Skills Management and Conceptual Skills

Introduction Research by Robert L. Katz found that managers need three basic and important skills: technical, human and conceptual. What is more, these three skills are relatively essential to managers who are at different levels that include first-line, middle, top management positions. There will be a discussion about the importance of conceptual skills that are needed by all managers at all levels, especially by top level of managers. The purpose of this essay is to identify and discuss the importance of conceptual skills that top managers are required to demonstrate.The essay will state why conceptual skills are not so important as much as lower managers through some supporting evidences,why conceptual skills become more important in top management positions than in other positions, and how top managers use conceptual skills in reality. At the end of essay, a conclusion the major findings will be provided. 1 Conceptual skills mean the ability to think and to conceptualize about a bstract and complex situations (Katz, R. L, 1974). It is different from technical skills and human skills.Technical skills tend to be more essential for lower-level managers because they should have the job specific knowledge and techniques to manage the work of non-managerial people (Katz, R. L, 1974). For example, accounts payable managers should know accounting rules and standardized forms very well so that they can solve problems which relevant to accounting fields. Whereas, human skills are important for managers at all levels, because every manager should have ability to work well with other people individually and in a group, all of managers deal directly with people.They should build cooperative spirit and motivate other workers. For example, first-line managers of food servicing company should communicate with producers to know how everything is going and where they should improve, so effective talking is very necessary to the whole company for any level of managers (Robbin s, S. P, 2011). Even though conceptual skills are not so important as much as lower managers, it does not mean lower managers do not use conceptual skills. In some situations, some of their works are related to conceptual abilities.It is little for mid-level managers, and it is not very required for first-level managers. While these lower-level managers should also make decisions to solve problems in some complex problems in their managerial fields. Whereas Katz thought that lower-level managers normally spend relative more time dealing with observable objects and processes, but upper-level managers often deal with abstract and complex ideas. So top managers’ responsibility matches conceptual skills, because top managers should make organization-wide decisions and establish the goals and plans that affect the entire organization (Robbins, S.P, 2011). That is why top managers are supposed not to only pay attention to small things, they should be leaders and have conceptual ski lls to lead the whole company to get more profits and access to success. Turn to lower-level managers, first-line managers are the lowest level of management, they coordinate the work of people who are non-managerial employees, such as producers. While middle managers manage the work of first-line managers (Robbins, S. P, 2011).Therefore, first-line managers should have special skills like technical skills, so that they can know how to supervise those producers to produce goods. 2 Conversely, conceptual skills are probably some of the most important management skills, which are very important to top managers especially. Katz proposed that these skills become more essential in top management positions. The reason for this is that top managers often deal with abstract ideas, and they are responsible for making organization-wide decisions and establishing the goals and plans that affect the entire organization.While conceptual skills can be described the ability to conceptualize about abstract time, they must see the organization as a whole and clear about the complicated relationships between various subunits. Then these abilities are essential to effective decision-making. So from the definition of conceptual skills, top managers should have many necessary skills, first is problem solving, they need to combine the whole organization together and use professional skills in practice to find how a party will be and what it will be like.The second key probably is study as a whole, so it is related to conceptualize about things. So they will not treat an organization as a part of the industry, looking the organization as a whole can help managers make decision or do something effectively. Conceptual skills also include creative thinking, which needs managers should have creative ideas, no matter for human management or the whole part management. In another word, conceptual skill is the ability to think in terms of models, frameworks and broad relationship such as lo ng-range plans.While technical skill has different characteristics of job performance, it does not matter at the operating and professional levels, but as employees are supposed to develop leadership responsibilities, their technical skills become proportionately less important, they increasingly depend on technical skills of their subordinates; in many cases they have never practiced some of the technical skills that they supervise. Conceptual skill deals with ideas, whereas human skill concerns people and technical skill involves things.So conceptual skills conclude knowing how to formulate ideas, so managers who have strong conceptual skills are supposed to have cognitive abilities to solve problems creatively and effectively. Therefore they can create new products, then they can examine a complicated issue or formulate a distinct and specific action. So when top managers make wide-decisions, conceptual skills are necessary, it will help them to do managing work easily and effect ively (Glaser, R. , & Resnick, L. B, 1989). 3Mintzberg concluded ten different roles but those roles are highly interrelated. Interpersonal role should be symbolic, which is essential for top managers, because top managers are leaders, their ability is to lead, supervise and motivate workers. So during this time, conceptual skills will be used because of many complex situations with employees and employers. Informational roles need managers to have the ability to receive, collect and disseminate information. Decisional roles are typically important to top managers.In usual time, they should do wide-making decisions, they will face many complex and abstract situations, but as a leader, they should solve these problems using their managerial skills. So they will use conceptual skills to make decisions due to solving all of abstract situations (Robbins, S. P, 2011). Otherwise, strategic planning is necessary for top managers in reality. Planning implementation is especially important, which needs managers to implement strategic planning effectively through formalizing and discipline.Managerial innovation includes total quality management. The generation of innovation results in an outcome – a product, service, technology, or practice that is at least new to an organizational population. Decision skills and strategic planning skills are fundamental factors of conceptual skills. For example, Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg planned to offer a search feature like Google, he combined social and search together, people can do many things at the same place, even finding a good restaurant or learning about a good job.Facing the biggest competitor Google, Mark needs strategic planning skills to make latest strategies to deal with intense competitions this kind of complex situations. Therefore decision skills and strategic planning skills are related to conceptual skills. How do chief executive officers (CEOs) use conceptual skills? They set the tone for th e organization via the vision they express, decisions they make, policies they implement, and what they pay attention to, measure, and reward (Finkelstein, Hambrick, & Cannella, 2009).Those abstract situations they should face are very normal to a company. How will the members perform, how will set a correct direction, or how to coordinate relationships with stakeholders are complex actions they are supposed to do (Boal & Hooijberg, 2001; Hambrick & Mason, 1984; Ireland & Hitt, 1999). CEO Alan Joyce is leading change at Qantas to deal with the challenges in the airline industry’s fast-moving and competitive environment. Why would Qantas be successful? Because there are many effective strategies Qantas has conducted.Firstly, they split the operations into separate business in order to make each of the business units more accountable. They have also been forced to look at how it can reduce its costs. Secondly, under Joyce’s leadership, the company has a significantly low er cost base than its full service parent, customers are very satisfied with discount airline. Thirdly, an area where cost savings have been seen as necessary is in staffing. And the last point is to surge fuel prices. There are many competitors to Qantas, they all take effective actions at any time.So Alan Joyce has had to deal with as he maps a road that will make Qantas to continue to operate as a successful and profitable airline around the world (Robbins, S. P, 2011). Conclusion In summarize, conceptual skills are needed by all managers at all levels, but these skills are more important in top management positions. In current business, top managers should have these skills to make wide decisions and establish the goals to lead companies to be successful. Conceptual skills represent collaborative processes at the organizational and strategic levels.The degree of leader success will depend largely on the leader's ability to maximize the full potential of these collaborative netwo rks. Reference Boal KB. , ; Hooijberg R. (2001). Strategic leadership: Moving on. The Leadership Quarterly, 11, 515–550. Finkelstein S. , Hambrick DC. , Cannella AA. , ; Jr. (2009). Strategic leadership: Theory and research on executives, top management teams, and boards. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Glaser, R. , ; Resnick, L. B. (1989). Cognitive Apprenticeship: Teaching the Crafts of Reading, Writing, and Mathmatics.In Knowing, learning, and instruction: Essays in honor of Robert Glaser. Hillsdale, N. J: L. Erlbaum Associates,453-490. Kanter, R. M. (1984). The Change Masters. London: Unwin Hyman. Katz, R. L. (1974). Skills of an Effective Administrator. An HBR Classic. Harvard business review,  52(5), 90-102. Retrieved from http://hbr. org/1974/09/skills-of-an-effective-administrator/ar/1 Peters, T. J. , ; Waterman, R. H. (1984). In Search of Excellence. New York: Warner Books. Robbins, S. P. , R. Bergman, et al. (2009). Management. Frenchs Forest, N. S. W. , Pear son Education Australia. * *

Attracting and Retaining the Best Employees

How many of each type of therapist will the company need? Can not estimate the amount of staffing needed to staff the therapist do to patients needs, without number of patients. b. How will it prevent therapists from â€Å"burning out†? Cross training per therapists unlikely to be burnout since they are floating among the five nursing homes. c. How can it retain experienced staff and still limit costs? Job analysis Job description Job specification Recruiting Degree Employee training By offering the employee benefit package will still limit company cost d.Are promotions available for any of the staff? What is the career ladder? Performance appraisal or evaluation is used to provide employee with performance feedback, to serve as a basis for distributing reward. e. How will the company manage therapists at five different locations? How will it keep in touch them (computer, voice mail, monthly meetings)? Would it make more sense to have therapists work permanently at each locati on rather than rotate among them? They will keep it touch by iphone, computer e-mail, text messaging, morning appointments assignments. No, it will be more cost affected for the patients needed. . How will the company justify the travel costs? What other expenses might it expect? By filled out a traveling expense report employee will be reimbursement at the rate of . 27 cent a mile dependant on appointment schedule. It will consist of the following; Date Patient name Arrival time Department time Mileage Using company vehicle has the expense of repair and maintenance. 2. Prepare a plan for the New Therapy Company to present to the nursing homes. Human Resource Planning – Forecasting the human resources that a firm will need and those that it will have available for the action to match supply and demand.Job analysis – determining the exact nature of the positions Recruiting – attracting people the apply for position Selection – Choosing and hiring the most qualified applicants Orientation – acquainting new employees with the firm Compensation – rewarding employee effort through monetary payment Benefits – providing rewards to ensure employee well-being Training Development – teaching employee new skills, new jobs, and more effective ways of doing their present jobs Performance Appraisal – assessing employees’ current and potential performance levels

Adults with Learning Disabilities Essay Example for Free

Adults with Learning Disabilities Essay ? The discourse of ‘learning disabilities’ is now being used to challenge a wide range of acts and practices, including violence and intimidation, non-consenting sexual acts, the bullying of less resilient people by more able service users, unacceptably deprived physical or social environments and financial exploitation or fraud. Some argue that it should include all abuses of human rights. Clearly, these issues are not new as the following essay illustrates, and historically some of these practices have been hidden within service cultures while others have been quite open but variously rationalized as ‘behavior modification’, ‘relationships’, ‘control and restraint’, or ‘not giving in to attention seeking’. Abuse was regarded as a central, and inevitable, feature of institutionalized provision in influential models such as that of Goffman (1961) and Wolfensberger (1975 and 1980) within an analysis whose focus was on organizations and ideology. The new discourse is much more personalized and within it the focus is on the experience of the victim. This has some advantages for individuals and highlights some dilemmas for service organizations. It makes clear that people with learning disabilities are harmed, as any individual would be, by personal or sexual violence or exploitation. Harm is deemed equivalent whoever has caused it, for example whether it has been perpetrated by another service user, a member of staff or a stranger. This way of framing harmful acts highlights conflicts of interest between service users: the discourse of ‘challenging behavior’ for example, designed to neutralize the stigma of difficult behavior, inadvertently deflects from and discounts the experience of those on the receiving end of difficult behavior. Naming these acts as abusive confronts service agencies with the need for specialized, safe (expensive) placements for those who present a risk to others. Men with learning disabilities who have difficult sexual behaviors, for example, are often placed alongside very vulnerable people, their needs for asylum taking precedence over the safety of more vulnerable people (Thompson and Brown 1998). But while this acknowledgement is a step forward for individuals ,the new discourse risks personalizing forms of mistreatment that arise out of societal and structural inequalities. At an individual level, when issues of power are overlooked or neutralized, abusive and exploitative interactions can be explained away as relationships of choice. At a service level, new fault-lines between agencies and between purchasers, providers and regulators set up contingencies that make abuse more likely and less visible. At a societal level, there is growing inequality between the pay and working conditions of managerial, professional and so-called ‘unqualified’ staff within and across the statutory, private (for-profit) and voluntary (not-for-profit) sectors. Gender and race exacerbate the unequal position of direct care staff and the disproportionate responsibility that falls on them. This paper divides into two parts. First, I shall review the current usage of the term ‘learning disabilities’, looking at how it is being defined and categorized. Second, I will outline what is emerging as good practice in this field. WHAT DOES A LEARNING DISABILITY LOOK LIKE? Let me explain this with an exaomple: Sara’s lifelong difficulty with reading and writing had nothing to do with not being â€Å"smart. † Most individuals who have a learning disability are of average to above average intelligence and therefore have the intellectual potential to succeed at school and in careers. But they often do not reach this potential. While effort and motivation are important for success, it is clearly unfair to say of someone with a learning disability that he or she â€Å"just needs to try harder. † No matter how hard Sara worked, her problems did not go away. We know that a learning disability is caused by specific dysfunction within the central nervous system. The central nervous system, made up of the brain and the spinal cord, controls everything we do: our ability to process and think about language and to express ourselves verbally, as well as our ability to process nonverbal information, including art or music. Sara’s symptoms included reversing or rotating numbers (6 for 9), letters (b for d;p for q), and words (was for saw; on for no) when writing; omitting letters and sounds; and making sound and word substitutions when reading (tril for trial;then for there). Such problems make it difficult to decode words, and these decoding errors are most evident when reading aloud. Though never diagnosed, Sara’s symptoms became evident in first grade, when formal reading instruction began. As we learn to read we must of course master the alphabet, which is like a code, and learn the relationship between letters and sounds. Reading is a process of decoding the clusters of letters, converting them into words, and then attaching meaning to the words. In many cases, problems with phonological processing the ability to receive, transform, remember, and retrieve the sounds of oral language interfere with the acquisition of reading skills. Phonological processing involves the ability to separate a word into its component parts or blend sounds to construct a word. Problems with these skills make it very hard for the beginning reader to achieve fluency. Comprehension of written material depends on accurate and fluent decoding, a good vocabulary, and comprehension of the grammatical structure of sentences. When these skills are not developed that is, when they are slow and labored — the reader must devote more energy and effort to identifying and comprehending each individual word, rather than constructing meaning from an entire paragraph or from general context. For many years, researchers believed that the reader automatically moved from reading the words on a page to comprehending, without participating in the process of constructing meaning. But recent research points to the fact that the reader plays an active role: using background knowledge about the subject, calling on appropriate strategies for both decoding and comprehension, and applying the right amount of attention and concentration. Reading strategies are now considered essential components of the reading process. These might include paraphrasing while reading or summarizing afterward to help with comprehension. Competent readers are able to evaluate the reading task and select strategies that are a â€Å"good fit† or match to the task. In Sara’s case, she read slowly and had to reread material several times, so she found it difficult to comprehend content or recall important facts when questioned about them later. Unlike good readers, she did not rely on strategies that could help her. She also struggled with writing. Many times she was ashamed to submit patient reports because she knew they were filled with spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors and were not organized or structured well. Her reports never reflected her knowledge or keen insight into patient care. Writing problems can be seen at any age, although they become more evident as academic or work demands increase. While Sara knew what she wanted to say, she had trouble getting started, focusing on the essential facts, and editing effectively. She tended to use the same words over and over. This was so different from her spoken language, which was rich and varied. Not surprisingly, it took her a long time and a good deal of effort to complete her reports. Her mathematical skills, though, were more than adequate. But there are people with learning disabilities who have problems understanding mathematical concepts or difficulty solving verbal or written mathematical problems. These problems may stem from more than one source, including inadequate spatial or directional sense and difficulty understanding abstract symbols or the language of mathematics. To use a basic example, someone who does not have a good understanding of concepts such as â€Å"plus† and â€Å"minus† is going to find it hard to identify the process needed to solve a mathematical problem. Learning strategies will be of great help to this person. Sara was also troubled by her erratic performance at work. Some days, she would be fine. But when she was fatigued or stressed, she found her attention was poor and she made more than the usual number of errors. At these times, she did not feel in control and usually needed to take a break and call on the support of friends to help her get back on track. While Sara felt her social life to be strength, some individuals who have learning disabilities have difficulty in social situations because they cannot perceive others’ needs and make or keep friends. Relationships with family and friends and associates on the job may suffer. As a way of compensating, an individual may avoid social situations altogether and thus become isolated. Others may struggle with low self-esteem and a lack of assertiveness, which can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies of failure. Moreover, repeated negative experiences in school and at home can discourage an individual from even trying. Many individuals who have learning disabilities have difficulty planning ahead and then evaluating their performance in academic courses or work-related tasks. Planning involves the ability to determine the outlines of a task and the skills it will require. Planning helps us generate strategies or know when to ask for outside help. We are not always conscious of initiating this type of planning because so many tasks are performed automatically, such as remembering a frequently called phone number by using a mnemonic, or writing notes in a book or on a memo. But when tasks are new or complex, active planning is needed. Other learning problems may stem from an inability to manage one’s time effectively to get something done on schedule. For example, many college students do not leave sufficient time to research and write a term paper, and end up frantically completing it the night before it is due. Or a manager may delay writing a budget or marketing report, finding it hard to begin. In order to use strategies at school, at home, or on the job, we need to be aware of ourselves as learners. Researchers have suggested that each of us has our own built-in executive function that directs and controls our actions. If this â€Å"executive† is efficient and aware of individual skills and the strategies needed to accomplish a task, the appropriate plan of action can be put into effect. If the plan is unsuccessful, then the executive reevaluates and initiates a new course of action. Individuals who have learning disabilities have a less efficient executive, the theory goes, and are therefore less able to generate and use effective strategies in their personal and professional lives. In addition to learning disabilities, a large number of adults suffer from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD affects an individual’s ability to focus and concentrate on school or work tasks, and to make good use of strategies. The struggle to achieve is so much harder with the added burden of ADHD. Although external factors do not cause a learning disability, we know that they do play a significant role in learning. It is well documented that the environment we live and work in influences and helps to shape our learning patterns, behavior, and sense of self. Research has consistently shown that the type and quality of support provided both at school and within the home are strong determinants of success in school, at work, or in one’s personal life. For example, a supportive family, early identification of learning problems, and appropriate intervention may make all the difference in helping an individual compensate for the disability. Learning disabilities are found throughout the world and in all socioeconomic groups — they are not bound by culture or language. Approximately the same numbers of males as females have learning disabilities, and the problem tends to run in families. Many prominent figures in politics, science, and the arts are reported to have had a learning disability, among them Nelson Rockefeller, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Auguste Rodin. Einstein, for example, was described as having difficulty learning a foreign language and mathematics — of all things! He also struggled with other academic subjects and with writing. All adults face the challenges and rewards of employment, home and family, leisure pursuits, community involvement, emotional and physical health, and personal responsibility and relationships. Adults who have learning disabilities must manage these life demands with an added set of problems. Society expects adults to be self-supporting, to function within a community, and to exhibit appropriate social behavior. Typically, to be self-supporting one must be employed. Employment for most adults spans a long period of time. It may begin with the exit from high school and continue for fifty or more years. While research on the employment of adults who have learning disabilities is sparse, and the findings that are available reflect the heterogeneity of the population, the information reported is unfortunately discouraging. It suggests that individuals with learning disabilities, as a group, show higher rates of unemployment, have jobs of lower status, receive lower pay, and change jobs more frequently than those without learning disabilities. Of course, there are many individuals at all levels of the workforce who do attain professional success. Further, there are well-documented accounts of persons with learning disabilities throughout history who have made significant contributions to society, among the most notable being Einstein, Edison, Churchill, and Rockefeller. It is important to keep in mind that adults who have learning disabilities who have above average intelligence, come from middle to higher economic backgrounds, and/or have completed postsecondary education, have higher rates of employment, higher job status, and greater job satisfaction than this research indicates. Those who graduate from college are much more likely to hold professional or managerial positions, for example, than those who have only a high school diploma. What makes success on the job so difficult for some people with learning disabilities? For one thing, persistent problems with reading, writing, and arithmetic can interfere with their work. Many report that they continue to struggle with decoding skills, sight vocabulary, and reading rate. Banking tasks and money management often bring out their troubles with arithmetic. Spelling is frequently reported to be the biggest problem of all. The level of basic skills that is required in the current job market is expanding to include more abstract abilities. Employers want their workers not only to be proficient in basic skills but also to be able to use these skills effectively and efficiently to solve on-the-job problems. Employers want the people they hire to be able to read for information, to analyze and synthesize the material, and apply the material read to on-the-job situations. They further expect employees to analyze problems, formulate solutions, and communicate that process, in writing, to others. Workplace mathematics, like reading and writing, also requires identification of the problem, analysis, and then the ability to find a solution. Employers further expect good interpersonal skills. The ability to use technology and information systems is becoming more essential as well. To do all of these things efficiently and effectively, workers must have mastered basic skills and be able to apply thinking skills. They also need personal qualities such as individual responsibility, self-esteem, and self management. The nature of a learning disability may affect the development of some of these competencies. For example, because of years of struggle and failure, self-esteem may be low and self-monitoring skills may not be functioning effectively. Employers often do not understand what a learning disability is, thus making it even more difficult for the adults with learning disabilities whom they supervise. Because employers cannot â€Å"see† the disability and may have limited knowledge about learning disabilities, they may find it difficult to understand that the problems are real. Therefore, they may fail to provide the necessary accommodations and supportive environment. They may often fail to recognize that, with assistance, workers who have learning disabilities may be tremendous assets to the company. A learning disability is a lifelong condition. Some adults, by the time they have completed their formal education, have learned to compensate for their difficulties. For many others, difficulties continue and to varying degrees impact on careers, social relationships, and activities of daily living. There are adults who were diagnosed as children and received services under the guidelines of PL 94-142. But more and more adults, who never knew why school was so hard, are now addressing the problem by initiating an assessment and seeking services to help them cope with their disabilities. Adults who have learning disabilities are a heterogeneous group. Some struggle with reading and writing, some with mathematical tasks, some with the basic challenges of daily life. There are adults who have learning disabilities who have trouble finding and keeping a job; others are professionally successful yet cannot seem to develop a satisfying social life. And there are those who seem to have few problems as they successfully negotiate the range of life’s demands. Adults who have learning disabilities are not merely children with learning disabilities grown up. The impact of having a learning disability differs at each stage of development. And adulthood itself has many stages, each with its unique challenges. Satisfaction or dissatisfaction at one stage does not guarantee the same degree of adjustment at another. At one point, the adult might deal with self-identity, at another with employment and economic independence, and still another with personal responsibility and relationships. As a group, adults who have learning disabilities represent a broad spectrum of the population. We see individuals of different ages, from different socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural groups. We see different clusters of social and learning problems that affect education, social, personal, and occupational adjustments. The field now recognizes the unique needs of the adult who has learning disabilities, and as such has responded by providing legal protection, programs, services, and an ever-developing information base. Where do we stand today? References: Erikson, E. H. 1968. Identity: Youth and crisis. New York: Norton. Hallahan, D. P. , Lloyd, J. W. , Kauffman, J. M. , Weiss, M. P. , & Martinez, E. A. (2005). Learning disabilities: Foundations, characteristics, and effective teaching (3rd ed. ). Toronto: Pearson Education, Inc. Johnson, D. J. , & Blalock, J. W. (1987). Adults with learning disabilities: Clinical studies. Orlando: Grune & Stratton. Jordan, D. R. (1996). Teaching adults with learning disabilities. The professional practices in adult education and human resource development series. Malabar, Fla: Krieger Pub. Shapiro, J. , & Rich, R. (1999). Facing learning disabilities in the adult years. New York: Oxford University Press. Wong, B. Y. L. (1998). Learning about learning disabilities. San Diego: Academic Press. Adults with Learning Disabilities. (2016, Dec 10).

Strateguc Management of Apple Inc Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strateguc Management of Apple Inc - Assignment Example The main internal factors that have impacted the functioning of Apple Inc, and the strategic management processes and decisions of the company are discussed as follows. Resources and capabilities of the company: The availability of resources and capabilities including financial resources, physical resources, human resources and other key competencies of the company are major internal deciding factors for the strategic management of Apple Inc. The company is rich in terms of both tangible and intangible resources which act as value adding factors for the technology giant. The cur competencies of Apple Inc. like product designing capabilities, high investments made in fostering radical innovations, breakthrough inventions, highly robust research and development systems act as the key strengths as well as the Critical Success Factors (CSF) of the company. Thus, the business focuses on leveraging on such competencies and resources to create a strategically advanced position for the corpo ration in the global technology industry. The company has also remained highly efficient in product design and development which forms the backbone for the operability of a technological company. Te high investments made in the research and development arenas of the organization also add to the success of the company. The company culture and the shared values within the organization are other important external factors that can negatively or positively impact the growth, success, sustainability and future direction of Apple Inc.

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 65

Case Study Example It has been very aggressive in its profit responsibility; using its programs and projects as means of communication to showcase its products and services to a larger population. This has demonstrated to be even more effective than the traditional way of holding advertising campaigns. The overall mission of Toyota is to contribute to the society and the economy by producing high-quality products and services. This is achieved through the Toyota way, which is a philosophy, built on five principles: challenging long-term visions and approaching them with creativity, Kaizen i.e. continuously improve business processes. Genchi Genbustu which, means going to the source to verify the facts in order to make accurate decisions; stimulating teamwork and performance and finally respect for the others and the environment by responsibility for it. Thus, Toyotas concept of sustainable mobility is key to achieving the Toyota way, which believes in respecting the atmosphere, and taking care of it. The Toyota National Parks project has been very successful. Parks included in this partnership are Yellowstone National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Everglades National park, the Golden Gate Bridge Foundation, Yosemite National park, the Grand Canyon and the Santa Monica National Recreational reserves. The program tries to engage with the visitors at the park personally and expose them to Toyota’s hybrid vehicles which when used in a natural setting are able to receive messages about sustainable mobility. A corporate image study which was recently conducted shows that Toyota ranked highest among its competitors namely Toyota, Honda, Ford and GM when it came to indicators such as ‘Leader in High MPG’, ‘Leader in Technology Development’, ‘Environmentally Friendly Vehicles’ and in the ‘Wins Environmental Awards’ (107). I would suggest that Toyota gets involved in even more activities that raise environmental-friendly awareness. They should be proactive

Transformational leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Transformational leader - Essay Example Sadaffe Abid possesses leadership characteristics and qualities that make her transformational. For instance, Sadaffe is an inspiration to her followers and other women when she empowers them using her own beliefs and strength. Sadaffe conducts leadership training where she focuses on developing high-potential female professionals and entrepreneurs and emerging talent (Hill, 2014). Moreover, Sadaffe has immense charisma that propels other women to follow her (Bennett, 2015). For instance, she co-founded the Buksh Foundation that encouraged Pakistani women and micro entrepreneurs to access financial services (Hill, 2014). She is also visionary in that she grew the Kashf Foundation from a pilot project to a large micro finance serving more than 300,000 female clients in Pakistan (Hill, 2014). She was able to articulate the micro finance vision that Pakistani women can identify with and later became the CEO of the foundation. As a consultant with Transformational Leadership Inc. business experience, and teaching experience in Adaptive Leadership, Sadaffe has the capacity to conducts leadership development trainings focusing on potential women professionals and entrepreneurs in the Middle East (Hill, 2014). More so, as a Consultant to the International Finance Corporation for institution building and gender diversity, she inspires women to do their best (Hill, 201 4). Sadaffe makes her decisions based on her entrepreneurial experience, knowledge on transformational leadership, and the need for institution building, gender diversity, achieving high-potential female professionals (Hill, 2014). Sadaffe has led a group of Pakistani women through change. She transformed Kashf Foundation from a pilot project to a large microfinance institution that allowed about 300,000 Pakistani women to access micro-loans (Hill, 2014). The initiative transformed women from poor slum dwellers to small entrepreneurs who operate grocery stores and make ornaments

Discuss the art work in the Cantor Arts Centre in Standford University Essay

Discuss the art work in the Cantor Arts Centre in Standford University - Essay Example This means that some of the artworks in the museums are obtained freely from the people who made them, and who have the full rights. People are in some cases driven to present artworks in museums by the desire to promote their cultures or represent the general coexistence of creatures in their environment. Through this, people understand and keep information about the culture that is represented by a work of art and are able to explain some information. In describing the work of art in a museum, it is important to identify the piece of work represented, the artist and the issues that prevailed during the time of production. This is important in understanding the work in different dimensions as well as getting the understanding of the feeling of people concerning the work (Payne and Picasso 8). The Lion Reclining in a Landscape The Lion Reclining in a Landscape is an artwork that is exhibited in Cantor Arts Center in Stanford University as part of the pieces of art that are representi ng the nature through a lion in an environment. The artwork was created as an original artwork by an artist, Antonie Luios Barye, who lived in America between the year 1796 and 1875, to represent the correlation between animals and their environment. This image was presented to different museums for exhibitions under the authority of the Barye who owned the piece of art and is availed to all the people who visit such museums for the viewing. This image is presented as a drawing that is made on a paper and is placed in the shelves for viewing by all the interested visitors in such museums. One of the places where Barye presented this image is the Cantor Arts Center in Stanford University where it is presented to the public for viewing. Through the work of art, people are able to understand different issues and this is in accordance to the views of the people concerning Barye and his piece of art. The piece of art that was presented in the 19th century as a primary creation but it has undergone reproduction with time so as to keep it in the records. The Lion in a Landscape image, although old and replicated by other people by copying the original image, is accepted favorably by the people who view it from the different museums in which it is exhibited. In the event of painting the image, the artist was presented was affected by different circumstances in the environment that made the different features to be prevalent in the image (Payne and Picasso 29). Antonie Luios Barye lived under his father who worked as a goldsmith and familiarized himself with the work of making sculptures and his skills were perfected by his working with different companies and training in different institutions. He continued in his work to demonstrate his interest in animals and that led him to production of images that were representing them in different ways. This means that all his production was designed according to his preferences in animals within the environment (Payne and Pica sso 59). During the time of production of Lion in a Landscape, the political environment was dominated by the Roman Empire who valued sculptures and drawings of their images. Economically, Barye produced his artworks during the time of gold

Advertising and Memory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advertising and Memory - Essay Example This essay "Advertising and Memory" outlines how advertising affects our memory and creates "a false experience effect". A perfect example of how advertising makes use of this effect can be demonstrated using the Nestle advert. The Nestle advert picturing a family happily enjoying Nestle cookies while laughing on a beach or around a fire may make an individual think that the images are true. Additionally, these images may stick on one’s mind; thus, he or she may start picturing the events in the ad as real memories of his or her life. ‘False experience effect’, as well as how people perceive themselves and reality can have profound effects on their purchasing habits. This is because it gives one an impression that the images being displayed in the advert occurred, yet in the real sense; the experience never occurred. The impact of advertising is also influenced by implicit memory. This is a type of memory whereby previous memories assist in task performance without conscious awareness of such experiences. Implicit memory is important to advertisers because of various reasons. Implicit memory concerns itself with how people behave, and not what they recall. On the other hand, advertisers are interested in consumer behavior and not the manner in which advertisements are consciously remembered, because the customer behavior towards an ad will either result to an increase in sales or not. Advertisers have to reconsider the use of implicit memory while placing ads, for they determine the success of the advertising campaign.

What do UEL students think about the future of university education Essay

What do UEL students think about the future of university education and why - Essay Example Another theme uncovered in the research was growing sentiment that university classroom sizes should be reduced in order to provide better learning and relationship development. Further, there were also beliefs that teacher education would need to be improved in order to build more competent teaching to keep up with the dynamic changes in tomorrow’s business environment. However, these identified themes had very radically-different attitudes about the future of education that conflicted with using them as a foundation for primary research. The most common theme, both in psychology text and general research articles was the impact of debt and financing for tomorrow’s university experience. Due to the commonalities associated with costs and future debt, this study developed its methodology based on this common theme. Review of literature There are many different governmental policy-makers that continue to debate the nature of public financing for education and are current ly working on proposals to change the government involvement in providing tuition and living costs to students with low- and mid-range incomes. One proposal for the future of university education is to create a system whereby student loan debt payments actually decrease based on income changes for the post-graduate (Browne 2010). Why is this important for this study? According to Callender (2002) students who take on considerable student loan debt have very high instances of pathological depression and anxiety about how this will impact their lifestyles. Pathological depression, according to Morris and Maisto (2005) is defined as a mood disorder that includes overwhelming feelings of sadness, social isolation and excessive guilt. Further, those struggling with anxiety have prolonged periods of intense fears that can lead to panic or even social isolation (Morris and Maisto). University educators not only attempt to promote standardized learning, but also to assist students in becomi ng active contributors to the social order. Students who have earned their degrees from the university tend to be more participatory in volunteerism, experience much more social inclusion, and tend to be more involved in community affairs (Greenaway and Haynes 2003). Universities will be limiting their ability to provide more effective contributors to society if lessons on community and sociology are lost to situations of anxiety and depression due to concerns over debt load. Why is this a concern for the future of university education? According to Vasagar (2011), universities are losing revenues today and therefore are planning to charge the ?9000 pounds for tuition that is allowable by current laws related to university enrolment. Concurrently, university costs continue to increase annually by approximately 10 percent, thus the future of funding for education looks to greatly exceed the current ?9000 cap due to inflation and higher operational costs of the university (i.e. facili ty management, payroll and supply chain). Research also identified that complaints about the student loan process have greatly increased from 2006 to 2011. A major supplier of student loans, The Student Loans Company, logged an increase in grievances from students that rose from 1,411 in 2006 to 5,648 in 2011 (Cook

Marketing plane Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing plane - Essay Example In addition, the Unilever top management believes that this sale would assist the company to focus more on its core objectives and to continue to deliver sustainable growth for the organisation. According to Kees Kruythoff, president of Unilever North America, â€Å"as we continue to shape our portfolio to deliver sustainable growth for Unilever, this change will give us the focus to drive growth behind our core foods portfolio† (qtd in Dornbrook). In addition, Unilever plans to generate 70% of its total sales from emerging markets by 2020. Probably, Wish-Bone is less likely to gain a wider market acceptance in emerging markets like China, India, or Russia. Therefore, Unilever decided to sell out its iconic brand to add value to its long term business goals. When Unilever sells their iconic brand, Pinnacle Foods has their reasons to buy it. First, the current market position of the Pinnacle Foods justifies the firm’s decision to acquire Wish-Bone. The company’s well recognised products are used by roughly 85% of the American households, and the organisation holds #1 or #2 market position in 10 of the 12 categories in which it operates. Hence it would be easy for the Pinnacle Foods to increase the American market share of Wish-Bone, which is already a leading salad dressing brand in North America. In addition, the planned acquisition supports the firm’s market expansion strategies. In the words of Pinnacle Foods CEO Bob Gamgort, â€Å"the acquisition of Wish-Bone is a perfect fit with our successful strategy of Reinvigorating Iconic Brands.† (qtd in Dornbrook). He adds that proposed acquisition would benefit the company to achieve cost synergies and to enhance its ability to provide consumers with better meal solutions and recipe ideas. The Pinnacle management also claims that Wish-Bone brand has ‘attractive margins’ and a strong cash flow. The top management thinks that its improved efficiencies on the

Scientific Management by Federick Taylor Essay Example for Free

Scientific Management by Federick Taylor Essay Federick W. Taylor, considered the father of scientific management published his work, The Principles of Scientific Management in 1911 has been instrumental in revolutionising management thought. He promoted the process of scientifically studying work to increase worker and organisational efficiency. His principles contributed to a variety of management practices involving specialisation, assembly production, division of work, work incentives and management control. The development of machine-tools reach a point marking thr beginning of today large scale production line in factory more tan hundred years ago. The commencement of mass factory production was fundamentally influenced by Federick Talyor. His scientific management concept shaped for good all the features of industry and Talyor is the inaugurator and father of, as well as chief worker in, the movement to impart excellence to management by viewing it as an art base on scientific principles. universal in scope, his work long since has penetrated to every country and that in these establishment ther saw some degree of influnce by his scientific principles. In our global economy, efficient businesses will be rewarded with profit as Federick Taylor advocated in his concept of Scientific Management. In a global economy, there is simply no places for inefficiency to hide wrote Hamel in The Utimate Business Library and You have to believe that Federick Winslow Taylor would have loved Wal-Mart,Sony or Federal Express modern icon of efficiency More than 100 years has passed yet his principles in scientific management is still relevant in many sectors of business today. One example is the fast food restaurant, likened to little factory, with a manager who overseas and control the workers, sales, inventory and supply, everything to keep the shop running efficiently as Talyors wishes. Much of Taylors ideas were adapted in the operation of the assembly line and many of Ford Motor companys operations in the assembling of motor vehicles in early 1910. This was when Ford Motor mass produced cars. However the application of Taylors concept into management practices was met with resistant opposition from workers and their unions, as workers had to work very much faster in Taylors Scientific Management style. Union leader resented Taylors ways and claimed workers were mistreated in his focus towards efficiency. Yet others will find Taylors ideas applaudable up to today. Schachter(2007) found Taylors style still practice in many governrment agencies where proposal of public sector efficiency was similiar with Taylors approach.

Campaign Strategy Essay Example for Free

Campaign Strategy Essay 1) What are the goals of the campaign? 2) What questions need to be answered to reach those goals? This is a list of general campaign questions to help start your research process. These are not research questions. Each general campaign question should generate a list of more specific research questions. For example, What is the issue/problem? could lead to the question, What is the history of lead poisoning in our community? General questions to ask about a campaign: 1. What is the issue/problem? (Understand their arguments. ) 2. What are the solutions or alternatives? (Develop our arguments.) 3. Who else is trying to change the problem, how effective are they, and what are their solutions? (Potential allies. Locate a niche. Avoid obstacles and duplication of effort.) 4. Who can implement those solutions? Who has the power? (The Targets) 5. What kind of campaign would it take to convince them? (Feasibility test.) A. How long would victory take? What are the time constraints? B. What are tactics and paths to a victory? C. What are the opportunities or obstacles? D. What has worked for other organizations on similar campaigns? 6. Who are the other players? A. Who would support change? (Allies) B. Who opposes change? (Opposition) C. Who could become allies/opposition, but are currently neutral? 7. Does our base have the power and resources to win this campaign? 8. Will this campaign build our movement, base, or organization? WHAT IS A CAMPAIGN STRATEGY? A campaign can be seen as an organised, purposeful effort to create change, and it should be guided by thoughtful planning. Before taking action, successful campaigners learn as much as possible about: * the existing situation * who is affected by the campaign issue both positively and negatively * what changes could improve the situation * what resources, tactics and tools are available to implement a campaign that will address the issue. Campaigners use this knowledge to create their strategy, which guides them in planning, implementing, marketing, monitoring, improving and evaluating their campaign. A campaign strategy should answer the †¨following questions: Problem, Vision, Change 1. What problem are you confronting? 2. What is your vision of how the world will be, once the problem is resolved? 3. What change/s would bring about this vision? Stakeholders, Relationships,Targets 4. Who is affected, positively or negatively, by the problem? 5. How are these people or groups related to the problem and to each other? 6. Who are you trying to reach? 7. If your campaign is successful, who will be affected? Answering key questions repeatedly, at each stage of your campaign, about the problem, solution, stakeholders and targets as well as the tactics, message and tools you will use, will help develop your campaign strategy. Your campaign strategy will guide what you do and it should be updated regularly as the campaign is implemented and the situation changes. CREATE A COMMON VISION Its useful to involve your whole campaigning group in exploring the problem, your vision and the changes sought: a shared understanding of the problem will stimulate ideas about possible actions to take, and will also help your group to stay motivated and focussed during the campaign. Creating a common vision will also help determine ways to monitor, and adjust the implementation of, the campaign if necessary. Activity 1: PROBLEM SOLUTION CHANGE 1. Discuss and decide, as a group, what core problem your campaign seeks to address. Elaborate all the adverse effects of this problem. 2. Each person in the group should create their own answer to the following question: What would a world without this problem be like? * Use words, diagrams, illustrations. * Imagine unlimited resources (money, power, etc). * Discuss and enumerate all the benefits of this proposed world. 3. Combine your individual visions of the future to create a single common vision for the campaign. Discuss in depth which broad actions or changes would resolve the problem you identified, so as to arrive at the world you have envisioned. These necessary actions are the main focus of your campaign. Discuss the scope of your campaign: decide whether it has multiple components (sub-campaigns). If it does, you may choose either to narrow the focus of your campaign or create a multiple-campaign strategy. UNDERSTAND THE CAMPAIGNS STAKEHOLDERS Stakeholders are people, groups, organisations, or institutions that are connected to your issue. They may support your campaign, be adversely affected by the issue in question, have the power to change the situation, or even be responsible for the problem you have identified. An important task when designing your campaign is to learn as much about the stakeholders as possible. You should: * Understand each stakeholders relationship to the problem and your proposed solution * Define the relationships between different stakeholders * Determine the ability and willingness of stakeholders to help or hurt your campaign * Identify which of these stakeholders your campaign should concentrate on to create the change your desire. Activity 2: MAPPING STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS Start creating a map in which entities with a stake in your issue are represented as circles, or nodes, and lines between these circles represent relationships. It is good to use sticky papers (post-it notes) for this activity because they can be moved about as required. 1. Discuss the interaction that is at the root of the problem your campaign wants to address. Who creates the problem? Who is affected by it? How and why are these entities connected to one another? 2. Continue, taking notes as you go along, until you can identify the interaction between entities (nodes) that most represents what you seek to change. 3. Identify all of the nodes between which this kind of interaction is happening. 4. Place these nodes at the center of your map. 5. Identify the relationships of these central nodes with others nodes on your map. Start locally and move outward regionally, nationally, internationally and globally, if relevant. Depending on your problem, expand your map with two or more levels of nodes (marking these in a clear way): * First level: entities with direct contact to the central nodes (family / local) * Second level: entities with contact to the first level (regional / national) * Third level: nodes with general influence on the issue (international / institutional) 6. Next, draw lines representing relationships between these nodes and identify the kind of relationship they have; for example: * Power * Mutual benefit * Conflict * Potential After mapping out as many stakeholders as you can, you will have a graphic representation of your stakeholders relationships with your issue. Next you should analyse how your stakeholders may help achieve the change/s you seek. For more information on how to do this, see New Tactics in Human Rights Tactical Mapping. Activity 3: FROM STAKEHOLDERS TO TARGETS Begin defining specific objective/s of your campaign. Consider each stakeholders level of support and level of influence in the context of your campaign objective/s. 1. In simple, active terms, define what would resolve your problem and bring about the change you seek. Your objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. 2. Using the list of the stakeholders from the previous activity, identify as many as possible who could help achieve your objective. 3. Draw a horizontal and a vertical axis on a large sheet of blank paper (shown here). Place the stakeholders as follows: * The vertical axis represents their level of influence in achieving the goal of your objective from most influential (top) to least influential (bottom). * The horizontal axis represents whether they are likely to oppose (left) or support (right) your campaign. 4. After you place all the stakeholders on the paper, identify the most influential entities or individuals as potential primary targets, those who can make the change you seek. Note their level of support or opposition for this change. 5. Discuss the relationship of these entities to other stakeholders. You may already have this information on your stakeholder map from Activity 2. 6. Identify stakeholders who support your campaign and have influence on or relationships with your primary target group. They are your secondary targets, or participant groups, who could become actively involved in helping your campaign achieve its goals. Locate them on your graph and identify two or three participant groups to concentrate on. (Adapted from The Change Agencys Power Mapping exercise.) Activity 4: FROM TARGETS TO TACTICS Now you have identified the target audiences that your campaign needs to communicate with, and what relationships they have with other entities with a stake in the problem, you can consider what tactics will best address your target and participant groups? 1. Draw a half-circle, divided into wedges. Place those who most support your campaign on the left side of the spectrum; those who oppose you the most on the right. 2. Use your maps and sticky papers, placing each target and stakeholder in a wedge according to their level of support for your cause. The result is a spectrum of stakeholders, a few of whom you have identified as primary or secondary targets. A five-wedge diagram would include the following: a. Active allies: supportive and motivated to achieve your goals b. Allies: may benefit from your success c. Neutral parties: may not be involved or affected currently d. Opponents: may suffer from your success e. Active opponents: actively interfere with your activities 3. Use this diagram to help decide which tactics to consider, depending on each stakeholders location on the spectrum. For example: f. Supportive: use mobilisation tactics g. Neutral: use educational. visualisation tactics h. Opposing: use disruption, interference tactics (Adapted from New Tactics in Human Rights Spectrum of Allies exercise.) This card was created by Namita Singh and Ali Gharavi in collaboration with Tactical Tech. There are four essential elements to every successful capital campaign: the Case; Leadership; Prospects; and, the Plan. This article is last in a series addressing each element and will focus on designing a successful capital campaign plan. You cannot do everything at once, but you can do one thing at a time. Begin by designing a comprehensive campaign strategy that works well you and your organization. Every successful campaign begins with a plan. The campaign plan is a detailed set of procedural guidelines for campaign leaders and volunteers. The successful campaign plan is built with two overriding principles in mind: (1) Anything other than a complete success is entirely unacceptable; and (2) To ensure the complete success of this fundraising effort, the campaign must be formally declared (and treated) as the primary institutional priority of the organization throughout the fundraising timetable. Recognizing and stating these basic truths puts you into the mindset to make the dec isions and commitments necessary for a successful campaign. From there, we begin to incorporate essential fundraising elements into a comprehensive strategy. Just as there are the four essential elements of a successful campaign (Case, Leadership, Prospects and Plan) there are many vital techniques at work within a good fundraising plan, among them the use of: personal visits, a phased approach, specific gift requests, lead and major gift solicitation, pledge type gifts. Personal visits always yield more money. People give to people—people they love, people they admire, people they respect and even people they fear. Often it is the personal relationship of the volunteer making the request that has the most sway with the potential donor. Our classic technique demands that we employ a phase-by-phase approach to our fundraising, always asking for the largest gifts first, and then medium sized gifts and finally smaller gifts. This ensures that we create enthusiasm and build momentum. Our success, as evidenced by our rapidly rising fundrais ing totals and our large average gift, will pull undecided people toward us and encourage them to give. Victory has a thousand fathers, yet defeat is always an orphan. One of the most important concepts we must use is to ask for a specific gift. We should be asking mostly with a view of our need in mind, but with some view of their means in mind as well. As we articulate the request, we want to make it clear that the reason we are asking them for this specific amount is because we need it if we are to succeed. It is important that they not get the sense that we are asking them for this amount just because we think they have it, or because we think that is what they â€Å"ought to give,† but only because â€Å"we have this enormous need and a limited number of people of means to whom we can turn.† If people are going to help you achieve ambitious plans, they need to know what is required of them. You must always ask for the specific gift. Every campaign that is successful in reaching its potential is going to do a good job of soliciting Leadership and Major Gifts. Clearly some families are especially able to help because of their material blessings. Within the fundraising industry, it is a well-known fact that approximately 80% of the money (or more) will come from just 20% of the people (and sometimes fewer). These Leadership and Major Gifts set the pace for others to follow and they provide the financial foundation upon which to build a successful campaign. Much time is spent, early in the campaign, trying to determine who should be challenged to consider a gift of this significant nature. A well-run campaign will always stress equal effort, equal stretching or even equal sacrifice from every prospective donor, but not equal giving. Each prospect should be encouraged to do their individual best. Another element of a successful campaign plan is to offer people the opportunity to make pledges, rather than one-time gifts, and to offer longer pledge redemption periods where appropriate and possible. Depending upon the length of the pledge redemption period, pledges are usually two—three times larger than one-time contributions. In today’s busy world, people often budget their money very carefully. If a family were going to give you $100 per month, you would rather have that run for 60 months (5 years) than 36 months (3 years), would you not? Narrowing the pledge collection period is not going to get this family (which is giving out of current income) to pay the money any sooner. It will merely get you a smaller pledge. There are many other important aspects of a solid fundraising plan, including: Financial Goals and Objectives Clearly stated goals tied to both the leaders responsible for attaining them and the timeline over which they are to be accomplished. A Detailed Campaign Timetable Giving form to function, the timetable gives us an orderly way to approach a complex task, ensuring the most important things are going to be done first. Organizational Chart Clarifying the responsibilities of each campaign leader and showing everyone how they are related to one another. Description of Leadership Roles and Responsibilities Written instructions delineating the job responsibilities of each leader/volunteer. Campaign Phases and/or Divisions and Tracks of Activity Another form of timeline, breaking out major phases of activity and tracks of action. Many phases may go on simultaneously, while others will be the only activity underway at that given time. Lead and Major Gift Programs This most important track of activity begins during the early quiet phase of the campaign and continues until the potential for such gifts has been exhausted. Commemorative Gift Plan A comprehensive plan to commemorate the gifts of your campaign donors, especially major and leadership donors which might include naming opportunities, public recognition and memorabilia that you can give to outstanding leaders/donors (such as a scale model of a building, etc.). Keep in mind that the plan may evolve as the campaign moves forward. Often this is a function of actual early results, and who is giving at what levels. Who is accepting a leadership role? Preparing a detailed timetable and organizational chart is a good way of measuring the progress of the campaign in relation to the plan and detecting when necessary adjustments or revisions may be needed. It also provides a specific measure of accountability. Establish goals for each constituency and phase. Everyone needs to know what is expected of him or her! A statistical summary of the number and level of gifts required to reach the campaign goal for each phase of activity should be kept regularly. This list should be constantly monitored against progress to date and should be consulted daily to develop a precise order of solicitation, thus providing us a plan and timetable for asking. In summary, the campaign plan is one of the four essential elements of a successful capital campaign and must be carefully researched and crafted. Remember to keep a close eye on the fundraising plan and modify it in view of your actual experiences. The plan is your road map to success. Remember, it is static while the world is very dynamic. Use the plan as your basic guide, maintaining your liberty to deviate from it briefly where called upon, and you will find it serves you quite nicely and leads to your fundraising success.

Case Study Simulation Cotton On Limited Marketing Essay

Case Study Simulation Cotton On Limited Marketing Essay The purpose of the report is to establish three strategies which will address issues within Cotton-On Ltd causing their current financial troubles. The three chosen strategies are: research consumer buying habits, introduce online sales and expand sales into the European Union countries. These strategies will be explored and discussed to explain how they help improve the situation at Cotton-On Ltd. The first strategy research consumer buying habits shows how we look through the range of methods used for researching consumer buying habits in order to make a recommendation which is most suitable related to Cotton-On Ltd. Gathered data can be used to make decisions regarding various concerns with Cotton-On Ltd, such as product range, pricing or available sales channels. The methods used for researching consumer buying habits helps support other strategies because it allows Cotton-On Ltd to understand potential customers in new market settings. The second strategy introduce online sales refers to Cotton-On Ltd using the internet as a tool to strengthen the company because it is increasingly beneficial for them. Through extensive research Cotton-On Ltd should introduce online sales because of their position within the market otherwise they will be disadvantaged compared to competitors. Also the potential of the online sales channel is an opportunity for them to expand online and take advantage of the internet as a marketing tool. However there is a range of different ways Cotton-On Ltd can choose to approach selling their products online and this will be further discussed within the report. The third strategy expand sales into European Union countries explores this topic in context of online sales. The UK is a leading European country in relation to online sales however there are bigger markets to be explored, since some of these markets are expected to grow in the next few years. The topics which will be discussed is the European market related to Cotton-On Ltd, the aspect of the language barrier, the pricing / currency and any other points will be taken into consideration. All three strategies are explained to show the advantages for Cotton-On Ltd and highlight the main issues. We show how the strategies are linked together and where possible, suggest methods for implementation and overcoming issues. Those strategies are a starting point for the company to overcome their problems. Research Consumer Buying Habits Methodology Consumer buying habit is a complex matter and there are many factors that influence buying decision of the customer. When it comes to researching consumer behaviour for a business it is the greatest mystery of any business to solve (Matt Alderton, no date). There are many ways we could find out about consumer buying habits, but before doing anything else we need to investigate Cotton-On Ltd, its System or any previous study on the matter. One of the following techniques would be chosen to suit Cotton-On Ltd namely, interview, questionnaire, survey and consumer panel, but the best would be to organize customer focus group to help Cotton-On Ltd identify and find consumer specific needs. Customer focus group will produce good customer data in their own words, which would help create more effective marketing campaign and will expose problems within Cotton-On Ltd (Matt Alderton, no date). To get the best out of customer focus group it is important to stay focused on Cotton-On Ltd objectives that would have to be why the business is losing sale and how to save money? Predetermined questions and Moderator who be able to speak comfortably, easy to approach. Recruit up to twelve participants; the selection will be according to our question and will avoid random customer. Record the focus group either with a tape recorder or a video camera, but will have to ask participants permission. Evaluate feedback by reviewing the session to improve the quality (Matt Alderton, no date). As well as organising focus group Cotton-On Ltd should have a Consumer Panel to test our product as Consumer Panels are useful for fast short survey (DJS Research Ltd, no date). Discussion There are a few problems with Cotton-On Ltd system needs updating, improving and even would be scrapped once the new recommendation and system is implemented, but global issues have to be taken into account too, due to economic climate of UK, which is either flat or negative growth for the last six months family budgets are tight only spending where it matters most. The first issue has been noticed in Cotton-On Ltd case is that until last year it represented 20 per cent of UK customers, which is equivalent of 30 per cent of the UK sales revenue. That means Cotton-On Ltd prices are higher and something needs to be done in order to increment the sales revenue, whilst retaining the same sales revenue at least for now. In the light of the focus group Cotton-On Ltd will have to move accordingly whether to keep the same price for the moment, but offering something in addition to what customer buys or anything, otherwise desired. As Cotton-On Ltd have 20 stores across the UK and the only other mean of sale we have is through mail order, the Office for National Statistics retail sales figure for January 2012 out today 17-February 2012, non-store retailing which is mainly internet sales, grew by 13.3% in January (Chloe Rigby, 2012). So the shift continues from high street sales to online and mail order Cotton-On Ltd needs to recognize this and move accordingly. As a retailer the key for Cotton-On Ltd is to combine the flexibility that online and mail order delivers, with the customer service of the physical shopping. By bringing those together Cotton-On Ltd services and offers become more compelling to it is customers and this will lead to increased revenue, and will improve Cotton-On Ltd brand value (Chloe Rigby, 2012). As it shows in meeting of Cotton-On Ltd directors that the business does not know sales of their products by colour, size and Cotton-On Ltd should know which product is selling well and which one is not. So once we produce the final report on consumer buying habit we would be able to know these answers to some extent. Cotton-On Ltd would be able to decide accordingly to whether it is best to have online system that can filter separately each online sold product to our database then it will be easier for Cotton-On Ltd to see the products selling more, less, or none. In this way, we would be able to collate the data easily without losing them and produce in our factories according to these good and rich customers data. For finding out more about customer buying habits Cotton-On Ltd should have a good information system that allows collating data from online sales and also customers should be able to track their order. In this way we can expose our customers buying habits that how often they buy, their desired colour, for example it is very likely giving the system we have in Cotton-On Ltd that there are lots of certain products colour and sizes that never or very little been sold, so we need to cut producing those product in order to reduce waste and will result saving money. Introduce Online Sales Justification Cotton-On Ltd provides their customers with a few traditional ways of buying their products, they also have presence on the Internet via their website and advertising but they do not use it as distribution channel. Research shows that in the current market, where many traditional retailers have already introduced Internet sales, this step becomes a strategic necessity (Bernstein et al., 2008). Therefore Cotton-On Ltd is currently left in a disadvantaged position. In addition, even in this time of economic difficulties, when the traditional retail sector is shrinking, the number of online buyers and online sales are increasing (Datamonitor, 2011a). According to Datamonitor (2011a) in 2010 the online retail sector in the United Kingdom reached revenue of over  £24.1 billion ($38 billion) and sales in apparel (including accessories and footwear) reached  £3.5 billion ($5.5 billion). The entire market is expected to grow to over  £41.9 billion ($66 billion) by the end of 2015, 11.6% growth. This shows the potential of the online sales channel. It is relatively easy to enter into Internet retail, especially for an established company with set up distance sales, as the costs are low and there are little additional regulations (Datamonitor, 2011a; Great Britain. Office of Fair Trading, 2006). Implementation and Issues Cotton-On Ltd may not have staff with sufficient skills to build and maintain an online store integrated with their website; however this is not the only way of implementing this strategy. Using an existing online service, which allows retailers to sell through their website, may prove more feasible as the first step in providing online sales. Even though this is not an ideal solution (Bernstein et al., 2008) it also addresses other issuers mentioned later in this section. The current website can be updated to direct interested customers to the service where they can make a purchase, while the staff will only be faced with learning whatever interface the service is providing. There are a few other concerns related to online sales and gaining new customers through this channel. Research suggests that the reason for the strong standing of the online market is the convenience of lower prices and price comparison tools (Datamonitor, 2011a; Bernstein et al., 2008). Therefore price competition may be stronger than in the traditional market. At the same time, use of online sales helps to reduce transaction costs and some of those savings can be passed to customers (Bernstein et al., 2008) at least partially addressing the pricing issues. It is likely that this strategy will reduce sales through other channels, but this redirection is desirable due to the aforementioned reduced costs (Bernstein et al., 2008). The effects should be monitored and further decisions should be made accordingly. For example, telephone sales may no longer require as many staff members, but they may be trained for support in online sales and customer service via email. Trust is the main issue when attracting new buyers in the online setting. Customers are concerned about the security of online transactions, which means they are more likely to select known and trusted retailers (Datamonitor, 2011a; Premazzi et al., 2010). A study conducted by Premazzi, Castaldo, Grosso and Hofacker (2010) find that customers are more willing to provide their information only for certain compensation (prizes, vouchers etc.). And therefore, if this method is used, the type of compensation should suit the targeted audiences. It also concludes that well designed, user friendly and error free websites may increase customer trust. Another way of targeting new customers may be by using an already known and trusted service, for example Amazon. They are one of the biggest online retailers (Datamonitor, 2011a) and they offer ways for retailers to sell products on their website with relatively low cost (Amazon, no date). Products made available through Amazon website will be exposed to millions of shoppers that use their services, and Cotton-On Ltd could use Amazons position in the market as a declaration of the safety of the transaction to the customers (Amazon, no date). Additionally, successful transactions will increase Cotton-On Ltd brands exposure and increase trust for it. Legal considerations Selling over the Internet is considered the same as selling over the phone in light of distance selling regulations (Great Britain. Office of Fair Trading, 2006). Therefore we can expect that Cotton-On Ltd is already adhering to those regulations. However the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 introduces additional rules regarding advertising and sales using electronic channels. Because Cotton-On Ltd is already advertising on the Internet, hopefully with respect to those regulations, only extensions to sales specific regulations are required. Those rules affect: Information provided on the website used for sales. Technical means provided to customers (for example for identifying and correcting errors). Method of acknowledging orders (i.e. receipt supplied by electronic means). (Great Britain. Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, 2002). Introducing an online distribution channel should not cause high additional costs related to legal matters. Additional Benefits Besides reduced costs and the chance of attracting new customers, use of the electronic sales channel also automates data collection and saves time required for order processing. If the changes are monitored and correct decisions are made to maximise benefits, Cotton-On Ltd will not only attract additional revenue but also lower its operation costs. Expand Sales to European Union Justification We propose the expansion of sales to other European Union countries only applies to the sales over the Internet. Costs of online expansion are relatively low, compared to a more physical solution (Premazzi, 2010) and high cost projects will probably not be possible due to the current situation at Cotton-On Ltd. The United Kingdom represents 23.5% of the European online retail sector (Datamonitor, 2011a). The other big markets are France, Germany, Italy and Spain with respectively 21.5%, 14.9%, 7.2% and 5.5% share of the market (Datamonitor, 2011a). It is also worth noting that both France and Germany have larger predicted growth over the next few years than the United Kingdom market. The French market is expected to exceed  £57.8 billion ($90.8 billion) 21% growth, and the German market is expected to exceed  £27.8 ($24.2 billion) 12.5% growth. Apparel (including footwear and accessories) accounts for 14.1% in both the German and French markets (Datamonitor, 2011b; c). This means that there is a large potential market outside of the United Kingdom. Implementation and Issues The technical and trust issues were already covered in the section on introduction of online sales, and the information provided also applies to this strategy. Pricing issues will be revisited in the context of foreign markets, due to issues arising from currency differences. The Single Market The European Union market is easy to access. European Union member states standardise their law to operate in a single market programme. The aim of this programme is to make doing business with other European Union counties as similar as possible to doing business in the companys country of origin. Measures, that European Union countries have introduced to achieve this, include: Reduction of paperwork accounting for the purposes of VAT is the same as for sales/purchases in the United Kingdom. Unified standards complying with United Kingdom technical and safety standards ensures meeting standards in other European Union countries. Free movement of people it is easy to employ European Union citizens in United Kingdom companies. Free movement of goods goods produced in the European Union or imported into a member state with duty paid, are considered to be in free circulation, further customs duty is not payable. Common currency 17 out of 27 member states have introduced the Euro as their currency, which reduces currency considerations for businesses. (Business Link, no date c; d; f) Languages Even though English is the language used internationally in business, it is still beneficial to have knowledge of countrys language and culture while doing business there (Business Link, no date a). A Eurobarometer pool found that almost half of the European Union citizens only speak one language (European Commission, 2012). Cotton-On Ltd needs to translate their website and products descriptions to the languages of targeted countries to not miss out on potential customers from those markets. They should also consider providing customer service in selected languages; it is possible they already have staff with language skills and if not, the free movement of people within the EEA makes it easier for businesses to find employees with the right skills (Business Link, no date b; d). Pricing Customers in other countries expect prices in their local currency. Therefore a company entering a foreign market should consider pricing and issues related to currency exchange (Business Link, no date h). Additional research into the market is required to make decisions on pricing; prices appropriate in the United Kingdom may not be appropriate in the new market (Business Link, no date e). Other Issues Cotton-On Ltd should also research competition in the new markets; consider marketing, delivery methods, payment methods and related costs (Business Link, no date e). Implementation suggestions The solution proposed for introducing online sales, where Cotton-On Ltd would use a known online retailer is also applicable here. If they choose an online retailer that already operates in their target markets, like Amazon (Amazon, no date), it may reduce some costs and solve some technical issues. Because each countrys market and culture is different, and some European countries still operate with their own currency, it is probably not feasible to expand to the entire European Union at once. Cotton-On Ltd should perform more detailed research into potential target markets and decide which to enter. Conclusion In our report, we established the three strategies: Research consumer buying habits, introduction of online sales and expansion of sales to European Union, which we think will address some of the problems arising at Cotton-On Limited. The main problem of the company is its financial situation and we are finding ways on how the three strategies and the process that can help to cope with this problem. We also talk about the possibilities on how the company can increase their sales through the strategies. In our research we also found out that the Cotton-On Ltd cannot only increase sales, but can also gain new prospected customers if Cotton-On Ltd follows the right procedure in implementing the strategies. In the Consumer Buying Habits, we were able to explain the methods that can be used to help the company with the targeting of their consumers. With the production of their products, the company will be able to target consumers who will be interested in the products. Interviews, questionnaire, survey and consumer panel are the method that can be used to get the target market for Cotton-On Limited. The Introduction of Online Sales is about using the Internet as a tool in selling their products. This strategy can also strengthen Cotton-On Limited, because it shows in the research that the number of online sales in the UK is increasing and will continue in same scale. We raised the implementation and the legal issues that the Cotton-On Ltd should take into consideration. We find out benefits as well that the company can get like reducing of cost however; they can still increase their profits. They can also attract new customers and gather customer information. There is a major issue in gaining customer trust. Most customers do not trust online sales so we recommend Cotton-On Limited to use known online retailers such as Amazon to target new customers and increase trust for the brand. In the Expansion of Sales to European Union, it is more likely the introduction of online sales because the company need to use the Internet for this strategy. Cotton-On Limited can use their internet setting so they can easily expand their business to the European Union countries. There are issues in this strategy such as the currency because most European Union countries use different currency so customers expect the prices to be in their local currency. With this issue, Cotton-On Limited should consider the pricing and issues related to the countrys currency exchange. We also talked about the language issue because different country speaks different language. It is discussed that it will really not be a big problem as English is the language used internationally in business however; customers expect their native language to be used so in selling the products, Cotton-On Limited needs to use the native language of the country where they are running their business. The company should also consider that they will enter a new market so they will also have new competitors in the business. The goal of these three strategies is to increase the revenue of Cotton-On Limited. The three strategies mentioned can help in increasing the funds of the company. If the company will be able to increase their funding because of the three strategies, they will have more budgets to make further improvements to increase the money coming in to the company. The company can also do stock control. This is a very useful improvement to increase their revenue. Stock control is very important because if they cannot do it effectively, it can lead to loss of sales or it can damage the reputation of the business. They have to make sure that they have enough stock all the time at the right time. They have to make sure that they have products to offer to their customers to gain business reputation so that they can have loyal customers and gain new ones. The company should make sure that they make careful planning with their stock control because having effective stock control can lead to making the business larger. The company will also need more tailored information system across their departments so they can get support on gathering data that can make the operation smooth and can reduce related costs.

Procedures, Parameters & Sub-programs :: essays research papers

Procedures, Parameters & Sub-Programs In any modern programming language, procedures play a vital role in the construction of any new software. These days, procedures are used instead of the old constructs of GOTO and GOSUB, which have since become obsolete. Procedures provide a number of important features for the modern software engineer:- Programs are easier to write. Procedures save a large amount of time during software development as the programmer only needs to code a procedure once, but can use it a number of times. Procedures are especially useful in recursive algorithms where the same piece of code has to be executed over and over again. The use of procedures allows a large and complex program to be broken up into a number of much smaller parts, each accomplished by a procedure. Procedures also provide a form of abstraction as all the programmer has to do is know how to call a procedure and what it does, not how it accomplishes the task. Programs are easier to read. Procedures help to make programs shorter, and thus easier to read, by replacing long sequences of statements with one simple procedure call. By choosing goo procedure names, even the names of the procedures help to document the program and make it easier to understand. Programs are easier to modify. When repeated actions are replaced by one procedure call, it becomes much easier to modify the code at a later stage, and also correct any errors. By building up the program in a modular fashion via procedures it becomes much easier to update and replace sections of the program at a later date, if all the code for the specific section is in a particular module. Programs take less time to compile. Replacing a sequence of statements with once simple procedure call usually reduces the compilation time of the program, so long as the program contains more than one reference to the procedure! Object programs require less memory. Procedures reduce the memory consumption of the program in two ways. Firstly they reduce code duplication as the code only needs to be stored once, but the procedure can be called many times. Secondly, procedures allow more efficient storage of data, because storage for a procedure's variables is allocated when the procedure is called and deallocated when it returns. We can divide procedures into two groups:- Function procedures, are procedures which compute a single value and whose calls appear in expressions For example, the procedure ABS is a function procedure, when given a number x, ABS computes the absolute value of x; a call of ABS appears in an expression,

Teacher-Student Interaction Essay -- Persuasive Education Learning Pap

Teacher-Student Interaction Being able to determine what teachers expect from students and what students expect from teachers is the key to creating positive classrooms that work. Teacher-Student interaction is a two way street; The students relate to the teachers, and the teachers relate to the students. If teachers develop and build upon self-esteem and mutual respect within their classrooms, the teachers will achieve positive relationships with the students. Many years ago, power relationships and authority figures in our society were clearly defined. Dad ruled the household; moms and kids complied. Bosses ruled the work-place, and the workers who were brave enough to challenge them would lose their jobs. Within this ranking order students were at the bottom. Students ideas and choices were unimportant, they were not heard. Today, all of this has changed, and every person in this society demands equality. Today we are able to speak up and have our needs and wants recognized. In many cases the college studen t is encouraged and expected to be candid in responding to the teacher's ideas, methods, or words. Teachers have to learn how to sidestep their power and allow student to exercise their own personal power in ways that enhance the classroom atmosphere while at the same time satisfying the students individuality. Teachers must allow the students to contribute to the class group in their own unique ways. A student should be encouraged and given the opportunity to participate in the classroom by voicing his /her ideas in a comfortable and non-pressured classroom. Marc Shachtman, a student from Ohio Oberlin College said, "In a course I took last year a maverick student said he agreed with a supreme court justice's view t... ... to get across, you must first let your message be known. Professors should be able to transmit trust to the students, they should create a comfortable and healthy atmosphere in their classroom by allowing the students to be both reactive and proactive in the classroom. This teacher-student interaction will contribute to a more fulfilling learning experience. Works cited Chenney,Lynne. "P.C:Alive and Entrenched" Lunsford Anfrea and Ruszkiewics John. In the Presence of Others.ed. New York: St. p.113,122 Hooks,Bell. "Keeping Close to Home: Class and education" Lunsford Andrea and John Ru S Ruszdiewics. In the Presence of Others.ed. New York: St. p.89,95 Postman,Neil. "The Word Weavers/The World Makers" Lunsford Andrea and John Ruszdiewics. In the Presence of Others.ed. New York St p.133 Hughes Mearns, Creative Power. New York: Dover Publications, 1958.

The Importance of Recycling :: essays research papers

The Importance of Recycling Have you ever wonder what can you do about the bottles and cans you find around you? People that doesn?t care about the world being clean is littering the place. It makes things very difficult to put up for. Recycling cans and bottles can help save the earth form waste and trash buildup and can make new things. I think that recycling should be mandatory and there should be recycling cans in various locations at school and everywhere else. One reason is that recycling can help save the earth from waste and trash build-up. For example, fifty percent of roofing and construction on houses is made from recycled aluminum cans. Using recycled materials to produce new products costs less money and less energy than new materials. It can also save valuable landfill space. People have trash everyday. Pretty much anything is recyclable. If you throw them away, it?s a waste of natural resources, a waste of energy, and a waste of money. Instead people should take the time collect these things and put some effort into helping in the world we live in. If you are desperately trying to find a way to make money, recycling can solve that problem. You?ll be paid back for the effort. You can earn money from recycling. Many recycling centers pay CRV for cans and bottles. Many people wouldn?t want to miss out on a moneymaking opportunity. It?s a good way of fundraising, too. Most importantly, it saves lives. We should all learn the importance of recycling. For example, some sea lions won?t get stuck in plastics if we recycle. We would also breathe better air. We can recycle and aluminum can and put it back on the shelf for something useful. If we just leave it in the landfill, it?ll decompose and it?ll be of no use. It?ll also reduce pollution or else it?ll make a new one.

Disadvantage of democracy Essay

The primary disadvantages of democracy are a general lack of accountability, the prospect of personal interest becoming the predominant factor in decisions, and negative financial implications. A democracy lays the power to make decisions in the hands of the majority. This, ironically, places an emphasis on both individual and group power. A group controls the decision-making process, but an influential individual can control the group. The issue with democracy, in spite of the power of the people to control the decision-making process, is that there is no sense of accountability when the group makes a decision that turns out to be a bad one. Even particularly influential individuals in the group who may have persuaded the majority to vote for what led to the bad decision is free from blame because, ultimately, everyone in the group is responsible for his or her choice. In this way democracy, although a group-oriented approach, can become very much about what individuals believe is best for themselves and not for the majority. This type of decision-making also can be very expensive and have negative financial implications. First, a considerable amount of money can be spent in persuading voters to support an idea or cause. Second, voters may embrace an idea or cause, such as lowering taxes, because it sounds ideal when, in practice, it could lead to financial disaster. Disadvantages of Democracy Making the wrong choice In a democratic country, it is the common man who has the supreme right to choose their legislature and their prevailing authorities. As per a general study, not all the people are completely conscious of the political circumstances in their nation. The common masses may not be acquainted of the political matters in their society. This may lead to common man taking an erroneous selection during election. Authorities May Lose focus As the government is bound to changes and modification after each election tenure, the authorities may function with a interim objective. Since they have to go through an election procedure after the conclusion of each tenure, they may lose focus on functioning effectively for the citizens and  instead might concentrate on winning elections. Hordes Have Influence A further disadvantage of democracy is that hordes can manipulate citizens. People may vote in support of a party under the pressure of the bulk. Constrained or influenced by the ideas of those around, an individual may not put across his/her accurate judgment. Democracy averts radicalism and encourages teamwork and synchronization. It also slows things down, stops those in authority doing what they wish regardless of the majority’s desires. Since the military incursion into the Nigerian political scene on January 15, 1966, all the woes of this country are placed on the military. Most Nigerians do not want to hear the word â€Å"military†. They see the military as synonymous with evil. But does the military symbolize evil? Colonel Muamma Gaddafi is a military officer who seized power from the Libyan Monarch in 1969. Colonel Muamma Gaddafi as a military leader, was able to transform Libya to the envy of the world so much that other nationals including Nigerians are queuing at the Libyan embassy for her visa. Under a military leadership in Libya, Nigerians are rushing to the country on a daily basis because the country has a lower inflation of 1% than that of Nigeria which is 20% and a per capita of $8,400 while Nigeria’s per capital is $50. If military regime is synonymous with evil, why are Nigerians running from a country that is under civil rule to a country which is under a military leader? Ghana, our neighbouring West African country was also transformed from a corrupt and poverty stricken nation it was, to a transparent and an accountable nation by a military officer, Flight lieutenant, John Jerry Rawlings. At the moment, Nigerians are running to live in Ghana because the country has improved tremendously in terms of economy and infrastructural development. Ghana has also attained democratic growth and stability having transited from one democratically elected government to another two times. However, let us now compare and contrast the difference between military and civil rules in Nigeria. Nigeria gained independence from Britain on October 1, 1960. Out of the 50 years of Nigeria’s existence as an independent  nation, the military has ruled the country for 29 years. Within the 29 years the military ruled the country, 3 years were used to prosecute the Nigerian civil war, between 1967 to 1970, this means the military actually spent 26 years to rule the country. Out of the 50 years of the nation’s existence, civilians have ruled for 21 years. So, the difference between the years the military have ruled the country and those of civilians nine years. The questions one is asking are, if the military has destroyed the country within the space of 29 years as claimed by the civil leaders, can’t the civil leaders repair it within a space of 21 years? How long does it take to repair what is damaged? What has the civilian leaders be able to remedy since they have been ruling the country? Since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, we are still hearing the same old song by politicians, â€Å"You know the military have destroyed the country and you know that it is not easy to repair what has been destroyed†. I find this excuse unacceptable to the Nigerian people because something that was destroyed can be repaired. For instance, Germany, France, Austria etc were devastated during the first and second World War but today they have rebuilt to enviable status. Of all the things the military destroyed, which of them has the civilian leaders been able to put right? Some politicians who are out to deceive the poor masses will say that â€Å"the worst civilian regime is better than military regime.† But is it always true that the worst civilian regime is better than military regime? Politicians are also quick to say that â€Å"at least we can talk now that we are in a civilian regime and that we could not talk during the military administrations.† I found this argument very amusing because our mouths were not muzzled by the military during their administrations. I make bold to say that we spoke more during the military administrations than we do today because then we all saw the military as our common enemy and were united to fight against them. There were so many civil society organizations such as National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) which was headed by late Pa Adekunle Ajasin, Campaign for Democracy headed by late Dr. Beko Ransom Kuti, Civil Liberties Organization headed by former President of Nigerian Bar Association ( NBA ), Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Afenifere, the Yoruba socio- cultural group headed by late Pa Abraham Adesanya, Association of Senior Staff Union of Uni versities, headed by the INEC Chairman, Professor Atahiru Jega, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN ), headed by Chief Frank Ovie Kokori etc. These civil society groups spoke openly against the ills of the military and sent them back to the barracks. At that time too, journalists engaged in revolutionary journalism which made the press very vibrant and added impetus to the voice of the masses. During the military era, television and radio stations were mostly owned by both states and the federal governments. DAAR communications, owner of African Independent Television and Ray power Radio station and Minaj television and FM radio station which started in 1994 were the only privately owned broadcast organizations in the country, the rest belonged to both the states and federal governments. Would the governments have allowed the masses to use their media to criticize them? There is no government that allows such a thing in any part of the world. Let us assume that we did not talk during military administrations, what have we achieved since 1999 that we have been talking? Have those who claimed to be representing us both in th e State Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly ever taken our advise? We said the National Assembly should pass the Freedom of Information Bill into law, have they done it since it was introduced into the house? We said the Justice Mohammed Uwais recommendations on Electoral Reform be adopted by the National Assembly, have they adopted them? The Federal Government has earmarked #6.6 billion towards the celebration of Nigeria’s 50th anniversary, which the masses condemned in totality, yet the Federal Government is bent on wasting such amount of money on the celebration of failure. Will the States and Federal Governments ever listen to the masses? We said the huge allowances our so call representatives are receiving should be reduced, did they agree to reduce their allowances? A senator receives #45 million allowance quarterly, while each member of the House of Representatives receives #27.2 million allowance quarterly. Each senator receives #500 million constituency development allowance yearly which is not accounted for. Their salaries and other benefits are not included these allowances. Is there justification for such huge allowances considering the fact that they sit for 180 days in a year? Can we say with a sense of pride that the lives of Nigerians have improved positively since we returned to democracy in 1999? Let me make it clear that democracy is not just about having freedom to talk, it goes beyond mere talking. Democracy is about quality leadership that translates  into accelerated development and growth in all areas of human aspirations. Democracy goes beyond just having civilians in government. Any administration, be it military or civil government that cannot better or improve the lives of the people is a monumental failure. The main purpose of governance is to coordinate and harness the wealth of the people for an effective development that will enhance the standard of living of the people. Have we seen such achievements and development since 1999? Let us compare and contrast civil administrations since 1999 till date and military administrations from 1985 till 1999 when the military handed over the reins of power to civilians. We shall start this comparison with the economy. Before the civilians took over government in 1999, a 50 kg bag of rice was sold for N2,500, today it is selling for N8,000. A small bag of beans that was sold for N1,800, now sells for as much as N7,000. Is this not outrageous. Before the commencement of the Obasanjo’s regime in 1999, Nigerians were able to eat twice daily. Morning and night, which was popularly called one –zero-one. At present, most Nigerians eat once daily, which is popularly called zero – one- zero. Is this not regression? If the agricultural sector is well funded and productive, why are prices of foodstuffs on the increase? The unemployment rate has gone up drastically because many industries are closing down while some are relocating to our neighbouring countries due to lack of regular supply of electricity. The Obasanjo’s regime in 1999, inherited 3,500 megawatts of electricity from the military, today it has reduced to a mere 2,500 megawatts for a population of 150 million people. The problems of industries and other organizations that consume large quantity of electricity are compounded as a result of the high cost of petroleum products such as petrol and diesel. These products are used to power generators which provide alternative power for industries. As at the time Nigeria return to democracy in 1999, the prices of petroleum product were cheap. But before ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, who also doubled as petroleum minister, left office in 2007, he had increased the prices of these products eleven times. A litre of kerosene that cost N9.00 in 1999, now sells for N125.00. Petrol that cost N11.00 at that time, now goes for N65.00 while diesel that cost N10.00 then now sells for N120 per litre.