External Forces, Brand Strategy and Strategic Position Essay

External Forces, Brand Strategy and Strategic Position - Essay Example In present business environment, the competition had been likened to the battle zone where business rivals throw every manner of jibes to outdo another. It is normally said that the person who arrives first in the battle zone awaits opponents with much ease, and the one who comes later into the battle zone is often weary. It is on this backdrop that the business operations of Scribe Group often enter the market that is dominated by the big boys and competes on the complacency of other companies to win their share of the market and build their brand. To go out for war metaphorically requires strategy, and strategy in simple connotative term implies tactics that have been inculcated to outdo the opponent. The firm faces a number of external challenges myriad with internal dynamics. In understanding the Scribe Group’s external forces, the Porters Five Forces Model provides a sufficient mechanism for the analysis. The model recognizes and evaluates five competitive forces that continually bombard and shape companies to allocate their industry’s level of competitiveness and hence understand the development of their strategies (Griffin, 2013). In the paragraphs that will ensue, this paper shall apply the Five-Forces Model for the Scribe Group. First, Barriers to Entry, which is high, the airline industry is synonymous with a high fixed cost required for business development. The Selling and administrative costs can be high within the industry, given the fact that Scribe Group enters into a market where there are already established names especially the advertising costs. The report shows that the combined pretax profit realized from rail and airlines in 2013 and 2014 are 90 and 112 respectively against a huge turnover in the same period of  £980 and  £1101 respectively. The huge difference in turnover and profit is the result of even a comparable larger selling and administrative costs.

Influence of Stakeholders on Encouraging Responsible Business Essay - 1

Influence of Stakeholders on Encouraging Responsible Business Practices - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that in the business world, stakeholders constitute of any group or an individual who has an effect or can be affected by the achievement of the business objectives. They include managers, business corporates, shareholders, corporation and the entire business management. These stakeholders play a critical role in promoting responsible business practices by instituting legitimate business ethics. Business practices range from social to economic perspectives. For most businesses, there are values, responsibilities and sustainability issues that are under consideration. As a result of these factors, business management comes up with a variety of ways to ensure responsible business practices as seen in the research study by Olson. The business world has come under criticism that it is to blame for global warming, carbon dioxide emissions, deforestation, and pollution. To prove the critics wrong, Cohen states that the stakeholders have begun a f ight to reduce global warming and carbon emissions. The green movement has come in to promote the growth of trees. It also helps in educating the public in regard to the emission of carbons. The stakeholders meet annually in Rio de Janeiro for the earth summit. Worldwide campaigns regarding proper business ethics are underway to ensure that businesses reduce pollution and global warming. Apart from the green movement, the stakeholders have stipulated strict rules within their businesses to ensure that there is proper waste disposal. The stakeholders came together in 1997 to sign the Kyoto protocol so as to control the rate of waste disposal as stated in the research study by Kotler & Lee. Stakeholders are now forming various groups to promote responsible business practices. Such corporate groups include the WWF, Friends of the Earth, the Greenpeace as well as the Green Party. These groups play a considerable role in ensuring that business entities protect the environment and consequ ently lead to responsible business practices.

E-commerce and its Importance in Business Research Proposal - 1

E-commerce and its Importance in Business - Research Proposal Example At the end of the entire study and based on the conclusion, few recommendations will be also provided to further improve the process or how organizations, as well as consumers, can make effective use of it. Â  With the rapid development of networking technologies during the early 1990’s human being witnessed the commercialization of internet services (Kalakota and Whinston, 1996, p.147). From that era organizations across the globe started to incorporate the internet into their system of operations in order to gain competitive advantage and to create a core competency for themselves (Reynolds, 2004, p.5). At the same time that is in the early 1990s, the concept of e-commerce was also introduced (Kurth, 2011, p.6). Earlier E-commerce was considered to be a core competency for the organizations, however, at present, it has become a necessity to survive in the marketplace (Ardisana, 2000). Â  Electronic commerce or what is commonly known as e-commerce is an application which facilitates online selling and buying of goods and services (Zhou, 2004, p.56). It offers facilities such as online fund transfer, electronic data exchange (EDI), and online marketing among others. The major advantages of using e-commerce are the maximization of speed in the context of service delivery, reduction in the overall cost and also quicker response to the customers (Rajaraman, 2010, p.12). Electronic commerce also plays a crucial role in the online payment process. Online payment method refers to the process of directly transferring funds to the seller’s bank account (Radu, 2003, p.2). The biggest advantage of an online payment option is that it instantly completes the entire process of payment.

Fundamentals of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fundamentals of Management - Essay Example IT industry is one of the giant industries of the world (Justa, 2009). Our company not only develops efficient software applications but also provide valuable consultancy to other IT firms and multinational companies in solving their IT related issues. Mind Technologies is a dynamic information technology company that uses state of the art communication and information technologies in order to develop a variety of products related to the areas of interactive media, cell phone software, and business software applications. Our company has been successful in building a good reputation for quality and reliability. Mind technologies Inc. is the name of quality, inspiration, and innovative ideas that make it one of the world’s most reliable software companies. Our employees work on innovative ideas in order to provide something new to the customers. They thoroughly study every aspect of every new software or business application in order to insure authenticity and genuineness of the applications. We have been building software applications for the last 12 years servicing many valuable clients all over the world. Our team of professionals produces high quality software and hardware products with a high level of reliability and speed. ... We have also developed web applications for some companies, which have automated the key business process of those companies. Our software developers possess sufficient experience in a wide range of database tools and programming languages such as VB.NET, ASP.NET, C-Sharp, C++, Java, PHP, 4D, and Microsoft SQL Server. We not only develop software products based on our own innovative ideas and concepts but also develop the applications on the requests of our customers. Our developers accurately focus the requirements of the customers while developing their requested software applications. Mind Technologies Inc. has three offices located in different states of the United States of America. Main office of the company is located in Washington D.C. whereas other two sub offices are located in New York and Chicago. Each office consists of almost 20 to 25 employees. For every office, there is a manager, who looks after all activities related to the office. Apart from the office manager, eve ry department has also its own manager who has the responsibility to report all activities related to the department to the office manager. The office manager holds the responsibility to contact top management of the company. â€Å"A corporate structure is essentially the layout of the various departments, divisions, and job positions that interact to conduct the business of the company† (Tatum, 2010). There is a partnership mode of business in the company shared by three persons. Mind Technologies Inc. is not like traditional IT companies rather it holds a distinct structure that makes it attractive to the employees of the company. In traditional IT

Planned Parenthood Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Planned Parenthood Education - Essay Example In the US, there is an underlying belief that abstinence approaches are effective because of a number of reasons. First of all, adherents to this belief claim that there are certain social, physical and psychological effects that will come as result of expressing one’s sexuality. Supporters of this principle claim that young people are not supposed to treat sex as part of their normal lives because they are too young. They believe that any form of sex outside marriage is simply wrong and out of context. People who hold this perspective are guided by a certain set of moral values. The major principle behind these values is that marriage is the only place for sex. They also hold the view that engaging in any sexual activities before marriage will only make things worse for teenagers. There are some negative effects that will come out of premarital sex and must be avoided at all costs. Adherents to this believe normally hold the view that condoms have very high failure rates and other forms of contraceptives are not appropriate for young people as they do not offer one hundred percent guarantee. It should be noted that many families in the United States are founded upon religious beliefs even though many of them may not like to admit it. Religion requires young people to wait until; marriage. Consequently, its society is to remain intact then teenagers need to refrain from having sex completely. Teaching young people that premarital sex is a moral failure does not prevent pregnancy. studies show that those with fearful and negative attitudes about sexuality are less likely to use contraception when they have sex than those who believe they have a right to decide to have sex' (Ira, 1990). Planned Parenthood education is quite plausible because it will teach teenagers the fact that sexuality is a perfectly healthy part of life. Additionally, teenagers get to understand all the beliefs and attitudes about sex. This is because the approach does not hide any issue from them. Besides these, Planned Parenthood education ensures that young people understand the true meaning of relationships while teaching them interpersonal skills at the same time. This method requires teachers to give accurate information; meaning that teenagers will understand how to protect themselves using condoms and will decrease risks of contracting sexually transmitted disease. However, this does not undermine the fact that the approach also talks about the effectiveness of abstinence in preventing teenage pregnancies. The approach addresses the fact that this is the only sure

The Process of Canonization Essay Example for Free

The Process of Canonization Essay The canonization process has existed in Catholicfor centuries. This process is steeped with history, as well as tradition, and rewards people for their unwavering commitment and faith to Catholicism. The process is long, arduous, expensive, and eventually requires authorization from the highest of Catholic officials. This paper will review the history, requirements, and financial expenses involved in the process of canonization into sainthood. History Saints are human, like us, but they personify divine power and have privileged contact with the supernatural. Saints perform miracles, receive visions, and are in love with the spirit. They truly are â€Å"the chosen few† (Dunn-Mascetti, 1994). As Catholics we refer to saints as people who are extremely holy; living their lives as perfect Christians, thus allowing them the right to serve God, on a personal level, in heaven (Schreck, 2004). Canonization is the process in which the pope declares a deceased constituent of the faithful is projected as a model and intercessor to the Christian principles and recognized as a saint due to living their life in a heroic manner or becoming a martyr because of their continued faith to God (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). This persons name is then inducted into the canon of saints, citing those who are to be given veneration universally into the church. Canonization is an earthly decision, meaning it honors them as a saint on earth, not their entry into heaven (Bunson, M. , Bunson S. Bunson, M. , 1998). According to Molinari O’Donnell (2000), canonization originated during the early formulation of the Christian doctrines of worship, invocation, and intercession. The faithful believed that martyrs were true Christians and saints because they made the supreme sacrifice, by giving their lives, for God, the Gospel, and the good of the church. Their suffering earned them ete rnal life. Toward the end of the great Roman persecutions, the veneration of martyrs was extended to confessors, those who defended and suffered for their faith, but did not die doing so. Those confessors who had been excellent Christians, in austerity and penance, were now eligible to be rewarded with sainthood (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). â€Å"The first formal canonization came in year 993, when Pope John XV raised Ulric of Augsburg to the altars during a synod at the Lateran Basilica†. As you will see, the qualifications for canonization in the later years became more stringent after previous inductees were found to be of imperfect sanctity (Bunson et al, 1998, p. 17). Requirements The process for canonization is divided into two phases; diocesan and Roman, or apostolic. When a person dies, and it is determined they lived a perfect and holy Christian life, a formal process for canonization is initiated. In the diocesan phase, the investigation is guided by the procedural law of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, by the diocesan bishop who formally conducts the process where the candidate died. A cause defined as â€Å"recent† is one where the person’s eligibility for sainthood can be corroborated through the disposition of eye-witnesses, and can only begin after a five years following the death of the candidate. A cause defined as â€Å"ancient† is where the evidence of virtues or martyrdom can be gathered only from written sources, subsequently, there is no time limit for this cause (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). The postulator, a person approved by the bishop and responsible for the presentation of evidence for authenticity, also agrees to bear the moral and financial expense of the cause. Their primary job is to supervise the investigation and to determine the candidate’s fitness for canonization, by researching their life, work, and holiness. After the diocesan phase is complete, the postulator will reside in Rome where he will develop the formal argument for canonization with the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which is comprised of cardinals and bishops. During this time, the postulator will create a Positio, a book containing an account of the candidate’s life and virtue (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). In the diocesan phase, information, both positive and negative, on the candidate’s life, work, and holiness are collected and documented to establish the validity for the petition to canonize. In order for the nominee to advance to the next step, their published writings will be submitted for approval to two theological censors, selected by the bishop, and will be graded on doctrine and moral teachings. Other writings from the candidate will then presented to a historical commission, also selected by the bishop, which will conclude this particular phase. Evidence must clearly show that the candidate lived a life of faith, hope and charity beyond that of a common Christian (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). The Roman, or postolic, phase commences when the acts of the diocesan process have been turned over to the Congregation for the causes of Saints, and they have declared the cause as â€Å"valid†. At this point a â€Å"relator†, an official of the Congregation, will be appointed and will assist in the creation of the Positio. Another official of the Congregation, known as the â€Å"promoter of faith†, will be accountable for the assessment of the cau se by historical and theological consultants to whom the Positio may be submitted for their endorsement. At last, all of this information is submitted to the Congregation for the causes of Saints, who will then forward it to the pope upon their endorsement. If the pope determines the candidate as suitable for canonization, a Bull of Canonization is issued, infallibly affirming the candidate’s perfection of the saint’s life and distinguishing their role as a divine intercessor; thus becoming a saint (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). Even through the long, demanding process involving in-depth research, historical study, and theological manifestation, the decision to canonize lies solely with the pope, and requires a confirmation from God in the way of two miracles, which is scrutinized heavily by the Congregation. Miracles are a product of divine intervention and reinforce the candidate’s holiness as a servant of God. Martyrs are exempt from this miracle requirement because the act of sacrificing one’s life is viewed as the perfection of charity; they need not prove their worthiness in miracles (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). Financial Expense The tremendously long hours of interviews, research, travel, and other intangibles make the canonization process an exhaustive event. The thoroughness of the process comes at a steep price. After sainthood is declared, the expenses include paintings representing the new saint which is given to the pope, cardinals, and other officials of the Congregation for the causes of Saints. Other expenses include decorations of the Basilica, Pontifical Mass, Sacred Vestments, and incidental expenses that make for a sizeable bill to the postulator of the cause. For example the final expenses for the canonization by Saint Leo XIII of Saint Anthony Maria Zaccaria and Saint Peter Fourier came to the total of 221,849. 10 Italian lira. When we convert that to the U. S. dollar, the total becomes $42,816. 87 (Beccari, 1907). Conclusion Canonization has long been a tradition in Catholicism that goes all the way back to year 993. The process is a thorough procedure that involves intensive investigation of a nominee and standard they maintained in their Christian and personal life. The requirements are tightly scrutinized, and for good reason, due to the nature of the appointment to saint. A saint is in personal contact with God in heaven; we worship and pray to them. We rely, trust, and place our faith in the pope and Congregation to make the right decision, to allow only the most deserving and most holy to be rewarded with the highest honor the church can bestow upon a human being. The cost is great, but the return on the investment is heavenly.

The Development And Growth Of Capitalism

The Development And Growth Of Capitalism I will look in particular at the works of Max Weber regarding his Protestant Ethic Theory and Karl Marx alternative theories to explain how capitalism came about in Europe. I will first look at the historical background of both theorists and the actual historical events which influenced central Europe during the 19th century. These events such as the industrial revolution are important to understand how capitalistic modes of economic and societal arrangements developed and what were the contributing factors to this development. It is important to also look at the present Modern Capitalism of contemporary society, and compare it to the past to see how capitalism actually developed and expanded, touching the important, often interlinked concept of Globalisation. Modern capitalist society is described as: The expansion of international commerce on a large scale, also the flowering of a large scale industry, the triumph of machinery, and the growing power of the great financial houses. In a word, it is the present day union of all these phenomena which really constitutes modern capitalism. Capitalism is the rational development of capital, commodities and means of production in a network of an interconnected markets. Both Weber and Marx offer valid explanations for how capitalism came about, they base their works on historical references and suggest different theories to explain this phenomena. To create a more clear picture I will also compare the works of other theorists such as Emile Durkheim and Simmel. These will be useful as they will offer alternative approaches and different points of view which can help to understand the main mechanisms which lead to capitalism development. I will conclude by giving my own opinion based on the constructed evidence from various theorists on how Capitalism came about in Europe. I will try to asses what have been the most influential factors that brought to this development in this specific part of the world. Weber Max Weber was a sociologist, he offered a theory which basically seeks to describe Capitalism. This theory is based on the process of Rationalization which Weber believes to be at the roots of Capitalism development. In order to understand Webers Protestant Ethic Theory, it is useful to have a quick look at his family background: Weber was born in a middle class family, his father was a business man and embraced liberal values, described as a man who enjoyed earthly pleasures. On the other hand, Webers Mother appeared to have contrasting ideologies with the husband. She was a strong Calvinist who embraced puritan values and absolutist ideas. While Webers father was the typical image of the capitalist entrepreneur which invested and indulged in the luxuries of life, Webers mother reflected the conservative, minimalist puritan Calvinist spirit. It is no doubt that Weber was thorn between these to views and much of his work is influenced by the discrepancies between his parents. Weber was also interested in how religion influenced identities and values in central Europe. This interest could be linked to his mother strong religious values and how Weber saw a connection between Protestantism and Capitalism. Weber constructed his idea of the Protestant ethic to explain how capitalism came about. He bases his work on the question :Why did Capitalism begin in Western Europe rather than Asia?. He argued that the Protestant religion, among with its branches such as Calvinism, created the perfect ideals and behaviours which helped spread and promote capitalism. And suggested that the existence and development of Protestantism in Western Europe, together with the development of Capitalism in Western Europe were two interlinked events. Weberss therefore describes religion as the core process which brought to capitalism development in Western Europe. Weber used his rationalization theory to compare religions around the world and found that the most rational religious system was Calvinism. He believed other world religions such as Hinduism, Confucianism and Taoism were more irrational and therefore inhibited capitalism development. The nature of Protestantism and Calvinism does actually reflect possible rational behaviours; this is shown in the ideal of predestination which is embedded in Protestants, this means that ones position in society has been decided by a higher authority (God) and therefore individuals should not complain for their position in society. This merged very well with the development of capitalism as the process of industrial revolution in capitalist development involved large amount of property-less labourers which worked for the few rich property owners. While the concept of predestination helped to suggest an explaination for ones position in society, rationalization was manifested in Protestantism by the puritan minimalist ideology. Most protestants were afraid of divine judgement, unable to be forgiven by the priest like catholics, protestants searched for an answer in their behaviour. Many protestants lived minimalist lives to escape from lifes luxuries and therefore behaved in a rational manner by accumulating, working hard and creating wealth to prove to themselves and others that they were predestined to have success and go to heaven. A difficulty in using Webers works to understand capitalism is that his expalinations are very specific to the historical periods that he studied. Because of this it becomes more difficult to compare and place the protestant ethic theory into context with the capitalism of future periods. While the protestant ethic theory might serve an explanation for capitalism development at the time, it is harder to believe of Protestantism development as the driving factor for capitalism. Webers theory acknowledges that culture is therefore the driving factor for economic development and not vice versa. In my opinion Webers explanations are highly specific to particular historical periods and cannot be used to compare and describe capitalism at a later period in time. This is because ethical values and ideas are under constant change and evolve to fit with the contemporary society. More criticism on Webers theory is that capitalism began much earlier in history and that Calvinism alone did not serve in developing economic growth and capitalistic modes of production and consumption. Joseph Schumpeter argues that capitalism began much before the industrial revolution. Italy in the 14th century was composed of many small independent city states like Florence, Milan and Venice and these were the first forms of capitalistic societies which appeared; Through trade and high accumulation of capital these Italian city states represent the first capitalistic modes of economic organisation. Other empirical evidence shows how countries with a relative popular Calvinist religion did not always score high economically and in developing capitalism. For example Scotland and the Netherlands although predominantly Calvinist states, did not develop at the same speed of England or the mainly Catholic state of Belgium. Recent works have shown how Protestantism influenced capitalism not because of the protestant ethics and values, but more so because of the promotion of education and literacy that Protestantism brought in Europe. As capitalism was a process which had already begun before the religious Reformation, it is difficult to imagine that capitalism would not have developed under a Catholic religion. Contemporary empirical evidence shows how capitalism modes can be applied to almost any country disregarding religious differences. The spread of capitalism throughout the world does not need the protestant values in order to be ethically tolerable for people, therefore it is hard to believe that Protestant culture influenced the economy. Rather more plausible is Karl Marxs approach which describes how economical development and growth shapes cultures and values in society. Marx Karl Marx offers us a different approach than Webers which is useful in understanding capitalistic development in Western Europe. Marx was born in a middle class family, he was strongly influenced by Hegel. Unlike Weber, Marx sought to influence the masses rather than the elites of power. His ideas offer a theory of a capitalist society based on the simplistic nature of human beings. He believed that it is in the nature of human beings to be productive in order to survive, provide for themselves and live life. Marx argues that it is only in capitalistic society where the breakdown of human actions becomes so acute and rational that it creates negative effects. Marxs describes the process of Alienation as the crux of the problems with capitalist society. By Alienation he means the process where the worker feels alienated/foreign to his labour. He contrasts how previously workers were in close contact with their costumers and to a fuller part of business experience which supplied more gratifying incentives and values for the worker. Capitalism brought the alienation of the worked as with the industrial revolution masses of people became employed in jobs where producers do not have contact with consumers, therefore creating a dehumanising effect. Marx in the fetishism of commodities describes how the worker is alienated from his product because he no longer owns that product. This shift in ownership from the individual producer to a single individual (boss) who controls the production creates the alienation of the worker. Marx focus was directed more at the individual rather than to culture in understanding capitalism. He believed that economic development shaped culture and that religion was merely an epiphenomenon. The general Marxist view is that of a capitalistic boss which is lazy, tyrannical and demanding. This had a negative influence on the workers which were abused and largely exploited by capitalistic owners which benefited from this mode of production. This can be interpreted as a process of rationalization, this is shown in the way that it is more rational to have mass production instead of individual production. Workers required abilities were reduced and their tasks became more and more simple, repetitive and uniform, leaving most of the benefits of rationalization to the property owners, while negatively affecting the low class workers which were alienated from their labour and society. Simmel Simmel in his works touches what Marx had achieved with his works on alienation. Providing a micro point of view Simmel suggests that the Urbanization of society ( movement of masses from countryside to cities) which began with the industrial revolution, created capitalistic centres for finance, business and trade. This offers a theory which is based on the topic of migration. In my opinion it offers a more plausible explanation than Weber as it analyses broader events such as the industrial revolution and population density shifts which more strongly than religion influenced economys need for rationalization and more efficient modes of production in order to provide for all. The focus of Simmel on individual interactions rather than Weber and Marx preoccupation with large scale issues such as Capitalist Development and Rationalization of society, helped to actually create a broader point of view which stems from the individual to represent the reality of an entire society which is becoming more Blasà ©. This means that individuals, overwhelmed by the large amounts of commodities and stimuli present in urban environments are becoming more unaffected by society and the world around us. Basically it describes a process of increased individualisation where everything has become commoditised and capital is used in almost every relation in our life, making society blasà ©. This blasà © theory finds similarities with Marx theory of alienation. Both describe a problem of individuals relations in a capitalist society where feelings and ethics are given up for greater rationality, calculability and uniformity. These are the negatives of the process of capitalism which is growing more and more in contemporary society. Émile Durkheim Born from a high class background, Durkheim theories of Durkheim developed a theory of individual behaviour. He divided social facts in material and non material facts. Durkheim described non-material social facts such as institutions and culture and material social facts such as bureaucracy and law. In his work the division of labour in society Conclusion Looking at the four theorists which seek to understand capitalism development in Western Europe I have came up with critiques and praises for various theories. I find it hard to support Webers protestant ethic theory as it assumes that cultural development shapes economic development. There is a lot of empirical evidence which suggest that economic development was already running in West Europe under a capitalistic mode of production prior to the religious reformation which brought the rise of Protestantism, Calvinism and other branches. Weber fails to address the importance of migration, urbanization and the increase of rationalization as the main factors for capitalistic development, instead he seeks to find the origins of capitalism in a set of values and ethics belonging only to a section of society. Evidence shows that not always Protestant states dominated economically compared to Catholic states. The origins of capitalism date back to much earlier historical periods and can be explained by Webers theory of rationalization, but the empirical importance on religion in capitalism development is overstated and perhaps a broader view taking into account religion, economic development and rationalization is perhaps more useful. Marx theory of alienation is also useful in understanding capitalism development, indeed the increased rationalization brought by capitalism had a strong influence in workers alienation and in a increase of productivity in exchange for a loss in creativity and lead to the development of a mass production mass consumption system which laid out the foundations for a labour-capital intensive economic system that we call capitalism. Marx focuses on universal ethical values that clash with capitalism, these are Justice, Liberty and Equality, and sees capitalism as the process that undermines these ethical values. Marx solution involves the eventual rebellion of the masses against their capitalist employers, this phenomenon has not happened in most of the capitalist world and it seems that capitalism as we know today is the most Just system that is available today. Marxism perhaps gives too much importance to economic development failing to broaden itself to include cultural development and transformation in society during capitalism development, this cultural development is linked to increased rationalism which is embedded in human nature and the increased individualization of the individual which is a process which greatly influenced the development of capitalism together with economic development and profit maximisation.