Analysis of Competitive Environment Models and Tools Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Competitive Environment Models and Tools Essay Introduction   Ã¢â‚¬ËœClosed’ systems are described as systems having no relationship, communications and interface to its outside world.   Systems including human organizations, which is self-sustaining (both food producing and waste material recycling) has always been in touched with other organizations and its environment.   Imagine an entity floating in outer space carrying living organisms in it.   And such are producing their own food, energy and raw materials needed for survival.   But such entity will die in the future for it will need to replenish its need, energy to use and food to eat.    This fact makes an entity virtually lonely and survival impossible, thus organizations, social groups and social entities are interconnected. This connections and interactions render them as ‘open’ entities.   This connection allows entities to exchange the necessary things that will allow the survival and sustainability of its existence.   Organizations interact with its environment and other organizations for resources, information and technology, weapons, goods and services.   Thus transformation of organization becomes inevitable.   The point is it is a necessity rather than a requirement for organizations to work with or against other organizations and its environment for growth, survival and development.   A typical example of an entity, which houses everything that it needs and for its consumer: the hypermarkets. Hypermarket is a combination of a supermarket and a department store. It is a huge retail store which house a wide range of products. A well planned hypermarket allows a consumer to purchase everything in this type of facility. Like malls and grocery stores, hypermarkets follows a   on high-volume, low-margin sales model. The size of hypermarket facility covers an average of 150,000 square feet.   Such facilities are located on suburban and highly accessible areas for vehicles to accommodate large numbers of shoppers. (Wikipedia, 2007). In 1957, Carrefour was the first to introduce hypermarkets in 1957 owned by Fournier and Defforey (Wikipedia, sec 1).   This entity targeted a wide range of customers that the concept of housing all the necessary things human beings would possibly need was made in one entity.   Analysing this kind of organization using the different environmental analysis models and tools, we can get rich lessons from   Carrefour. The STEP checklist (Social, Technological, Economic and Political). STEP is simple and has many applications in many fields.   STEP is an acronym, which stands for Social, Technological, Economic and Political Checklist.   This method determines the factors that influences organizations/entities accurately and systematically.   The STEP checklist facilitates ease of determining the factors that influences the organization (Armson et al, 12-13). Social factors include demography, culture and values of an organization, vision and mission. The physical aspects of the society are measured by sociological factors like age, class, trends in migration and emigration, and so on.   Carrefour had integrated a multilevel marketing strategy based on this indicator.   A family as a unit has special need for each member. If Carrefour could bring all these needs in one place, the family need not go on separate ways.   As they acquire the needs, the company of each member is not sacrificed.   Exchange of opinions regarding clothes for each member and the amount of consumption and expenditure is also discussed while they go shopping around. Technological factors refer to machines, discoveries and techniques developed that improve communication, systems, and the general way of life.   Economic factors refer to the financial growth, family income and other economic indicators.   Political factor translates to the rules and regulations, government and system of governance and the political direction of the organization in terms of leadership.   Carrefour in this example had brought in together in one place the advances in technology.   The barcodes that we have, the electronic transactions that we have are all products of the chain reaction in putting together shops in one place.   The need for efficiency and fast movement of goods was conceptualized little by little. The Transformation Model The STEP model is an overview of everything that occurs in an organization.   It determines individual movement of society and its causal agent.   In transformation model, inputs determine the output using a certain ‘transformation’ process. This Input-Process-Output process has been borrowed from Ludwig von Bertalanffy in 1950 in his general systems theory (Wikipedia, par 1, sec. 1).   This theory is an approach that looks into the properties of systems in terms of relationships and processes and those that emerge from these relationships and processes which also conveys the whole. In the point of view of customer relations, Carrefour had encountered a lot of challenges that it evolved into an efficient system of customer service.   A special section perhaps dealing with product complains, product testing and purchase returns was created.   The reaction to its competitors was to move the same. Show the customer concerns and care for their needs as they value their hard earned money.   Other inputs like management had evolved from simple to complex structure.   But as this processes occurred, everything also move with them like customer perception, supplier value-adding activities, government regulations and even lifestyle of the community which they exist. Mintzberg’s ‘Physiognomy’ Physiognomy was used by palm readers to read lines in human hands in relation to the human character.   In this case, we use faces to read characters of organizations.   Mintzberg believes that organizations should forged links or ‘coalitions’.   These coalitions are useful when problems that require resolution arise.   When the different interests relating to the problem represent different groups, power groups are said to arise (Armson et al, 12-13). In addition to this, Mintzberg created ‘cast lists’ of every groups and/or coalition, which could be used as checklist also.   He named key players in these coalitions such as owners, associates, associations, and publics. Economic Sector Analysis Another method of dissecting business environment is the use of sectors and markets in the economics point of view (Armson et al, 14-15).   Economists termed sector (more like industries) in the use of economic activities.   In a sector, similar goods and services are produce such that each is affected by one another.   For example, a growing sector affects other sectors as well as the organizations within that sector.   Whether these effects are large or small, the use of sector analysis allows us to explore organizations in the same sector especially what is distinct in that organization.   Again Carrefour as a hypermarket entity pioneer spurred other hypermarket entities to compete and also join industries to lobby for government policies. References: Armson, Rosalind, John Martin, Susan Carr, Roger Spear and Walsh Tony. The Open University: Managing in Organizations: Identifying Environmental Issues. 1995. p11-15. General Systems Theory. Wikipedia- the Free Encyclopedia.   2006. http://en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/ Systems_theory. Hypermarket.   Wikipedia- the free encyclopedia: 2007 http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/hypermarket â€Å"Carrefour† Wikipedia- the free encyclopedia.   12 February 2007. http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Carrefour

Personal Narrative- Life as a Journey Essay example -- Personal Narrat

Personal Narrative- Life as a Journey The journey of life follows a predetermined pattern; we evolve from needing influence and guidance to finally reaching that point where our lives are up to us. I consider myself very lucky up to this point in my journey. Some people become sidetracked and wind up on a far different course than initially planned, but the detours I made have only assisted in embellishing the individual instead of devouring it. According to Freud a person's most important period to grow personality ranges from birth to six years. In that span my biggest influences came from my family. When I think of that time before kindergarten, the single most important person to my development was my grandmother Carmen. She didn't graduate from college or sell wheat futures in the stock market, but she had wisdom and tenderness so few possess. My parents worked, so each morning my mother would drop me off at Grandma's house. I didn't realize it then but in retrospect, this woman has led a remarkable. She birthed three sons all by Caesarian section, lost a husband in middle age, and then all but raised a grandson for half a decade. She taught me how to walk and gave me my first piano lessons. She remains close to all her grandchildren yet her and I both know she holds a special place for the first one. When I began school, friends began to shape path for this journey. In the beginning we hardly know these classmates. Common interests and experiences bond or repel certain people to others. I didn't understand what friendship meant until August 16, 1997 though. That morning, I fell asleep at the wheel of my car and ran into two utility poles and a tree while going 40 miles per hour. An ambulance rushed me to Memorial... ...will become the ultimate test between temptation and my inner-strength and the morals I have placed for my own behavior. Possibly the biggest choice of any person's life remains what vocation to go into. Even areas people have skills in may not give enough satisfaction to turn into a career, whether that satisfaction stays financial or otherwise. Whatever occupation I choose, I sincerely hope that the trek will remain on its uncertain and awesome course. Throughout this journey of life many outside forces manipulate whom all of us become. Who created my personal connotation? Through every relative, friend, and composition it boils down to me. I have taken all these beliefs and crammed them into a 6 feet, 2 inch frame. The real journey lays ahead, the journey from young adulthood to old age. I only pray this journey includes many travels and few destinations.

Psych Educational

Across subject areas and levels, educational research has identified several discrete skills related to an overall ability for critical thinking. These are: †¢ Finding analogies and other kinds of relationships between pieces of information †¢ Determining the relevance and validity of information that could be used for structuring and solving problems †¢ Finding and evaluating solutions or alternative ways of treating problemsEducational research has found several discrete skills related to an overall ability for critical thinking; finding analogies and other kinds of relationships, determining the relevance and validity of information, and finding and evaluating solutions or alternative ways of treating problems (Potts, Bonnie (1994). Strategies for teaching critical thinking. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 4(3). Retrieved February 27, 2013 from http://PAREonline. net/getvn. asp? v=4&n=3 . This paper has been viewed 115,891 times since 11/13/1999. ). Ref erences Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundation of thought and action: A social cognitive theory.Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Brewer, E. W. , Campbell, A. C. , Petty, G. C. (2000). Foundations of Workforce Education. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company. Huitt, W. , & Hummel, J. (1998). The Behavioral System. Retrieved via the World Wide Web, February 15, 2002. Available at: http://www. edpsycinteractive. org/topics/behavior/behovr. html Parkay, F. W. & Hass, G. (2000). Curriculum Planning (7th Ed. ). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Shaffer, D. (2000) Social and Personality Development (4th Ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning. Skinner, B. (1972). Utopia through the control of human behavior.In John Martin Rich, ed. , Readings in the Philosophy of Education. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. What is ABA? http://rsaffran. tripod. com/whatisaba. html Instructional Scenarios Here are some scenarios that portray educational applications of behaviorism: Scenarios for Using Behaviorism Bibliography Additional Resources Citation APA Citation: Standridge, M.. (2002). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed. ), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved , from http://projects. coe. uga. edu/epltt/ Retrieved from â€Å"http://projects. coe. uga. edu/epltt/index. php? title=Behaviorism†

Republic Day Essay

Republic Day is one of the three national holidays of India and the greatest festival celebrated in the country. It is celebrated every year on January 26, in New Delhi with great pomp, fanfare and pageant. While in the capitals of the States and other headquarters, it is marked with patriotic fervor. The most spectacular celebrations are marked by the Republic Day Parade that takes place in the capital of New Delhi at Rajpath. It includes march past of the three armed forces, massive parades, folk dances by tribal folk from different states in picturesque costumes marking the cultural unity of India. Further, the streak of jet planes of Indian Air Force, leaving a trial of colored smoke, marks the end of the festival. It was the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress at midnight of December 31, 1929 – January 1, 1930, that the Tri-Color Flag was unfurled by the nationalists and a pledge was taken that on January 26 every year, â€Å"Republic Day† would be celebrated and that the people would unceasingly strive for the establishment of a Sovereign Democratic Republic India. The professed pledge was successfully redeemed on January 26, 1950, when the Constitution of India framed by the Constituent Assembly of India came into force, although the Independence from the British rule was already achieved on August 15, 1947. It is because of this fact that August 15 is celebrated as Independence Day, while January 26 as Republic Day. The festivity of Republic Day concludes officially with the intriguing Beating Retreat ceremony on the evening of 29th January. This enthralling ceremony is performed by the military, the Indian Air Force, India Navy and India Army in the Raisina Hills, New Delhi, in front of the President of India as the Chief Guest.

Mediation, Arbitration, and Litigation

Mediation, Arbitration, and Litigation Mediation, Arbitration, and Litigation Mediation, Arbitration, and Litigation By Maeve Maddox In general usage, mediate and arbitrate are synonyms. However, as a reader pointed out when I used the words mediator and arbitrated in a sentence illustrating the difference between uninterested and disinterested, the roles of mediator and arbitrator in a legal context are distinct. Note: Like arbitrator, the noun arbiter also means â€Å"one who judges.† Arbiter usually refers to someone who judges matters of taste or etiquette: â€Å"Gradually, the arbiters of the New York art world caught on. Superlatives in The New York Times became almost routine.† The reader, who has served as both mediator and arbitrator, explains the difference this way: As a mediator, I help to facilitate a resolution of matters  in dispute, a resolutionthat all parties then agree to. I do not decide the matter, the parties do.    As an arbitrator, I act as a judge although I consider the parties respective  proposals for resolution, I decide how the matters will be resolved. Because litigation is time-consuming and extremely expensive, processes called mediation and arbitration have become popular as alternatives or adjuncts to litigation. litigation: any lawsuit or other resort to the courts to determine a legal question or matter. mediation: an attempt to settle a legal dispute with the help of a mediator (neutral third party) who works with the disputants to find points of agreement and reach a fair solution. arbitration: an informal trial presided over by a person or panel of persons (neutral third parties) who are not judges in the judicial system. Mediation may or may not result in a satisfactory settlement. With arbitration, the disputing parties (usually) agree in advance to accept the decision of the arbitrator/s. Sources: FindLaw.com and Law.com Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Has vs. HadWhen to Form a Plural with an ApostropheIf I Was vs. If I Were

Thinking Religion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Thinking Religion - Research Paper Example This paper answers some relevant questions about misconceptions people and I had about Baptists. Like every person who is not a Baptist, I too had certain misconceptions about Baptists. These misconceptions came about in discussions with practicing Baptists. What I thought was part of their beliefs later turned out to be personal interpretations of the way that they read the Bible and understand their religion. . There is the general belief that the Baptist church condones abortion. However, after a visit to a Baptists church it transpired that they oppose abortion if done only to avoid responsibilities as a parent and as means of birth control. However, they believe that an abortion may be performed to save the mother’s life, or in case that is a forced conception as when a woman is raped. Even if the fetus is deformed and has little chances of leading a normal independent life, an abortion might be carried out to save the child from a life of misery. Generally the Baptists b elieve in the sanctity of life (Dutch, 2002). Another misconception that I harbored was that music is not permissible for Baptists. That is also not true because you will find a â€Å"hymn book† in every pew in all Baptist Churches. Very few services are carried out or conclude without hymns .However, there are some churches that absolutely refuse any form of modern music, and the churches still adhere to the old hymns. These churches usually allow some guitars without amplifiers, but the guitar will not be accompanied by any other instrument. Therefore allowing modern music is not an issue per se not with people who like the music so much as those who oppose it. However some churches not only allow contemporary, but in fact encourage the use of new compositions. When the 60’s ushered in a new era of music, the Baptist church brought in a new era of Gospel music. In fact Carmichael who was one of the most sought after music director of pop music in the 60†s also composed many Gospel hymns. The hymns that Carmichael composed are still very popular and have great tunes (Dutch, 2002). Another misconception is that Baptists only believe in the St. James Bible, which is the first bible to be mass produced and distributed. This misconception came about because some Baptist churches insisted that worshippers coming to the church were given St. James bibles only. People bringing in their own bibles were pointedly asked by ushers which bibles they had, and if were any other version of the bible, they were asked to use the St. James bible only. Those who refused were asked to leave the church. This gave everyone the impression that Baptists believed in the St. James Bible only and not any of the other versions of the bible which people used. These conservative Baptists believed that other versions were not true interpretations of the word of God, and that the true word of God must not be diluted or misinterpreted in any way. This fierce debate was ge nerated by Dr. Peter Ruckman with his book, Bible Babel (1964). Dr. Peter vehemently attacked those who did not agree with him. This hostility caused embarrassment to Baptists when the debate spread even over the Internet. Many websites were committed to this issue, each with its own version. Some were downright hostile and mean that contradicts any form of academic discussion (Dutch, 2002). Before this controversy, choosing a bible version was quite easy. However there are some scholars who have maintained self-esteem and responsibility in these

Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association of United States vs. State Essay

Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association of United States vs. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company - Essay Example The issue of Modified Standard 208 by the ordinance of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) made the incorporation of passive restraints such as air bags and passive seatbelts mandatory in all automobiles manufactured after September 1982 to ensue better public as well as occupant safety. However, before this new regulation could come into effect, a new Secretary of Transportation assumed office and the implementation of the Standard was delayed for one year. NHTSA, then, called a public hearing after reopening the rulemaking process, where forth the Modified Standard 208 was retracted. Their claim stated that the utilitarian values of air bags and passive seatbelts are no longer justifiable in automobile security given, questioning the benefits of passive restraints. However, this withdrawal of the rule indicated that the decision was not a result of the proven ineffectiveness of passive restraints but rather one based on the interests of large automobile companies . As was duly shown, a staggering 99% of the motor vehicle industry was at that time incorporating automatic seatbelts into their models that could be easily detached. Motor Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (MVMA) of United States demanded a court review of the rulemaking on parameters less ‘arbitrary and capricious’. ... Cutler presented his argument gusto, clarity backed by relevant statistics and figures to show that the public reception of passive restraints were not only negative but that detachable seatbelts, in cases of accidents, were safer to the occupant. I find both sides were convincing and clear enough in presenting their points. The questions by the judges were crucial, and to some extent, indicated a slight incredulity towards the justification of the repealing of the restrictive regulation stipulated under Standard 208. The court was to review and issue a ruling based on whether â€Å"facts found and the choices made† were relational or truly â€Å"arbitrary and capricious†. The court ruled the facts directing the previous rescinding to be insufficient and inconclusive in indicating that passive restraints were not preventive of accidents. I believe, to an extent, the agency’s decision to rescind the Standard may have been a result of bureaucratic politics, a natur al consequence of the change of power as the new Secretary of Transportation assumed office. However, it is indubitable that the court could find no â€Å"direct evidence† to justify the retraction of the Standard 208 and was unbiased in its ruling. Impact and Significance The historical Marbury vs. Madison case of 1803 initiated a momentous change in the US legal system by establishing the ground for judicial review in assessing the constitutional applicability and integrity of legislations. The ideological and constitutional effect of the Marbury vs. Madison case has been enduring. The key importance of the MVMA versus State Farm Mutual Insurance Company lies in the fact that this case throws into sharp relief the pitfalls as well as the effectiveness of the judicial review system. It is also significant in