Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” Essay

In Amy Tan’s short story â€Å"Two Kinds† we see the strained relationship between a Chinese immigrant mother and a first-generation American daughter. Throughout the text, Jing-mei’s mother continually pushes her to become a prodigy. She is so obsessive of her daughter’s excellence, that she does not see the emotional damage she creates. Jing-mei reacts negatively to the pressure. She becomes indifferent, angry, excited and hopeful; her emotions fluctuate, because she is in a perpetual struggle between her identity and the identity her mother tries to create for her. No one wins this tug-of-war; it only ends in anger and disappointment. Jing-mei sets out to become the direct opposite of what her mother wants. It just goes to show that forcefulness doesn’t work in any situation. In the beginning of the story, Jing-mei tries to do everything right. She goes along with her mother’s nearly impossible tests, tries to become Shirley Temple’s double and generally maintains a good attitude about her mother’s constant prompting. â€Å"In all of my imaginings I was filled with a sense that I would soon become perfect,† she said. Jing-mei tried to convince herself that she could become what her mother wanted her to be. Despite the attempts made by Jing-mei, she always seems to fall short of her mother’s expectations. Her mother relentlessly pushes her, because she wants her daughter to be more successful than she is. She feels that in America, anything is possible if you try hard and practice. This is true for many things; however, becoming an overnight prodigy is not one of them. It doesn’t take Jing-mei long to realize that she will never fulfill her mother’s demands. She is hurt because she feels that her mother does not accept her for the person that she is. Her mother’s failed hopes and obvious disenchantments crush Jing-mei emotionally. Out of her pain, she purposely projects a personality that her mother disapproves of. Her temperament becomes antagonistic and argumentative, where it is was once considerate and peaceable. She intentionally says things like â€Å"I wish I’d never been born,† in efforts to hurt her mother, as she was wounded. Despite the volatile relationship, poor attitude and numerous disappointments, Jing-mei’s mother ploughs on, even more zealously. She is convinced that she can make the average girl into an extraordinary sensation. As the years pass by, the dreams of Jing-mei’s mother fade away. Jing-mei leads an average life, making average mistakes and basically being the average woman. Her mother finally gives up hope. She offers the piano to Jing-mei, in an effort that I believe, is to symbolize that she is letting go. It could be a peace offering, or it could just be that she finally succumbs to the realization that her daughter will always be just Jing-mei. The piano is almost like a trophy, it says â€Å"OK, you’ve won.† After Jing-mei wins she is comfortable enough to play the piano–the piece of furniture that tormented her. She is at peace playing â€Å"Pleading Child.† At a glance she notices that the other half of the song is â€Å"Perfectly Contented.† At the final stage in the story, that is exactly how she feels, perfectly contented.

Literature Final

â€Å"Annabel Lee† stands as one of the most famous â€Å"death† poems of the nineteenth century, although it’s stature is certainly matched by Walt Whitman’s â€Å"When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d,† a poem which uses a number of   similar poetic devices, but rests upon an entirely different form. Like Poe’s most famous poem â€Å"The Raven,† his â€Å"other† famous poem â€Å"Annabel Lee† is steeped in musical diction and meter, with a view toward creating a lyric tension between the sweetness and musicality of the poem’s meter and form and the more profound and perhaps less idealized potency of the poems themes: which is human mortality. By combining technical precision with a theme of magnitude, Poe pursued his policy and prescription for poetic composition as outlined in his essays â€Å"The Poetic Principle† and the â€Å"Rational of Verse† â€Å"The Philosophy of Composition:† â€Å"the notions of his negligible ‘Philosophy of Composition' and ‘The Poetic Principle'. Its resources seem devices. Every effect seems due to an expedient. The repetend and the refrain are reliances with him — not instrumental, but thematic. At least they constitute rather than create the effect — which has therefore something otiose and perfunctory about it† (Foerster 239). The opening lines: â€Å"It was many and many a year ago/ In a Kingdom by the Sea† signal the intention not only to create a musical pattern with words as by the deliberate redundancy of â€Å"many and many† but also to posit and idealized world against that of grim reality. The repetition of many reveals that the ideal time of a â€Å"Kingdom by the Sea† has passed and this generates an immediate thematic tension. Similarly, Whitman’s poem begins with an evocation of time past: â€Å"When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom’d,/And the great start early dropp’d in the western sky in the night.† In both  poems, the hearkening back toward an idealized time first glimpsed at the poem’s beginning will recur throughout the body of the poem in both imagery and diction: in Poe’s poem, as an obvious refrain, in Whitman’s as a series of extended modulations of the original theme; with the free-verse poem flowing through many permutations of the original â€Å"lilac-nostalgia† imagery. It is worth noting that the formality of Poe’s stanza forms with carefully placed rhyme and  enjambment contrasts not only technically, but thematically, with Whitman’s sprawling free-verse form. The former carefully predicts the poem’s ending in the meter, the inevitable sway toward a definite conclusion, like fate. The latter’s form, loosed from metrical and rhyme constraints seems to â€Å"grow† rather than follow its inevitable almost mathematically destined end. The technical consequences are obvious: Poe’s poem will impress itself upon memory much more easily than Whitman’s and thus be received more organically; whereas Whitman’s (according to Poe’s doctrines) is apt to fascinate by virtue of individual images and lines. The thematic consequence is a different matter. Poe’s succinct and mathematical form serves to enhance the poem’s grave themes of personal loss and morning, sparking within the poem an indelible timelessness, an eternal melancholy, which is precisely the theme of the poem. One can imagine the poems meter and rhyme scheme quite easily projected into a musical melody without words which would result in much the same manner of â€Å"bright† misery. On the other hand, the free-verse   form of Whitman’s poem, were it projected as a musical number, might be more aptly described as an improvisational melody with a â€Å"pop† arrangement. The impact of the form on the theme of mortality, is to set in motion, the imagination’s perception that death contains within it motion, growing, an evolution of life and rebirth. â€Å"I mourn’d, and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.† This line with its conspicuous use of the word  Ã¢â‚¬Å"ever-returning† rather than â€Å"every†indicates the poem’s death-rebirth cyclical theme. Poe’s poem, by contrast, closes in a monochromatic, monotonic— one might say paralytic submission to death. Though there is a hint of release in the poem’s narrator rejoining his departed lover’s corpse, there is no indication of rebirth or of growth beyond this mutual oblivion. â€Å"In the sepulchre there by the sea,/In her tomb by the sounding sea.† This close is simultaneously an urge toward and away from death: but that ambiguity is trumped by the over-reaching reality of the â€Å"sea† which, in terms of the poem, indicates oblivion. At the close of Whitman’s poem, nature is viewed as sympathetic and in harony wiht the mourning of the observer; a cleansing and cathartic experience is implied. â€Å"For the sweetest, wisest soul of all my days and lands— and/this for his dear sake,/Lilac and star and bird twined with the chant of my soul,/There in the fragrant pines and cedars dusk and dim.† Rather than oblivion, nature offers brotherhood and renewal, as implied by the continuous symbol of the lilacs. Poe’s poem acknowledges and imparts the sense of life and death being in continuous friction â€Å"The angels not so happy in Heaven,?Went envying her and me† while Whitman vies death in life in continuous balance and integration â€Å"Come lovely and soothing death,/Undulate around the world. Serenely arriving, arriving,/In the day, in the night, to all, to each,/sooner or later delicate death.† Nothing could illustrate the contrast between the two poems and poets more than Whitman’s phrase â€Å"delicate death.† In â€Å"Annabel Lee, the delicate ones are the people, the humans who must succumb to death; for Whitman humanity is stronger than death and death is viewed as a part of the universal extension of human experience: it is delicate, not oppressive. This essential difference in the poems is reflected in their form and expression.   The more  controlled and fatalistic intonations of Poe and the â€Å"organic† reflective and lyrically introspective tribute by Whitman. In each case, the poet confronts the death of a beloved and reaches through their deep identification with the departed to a summation of the nature of death: for Poe is it everlasting oblivion, an for Whitman it is cyclical renewal. For both poets, the subject of human mortality provided fertile ground to create lasting poems that resonate across time. SECTION 2 Using a story each by Edgar Allen Poe and Washington Irving, describe how the Romantic writer used the supernatural to engage the reader’s imagination and then explain why Romantics were drawn to the supernatural Though many Gothic writers have earned a deserved reputation for a preoccupation with the supernatural, it is often the case that this same fascination, slanted toward the rational or â€Å"debunking† of commonly held superstitions and idea about supernatural forces, has been overlooked. Two good examples of this tendency are Washington Irving and Edgar Allen Poe, both of whom are well-revered as writers of â€Å"ghost stories† or â€Å"scary stories† which deal with the fantastic. However, both Poe and Irving posit a rational, anti-superstitious motif in their well-known stories: as a cases in point we may review â€Å"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow† by Irving and â€Å"The Sphinx† by Edgar Allen Poe. â€Å"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,† rather than celebrating supernatural forces or positing them as actual forces at work in the real world, uses the idea or fallacious belief in supernatural forces to drive the story’s plot and them: â€Å"Irving's denial of the fantastic begins with The Sketch Book, and, although his strategy changes, the goal remains the same in all four works. John Clendenning has noted the debunking of the Gothic tradition in the three famous inserted stories of The Sketch Book: â€Å"Rip Van Winkle†, â€Å"The Spectre Bridegroom†, and â€Å"The Legend of SleepyHollow† (Brodwin 53). The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is based in â€Å"the uncanny,† a genre which allows the reader to decide â€Å"that the laws of reality remain intact and permit an explanation of the phenomena described. In this case, we know that it is really Brom Bones, not the Galloping Hessian, who has pursued Ichabod Crane†(Brodwin 54). This is seemingly an anti-romantic idea: de-emphasizing imaginary or delusional aspects for those drawn out of pure rationality. Similarly, Poe in â€Å"The Sphinx†posits opposite minded characters, confronted with an uncanny experience, one which disavows the supernatural, the other, the narrator who claims :†A favorite topic with me was the popular belief in omens— a belief which, at this epoch in my life, I was almost seriously disposed to defend.† This is opposite the attitude of Ichabod Crane who expresses a disbelief in supernatural forces, but harbors a secret fear of them. â€Å"Because there is already a legend about the Hessian, Ichabod's disappearance can be explained by recourse to the supernatural, although the schoolmaster's rivalry with Brom Bones over Katrina van Tassel is the obvious cause. Once again the possibility of the fantastic is raised for the sole purpose of being denied;† in this way, Irving emphasizes the role of rationality in a disordered world. â€Å"Such a strategy indicates that Irving was not just parodying the excesses of contemporary Gothic and romantic fiction, which can be commended† he was also attempting to magnify the scope of fiction as both philosophically and morally instructive (Brodwin 54) Poe’s â€Å"The Sphinx† also posits the possibility of a grand â€Å"supernatural†event, only forthe purposes of debunking it through rational faculties. â€Å"Poe was also a born humorist equally inspired by parody and self-mockery. In an anti-romantic vein so common among the popular humorists of his time, he enjoyed applying his acumen to deride the outpourings of emotions too often surging from mediocre fiction and poetry† (Royot 57). If â€Å"The Sphinx† can be profitably viewed as Poe’s gesture toward self-humor and also as a gesture toward the supremacy of rational thought over superstition it is no surprise. Other tales deal in this fashion with the same themes most notably the â€Å"Dupin† stories: Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Purloined Letter, and The Mystery of Marie Roget. But Poe also dealt with â€Å"ratiocination† in other celebrated stories such as â€Å"The Gold Bug† and â€Å"Maelzel’s Chessplayer. For Poe, it was possible for supernatural forces to exist, as well as for misapprehension of known forces for those of supernatural origin. However, as a plot device in fiction, Poe was notably against the sue of supernatural forces without organic cause:â€Å"Objecting to incredible or improbable elements in the narrative, Poe claims that unraveling a plot by awkwardly appealing to the supernatural constitutes an affront to artistic standards. This censure of Bird's idiosyncratic characters and extraordinary plot devices may seem like an early call for realism in fiction, but the review calls for more than minute attention to credible detail† (Ljungquist 9) In fact ‘The Sphinx† hardly reconciles its dichotomy of the known and unknown, the real and imagined: as a case in point we view his â€Å"explanation† for the apparition in the story, of the so-called Sphinx, which turns out to be nothing more than a beetle! However, the beetle in question posited as a scientific explanation for irrational experience is, in itself, a fancy of Poe’s! â€Å"Indeed, this synthetic bug is probably, through the story, the best known of all beetles, even if, like the â€Å"sea coast of Bohemia,† it never existed. Poe at times had almost an impish delight in the inaccuracy of unessentials. (Quinn 131) The appeal of the supernatural to Gothic and Romantic writers was both genuine and also as a sub-genre within to create cautionary tales regarding the integrity of human rationality in the face of what appear to be illogical, or supernatural occurrences. References Brodwin, S. (Ed.). (1986). The Old and New World Romanticism of Washington Irving. New York: Greenwood Press. Foerster, N. (Ed.). (1930). American Critical Essays, XIXth and XXth Centuries. London: H. Milford, Oxford University Press. Ljungquist, K. P. (2002). 1 The Poet as Critic. In The Cambridge Companion to Edgar Allan Poe, Hayes, K. J. (Ed.) (pp. 7-19). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. Quinn, A. H. (1941). Edgar Allan Poe A Critical Biography. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. Royot, D. (2002). 4 Poe's Humor. In The Cambridge Companion to Edgar Allan Poe, Hayes, K. J. (Ed.) (pp. 57-70). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.                                       

Case Of Alyeska Pipeline Services Company V. Wilderness Society

When it comes to the Case Of Alyeska Pipeline Services Company V. Wilderness Society, Justia states that, â€Å"Under the American Rule that attorneys fees are not ordinarily recoverable by the prevailing litigant in federal litigation in the absence of statutory authorization, respondents, which had instituted litigation to prevent issuance of Government permits required for construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Justia, n.d.). The court’s analysis that the legislature needs to address is the lawyer’s fees because the legislature has a lot of power when it comes to enacting, amending, and repeal the public policy and can have more authority than any other aspect of the government. The legislature can have more authority on what laws to be passed that includes lawyer fees and the legislature can attempt to change the lawyer fees. There is some resistance when it comes to liberalizing lawyers’ fees awards because some individuals feel that i t should not be liberalized and that it is not the legislatures place to handle this issue and shouldn’t be concerned with the issue. Another approach to this would be the approach of proportionate responsibility. This proportionate responsibility will be best for everyone involved so that everyone involved does have some responsibility and that the responsibility does not just land on one persons shoulder but instead, everyone has a responsibility. The benefits in the long run of following the judges’ rules is that the individuals understands and knows what can and cannot be done according to the judges orders. The disadvantages of following the judges rules is that in most cases people have knowingly disobeyed a judges orders and has ended up paying for that by getting put in jail or being fined. Yes, on a personal level I feel litigation will not influence me in any way when dealing with cases despite the fact that the other side may have also began using the tactic. According to attorney-client privilege.org, attorney-client privilege is, â€Å"is a kind of ‘right to confidentiality’. This means that all the communications between a lawyer and his clients would remain confidential and would not be released to a third party, during or after the conversation is over.† (attorney-client privilege.org, 2014). The extent that the public records or open meeting laws should override the privilege is if there is a life or death situation involved then the public records and open meeting should be disclosed then and only then. I do feel that the need for lawyers to act zealously to win cases does explain why the lawyers can sometimes act in immoral ways when in a court and dealing with cases that they are a defense attorney for. These attorneys feel there is a certain reputation that he or she needs to uphold to the public, judge, and those who he is defending. However, some lawyers can get too far into their job that they may feel they have to act in an immoral way in order to get the results he or she feels needs to be accomplished or feels is desired by to those who he or she is defending. The lawyers’ fees should be handled by the legislation because the legislation has more power than any other aspect of the government as they can enact, repeal, or amend a law. This being said that is why the legislature should be involved with lawyers’ fees. Proportionate responsibility should also be taken care of as responsibility should not just fall on one persons’ shoulders. Attorney-client privilege should be available to the public only if there is a life or death situation at hand. Lawyer’s also sometimes act immorally as they may feel they have a reputation to uphold to the individual they are defending, the judge, and the rest of the public.

(1)Critically assess the ways in which international trade can be Assignment

(1)Critically assess the ways in which international trade can be affected by governments interventions - Assignment Example The government intervention in international trade dictates the way the multinational companies operate. This paper is focused on different ways of government intervention in international trade and its influence on the nations and the firms. According to Poynter (2012) the government intervention can be described as the actions taken by the government in order to influence or interfere in the business activities of the private bodies or groups in terms of economic or social matters. The primary reason of the intervention is to protect the interest of the domestic firms from the predatory business activities of the large multinational firms. Warburton (2009) further added that the government policies regarding foreign trade offer both encouragement and restrictions to the multinational firms in a way that their business activities improve the economic condition of the host countries and at the same time do not impact the business operations of the smaller domestic firms. Thus the trade regulations set by the government act as a controlling authority that protects the interest of the domestic firms and looks after the social impact causing from the multinational firms. These regulations are important to ensure stability and growth of the domestic economy. Carbaugh, (2009) rightly pointed out that certain major multinational firms are so financially strong that their revenue is more than the GDP of certain small nations. Such firms have the necessary potential to control the business market of a developing nation if they diversify their business in that region. Therefore a regulatory policy has been set by the government so to limit the marketing activities of these firms. On the other hand, the internationalization of the multinational firms also improves the employment status of a nation. Therefore, the government of the developing countries often attract multinational firms within the national boundary to improve the social and

Explain in your own words what you understand either by the term Essay

Explain in your own words what you understand either by the term hegemony - Essay Example However, some philosophers have some modified the definition by involving the concept of domination. Gramsci (1971, p. 158) has defined hegemony as a tool that can be used to change a society. Hegemony is an association between societies and its associated components. He also noted that the concept of hegemony encompasses other concepts as well. It means that we really can’t define hegemony in simple terms. Roger (1991, p.24) have indicated that some of the concepts that are related to hegemony include coercion, dominance, capitalism, imperialism, strategy for revolution and absolute majority. Hegemony can be applied in many ways. One example of hegemony is through historical or political influence. This is brought about by conquering another country and spreading its political influence to other countries. A classic example of this political hegemony is through colonization. Colonization, which is started by European countries (Portugal and Spain) during the 15th century, has greatly applied political hegemony and is influence by the concept of coercion, dominance and imperialism. They have influenced the political, as well as the socio-economic, aspect of the countries which they have colonized. They have changed the traditional system of their colonies and have implied their own system here. For example, in the book of Zaide (1994, p. 218) the classic â€Å"barangay† system of the Philippines was changed by the Spain into a â€Å"colonial† system when they have conquered the Philippines during the 16th century. In the journal article of Tarak and Laffey (1999, p.30), it is explained that there are some countries, particularly the Great Britain and the United States, that have used the concept of hegemony in their goal of attaining power to other countries. The two countries have influenced other countries by consistently seeking reasons to install a particular set of political institutions and socioeconomic assemblage in other countries. This may be done in a lot of manners like for example, making sure that they have an ambassador or representative in the country which can influence the political system, or have many investments to the country which can influence the economic aspect of the country. They do these strategies to create a favorable environment for the expansion of their capitalism, as well as to improve their security and advance the ideals they have implanted, cultivated, and protected into that country. Influential countries, like the United States and Great Britain, usually have the tendency and aspiration to influence the international system of which they are included. It is really remarkable in this contemporary era that these countries are far more influential in this regard than any other. Both countries have a special strategy to determine and manipulate both the principles and systems that regulates the increasingly interrelated international system, and the conduct of the other countries in cluded that effectively constitute it. The current status of the international system, where both the United States and Great Britain are included, is the product of the persistent efforts to reshape it in their image. The process of its hegemony and influence will likely continue so long as there remain countries acting as capitalists, which is the great power at the top of the internatio

Ethanol Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Ethanol - Assignment Example However, this desirability is dependent on the production method from a varied range of biomass resources (First generation and second generation). In general Bioethanol shows great promise as a replacement for fossil fuels. The production of bioethanol is however cumbered with problems both in the acquisition of biomass and its eventual processing to the final product. Pollution, water utilization and soil degradation are some of the major drawbacks in bioethanol development. Also, fossil fuels used in production, food versus fuel problems, coupled with conflicts in competing land use interests (Larsen, Johansen & Schramm 2009). Current ethanol production are associated with N2O a more potent greenhouse gas for this reason bringing into contention the potential of bioethanol in reducing greenhouse gases and the overall objective of controlling global warming. The land cultivated for feedstock, other than economically empowering farmers, improving infrastructure and technology is likely to increase cabondioxide emissions at a greater rate that outweighs the advantage of the bioethanol. Cheap feedstock’s and high energy efficiency crops are present trends in bioethanol production. Industries that previously did not utilize their waste materials are persistently using this waste for the production of ethanol. Ethanol as fuel differs from gasoline based on properties. Ethanol is hygroscopic and prone to contamination by water, and this is further complicated by the fact that its production is favored by maintaining an optimal amount of water (Larsen, Johansen and Schramm 2009). Ethanol also has poor blending capabilities with both diesel and gasoline when it contains water and use of fuel containing some water is an issue. Problems with engine start have been reported in cold climates and also the inflammable and volatile properties of ethanol. Ethanol content in gasoline used for regular vehicles is limited up to 10% blend. However, there are vehicles

Vocation in Don Quixote Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Vocation in Don Quixote - Essay Example This paper will analyse the treatment of vocation in this novel as it has a great role in the progression of both the protagonist and the novel itself. It has been given an important place in this work, to which both the character and the plot suits beyond perfection. With this as the main area of my analysis, I would like to move on to the next part. According to Macmillan English dictionary, the term vocation is defined as,† a strong feeling that you should be doing a particular thing with your life, especially because you believe that God wants you to do it†. As this term suggests, we are well aware of this as we are introduced to Don Quixote, the main character in the novel. We soon learn about his strong vocational insight and his struggle to attain it as the novel progresses. This peculiar aspect of vocation is one of the significant causes for creating a real- life as well as an imaginative blend in this splendid work. In order to understand the significant role played by the character’s vocation let me proceed with the work in detail. Many of us at times are overwhelmed with the feeling that we have born to do a particular thing. A man who begins writing poetry feels himself as if he has born to become a poet, a man who is fond of deep religious activities has a chance to feel that God wants him to become a religious person or priest. These are all the normal thoughts that we get when we are doing something in which our interest lies. It is more or less an element of intuition that triggers us with a strong emotional attachment towards our work where at one instance we come across this vocational feeling. First of all, the point I would like mention is that this vocation is common to all. And the next point is that, the worth of it depends on how we take it. Don Quixote fails to understand his vocation in a proper way and applies it to his life in the most

Refocusing Sales Efforts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Refocusing Sales Efforts - Essay Example The more time that they can dedicate to that end, the more business we will generate. It would benefit the company if the sales staff limited their efforts to sales only. We are a small company by design. This allows us to be more flexible and responsive to our customers and the economy. But just because we are small in numbers does not mean we need to be small in revenue. The individual accounts that we have make up a large percentage of the total number, but they are only a small fraction of the sales volume. Though our business accounts usually require discounting to get their business, our greatest source of revenue is the few large corporate accounts that we serve. I suggest we make a move away from actively seeking new individual accounts and concentrate on acquiring new corporate accounts. With business accounts, we can service more revenue with fewer people and with the sales staff dedicated to pursuing new customers, we would have the time to cultivate these more lucrative accounts. The poor economic conditions in the area make it difficult to make a profit. However, these conditions will be temporary and the downturn will end in time. We should use this slow period to go out and meet potential customers and be ready to pick them up as clients when the economy turns around.

The Effectiveness of Various Organizational Functions that Involve the Term Paper

The Effectiveness of Various Organizational Functions that Involve the Controller - Term Paper Example Effective organizational functions make the building blocks of an efficient organization. Different organizations develop different approaches for organizational functioning in order to protect the interests of various stakeholders while leaving managers enough freedom to take managerial decisions and actions. The effectiveness of organizational functions depends on decision-making and on the execution of decisions. The controller or senior financial officer of the organization plays major roles in planning and managing different organizational functions. Their capabilities and efficiency are often reflected in organizational efficiency. Organizational functions that are based on the principle of profitability for all of the organization's stakeholders assure the most effective behavior of enterprises. With the evolution of modern organizational management practices, the owners and different stakeholders of the organization hire professional managers to manage organizational functions. This helps in the development and optimal exploits of organizational functions. This professional controller or senior financial officers strive for most efficient coordination between various organizational functions. Planning and budgeting are essential components of an effective and efficient organizational function, though run incongruence of the planning process, should not interfere with the planning process in the same way planning process should also take care of budgeting and should not pursue unrealistic visions without any consideration of economic feasibility. It has been pointed out by various studies on the relationship between strategic planning and budgeting that a better strategic planning results in reduced budgeting constraints and more efficient organization and in turn reduced budgeting constrain and efficient organization results in better strategic planning.

My View on Evolution Essay Example for Free

My View on Evolution Essay The creation versus evolution debate is a recurring cultural, political, and theological dispute. As a result, Americans have spent a great deal of time in debate about the origins of the Earth, humanity, life, and the universe. Personally, I believe the world is billions of years old, and that all life on earth evolved. I will attempt to provide concrete facts, logical arguments, and solid evidence supporting my view on evolution. With that said, I will also share my personal intuitions and feelings that have led me to believe in evolution. Lastly, I will make a closing argument as to why you should support evolution as well based on the information presented in my paper. Logically, evolution makes sense to me for many reasons. On the other hand, creationists generally use the Bible as their main doctrine in backing up their argument for creation. However, I believe the Bible, alone, is not enough. With any legitimate argument, multiple sources of evidence are always needed. While I could list a dozen things that serve as real-life evidence that evolution is true, I will narrow them down to just two. The first piece of evidence that supports the idea of evolution is genetics. The DNA in our cells reflects each individual’s unique identity and how closely related we are to one another. The same can be said for relationships among organisms. DNA is the molecule that makes up an organism’s genome in the nucleus of every cell. It consists of genes, which are the molecular codes for proteins and the building blocks of our tissues and their functions. Furthermore, DNA shapes how an organism grows up and the physiology of its blood, bone, and brains (Lunine, 163). Thus, DNA is especially important to the study of evolution. Again, DNA tells us how closely or distantly related we are. With that in mind, think about this. The genetic difference between individual humans is minuscule, at about 0.1%, on average. Compared to human studies, a chimpanzee’s genome indicates a difference of only about 1.2%. The bonobo, which is the close cousin of chimpanzees, and gorillas, another of the African apes, is about 1.6%. Subsequently, it can be concluded that humans are not only related to the great apes, but that we are apes. No matter what the numbers are, the big point still holds. Humans, chimpanzees, and bonobos are more closely related to one another than any other primates. Throughout history, evolutionists have argued that the DNA of humans and apes show that our species and chimpanzees diverged from a common ancestor. Interestingly enough, apes were found to be existent about 17 million years before humans were even around (Moreland, 231). Therefore, the last common ancestors to fit this profile were monkeys and apes. Some evolutionists would see this information as clear evidence of a human evolutionary tree which is strongly rooted within the great apes. The second piece of evidence comes from fossils. If you look at the fossil record, you find a succession of organisms that suggest a history of incremental development from one species to another. You see very simple organisms at first and then new, more complex organisms appearing over time. Moreover, the characteristics of newer organisms frequently appear to be modified forms of characteristics of older organisms (Rieppel, 172). The succession of life forms, from simpler to more complex ones, also shows a relationship between new life forms and those that preceded them. Many evolutionists have made strong speculations of these findings, concluding that this is definitely evidence of evolution. In addition, fossil evidence is even more unique to the argument for evolution because it doesn’t stand alone. In fact, evolution becomes even more compelling when combined with other forms of evidence. For instance, the fossil record is consistent in terms of biogeography. This is paramount, because you would expect that the fossil record would be in harmony with current biogeography and ancient geography, if evolution is true. This also holds truth when examining the anatomy and biochemistry of living species. It appeared that the general order of development for the major types of vertebrate animals was: fish, amphibians, reptiles, and then mammals. If current species developed as a result of common descent, then the fossil record would show the same order of development. Sure enough, the fossil record does show the same order of development. Consequently, fossils and its converging evidence make fossils even more plausible in arguing evolution from common descent (Rieppel, 209). Lastly, I will share my personal feelings towards evolution. Personally, I feel many Christians disagree with the evolution theory, largely because they believe it contradicts the Bible. Yet, many Christians disagree with each other about the basic principles of Christianity. In my opinion, if a Christian doesn’t believe something to be true, they immediately find a way to say how that argument â€Å"contradicts the Bible†. However, the Bible is not always specific, nor is it clear in revealing the truth. In many cases, it almost appears to be written for our own interpretation, which brings me to my point. How can evolution be wrong if everything is based on interpretation? Essentially, I believe in evolution because my interpretation of life and literature, as well as my personal intuition, has led me to believe this. At the same time, my interpretation of the Bible and the book of Genesis is that it’s nothing more than poetry. Christians might see genetics, DNA, and fossils as evidence for creation. My interpretation has caused me to see these things as evidence for evolution. My point is this: everyone’s view is different, because everyone’s interpretation is different. When it comes to this debate, neither creationism nor evolution is a winner. There are many arguments to be made such as: Biblical truth, fossils, molecular biology, DNA, etc. All in all, there is no scientific evidence to prove either one. Evolutionism is based solely on scientific reasoning. Based on science, evolution has yet to be proven right or wrong. Creationism is based on religion and faith. Based on the Bible, creationism cannot be proven true or false either. The best way solve this, in my opinion, is to go with what you feel. With that being said, many people, including myself, feel that evolution is true. Works Cited Books * Lunine, Jonathan Irving, and Cynthia J. Lunine. Earth, Evolution of a Habitable World. 1st ed. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Pr, 1999. Print. * Rieppel, Olivier. Evolutionary Theory and the Creation Controversy. Chicago: Springer, 2010. eBook * Moreland, J.P., and John Mark Reynolds. Three Views on Creation and Evolution. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1999. Print. Articles * Ellen, Roy. Dangerous Fictions and Degrees of Plausibility: Creationism, Evolution, and Anthropology. Anthropology Today. 18. (2002): 3-8. Web Resources * Creation versus Evolution. Clarifying Christianity. N.P., 2001. Web. http://www.clarifyingchristianity.com/creation.shtml.

Team Performance And Strategic Objectives

Team Performance And Strategic Objectives Team performance working involves the development of a number of interrelated processes that together make an impact on the performance of the firm through its people in such areas as productivity, quality, and levels of customer service, growth, profits, and ultimately the delivery of increased shareholder value. This is achieved by enhancing the skills and engaging the enthusiasm of employees. The starting point is leadership, vision and benchmarking to create a sense of momentum and direction. Team Performance Management is focused directly on the achievement of the teams key business objectives. It bridges the gap between the team building enablers and business performance results. It removes the reliance on faith the need to believe that team building works before investing in it and establishes a direct connection between collective behaviors and team performance. Team Performance Management is predicated on the following three principles: Team Behaviors are different to Individual Behaviors. Most competency frameworks include teamwork, but these usually refer to what an individual does within a team, not what a team does collectively together. E.g. whilst all the individuals in a team can behave in trustworthy ways, this does not guarantee that the team will build trust together this is also dependent on other factors such as the environment they work in, or the team processes they use for communicating, deciding, rewarding, etc.. The behaviors that make a team successful vary from team to team and from time to time. E.g. the profile of behaviors that makes a design team successful is different from the profile that makes a financial audit team successful. And if the design team is using a top-down approach, for optimal performance, it needs to change its behaviors once it gets beyond the outline design and starts work on the detailed implementation of the ideas. Team behaviors can be changed using a team performance management process. In essence, performance management involves establishing behavioral goals, measuring current behaviors to identify the gap between the current and desired behavior profile, and then planning, implementing and monitoring changes in order to close that gap. There are both similarities and significant differences between performance management processes for individuals and teams. The key difference between traditional team building and team performance management is that the former engages in activities in the belief that they will indirectly lead to improvements in team performance (sometimes they do, sometimes they dont). Team Performance Management, however, identifies the team behaviors that will lead directly to business success, and then uses a process to change the behaviors accordingly. Evaluate tools and techniques available to set team performance targets Most performance measures can be grouped into one of the following six general categories. However, certain organizations may develop their own categories as appropriate depending on the organizations mission: Effectiveness: A process characteristic indicating the degree to which the process output (work product) conforms to requirements.(Are we doing the right things?) Efficiency: A process characteristic indicating the degree to which the process produces the required output at minimum resource cost. (Are we doing things right?) Quality: The degree to which a product or service meets customer requirements and expectations. Timeliness: Measures whether a unit of work was done correctly and on time. Criteria must be established to define what constitutes timeliness for a given unit of work. The criterion is usually based on customer requirements. Productivity: The value added by the process divided by the value of the labor and capital consumed. Safety: Measures the overall health of the organization and the working environment of its employees. The following reflect the attributes of an ideal unit of measure:  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Reflects the customers needs as well as our own  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Provides an agreed upon basis for decision making  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Is understandable  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Applies broadly  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  May be interpreted uniformly  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Is compatible with existing sensors (a way to measure it exists)  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Is precise in interpreting the results  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Is economical to apply Performance data must support the mission assignment(s) from the highest organizational level downward to the performance level. Therefore, the measurements that are used must reflect the assigned work at that level. Within a system, units of measure should interconnect to form a pyramid. Technological units start at the base. These are measures of individual units of products and of individual elements of service. 1.2.1. Performance Evaluations: Performance evaluation is a very important activity which will be initiated to evaluate and appraise the performance of every employee in the organization. This process can be done twice a year and few companies do the same process for every quarter. Majorly, employee performance can be evaluated based on 5 categories; those are Productivity, quality, communication skills, interpersonal skills, professional behavior initiative. Promotions and performance rewards for an employee is decided based on this criteria only. Productivity is nothing but the quantity of work items or assigned work performed by an employee. On a daily base employee should be given a target or set of work and that should be completed by the end of the day. If employee couldnt achieve the target in a particular day, can compensate the balance work in subsequent working days. Quality means the accuracy levels of work which an employee has performed. This processed data will be randomly reviewed or audited by senior associates in the company. If all the work items which were reviewed are perfect and accurate then, the employee quality of work is 100 %, in case any error found, quality decreases. Hence need to maintain consistency in quality. Communication skills also play an important role in performance appraisals. It includes written and oral communication skills. If employee cannot communicate in a proper way, he or she cannot elevate themselves in work and share their views, suggestions in terms of development and growth of the process. Hence always concentrate on improving communication skills. Interpersonal skills professional behavior are nothing but your way of approach and behavior with fellow team members and superiors. Always need to maintain a cool environment within the team, should not be any ego feelings in learning and always solve any personal issues in a professional way in the presence of supervisor. Growth of project or process, always try to share the ideas with supervisor to implement and if employee has any thought due to which manual working hours may reduce and helpful for the process then such things must share with the supervisor so that in performance evaluation employee can gain a very good rating. 1.2.2 . Feedback: Feedback is such an important communication skill. Openness, honesty, candor, trust all of these are hallmarks of high performance teams and organizations. Good feedback skills are essential to any team relationship. Feedback is important because: It prevents small issues from festering into unmanageable problems. It builds trust in relationships. It promotes personal and professional growth. It acknowledges individual and team accomplishments. It clears up misunderstandings. It is a way to acknowledge and recognize team members skills and contributions. As a result, effective team feedback makes life at work a great deal easier and more rewarding. There are two types of feedback Positive feedback and feedback for improvement (sometimes called negative feedback). Positive Feedback Positive feedback is information about what someone did well. Theres a very simple approach you can use when giving positive feedback. Describe what the team member actually did or said, and Why this statement or action was effective. Feedback for Improvement Feedback for improvement is given about situations which did not go well, or which could have been better. In this case, its important to tell the team member specifically what could have been said or done differently, and why that would have been more effective. 1.2.3. Development Planning: Development Planning is broadly defined as the planning of any organized endeavor that aims at promoting development. It encompasses a wide range of thrusts in economic, social and institutional fields at various societal levels, from the local to the international and usually emphasis the relation between societal spheres and units. It addresses the values, objectives, resources, organizational ability and a range of variables of environment of the development organizational its pursuit. The main concerns of development planning may be expressed by the concept of strategy and derivatives of that concept. The term strategy has wide application and is used with numerous shades of meaning. Assess the value of team performance tools to measure future team performance A team needs to know how its results will help the organization. Individuals on the team need to know what the team requires of them to reach the teams goal. The seven-step processes for measuring team performance are Terminology Seven-Step Process Measurement Points Terminology the terms performance standards, goals, and objectives interchangeably and sees them as descriptions of some future, desirable state that the team is trying to achieve. As depicted below, performance below the standard is considered unacceptable, and performance exceeding the standard is considered exceptional. Seven-Step Process. Review existing organizational measures. Ensure that the measures above and around the team are known and linked to the teams measures. Define whats going to be measured. Selecting the best alternatives and using them to identify the teams key accomplishments provide the basis for all further measurement. Identify individual team member accomplishments that support the team. Identify the results each team member must produce to support the teams results or work processes. Weight the accomplishments. Discuss and agree upon the relative importance of each accomplishment. Develop team and individual performance measures. Identify the measurement (either numeric or descriptive) that will be used to gauge how well the results have been achieved. Develop team and individual performance standards. Define how well the team and individuals have to perform to meet expectations. Decide how to track performance. Identify how the data for each performance standard will be collected and fed back to team members Measurement Points. Elaborating on step two of his seven-step process, Zigong describes four ways to identify what should be measured. These methods can be used singly or in combination: If the team exists to satisfy the requirements of its customers, the measurement point(s) should be the product or service the team provides to the customer. If the team exists to help the organization make an improvement in a specific measurable goal, the measurement points should be determined by asking, What value-added results does the team produce that can help the organization achieve its goal? If the team exists to support the organizations function, the measurement point(s) are determined by identifying the hierarchy of results that the organization must produce and selecting those that link the team to the organizations results. If the team is used to support a work process, the measurement points are found by mapping the process and using the map to identify whats worth measuring. 2.1 Analyse how to determine required performance targets within teams against current performance Performance measurement is primarily managing outcome, and one of its main purposes is to reduce or eliminate overall variation in the work product or process. The goal is to arrive at sound decisions about actions affecting the product or process and its output. Performance measures quantitatively tell us something important about our products, services, and the processes that produce them. They are a tool to help us understand, manage, and improve what our organizations do. Performance measures let us know: how well we are doing â‚ ¬Ã‚  if we are meeting our goals â‚ ¬Ã‚  if our customers are satisfied â‚ ¬Ã‚  if our processes are in statistical control â‚ ¬Ã‚  if and where improvements are necessary. They provide us with the information necessary to make intelligent decisions about what we do. A performance measure is composed of a number and a unit of measure. The number gives us a magnitude (how much) and the unit gives the number a meaning (what). Performance measures are always tied to a goal or an objective (the target). Performance measures can be represented by single dimensional units like hours, meters, nanoseconds, dollars, number of reports, number of errors, number of CPR-certified employees, length of time to design hardware, etc. They can show the variation in a process or deviation from design specifications. Single-dimensional units of measure usually represent very basic and fundamental measures of some process or product. 2.1.1 Know what it looks like It will be impossible to know when youre achieving high performance if you dont know what it looks like. From an organisational perspective, high performance means not only running a financially sound business, adhering to essential policies and ensuring regulatory demands are observed, but also understanding the capability of your workforce to deliver high performance. All too often, concerns about what they might find and the time it may take prompt organisations to adopt the three wise monkeys strategy dont see, dont hear, dont speak with the result that low performance goes unchecked for years until it is too late and competitors have overtaken you. Too often, individual high performance is defined as simply getting the job done in the short term rather than looking to the long term and focusing on behaviors. 2.1.2 Make a commitment Strong and active commitment from leaders and managers, and the pursuit of continuous learning throughout the organisation, are crucial to building a well-defined high-performance culture. Commitment means not leaving it to fate, but truly understanding what high performance looks like, trusting different approaches and working with all stakeholders, including the human resource 2.1.3 Define your starting point Knowing where your organisation currently stands will make it much easier to create a vision for the future and to secure buy-in. One of the most effective strategies is to define explicitly what creates high performance in your organisation. Ensure that these behaviors are distinct, while being comprehensive enough to cover different levels of the organisation. Include areas such as how people collect and make sense of information and how they influence and build confidence in stakeholders. 2.1.4 Put a stake in the ground Once you have agreed what the behavioral high performance indicators look like, it is essential to observe and measure them. The best way to capture current performance is through objective observation, such as work shadowing, behavioural event interviews and subjective feedback via online and facilitated 360-degree analysis. This should clearly distinguish between behavior that: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ impedes performance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ helps to do the task in hand à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ makes a sustainable and long-term positive contribution à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ promotes beneficial and long-term behavioral change in teams and divisions. 2.2 Discuss the need to encourage individual commitment to team performance in achievement of organisational goals The definition of the group dynamics is the social process by which people interact face-to-face in small groups. The group controlled through leadership rather than force, ensured discipline through internal pressure, pooled thinking, respected the individual, and allowed all its members to participate in deciding on things that directly affected them in their work. Teamwork is much more important than the sum of the individual part since a nominal engineering team can succeed under a well-managed project. The success of a software project relies very much on a good management and control system which allows the development to satisfy the project objectives Team process skills are- (a) communication, (b) leadership, (c) goal setting, (d) cross training, (e) problem solving/decision making, (f) conflict resolution are the essential elements for successful teamwork. Team members and leaders must play their roles if they are to be high-performing. The roles of a team leader as follows: Coordinate the activities of the team (tracking progress, scheduling work). Motivate the team. Ensure the team communicates effectively. Interface with supervisor; arrange meetings with client when necessary. Set agendas for meetings Help to set the team goals (project goals, task allocations). Help the team move towards these goals. Accomplish tasks given to them. Meet deadlines. Attend team meetings. Contribute to developing a productive atmosphere within the team 2.3 Relate the application of delegation, mentoring and coaching to the achievement of the organisational objectives A mentoring relationship is usually where one wiser and more experienced person assists another person to grow and learn. It is not a new management technique. Since humans have lived in social groups we have learnt our norms, values and behaviours by the example and coaching of others. The business world has adopted the tradition of an older and wiser person fostering the growth and development of the younger generation. This has sometimes resulted in perpetuation of old ways at the expense of diversity and development. However, new adaptations of mentoring allowing individuals to interact as colleagues in a helping relationship, on a more equal basis, can cultivate growth and learning to mutual benefit. Experience, skills and a genuine desire to help are more valuable assets in a mentoring relationship than age or position. Open and assertive communication and the trust of both parties are essential. Both partners in the mentoring relationship benefit. Learning must be a lifelong process and one of the most effective ways to learn is to assist in the development of others. The best teachers learn much from their students, counselors constantly learn from clients and partners in any successful relationship grow and develop along the way. Coaching is suitable for the successful achievement of many different objectives in working life. What is essential is the importance of the objectives for both the person being coached and the organisation. Motivation from the person to be coached is required for the coaching process to be successful, and without organisational objectives coaching will not result in real success at work. The main focus of coaching is on the development of managerial work and leadership competence, and on the coaching of key persons. Persons on different organisational levels have different objectives, but some challenges are shared by all. 2.4 Evaluate a team performance plan to meet organisational objectives Although there is no guaranteed how-to recipe for building team performance, we observed a number of approaches shared by many successful teams. Establish urgency, demanding performance standards, and direction. All team members need to believe the team has urgent and worthwhile purposes, and they want to know what the expectations are. Indeed, the more urgent and meaningful the rationale, the more likely it is that the team will live up to its performance potential, as was the case for a customer-service team that was told that further growth for the entire company would be impossible without major improvements in that area. Teams work best in a compelling context. That is why companies with strong performance ethics usually form teams readily. Select members for skill and skill potential, not personality. No team succeeds without all the skills needed to meet its purpose and performance goals. Yet most teams figure out the skills they will need after they are formed. The wise manager will choose people for their existing skills and their potential to improve existing skills and learn new ones. Pay particular attention to first meetings and actions. Initial impressions always mean a great deal. When potential teams first gather, everyone monitors the signals given by others to confirm, suspend, or dispel assumptions and concerns. They pay particular attention to those in authority: the team leader and any executives who set up, oversee, or otherwise influence the team. And, as always, what such leaders do is more Important than what they say. If a senior executive leaves the team kickoff to take a phone call ten minutes after the Session has begun and he never returns, people get the message. Set some clear rules of behavior. All effective teams develop rules of conduct at the outset to help them achieve their purpose and performance goals. The most critical initial rules pertain to attendance (for example, no interruptions to take phone calls), discussion (no sacred cows), confidentiality (the only things to leave this room are what we agree on), analytic approach (facts are friendly), end-product orientation (everyone gets assignments and does them), constructive confrontation (no finger pointing), and, often the most important, contributions (everyone does real work). Set and seize upon a few immediate performance oriented tasks and goals. Most effective teams trace their advancement to key performance-oriented events. Such events can be set in motion by immediately establishing a few challenging goals that can be reached early on. There is no such thing as a real team without performance results, so the sooner such results occur, the sooner the team congeals. Challenge the group regularly with fresh facts and information. New information causes a team to redefine and enrich its understanding of the performance challenge, thereby helping the team shape a common purpose, set clearer goals, and improve its common approach. A plant quality improvement team knew the cost of poor quality was high, but it wasnt until they researched the different types of defects and put a price tag on each one that they knew where to go next. Conversely, teams err when they assume that all the information needed exists in the collective experience and knowledge of their members. Spend lots of time together. Common sense tells us that team members must spend a lot of time together, scheduled and unscheduled, especially in the beginning. Indeed, creative insights as well as personal bonding require impromptu and casual interactions just as much as analyzing spreadsheets and interviewing customers. Busy executives and managers too often intentionally minimize the time they spend together. The successful teams weve observed all gave themselves the time to learn to be a team. This time need not always be spent together physically; electronic, fax, and phone time can also count as time spent together. Exploit the power of positive feedback, recognition, and reward. Positive reinforcement works as well in a team context as elsewhere. Citing outgo!d stars helps shape new behaviors critical to team performance. If people in the group, for example, are alert to a shy persons initial efforts to speak up and contribute, they can give the honest positive reinforcement that encourages continued contributions. There are many ways to recognize and reward team performance beyond direct compensation, from having a senior executive speak directly to the team about the urgency of its mission to using awards to recognize contributions. Ultimately, however, the satisfaction shared by a team in its own performance becomes the most cherished reward. Initial performance plan Understanding and subsequently discussing a teams performance is central to managing team performance. To work effectively, teams must regularly and objectively review their teamwork. In addition to concentrating on their short-term outputs, team members must examine work processes to ensure that the team is working creatively, that the team is effectively promoting itself to others, and so on. Too often in managing team performance the team review focuses on subjective individual evaluation, as opposed to an objective team assessment. Performance improvement plan A Team Performance Plan is a detailed plan used to: Identify the desired performance levels of the team Identify how these performance levels will be achieved Provide guidance and direction to the team Measure progress towards the desired performance levels Although there are no strict rules as to the format of a Team Performance Plan they normally contain the following information: Specific goals for team development Performance measures Actions required to achieve goals An indication of how long goals will take to achieve The Team Performance Plan should align with the organisations overall objectives. This can be achieved by: 1. Aligning the Team Performance Plan with the Team Purpose 2. Aligning the Team Purpose with the organisations objectives Team Performance Plans might include the following types of goals: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Goals to improve team competency Team building goals Collate the information regarding poor performance Performance = Ability x Motivation Where: Ability is the persons aptitude, as well as the training and resources supplied by the organization Motivation is the product of desire and commitment Someone with 100% motivation and 75% ability can often achieve above-average performance. But a worker with only 25% ability wont be able to achieve the type of performance you expect, regardless of his or her level of motivation. Incorrect diagnoses can lead to lots of problems later on. If you believe an employee is not making enough of an effort, youll likely put increased pressure on him or her to perform. But if the real issue is ability, then increased pressure may only make the problem worse. Low ability may be associated with the following: Over-difficult tasks. Low individual aptitude, skill, and knowledge. Evidence of strong effort, despite poor performance. Lack of improvement over time. People with low ability may have been poorly matched with jobs in the first place. They may have been promoted to a position thats too demanding for them. Or maybe they no longer have the support that previously helped them to perform well. Meet with the relevant team member(s) and discuss the issues Creating a Performance Improvement Plan So how do you do this in practice? This is where you need to develop a Performance Improvement Plan. Armed with the strategies weve looked at, you first need to evaluate the performance issue that youre facing: Have you discussed with the person what he or she feels the problem is? Have you evaluated your organizations motivation system? Are you doing everything you can to recognize and reward peoples contributions? Are you rewarding the things that you actually want done? Do you have regular goal setting and development meetings with members of your team? Do you help your people keep their skills current? From there, its important that you and the employee discuss and agree upon a plan for improving performance. Write down what youve agreed, along with dates by which goals should be achieved. Then monitor progress with the team member, and use the techniques weve discussed above for increasing motivation and dealing with ability-related issues. Recognize that the actions needed to close ability gaps need high motivation on the employees part to be successful. The two causes of poor performance lack of ability and low motivation are inextricably intertwined, and goal setting, feedback, and a supportive work environment are necessary conditions for improving both. Develop a Performance Improvement Plan Successfully managing team performance starts by identifying where the team is performing well and where it needs further development. The Team Performance Profile Questionnaire and associated analysis gives team members an objective assessment of how the team is doing. It provides opportunities to compare the various viewpoints of team members and outsiders and relate them to the team vision and purpose. The common language ensures that everyone is focusing on the critical team performance factors and the measured gaps can then be translated into action plans for improved performance. It is the diagnosis of the problems that is essential. Once we know what is wrong, it is usually easy to fix it! Tuckman (1965) presented the four stages of teamwork which are now widely used by work teams throughout the world to assess their progress. The model describes the stages as follows: Tuckmans Stages of Teamwork Model Once teams are formed, they go through an unpleasant storming stage before ground rules and norms are established. Eventually the performing stage is reached. In the 1980s it was acceptable to take maybe six months or so to reach the performing stage. However, in the 90s, such is the speed of change and the intensity of competition that some teams have to get to good performance levels in six weeks or even six days! Follow up Ensure that you monitor, follow up and evaluate the performance improvement as set out in the plan. A Performance Improvement Plan should clearly convey: The area of performance that requires improvement or development The action(s) to be taken Any parties required to assist in the achievement of the set actions The timeframe for achieving each action 3.1 Assess the process for monitoring team performance and initiate changes where necessary Sometimes poor performance has its roots in low motivation. When this is the case, you need to work closely with the employee to create a motivating environment in which to work. There are thre

Greek History Essay -- Greece Historic Historical Essays

Greek History Works Cited Missing Relatively little is known about the nature of life in Greece during the Neolithic and Early Helladic periods. Since there are no written records from these periods in Greek history, it is only possible to learn about the cultures that existed during this time by studying the remains of their settlements. The sites of Sesklo, Dimini, and Lerna are all good examples of the types of settlements that existed on mainland Greece from the Middle Neolithic period to the Early Helladic. Although they don’t give us a complete picture, these sites help us understand what life was like on the Greek mainland before the arrival of the people that are known today as the Greeks. During the Neolithic period the most advanced area of Greece was Thessaly. This area in northern Greece was the place where both Sesklo and Dimini were established. During the Helladic period the area of greatest advancement shifted to the south. This period is best represented by Lerna. Sesklo was first occupied in the Early Neolithic period but didn’t reach its peak until the Middle Neolithic. It was built on a low mound that had an area of about 100m by 45m. A large, two-room megaron which opened on to a paved courtyard was built at the center of the mound (www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/siteindex?entry=sesklo). Near the megaron were various other smaller buildings packed closely together. One building stands out from the others, because it appears to have served a special purpose. That building is the two room building now identified as a potter’s workshop. The inhabitants of Sesklo surrounded the whole area on top of the mound with what appears to have been a single one meter thick wall. It’s uncertain whether thi... ...peaks in the development of the Greek mainland from the Neolithic to Helladic period. Each settlement represents a fairly significant advancement over its predecessor and shows how Greek settlements progressed over the years. These settlements also provide many clues about the nature of mainland Greek culture during this period of time. Even though we have no written records, by examining the architecture and artifacts of these cultures we are able to determine how their communities were organized. We are also able to determine the nature of their relationships with other settlements by examining their fortification systems. Although many things about early civilizations in Greece remain a mystery, we have learned much from these sites and continue to study them in hopes of gaining a more complete picture of what life was like for the early inhabitants of Greece.

Effective Cancer Screening Methods Essay -- Health, Screening, Early

Effective cancer screening methods are used to detect or identify the presence of a specific cancer before the individual displays any symptoms of cancer. Early detection of a cancer through screening can save the life of a person who may have died without screening detection. Early detection of cancer can also provide a less costly and more effective treatment than if the cancer progresses requiring more advanced or drastic treatment. Screenings tests for the more common cancers such as breast, colon, prostate or cervical can be non-invasive or only slightly invasive. The majority of screening procedures are non-invasive which is more cost effective, patient convenient, and does not require any patient aftercare. Screening tests usually have a recommended age and frequency. As people age there is a higher risk of cancer and more screening is recommended. There are some considerations on whether to screen or not to screen such as; is the cancer common or fatal, are there detectable symptoms, and how reliable are the test results (Bast, 2000). There are currently two slightly invasive screening tests used to detect prostate cancer. They are the digital rectal exam (DRE) and the prostate-specific antigen blood test (PSA). The DRE is a quick exam that can check the prostates health. A doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum to feel the back portion of the prostate for size, irregularity or abnormal areas. DRE is the only method in which a physician can physically examine the prostate gland. If a doctor does find an irregularity the conclusion is not necessarily prostate cancer, but a reason to pursue diagnosis (Bast, 2000). â€Å"Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by cells of the prostate g... ...te posts coated with antibodies that bind to tumor cells. When blood passes across the chip, cancer cells stick and stains make them glow for easy detection† (Prostate.net, n.d.). This blood test could possibly eliminate tissue sampling and imaging scans (Prostate.net, n.d.). EN2 is a new prostate cancer test measuring the EN2 protein in urine. â€Å"The study found that testing for the protein could accurately identify 66% of men with prostate cancer, and correctly rule out the disease in almost 90% of men without the disease† (National Health Service, 2011). The cases of prostate cancer were confirmed with a biopsy. The University of Surrey, UK studies confirmed that â€Å"even if the EN2 test performs well in larger scale testing, the test would not necessarily replace PSA testing† (National Health Service, 2011) but could be used with PSA (National Health Service, 2011)

Nuclar Energy Pros Essays -- essays research papers fc

In our society, nuclear energy has become one of the most criticized forms of energy by the environmentalists. Thus, a look at nuclear energy and the environment and its impact on economic growth. Lewis Munford, an analyst, once wrote, "Too much energy is as fatal as too little, hence the regulation of energy input and output not its unlimited expansion, is in fact one of the main laws of life." This is true when dealing with nuclear power. Because our societies structure and processes both depend upon energy, man is searching for the most efficient and cheapest form of energy that can be used on a long term basis. And because we equate power with growth, the more energy that a country uses, -the greater their expected economic growth. The problem is that energy is considered to have two facets or parts: it is a major source of man-made repercussions as well as being the basis of life support systems. Therefore, we are between two sections in which one is the section of "resource availability and waste", and the other "the continuity of life support systems pertinent to survival." Thus, the environmentalists believe that nuclear energy should not be used for various reasons. First of all, the waste product, i.e. plutonium, is extremely radioactive, which may cause the people who are working or living in or around the area of storage or use, to acquire leukemia and other cancers. They also show how billions of dollars are spent yearly on safety devices for a single reactor, and this still doesn't ensure theimpossibility of a "melt down." Two examples were then given of Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, in 1979, when thousands of people were killed and incapacitated. Finally, the environmentalists claim that if society wastes less energy, and develops the means to use the energy more efficiency, then there would be a definite decrease in the requirement for more energy producing plants. On the other hand, some business men and economists say that the present conditions should be kept intact, as the other forms of energy, e.g. oil, natural gas and coal, are only temporary, in dealing with surplus, and give off more pollution with less economic growth. Concurrently, countries wanted a more reliable, smokeless form of energy not controlled by OPEC, and very little uranium was required to produce such a high amount of res... ...ote, nuclear power "threatens the present and forecloses the future. It is unethical, and inferior to non-fission futures that enhance survival for humans, alive and yet to be born, and nature, with all its living entities." Therefore, in conclusion, it is clearly evident why nuclear energy should be abandoned, even though it may be considered as economically sound, and that we should concentrate more on conservation and quality rather than expansion as we have done in the past. Footnotes: 1. Nuclear Energy: The Unforgiving Technology. Edmonton, Alberta: Hurtig Publishers, 1976. Page 201. 2. Knelman, Page 202. 3. Knelman, Page 234. Bibliography: 1. Nuclear Energy: The Unforgiving Technology. Fred Knelman, Hurtig Publishers, Edmonton, Alberta. 1976. 2. Economic Thinking and Pollution Problems. Edited by D.A.L. AULD, University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Ontario. 1972. 3. Nuclear Energy: Solution or Suicide. Edited by Carol C. Collins, Facts on File Publications. New York, New York. 1984. Thesis: A look at nuclear energy and the environment and why it is one of the most criticized forms of energy - when it has great possibilities in economic growth.

Deforestation: Effects and Consequences Essay

The main causes of deforestation are summarized below: (i) Population explosion (ii) Agriculture: shifting cultivation, overgrazing, cash crop economy etc. iii) Commercial logging: cutting trees for sale as timber or pulp (iv) Poverty (v) Mining (vi) Dams (vii) Infrastructure creation for logging (viii) Forest-fires (ix) Acid rain (x) Development projects and housing projects. Effects of Deforestation: The ill-effects of deforestation are summarized below: (i) Soil erosion: Soil is exposed to wind, sunlight, and evaporation due to deforestation. Soil fertility goes down due to soil erosion and rapid leaching of essential mineral nutrients. ii) Harm to fisheries: As the soil is eroded, it accelerates siltation in dams, rivers, and the coastal zone. The increased sedimentation harms downstream fisheries. (iii) More floods and droughts: Because of deforestation, there is no regulation of the flow into rivers. As result, floods and droughts alternate in the affected areas. (iv) Habitat loss of wildlife: Butterflies, migratory birds, wild animals suffer due to the loss of their habitat. (v) Extinction of some species: Many species are affected and some get extincted. (vi) Local and global climate changes: The rainfall pattern is affected as the forest is cut down. Local and global climate changes may result from deforestation. (vii) Global warming: If the trees are burned, the carbon is released immediately as carbon dioxide which leads to global warming. (viii) Danger for the survival of local communities: Communities lose their source of food, fuel, construction materials and areas for livestock grazing by deforestation.

World Class Manufacturing

Why is a manufacturing company which adheres to a world class approach better able to succeed in the contemporary corporate environment? How is world class status achieved? The contemporary corporate environment is hugely different from what the corporate environment used to be in the past. Now the corporate environment is highly competitive, volatile and information is easily available to everyone including the customers. Over the years customers have become more demanding and they are clear about what they want and what they don’t want.They don’t want to settle for anything different from their needs and wants. Markets are more fragmented in the contemporary corporate environment. There is a lot of volatility in the market. This is due to continuous improvements and changes in technology which has a huge impact on the production process of companies in the contemporary corporate environment. Many products now have much shorter product life cycles in the contemporary c orporate environment. Prices and costs of products are also fluctuating a lot due to the volatile corporate environment.Companies have to keep selling prices low since there is too much competition in the market. The more competitors there are the more difficult it is for companies to survive since they have to make sure they offer the customers something better in quality as well as price than their competitors. Companies adhering to world class manufacturing (WCM) are better able to succeed in the contemporary corporate environment. This is because adhering to WCM allows companies to be more competitive in the market. WCM focuses more on what the customers want rather than what the company can offer the customers.Under WCM products are made to meet exactly the needs of the customers rather than something similar to what they want. WCM allows companies to be more customers focused and know exactly what they want. This is achieved by putting more resources into market research and i dentifying effectively the needs of the customers. WCM includes the use of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) which allows companies to broaden their product range to meet the needs of the customers and also allows the company to customise products which further helps the company to be more competitive in the contemporary corporate environment.Being customer focused makes companies more competitive and reduces the chances of customers rejecting the products e. g. Boeing works closely with its customers to make sure customers get exactly what they want. WCM also helps companies to reduce costs which mean companies can afford to keep selling prices low and be more competitive. When companies work closely with suppliers they can reduce costs. Chrysler corporation established the suppliers cost reduction effort (SCORE) in an effort to work closely with its suppliers and identify opportunities to reduce costs from the vehicle manufacturing process.Working closely with suppliers allo wed Chrysler and its suppliers to make cost savings of $1 billion in just one year. WCM helps companies strengthen external relationships. This helps to open the doors of the global market for companies and have more opportunities. Selling their products globally makes companies more competitive. WCM helps companies to survive in the contemporary corporate environment by allowing companies to be more flexible so they can cope with the volatility in the market. WCM allows companies to adapt flexibility in different areas such as strategic, tactical and operational.From the strategic point of view, WCM helps companies to be able to quickly align the company’s strategic posture with rapidly changing external conditions. To survive in the contemporary corporate environment it is extremely important for companies to be flexible from the operational point of view. WCM requires companies to be flexible in this area which means companies need to be producing on the spot or in a perio d of time that satisfies the customers’ needs from the beginning, not from stock and not to assembling order. Under WCM this can be achieved by reducing lead times relating to the short manufacturing cycle.WCM allows companies to reduce lead times by adopting a process orientation versus a functional orientation as well as using the mushroom concept and also by removing constraints rather than adapting with them and working within the constraints like under the traditional manufacturing. Worker empowerment is promoted under WCM which helps remove the constraints. Employees are the best people to identify constraints and know how to remove them but under traditional manufacturing, employees don’t have the authority to do this but under WCM workers are given much greater power than they had under traditional manufacturing.Under WCM workers are organised into smaller teams which have responsibility for maintenance, hiring, firing etc. A worker has the power to stop the pr oduction line if they see some problems i. e. jidoka. Workers are also encouraged to make suggestions for improvements known as kaizen and they are also given appropriate information which is also a pre-requisite to empowerment e. g. visual factory, andon. WCM is an approach which allows an enterprise to succeed in today’s highly competitive globalised markets.To achieve world class status, companies need to adopt new organisation structure, culture, work methods, supported by a platform of information age technology. The hardware arm is AMT. With the advent of the information age, information becomes the key resource of a company. This has encouraged the switch from ‘M’ form of organisation to networks as information flows more easily through a network. Furthermore if workers are to play their part in process improvement, they need the information to do this.

How Did the Events of the Indian Mutiny Change?

The events of the Indian mutiny; in particular the Enfield rifle cartridges, the murder of Christians, the shootings in Cawnpore and the massacre in Lucknow, vastly changed the presence of British in India. The British realised that they could not run a country through a company with no acknowledgement and respect for culture. After the mutiny, the East India Company no longer ruled India – The queen did. The British prime minister chose a secretary of state for India. This change gave the people of India someone to look up to and respect rather than a company ruling and making decisions for their own financial gain.Towns and cities were ‘littered with her statues'. The legislative council also included some Indian representation, signifying the start of participation of Indian people in British Government. This meant that the Indians felt as though they had a say in the running of their country. The end of the mutiny also indicated the beginning of a new attitude toward s Indian culture where the British no longer interfered. In particular, the British no longer attempted to stop the traditional practices and laws surrounding widows. The British also came to respect Indian princes and other respected people in positions of authority over others.This was shown through their participation in the Legislative council. The British felt that Princes and landowners had a crucial role in maintaining positive relationships between themselves and Indian peasantry, so they were guaranteed property and some were given rewards for their loyalty. However, the fading relationship between the working peasants and their landowners, meant that the policy was not as successful as expected, in a long term view. The continued superior attitude of the British meant that the still viewed the Indians as a substandard people.They believed that they ‘didn't know a good thing when they saw it'. The British continued to have complete financial and political control. Alt hough more attainable, still enforced a uniformed revenue tax of 10% and introduced paper currency through the country. This then ended majority of barter trade. The British presence in India changed immensely after the mutiny. It changed on many levels affecting the people in social, cultural, financial, political and occupational aspects of their lives due to the changing nature of the company.

Black and Decker

The black and decker corporation: power tools division| The Case of Black and Decker| The Marketing Plan for The Professional Tradesmen Segment Year 1991/1992| | Executive Summary Gary DiCamillo, Black and Decker’s president of power tools for United States, is reviewing the most recent sales records and figures indicating the professional tradesmen segment’s market share in his office. The research findings are not looking good and surprisingly, he didn’t expect otherwise. It has been almost a decade that this segment is in the bottom half of brand perception.There has not been any more vital time to understand the cause of this setback. This urgency lead him to ask Joseph Galli, the vice president of sales and marketing at Black and Decker, to conduct a thorough research to develop a marketing plan for the year 1991/1992. The new plan is developed to target the major problem in the Professional Tradesmen segment: Low market share among comparatives and no profi tability. After a detailed situation and consumer analysis and evaluating the alternatives, John Galli concluded that professional tradesmen segment needs to be repositioned.After a careful product assessment, Galli realized the professional quality of items produced by B&D is above their major comparatives such as Makita and Milwakee. However, the brand is poorly differentiated from the lower grade products in the consumer segment; the segment which B&D holds the most solid market share among comparatives. The permeation of B&D in consumer segment has tarnished brand perception in professional tradesmen segment; both product lines are offered in the same color: Charcoal Grey!Additionally, due to the already established and extensive negative recognition of professional tradesmen segment among professional buyers of power tool products tagging any product to this brand won’t generate the drastic results that B&D is pursuing. Furthermore, it was Black and Decker’s weak presence in Home Depot, the rapidly growing professional tradesmen product outlet, which was contributing to the problem. They needed to strategically enter this market while emphasizing their position in Home Center and Two-Step distribution channel.Following these realities, Galli knew with almost no profitability in this segment asking for advertising allowances and rebate money is not an option. As a result, he introduced a marketing plan revolving around repositioning the professional tradesmen segment and establishing a new brand entry, backed by B&D service and warranty handling and differentiating products from consumer segment by colorization. 1 Introduction Black and Decker is one of the world’s largest power tool manufactures and the leader of power tool market in United States.In 1991, Black and Decker’s sales record was over $5 billion and the company ranked 7th in brand recognition throughout U. S and 19th in Europe market. The nation’s power tool company leader divides in three segments: consumer, professional industrial and professional tradesmen. The consumer tool segment is offering products for â€Å"at home† use and is the most popular division with proximately $250 million in revenue in 1990. The professional industrial targets the corporates that purchase tools in large quantities for the use of professional employees.The revenue for this segment is estimated $110 Million as well. The professional tradesmen segment is the $420 million size division which represents products that professional individuals such as carpenters and contractors purchase to use on the job sites where they are required to take their own tools. However, this segment generated only $35 million revenue in 1990 with almost no profit. Both consumer and professional industrial segments owned a solid position in the market with 45% and 20% segment shares in power tool market. However, this success did not transfer to the professional tradesmen segment.In 1990, B&D roughly held 9% market share in power tool market in United States. This highlighted the presence of the competitors such as Makita and Milwaukee with 50% and 10% market shares to the senior management of B&D more than ever. Professional tradesmen segment was clearly suffering and falling behind in the dynamic and competitive power tool market. Joseph Galli, the vice president of sales and marketing in Black & Decker decided to conduct an extensive research to find the root of this problem and conclude an alternative.In this research, the problem highlights itself as the professional tradesmen segment’s low market share, no profitability and desperate need to reposition for this segment. Following is the situation analysis of Black and Decker supporting the idea of repositioning the professional tradesman unit. 2 Situational Analysis Internal factors By virtually creating the power tools industry, Black & Decker holds primary strength in the consumer and industrial segments, proved by being ranked #1 in those respected market share positions.By holding large amount of equity in the US and Europe, DeWalt can aggressively be put into the professional tradesmen segment to take the market lead from Makita. Although Black & Decker only holds a 9% share in the current professional tradesman segment, Black & Decker holds the title of being one of the best producers of high quality goods. By repositioning the DeWalt name in the rapidly growing professional tradesmen segment, that 9% market share will quickly increase with the support of our brand recognition and image.With the strong internal factors, the Black & Decker Company has strong potential in building an admirable image in the $420 million professional tradesmen segment. External Factors The professional tradesmen segment, although relatively new, has rapidly been growing compared to the consumer, 7%, and industrial, no growth, segments. Having high market shares in the consumer a nd industrial parts, Black & Decker holds a strong 30% of the total market share. Also growing in importance, are the home centers, The Home Depot being the largest of the quickly growing chain stores of home improvement.Buyers of the professional tradesmen tools also heavily patronize emerging retail distribution outlets, such as The Home Depot and Lowe’s. Competitive analysis Despite the fact that Makita does share 50% of the current market, the current position they hold in brand image is not nearly as positive as Black & Decker. Consumers have regarded Makita as, 3 â€Å"arrogant† and â€Å"dictatorial. † On the other side, Black & Decker has been put in the top ten in the U. S in the aspect of brand strength.One of the main reasons why Makita has grown much success in the past decade was with the help of the new rapid development of home center outlets. A common characteristic shared within the top three manufacturers of the professional tradesmen segment w as that all three offered broad product lines, offering approximately 175 SKU’s each. Consumer Analysis Black & Decker Corporation as a Power Tools Division has been ranked low in the professional tradesmen market. In efforts to increase awareness and market the power tools division in a more competitive way, a consumer study was established and processed.Consumers of different ages, sexes, and races that work in the professional tradesmen field and the general public were asked a series of non-bias questions in order to gain a competitive advantage in the future sales opportunity. In order to do so we needed to study the current trend of consumer awareness and behavior as well as the pre conceived opinion of the Black & Decker product reputation both past and current trends. The following segments were used: Young Adults (ages 15-25), Adult Women (ages 26-60), and Adult Men ages (26-60).Young Adults (ages 15-25): The young adults being mostly single, college age living at ho me with parents or with roommates who typically don’t use power tools were vaguely familiar with the Black & Decker name and not associating as a Power tool brand. Adult Women (ages 26-60) usually homemakers, single moms, have advanced education, professional, and work both outside the home as well as in the home. Of the Adult females surveyed 75% were familiar with the Black & Decker name and had purchased a B&D power tool over any other brand.Of those women, 75% also choose durability over cost when compared to similar items. While most women appear to be more in tune to actual cost of household products such as a Dust Buster when compared to professional grade tools, they still have a more realistic estimate of actual cost when compared side by side. Most women rate 4 Black & Decker as a good-excellent power tool product and would recommend to a friend and purchase additional B&D products. Adult Men (ages 26-60) Most with a higher level of education and with more experienc e using power tools.In some instances adult men and women shared the same opinion but when asked, men choose warranty over compatibility. 56% of adult men rated Black & Decker as a poor choice for a power tool. While women were found to be more willing to purchase additional power tools with the Black & Decker name only 10% of males said they would and most would not recommend B&D as a power tool option. With the above data collected it is determined that dropping the Black & Decker name instead of just Sub branding would better benefit the goals of the company and gain a larger advantage in the market.Having such a negative appeal from the current state is not only discouraging but also provides a more complete analysis of how the consumers view the Black & Decker name, regardless of the quality of an actual item. Alternatives, Pros and Cons The first alternative would focus on B&D consumer and Professional-Industrial market segment which it already maintains the #1 market share. T he professional-Tradesman segment would become an afterthought for B&D, instead focusing primarily on profitability at the expense of market share.B&D research had shown that their tools were highly regarded in the professional industrial segment, for high quality. B&D field test of their products with all identifying marks removed against competitors products which also had all identifying marks removed, showed that product quality was strongly competitive with other brands. This would greatly diminish the Black and Decker brand by deemphasizing the quality in the professional-Tradesman segment. The result would be a negative effect on consumer and industrial segments as well.Brand loyalty and image would suffer greatly while gaining market share for the Professional-Tradesman segment. The second alternative would be to sub-brand B&D product. The brand would have a new name for its professional tradesman products, but would also state â€Å"by Black and Decker†. 5 This alter native would not entirely clear all negative brand perception in the B&D Professional Tradesman segment. Professional Tradesman segment viewed the B&D brand as a product for home instead of job use.This alternative would still carry the negative perception of the B&D brand in the Professional Tradesman segment of the market. B&D quality perception of suppliers quality would remain first to last based on company research. Color was generally regarded as a product differentiator and this alternative would not make any changes in this regard, keeping the B&D tools their respective traditional colors. This alternative would do little to increase market share and revenue.The third alternative, which has been chosen for the best possible outcome, would be to use an entirely different brand name for the B&D Professional-Tradesman segment of the market. The brand name chosen is DeWalt, the brand has storied history in the stationary wood working business since the company was founded in 191 8. DeWalt products were permanently installed on many lumberyards, garnering awareness of the brand, verified by research at 70% and also positively viewed as one of the best by 63% of the professional-tradesman segment of the market.The company was purchased by B&D in 1960, so the brand name could be easily assigned to a B&D product. The color option eventually chosen was yellow, a familiar sign of caution used on many construction sites. The yellow coloring would also differentiate the DeWalt product from many other brands including B&D and many other successful brands in the professional-tradesman segment. This option would theoretically double the market share within three years; operating income would also increase by 2%. RecommendationsThe product chosen to replace the B&D nameplate in the professional tradesman segment is the DeWault. DeWalt brand would position the B&D professional tradesman products a step higher in product quality and reliability, relieving the negative br and association in the respective segment. The color yellow chosen for the product would create instant awareness of the brand amongst its immediate competitors Makita and Milwakee. The price of the DeWalt Professional-Tradesman product would be positioned comparably to the Makita and Milwakee brands.Milwakee and Makita are priced 5% and 10% respectively over current similar B&D products. 6 The distribution channels that will be used include home centers, which include The Home Depot and Home Club. Home centers are increasingly becoming a popular source for professional-tradesman tools. Home centers have a combined yearly sale of 8. 5 million dollar in the professional-tradesman market. DeWalts rise in the marketplace will greatly depend on these types of distribution outlets. Two-steps will be used for distribution as well, including Ace and Servistar.DeWalt will not be offered in discount oriented membership club stores, as they are perceived to be positioning themselves as a â₠¬Å"fathers day gift† The DeWalt brand has an existing 70% awareness rating among Professional-Tradesman, and a 63% positive view by tradesman. The company was founded in 1918 and has been a permanent fixture in lumberyards since, the presence over the years has created most of the existing promotion of the brand. The yellow color of DeWalt tools will help it differentiate itself form other products and also promote itself as being the only yellow tool for Professional-Tradesman on the market.Conclusion The purpose to conduct this marketing plan was to find an alternative to Black and Decker’s decade long failure to own large enough market shares in professional tradesmen segment. Black & Decker has succeeded to position the consumer and professional industrial segments in the top ranked market share among comparatives however, professional tradesmen segment has failed to reach anywhere beyond %9. The internal factor for B&D is that, this company is one of the world†™s largest power tool producers and in the comparison product analysis Black and Decker’s products win over the competitors.This means B&D has the potential to earn the top brand perception that is missing. On the other hand, consumers are the external factor who prefers using B&D products for home use rather than on job sites this is while Makita and Milwaukee are the two preferred brands in professional tradesmen segment. Galli is coming up with three alternatives. The first option is to harvest professional tradesmen channels. This option is vetoed because professional tradesmen segment is growing more rapidly than consumer and industrial segments.Dropping this segment will lead to a huge loss in a long run. The second alternative is to sub-brand. This alternative is ruled out as well since releasing any products under any brand while still tagged to B&D will not lead to increase sales due to extensive negative brand perception in professional tradesmen products. The thi rd alternative is to drop the tainted Black and Decker name and produce a line of products under DeWalt brand, the brand owned by B&D with already established market share and good brand perception.Even though, building a new brand from the ground up takes time (proximately three years) this alternative is highly recommended. DeWalt brand saws have a very high brand recognition and durability. Additionally, this product line will be offered in a new color: Yellow. The color that indicates safety and can easily be recognized and differentiated by customers. Timeline Spring -begin advertisements with print by using our sub-branding method -sub branding would emphasis on the new name De-Walt -prepare for manufacturing and distribution of product for upcoming summerSummer -hold a press conference inviting various professional tradesmen, small and large corporations such as construction companies and small business owners to introduce the new product line and hold demonstrations -offer s ample test tools to professional tradesmen – set up workshops using the new sub-branded power tools to generate a buzz and interest in the new products which would be available for purchase soon -begin distribution among large retailers as well as club stores -increase advertisement both in print, radio and televisionSeptember -evaluate sales -take market surveys of those using the new sub branded product line December -continue to offer demonstrations on the use of the new line -decrease advertisement efforts -offer holiday packages to encourage families to purchase the new product lines for their husbands, fathers, brothers etc. for the upcoming holidays -have successfully created a positive outlook and increased market share and sales of the new sub branded product line by the end of the year