The Business Perspective of the Apple Company Term Paper

The Business Perspective of the Apple Company - Term Paper Example The brand value of the company is incomplete in today’s world. Effective use of technology provides the company with brand recognition, enabling it to stand out among its competitors. The collaborative work of its employees has paved the way for the success of the company, which follows a collaborative work culture. Apple Inc. is recognized as the biggest start-up in the world, formed by the efficient hands of Steve Jobs. There are frequent team meetings in each department in order to discuss the current business scenario, and the company values and encourages the participation of its team members in the decision-making processes. Apple has a reputation of valuing individuality and excellence that help in the company’s decision making (Apple Inc, 2012). Products/services and geographic scope Formerly named Apple Computer Inc., the company is an American multinational corporation which specializes in the design and sale of electronic goods and high-technology personal co mputers, along with computer software. The best-known products of the company are the Macintosh series of computers and the iPhone. In 2007, the company shifted from offering only computers towards making and selling consumer electronics. In terms of market capitalization, it is the largest public limited company. The company manages its business on a geographic basis, with five operating segments, in America, Japan, Europe, and some other regions. The operating segment offers similar hardware as well as software products (Datamonitor, 2009:3). Competitors Apple Inc operates its business in multiple industries, the main one of which is personal computers. Apart from this, the company produces software and consumer electronics. In the personal computer industry, Apple’s main competitors are IBM, Hewlett Packard, Dell Inc. etc. In the consumer electronics industry, the main market competitor is Samsung, which has a similar type of product on the market; Apple has also been faci ng competition in developing countries. Apple’s direct competitors are Google, Microsoft, and RIMM (Research in Motion Limited).

Why Do We Need To Eat Healthy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Why Do We Need To Eat Healthy - Essay Example Healthy eating does not in any way mean any sort of diet; it actually refers to the proper intake of healthy foods like meat, vegetables, fruits, and nuts, whole grains etc in balanced proportions. All these will provide us with the required amount of carbohydrates, fats and vitamins and minerals and never induce any health problem when taken moderately. Firstly, there is a need to eat healthy to avoid serious diseases. Regardless of the age, healthy eating habits have a crucial impact on our health. Long standing studies have established a definite link between diet and cardiovascular diseases. Cases of coronary heart disease are on the rise and the cardiovascular morbidity figures are staggering. Studies have made it clear the high amount of fat intake, particularly LDL or low density lipoprotein and triglycerides, increases the chances of developing coronary diseases like atherosclerosis. On the other hand a diet that provides you with a good amount of HDL can help decrease the ch olesterol levels in the body. High fiber grains can help lower chances of heart disease and type 2 diabetes ( F.B Hu and Willet, 2002).Decrease in cholesterol levels itself has a lot of good impact on the body- chances of CVD (cardio vascular diseases) are lowered, blood sugar and hyper tension problems are also controlled. Dietary fat also increases the risk of developing certain types of cancer like breast cancer, esophageal, stomach and prostate cancer and has been supported by animal studies too. Most forms of cancers, have been linked to obesity and lack of proper nutrition and according to the National Cancer Institute, most of these cancer forms are preventable. Immunity is one of the basic tools for survival. Humans are immune to many pathogens simply because of the presence of white blood cells like NK cells in the body, which engulf the antigen and protect the body from harm. In case human did not have this immunity barrier, they would become vulnerable to all diseases and may even die owing to even small and minor infections. The key to a strong immune system is an intake of healthy diet. Colas, pizzas, burgers do not increase immunity in anyway. But intake of healthy foods like vegetables and fruits provides beta-carotene which in turn strengthens the body. In recent studies cancer experts have also found out that healthy eating and strong immunity also prevent development of certain cancers. There are a number of diseases that are caused due to nutritional deficiencies. Nutritional deficiencies occur when proper balanced food is not ingested. Beriberi, pellagra, scurvy, rickets, Ariboflavinosis, Skin diseases, Hypocobalaminemia, Paraesthesia and night blindness are some of the diseases related to vitamin deficiency. Painful chronic Gouty arthritis is another dreadful disease caused by bad eating habits. Deficiency of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium etc leads to diseases. If proper healthy habits are not developed a person will from health problems Scientific studies have shown that our mental health also depends on dietary factors. Minor depression, major depression, psychotic depression, traumatic disorders, stress disorders, compulsive behaviors, and anxiety are some of the mental problems that haunt a person. Though most of these diseases depend on genetic, biological and psychological factors but studies have determined that foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids ,release serotonins in the brain which in turn elevates mood.

Cultural Diversity in the Media Essay Example for Free

Cultural Diversity in the Media Essay The term drugs refer to anything, which is not prepared by organisms and is generally considered that drugs are not part of food we eat. Although drugs also refer to Medical ailments (pills, syrups, capsules etc) but here we are discussing recreational drugs which are: LSD, Shrooms, Alcohol, Caffeine, Catnip, Salvia, Cocaine, Crack, DXM, Ecstasy, Ephedrine, Heroin, Inhalants, GHB, Tobacco, Cannabis, Methamphetamine, Milk (artificially prepared), Peyote, Nutmeg, Oxycontin, Ketamine, Whiteboard Markers and so on. Drugs have its uses and abuses. But mostly, its uses are almost negligible when one starts introspection of the conditions of society caused by the abuses of Drugs. Societies are damaging because of evils of the alarming increase in the intake of drugs all over the world, which is followed by the increase in crime and decrease in national income. It has been surveyed that people portray abnormal, illegal and ruthless behaviors after intake of drugs. Alcohols being widely available in societies of west provide easy hand in the provision of drugs. In America alone, every third child is said to be tainted by the drugs. All teens see some type of drug use or abuse in school or in the media. â€Å"The nineteenth-century explosion of drug use had gotten out of hand. Wiliam Halsted invented nerve-block anesthesia with cocaine (1885) but developed such a craving for the drug that his friends had to put him aboard a schooner for several months so he could kick the habit. He did, but became addicted to morphine from the ships supplies. It was long a closely guarded secret at Johns Hopkins University that one of the institutions founders was a junkie. Halsteds student, James Leonard Corning, invented spinal anesthesia with cocaine. Every family has a vicious drunkard dad or uncle on the loose; mournful mamas swigged patent medicines by the gallon; kids raised on heroin cough syrup graduated to coca-filled soft drinks. † Increasing display of drugs as element of â€Å"Being cool†, â€Å"Easy money†, â€Å"Failure in love†, â€Å"Family problems†, â€Å"Peer Pressures† and â€Å"Complexes†, in movies is grasping the attraction of teens and young adults. â€Å"An estimated 66. 5 million Americans 12 years or older reported current use of a tobacco product in 2001. This number represents 29. 5 percent of the population. Youth cigarette use in 2001 was slightly below the rate for 2000, continuing a downward trend since 1999. † Rates of youth cigarette use were 14. 9 percent in 1999, 13. 4 percent in 2000, and 13. 0 percent in 2001. The annual number of new daily smokers age 12 to 17 decreased from 1. 1 million in 1997 to 747,000 in 2000. This translates into a reduction from 3,000 to 2,000 in the number of new youth smokers per day. † Some of the most important movies to display drugs as an inspiration for live life, business and culture are given with their detail account of criticism and background. 1. The Blow The Blow was released in 2001 was based on a true story. The story of George Jung, the man who established the American cocaine market in the 1970s. It was directed by Ted Demme. The screenplay is by Nick Cassavetes and David McKenna. It is story of young man of middle class family struggling for a better place in society, which unfortunately do not turn out be very fruitful for the fate of the family. George then moved to California, where he starts his own business in which he finds both success and imprisonment. In prison, he meets a cellmate who introduces him into a partnership to the lucrative new market in cocaine. When George Jung released from jail he quickly becomes instrumental in establishing the exploding US market for cocaine in which he claimed that he handled about 85% of the supply in the 1970s. Although it was a movie that could be presented as a masterpiece for the awareness of the society, the movie missed its attempt. The death of the hero was tragic but his appearance in the movie appealed the young generation to a great extent. â€Å"Blow outlines the lifestyle of a mega-rich smuggler — the border crossings, the ruthless negotiations, the sudden betrayals, the wild characters, the run-ins with the justice system, the inherent problems in dealing with massive amounts of cash, the temptations — and, ultimately, the tragedy of blowing all of your dreams for greed. † 2. Trainspotting This Academy Award nominated movies was produced in 1996. Denny boyle directed it. This movie was based on a novel â€Å"Trainspotting† by Irvine Welsh. The screenplay was adapted from Welshs novel by John Hodge. This movie begins with the narration by Renton, who is a rent boy, he tell others that they should choose to live traditional family life. After his narration he tells that his train of thoughts ends with â€Å"who needs reason when you’ve got heroin? † all of his friend were addicted to drugs. The movie rotates all about dirty drugs business and its dealings. The movies most critical part is when Renton leaves drug addiction he feels no purpose of life. He then also deals in selling the heroin. Later Renton realizes that his friends are no his friends at all and leave them for a better life. â€Å"Its release sparked controversy in some countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States, as to whether it promoted drug use or not. U. S. Senator, Bob Dole, decried its moral depravity and glorification of drug use during the 1996 U. S. presidential campaign, although he admitted that he had not actually seen the film. † 3. The basket ball diaries This movie was produced in 1995 and was directed by Scott Kalvert. It was written by Brian Goluboff. The movie is an autobiographical account of poet and rock musician Jim Carroll. The running time of movie was 105 minutes. As a member of an outwardly invincible high school basketball squad, Jims life centers around the basketball court and the court becomes an allegory for the world in his mind. It was biggest dream of Jim to become Star of basketball. He was Catholic high school student but later become drug addict due to bad company. Jim and his friends roam the streets of New York City as trivial thieves and revolts. Soon school expelled the Jim for he took drugs before game. Later Jim faces more trouble when his family throws him. This movie is a critical for most of its scene describing, â€Å"A youth (a mere school boy of age 13) is enjoying the drugs† and hence portrayed that it is not very offensive of a young boy or girl to take drugs in that age specially. â€Å"This movie contained incredibly dark and vulgar guided imagery which could quite possibly lead the impressionable into moral and value modification, poor coping skills, and dangerous decision-making. † 4. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas The movie Fear and Loating in Las Vegas was released on May 22, 1998. It was directed by Terry Gilliam. This film was based on Hunter S. Thompsons 1971 novel Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream. Journalist Raoul Duke and attorney Dr. Gonzo travel from Los Angeles, California to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1971 to cover a motorcycle race for a sports magazine and enjoy a haphazardly planned vacation. Fueled by the massive amount of drugs they purchased with an advance from a magazine to cover a sporting event in Vegas; they set out in the Red Shark. Wreak havoc upon the citizens of Las Vegas. Encountering police, reporters, gamblers, racers, and hitchhikers; they search for some indefinable thing know only as the American Dream and find fear, loathing and hilarious adventures into the dementia of the modern American West. The movie is filled with violence and drugs series. It effected the audience to en extent that even an incident got attached to it. During shooting Gilliam was approached by a group of young men, one of which complimented him on the film in general, but said that his favorite scene was the andrenichrome scene. He said that he had used the drug and that Gilliam had captured the effects perfectly. Gilliam didnt have the heart to tell the kid that it was made up, and went along with his story. 5. Dazed and confused Dazed and confused is a 1993 American film written and directed by Richard Linklater. The movie tells the stories of the last day of school in May 1976 in a Texas suburb. As the movie begins, the last day of school at a high school is beginning. The last day at Robert E. Lee High School proceeds with regular classes but the soon-to-be-senior class (Class of 1977) is more interested in getting ready for the annual hazing of the incoming freshman class, which will take place after school. The hazing is depicted as a ritualized event that has the support of the town, in the movie. Randall Pink Floyd was a football player who moves with simplistic grace among groups of greasers, nerds, stoners, and athletes alike. The coaches introduced a new policy for the upcoming 1976-77 school year in which athletes have to sign a written pledge that they will not use alcohol or illegal drugs. Pink refuses to sign the pledge sheet. The coach berates Randall Floyd for hanging out with that other crowd (referring to his stoner friends) and Floyd takes offense to it. â€Å"The movie conspicuously shows the much more relaxed attitudes toward both teenage alcohol consumption and driving with open beer containers at the time; Kramer can easily buy beer as the lawful Texas drinking age at the time was 18 and even that was lightly enforced. † References 1. http://www. thc-ministry. net/history-of-drugs. html 2. http://www. getsomeblow. com/index2. html 3. http://parentingteens. about. com/cs/drugsofabuse/a/druguse10_2. htm 4. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Trainspotting_(film) 5. ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP) by Thomas A. Carder http://www. capalert. com/capreports/basketballdiaries/basketballdiaries. htm 6. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Fear_and_Loathing_in_Las_Vegas_%28film%29 7. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Dazed_and_Confused_(film)

The motivation theories used by management

The motivation theories used by management This chapter provides a brief outline of motivation, types of motivation, major motivation theories and leadership theories on increasing employee motivation. Lastly this chapter identifies the impact of employee motivation on the productivity of the company. 2.2 Motivation The level of performance of employees relies not only on their actual skills but also on the level of motivation each person exhibits (Burney et al., 2007). Motivation is an inner drive or an external inducement to behave in some particular way, typically a way that will lead to rewards (Dessler,1978). Over-achieving, talented employees are the driving force of all firms so it is essential that organizations strive to motivate and hold on to the best employees (Harrington, 2003). The success of any business depends largely on the motivation of the employees.  Every person has their own set of motivations and personal incentives to work hard or not as the case may be. Some are motivated by recognition while others are motivated by cash incentives. Motivation can be internal or external. Deadlines are an example of external motivation. The fear of losing a contract or of not finishing a job you started is an example of internal motivation. Both internal and external motivation can be equally powerful. Financial Motivation is money, incentives, bonus, commission, fame and recognition which are External and Monetary benefits or Non-Financial Motivators like pride, sense of achievement, responsibility, belief, challenge and interesting job, Respect which are Internal. Perhaps the most significant impact of increased employee motivation is that of increased productivity. This is a central aim when adopting an incentive program. If you can increase employee motivation, productivity will follow and with that the inevitable increased bottom line. Table 1 Four most powerful types of motivation Type of Motivation Description Intrinsic motivation Satisfaction in the work itself (pleasure, stimulation, learning etc) Extrinsic motivation Rewards for doing the work (money, promotion, perks etc) Personal motivation Individual values (a love of knowledge, power, security, self-expression etc) Interpersonal motivation The influence of other people (competition, collaboration, commitments etc) Human beings are multifaceted creatures, and we are typically motivated by a mixture of all four elements. This diagram can help make sense of this complexity The types of motivation combine to produce four key areas to focus on when trying to motivate people. For example, prior to taking a work, employee will most likely to have a minimum anticipation in terms of pay and opportunities for career progress (personal rewards). You will also want to be certain that it offers you an opportunity to use your skills, learn and stretch yourself in pursuit of a meaningful challenge (personal satisfaction). Probability are you will also want to be given due recognition for your involvement (public recognition). And given how long you are going to spend in the group of your co-workers, you will probably want them to be interesting and enjoyable company (social interaction). Combining different forms of motivation will have the biggest impact on performance. Taking a more balanced approach to motivation will also help you develop better relationships with everyone on your team. How to Motivate People During a Recession Deci and Ryan (2000) conducted and replicated an experiment that showed the negative impact of monetary rewards on intrinsic motivation and performance. A group of college students were asked to work on an interesting puzzle. Some were paid and some were not paid for the work. The students that were not being paid worked longer on the puzzle and found it more interesting than the students being paid. When the study was brought into a workplace setting, employees felt that their behavior was being controlled in a dehumanizing and alienating manner by the rewards. It was discovered that rewards would seriously decrease an employees motivation to ever perform the task being rewarded, or one similar to it, any time in the future. Another observation of the study was that employees would expect a reward every time the task was to be completed if the reward was offered at one time. Employees would require the reward in order to perform the job and would probably expect the reward to increase in amount. If the rewards were not increased or if they were taken away they actually served as negative reinforcement. 2.2 Major Theories of Motivation Motivation is not only in a single direction i.e. downwards. In the present scenario, where the workforce is more informed, more aware, more educated and goal oriented, the role of motivation has left the boundaries of the hierarchy of management. The Fig below shows the major theories of motivation that can be applied in the working environment as well on the employees to see the impact of motivation on the organization as a whole. Fig shows Major theories of Motivation 2.2.1 Need Approaches Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Fig Shows Maslows Hierarchy of Needs If motivation is driven by the existence of unsatisfied needs, then it is worthwhile for a manager to understand which needs are the more important for individual employees. http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/maslow/ By applying Maslows theory of motivation, modern leaders and managers find way of employee motivation for the purpose of employee and workforce management. The basis of Maslows theory of motivation is that human beings are motivated by unsatisfied needs, and that certain lower needs need to be satisfied before higher needs can be addressed. As per the teachings of Abraham Maslow, there are general needs (physiological, safety, love, and esteem) which have to be fulfilled before a person is able to act unselfishly. These needs were dubbed deficiency needs. While a person is motivated to fulfill these basal desires, they continue to move toward growth, and eventually self-actualization. http://www.abraham-maslow.com/m_motivation/Hierarchy_of_Needs.asp As a result, for adequate workplace  motivation, it is important that  leadership understands which needs are active for individual employee motivation. In this regard, Abraham Maslows model indicates that basic, low-level needs such as physiological requirements and safety must be satisfied before higher-level needs such as self-fulfillment are pursued. As depicted in this hierarchical diagram, sometimes called Maslows Needs Pyramid or Maslows Needs Triangle, when a need is satisfied it no longer motivates and the next higher need takes its place. http://www.abraham-maslow.com/m_motivation/Hierarchy_of_Needs.asp Table 2 shows Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Needs Example Biological and Physiological needs Air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc Safety needs Protection from elements, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc. Belongingness and Love needs Work group, family, affection, relationships, etc. Esteem needs Self-esteem, achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, managerial responsibility, etc Self-Actualization needs Realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences. Source: http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm Alderfers ERG Theory Fig: Clayton Alderfers ERG Theory Needs Source:http://www.envisionsoftware.com/es_img/Alderfer_ERG_Theory.gif If the ERG theory holds, then unlike with Maslows theory, managers must recognize that an employee has multiple needs to satisfy simultaneously. Furthermore, if growth opportunities are not provided to employees, they may regress to relatedness needs. If the manager is able to recognize this situation, then steps can be taken to concentrate on relatedness needs until the subordinate is able to pursue growth again. http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/erg/ Herzbergs Two Factor Theory Fig: Hygiene and Motivation Factors Source:http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/figures/1472-6920-9-49-1.jpg The psychologist Fredrick Herzberg asked the questions from employees in the year 1950s and 60s for understanding employee satisfaction. He set out to determine the effect of attitude on motivation, by asking people to describe the circumstances where they felt really good, and really bad, about their jobs. What he found was that people who felt good about their jobs gave very different responses from the people who felt bad. Herzbergs findings revealed that certain characteristics of a job are consistently related to job satisfaction, while different factors are associated with job dissatisfaction shown in Fig? The conclusion he drew is that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are not opposites. The opposite of Satisfaction is No Satisfaction. The opposite of Dissatisfaction is No Dissatisfaction To apply Herzbergs theory, managers need to adopt a two stage process to motivate people. Firstly, managers need eliminate the dissatisfactions the employees are experiencing and, secondly, managers need to help them find satisfaction. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_74.htm McClellands Learned Needs Theory One of McClellands most well known theories is that human motivation is dominated by three needs. McClellands theory, sometimes referred to as the three need theory or as the learned needs theory, categorizes the needs as follows; The need for achievement The need for power The need for affiliation The importance of each of these needs will vary from one person to another. If the manager can determine the importance of each of these needs to an individual, it will help the managers to decide how to influence that individual. McClelland asserted that a persons needs are influenced by their cultural background and life experiences. He also asserted that the majority of these needs can be classified as the needs for affiliation, achievement or power. A persons motivation and effectiveness can be increased through an environment, which provides them with their ideal mix of each of the three needs. http://www.learnmanagement2.com/DavidMcClelland.htm 2.2.2 Cognitive Approach Expectancy Theory The expectancy theory says that individuals have different sets of goals and can be motivated if they have certain expectation. Individuals choose behaviors based on the outcomes they expect and the values they ascribe to those expected outcomes (Borders 2004). Vrooms Expectancy theory is based upon the following three variables which he calls Valence, Expectancy and Instrumentality valances (Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Riston Scott-Ladd 2006). Valence refers to the value an individual personally places on the reward or upon the expected outcome of a situation. The Valence is high if the reward available is of interest to us. When you have a higher valence you tend to have higher motivation (Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Riston Scott-Ladd 2006). Expectancy is the belief that your efforts will result in attainment of the desired performance. This belief is generally based on an individuals past experience, self confidence. Expectancy would be zero if an individual felt it were impossible to achieve a given performance level (Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Riston Scott-Ladd 2006). Instrumentality is the belief that the success of the situation is linked to the expected outcome of the situation, e.g. its gone really well, so Id expect praise. It is also the belief that if one meets the performance expectations, he or she will receive a greater reward. This reward may come in the form of a pay increase, promotion, recognition or sense of accomplishment. (Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Riston Scott-Ladd 2006) Equity Theory/ Social Comparison Theory Source: http://www.businessballs.com/adamsequitytheory.htm According to Equity theory the employees perceive what they get from a job situation (outcomes) in relation to what they put into it (inputs) and then compare their inputs-outcomes ratio with the inputs-outcomes ratios of relevant others (Shown in Fig). If an employee perceives her ratio to be equal to those of relevant others, a state of equity exists. In other words, she perceives that her situation is fair-that justice prevails. However, if the ratio is unequal, inequity exists and she views herself as under rewarded or over rewarded. Source: http://www.businessballs.com/adamsequitytheory.htm Goal Setting Theory of Motivation Goal-setting theory focuses on identifying the types of goals that are most effective in producing high levels of motivation and performance and explaining why goals have these effects. Goal-setting theory is found within the field of organizational behavior; however, it can be applied to any general area where goals may be achieved. http://www.ehow.com/about_5382265_goalsetting-theory-motivation.html Source: http://faculty.washington.edu/janegf/goalsetting.html In order to direct ourselves we set ourselves goals that are: Clear (not vague) and understandable, so we know what to do and what not to do. Challenging, so we will be stimulated and not be bored. Achievable, so we are unlikely to fail. If other people set us goals without our involvement, then we are much less likely to be motivated to work hard at it than if we feel we have set or directed the goal ourselves.http://changingminds.org/explanations/theories/goals.htm 2.2.3 REINFORCEMENT THEORY Reinforcement theory of motivation overlooks the internal state of individual, i.e., the inner feelings and drives of individuals are ignored by Skinner. This theory focuses totally on what happens to an individual when he takes some action. External environment of the organization must be designed effectively and positively so as to motivate the employee. This theory is a strong tool for analyzing controlling mechanism for individuals behaviour. http://www.managementstudyguide.com/reinforcement-theory-motivation.htm Table 3: Reinforcement schedule Apply Withhold Reward positive reinforcement (raise above baseline) negative reinforcement (raise up to baseline) Stressor punishment (bring down below baseline) extinction (stay at baseline) Source: http://motivationcentre.blogspot.com/2006/03/reinforcement-theory.html Table 4 Types of Reinforcement Types of Reinforcement Description Positive reinforcement This implies giving a positive response when an individual shows positive and required behavior. Ex. You make a sale, you get a commission. You do a good job; you get a bonus a promotion. Negative reinforcement This implies rewarding an employee by removing negative / undesirable consequences. Both positive and negative reinforcement can be used for increasing desirable / required behaviour. Extinction It implies absence of reinforcements. In other words, extinction implies lowering the probability of undesired behaviour by removing reward for that kind of behaviour. For instance if an employee no longer receives praise and admiration for his good work, he may feel that his behaviour is generating no fruitful consequence. Extinction may unintentionally lower desirable behaviour Punishment It implies removing positive consequences so as to lower the probability of repeating undesirable behaviour in future. In other words, punishment means applying undesirable consequence for showing undesirable behaviour. For instance Suspending an employee for breaking the organizational rules. Source: http://www.managementstudyguide.com/reinforcement-theory-motivation.htm 2.3 Leadership Style Influencing Motivation Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people (Kurt Lewin,1939). Leadership Style influences the level of motivation of employees. Different Leaders have different style for managing the employees working under them. Fig explains the style of leadership influencing the motivation of employees. Fig: Leadership Style Vs motivation Source: http://www.motivation-tools.com/workplace/leadership_styles.htm

Fishing in the North Atlantic Essay -- Environment Fish Industry Essay

Fishing in the North Atlantic Abstract Ocean fishes have been consumed by humans beyond their maximum sustainable yields for years and the Atlantic cod and squid are two examples. Cods were primarily overfished to commercial extinction. Other variables were also examined to see if they contribute to the declining population. Water temperature was the natural phenomenon that may be responsible for poor egg hatching. Human causes such as increased UV radiation from depleted ozone and bottom trawling disturbance were considered. Trawling disturbance had the worst effect while the other factors were questionable. As the cod vanished, the commercial fisher turned to squid to continue their way of life. Government policy and economics had a great deal to do with the continuing overfishing pattern of wiping out one species and then turn to another. In the end, there is no real solution which accommodates both ecology and unchanged societal uses at the same time. Introduction It was believed that 500 years ago, Irish settlers went to Newfoundland not for the religious freedom there, but the fertile fish banks near the shore(Pollack, 1995). This was all but history now. The overfishing crisis took on headlines back in the early 1990s. The fish pack waters in the north Atlantic were rapidly removed for profit until the fish population was decimated. The current seafood production and human dependence upon it are enormous. In many third world countries, seafoods are the primary source of protein for human consumption. According to the offical website of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the seafood consumption in the U.S. remained steady with Americans consuming 3.90 billion pounds ... ...6-21. Safina, C. 1995. The World’s Imperiled Fish. Scientific American 273(5):46-53. Schneider, D.C. David A. Methven, and Edgar L. Dalley. 1997. Geographic Contraction in Juvenile Fish: A Test with Northern Cod (Gadus morhua) at Low Abundance. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 54(suppl. 1):187-199. Smith, S J; and S. Gavaris. 1993. Improving the Precision of Abundance Estimates of Eastern Scotian Shelf Atlantic Cod from Bottom Trawl Surveys. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 13(1):35-47. Stephenson, Robert, and Daniel E. Lane. 1995. Fisheries Management Science: A Plea for Conceptual Change. Canadian Journal of Aquatic Science 52:2051-2056. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition. 1992. Houghton Mifflin Company. Published on Microsoft Bookshelf ’94 CD-ROM, 1994. Microsoft Corporation.

Mediations of First Philosophy by Descartes Essay -- Philosophy Philos

Mediations of First Philosophy by Descartes In the â€Å"Mediations of First Philosophy† Descartes tries to prove the existence of God in the third meditation. He does this by coming up with several premises that eventually add up to a solid argument. First, I will explain why Descartes ask the question, does god exist? And why does Descartes think he needs such and argument at this point in the text. Secondly, I will explain, in detail, the arguments that Descartes makes and how he comes to the conclusion that God does exist. Next, I will debate some of Descartes premises that make his argument an unsound one, including circular reasoning. Finally, I will see if his unsound argument has diminished and undermined his principal goals and the incorrigible foundation of knowledge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In earlier meditations Descartes proved that he existed through the Cogito argument. Descartes must now move on to examine and explore questions about the world around him, but instead of doing this he first stop to examine the question of whether or not God exists. Descartes wants to know that he was created by an all knowing, perfect creator that is good and wants to make sure that he was not created by an evil spirit or demon. If Descartes can prove that he was created by a perfect all knowing creator then his ideas must carry some semblance of truth, because God is not a deceiver and he must of placed these ideas in Descartes. Descartes has good reasons for searching for the answer to the question of God’s existence, now he has to come up with a good sound argument to prove it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the â€Å"Meditations on First Philosophy† Descartes gives a couple of major arguments about the existences of god, he gives one argument in the third meditation and on in the fifth meditation. The argument in meditation three and the one we will focus on is known as the â€Å"Trademark Argument†. This argument comes from the fact claimed by Descartes that inside of everyone is a supreme being, which is placed there by whatever created us. From this statement Descartes can say that a mark from a God has been place inside of every one of us. This argument involves the acknowledgement of such an idea is within ourselves, this idea that God is a being who is eternal and infinite and a creator of all things. This is Descartes first premise. His second premise is the â€Å"Causal Adequacy Principle.† The p... ... like Descartes ever has any real concrete arguments for the existence or God or himself existing or any of his theories.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, Descartes made an argument to prove God’s existence and seemed to be able to prove that he existed, but after a taking a closer look and revaluating his theories you see that he uses a lot of circular reasoning. It is really tough to believe any of what Descartes is saying. After reading his meditations you are left confused, mostly because you are trying to decipher what he is saying and you end up going around and around because of the circular reasoning. Even without the circular reasoning the argument just doesn’t make any sense, especially in today’s world, without any data. To be able to fathom a sound argument for the existence of God just sounds too preposterous to believe. To believe that God exists based of faith and religion is what people today and in Descartes time, as well, believed. To say that God exists because there must have been some superior creator that put this idea in my head is very far fetched. People d on’t need to be told that God exists because most people already believe and most of them know that he does.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Kellogg’s Marketing Essay

Introduction: U.S based Kellogg’s is a world leader and the most successful cereal manufacturer in the world. Kellogg’s entered India in 1994 and it took them a good 15 years for stability in the Indian markets facing initial problems and trying to change the Indian consumer’s mentality about the morning breakfast http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/company/history/howitallbegan.aspx About the assignment: (Refer Appendix 1) Growth strategy by Kellogg’s in India: Kellogg’s were successful to create a need for the product which was never a necessity for an Indian household. We will now discuss how the company managed to establish themselves with a dominant market share in the Indian market. 1.) Ansoff Matrix Ansoff Matrix was introduced to address the corporate strategy of the future. It delivers the perspective of growth options on the horizontal level and introduces the possibility of diversification. (Kotler, Berger & Bickhoff, 2010) http://www.ansoffmatrix.com/ Market Development: Market Development is capturing new markets with your existing products or services. (Lester, 2009) In a new market or to a new consumer, it will be a quiet a task to have them to believe in your product on launching (Meldrum, M & McDonald, M., 2007) especially, when a country is so fond of their traditional recipes. With the help of extensive market research Kellogg’s found out that there was no breakfast cereal trend in the Indian market. Hence they launched their flagship product ‘Cornflakes’. This was always going to be tricky as Indians love their hot breakfast. Kellogg’s had a challenge to turn the mindsets of the Indian consumers who traditionally were used to having hot breakfast in the morning. Ready-to-eat breakfast or food was nonexistent. Kellogg’s via their advertising campaign did also educate the Indian consumers about the calorie and nutritional contents, etc. Company also struggled with their introductory pricings as their competitor ‘Mohan Meakin’ sold at a reasonable price. Although, Kellogg’s had a safe and attractive packaging but was considered as high. We assume that the market for Kellogg’s in the U.S and U.K was saturated and hence they decided to enter India. (Haig, 2003) Product Development: Companies develop new products or upgraded products for an existing market. It also includes thinking on how the new products can satisfy customer needs and outperform the rivals. http://www.ansoffmatrix.com/product-development.html http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/portakabin/achieving-growth-through-product-development/ansoffs-matrix.html Following the corn flakes the company launched chocolate covered flakes, named as Chocos and to go with it flavours such as coconut and mango. The product which saw the company sales rise up by 17% was the ‘Iron Shakti’ which contained iron and was designed to address the iron deficiency in the Indian kids as most of the population ass had no proper breakfast apart from milk, tea & biscuits, etc. Iron Shakti was their first major success which helped them capitalise eventually. Kellogg’s tried its hand in producing biscuits which apparently didn’t work due to a very tough competition it faced from Parle-G and Britannia biscuits. Kellogg’s other product ‘Cheez-It’, launched in 2002 and was withdrawn in 2003 didn’t garner any attention either. (Refer to Appendix 2) (Excerpts from the case study, page 5) http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2003/03/18/stories/2003031801420600.htm Market Penetration: It’s well known growth strategy where the company concentrates on selling existing products into existing markets. (O’Shaughnessy, 1995) Kellogg’s with their intelligent research team did find out that the cereals were actually consumed by the entire family and also for health/diet conscious women so they launched a different variant of the cornflake known as ‘Special K’ under weight management. With this product (Special K), Kellogg’s challenged the consumers to lose 2.5 kgs in just two weeks. To encourage the household adults to consume, they produced adverts with adults featuring in it. (Excerpts from the case study 6 & 7) Market penetration increases or helps maintain the market share of the current products with advertising, sales promotions and personal selling. The Special K and the Iron Shakti just did that for Kellogg’s; they kept educating their consumers via adverts, campaigns and attractive and informative packaging which later paid off with good market share on these products. http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm Product/Market Diversification: A process which defines the activities of firms to enter new product market combinations. It is of primary interest to the researchers. (Klier, 2008) To improve the market capitalisation of the company, Kellogg’s introduced ‘Cheese-It’ a baked cheese snack crackers in the snacks category. It was launched in 3 flavours to suit the Indian tastes. And along with the snacks, the company introduced biscuits, as Kellogg’s Choco Biscuits. The move to launch snacks and biscuits backfired and resulted in withdrawal of the products in a very short time. The Indian biscuits industry has been dominated by Parle-G and Britannia for a very long time now. It was an up heel task for the Kellogg’s but they were confident as people started to recognise Kellogg’s as a good quality brand. With the launching of the snacks and the biscuits Kellogg’s wanted to reach out to the masses and redefine them as a convenience food market. Kellogg’s made a major announcement that they are ready to acquire salty snack maker ‘Pringles’ from Proctor & Gamble. This deal marks the entry of Kellogg’s into salty snacks, an important add-on to their portfolio with convenience foods and the successful breakfast cereals. (Excerpts from case study, page 7) http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/with-pringles-buy-kelloggs-haslarger-canvas-in-india/464942/ http://www.just-food.com/news/kelloggs-exits-biscuits-business_id68045.aspx 2.) Kellogg’s India in regards with the 4P’s of Marketing: According to Borden, 1964, the marketing mix included product planning, pricing, branding, distribution channels, personal selling, advertising, promotions, packaging display, servicing, physical handling, fact finding & analysis. All the above factors were later grouped into 4 categories now known as 4P’s of Marketing. http://www.netmba.com/marketing/mix/ http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=4+p%27s+of+marketing&hl=en&biw=1366&bih=643&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=MyJEUI-Mui5D0M:&imgrefurl=http://candidkatie.com/2009/10/13/the-4-ps-of-marketing-part-1/&docid=W7aCYZrJmVXbSM&imgurl=http://candidkatie.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/4-ps-300Ãâ€"218.jpg&w=300&h=218&ei=Rf-9T4X_EsXk8QP4lfUp&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=571&vpy=178&dur=224&hovh=152&hovw=209&tx=73&ty=46&sig=116673603394737623265&page=2&tbnh=139&tbnw=191&start=20&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:21,s:20,i:162 Product: As a tangible product, it was important for the product to be appealing for its content and its price too. Kellogg’s launched their flagship product to start with, Cornflakes which was a success in the western market. Cornflakes which initially failed, were later back in the market with some modifications then called as ‘indianization’. The flakes were a bit thick and were sweetened to suit the Indian palette. The increase in the awareness of the products via advertising resulted into the expansion in the market and health benefit of the products was the main reason for the fast driving sales. The ‘Iron Shakti’ gave the Kellogg’s taste of success with 17% rise in the sales, was designed to cater the iron deficiency in the growing kids. In order to redefine themselves as a convenience company and to pace their growth Kellogg’s introduced Cheez-It and Kellogg’s biscuits; unfortunately it did not share a liking amongst the Indian con sumers and was later scrapped from production. Kellogg’s then only decided to concentrate on cereals and its development. (Excerpts from the case study, page 5 & 6) Price: Pricing is an important marketing mix tool for both creating and capturing customer value. (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). Initially, Kellogg’s only focused on the quality of the product, features and benefit to the Indian consumers. India is a country with majority of population as middle class; the Indian public has been always price sensitive. Kellogg’s launched ‘KPak’, a very reasonably priced product at only INR 10 in 2007, a variant of the Chocos, an ideal option to chips and other junk foods. In 2010, Kellogg’s rolled our retail packs of different sizes & prices to cater the need of variety of consumers. After the launch with effective advertising, the company saw rise in the sales but that was just the curiosity of the Indian consumer to buy a new product. Baring in mind that the competitor Mohan Meakin reasonably priced their cereals and the situation (initial failure of Cornflakes), Kellogg’s priced their future products reasonably Place: The products were only available in the metro cities when it was initially launched in 1994. Then as a premium product it was only placed in the supermarkets and due its pricing clientele expected was the higher middle class or elite. Eventually, when the product became popular and after the launch of KPak which was priced at INR 10, Kellogg’s tried to reach out to the Tier 1 & Tier 2 towns in the country. (Excerpts from case study, page 8) Promotion: Kellogg’s were quiet effective on the promotional front. They always had attractive adverts on the telly usually featuring kids and the adverts featuring at the prime time soaps. As mentioned earlier, Kellogg’s had a Bollywood celebrity to endorse their products for adults. A celebrity is like an eye-kandy who attains the attention of the consumers which helps in creating awareness about the brand. In regards with personal selling, newspapers adverts were given and special weekend adverts were posted in weekend newspapers or in the kids section of the newspapers to attract the attention of the kids. Kellogg’s did a special promotion whilst sponsoring Spiderman 2 movie; they rolled out specially packed limited edition ‘spider web’ cereals and gave away relevant toys. The promotion was only available for 2 weeks and extensive advertising was done. Along with the pack, the buyer can also avail 20% discounts on the upcoming Spiderman 2 DVD. http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2004/07/14/stories/2004071401260900.htm http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 http://searchandhra.com/cinema/karishma-kapoor-brand-ambassador-for-kelloggs-chocos Porters Generic Strategies: Michael Porter has identified the four strategies to achieve a competitive advantage: 1.) Cost leadership 2.) Differentiation 3.) Focus Strategy – i) Differentiation ii) Cost. The Differentiation strategy is more relevant for the Kellogg’s, in accordance with case study. A Differentiation strategy calls for the development of a product or services that are both unique and are valued by the customers. A Differentiation strategy is also the one in which a product offering is different from that of one or more competitors. (Aaker, 2001) http://tutor2u.net/business/presentations/strategy/genericstrategies/default.html Kellogg’s started in India with their flagship product ‘Cornflakes’ with 3 variants. Unlike their competitor, Kellogg’s cornflakes were premium priced with an attractive packaging. With cornflakes initially failing due to sogginess after adding milk and less sweet flakes, Kellogg’s was quick to do amendments to suit to the local taste buds. Kellogg’s with their effective advertising campaign and communication via packaging spread awareness about the product and its benefits. Kellogg’s always believed in advertising and promotions, as it’s the most important medium to reach the target market and spreading brand awareness in India and endorsing the product with a celebrity is adding value to its which the Kellogg’s rival never did. http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 Major Challenges faced by Kellogg’s Even if Kellogg’s was a world leader in breakfast cereals with reports of profits in the western countries they did struggle for a while on their arrival in India. Kellogg’s were smart enough to apply proper strategies to tackle the issues they had. I have analysed their issues with some theories below: 1.) SWOT Analysis The use of SWOT Analysis allows organizations to maximize their strengths, minimize their weakness, take advantage of their opportunities and overcome their weaknesses. (Fine, 2009) Strength: Kellogg’s main strength was the product. Although they misread the market at first in regards with the product and price, they were quick to make changes and jump back. They had the advantage of first foreign cereal company to serve in the raw market India. Over the years, the best thing that Kellogg’s did was they carried extensive market research. They read the market accurately and offered quality products on a regular basis at a reasonable price. The other major factor was they were selling variety of healthy products whilst creating awareness about the products amongst the consumers. (Refer to Appendix 3) P.E.S.T.L.E (Refer to Appendix 4) With the help of the Porters 5 forces we can evaluate the 5 major challenges faced by Kellogg’s in India. http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=porter%27s+5+forces+definition&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=WmX3SuQUrNjk4M:&imgrefurl=http://www.businessmate.org/Article.php%3FArtikelId%3D9&docid=w0bo10yR_EOaQM&imgurl=http://www.businessmate.org/userupload/Michael_Porter_Five_Forces.png&w=450&h=400&ei=xE6_T9W2E82W0QWy-_nRCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=275&vpy=269&dur=44&hovh=212&hovw=238&tx=126&ty=173&sig=116673603394737623265&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=156&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:86 With evaluation of the opportunities and threats through the SWOT analysis, The porters five forces model will give us an overview of the challenges Kellogg would face. The five major forces lead to assessment of the overall competitive dynamics of an Industry. ( Colley 2007 ) 1. Threat of new entrants: There are a lot of Domestic Companies from India like Hindustan Liver Ltd, Dabur India Ltd which may diversify and enter the Cornflakes Market which will threaten Kellogg’s position as they have an expertise in the food processing business . Also, with the Supermarket trend starting in India, there is a prospective entry of their own brands which are more reasonably priced on the market .This will make it necessary for Kellogg to come up with products with traditional Indian flavours to be able to gain competitive advantage over the domestic competitors like adding saffron or cinnamon flavour to their products. 2. Threat of substitute products or services Kellogg is a product in which many variations are not possible. The Indian breakfast items list from a wide range of foods with different tastes and flavours. The introduction of ready to eat breakfast items from Manufacturers like Haldirams and Gits pose a huge threat to Kellogg . The Company is recommended to diversify their product portfolio. 3. Bargaining power of Buyers The bargaining of power of an Indian consumer is very high due to a wide range of available products in the market. In case of slight fluctuations on the price, the customers may opt for other products in the market which are more reasonably priced as the buyer is price sensitive .This makes it ideal for Kellogg to price their product in accordance to the competition. 4. Bargaining power of Suppliers The company imports most of the raw materials required for manufacturing. If it purchases these materials via domestic suppliers, it would prove to be cost efficient, save time and also save the exercise duty taxes. 5. Intensity of rivalry among competitors With introduction of wheat flakes, extra muesli as its high fibre breakfast cereals, Kellogg is also in process of creating alternatives with different flavours in order to compete with its Rivals such as ITC , PepsiCo and Nestle . In 2006 the largest snack company in the country , Frito Lay , a division of PepsiCo India Holdings , had also , had also entered the breakfast cereal market . Conclusion The assignment has given me an opportunity to understand the marketing implications of a product launched in a foreign nation with a diverse culture and also the challenges faced in order to have an established competitive advantage on foreign soil. It gives an insight of how marketing can help reach out new markets and also create new markets for products which were never a necessity .Also the use of various marketing concepts like Porters five forces and Ansoff matrix have helped in a critical evaluation of current marketing situation and various forces that affect the performance of Kellogg . Bibliography: Books: Philip Kotler, Roland Berger & Nils Bickhoff, The Quintessence of strategic marketing, 2010, page 210 David Aaker, Strategic Market Management, 6th edition, page 159 Andrew Lester, Growth Management: Two hats are better than one, 2009, page 52 John O’Shaughnessy, Competitive Marketing: A Strategic Approach, 4th edition, 2008, page 175 Daniel O. Klier, Managing Diversified Portfolios, 2008, page 76 Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, Principles of Marketing, 2011 Lawrence G Fine, The SWOT Analysis, 2009 Websites: http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/company/history/howitallbegan.aspx http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/may2006/id20060508_952455.htm http://www.ibef.org/download/Kellogg_India.pdf http://www.ansoffmatrix.com/product-development.html http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/portakabin/achieving-growth-through-product-development/ansoffs-matrix.html http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2003/03/18/stories/2003031801420600.htm http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/with-pringles-buy-kelloggs-haslarger-canvas-in-india/464942/ http://www.just-food.com/news/kelloggs-exits-biscuits-business_id68045.aspx http://www.netmba.com/marketing/mix/ http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 http://searchandhra.com/cinema/karishma-kapoor-brand-ambassador-for-kelloggs-chocos http://tutor2u.net/business/presentations/strategy/genericstrategies/default.html http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 http://www.kelloggcompany.com/corporateresponsibility.aspx