Johnsonville Sausage Essay Example

Johnsonville Sausage Essay Johnsonville Sausage – Quality Improvement through Change Situation Post 1980, Ralph Stayer began to observe decline in quality due to inattention of the workers as well as ill-maintenance of the equipment in the production unit. With the help of Mr. Lee Thayer, Stayer has planned to implement a major change in the company’s philosophy. Transition from old philosophy purged Stayer’s responsibilities of decision making by decentralizing the power of decision making. The new philosophy was implemented to bring out changes in various departments of the company viz. management structure, personnel, compensation, manufacturing and also systems and controls. According to Thayer’s new philosophy, performance of the personnel and requirement of guidance to personnel to achieve their objectives were the key elements. Management structure was broken down by hiring experienced personnel for the new superior level management to oversee finance, marketing and operation s functions. Stayer emphasized people development as the core element of the new philosophy. Changes in personnel include development of list of responsibilities by the workers themselves and eliminating the performance review process. These changes in personnel function led changes in compensation with the implementation of â€Å"company performance share† program which increased individual responsibility of workers. However this transition was not in agreement among workers while some are excited about it. In terms of manufacturing changes, lead persons were installed at various departments, eliminating supervisors, to seek information and provide necessary measures to train and improve capacities of workers under designated group. Responsibilities of lead person also include development of budget planning and production requirement planning. Job switching and alternating works were practiced to enrich workers’ capabilities and enhance performance and also job satisfaction. System and controls changes included individuals to develop and be accountable for their own budgets and forecasts and also allow them to analyze performance data. In addition, subordinates were needed to self-evaluate their performance to respective managers. Problem The main issue of the case is the resistance shown by the personnel towards the company’s philosophy transition. According to Stayer, upon implementation of new philosophy, workers at all level were expected to embrace the change. We will write a custom essay sample on Johnsonville Sausage specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Johnsonville Sausage specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Johnsonville Sausage specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Instead, the company faced issues related to the final goal of the implementation, unsuccessful organization structural changes, clash of responsibilities among the workers, participation of less number of employees in the company decision making process and finally lack of high job satisfaction. However, these issues were expected to expire once the transition is complete. Palmer Sausage offered its consolidated business to Johnsonville but the issue here was whether Stayer could handle an expanded Palmer contract. Stayer examined the situation by understanding that in order to run the contract the company would require to recruit and train a big set of people along with existing people acquiring new skills and retain high quality on both the in-house and Palmer products. In order to achieve this, Johnsonville needs to run the production six or seven days a week for more than a year until its new plant was ready. On the other hand, the company may need to run the business at risk i. e. , if Palmer canceled the contract with 30-day prior notice leaves Johnsonville not only with massive layoffs and but also huge inventory with no market for it. Analysis As the year 1980 folded, Stayer recognizes to restructure his management structure for the growing company. Stayer also realized that there was decline in the quality of the products and employees were also demotivated to work. Later on, in collaboration with Thayer Lee, Stayer has planned to implement new philosophy which is focused on performance and helps people accomplish their objectives through well-defined job descriptions, clear understanding on performance standards, and providing the required resources. Johnsonville’s new values are based on deep moral commitment to the individual. The main aim of the transition is to augment people capacities, rather than the business. Stayer changed view of his autocratic leadership to a role as a leader delegating his subordinates rather than directing them. Furthermore, the new philosophy also motivated each worker to commit to the company’s betterment. Upon full transition, Stayer expects to create an atmosphere of constant learning and development. The transition also supports creativity, encourages responsibility, and empowers employees to develop solutions rather than simply follow orders. Over the period of time, the company’s organizational structure was transformed in support to the new culture of worker empowerment. Autocratic management was decentralized in order to become more democratic. Conventional management position were replaced by lead persons and their teams who controlled their own compensation, hiring, firing, quality control, and near-and long-term company goals. Several ground-breaking solutions were instigated and evaluated and each member of the company was involved for the company’s success. Moreover, a rewarding compensation system was implemented to retain employees and hone their skills and performance. Over-the-time, Stayer had achieved a complete organizational transformation successfully. In terms of Palmer’s offer, Stayer has two recommendations – either he can accept or decline to take over the Palmer’s business. If Stayer had taken over the business, they might have the advantages of the opportunity for growth and additional revenue. On this regard, private label business offers a 25% return on assets. Contrariwise, the deal clashes with Johnsonville’s recent business strategy which prevents the company to push private label business over 15%. The company could compete for capital with the rest of the business once it crosses 15%. In addition to this, the company, while in contract with Palmer, is producing at huge capacity utilization. If the deal is on then the company might need to execute two long shifts for six or seven days a week in order to process the new business. Recommendation At this stand-off point, Johnsonville could be advised to accept Palmer’s deal which help the former to tap the revenue and growth opportunities. Stayer’s Johnsonville should continue to implement its new philosophy in a way that it does not affect the previous work-culture. During the agreement, Stayer should continue to involve employees in the decision making process to accept the private label business and planning to handle the additional workload as well. Apart from this, Stayer is required to motivate his teams to meet for evaluating staffing requirements, production and quality goals. With the involvement of workers and assigning responsibility for the important decisions, Stayer will help secure their buy-in for tackling the challenges ahead.

Nihilism in Garders Grendel essays

Nihilism in Garders Grendel essays Nihil ex nihilo, I always say(Gardner 150). These are the words of the infamous Grendel from the novel, titled that same character, by John Gardner. They represent the phrase life itself is meaningless which is taught to Grendel by a few different people throughout this novel. In the following essay, the explanation of this phrase, the way Grendel learns about nihilism, and how Grendel develops the concept of nihilism, as it is known, will be discussed. First, we attack the nihilism itself. What is Nihilism? Well, this is one of the main components of the book. It means life itself is meaningless. What is meant by that phrase is that anything you do or decide to do, means nothing. For example, if you make a huge decision that you think will affect you for the rest of your life, according to a nihilist it means nothing. To them, it will all turn out how it is supposed to turn out and that is that. Nihilism also refers to people who do not believe they should be told how to live their life by the government. One major example of a nihilism uprise was in Russia during the 1860s. During this decade, nihilism was primarily a rejection of tradition and authoritarianism in favor of rationalism and individualism. In Laments terms, live your lives how you want to live it and do not let anyone tell you how. In the novel, Grendel first learns this theory indirectly from the hypocrisy of man. This starts in chapter three where Grendel is observing man for the very first time. He watches in horror as they fight and scream over land and treasure. After all of this nonsense and chaos, they still have the nerve to make speeches about how honorable or great they or their king is, even though they still kill one another. This is an early sign in the book of the hypocrisy of man. From chapter three: Terrible threats, from the few ...

Should animal be used for experimentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Should animal be used for experimentation - Essay Example The use of animals in laboratory experiments has its advantages and disadvantages. Although a lot of animal rights activists believe and argue that it is not justifiable nor it is ethical on the part of humans to cause harm to the animals in exchange of improving the life span of human beings, I strongly believe that the benefit of using these animals in medical research purposes significantly outweighs the socio-economic consequences as being protested by the animal rights activists. Even though the use of animals in laboratory testing can be perceived as an act of cruelty, it is undeniable that the end-result of using animals in laboratory experimentation has significantly improved the quality and efficiency of medicine in terms of searching for effective medicine in treating human illnesses and prolonging the lives of each human being. During the past few decades, the use of these animals in medical experiments has contributed a lot in terms of enhancing the available medicine tha t is being used to cure a long list of diseases including diabetes and leprosy among others.

Networking Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Networking - Term Paper Example In this situation, computer networking becomes essential for the company. However, a computer network is basically a set of computers connected through cable or other media so that they can share resources, communicate, and distribute information. Normally, a computer network is categorized into three categories: local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), and wide area network (WAN) (Nash 5; Kimbleton and Schneider). However, selection of a network structure depends on the corporations needs. This paper presents a detailed analysis of wide area network (WAN). This paper will outline WAN structure, its uses, advantages and protocols. To understand the structure of wide area network it is necessary to know about other two categories of networks: (Nash 25-27; Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat 471; Hutchinson and Sawyer 4.25; Forouzan and Fegan 14-15) A local area network is implemented to connect computers and devices within a small physical area for instance, school computer laboratory, home, office building or closely located set of buildings. In view of the fact that LANs cover limited geographical area thus high-speed media such as cables can be utilized to connect the computers. Additionally, since the high class media is used to connect the computers thus only some or no problems are emerged on the network. Moreover, since the LANs take small area thus the prices of equipment are somewhat cheap. Second class of networks is metropolitan area network (MAN), which is a high-speed network that is used to establish connection between local area networks in a metropolitan area for instance, a city or town and deals with the communication activity within the area. Since, MANs cover more wide area as compared to LANs thus they are slower than LANs however typically have a small number of errors on the network. Moreover, a MAN requires special equipment for connecting the different LANs together, thus

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 24

Art - Essay Example Mary Lin emerged as the winner and her victory surprises everyone including herself. Maya Lin’s design was V-shaped, having a sunken wall of black stone, with the names of all those killed in the war engraved in a chronological or sequential order, (Binyon L., 2010). â€Å"She designed the memorial in a manner to enhance easy searching of the loved one,† explained Binyon. Lin stated, â€Å"Searching out a loved one, a mourner will walk along the monument and find the name among the 57661 listed.† Her explanation for its fulfilling of the contest is that she wanted to illustrate a journey. A journey that would enable the mourner experience death and he or she could never fully be with the dead. â€Å"Lin’s statement and design is an affront,† a small group protested (Binyon L., 2010). They want to change the color of the wall to white and to include an eight-foot-high sculpture of wounded soldiers and a flag at the Centre of the wall. However, Lin refutes the changes as they have ill motives. Therefore, the Commission of Fine Arts p rovides a remedy by stating that the wall will remain black, but it will have the statue and the flag at the side. Hagopian stated, â€Å"Memorial would be completed despite the strong conservative resistance to Lin’s design.† (Hagopian P., 2009). The Vietnam’s Memorial was dedicated on Veterans’ Day and Maya Lin with Lyn being the winner of the design. Hagopian P. (2009). The Vietnam War in American Memory: Veterans, Memorials, and the politics of healing.

The Impact Of Innovation

The Impact Of Innovation In this assignment, the importance of innovation and the impact that it has in successful companies will be discussed. Theories and examples of innovation will be shown as well as relevant information about apples history and detailed product information. Also it will be debated the importance that Innovation have had in Apple company. A SWOT analysis of Apple will be presented as additional information. Topics as Leadership and Change management are included due to its high relationship with the performance of a company and its direction in a long term, in this case is Apple the chosen company. Literature review 1. INTRODUCTION Throughout history the concept of innovation has been debated. Since the time of classical economists this issue has been present, even in the current age. Also important authors have highlighted innovation as essential for the socio-economic that is why it is relevant to study this phenomenon. Innovation is one of the key factors for companies that want to compete in an increasingly international and global market. But to qualify for that capacity, companies must invest in knowledge, structure, research and a good strategy to enable them to decide, from the beginning, who they want to become. There are many definitions about the term innovation and numerous theoretical contributions around this phenomenon. The term innovate comes from the Latin etymology innovare that mean change or alter things by introducing new features (Medina Salgado Espindola and Espinosa 1994). Innovation is the production, assimilation and successful exploitation of novelty in the economic and social environment 1.2 DEFINITIONS OF INNOVATION Innovation is the process of integrating existing technology and inventions to create or improve a product, a process or a system. Innovation in an economic sense is the consolidation of a new product, process or system improvement (Freeman, C., 1982) Innovation is the specific tool of entrepreneurs (Peter Drucker 1985) The act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth (Peter Drucker 1985). Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower (Steve Jobs 2005) Joseph Schumpeter defined innovation in a general sense, took into account different cases of change to be considered as a innovation. These are: the market introduction of a new good or new class of goods, the use of a new source of raw materials (both product innovation), the incorporation of a new production method not experienced in a particular sector or a new way of dealing commercially a new product (process innovation), or market innovation which is the establishment of a new market structure (Joseph Schumpeter 1935) 2. TYPES OF INNOVATION There are three main types of innovation Product Innovation It is the market introduction of a new technology product (whose technological characteristics differ significantly from previous products) or significantly improved (previously existing whose performance has been improved or greatly improved) Process Innovation Is the adoption of new production methods or significantly improved. Can be use to produce or deliver technologically new or improved products, which cannot be produced or delivered using conventional methods of production, also it could increase primarily the efficiency of production. Organizational Innovation It is the introduction of changes in the forms of management of the establishment. There are new changes in the organization and management process, incorporating new organizational structures 2.1 INNOVATION MODELS There are several innovation models, which 4 of them are common and relevant Linear model The linear model of innovation is an interpretation of the act of innovation, outdated but is still applied in many cases. This model is a way of theorizing the logical sequence of the process that results in innovation. Sequence is too rigid to describe a process that depends not only on science / technology or market to initialize the generation of innovations. The strict separation between invention, innovation and marketing does not accurately represent the dynamics of innovation today. The linear model is a first generation model, and only takes into account the thrust of science / technology or market pull (concepts 50-60-70 years) as a means to begin the process of innovation Open model Open model Innovation is a new innovation strategy in which companies get innovation that comes from outside the companys internal boundaries. This term was coined by Henry Chesbrough, who in his book Open Innovation, proposes to open the creative processes of innovation, in order to get innovative ideas from any source, whether internal or external to the company, and not only from the areas dedicated to the business activity Open Innovation means combining internal knowledge with external professional cooperation. Thus, research centers as well as universities, experts and other companies offer solutions to companies of what is known as collective intelligence. This will break new ground, contacts, opportunities, where innovative ideas flow freely from any source Teece model Teece proposes a model that takes into account two factors that are important to profit from innovation: ease of imitation (imitability) and complementary assets. The imitability can come of intellectual property, protection of technology or the fact that imitators have no powers to mimic the technology. Complementary assets are beyond the capabilities-technology that the firm needs to exploit (manufacturing, marketing, redistribution channels, service, reputation, brand and complementary technologies) Blue ocean- The author focuses on the need to put aside destructive competition between companies if you want to be a winner in the future, expanding the horizons of the market and create value through innovation. the author differentiates two most common competitive situations in any industry: blue oceans and red oceans. Red oceans represent all the industries that exist today, while blues symbolize business ideas currently unknown. In red oceans industries limits are well defined and are accepted as they are. The more competitors there are, the benefits and growth opportunities diminish, products are standardized to the maximum and competition becomes bloody. By contrast blue oceans are characterized by the creation of markets in areas that are not currently exploited, and that create opportunities for sustained profitable growth and long-term 3. INNOVATIVE COMPANIES This are some examples of successful companies Huawei The Chinese company based in Shenzhen has reached the second position as a provider of telecommunications equipment, ahead of Alcatel Lucent and Nokia. He recently defeated by Nokia Siemens and Ericsson 4G system contract in Norway. This year has reached its global market share to 20%. Apple Apple company has won the award in the categories of gadgets and music. In less than two years, their App Store and sells more than 140,000 applications, and users have downloaded 3 billion to them. He has also continued to develop its iTunes music unit with organic growth and acquisitions as Lala. He has also been able to control an increasingly fiercer distribution channels Google Google has come out victorious in the mobile category (with a 86% share of searches) and video (where YouTube is the top server). Google has been a exelent company to launch new products, as Smartphone Nexus One, Android, operates the largest digital library market . First Solar For years, the race of the global photovoltaic industry has been to minimize the cost of energy production in order to compete with other energy sources. First Solar was the first company to lower the barrier to a dollar per watt, and by the end of 2009 was $ 0.85 Novartis The Swiss drug maker is a constant generator of ideas, after focusing its R D in rare diseases and vaccine development. The Food and Drug Administration has approved no less than nine new drugs last year. refeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee environmental effect it can be define the organizational environment as all the elements that significantly influence the daily operations of the company, dividing them into two: micro environment and macro environment. Microenvironment This consists in real people and organizations with whom they interact with the company. Among the main ones include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Customers: constituted by groups of persons or institutions who buy the goods and use the services of the organization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Providers: Providers are company specific, both information and funding, as the raw material that the company needs to operate. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Competition: specific companies that offer goods and services identical or similar to the same groups of customers or clients. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ regulators: who are the agencies and government representatives at the local, state and national laws that punish and regulations affecting business operations within a given country. macroenvironment: understand the social forces that affect the whole microenvironment and includes demographic forces, economic, natural, technological, political, cultural and competitive. Competitive environment, every company must take into account its size and position in the industry with respect to its competitors. To survive, a company must meet the needs and desires of consumers better than does the competition. Economic environment: involves factors affecting purchasing power and spending patterns of consumers. Purchasing power depends on income, prices, savings and credit of the moment Technological environment: the most dramatic force that shapes our destiny is technology. Political environment: consists of laws, government agencies and pressure groups that influence and limit the activities of various organizations and individuals in society. Cultural Environment: includes institutions and other forces affecting the valuesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹, perceptions, preferences and behaviors of society LIDERSHIP Leadership has been defined as the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for the achievement of the objectives of the group. By group we mean a small group, a sector of the organization, an organization. What matters is the organizational leadership in the field. From this definition arise two key areas of leadership: 1) The intellectual process of thinking about the objectives of the organization. 2) The human factor, that is, influence people to voluntarily strive to achieve the objectives. John P. Kotter, in his book The Leadership Factor (1988), says that leadership is characterized by the following: 1) Develop a vision of what should be the organization and generate the necessary strategies to implement the vision. 2) Achieve a network cooperative human resources, which involves a group of highly motivated and committed to make the vision a reality. The definition of leadership cited at the beginning contains a key word voluntarily, which could also be translated as willingly. Not just about influencing people to do but to voluntarily strive to corresponding targets. Approaches These approaches are based on the study of behavior rather than on the depth of personality traits of substantival theories. The most important contributions in this regard have been those of: Theory X and Y Mc Gregor Theory X leads to an autocratic leader performance, and the Y theorie leads to a participatory performance. But being a one-dimensional approach that works with a single variable, the use of authority by the person who leads, is not accourate enough to explain its complexity as is leadership Likert management systems Formulated a model with intermediate degrees between X and Y. To Likert best to lead a team corresponds to a participatory behaviour Likert found that management under the participatory system were most effective and in which showed the best motivation. He built a very comprehensive questionnaire on organizational characteristics, that tests 18 variables classified in the categories Leadership, Motivation, Communication, and others. Its main limitation is that it is only useful in cases where it is intended to improve the lead making it more participatory. In this sense it is more applicable to small groups and instructed personnel. The Managerial Grid of Blake and Mouton This marriage of researchers was able to define a model based on the intersection of two variables: the concern for people and concern for production. While five main positions are standardized, the grid gives possibilities to eighty-one intersection between the two variables. The main contribution is to show that both variables are called mutually. It would be hard to imagine good long-term gains without a committed and motivated personnel. Without doubt, the greatest value of this approach is that it breaks the paradigm dimensional. However, the main criticism he has received is that indicate a unique driving style as best for all circumstances. CHANGE MANAGEMENT It is a process by which organizations move from the present state to a future state,changing in order to increase their effectiveness. A Process to achieve better efficiency, in which an organization achieves its objectives. organizational efficiency is amount of resources the organization has ,to be used to produce a number of products. Levels change When focused on the organization as a whole, we see that this can be divided into four levels at the time of analyzing the changes: Strategic level: proposing a change in the overall objectives of the organization, both in terms of its essential orientation of vision and their reason for their mission. Structural level: proposes a change in the organizational structures, it involves changing authority relations, the coordination mechanisms, redesigning jobs, or similar structural variables Technical level: technology change encompasses changes in how work is processed and the methods and equipment used. Human level: people change refers to changes in attitudes, skills, expectations, perceptions and behavior of employees, including, in turn, according to Daft and Steers (1992) four types of changes: patterns of interaction, skills in human relations and in the basic attitudes, values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹and motivations of individuals. Thereby changing the behavior of individuals and groups requires the transformation of one or more of the aforementioned levels (Quoted in Romeo, 1999). Models of organizational change Many models are used to carry out or try to explain, in an effective way, the process of change, example is the model of Lewin. Lewin (1951) develops a dynamic theory, which explains that the the behavior is a function of the individuals interaction with his social environment, essentially based on the different groups to which the person belongs. it should focus not only on the individual in isolation, but in this within their social environment, taking as unit change the social group to which the individual belongs. The status quo of the organization, to Lewin (1951) is a state of dynamic equilibrium between forces that tend to help the organization and forces that tend to counteract or prevent wrong decitions, and to effect a change is necessary to break that dynamic balance between these forces. unfreezing is the name given to this initial process where old ideas or practices are suppressed by new ones and can be induced by increasing the driving forces of change growing perception of benefits associated with this, by reducing the resistance or obstacles to change, or combination of both. Following the Change in which new ideas practices. then comes refreezing ,requiring the integration of new insights into the structure of the organizational system . The refreezing state marks the return of the organization to a dynamic balance of forces that support or restrict any intervention. Critical analysis 4. INTRO Few companies can be described as revolutionary and successful, changing markets and consumer behaviours, apple is one of them, a remarkable company that over time has created an identity and an image that impacted in their followers. The technological direction of the company began to build in 1971 when they met Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. The former is responsible for creating the first Apple computer, while the latter promoted among the major supporters of computing and digital electronics shops. Apple has begun a career that has had its ups and downs due to different administration, Steve Jobs being the most successful, turning the company into one of the largest in history But what does make it a success? Innovation, the key of success, which leads to a competitive advantage. From the beginning of Apples history in 1976, Steve Jobs, the soul of the company, had a different view of its competitors, looking distinguished among its rivals, seeking exclusivity and novelty, as jobs mention, I want to bring an easy to use computer to the market. From here we can analyze that jobs from the start thinking like a consumer, which would win the loyalty of its customers. With the launch of Apple II the computer revolution began, having as the main rival IBM. But what type of innovation strategy do they have at that time? Clearly the development of their products were made by them within their company, all the ideas were in apple, As mentioned in the textbook Apple practised to horizontal and vertical integration relied on its own property design A classic type of linear model innovation, as mentioned in the literature review. Basic research Applied research Development Commercialization The challenges started when IBM developed a faster processor and the use of an open operative system(ms dos) Limitating the sofwares that apple had developed,as well as the slow processor speed, and falling 62% of apple net income between 1982 and 1983 leading to a crisis in the company and the dismissal of Steve Jobs. With the entry of Sculley as CEO, apple tried to gain space in a new market, education, which were driven by its high technology softwares, they recover their market share and stabilized at 8% as (referred in the case study) As the philosophy of Jobs to make things simple, Sculley introduce plug and play peripherals which allow overpricing their products. 4.1 THE STRATEGY At this stage the revenues came from exclusivity rather than cheap products and apple still producing their own monitors, chips and disk drivers, keeping the classic innovation model. But now apple forge and alliance with their main rival, IBM ,creating 2 joint ventures in order to produce new operating systems and multimedia applications, Sculley was replaced in June 1993 by Michael splinder. It was a good decision to change the management? With the new management, changes were inevitable, apple started licence many companies to make Mac clones, trying to reduce costs, which was a poor decision made by splinder, apple lost 69 billion dollars in 1996 After 12 years Steve Jobs returned and became the interim CEO of apple 4.2 NEW BEGINING, NEW IDEAS, INNOVATION With the return of Steve Jobs, Apple returned to the path of innovation. Not only in technology but also in the strategy and business model. For example: Opening its own stores to broaden the scope of the external distribution channel. For the first time apple open and online store to set up direct sales They invest more money on Research and Development Decrease its inventory In 1998 apple gained real profit from their all in one computer, iMac, that could support Microsofts peripherals for the first time. With jobs in command, the company started to reshape quickly. Those were signs that the course was on track, Apple posted a profit of 309 million Dollars 4.3 NEW STRATEGY-BLUE OCEAN The real revolution of apple came with uncontested line of products, the reinvention of portable music devices, the telephone and the tablet. Apple had an outstanding strategy, the digital hub strategy, Mac became the preferred hub to control, integrate and add value to these devices. All started with the iPod As the theory of Blue Ocean, in order to create a new market and escape from the battling Red Ocean a company have to be innovative, different. Apple launched a new concept of music device, the iPod Blue ocean strategy quick analysis (BASED ON IPOD DEVICE) 1. Increase: the music storage can store up to 1000 songs 2. Reduce: energy consumption, up to 10 hours battery 3. Create: ultra portable high performance device, iTunes 4. Eliminate: old concept of music device. Through this commitment to innovation on all fronts in which focused, Apple managed to gain success as 60% of the digital music market. With the iPod, Apple has done what he does best: offer a product Innovative, bringing together high technology, attractive design and a simple interface use. And with its iTunes online store, Jobs offered an innovative business model. iPhone A new revolution of the company would begin with the launch of the iPhone in 2007, a multimedia smart phone with Internet access, touch screen and a minimal hardware interface. His success was such that it would be awarded the Invention of the Year by Time magazine in 2009, Apogee has maintained that through the sale of new issues as the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 iPad With a revolutionary concept between smartphone and a laptop (which would later be called tablet), the company lashes out in early 2010 to introduce its new device called iPad. Its multitouch capabilities, wide screen, its innovative design and powerful hardware allowed him to position itself as the most popular product of the year. However not all inventions made à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹by apple where sucesful, not always an Innovative product will be succesful, for instance the Mac Mini and the Apple TV were a failure, But why? Because they havent figured out the right way to create a compelling TV product Most of their best selling products are based on an apple operative system, and a TV box does not need that. Microenvironment FACTORS-SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths: Apple is one of the marks of technological innovation in the worlds largest entertainment. It has a large number of fans who admire the quality of their products. Such loyalty guarantees the permanence of its customers and generates the attraction of new consumers. In turn, Apple products are easy to handle and excellent quality. Weaknesses: Apple has been criticized for antenna problems on its latest iPhone. Moreover, its admission policies iTunes Store applications and user freedom are very restrictive. The costs of their products are usually a little higher. Opportunities: The mobile market is expanding and Apple can leverage its established position in digital distribution. In the course of time, Apple has made a huge acepatacià ³n the AppStore (billion download until this year) developed by various groups of programmers in the world. Furthermore, due to its success, Apple is an interesting market for investment, which has benefited the company in times of crisis. Threats: There is increasing competition in the technology market. Market companies are quick to market with products like the iPhone or iPad. To remain in place, Apple should invest more in research and technological development. Economic crisis. ChNGE Recall that after having problems with the top management of the company he founded, Jobs was fired from Apple Computer in 1985, later founding the company NeXT, which was reabsorbed by the very Apple Computer in 1997, where Jobs is president ( CEO) since. 1. Changes in the board of the company that meant a renewed confidence in the company and markedly increased the stock price of the company. 2. The re-purchase of the licenses the use of PowerPC 750 (G3) of all companies that could make Mac clones (yes, there was a time that I had), so the company re-take control of the hardware in running your operating system. Start of organizational change Create a culture Reduce by 50% to 10% Research Development, and removed the unnecessary worker Launches first product of the new era Jobs. The IMAC computer without a tower, and of different colors, with cd, and no floppy. Jobs realizes the market opportunity that I had in music. After the success of Napster. AND ITUNES product launches, to the IMAC. And you create a culture, a style the best philosophy that a company can have. The music. Sony created the personal music player but did not use the MP3 market 3. The announcement of the Power Mac G3 in November 1997 (new flag) These changes Apple made were to have a profitable quarter ($ 47 million). But after more decisions were taken that catapulted the company to a winning streak that continues to this day: 1. Drastically reduced hardware production line of the company. 2. Because of this reduction is greatly simplified product offering Apple aside rare model names (most identified by numbers) and variations that just confused the current and future customers. 3. The announcement of the iMac and PowerBook G3 in May 1998. Thus Apples offer was reduced to three elements: * Advanced Desktops: PowerMac G3. * Equipment for home desktop: iMac. * Portable: PowerBook G3. 4. Completing hardware divisions that reported earnings as Newton, production printers and accessories. Significantly simplifying the internal structure of Apple. 5. It starts selling the iMac on August 15, 1998 and became the fastest computer sold in history. Apple went from a quarterly loss of $ 740 million in June 1997 to gains above the $ 100 million per quarter in July 1998. In 2009, Apple reported profits over 8 billion dollars per quarter Leadership When analyzing the personality of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, there are many features that spring to mind to describe this technological genius who profoundly influenced a new generation with products like the iPod, iPad and iTunes. Some, stand for the rest of the business in its category. For example, a person was extremely perfectionist with each of the products created, intuitive to realize that products would have positive results and which are not, studious because researching every detail of your market and competition, and charismatic, because enthused employees to perform their work in a better way. While these qualities we find in some other successful entrepreneurs in their areas, the fact is that there is one that is shared by all innovative leaders: curiosity. Thats because the primary secret of success of Steve Jobs lay in his curiosity, according to Forbes, for example, curiosity led him to study calligraphy, which could create fonts that Apple made known to its original design. Even the same curiosity led him to travel to India to study Eastern mysticism and Zen Buddhism, to seek simplicity of design. And it was precisely this feature which became known as Apple technology company worldwide. This shows that the top executives are not always the most skilled, but are those who exploit the curiosity the most, as their ideas generate creative and successful business. In fact, one of the most famous phrases of Steve Jobs is when you innovate, you run the risk of wrong. Admit and innovates again. This reflects the spirit of entrepreneurship and creativity. Jobs was ahead of his time and embodied everything we thought it would be impossible to do. So do not doubt your ideas or your impulses. If your curiosity leads to new business plan, try. Maybe you can turn those ideas into big business to take you to achieve success in your caption and recognition among your competitors 6. CONCLUSION With the case study over, it has been learned the importance of innovation and the impact that it has in companies around the world, such is apple and its successful history. Also it is important to point out the influence of the strategic planning in order to gain competitive advantage among competitors it has been shown the importance of good management in critical situation and how it can affect the overall direction of a company. the blue ocean strategy has provided relevant information for the understanding of creating opportunities in new markets, for instance in the case of apple, the innovative idea of Steve jobs in the creation of the iPod, iPhone and iPad in the technological market made apple an outstanding successful company in the 21st century despite the fact of the global recession For the purposes of further research this assignment is for free use DANIEL LIZARRAGA References Medina Salgado Espindola and Espinosa 1994 Freeman, C., 1982 the economics of industrial innovation pg 56 Peter Drucker 1985 Innovation and Entrepreneurship pg 28-pg29 Steve Jobs 2005 Stanford university speech Henry Chesbrough Open Services Innovation: Rethinking Your Business to Grow and Compete in a New Era pg 66 Telegraph 2011

Argument Against Reality Television Essay -- Persuasive Essays, Argum

What pleasure do you get from watching a group of people humiliate themselves in the name of television? Media both in the UK and around the world seem to have "discovered" that so-called "reality" shows are very profitable, resulting in a growing string of such shows in recent years. Although not all are successful, many do achieve significant popularity and cultural prominence. That does not mean, however, that they are good for society or that they should be aired. Can you honestly say, that after absorbing the reality rubbish, you have learned something? Educational, stimulating, witty, are all adjectives you would not associate with reality television. Reality T.V is a case of vegetating in front of the screen and glazing gormlessly at a group of half-hearted celebrities as they involve themselves inà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a deep philosophical conversation. Not only does Reality Television reflect appallingly on our media culture, but it corrupts the mind of youngsters, giving them twisted views on society. What person are you becoming if you are sitting there daydreaming about who is going to be "evicted" from Big Brother? Well, you're the one the needs a snap back to realityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ One of the attractions of reality television is the supposed "reality" of it - unscripted and unplanned situations and reactions. One of the ethical problems of reality television is the fact that it isn't nearly as "real" as it pretends to be. At least in dramatic shows one can expect the audience to understand that what they see on the screen doesn't necessarily reflect the reality of the actors' lives; the same, however, cannot be said for heavily edited and con... ...tem from the increasing separation we experience from others around us. The more distant we are from each other as individuals, the more readily we can objectify each other and fail to experience sympathy and empathy when others around us suffer. The fact that we are witnessing events not in front of us but rather on television, where everything is has an unreal and fictional air about it, probably aids in this process as well. I'm not saying that you should never watch reality TV programming, but the motivations behind being a viewer are ethically suspect. Instead of passively accepting whatever media companies try to feed you, it would be better to take some time to reflect on why such programming is made and why you feel attracted to it. Perhaps you will find that your motivations themselves are not so attractive.

Misuse of power Essay

The Crucible is largely concerned with the abuse and misuse of power in Salem. Discuss with reference to any three characters. The misuse of power in The Crucible leads to horrible suffering and even the deaths of some innocent people, in the town. Some characters in the play misuse their power towards other characters; some characters misuse their power in the courtroom and some misuse their power in religion (in church). In this essay I intend to look at the misuse of power focusing on the characters of Abigail Williams, Governor Danforth and Reverend Parris. Abigail Williams Misuses her power extensively throughout the play. She has most of the adults in Salem believing that she is a sweet innocent girl and so is never accused or suspended of doing anything sinful or unlawful. She also has most of the girls of Salem obeying her, due to a mixture of respect and fear, fear of Abigail and also a fear of getting in trouble for the dancing. The women of Salem are also afraid of Abigail as she could quite easily accuse them of witchcraft with no questions asked, as she is known to be sweet and innocent. Abigail did have power over John Proctor when he was having an affair with her, as he lusted after Abigail. Although she no longer has power over John Proctor as he learns during the play what she is really like when he turns her down. In act 3 of The Crucible Abigail seems to have power over court officials. When Abigail is accusing Mary Warren of witchcraft in the courtroom, Governor Danforth begins to question Abigail. Abigail replies with shock and says that she is hurt, Governor Danforth then swiftly backs off. Abigail then begins to threaten Danforth with how hell could take him in: â€Å"think you be so mighty that the power of Hell may not turn your wits? Beware of it†. Danforth then seems to be wary of Abigail in the next reply to her, the book describes what he says as ‘apprehensively’. Danforth has began to be aware of what Abigail is doing and decided to not get in her way or upset her, as he didn’t want her to accuse him of being in contact with the Devil. If she did this it would be him on trial as well as all the others. Another point about Abigail is that she is a liar and she is very good at it. This is how she is so respected by some people and feared by others. In my opinion the reason Abigail is so manipulative and weird, and also seems to have no feeling or a conscience, is because her parents were murdered by Indians in front of her. She describes this to the girls in a hard-hearted way, which shows that her emotions have all been drained apart from her love/lust for proctor and her jealously of Elizabeth. Reverend Parris misuses his power in The Crucible because he does not think the townspeople of Salem respect his position as ‘a man of God’. The Churches power at that time was very strong and so Reverend Parris has no problem in using his power the wrong way. The way in which he misuses his power is mostly from the pulpit of the church in his sermons. He believes that the church is the authority of all people in the town. He also believes himself an authoritative figure. He believes that anyone who does not commit his or her lives to the church should be questioned. He also demands that the people of Salem are obedient to the church and himself. He says that if they are not obedient, then they will burn in hell. Reverend Parris preaching things like this in his sermon strikes fear into the townspeople, as they begin to think Hell is upon them and this causes chaos to break out, as they begin to yell and scream at one another. Reverend Parris hates to be wrong, in the courtroom even when he realised that he is wrong to accuse all the people involved, he still sticks to his beliefs however wrong they may be. Parris causes innocent peoples deaths all because of his beliefs, stubbornness, selfishness and his misuse of power. I have reached the conclusion that the characters in The Crucible do misuse their power; the two characters I chose demonstrate this theory very well. Not all the characters in the play do, but there are many characters that do. This selfish act of misusing power in The Crucible is very influential to how the plot develops. Without Abigail Williams acting like a selfish, irresponsible strumpet, or Reverend Parris being selfish and power-hungry The Crucible would have lost its whole page-turning ominous, experience.

Foreword What is a Foreword, Do I Need One, How Do I Write One

Foreword What is a Foreword, Do I Need One, How Do I Write One Foreword: What is a Foreword, Do I Need One, and How Do I Write One? If youre confused about what a foreword is, youre not alone.A new writer, especially someone looking to self-publish a book, has a steep learning curve ahead of them.There are so many new skills to learn- building and managing a book launch team, finding a book cover design, making Amazon Marketing Services work for you, et cetera- and new vocabulary words to go along with them.Here are the questions about forewords we answer:What is a forewordHow to write a forewordDo I need a foreword for my book?Who should write a foreword?What should be included?Whats the difference between a foreword and introduction?Whats the difference between a foreword and a preface?Whats the difference between a foreword and a prologue?NOTE: Dont sweat the small stuff like this! We cover all of what you need (including forewords) in VIP Self-Publishing Program that helps you not only publish your book, but do so for long-term success. Learn more about it hereWhat is a Foreword? A foreword is a piece of writ ing that serves to introduce the reader to the author and the book, usually written by someone who is not the author or an editor of the book. Forewords can also serve as a sort of endorsement for the book.If the author does write the foreword, it might be to explain how the book came to be, or their connection between the work and themselves- like Stephen King often does for his novels.The foreword always goes at the very front of the book (with one exception, which I’ll get into below), and it’s rarely more than a couple of pages long. You may see a foreword with either lowercase Roman numerals or typical Arabic numerals, or without any page numbering whatsoever. That is between you and your book formatter.How to Write a ForewordYou’re pretty sure you’ve seen forewords in books before, or maybe your favorite classic piece of literature has a foreword in the front. You’ve got a book now, or you’re well on your way to finishing it.Do you nee d a foreword, too? Do you need front matter at all?Then again, maybe you’re not new, and you’ve been around the proverbial block enough times to know your way around. Maybe you’ve gained enough recognition to be asked to write a foreword for someone else’s work.And maybe youre someone looking to write a foreword for someone elses book and have no idea where to start.Heres how to write a foreword:Understand what the author is looking forKnow the tone and style of the bookStart with a list of what you want to cover in the forewordMake sure to mention your credibilityTie your own experience back into the worth of the bookGet feedback from others and the authorMake any necessary changes to comply with what the author is looking forBe honest about the book and its impactDo I Need a Foreword for My Book?Now that we know what a foreword is, it’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of whether your book really needs one. This is what you’ve been waitin g for!The first thing to note is that a foreword is certainly not necessary. Plenty of books don’t have forewords, and never have them added on. Unless your book needs the elaboration and context a foreword provides, you won’t miss it.What you really need to consider is whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction.A nonfiction book is far more likely to need a foreword than a novel, especially if the topic is dense or interesting, or the author has passed on. Again, Stephen King does tend to produce forewords for his own fiction novels but this is seen far less in authors who arent as established.For example, the fourth edition of The Elements of Style has a foreword by Roger Angell arguing that the guide is just as relevant today as it was the day Strunk and White turned the manuscript into the publisher.But if you are writing fiction, are you covering a period of history, or some other topic, in depth?A foreword may be helpful if the reader needs a bit of back ground knowledge to sink their teeth into your book. Charles Todd wrote a foreword explaining just who was the titular character of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories.It’s also not uncommon for works of great literary renown to have a foreword added onto the original manuscript, or added as a way of explaining the difference between the current edition and past editions.Alice L. George’s foreword in the 150th-anniversary edition of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was written to illustrate why the book is so beloved all these years later.Who Should Write a Foreword?A foreword could be written by several people, but not by just anyone.If you’re of the opinion that your work needs a foreword, approach an expert in the topic of the book or one of your peers in your field, especially if this person is well-known.This lends the book social proof.Unless you have something especially noteworthy to say, it’s probably best not to write your own book’s foreword. You may want to write a preface instead.That being said, if you’ve established yourself as an expert in your field, you may be asked to write a foreword for someone else.What Should Be Included in a Foreword?If you’ve been invited to write a foreword for a book, congratulations! What an honor, and what an impressive accomplishment to add to your resumà ©!Of course, every foreword will have needs as unique as the text that comes after, but here are some ideas for what you could include should you need to write one:Your relationship to the author (if you are or were contemporaries)How the author’s work affected you personallyYour opinion of the book, its protagonist, and/or themeThe book or author’s historical impactDifferences between the current and past editions of the book (if applicable)It’s also important when writing the foreword to strike the same tone as the rest of the book. Avoid writing a witty, hum orous foreword if the book is more serious, and vice-versa.You don’t want the writing styles to clash, or you risk jarring the reader when they turn the page.What’s the Difference Between a Foreword and an Introduction?The introduction is reserved for a book of non-fiction. It can be used to explain the content, but they can also be used to summarize the work.The introduction is sometimes comprised of everything that comes before the bulk of the text, meaning the foreword would be nestled within the introduction.Other times, the introduction is a separate section written by the author themselves.What’s the Difference Between a Foreword and a Preface?If you’re looking to write something like an introductory statement to your own book, you may want to write a preface.In a preface, you can include what your aim was in taking on the project and thank the people in your life who helped to make the book a reality.Unlike forewords, prefaces are always written by the author, and they’re not signed. If your work happens to include both, the foreword comes first.What’s the Difference Between a Foreword and a Prologue?A prologue is always written for fiction, and it takes place within your story’s world.Forewords never take place within your story’s world, unless you’re writing a fictional forward by one of your characters. You might do this if you’re writing as a fictitious person a l Daniel Handler.If your work happens to include both a prologue and a foreword, again, the foreword comes first.And again, a prologue isn’t signed. (You can probably guess why!)Forewords Can Be an Important Part of Your BookWhether or not to include a foreword in your book is- as is most of the art of writing- a matter of personal preference, but not preference alone. Consider what your particular work calls for.Only you can make that call.Trust yourself that you’ll make the right one.Ready to catapult your book to REALL success?Writing and publishing a book on your own isnt always enough.Yes, you have the full capability to make it happen but without extensive knowledge of the internal workings of Amazons search algorithm and a method to make sure your book lands on the top of lists, the long-term success of your book will suffer.We have exactly what for you.

Compare Apocalypse Now to Conrads novella Heart of Darkn essays

Compare Apocalypse Now to Conrads novella Heart of Darkn essays The film Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Coppola, is loosely based upon Joseph Conrads novella Heart of Darkness in which both works share similar themes and motifs. Both are accounts of Mans journey into his self, and the discoveries to be made there. They are also about Man confronting his fears of failure, insanity, death, and cultural contamination. Symbols such as the river and the boat preside in both as do the key personas of Kurtz and Willard/ Marlow. Francis Coppola skillfully developed the visually beautiful, ground-breaking "Apocalypse Now with the surrealistic and symbolic sequences detailing the confusion, violence, fear, and nightmarish madness of the Vietnam War. The deterioration of the culturally accustomed man in exposure to foreign cultures and savagery play key roles in the way of portraying the human psyche. All America contributed to the making of Colonel Kurtz, just as all Europe produced Mr. Kurtz. What is reflected by the Kurtzs is the threat of loss of self, loss of centrality and the displacement of Western culture from the perceived supreme center of history. The evil side of both Kurtzes was brought out by the fear of new cultures different from their own, and their inability to deal with this fear. This is indicated by the disconnection between the opening words of Kurtzs report By the simple exercise of our will, we can exert a power for good practically unbounded and the closing sentence Exterminate all the brutes. This fear of other cultures is emphasized by the condescending attitude of the Imperialist way. Coppola makes a point to show this with the shocked expression on Captain Willards eyes when whilst on a navy boat armed to the teeth, one of his crew is killed by a spear thrown by a native in the bush. The Americans bombing a Vietnam village just to gain access to a surf beach further develops the ideas o ...

Curation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Curation - Essay Example The nature of the curator in creating an exhibit is in finding a way to define who, in the artist to curator relationship, designs what the viewer will see. According to Rugg and Sedgwick, the division between the curator and the artist creates a dilemma on how the eventual outcome of the viewing of the art can be determined. They state that â€Å"The heightened preoccupation with the authorial aspect of curating might be seen as a defensive reaction to the shared critical and cultural values and criteria through which the institutional power of curating is mediated and legitimized† (97). In discussing the authority of the act of curating, one is discussing the way in which the position of the curator becomes one of control in determining some of the interpretation of the work of the artist. In developing an exhibit of contemporary art, the nature of the exhibit must engage the viewer in such a way to put them in a space that provides context for the pieces that are shown. The pieces should have a â€Å"passive social and material relationship dominated by the eye and a fashionable sense of order (Harding 39). As the observer moves through the space, the arrangement of the pieces should create a narrative, a sense of theme that pulls the viewer through the exhibit (Burton 112). There has been some movement towards anti-curation, the nature of the anti-art movement spilling over to include the negation of curation as a viable part of the experience of art (O’Neill and Andreasen 60). However, this movement denies the importance of how art is placed, thus denying the viewer of the best possible positioning of art within the space. Within the narrative, the curator is not necessarily intended to create a specific, tangible narration, but the feeling of the space as it relates to the work becomes a moving spectacle of thought. That is the relationship that creates the narration of the space. The work that I will be exhibiting has a narrative that spea ks of a culture and of the changes within that culture. Artefacts have the capacity of creating a narrative about a culture, just like art can create that same type of narrative when focused on aspects of culture (Stokes 67). This is not always true of a space in which contemporary work is exhibited. However, with the story of a culture involved, the narrative takes on a life that exposes the art for the way it will affect the viewer. With a set of work that is in touch with an organic element of a culture, such as my work, the nature of the exhibit should not be to have a linear or boxed in feeling from the way in which the artwork is arranged. The work is about nature, about the curves and nuances of life, thus to have a squared off exhibit or something that was directly linear would ruin the potential experience that the viewer can have as they engage the work. In Mediated Environments, Gleiniger, Hilbeck, and Scott discuss the way in which multiple disciplines can create a feeli ng for certain environments (9). In creating an environment that enhances the subject of the art, the exhibit will reflect the aesthetic that has been attempted in the artwork. The nature of an exhibit that includes something about an

Reading Responses 11 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading Responses 11 - Assignment Example Neighbours as well as strangers all came together to assist in donating blood and in whatever way possible. The military also responded fast in assisting the injured. The investigation for those responsible for the evil acts became put in place so as to bring them to law. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 will though become arched in the cultural life of Americans. The president through the speech appreciated members of congress who had also condemned the attack. The president mentioned the unity, and the partnership of America and its friends and allies in the struggle to ensure peace and security as well as condemning the terrorist attacks. The speech by President Bush following the 9/11 attacks evokes a few questions; will terrorism ever be brought to an end? How best can the government deal with the issue of terrorism as well as ensure the best possible protection to its people? Does terrorism bring the best of out of people, the unity, the care and the