Life of Pi book

In the book, Life of Pi[1], Yann Martel proposes many religious differences, and similarities from religions located around the world. These questions ask such things as, is it possible to be a multi-religion person? Are all religions different? How are some religions the same? Life of Pi was written in 2002 and is a fascinating story of how a young man, Pi Patel, makes it in a world with his own personal beliefs. He adopts the three major religions of the world being Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam.Life of Pi is a very questioning book at times and has the capability of persuading nonbelievers to re-evaluate their religious thought process and beliefs. After reading this book you will be comfortable in the knowledge that you will have on other religions, and just may judge them differently. One of the questions that surfaces in this book is â€Å"can a person believe in more than one religion? † The author uses the Christian, Islam, and Hindu religions all in one character to represent the different struggles that Pi Patel is facing within him self, just as animals were used as symbolic representation for people in the first story. As for the question itself, a person cannot believe in more than one religion at a time. This is shown when the three holy men meet Pi in the park and they argue over his religious practices. While arguing Pi’s father reminds the three holy men that â€Å"there is freedom for practice of whatever religion in this country†[2]. The holy men screamed in unison, â€Å"Yes! Practice-singular†[3]. This point supports how even the three major holy religions of the world believe that you can only have one. However, it is possible for people to change religions throughout their lives. As religions are faith based through personal convictions that come from within, you have purpose in what you believe, and therefore are only able to believe in one at a time. To say you believe in Christianity and Hinduism would be like saying you are both a communist and a progressive conservative, which are different philosophies. You have to choose one religion or another, just as in this story you need to believe the first story or the second story, and you cannot believe that both of these events occurred. A person cannot believe two tales of the same legend. The second story with people resembles culture within North America and how everything in the North American world is looked at as bare facts. Most people only believe things that they can see with there own eyes, or feel with there own hands. Starting from our education as children, to jobs in adulthood, knowledge of bare facts measures how much we are capable of doing. In math you add numbers that have relevance to our society, in science pre-determined experiments with actions or re-actions occur, as well as predictions and conclusions. Everything MUST have an answer. If there is a topic to which we do not have an answer we dig for scientific answers, and refuse to accept folk tales or stories from higher powers. In an area of the world with steadily declining religious numbers[4], we need to exercise our faith and imaginations. We all need to have an open and searching mind like that of a younger child. Pi Patel shows just how blunt and â€Å"factual†[5] North America people are by telling the second story, including the murder of people on a lifeboat. Murder is something we can all relate to, thus making the second story â€Å"the right story†[6] to most people. After the second story of realism, many people feel the first story to be a waste of time, showing again just how North American people struggle to explore the imaginative or symbolic side of things. Everybody justifies their respective view by saying, â€Å"that’s not even possible†[7] or â€Å"I’d have to see it to believe it†[8]. The first and second story connects in a way of showing resemblances between the two major religions of the world, Christianity and Islam. The purpose of this is to show how alike Islam followers are to Christian followers. They share most of the same religious views, with very minor differences in stories of interpretations. They also share many of the same characters, such as Jesus, who is God’s son. Jesus sends messages from God and heals people in Christianity, and in Islam a prophet shares the word of God. These two parts in the story show just how different the two religions are, yet are so similar. The first story also shows how, in the eastern world, the people are much more imaginative, by using Hindu and its animals to add a twist to create the first story. It uses the animals to also describe the real people that were on the boat such as the Orangutan, Pi’s mother. In Hindu a person who is caring and involved in religious studies has the possibility of becoming a monkey after death[9]. Pi’s mom was a very caring person who was against the eating of the zebra, or the young sailor. A zebra is looked at as an honest, friendly, and creative person because of his stripes[10]. By using these animals he is trying to show just how North American culture is so bare factual. This story parallels our own personal internal struggles as well as the struggles of different cultures and religions in the world. We begin to understand we have to ultimately face and deal with our own struggles, allowing us to come to terms with our own beliefs, where we are at in our own lives and how we fit into our culture. This story could be interpreted with different meanings by different people, but ultimately causes the kind of thought that moves us forward in terms of who we will become. The purpose of this story is to show the similarities of some religions, and also to show that the things that are different, are not so different after all. This is a book attempting to change minds on religious discrimination and indifferences.Reference http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_prac2.htm

Impulse buying Essay

impulse buying refers to any purchase which a consumer makes which is unplanned and unneeded. the purpose of this paper is to find factors behind triggering this phenomena in consumers. the impact of different variables are analyzed by making their relationships with impulsive buying. These factors include promotional campaigns like low cost sale and discounts etc, income, layout of the store and behavior of sales person. the study is based on primary and secondary data which is analyzed further by using different techniques and methods. after analysis it has been found that the income level of a person has a significant effect on impulsive buying, moreover the other factors like promotional campaigns are mainly affecting this behavior due to pricing strategies, layouts of stores and behavior of sales persons also trigger the urge of impulsive buying. keywords: impulse buying, store layout, promotional activates, sales people, income. Introduction: In impulse buying a product is purchased spontaneously which is unplanned it could be anything,; a service, existing and new products to which the consumers are generally attracted because of various factors. Barratt, Rook 1987 stated that consumer gets attracted towards a product to buy it without considering its consequences of delaying a product to fill a pre-determined need. It is very much possible that consumer may experience positive and negative consequences of a product bought through impulsive buying after its post purchase evaluation. There are many researchers who have worked extensively on this topic and come up with more or less same definition and amplification of impulse buying. According to Cobb & Hoyer 1986; Piron, 1991; Rook, 1987; Rook & Fischer, 1995; Weinberg & Gottwold, 1982; searched and wrote that the urge of buying a product is of that the product is calling them to buy it, ultimately this urge leads them to purchase the product and some researchers stated that the urge of buying products are very dominant and powerful that the consumer cannot resist them. In Pakistan the number of retail outlets, shopping malls and super stores are increasing rapidly as compared to traditionally open bazar. This includes places likes Metro Cash N Carry, Hyper Star, Pace, Makro and Suburban etc. These are a  few of the prominent shopping malls in Pakistan with many outlets. The factors behind the success of these stores is their layout of well managed hassle free environment, availability and placement for fresh and hygienic vegetables, meat and fish which gets the attention and appreciation of consumers moreover the high-level of service and the behavior of sales staff make the visit of the consumers more comfortable and valuable especially for the working class who have minimum time for shopping. Attributes or characteristics of impulse buying behavior of consumer: The tempting and overwhelming force emerging from the product which produces feelings in consumer heart. Urge of buying a product immediately. Delaying the purchase of needed product. Ignoring the consequences of product purchased through impulse buying. Feeling of desperation in terms of buying a product. Literature Review: From the start of 1950’s till today a lot of research has been done on this topic in this long span of time many researchers who have conducted research on this always come up with very interesting findings or results. Recently many researchers have moved their area of focus from western to Asian countries and are investigating the buying patrons of the people living in Asia. Many of them have identified and observed some common variables according to a researcher (Beatty & Farrell, 1998). The ratio and chances of impulse buying increases with the passage of time. He or She spends more time in the store than before, the more they spend time on shopping and browsing upon different product the more it with increase the chance of impulse buying. Some researchers have also stated that the impulse buying is relatively more common in females as compared to males (Giraud, 2001). According to a researcher (Giraud, 2001) finds that the mood of the consumer also affects impulse buying behavior which means that when the customer is in a good mood, he or she will embark themselves with the products which fall in the category of impulse buying and if he or she is in bad mood the person will tend to reward his or herself less. (Maiet Al, 2001) Stated that the spending on impulse buying is done more by young generation and usually the age segment falls in the range of 18-40 years old. (Rook, 1987.) Stated that the urge and temptations of buying a particular product is so strong  that a person can postpone the purchase of a well needed product which solves their existing problem. The Importance and concept of store layout can never be bypassed by the true marketers and operational managers because the store layout influences the buying behavior of the consumer for example IKEA, LEGO and Zara Men etc are the famous brands which focuses heavily on store layout of a retail store. (Crawford & Melewar, 2003) stated that the true marketers should work on store layout and should provide a good layout to provide an ease of shopping to the consumer. A good standard and effective store layout let alone achieve the goal of providing convenience to the customer the role of good and trained sales person is also very important. According to (Crawford & Melewar, 2003) an interaction with a well trained sales person can trigger impulse buying behavior of consumer it also reduces the tension of customer by guiding them. One study conducted by (Wang and Zhou, 2003) shows that promotional activities show increases impulse buying by consumer when there are sales or discounts on products. according to researchers (dholakia,2000:rook 1987) when a consumer see promotional incentives on some products this things affects the impulse buying of him or her. Factors affectingaffectig impulse buying: The followingfollowig are the factors which affects impulse buying behavior of consumer Promotional activities Income Presence of others Store layout Sales person Promotional Activities: The word promotion in terms of marketing means by using different strategies marketers can influence the buying behaviorbehaviour of consumerconumer to buy a product to increase sales of the company. This could be achieved by sales discount, advertisement and free product. It is a human psychepsychy when evere they see a free product or discount they tend to buy to take advantage of this despite of affect they in actual did not need that product. Janakiraman Eded al, 2006 stated that willingness to buy the unneeded and unrelated commoditycomodity increases the chances of the impulse buying because of unexpected price discounts. Income: The income level influence and affect the impulse buying pattern of consumer greatly. The more a person is getting inco0me the more he will do impulse buying. In good economic conditions, the income levels of people go high, many economists and researchers have reported the increase in sales of products which also includes the purchase of products done thought impulsive buying. Presence of others: Store layout: Sales person The interaction between consumers and sales person is of very prime importance. A good competent salesperson could influence the consumer to buy product impulsively. Objective of the study: As we have told you earlier in this research paper that many researchers have conducted research on this topic especially in developed countries like England, Norway, Canada, America etc. Now the researchers and analyst areAnd also conducting research in developing countries like Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Poland, Bangladesh, and Thailand etc. Our objective of the study is to find out the factors effecting consumer impulse buying behavior in Pakistan. Theoretical framework: in this research paper we have taken impulse buying as dependent variable and sales force, promotional activities , income , store layout and presence of others as independent variables and formed several hypothesis which are given below H1: There is a positive relationship between promotional activities and impulse buying. H2:There is a positive relationship between income level and impulse buying. H3: There is a positive relationship between store layout and impulse buying. H4: There is a positive relationship between sales force behavior and impulse buying. H5:There is a positive relationship between presence of others and impulse buying. Research Methodology: The study has been conducted on the bases of two types of information  sources, primary data and secondary data. In primary data we gathered the data through questionnaires designed specifically on the basis of nature of questions to cover the concept of the study. In questionnaires the first section is devoted to the demographics and then a scale is designed. In the following questions the scale we design to assess each factor and its related question is from 1 to 5 Strongly disagree

A Piece of Literature–“Lost Love”

I love you I miss you. When I close my eyes I can still picture Your face Your smile Your voice I can still picture you I don’t know why I love you. The thought of you still brings a smile on my face. Though u r many miles away from me, but still I don’t know why I can’t help but think of you. All I wish for is your happiness. I pray for your well being. And I hope the smile that made me fall for you never leaves your face. I have no idea how I fell for you. You are so close to my heart. And I don’t even know why. My heart chose you. You are special.You are the one person in my life who I would choose above the rest. But you don’t know how important you are to me. What I would give to see you. How many tears my eyes have shed missing you. How many nights I have cried myself to sleep just thinking of you. How whenever you got hurt it was almost as if I could feel it a thousand times intensified. How whenever I see your picture my heart melts a little & all i wanna do is just look at it. How I am crying a little right now just thinking of you. Most of all you don’t know that I love you & probably you never will.Absence makes the heart go fonder. And I am, fond of you. I don’t live in a dream world. I don’t expect myself to have a fairy tale. I mean c’mon let’s be realistic. I have no chance with you. When you moved you took a part of my heart with you. And I want it back. I try so hard not to love you, not to worry about you, not to think of you, but somehow you crawl your way back into my heart. You are the one person in my life of whom my heart cannot let go of. And the funny thing is that I don’t even know how you became this important to me. I don’t know how.I never thought that a girl like me would ever fall for a guy like you. But somehow I did. I have never felt the way for anyone like I felt for you. I try to forget you. But it’s just too hard. Sometimes I miss him, I miss him so much. I find comfort in the thoughts of him with me comforting me, though I know it will only be possible in my dreams. When I am sad, I think of him. I don’t know why but he is very special for me. I don’t know what makes him special. He just has a power over my heart. I can’t stop thinking about him. He is beautiful. Though he is not perfect but in my eyes he is.He is the most beautiful thing in this world & deserves all the happiness in this world. I pray for him, I have always done that, I want him to be happy & healthy. I want him to get everything his heart desires. I gathered a lot of courage last night before sending him that simple â€Å"hi†. It was almost after 3 months. The 2 minute chat we had was not much, but it made my heart pound as hard as anything could. I was so happy that you remembered me & wanted to talk, But I was also kind of disappointed when you didn’t reply after a while.For weeks & weeks I always came onli ne in hopes that you would message me but you never did. And I was too scared myself to message you worried that I would be annoying you or that you would have much better things to do than chat with me. So I did nothing. I just used to open your profile & see your pictures. You still looked the same way you did before, you still were a little spoilt but a popular guy. You still had that element about you, but something was changed, your expressions, your smile, i found hidden sadness in it. It troubled me.The kind of statuses you shared made it seem that you were heartbroken. And I still remember the caption of 2 pics- It’s hard to forget someone who gave you so much to remember. Distance doesn’t matter if two hearts are loyal to each other. It made me wonder who you were talking about. Oh. , how I wish it was me. But I guess it can’t be me coz its almost impossible that you have a crush on me. Nobody has made me feel this way, nobody. Nobody has made me cry th is way. It’s not just one time or two time, hell, not even three times; it’s endless times when my heart misses him.Each time i don’t know why i cry & each time I promise myself not to cry again. But then again I see his picture, his beautiful face & i can’t stop myself from missing him. Just reading his name causes my heart to flutter a little. I don’t even understand why I miss him so much. It’s not like we were friends or anything. He made friends pretty easily & I had hardly any friends. In fact, he was friends with people who used to make fun of me. But I never let myself In the last 4 months we might have had two short chats consisting of 13 messages in total.But still when I read the words you typed, that you actually wanted to talk to me I cannot stop but smile a little. The first chat took place in December last year when you sent me a request on fb. My heart actually stopped for a second there. And when you messaged me, my heart wa s so full of happiness that I am sure I would have screamed. I tried acting cool & to let you believe I was happy in my life I acted cheerfully. And when you messaged to ask if I remember you, oh the irony.! The only reason I joined fb was because of you. The way you typed your messages,,there was something different about it.But then after one message you did not reply back. You were still online, it made me feel like you had more important people to chat with, so I let it go. After that I came online each day as many hours as I could in hopes that you would message me, but you never did. And I was too much of a coward myself to message you, I thought that I would be annoying you. So I never did. Until last week when I finally gathered enough strength to send you that 2 letter word â€Å"hi†. I waited for almost 5 minutes but you didn’t reply,so I felt really stupid for messaging.Then I found out that my stupid internet connection did not load that page properly, so I opened a new tab, & see that you had replied in the next minute. I felt so happy, that you took time out of your life to reply to my message. You asked how my exams took plac, & I asked about yours, the you tell me you are back in the city. Then my stupid net setter disconnected & I couldn’t get a signal for 30 min. Damn..! it never does such a drama when I am doing noting. Anyways, I replied, that night you didn’t come online. That is all

Persuasive Speech on Milk or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Persuasive on Milk - Speech or Presentation Example These perspectives turn our world upside down. Preview: Today I will talk to you about the health risks and problems associated with drinking milk. I have four main points I would like to discuss: 1. What is commonly believed and claimed about milk 2. Debunking the myths—what is really true 3. The health risks posed by milk 4. Quitting milk—alternatives and effects To begin, let's look at what is claimed in the advertisements we see, such as those showing the â€Å"milkstache† and asking—got milk? II. Body A. Point 1: Got milk? The ads are everywhere: 1. They use celebrities and sports stars—this is trying to use public figures as a form of persuasive 2. They suggest that milk is integral to the diet, and thus it is a campaign to encourage drinking milk without in depth persuasion 3. They go unchallenged in public—considered common knowledge, and don't explain their facts B. Claims 1. Milk helps muscle recover after workouts 2. Milk cuts PMS symptoms in half 3. Milk reduces risk of bone disease 4. Milk reduces risk of bone fracture 5. Other minor benefits—healthy hair, skin, teeth, better sleep C. Why should we question these claims? 1. This information comes from a lobbying campaign 2. This information is meant to sell product primarily, not just inform 3. It is best to get information from multiple sources 4. Getting milk info from milk companies is like getting smoking information from cigarette companies—conflict of interest D. Point 2: What do others say about the Got milk? Claims? 1. A recent study by the US Department of Agriculture found that: a. Milk doesn't benefit sports performance b. No evidence says milk is good for bones or prevents bone disease 2. Dr. Walter Willet of Harvard School of Public Health says: a. Milk doesn't reduce fractures b. Less dairy means better bones c. Vitamin D is more important than calcium for preventing fractures d. Calcium has benefits, but dairy itself doesn't 3. Amy Lanou Ph.D., nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C says: â€Å"the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent† 4. Essentially, Got milk? Makes dubious claims to support milk industry sales— and is not 100% accurate or true E. Point 3: Why milk is bad for you 1. Milk adds acidity to the body—the body weakens bones by taking calcium from them to protect kidneys from this acidity—hence milk drains calcium from bones 2. A 1994 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology said: â€Å"Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in old age† 3. Dr. Amy Lanou again adds: â€Å"The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets† – so it is associated, and correlates with osteoporosis 4. Dr. Walter Willet found that high dairy intake increases risk of male prostate cancer 5. Milk is also full of saturated fat—linked to heart disease 6. Dairy aggravates irritable bowel syndrome 7. Dr. Mark Hyman says it may also contribute to allergies, sinus and ear infections, Type 1 Diabetes, and Anemia in children 8. Our bodies—

Politicization of the Civil Service Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Politicization of the Civil Service - Article Example Rouban makes interesting points that do serve to illuminate the problems inherent in a system in which all laws and institutions serve a political agenda to one degree or another. Where the article succeeds best is in showing that not all bureaucracies are the same and that the definition of a civil servant varies from one country to another. As a result, the most fascinating aspect of the article may be that it enlightens one to the shifting values of political import to be found in a country's social and cultural aspects. The idea that educators might be subject to political pressure in following their career path is especially frightening. This article furthers the ideas of Wilsonian separation of politics from administration while also adhering to Weber's theories on hierarchical assumptions. The problems that must be faced is that while Weber is correct in advocating the theoretical ideals of impersonal organization, ultimately the truth must be faced that everything carries a political component.

Skin problems related to makeup Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Skin problems related to makeup - Essay Example Firstly, with regards to the use of makeup and the clogging of pores, this has an unhealthy affect for a number of reasons. First, due to the fact that the pores of the skin are the means whereby the skin is able to be moisturized and â€Å"breath†, clogging the pores has a negative affect not only on the health of the skin but on the aging process (Streamlining Beauty 88). Without being able to deliver the necessary moisture and oils to the surface, the aging process takes place at a faster rate as the skin loses its ability to be elastic and stretch. In such a way, even though the application of makeup is intended to make the skin more beautiful, as can be seen from the preceding discussion, it can actually have a diminishing return over time. As a means of understanding these determinants, ti is the hope of this author that the reader will be able to integrate a further and more complete understanding of makeup and its effects on skin health. ... The final health impact that makeup can have is related to allergic reactions on the part of the user. Although there is no way that any product can be made allergen free, by very nature of the diverse allergies that are exhibited by individuals, the fact of the matter is that many individuals are allergic to many of the thickening agents or minerals that are found within the common forms of makeup that are on the market today (Levy & Emer 175). Moreover, depending on the quality of the product, there are certain degrees of impurities that can be found within these products to a varying degree. As a function of this, the levels of pure ingredients that are interacting with the skin of an individual’s face are oftentimes unknown (Gray & Boothroyd 66). Due to the fragility and tender level of the skin that is exhibited on the face, as well as the fact that there are at least 7 orifices in the immediate vicinity, this is an especially worrisome point. As a function of these parti cular issues, the reader can understand that many of the negative skin health issues related to makeup are concentric around the overall cleanliness of the skin and/or the ability and desire of the individual user to ensure that they remove all makeup each and every night prior to going to bed. If this is engaged, the level and extent to which the pores will be clogged and the acne levels will increase will be reduced precipitously. However, with regards to the final issue that has been raised, the allergic reactions that many users experience when using makeup, this is not something that can be prevented or reduced. Ultimately, such a skin health issue is entirely dependent upon the environmental factors that determined the individuals

Merging and Clashing Cultures, & Defending Human Rights Essay

Merging and Clashing Cultures, & Defending Human Rights - Essay Example For example â€Å"Have a Coke and Smile† and then the latest â€Å"Open Happiness† with which people all across the world can relate to, but the campaign â€Å"Coke is it† is restricted to shores of the United States only. Moreira very logically elucidates this saying that although Coke is a host in America, yet â€Å"Coke is a guest, not the host, in most countries† and this could campaign would be rejected by an international audience. Marketing Strategies Applied by Coca-Cola It is very true that the trademark of Coca-Cola identifies itself with a positive tone of advertising. This can be further explicated as a technique in world marketing. The name Coca-Cola is found to be comparative with happiness of all kinds. This why one can find the trade name to be correlated with festivities, major sporting events like the World Cup, stadiums, and posters that represent light spirited frivolities. It is believed that the company intentionally associates itself with all these values of life that can create an atmosphere of joviality. This is deliberately done to increase a positive consciousness among the common masses. Coca-Cola: Relating Itself with the Customers It has been observed that Coca-Cola works on the positive psychology of the masses. People can relate to the optimism that it projects as a brand. People who are pent up with their ordinary lives can feel a sudden freshness by procuring a Coke. A typical example of this is a working executive, confined to his or her cubicle or even a laborer working in a factory find it to be a refreshing drink. What this means is that all humans think alike, there is no basic difference between them as the emotion remains to be the same and this is exactly what Coca-Cola aims to accomplish. In simple words this creates a desire which Coke tries to charm by fascinating all and sundry irrespective of their social backgrounds. Coca-Cola: In American Culture The fact that the marketing tactics of Coca-Cola is based on ubiquity is quite interesting in itself. This can be further justified by this piece of information that it has merged with the country’s culture it has visited into. In short it has become a part of the major culture wherever it has marketed itself. It is like the very instance of ‘El Kiosko Budweiser’ show in Puerto Rico that Arlene Davila points out. She finds that people think â€Å"locally produced shows are reflections of the local culture.† Hence the Puerto Ricans have acknowledged â€Å"Budweiser beer as a local product† (Davila, 2004). Likewise Coca-Cola has been mingled with mainstream cultures like in Taiwan they have chosen one their best as a brand ambassador. The Wang Lee Hom who is admired by all in Taiwan, sings the jingle of Coca-Cola with a Taiwanese melody. That is Coke does not act like the oppressive colonizer. Much to the contrary it has mingled itself with the larger cultures of the world. This has one mo re string attached to it that of the company’s regard for music. It comprehends world music as part of their marketing strategy for sure. Coca-Cola in Indian Culture In India Coca-Cola has to cope with a number of things. The new â€Å"Indian consumer† had a different taste. This consumer did not want to be fooled by a foreign company. This nouveau generation of consumer preferred Indian products over

THE Chain of Command Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

THE Chain of Command - Research Paper Example However, the principles and theories formulated during the first quarter of 20th century are still being used as the base of each new management model. This paper mainly highlights the principle of chain of command which was first presented by Henri Fayol in 1916. The paper deals with the significance of chain of command, the historical perspective described by different writers, and its effectiveness in organizations. An intentional attempt has been made to generalize the concept of chain of command in all fields of life. Although the term is mostly used in military perspective, however, the paper is not found stuck to military organizations only. The application of chain of command and its effectiveness has been discussed in context of both military and civil organizations. In the concluding remarks, the concept of chain of command has been analyzed critically along with few recommendations. Change of Command In a military perspective, the chain of command is a specific communicati on and interactive procedure, in the line of authority plus responsibility in which orders are conveyed in a military unit and other concerning different units. Generally orders are disseminated out by a higher hierarchy i.e. a commissioned officer to the lower-ranked personnel who after receiving the orders execute the same to further lower personnel. Thus the orders are carried out to all those who are supposed to be executed. Generally, in military orders are given to instant subordinates in the chain of command while lower ranked personnel get the orders only from those who are their immediate seniors. No service member is allowed to appeal for any relief to a commander above his immediate officer and the failure is dealt with disciplinary action. Although, military officers are authorized to give orders to any of their under command subordinates, however, they are expected to communicate their orders only to their immediate juniors. In any organization, military, civil, or priv ate, chain of command is actually an official streak of authority, control, and responsibility. The chain of command is well described through a sorted out organizational chart which identifies the superior authorities and their subordinates as well as the possible ways of communications and relationships between them. The classical theory of organization highlights the importance of human relations, organizational effectiveness, and overall management. These aspects construct an organizational structure which allows one to ascertain the lines of authority and command and ensures lucid task of his responsibilities (Alajloni et al, 2010). The principle of unity of command is maintained by following the proper chain of command along with apparent interaction with specific authority. According to Fayol (1916), this principle means that each lower ranked subordinate must receive orders from one and only one person. This minimizes any kind of confusions, doubts, and conflicts as various bosses lead to divide the responsibilities. In military perspective, the rule of unity of command is very significant because violation of this rule leads to jeopardize of overall discipline and may also result in instability of the whole unit. In his historical book ‘General and Industrial Management’, Fayol also stated the scalar chain principle. This principle describes that authority and responsibility flow, one level at a time, in a vertical line from the highest level in an organization to its lowest level and thus establishes an organization's hierarchy. For Duncan (1979), the disregard of chain of command without proper disposal is a management error; however, he tolerates it provided the chain of comm

Review and Response of the Reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Review and Response of the Reading - Essay Example She then goes on to talk about some of the more provocative art forms, especially in context of African Americans. Her detailed analysis of the various African American arts, which challenge the established morals of the society is very enlightening. I was particularly impressed by her thorough research in the field, as she refers to a number of artistic displays, some of them long since extinct. According to her, these arts, which were created by the African American, may be considered by many to be pornographic on the face of it, but when you look at these at another level, you realize that through these provocative art forms these African American artists are trying to point out how there bodies were used and abused over the years of slavery. Most of these artistic displays are extremely provocative, like the play by Robbie MacCauley’s â€Å"Aunt Sally’s Rape†, where she poses nude. To the upholders of false morality, this play may seem to be pornographic, but it has a much deeper meaning in that brings out the humiliations faced by the African American slaves who had no right even over their own body. This and several other arts mentioned by Fusco serve to bring out the irony of African American fate whose bodies were abused for the viewing pleasure of the white audience even as they had no control over it and than the moralistic people denounced these very black people for being pornographic. Nayland Blake in his dialogue with talk about some his similarly provocative arts. The most outstanding of his works is the â€Å"Gorge† where we see him being fed continuously for sixty minutes on the video. The fact that Blake is legally Black and the person feeding him on the video is also black is discussed in details in this dialogue. According to Blake, the notion of race has led to the African Americans being subjected to a number of horrors historically. Both Fusco and Blake talk about the horrors

Art is an expression Essay Example for Free

Art is an expression Essay Art to me is an expression. Society has a way of creating social norms, and through this influence people to become inspired to be different, to express themselves in many ways and to share with others this passion, in the form of art. Cultures have utilized art in the form of drawings, patterns, and techniques; for example the type of clothes they wear, and type of houses they live in. Art is everywhere. Albert Einstein once said, you could look at life as if nothings a miracle or as if everything is. I think that you can look at art in the same way. I remember watching a film in class on a man and a woman who were in charge of the community project that consisted of hanging sheets for miles. I have no idea why they would do that over a different art project, but I got their message. It was all about working together, doing something that was unique and of their own works, regardless of everyone else’s opinion. They had to fight the system for a while before they were able to begin. That’s passion. After the readings I can’t help but to agree that art offers us a way to go beyond physical existence. What the author is saying to me is that art in every form changes our values our ideas in an effect change our lives. We are not robots, we don’t have to stay within regulations; we have the ability to be creative. Being creative is the most powerful tool we have some may argue. To touch back on why people make art, I can remember watching movies as a kid and there was this one kid out of the prep school that did wear the dress uniform to standard like all the other students. He was seeking to be different. Changing your uniform up a little to be different is art. Indians may paint their faces and their horses differently so that they stand out of all the others so that they can be found and identify. Same cases Indians made art was to distinguish themselves from other tribes as to not kill  their own people during a raid or battle. I used to become stressed with school and/or with relationship issues so I started drawing. I never liked being told what to draw and how to do it. I mostly like to begin with lines and later find out it looks like something that was unplanned. The reasons why I draw was take my focus off of life. Sometimes drawing something that makes you happy can help you to recall memories from good experiences and can turn your day around. Art is my tool and is my passion.

Colgate Palmolive Industry Position

Colgate Palmolive Industry Position Colgate-Palmolive is recognized as the worlds leader in personal care sales which included oral hygiene products like toothbrushes and toothpastes. In 1991, its sales topped at $6 billion and profits at $2.76 billion as it cornered 43% of the worlds toothpaste market and 16% of the worlds toothbrush market. In the United States, the worlds largest market, Colgate-Palmolive holds the number one spot in toothbrush sales with a market share of 23%. From these statistics, one of Colgate-Palmolives main strengths is being the market leader in oral care products. Colgate-Palmolives extensive overseas reach is another main strength. Based on the data in the case study, Colgate-Palmolive introduced 275 new products worldwide and setup manufacturing facilities in China and Eastern Europe breaching the emerging economies of the 21st century. On top of that, international sales accounted for 64% of total sales and 67% of the total profits for Colgate-Palmolive. Colgate-Palmolive has an extensive Research and Development department boasting 170 employees worldwide. Though having a large RD department does not directly contribute to increased profits, Colgate-Palmolives history of innovation  [1]  in the toothbrush market is linked to its current position as the market leader in the toothbrush industry. Therefore Colgate-Palmolives strong commitment to innovation through investment in RD is a prominent strength. With an energetic and visionary leader like Reuben Mark at the helm of Colgate-Palmolive, the company has transformed itself into a lean and profitable machine, leading to increased profit margins and volume growth.  [2]  Clearly, having a visionary CEO is a strength. Colgate-Palmolives positioning strategy for its toothbrush line in food stores has aided in capturing their current dominant market share. Its in-store displays, combining toothbrushes with toothpaste packs and locating the Colgate-Palmolive line of toothbrushes in the middle of the stores shelves have contributed to this dominance. This strategy has been successful, as sales through food stores, drug stores and mass merchandising channels have produced the greatest volume and dollar sales historically.  [3]   Colgate-Palmolive has a large number of stock keeping units for their toothbrush line.  [4]  Multitudes of SKUs indicate that Colgate-Palmolive is targeting a broad spectrum of market segments in the toothbrush market, which spreads the risk inherent to carrying any product. Diversification of product types within the toothbrush market is another strength factor Colgate-Palmolive holds. Colgate-Palmolives secret weapon in the war for supremacy in the super-premium market, Colgate Precision, is proven to be very effective in removing plaque 35% more effective than existing brands and in preventing gum disease. This advantage can be attributed to the innovative design, high-tech research using CAD and infrared scanning, consumer research and extensive product testing. Although this technology is a strong argument for positioning Precision in the super-premium category, Colgate-Palmolive could also use its design aspects to improve Colgate-Palmolives existing professional and value toothbrush lines to increase their respective market shares. Colgate-Palmolives patented  [5]  innovation for Precision also stands as a strength upon which Colgate-Palmolive can lean for other market differentiating advancements. Colgate-Palmolives recent infusion of new capital into its manufacturing facilities will bode well as it prepares to battle for market share in the new super-premium market segment. Colgate-Palmolive will be able to leverage its existing relationship with its manufacturing partner, Anchor toothbrush, to quickly and cost-effectively product its newest product. Weaknesses The impending release of Colgate-Palmolives new toothbrush, Precision, may affect sales of its existing toothbrush lines. This may lead to a cannibalization of the Colgate Plus and Colgate Classic market of up to 60%.  [6]  Since the existing toothbrush lines are the cash cows  [7]  of the companys oral care division, a dismal performance by the new Colgate-Palmolive Precision might drain the cash cows of their resources altogether. Colgate-Palmolives media expenditure layout is very small compared to its rivals.  [8]  It has spent only $7 million dollars on its Colgate-Palmolive Plus marketing efforts and has only 19% of the share voice. Since media exposure fuels consumer demand  [9]  for a new product, this is one area where Colgate-Palmolive needs to have its expenditures equivalent to that of its rivals. Another marketing weakness that Colgate-Palmolive faces is its lack of professional dental endorsements, with less than half that in market share and dollar sales than that of their largest competitor, Oral-B. Similar to Colgate-Palmolives lack of professional endorsement, the Precision toothbrush does not have the fullest endorsement from the American Dental Associations (ADA). Although the ADA issued its seal to the product, the seal alone stands for little more than recognition that the toothbrush works. In fact, only when the ADA issues its seal and an official quote stating that a product is superior to similar product types, does a product receive the fullest support possible. Not having the full backing of the ADA is a weakness which Colgate-Palmolive may have to overcome to gain the professional endorsement they seek.  [10]   Opportunities Macroeconomic The emergence of the niche super-premium category presents a golden opportunity for Colgate-Palmolive to increase market share for several reasons. First, although its competitors, i.e. Oral-B, Johnson Johnson and Procter Gamble, have gained a foot-hold in this niche market already, Colgate-Palmolive can still make a dent with its new Precision toothbrush, thus enabling them to enter a new and potentially highly profitable market segment. Since the super-premium category accounts for 35% of the volume and 46% of the dollar sales of toothbrushes  [11]  this niche category may in turn result in a substantial profit margin. Secondly, with the baby boomers and younger generations becoming more concerned with the health of their gums, they will be willing to pay the above mentioned premium for a toothbrush  [12]  which is optimized for better gum care. Colgate-Palmolive can capitalize upon this demographic segment to ensure a successful release of their super-premium Precision toothbrush. Finally, since 82% of toothbrush purchases are unplanned and many consumers are unaware of the technological and cost variation among toothbrush brands,  [13]  Colgate-Palmolive could establish a media blitz with educational ads depicting Precision toothbrushes as technologically superior to its rivals at an equivalent cost. The ads can also serve to educate consumers about proper toothbrush replacement schedules to ensure effective plaque removal and gum disease prevention. Ultimately, Colgate-Palmolive could leverage their advertising campaign to boost sales and revenues. Microeconomic One of Colgate-Palmolives competitors, Johnson Johnson,  [14]  ranked third in toothbrush sales, was phasing out one of its toothbrush lines at the time of the Precision introduction. As the toothbrush market remains rather constant, courting customer from other brands, particularly ones being phased out, is a tremendous opportunity to gain market share.  [15]  Another competitor, Smithkline Beecham, was predicting an operating loss in its toothbrush business.  [16]  If the losses are sustained, it might cause Smithkline Beecham to move out of the toothbrush business all together, yet again opening the door for further gain of market share. Colgate-Palmolives constant innovation also provides an opportunity to convert consumers away from less advanced toothbrushes, such as those offered by Lever. Threats Threat of intense segment rivalry The super-premium toothbrush market is highly competitive, hosting many brands and private label toothbrushes. If any of these rivals creates a toothbrush which tops or even equals the technology of Precision, specifically if done at a lower production cost, Colgate-Palmolive may lose market share. Threat of new entrants Along with intense rivalry from existing competitors, Colgate-Palmolive has to deal with new competitors. In 1991, the toothbrush market exploded with a dramatic increase in new entrants. Proctor and Gamble introduced Crest Complete, their first toothbrush  [17]  . Smithkline Beecham entered the market with Aquafresh Flex and a 9% market share volume for 1991. Levre, Pfizer and Sunstar all entered the market in 1991 and earned a total 11% market share. These numbers reinforce the seriousness of the threat of new entrants that Colgate-Palmolive will have to contend with when they launch Colgate Precision. Threat of substitute products Similar to many industries, oral care technology has advanced tremendously since its inception in approximately 3000 B.C. The introduction of the nylon bristled toothbrush in 1938  [18]  represents one of the latest quantum improvements for the industry, however it was not the last. The introduction of electronic toothbrushes and water picks are threatening to usurp traditional oral care products market share. This is a threat which Colgate-Palmolive needs to heed, despite its confidence in the technology of Precision. Threat of suppliers growing bargaining power Colgate-Palmolive depends on Anchor toothbrush for its outsourced manufacturing. Hence, Anchor toothbrush has a decided supplier advantage in the relationship with Colgate-Palmolive. If Anchor toothbrush were to increase its supply cost, it would affect Colgate-Palmolives production costs which in turn would impact Precisions market share by potentially pricing it above even the super-premium segment. Colgate-Palmolive needs to maintain a healthy relationship with Anchor toothbrush to reduce the risk of a costly supplier switching process. Threat of buyers growing bargaining power One of the factors which can cause buyers bargaining power to grow is when the switching costs for buyers are low. Even if Colgate-Palmolive were to position Precision as the most expensive toothbrush on the market, it is still a relatively inexpensive product, compared to many daily purchases (i.e. lunch in NYC or a cup of coffee at Starbucks). Therefore, buyers can easily switch between toothbrush brands without giving the decision much thought. To combat this threat, Colgate-Palmolive could position Precision as a superior toothbrush that customers can not afford to be without. PROBLEM STATEMENT In 1992, after evaluating the current market condition and completing its research and development, Colgate-Palmolive was ready to begin marketing its newest toothbrush, Colgate Precision. Of major concern to Colgate-Palmolive was how to position, brand and communicate this new product to the general population. Colgate-Palmolive also had to develop budget constraints and generate a marketing mix that would maximize the sales and revenues of the new product. Colgate-Palmolive was faced with the decision of whether to promote the new product as a high quality niche product marketed mainly towards individuals concerned about gum disease, or as a mainstream toothbrush that would be marketed as the best toothbrush available. If marketed as a niche product, Colgate-Palmolive would target a smaller market segment without as many competitors vying for market share. A niche market segment would also be willing to pay a premium for the new toothbrush. If, however, the toothbrush were marketed as a high quality mainstream toothbrush, Colgate-Palmolive would realize revenues from larger volumes of sales despite a lower price and more competition. To reach its verdict, Colgate-Palmolive analyzed forecasted data with regard to potential sales volumes and prices, advertising, packaging, and manufacturing costs, among other factors. A summary of this analysis, and a marketing strategy recommendation follows. EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES In August 1992, Colgate-Palmolive had two options regarding the positioning strategy for their new toothbrush titled Colgate Precision. Their choice was to position the product as a mainstream offering or target the Precision toothbrush to a niche market. The positioning of the product would have little to do with any modifications to the actual design of this toothbrush, but would effect the perception of the toothbrush within the market. Mainstream or mass marketing refers to the mass production, distribution and promotion of a single product to all potential buyers.  [19]  Contrarily, niche marketing is a form of micro-marketing. It refers to a specifically defined group of consumers with a need that is not currently well served. A niche is created from a subdivision of a market segment.  [20]  Due to the diversity of these two market types, the decision to market the Precision toothbrush as a mass-market product or as a niche product involves analysis of the advantages and disadvantages for each. Mainstream Marketing Advantages The primary reasons to use a mainstream marketing approach is that the product is made accessible to a larger market. Marketing to a more diverse audience would enable Colgate-Palmolive to construct a more simple and direct campaign that would address the common concerns of all toothbrush buyers. Consequently, the use of television and radio would be more cost effective as it would reach this larger audience. The obvious goal of such a position would be to capture a greater return on the investment Colgate-Palmolive made on this products research and development effort. It is estimated that within twelve months this product could secure 10% of the market and a volume share of 14.7% by its second year. This would equate to 27 million retail unit sales in year one and 44 million in the second year, if positioned as a mainstream product.  [21]   Disadvantages There are also many problems with marketing Precision to the masses. In the mainstream market a higher price makes a product less attractive to the average consumer. This means that Colgate will have to price their product within reasonable alignment of other similar products in order to be a serious competitor inside this market, ultimately diminishing their potential profit margin and return on investment. There is a variance amongst consumers in relation to oral hygiene. They are classified into three groups: Involved oral health consumers Therapeutic brushers Involved oral health consumers Cosmetic brushers Uninvolved oral health consumers These segments are divided into relative percentages of adult toothbrush users. They are 46%, 21% and 33% respectively.  [22]  This illustrates that one third of the toothbrush using adult population has only little interest in oral hygiene and are probably not a worthwhile audience to which to pitch the Precision toothbrush. The expense of including these consumers in the target market would not be advisable. In the design and testing phase of the Precision toothbrush, Colgate-Palmolive accrued significant clinical data concerning the product. This information would not be relevant to the mainstream market that most likely would view it as too scientific. The Precision toothbrush was originally conceived to be a top-of the-range, super-premium product  [23]  indicating that production schedules had been developed in line with a niche marketing strategy. Mainstream marketing would require a greater volume production of the toothbrush with an estimated ten month lead time to achieve sufficient quantities of the product. This could result in an inadequate supply of the product at the outset.  [24]   The objective of the research and development group working on the product was to develop a superior, technical, plaque-removing device.  [25]  It was produced to be the best toothbrush possible and become the top-of the-range, super-premium product.  [26]  All of these phrases are heavily skewed towards niche merchandising. A mainstream product should aim to serve all of the people, all the time. This product clearly was created with niche-oriented goals. The greatest issue facing Colgate-Palmolive if they were to promote this product in the mainstream market is that it would be distributed through the same channels as an existing Colgate-Palmolive toothbrush called Colgate Plus.  [27]  Colgate Classic was the companys original entry in the toothbrush sector and was positioned as a value segment. The Colgate Plus came later and was placed in the professional segment as a higher quality product.  [28]  Including Precision as a high-end, mainstream product could potentially cannibalize Colgate Plus sales. Finally, Susan Steinberg, the product manager of Precision, felt that incorporating the new product into the mass market would require the company to delete one or more of the seven existing SKUs (stock keeping units) that Colgate-Palmolive produced.  [29]  This strategy could result in a loss of market share in the value or high-end segments. Niche Marketing Advantages Advertising companies have access to audience profiles through a wide variety of media products, such as television, radio and print media. This is the fundamental basis for successful niche marketing. A great advantage of offering any eligible product to a niche market is that it allows for a concentrated, specific advertising campaign, targeted to a specific demographic, psychographic, behavioral or geographic segment through whichever medium is most effective at reaching the specific population.  [30]  This allows efficient use of advertising budgets. Precision falls within the class of goods that could tender itself as a niche product. Developed to be the best toothbrush possible and placed in the super-premium category, this toothbrush is inherently a niche product. Members of the public most interested in this toothbrush would be those in the Involved oral health consumers groups; therapeutic and cosmetic brushers. Therapeutic brushers are interested in functionally effective products and differentiate between brands.  [31]  Both segments of customers would appreciate the scientific data Colgate-Palmolive has complied on this toothbrush. The facts that the initial clinical trials removed an average of 35% more plaque over that of Reach and Oral-B, and that it assists in the reduction of the likelihood of gum disease, would be effective information for this group.  [32]  Unlike the mass market, these are issues which a niche market segment would comprehend and about which they would care. Niche market participants are also more likely to pay a premium for this product due to the fact that Precision caters to a distinct set of needs they have. With this type of positioning, a 15% increase in price above Oral-B regular would be anticipated, bringing the cost to consumers to $2.13 per unit (more aligned with Oral-B Indicator). A mainstream market could only be anticipated to pay $1.85, in accordance with the Oral-B regular line.  [33]   As Precision was conceived more as a niche-type product, initial production was set for the lower demands of the smaller market segment. As discussed previously, to change the natural emphasis of the toothbrush to mainstream distribution would require a major overhaul of projected production schedule and costs due to the increase number of units required. Additionally, to keep Precision as a specialized product means that the new product is less likely to invade the market share of other Colgate-Palmolive products, like the Colgate Plus. This would also preserve the number of SKU that Colgate-Palmolive currently produces in the toothbrush sector. Niche markets historically attract fewer competitors.  [34]  This gives time and room for a new product such as Precision to establish itself and build up a market share before it may have to fight against a new contender. Disadvantages Marketing the Precision product to a niche market would generate less revenue for Colgate-Palmolive than a mainstream approach. Working with the estimated figures for the first two years of release generates the following table. Niche marketing Mainstream marketing Year 1 Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 No. units sold 8MM 15MM 27MM 44MM Factory list price $2.13 $1.85 Total revenue generated $17,040,000 $31,950,000 $49,950,000 $81,400,000 Obviously, the niche market revenue is significantly less than the mainstream market revenue, despite the 13% higher price. Conclusion Developing and communicating a positioning strategy for a product is necessary and critical. Differentiating a product, and the degree to which that product is differentiated, can be guided by quantifying the following criteria: Importance Distinctiveness Superiority Preemptiveness Affordability Profitability Using these parameters, a company can provide the public with a reason to buy their product.  [35]   Another tool used in solving the marketing mix problem companies face when launching a new product is a perceptual map.  [36]  This is a graphic representation of two or more features against which similar products can be ranked. When graphed, the resulting map displays areas to which the product types cater, revealing both areas of over population and areas of potential opportunity. Clusters of products exist when similar products appeal to the same consumer market participants. In these areas, competition is intense, therefore, they are not as attractive when positioning a new product. An optimal plan is to create a space within the product market that is relatively free of rivals and can enable a new product to develop and dominate. A perceptual map for Precision was created from the following data: Toothbrush Price Benefits Class Colgate Precision 0.8 0.9 Super Premium Oral-B Indicator 0.8 0.8 Super Premium Oral-B Regular 0.7 0.6 Super Premium Crest Complete 0.5 0.6 Super Premium Reach Advanced 0.6 0.5 Super Premium Aquafresh Flex 0.7 0.7 Super Premium Colgate Plus 0.4 0.4 Professional Reach Regular 0.3 0.4 Professional Pepsodent Professional 0.2 0.4 Professional Colgate Classic -0.4 -0.1 Value Pepsodent Regular -0.3 -0.1 Value Butter GUM Microtip 0.3 -0.1 Value Butter GUM Supertip 0.4 0.1 Value Menedent Pro-Core 0.7 0.7 Professional Oral-B cross action 1 0.8 Super Premium Generic Eckerd Interdental -0.5 -0.2 Value Generic Eckerd Angle -0.7 -0.2 Value Crest Advantage 1 0.8 Super Premium Recommendation Using these evaluative criteria in relation to the advantages and disadvantages of niche and mainstream marketing, we believe that Colgate-Palmolive should position the Precision toothbrush as a niche product. This would establish Precision as the leading toothbrush on the market at a competitive price. It would be a superior and distinctive oral care product. However, we believe this product would also work in the mainstream market and we envision it moving towards the mass market in the future. Once the toothbrush has established itself as a high quality product with specialty features, we believe that Colgate-Palmolive could transition the product to a wider audience. This will also allow time for Colgate to reconcile the position that the Colgate Plus product will hold relative to the Precision line. Further, we anticipate no significantly negative issues will be encountered by initially marketing Precision as a niche product and then moving it into the mainstream market. We do not believe the opposite would be true, as a niche market will most likely not accept a product that has been offered to the masses as the best value, and then marketed as a specialty item. The anticipated cyclical nature of the product on the market is well illustrated by the Boston Consulting Groups Growth-Share matrix.  [37]  The Precision toothbrush will begin as a question mark. This means the company will spend money developing and establishing the product in anticipation of increasing its market share. Subsequently, the hope would be for Precision to become a star, meaning it has been successful by obtaining a high market share and growth rate. If the product evolves into a mainstream offering by this time, the company will reap higher rewards. Going even further into the future, the toothbrush will most likely decrease its market growth rate while maintaining its high market share. At this phase the product will be a cash cow. Revenues produced from Precision at this phase can be used to establish other question marks and/or subsidize other stars if required. The final phase in this products life cycle will be a decline into dog status. This refers to the product when it has weak market share and low growth. At that point, Precision would need to be removed from the companys product line, allowed to decline further or all together repositioned in the market. At this point, the research and development phase for Precision has been completed, a thorough analysis has been performed on the current market situation, and a marketing strategy has been recommended. The final aspects of launching a new product must now be investigated product, price, place and promotion. PRODUCT Colgate-Palmolive has many important decisions to make regarding the new toothbrush before it becomes available on store shelves for customers to purchase, including the positioning strategy for the new toothbrush. To reach a conclusion, the new toothbrush must be analyzed on three product levels the core product, the actual product, and the augmented product so that customers needs are fully understood and the Precision toothbrush is correctly marketed to meet those needs. Since we are recommending that Colgate-Palmolive choose a niche market for Precision, the core benefit that the toothbrush will deliver to its users is plaque removal. Less plaque in turn leads to the added benefit of a reduction of the lik

Leadership Is a Process by Which a Person Influences Others

Leadership Is a Process by Which a Person Influences Others INTRODUCTION (UNDERSTANDING OF LEADERSHIP): Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. In other words, Leadership is also defined as process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal in a simple way. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership knowledge and skills. We have traits that can influence our actions. This is called Trait Leadership. In that it was once common to believe that leaders were born rather than made. On the other hand, leadership of leader can be observed in Process theory of Leadership. The below diagram tells a difference between these processes of Leadership. LEADER: Leader must have an honest understanding of himself who is he, what he knows and what he can do. It is the followers, not the leader or someone else who determines if the leader is successful. If Followers do not trust or lack confidence in their leader, then they will be uninspired. To be successful Leader has to convince his/her followers, not himself/herself or his/her superiors, that he/she is worthy of being followed. FOLLOWERS: Different people require different styles of leadership. For example, a new hire requires more supervision than an experienced employee. A person who lacks motivation requires a different approach than one with a high degree of motivation. He/She must know his/her people. The fundamental starting point is having a good understanding of human nature, such as needs, emotions, and motivation. COMMUNICATION: It is an important part of the Leadership to establish a Communication between a Leader and a Follower. It may be Verbal or Non-Verbal. What and how a Leader communicate either builds or harms the relationship between Leader and his/her Followers. SITUATION: All situations are different. What a Leader do in one situation will not always work in another. Leader must use his/her judgment to decide the best course of action and the leadership style needed for each situation. Also the situation normally has a greater effect on a leaders action than his or her traits. This is because while traits may have an impressive stability over a period of time, they have little consistency across situations. This is why a number of leadership scholars think the Process Theory of Leadership is a more accurate than the Trait Theory of Leadership. GENERAL CONCEPTS OF LEADERSHIP: Good leaders are made not born. If a person has the desire and willpower, he/she can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience. To inspire the workers into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things a person must be, know, and do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study. Good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their leadership skills; they are NOT resting on their laurels. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills. The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to the organization. In his/her employees eyes, his/her leadership is everything a Leader do that effects the organizations objectives and their well-being. Respected leaders concentrate on what they are [be] (such as beliefs and character), what they know (such as job, tasks, and human nature), and what they do (such as implementing, motivating, and providing direction). What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be guided by those they respect and who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future. The Two Most Important Keys to Effective Leadership: (a) Trust and confidence in top leadership was the single most reliable predictor of employee satisfaction in an organization. (b) Effective communication by leadership in three critical areas was the key to winning organizational trust and confidence: Helping employees understand the companys overall business strategy. Helping employees understand how they contribute to achieving key business objectives. Sharing information with employees on both how the company is doing and how an employees own division is doing relative to strategic business objectives. CHARACTERSTICS OF GOOD LEADER: Leader of any company or organization must have some skills for the success of the organization or the achievement of specific goal. Here are some of the main characterstics of leader that are must in any field of the business. INTERPERSONAL SKILL: The first leadership characteristic is interpersonal skills. Leaders that have earned the trust and respect of their followers can use this trust to move the organization towards the achievements of its goal. These leaders are able to use their interpersonal skills to work through difficult relationships and keep the peace in their departments. They are good at listening and providing constructive feedback. COMMUNICATION SKILL: Leaders demonstrating communication skills are both good speakers and listeners. Through their words they can help keep the workforce motivated and committed. They also listen to their followers and ask questions when they want to make sure they have a good understanding of what is being expressed. VALUES: Leaders must also value the diversity of a workforce and understand that a diverse group of employees will bring a larger perspective to the organization. They need to treat followers with the respect they deserve and do not display favoritism. They operate with a high level of ethics that sets an example for others to follow. ORGANIZATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS: Leadership characteristics sometimes go beyond the personal traits and hit on areas such as organizational consciousness or knowledge. These are leaders that understand what the organization wants to achieve and know how it can be accomplished. They create networks within the organization to help their groups get things done and are just as adept at breaking down organizational barriers to progress. CONFIDENCE: Leaders need to carry themselves with confidence and not be afraid to take ownership for both popular and unpopular decisions. They must be able to learn from criticisms and are often acutely aware of their own shortcomings. Confident leaders are able to maintain a calm demeanor even during emergencies and this can be contagious when it needs to be. FLEXIBILITY: Another important characteristic of leaders are their ability to remain flexible and adapt their leadership style to meet the demands of the current work environment. They must be able to work with others to meet organizational goals and shift focus as necessary. CREATIVITY SKILL: Leaders demonstrating creativity skills are able to develop innovative solutions to old problems. The diversity they build in their organizations helps them to develop more comprehensive answers to routine questions. Creative leaders are able to translate technical information into solutions that are understood by everyone. ACHIEVING RESULTS: The last leadership characteristic were going to discuss is achieving results. Leaders just dont set the example for others to follow; they also play a big role in achieving the goals of the organization. Through their leadership skills, they maintain a high level of performance in their organizations and are able to help keep their workforce motivated even when faced with a seemingly impossible situation. And since they have a deep understanding of what an organization needs to accomplish they are able to quickly identify and solve the important objectives of an organization. TWO GOOD LEADERS IN A BUSINESS: DHIRUBHAI AMBANI: According to my understandings, Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani is the good example for the whole world in a field of business. Mr. Ambani had all the qualities that are essential for leading the business organization and achieving the goals or future target with the help of followers by leading them in a effective way. Here are some of the qualities of the Mr.Ambani that are responsible for his success: Dhirubhais life was, indeed, a thumping success story of a small town boy building a giant corporation that propelled him into the ranks of the worlds richest men by the time of his death. In Dhirubhais view of the world of business, the end justified the means. Not something that everyone would agree with. But Dhirubhai swore by this dictum and he proved the point in his own lifetime. He built a $12-billion company from scratch. He was the prime force in introducing the equity cult in the country. His biggest achievement, however, is something that cannot be quantified he infused the spirit of business among an entire generation of Indians who were inspired by his rags-to-riches story. He was a living motif for how inspiration coupled with hard work and the can-do spirit can take one to great heights. Dhirubhai was endowed with sharp business acumen and a spirit of adventure. But more than this in-born trait, there were three characteristics that set Dhirubhai apart in the conserva tive world of Indian business: First, his phenomenal risk-taking ability that was far higher than other contemporary businessmen. He was a born risk-taker and believed in taking on and managing calculated risks. It is this same risk-taking ability that helped him when he ventured into textile manufacturing in 1966 within a year of buying out his original partner in the yarn business, Champaklal Damani. Ditto when he ventured into the backward integration project of setting up a plant to produce fibre intermediate, purified terephthalic acid (PTA) in the mid-80s he was taking on established businesses and businessmen. Second was his firm belief that business is nothing but a web of relationships and obligations. Success depended on the right contacts in the right places and Dhirubhai perfected this to a fine art. It was his great leadership quality that he strongly believed in a strong communication and relationship with his followers during his business that lead to him to become one of the great businessmen in the world. He believed in proactive moves rather than reacting to Government policy which is what his contemporaries were doing. This capacity to manage the environment would be responsible for the dark spots that any chronicler of the Reliance groups evolution would encounter. Finally, his ability to see the larger picture and think big. Even in the laid-back 80s, Dhirubhai could see that he needed to integrate himself across the entire petrochemical chain to survive and grow. This is again the great quality of any leader that lead them for the whole future by setting the goal of an organization. Mr. Ambani also thought always about the big dreams for him and his people. To Indian middle-class salary-earners, Ambani held out the promise of instant enrichment through the stock market. But he was no fly-by-night operator: Reliance shares offered genuine value, and those fortunate enough to have had faith in the company in the early years eventually became millionaires. Annual general meetings were held in sports stadiums where Ambani would be treated by shareholders with adulation and even reverence. Ambani was also anxious to encourage the spread of information technology among Indias poor. Through Reliance Industries he arranged computer education and training for thousands of students in schools in Bombay. You are getting an opportunity. Make the best use of it, he told children in December during one of his last public speeches. Be daring. Think big. You can be the best. If you believe in this, you will be the best. Think big, think fast and think ahead. Born in 1932 to a school teacher father in the small village of Chorwad in western Gujarat state, Ambani followed this advice all his life. He dreamt big even as a small boy when he used to sell hot snacks to pilgrims outside a temple in his native village. And he did not stop dreaming big even when he went to Aden as a petrol pump attendant at the age of 17 to help support his family. It was this desire to make it big in life which prompted his return to India in 1958. Ambani came to Bombay and started his first company, Reliance Commercial Corporation, a commodity trading and export house. Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani belonged to a middle class family, he was just studied till 10th standard and after that he started to work as an attendant at petrol pump. HE HAD NOTHING JUST WITHOUT DREAMS AND WILLPOWER AT THE STARTING OF HIS LIFE IN A WORK, BUT HE HAD DESIRE TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING IN A LIFE AND HE BECAME THE RICHEST PERSON OF INDIA AMONG THE POPULATION OF 10 BILLION PEOPLE AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH. WILLIAM H. GATES: William H. Gates is chairperson and chief software architect of Microsof Corporation, the worldwide leader in software services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing.Bill Gates was born on October 28, 1955 in a family having rich business, political and community service background. His great-grandfather was a state legislator and a mayor, his grandfather was vice president of national bank and his father was a lawyer. He has all the qulaities that a leader must need to become a successful in any business. Some of these are like : Bill strongly believes in hard work. He believes that if you are intelligent and know how to apply your intelligence, you can achieve anything. From childhood Bill was ambitious, intelligent and competitive. These qualities helped him to attain top position in the profession he chose. In school, he had an excellent record in mathematics and science. It was a very important decision in Bill Gates life where he was first introduced to a computer. Bill Gates and his friends were very much interested in computer and formed Programmers Group in late 1968. Being in this group, they found a new way to apply their computer skill in university of Washington. In the next year, they got their first opportunity in Information Sciences Inc. in which they were selected as programmers. ISI (Information Sciences Inc.) agreed to give them royalties whenever it made money from any of the g roups program. As a result of the business deal signed with Information Sciences Inc., the group also became a legal business. Then he formed Microsoft. Microsofts vision is A computer on every desk and Microsoft software on every computer. Bill is a visionary person and works very hard to achieve his vision. His belief in high intelligence and hard work has put him where he is today. He does not believe in mere luck or Gods grace, but just hard work and competitiveness. Bills Microsoft is good competition for other software companies and he will continue to stomp out the competition until he dies. He likes to play the game of Risk and the game of world domination. His beliefs are so powerful, which have helped him increase his wealth and his monopoly in the industry. Bill Gates also has a greta heart which is also a great qulaity of this person. He used to donate a lot of money for the welfare of the students, societies, poor people etc. With this, his business also expand and he get support from many of the persons. Some years back, he visited Chicagos Einstein Elementary School and announced grants benefiting Chicagos schools and museums where he donated a total of $110,000, a bunch of computers, and provided internet connectivity to number of schools. Secondly, Bill Gates donated 38 million dollars for the building of a computer institute at Stanford University. Gates plans to give away 95% of all his earnings when he is old and gray. Gates foresight and vision regarding personal computing have been central to the success of Microsoft and the software industry. Gates is actively involved in key management and strategic decisions at Microsoft, and plays an important role in the technical development of new products. Much of his time is devoted to meeting with customers and staying in contact with Microsoft employees around the world through e- mail. Facts about Bill Gates Queen Elizabeth gave him the title of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. IBM contracted him for the development of their first Personal Computer. He is the Co-Founder and the Chairperson of Microsoft. He is the worlds third richest person (As per the survey done in 2008) He is an American Business Magnate. Here is lot about bill gates that is behind his success in a business world. Acccording to me, Bill Gates and Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani are the two great leader and no doubt they have all the qualities to become a good leader. These are the qualities and willpower of the person that makes him everything from nothing.

Stuttering :: Biology Essays Research Papers

"IIIII Can Can Can't Heeeelp It: Stuttering to the Truth" "Stuttering is something the stutterer does, not something he has, because of something he is." --Wendell Johnson Can you imagine not being able to introduce yourself without struggling to pronounce your own name? What would your life be like if you had to battle every time you said "hello"? How would you feel if a mob of security guards surrounded you at Wal-Mart because an employee had mistaken you for being mentally ill ((1))? These are just a few scenarios that 42-year-old Kurt Salierno, a carpenter and minister from Atlanta, encounters everyday. Salierno has a stuttering disorder, which more than 3 million people in the United States and 55 million people around the world struggle with daily. Salierno describes his problem as similar to being trapped in a glass capsule; "I can see out, but there's no way to get out" ((1)). Salierno's feelings and views about what he experiences raises some interesting questions. What is reality like for a person with a stuttering disorder? Is the "I" that is trapped inside the capsule representative of the self that he cannot express due to his disorder? Internally, Salierno is conscious of the words, which he wishes to express. However, Salierno is seldom able to produce these words externally. Does a stutterer create his or her own reality within his or her mind? To the stutterer, does independent experience become reality? With reference to the philosophical thought e xperiment about the tree falling in a forest, does a stutterer make a sound if no one can hear him or her make that sound? Stuttering is a neurological disorder of communication, from which the normal flow of speech is disrupted by repetitions (neu-neu-neuro), prolongations (biiiii-ol-ooogy), or abnormal stoppages (no sound) of sounds and syllables. Rapid eye blinking, tremors of the lips and/or jaw, or other struggle behaviors of the face or upper body may accompany speech disruptions ((3)). Why does stuttering worsen in situations that involve speaking before a group of people or talking on the phone, whereas fluency of speech improves in situations such as whispering, acting, talking to pets, speaking alone, or singing ((1))? In ancient times, physicians believed that the stutterer's tongue was either too long or too short, too wet or too dry. Therefore, practitioners from the mid-1800s tried surgical remedies such as drilling holes into the skull or cutting pieces of the tongue out to eliminate stuttering ((1) ).

Spain Political Analysis :: essays research papers

The kingdom of Spain is roughly about 504,750 sq. km., including the Balearic and Canary islands (CIA). This land mass is roughly double the size of our state of Oregon. The country is located in Western Europe and borders the countries of; Andorra, France, Gibraltar, Portugal and Morocco (Ceuta and Melilla) (CIA). The country has roughly about 30% arable land and exports much of its agricultural products. The Spanish population is about 40.1 million people with about 1% growth rate (CIA). The population mix is mainly that of Mediterranean and Nordic heritage. The Kingdom of Spain is less populated than most of its European counterparts with the majority of the population living in main cities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The government of the Kingdom of Spain is a Parliamentary Monarch. The Chief of State is Juan Carlos I was coordinated in November of 1975. Juan Carlos was the immediate successor of the dictator Gen. Franco (NTDB). The head of the government is President Jose Maria Aznar Lopez. Aznar is a member of the Popular Party, and won both the popular vote and the designated votes. The ruling body of Spain is a bicameral legislation with a National Assembly, Senate, and Congress. In addition the government also supports a standing military to include; Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy, Cost Guard, National Police, and Civil Guard (NTDB). The military currently has 300,000 active duty men and woman. The current political outlook on Spain is stable. However, Spain is the only country in the EU that has a recognized separatist group known as the ETA. The ETA stands for Euzkadi Ta Askatasuna meaning Basque Fatherland and Freedom. This movement was started in 1959, and aim was to gain sovereignty for a small area in northern Spain near France. The ETA has accepted responsibility for over 800 deaths and an estimated 1,600 terrorist attacks (CNN) However, in the ETA’s defense these attacks were strategically aimed at government officials, and were never intended for innocent bystanders. The ETA have been involved in peace negotiations and resulted in a 14 Month cease-fire in 1998 (BBC). However that ceasefire ended when peace negotiations did not end in the favor of the ETA’s Plan in Zurich Switzerland. It was not until the September 11 attacks that the United States recognized the need for a global effort against terrorism and all its allies. In February of this year, t he United States in cooperation with the Spanish government ceased several millions of dollars in ETA and ETA supporters’ assets in the US and protectorates.

Marketing Management: Assignment Questions Essay

Q.2 Conduct a SWOT analysis for any one automobile brand of your choice. How will this analysis help in planning marketing strategies for the brand? Q.3 Explain in brief the process involved in personal selling. Q.4 Describe the stages of business buying process. Q.5 Why is rural market important? What should marketers keep in mind when catering to this market? Q.6 Explain the core concepts of marketing. Define service and explain its relevance in modern society Master of Business Administration – MBA Semester 2 MB0046 – Marketing Management – 4 Credits Assignment Set- 2 (60 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. Q.1 Explain the various steps involved in the design of a distribution channel. Q.2 Will the pricing and product policy of a multinational firm be different in a developed and an underdeveloped country? Justify your answer. Q.3 Explain the consumer decision making process Q.4 What is integrated marketing communication? Explain the integration marketing communication development process. Q.5 Explain the types of advertisements and characteristics of major media. Q.6 What are the advantages of branding? What value does the organisation and customers get out of the branding process? MB0045_MBA_Sem2_Fall/August 2012 Master of Business Administration – MBA Semester 2 MB0045 –Financial Management – 4 Credits Assignment Set- 1 (60 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. Q.1 Considering the following information, what is the price of the share as per Gordon’s Model? |Details of the Company Net sales |Rs.120 lakhs | |Net profit margin |12.5% | |Outstanding preference shares |Rs.50 lakhs@ 12% dividend | |No. of equity shares |25, 000 | |Cost of equity shares |12% | |Retention ratio |40% | |Rate of interest (ROI) |16% | Q.2 Examine the components of working capital & also explain the concepts of working capital. Q.3 Internal capital rationing is used by firms for exercising financial control. How does a firm achieve this? Q.4 What are the objectives of working capital management? Briefly explain the various elements of operating cycle. Q.5 Define risk. Examine the need for assessing the risks in a project. Q.6 Briefly examine the significance of identification of investment opportunities in capital budgeting process MB0045_MBA_Sem2_Fall/August 2012 Master of Business Administration – MBA Semester 2 MB0045 – Financial Management – 4 Credits Assignment Set- 2 (60 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. Q.1 Examine the reasons for holding inventories by a firm & also discuss the techniques of inventory control. Q.2 a.) A bond of Rs. 1000 value carries a coupon rate of 10% and has a maturity period of 6 years. Interest is payable semi-annually. If the required rate of return is 12%, calculate the value of the bond. ( 5marks) b.) A bond whose par value is Rs. 500 bearing a coupon rate of 10% and has a maturity of 3 years. The required rate of return is 8%. What should be the price of the bond? ( 5marks) Q.3 Examine the features & evaluation of decision-tree approaches. Q.4 If the EPS is Rs.5, dividend pay-out ratio is 50%, cost of equity is 20% and growth rate in the ROI is 15%. What is the value of the stock as per Gordon’s Dividend Equalisation Model? Q.5 Critically examine the pay-back period as a technique of approval of projects. Q.6 Two companies are identical in all aspects except in the debt-equity profile. Company X has 14% debentures worth Rs. 25,00,000 whereas company Y does not have any debt. Both companies earn 20% before interest and taxes on their total assets of Rs. 50,00,000. Assuming a tax rate of 40% and cost of equity capital to be 22%, find out the value of the companies X and Y using NOI approach. MB0044_MBA_Sem2_Fall/August 2012 Master of Business Administration – MBA Semester 2 MB0044 – Productions & Operations Management- 4 Credits Assignment Set- 1 (60 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. Q.1 What do you understand by Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI)? Q.2 Explain briefly the four classification of scheduling strategies & its approaches. Q.3 Define production management. What are the various functions involved in production management? Q.4 Explain the various phases in project management life cycle. Q.5 Explain the ingredients of a business process. Explain Physical Modelling. Q.6 Define the term quality. Explain the concept of quality at source. MB0044_MBA_Sem2_Fall/August 2012 Master of Business Administration – MBA Semester 2 MB0044 – Productions & Operations Management – 4 Credits Assignment Set- 2 (60 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. Q.1 What is value engineering? Explain the steps involved in Value analysis. Q.2 Describe dimensions of quality. Which are the quality control tools? Q.3 What are the objectives of layout? Explain the classification of layouts. Q.4 List the benefits of forecasting. Discuss the role of forecasting in modern business context. Q.5 Mention the significance of plant location decision. Explain the location decision sequence. Q.6 What is meant by business process? Explain logical process modelling? MB0049_MBA_Sem2_Fall/August 2012 Master of Business Administration – MBA Semester 2 MB0049 – Project Management – 4 Credits Assignment Set- 1 (60 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. Q.1 Define Project Management Information Software. Discuss the various steps of PMIS planning. Q.2 Explain procurement process . What are the key steps involved in purchase cycle? Q.3 Define project-type organisation and discuss it in detail Q.4 Define value engineering. Discuss the scope of applying VE in project. Q.5 Define project management, resource, process, and project cycle. Why is project management important? Q.6 What are the key steps included in risk management process? What are the strategies used to reduce risk? MB0049_MBA_Sem2_Fall/August 2012 Master of Business Administration – MBA Semester 2 MB0049 – Project Management – 4 Credits Assignment Set- 2 (60 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. Q.1 Define activity, event, and path as used in network development. What is a dummy activity? Describe the CPM model. Q.2 Discuss the advantages of using PM software package. What are the common features available in PM software packages? Q.3 Define risk management. What are the different types of risks that can affect a project? Q.4 What are the roles and responsibilities of project leader? Describe the leadership styles for project managers. Q.5 Explain the life cycle of a project. Describe the various phases of project management life cycle. Q.6 What is project control? Discuss the various elements of project control. MB0048_MBA_Sem2_Fall/August 2012 Master of Business Administration – MBA Semester 2 MB0048 – Operations Research- 4 Credits Assignment Set- 1 (60 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. Q.1 Maximise z = 3Ãâ€"1 + 4Ãâ€"2 Subject to constrains 5Ãâ€"1 + 4Ãâ€"2≠¤ 200; 3Ãâ€"1 + 5Ãâ€"2≠¤ 150; 5Ãâ€"1 + 4Ãâ€"2≠¥ 100; 8Ãâ€"1 + 4Ãâ€"2≠¥ 80, x1≠¥ 0, x2≠¥ 0 Q.2 State the ways in which customers in a queue are served. Q.3 Explain the use of simulation in networks? What are the advantages of using simulation? Q.4 Explain maximin-minimax principle. Briefly describe the characteristics of competitive game Q.5 A project has 10 activities. The following table shows the information about the activities. |Table 14.5: Activities |Preceding activity |Duration in weeks | |information Activity | | | |A |– |6 | |B |– |3 | |C |A |5 | |D |A |4 | |E |A |3 | |F |C |3 | |G |D |5 | |H |B, D, E |5 | |I |H |2 | |J |I, G, F |3 | Draw the network †¢ Find the project duration †¢ Identify the CPM †¢ Prepare the schedule Q.6 Discuss different types of service systems? Aug/Fall drive 2012 Master of Business Administration – MBA Semester II MB0047 – Management Information Systems – 4 Credits (Book ID: B1136) Assignment – Set- 1 (60 Marks) Marks-60 Attempt each question. Each question carries 10 marks: 1. What is MIS? Define the characteristics of MIS? What are the basic Functions of MIS? Give some Disadvantage of MIS? 2. Explain Knowledge based system? Explain DSS and OLAP with example? 3. What are Value Chain Analysis & describe its significance in MIS? Explain what is meant by BPR? What is its significance? How Data warehousing & Data Mining is useful in terms of MIS? 4. Explain DFD & Data Dictionary? Explain in detail how the information requirement is determined for an organization? 5. What is ERP? Explain its existence before and its future after? What are the advantages & Disadvantages of ERP? What is Artificial Intelligence? How is it different from Neural Networks? 6. Distinguish between closed decision making system & open decision making system? What is ‘What – if‘ analysis? Why is more time spend in problem analysis & problem definition as compared to the time spends on decision analysis? Aug/Fall drive 2012 Master of Business Administration – MBA Semester II MB0047 – Management Information Systems – 4 Credits (Book ID: B1136) Assignment – Set- 2 (60 Marks) Marks-60 Attempt each question. Each question carries 10 marks: 1. How hardware & software support in various MIS activities of the organization? Explain the transaction stages from manual system to automated systems? 2. Explain the various behavioral factors of management organization? As per Porter, how can performance of individual corporations be determined? 3. Compare various types of development aspect of Information System? Explain the various stages of SDLC? 4. Compare & Contrast E-enterprise business model with traditional business organization model? Explain how in E-enterprise manager role & responsibilities are changed? Explain how manager is a knowledge worker in E-enterprise? 5. What do you understand by service level Agreements (SLAs)? Why are they needed? What is the role of CIO in drafting these? Explain the various security hazards faced by an IS? 6. Case Study: Information system in a restaurant. MB0048_MBA_Sem2_Fall/August 2012 Master of Business Administration – MBA Semester 2 MB0048 – Operations Research – 4 Credits Assignment Set- 2 (60 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. Q.1 Explain project management (PERT) & Project scheduling of PERT. Q.2 Write a short note on Monte-Carlo simulation? What are the Limitations of using Simulation? Q.3 In a rectangular game, pay-off matrix of player A is as follows: i) Solve the game. ii) Write down the pay-off matrix of B and then, solve the game. Q.4 A marketing manager has 5 salesmen and 5 sales districts. Considering the capabilities of the salesman and the nature of districts, the marketing manager estimates that the sales per month (in hundred rupees) for each salesman in each district would be as follows.