a strong case based on their approach; they use the five-factor model of personality as an organizing framework to estimate relations between personality and leadership. Furthermore, we estimate relations involving multiple criteria, also because there is much concern in personality research about whether broad or specific personality traits best redirect criteria (Block, 1995; Hough, 1992), they investigate the relative predictive power of broad versus specific measures of The Big Five traits. Focus is shifted from the person holding the Job (I. E. , the leader) to the Job itself. Thus, instead of attempting to identify the characteristics of leaders (which has had a checkered history of success), the focus is squarely on the Job of the leader, and the skills it requires. We seek to further our understanding of leadership skill requirements across organizational levels by identifying four distinct categories of leadership skill acquirement that emerge differentially across organizational levels. Leadership skill requirements are often described as being stratified by organizational level and a complex of multiple categories. As such, leadership skill requirements across organizational levels can be usefully described using a strapless. The term strapless captures the stratified and complex nature of the leadership skill requirements and their relationship with level in the organization. Research Question(s) What question(s) does the author present? They present these as possible questions but not directly as questions: What is the engages between personality and Leadership? What is the overall relationship between the Big Five traits and leadership? Relationship of lower order personality constructs to leadership? Hypotheses: (1) The Cognitive, Interpersonal, Business, and Strategic skill categories will be empirically distinguishable. (2) Leadership skill requirements will vary by skill category such that Business, and Strategic skills, respectively. (3) Cognitive, Interpersonal, Business, and Strategic skill requirements will be positively related to the Jobs level in the organization. 4) Leadership skill requirements will interact with organizational level such that: a. Strategic skill requirements will be more strongly related to organizational level than Cognitive, Interpersonal, and Business skill requirements; b. Business skill requirements will be more strongly related to organizational level than Cognitive or Interpersonal skill requirements; and c. Interpersonal skill requirements will be more strongly related to organizational level than Cognitive skill requirements. Literature Review How is this organized? What are the main themes found in the review? Who are the main authors used? They conducted searches for studies on the personality- leadership relationship in two stages; (1) first entering the keywords personality and leadership and each of the Big Five traits and leadership in the Psychology database, (2) manually searched Journals thought to be particularly relevant, (3) searched the database using leadership and 48 additional traits (e. G. , self-esteem, locus of control, modesty, and self-control) known to have been studied in relationship to leadership (Bass, 1990). Previous conceptualizations of leadership skill requirements (Connelly et al. , 2000; Kananga Miser, 1992; Katz Kahn, 1978; Luau, Newman, Broadening, 1980; Mahoney, Jeered, Carroll, 1965; Integers, 1973; Uniform, Marks, Connelly, Carrot, Ritter-Palmtop, 2000; Carrot, 2001) suggest they can be understood in terms of four general categories: (1) Cognitive skills, (2) Interpersonal skills, (3) Business skills, and (4) Strategic skills. Table 1 summarizes how past research into leadership skill requirements are related to these four categories. Sample Population(s) What group(s) is/are being studied? 998 studies; (2) This search resulted in 1,447 abstracts, (3) the remaining 263 Journal articles and 77 doctoral dissertations, Sixty studies (73 independent samples in all), containing 222 correlations that were classified into one or more of the five-factor traits, met these criteria. Additionally, 20 studies involving self-esteem or locus of control was coded, including two of the 60 five-factor model studies noted above. Early studies on leadership (pre-1950) failed to report the data necessary to obtain a career success, or the person most liked by peers. We also excluded self-reports of leadership. In terms of the criterion, studies were coded as representing leader emergence or leadership effectiveness based on our a priori definitions. The sample consisted of 1023 professional employees working in an international agency of the U. S. Government. These employees were generalists working in five different career specialties in 156 different countries, including the United States. Administrative positions involved overseeing procurement of goods and services, managing financial operations, and negotiating and monitoring contracts with various external groups. The employees were sampled from three levels in the organization that will be offered to as Junior (1-5 years experience), mid-level (6-20 years), and senior (21+ years). Limitations What are the limitations of the study? Why can it only encompass so much? They have a relatively poor idea of not only which traits are relevant, but why. The study could not address these process oriented Issues. There are many situational factors that may moderate the validity of personality in predicting leadership. A limitation of the meta-analysis is that there may be nested representative effects involving the lower order traits. Specifically, traits within a Big Five dimension may be differentially associated with leadership across the study settings. For example, dominance may display greater associations with leadership in student settings than in military or government settings. Future research will take advantage of the conceptual and practical findings and further test the model in other organizations, as well as refine management development, placement, and selection systems in organizations. Future research should explore the extent to which the results replicate when other sources of information are drawn upon to determine the leadership skill Results/ Conclusions What did the author find through the study? Was the original question answered? Correlate of leadership. Conscientiousness and then Neurotics and Openness to Experience displayed the next strongest correlations with leadership. Indicating that we can be confident that the relationship of four of the Big Five traits to leadership is distinguishable from zero across situations. Finally, Agreeableness showed a relatively weak correlation with leadership. Four traits displayed moderately strong correlations with leadership?sociability, dominance, achievement and dependability. Two traits, Extroversion and Openness, were significantly predictive of leadership across the criteria. Results in this study provide strong evidence in favor of the trait approach and suggest that we have come a long way since J. A. Murphy (1941) remarked, Leadership does not reside in the person (p. 674), and Jenkins (1947) concluded, No single trait or group of characteristics has been isolated which sets off the leader from members of his group (up. 74-75). This provides support for the four-factor model of leadership skill requirements and Hypothesis 1 . Cognitive was higher than Business. Other mean differences, although in the predicted direction, were not statistically significant. Thus, Hypothesis 2 was partially supported. Hypothesis 3 received full support. This relationship is illustrated in Fig. 2, which shows that leadership skill requirements increase with organizational level? Results indicate that the relationship between leadership skill requirements and organizational level is stronger for Strategic skill requirements than for Interpersonal and Cognitive skill requirements, providing partial support for Hypothesis AAA. Hypothesis b was fully supported in that the relationship between skill level and organizational level was stronger for Business skill requirements than for Interpersonal and Cognitive skill requirements. Finally, Hypothesis c was also fully supported, as the difference between the leadership skill-organizational level correlation for Interpersonal and Cognitive skill requirements was significant. The paper has proposed a theoretically rich leadership skills hierarchy, and tested that hierarchy in a sample of over 1000 lower, mid, and upper level leaders. Results provide support for the model and its key hypotheses.

Friday, February 21, 2020

Nasser Speaks Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nasser Speaks - Assignment Example Everything in this piece of work is mixed up as though one was observing a real life development than in a piece of writing such as in a book which one would expect to be more systematic and follow chapters, and subheadings. An example is when the writer talks about family panning, development in agriculture and the exploitation of natural recourses all in one paragraph and in a manner to suggest that they are all related subjects to the point he is trying to make. One can only assume that that is the way of reasoning within his cultural context where everything is thought of a whole and where everything interacts with everything else in one big complicated whole. That having being said the writer presents solutions to developmental challenges, which are present in Egypt, and gives solutions to them. He also proposes a workable solution to the present day issues of governance which he thinks should mix the past (feudalism) and the present, democracy and the tribal (socialism).In fact what he is proposing is a mix of democratic capitalism with a hint of socialist tendencies. In all this, he does not fail to remind his people and their fellow Arab states of their need to unite and develop for the future in order to consolidate their power as a block through allegiance and economic power. The writer sees the world in two views: the world of the Arab and the others. There is also an attempt at reminding the Arab world of their heritage and the need to fight against imperialists. Although they are not expressly mention, one can deduce from the dialogue that it is western nations. This is because of the need to defend the Arab way of life and their tribal creeds, which have only been threatened by western occupation and civilization. This work therefore comes forth as a personal expression of life in Egypt. The definations, solutions and

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Academic Honesty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Academic Honesty - Research Paper Example The present paper has identified that teachers occupy the central position in determining the academic honesty of students because students visualize their teachers as role models for them. This also has a strong relationship with the contemporary business scenario. In an attempt to gain competitive advantage and maximize their profits, many businessmen have opened schools and employed them as a means of business without academic sense and knowledge of what tutors to hire to meet the needs of a particular educational level. In order to inculcate honesty in students, it is imperative that the teachers hired are first checked for the same through properly designed strategies and tests. Often, tutors hired have little emotional association with their profession apart from earning money. Many tutors work only for money and have no long-term plans of setting an ethical base for the prospective citizens of the society through their teaching and moral conduct. Such tutors tend to be forgetf ul of their duties. They tend to miss lectures, come to the class later than the start time, and leave the class earlier than the break-off time. Even if they are fulfilling their duties completely as expected of them, they tend to send a negative signal to many honest students who don’t cheat in the exam by not taking action against those who do cheat in the exam. Many tutors tend to knowingly overlook the act of cheaters for such reasons as lack of courage to stop them, fear of insult by the students and unwillingness to display harsh attitude. Such tutors serve as a potential source of discouragement.

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The Mission of Ben Jerrys

The Mission of Ben Jerrys Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield founded Ben Jerrys Homemade Ice Cream in 1978. Back in 1966, when they were working out in a school gym, they both realised that they hated running but loved food. Years later in 1978, Ben had been fired from a series of jobs while Jerry had failed for the second time to get into medical school. So, they decided to do a $5 correspondence course in ice cream making and later opened their first scoop shop in a dilapidated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. They soon became popular in the local community for the best all natural ice cream. By 1979, they began wholesaling pints of ice cream out of Bens VW campervan.Over the years, Ben Jerrys evolved into a socially-oriented, independent-minded industry leader in the super-premium ice cream market.All Ben Jerrys frozen dessert products are being manufactured in the companys three plants located in Vermont. The company distributes ice cream, low fat ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet and other novelty produ cts (1). While the majority of corporate managers were under constant pressure to meet their shareholders demands, Ben and Jerry were quite the opposite; they were only interested in short-term gains and large profits. In fact, at first they panicked by their quick business growth, as they thought about severing ties with the fast growing company. They did not place any emphasis on cash, equipment and inventories which are considered to be the tangible assets of the firm. Instead, their focus was on intangible` assets such as reputation, quality of life, joy, social concerns; all of which they considered to be as valuable as material assets- and as Jerry put it ‘if its not fun, why do it?. Recently, Unilever, a multinational food and personal products company acquired Ben Jerrys in spring 2000. The Ben Jerrys Board of Directors approved Unilevers worth  £ 230m. Under the terms conditions of the agreement, Ben Jerrys will function separately from Unilevers existing ice cream business. There will be an independent Board of Directors and their main role would be to maintain Ben Jerrys social mission and brand integrity. Both co-founders will keep on working with Ben Jerrys, and the company will continue to be Vermont-based (3).So, although it is under Unilever but it still continues to maintain its individual identity. Ben Jerrys Mission The underlying mission of Ben Jerrys is to search for new and innovative ways of addressing all three parts (social, product and economic), while holding a profound respect for the community of which they are a part and also to the individuals inside and outside the company. Their mission consists of three interrelated parts shown below. â€Å"To operate the company in a way that actively recognizes the central role that business plays in society by initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life locally, nationally and internationally† (2). â€Å"To make, distribute and sell the finest quality all natural ice cream and euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients and promoting business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment† (2). â€Å"To operate the company on a sustainable financial basis of profitable growth, increasing value for the stakeholders and expanding opportunities for development and career growth for the employees† (2). There has been an increasing demand for indulgent ‘treats in the British diet. Around  £1.3 billion ice cream market is tapping into this demand with rising sales in luxury and premium ice creams at the expense of standard varieties. About 14million adults buy ice cream as a treat. The growing demand for indulgent desserts has helped grow the sales of ice cream. Since 2007, value sales of ice cream have grown by 8% (4). All these statistics show that Ben Jerrys have great potential in the U.K. market. Strategic Analysis Political factors There had been rumours accusing Ben Jerrys of supporting the defence ofMumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted in 1982 of killing Philadelphia Police officerDaniel Faulkner. Misunderstanding stemmed from the fact that Ben Cohen, one of the co-founders, joined hundreds of other people in signing a petition in 1995 asking that American justice should be followed fully in the case. Apart from these reports, there had been allegations that Ben Jerrys had introduced an ice cream flavour whose name is connected to this case.As a consequence of this alleged support, the National Fraternal Order of Police had publicly called for a boycott of all Ben Jerrys products (6). Again in 2006, Ben Jerrys had to apologise to Irish consumers for launching a new flavour â€Å"Black and Tan† evoking their worst days of British military oppression. Black and Tans was the term used for recruiting an irregular force of British ex-servicemen during the Irish war of independence and renowned for their brutality (9). Ben Jerrys were again in news when PETA sent them a letter asking them to use breast milk instead of cows to prevent cruelty to the dairy cows (5). Moreover, ever since Ben Jerrys have been taken over by Unilever, the Vermont firm, famous for donating part of its profits to charity, has been criticised for having changed their commercial focus. Economic factors The high costs related to manufacturing each different unique flavour. Ben Jerrys primary marketing goal is to create products that cannot be reproduced but the technological developments of the company has not allowed them to launch the products within a realistic time limit. It takes them many years to come up with a new different flavour. Even after that there is no surety if the product would be successful or able to penetrate in the market. Not only this, it also gives the competitors a chance to take over their place in the market. Back in 1994 also, sales dropped, profits went down, and the companys stock prices fell to half its value. Cost of sales increased approximately $9.6 million or 9.5% over the same period in 1993, and the overall gross profit as a percentage of net sales decreased from 28.6% in 1993 to 26.2% in 1994. This loss might have been a result of several reasons, such as high administration and selling costs, a negative impact of inventory management, and start up costs associated with certain flavours (8). The company realising its fall in sales, quickly responded to the changes in consumer demands and introduced Ben Jerrys ‘Lite. The line failed miserably. It looked like that Ben Jerry failed to forecast and acknowledge the changes in consumer tastes, and was faced with increasing competition with Haagen-Dazs, which introduced its ‘low-fat Ultra Premium ice-cream. Social factors Partnershops are Ben Jerrys scoop shops that are independently owned and operated by community-based non-profitable organizations. These organizations use the funds generated to train and counsel disenfranchised youth who are in need of a helping hand to get back into the work environment. Other than this, they are working on sustainable dairy farming programme and fair-trade (which is the premium they pay for the ingredients which enables the farmer to take positive steps towards providing basic needs for their families, such as healthcare, education and safe housing) (1). Such efforts had been made to attract over ‘like-minded consumers, however its debatable as in to what extent this will have an impact on appealing the hearts of their consumers. The question then arises as to how much their social unique image gets affected by their consumer behaviour. Environmental factors U.K. experienced poor weather in the summer of 2007 in comparison to that of 2006, with an average temperature of 14.10C compared to 15.80C in 2006. This had a negative effect on the ice cream market, especially in the impulse sector, and value sales went down 1.5% compared to 2006. In the last two years (2008 and 2009), summer temperatures appear to have picked up, reaching approximately 14.70C in 2009 (4). UK Mean seasonal temperature ( °C), 2004-09* January-August Seasons: Winter=Dec-Feb, Spring=Mar-May, Summer=June-Aug, Autumn=Sept-Nov Data are provisional from December 2008 and Winter 2008/09 Source: Met Office/Mintel Technological factors In order to improve the companys infrastructure and with the aim to automate their production to keep up the intense competition, they invested a lot of money in property and equipments in 1994 increasing their long term debts by almost 45%. SWOT analysis Strengths Prestigious, established and recognized brand name and successfully operating in many countries. Ben Jerrys make a yearly contribution of minimum $1.1 million from pre-tax profits to charitable foundation. It also sponsors Partnershops, Ben Jerrys scoop shops, which are operated by non-profitable organizations. These organizations help the disenfranchised youth to get them back in the working environment. They also have a long term partnership with Fairtrade foundation which works toward paying farmers the premium that enables them to fulfil the basic needs of their families. Till now, they have launched four Fairtrade certified ice cream flavours. Product differentiation- the use of natural, good quality ingredient, different flavours and the strategic use of quirky flavour names such as Wavy Gravy, Chubby Hubby, Phish Food and Chunky Monkey gives them a competitive edge over other conventional ice cream products of other companies. Ben Jerrys have also introduced other products like sorbets and frozen yoghurts along with their ice cream range for targeting customers demanding for healthy desserts. Ben Jerrys acquisition by Unilever in 2000 has provided the company with greater financial backing allowing them to be even more productive and socially active in the ice cream business. Thermoacoustic refrigeration- Ben Jerrys company developed the first prototype eco-chilling unit which recycles and re-uses the energy used to maintain the ice surface. Advertising support- introducing flavours with clever names in order to promote them. For example, ‘Yes Pecan referring to the Barack Obamas winning the presidency elections (7), ‘Hubby Hubby in order to support the cause of marriage equality for same-sex couples (11). Weaknesses: Limited target market as Ben Jerrys is a super-premium brand and is seen as a special treat by consumers and depends on their level of indulgence. Too much focus on charity work which has added up to the unnecessary costs and has caused them to neglect the upcoming changes in trends. Lack of professionalism in management and due to their employee oriented approach has made them to suffer a great loss in 1994. In order to fulfil their mission statement of providing consumers with ice creams of innovative flavour, they take a really long time to come up with a new flavour which is absolutely unnecessary as even after that there is no guarantee if the product would be successful in market. In fact, it gives the competitors a chance to take over their market share. High cost involved in transportation as most of their suppliers are scattered throughout the world. For example, nuts from South African rain forests, peaches from Georgia, etc. Opportunities As people are becoming more and more health conscious, Ben Jerrys should launch more variety in fat-free ice creams and even greater range in healthy alternatives like frozen yoghurts. They should work towards globalizing their product to compete effectively in the market. Their geographical reach is limited to North America and Western Europe mainly. Environment friendly freezers- In 2009, they have announced the plans to roll out (Hydrofluorocarbons) HFCs-free freezer which is a major step towards saving the planet as HFCs are one of the major factor responsible for ozone depletion (10). Ben Jerrys are currently working on using bio-gas digester to convert the waste produced during the manufacturing of ice creams into energy (1). Packaging- Ben Jerrys ice cream tubs are presently made from 90% renewable paper stock but to prevent it from leaking, they coat it with polyethylene which makes it difficult to recycle them. So, they should work on making tubs which are fully recyclable. Threats Consumers tend to change their product preferences based on their discretionary income and the extent to which they want to indulge in these fattening dessert products. There are many substitute products available within the desserts and frozen food industry. Therefore, they not only suffer competition from other ice cream brands but also from other desserts such as chocolates, cookies, pies, etc. Slow product development- the duration during which a new flavour is launched is really long which gives competitors a chance to take over the market during that time. Their major competitor is Haagen dazs as can be deduced from the table below which gives the take-home sales from 2007 to 2009 (4). Haagen dazss ‘low fat ultra-premium ice cream range is extremely popular. Moreover, they have a competitive edge over Ben Jerrys as it is geographically more spread than Ben Jerrys as the brand is marketed by two multinational companies- Nestle and General Mills. Take Home sales 2007-09 2007 % 2008 % 2009 % % change  £m  £m  £m 2007-09 Unilever 242 40 263 42 285 43 17.8 Walls (Heart) 116 19 125 20 139 21 20.2 Carte DOr 39 6 44 7 46 7 19.2 Viennetta 30 5 26 4 24 4 -20 Ben Jerrys 36 6 43 7 50 8 38.3 Other 21 3 25 4 26 4 23.3 General Mills Hà ¤agen-Dazs 30 5 38 6 40 6 32.8 Fredericks Dairies 49 8 44 7 46 7 -5.1 RR 55 9 50 8 53 8 -3.4 Skinny Cow 6 1 6 1 7 1 10.7 Other brands 61 10 39 6 40 6 -34.4 Own-label 139 23 156 25 159 24 14.3 Total 606 100 625 100 664 100 9.6 Source: Mintel Recommendations Recent acquisition by Unilever could create a negative image in public which need to be cleared by ensuring them that even after being taken over by Unilever, their missions have not changed and they would continue to produce new innovative flavours of ice creams. They should maintain a balance between their social and product mission. Instead of focussing more on social causes and adding up the unnecessary costs, they should rather study the upcoming change in trends and launch new flavours to maintain or increase their share in the market. Since it is now owned by Unilever, they have the financial support required for them to expand their production globally. They should decrease the duration of product development process so that they can launch a new flavour every month or so to keep the customers engaged on a regular basis. They should continue to implement their recycling programs in order to lower down the production costs. They should develop additional manufacturing plants and distribution centres outside of Vermont to cut down on the transportation costs. They should change the consumer perception of having the ice cream only in summers or spring time to anytime dessert i.e. they should work towards deseasonalising their sales. Conclusion Ben Jerrys even after acquisition by Unilever in 2000 has continued to maintain its own identity. Their strong product differentiation gives them a competitive edge over their competitors. The only need is to expand globally to compete effectively with other brands. The innovation factor in their ice creams distinguishes them from the conventional flavours of other brands. Their efforts in becoming green e.g. by planning to launch environment friendly freezers which would reduce green house gases emission sets them apart from other companies. All they need to do is to remain focussed on their missions with equal emphasis on all of them keeping in mind the customers demands.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Exploring The Four Ancient Civilizations- Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece an

Before the beginning of history, people from across the land gradually developed numerous cultures, each unique in some ways while the same time having features in common. Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Israel are all important to the history of the world because of religious, social, political and economic development. In the first civilization, both Mesopotamia and Egypt relied on a hunter-gatherer economic system, during that time, every country in the world strived on it. Mesopotamia had rich soil for agriculture, but experiences floods. For the Mesopotamians, these floods would destroy major cities, but for the Egyptians it would keep the soil rich all year long without the damage that the Mesopotamians had experienced. With the rich soil foods were plentiful around the farm lands, which gave both countries the chance to establish largely dense areas, like what we now know as a city-state. The Nile River also served as a defense for the Egyptians they enjoyed centuries of tranquility and peace in which they used to develop peaceful development of their civilization. For the Mesopotamians, this wasn’t the case. Mesopotamian society consisted of classes and social differences. The nobles, free clients of the nobility, commoners and slaves and Slave women all made up the different classes. The men dominated the women in Mesopotamia. The nobles consisted of the king, his family, the chief priests, and high palace officials. The king was a war leader elected by the citizens. He established an army and led it into battle. Kingship was hereditary. Commoners were free citizens. In ancient Egypt, both women and men could act on their own and were responsible for their own actions. In contrast, Mesopotami... ...males much higher. Also, the four ancient civilizations had to overcome the burden of uniting their people under one king. The need of kings to glorify themselves on statues is a testament of their ruling power, Egypt created many statues that displayed their gods, kings and queens. It was the Egyptians that influenced the Greek to create sculptures of their own ruling powers. Other then sculptures, the Egyptians influenced the Greeks to write on surfaces of buildings, it first started with Hieroglyphs then the ancient Greeks improved on writing, they wrote on large sheets of papyrus which lessened time and made recording events easier. With so much in common the real differences lie beneath the surfaces of religion, power, equal rights and education. All four of the ancient civilizations principles can still be found in many modern countries.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Control Mechanisms in Management Essay

The four control standards the team chose to explore in regard to McDonald’s are performance, performance vs. standards, corrective action, and reinforce successes. The team will compare and contrast these control mechanisms, and determine the effectiveness of each. The team will also examine the positive and negative reactions to the use of these controls. Performance Standards â€Å"A standard is an expected performance for a given goal or target that establishes a desired performance level, motivates performance, and serves as a benchmark against which actual performance is assessed† (Bateman, 2009, p. 576). Performance standards relate directly to the success of the company. McDonald’s has set standards for customer service, and customer satisfaction. The standards are communicated to the employees by the store manager and training manager. Management sets attainable goals to motivate employee performance; he or she communicates these goals clearly, and revaluates these goals. Evaluating Performance Companies should evaluate the performance of employees and management to ensure the goals of the company are achieved. In the past McDonald’s evaluated their own-operators on a regular basis until the mid-1990s. McDonald’s discontinued evaluation that resulted in lower customer satisfaction. McDonald’s reinstated performance evaluations in 2001 to improve customer satisfaction. Today regional managers inspect and evaluate franchises on a regular basis. Forms with standard operation procedures enhance the evaluation process, and this information is input in McDonald’s database for further review. Today’s managers can input the evaluation from his or her company PDA. Performance vs. Standards â€Å"The managerial principle of exception states, which control is enhanced by concentrating on the exceptions to, or significant deviation from, the expected result or standard (Bateman, 2009, p. 578). Companies compare the performance of employees by evaluating how well the employee followed the standards or guidelines set by the company. Corrective Action and Reinforce Successes During the work process errors happen and managers should address these problems with his or her employees. Errors happen but managers also see the success of employees meeting or exceeding company goals. Companies should reward employees who meet or exceed the goals of the company. Compare and Contrast McDonald’s main goal is to develop sustainability. The leaders of McDonald’s have set standards of financial growth, customer service, product quality and safety, and corporate responsibility and conduct to achieve this main goal. Considering McDonald’s dominance in the fast-food industry, it is safe to say they have been successful at achieving their performance standards. McDonald’s has been a success because management takes immense care in measuring their performance, comparing their performance to their standards, and taking corrective action to get their performance on the right track. Management analyzes many reports to measure the company’s performance, such as customer satisfaction surveys, the annual report and corporate responsibility report, and performance audits. Management also observes their operation to measure performance. From analyzing these performance reports and audits, management can compare performance to their standards, past performance, and goals. For instance, the six-year summary in the 2011 Annual Report shows McDonald’s earned nearly three billion dollars in total revenue growth between 2010 and 2011 (McDonald’s, 2011). By comparing performance, management can identify deviations from their standards and goals and make corrections. Initiatives such as Employee Value Proposition, Leadership Development Framework and healthier menu items are examples of corrective action taken to improve performance (McDonald’s, 2009, pgs. 6 -7). McDonald’s management can execute these four performance controls successfully by having the drive to improve, building a culture of values, and constantly working toward sustainability (McDonald’s, 2009, pg. 5). McDonald’s worldwide success for many decades adds credence to management’s effectiveness in executing all four performance controls. Determine Effectiveness The four control standards the team chose to explore in regard to McDonald’s work well together, as is evident by the success of the company. The fast-food industry is hard to be successful in unless the company has the right combination of plans and controls. McDonald’s is a leader in this field because the company uses just the right amount of each. The McDonald’s control standards do not act well together unless there are people who make the standards work together. There have been times when some of the control standards have been in need of further guidance. During such times corporate management has had to change some of the ways the controls work. This is to ensure McDonald’s operates to the best of its abilities for effectiveness. Examine Positive and Negative Reactions From examining McDonald’s awards and recognition, it appears McDonald’s has received a very positive reaction to how they use these controls. Such awards include Fortune Magazine’s 2012 number 11 â€Å"Most Admired Company in the World,† Forbes Magazine 2010 â€Å"Most Admired Companies,† 2010 â€Å"Corporate Award† from the Executive Leadership Council (McDonald’s, 2012). Internally, McDonald’s has received positive reaction or at least buy-in, considering their performance and employer awards, to their performance controls, more than likely from their efforts in taking care of their people. McDonald’s has implemented leadership development and employee value proposition programs, and diversity and inclusion and social responsibility initiatives that have promoted employee satisfaction and trust in the company (McDonald’s, 2012). Also their business relationship model between their employees, suppliers, and owner/operators has developed strong communication throughout its operation. Although McDonald’s has been widely successful, they have also failed from time to time. In 2001, University of Michigan rated McDonald’s as one of the poorest-performing retailers from a year-long customer satisfaction study (Zuber, 2001, P. 1). More recently, ConsumerAffairs.com holds hundreds of consumer complaints of McDonald’s service, showing that even a successful giant like McDonald’s still has room for improvement. Controls Affect on Functions The four control standards the team chose to explore are performance, performance vs. standards, and corrective action, and reinforce successes. These controls affect the four functions of management in numerous ways. Pakhare (2011), † Effective and efficient management leads to success, which is the attainment of objectives and goals, that an organization sets for itself. Of course, for achieving the ultimate goal, management needs to work creatively in problem solving and execute all the four functions† (Para. 1-12). Since we have a basic understanding of these functions we can see clearly how they are in direct relationship to the control standards we have chosen. With each control standard we see how they closely work with each function. This particular formula is commonplace in many organizations on a global level. The analysis shows that McDonald’s has a good plan of control mechanisms in place, and good functions of management to support the corporation. This has been a key factor of the corporation’s long success in a business where many do not last long. The company has many beneficial areas to back up why they are one of the world’s favorite places to eat and probably will continue to be as successful for many years to come. References McDonalds. (2011). 2011 Annual Report. Retrieved from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/content/dam/AboutMcDonalds/Investors/Investors%202012/2011%20Annual%20Report%20Final.pdf McDonalds. (2012). Awards and Recognition. Retrieved from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/awards_and_recognition.html McDonalds. (2012). Our Company. Retrieved from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mcdonalds_system.html McDonalds. (2009). Worldwide Corporate Responsibility Online Report: The values we bring to the table. Retrieved from http://www.mcdonalds.at/presse/maps/McDCSR.pdf Pakhare, J. (2011). Management Concepts – The Four Functions of Management. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/management-concepts-the-four-functions-of-management.html Zuber, A. (2001). McD restructures to beef up performance. Retrieved from