Target Strategic Analysis

Corina Nava Pelton Strategic Management March, 2013 Chris Canolis I. Target Corporation American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Target is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Wal-Mart. The Target chain discount stores range from 95,000 to 135,000 square feet. Super Target chain hypermarkets are approx. 174,000 sq. ft. Target’s beginnings During the Panic of 1893 which caused a decline in retail estate prices, the Westminster Presbyterian Church burned down, and because its insurance wouldn't cover the cost of a new building, the church was looking for revenue.Its congregation appealed to Dayton to buy the empty corner lot next to the demolished building from the church so it could rebuild. Dayton bought it and eventually constructed a six-story building on that corner lot in downtown Minneapolis. 1902, Dayton, looking for tenants, convinced Reuben Simon Goodfellow Company to move its nearby Goodfellow department store in to his newly-erected building. Goodfellow retired and sold his interest in the store to Dayton. The store's name was changed to the Dayton Dry Goods Company in 1903. 923, Dayton's 43 year old son David died, prompting George to start deferring parts of his business to another son, Nelson Dayton. 1938, George Dayton passed away and Nelson Dayton assumed the role of president of the Dayton Company, a $14 million business. 1944, it offered its workers a retirement policy, becoming one of the first stores in the United States to do so. 1962 the Dayton Company, using John F. Geisse's concepts,(American Business Man who launched successful retail chains), opened its first Target discount store located at 1515 West County Road B in the Saint Paul suburb of Roseville, Minnesota. 969, in the same year, Target’s parent company, Dayton, merged with JL Hudson Company of Detroit and became Dayton-Hudson Corporation. 1978, the company acquired Mervyns and became the 7th largest general mer chandise retailer in the United States. Target Stores opened eight new stores that year. 1982, it expanded into the West Coast of the United States. 1986, the company acquired 50 Gemco stores from Lucky Stores in California, allowing Target Stores to become the dominant retailer in Southern California as the chain grew to a total of 246 units. 988, Target Stores expanded into the Northwestern United States. 1989, it expanded to the Southeastern United States where it entered Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to a total of 399 units in 30 states with $7. 51 billion in sales. 1990, it acquired Marshall Field's from BATUS Inc. 1995, Target Stores opened its first Super-Target hypermarket in Omaha, Nebraska. It launched the Target Guest Card, the discount retail industry's first store credit card. 1999, Dayton-Hudson acquired Fedco and its ten stores in a move to expand its Super-Target operation into Southern California. 000, Dayton Hudson Corporation changed its nam e to Target Corporation and its ticker symbol to TGT; by then, between 75 percent and 80 percent of the corporation's total sales and earnings came from Target Stores; Dayton's, Hudson's, Marshall Field's, and Mervyns were used to fuel the growth of Target, which expanded to 977 stores in 46 states and sales reached $29. 7 billion by the end of the year. 2001, it launched its online gift registry. 2004, Target Corporation announced its sale of the Marshall Field's to St. Louis, Missouri-based May Department Stores.Target Stores expanded to 1308 units and reached $46. 8 billion USD in sales. 2005, Target began operation in Bangalore, India. It reached 1397 units and $52. 6 billion in sales. 2006, Target completed construction of the Robert J. Ulrich Center in Embassy Golf Links in Bangalore, and Target planned to continue its expansion into India. 2009, Target expanded outside of the continental United States for the first time. Two stores were opened simultaneously on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, along with two stores in Alaska. 2010, Target announces its goal to give $1 billion to education causes and charities by 2015.Target began a nationwide closing of its remaining 262 garden centers, reportedly due to â€Å"stronger competition from home-improvement stores, Wal-Mart and independent garden centers. 2011, Target announced its first ever international expansion, into Canada, when it purchased the leaseholds for up to 220 stores. The first City-Target opened in 2012. City-Target is the name for a smaller-format, downtown Target store aimed at the urban market. The assortment will be edited towards urban living, but will carry many of the same products.The stores will still look and feel like Target but many will be multilevel stores in existing landmark buildings, not the usual strip mall or stand-alone locations. _____________________________________________________________________________________ II. Company’s Statements 1. Mission Statement Our m ission is to make Target your preferred shopping destination in all channels by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and exceptional guest experiences by consistently fulfilling our Expect More. Pay Less brand promise. 2. VisionTarget envisions vibrant thriving communities that they help, in which all residents have access to social and financial equity to ensure constant growth and a long term plan to sustain success. 3. Values * Design for all It's our belief that great design is fun; energetic, surprising and smart should be accessible and affordable for everyone. When we talk about our dedication to good design, we don’t just mean how something looks, but also how it satisfies a need, how it simplifies your life, and how it makes you feel. * Great guest serviceIn stores or online, we work hard to ensure your Target shopping trip is always enjoyable and exciting. How do we do it? Friendly service from team members ready to assist with your list, fully stocke d shelves and a speedy checkout process—and that’s just the start. * More for your money We think a lot about your budget and how to give you the best value every time you shop with us. In addition to our already low prices, we offer other ways to save you money; including price matching in our stores and an additional 5%. * Fun and rewarding place to workOur team is our greatest asset, so we invest in the growth and development of all team members, and have fun in all we do. And we’re committed to building a team that does the right thing for our communities, our shareholders and, above all, our guests. * Legacy of giving and service Community giving is—and always has been—a cornerstone of our company. We give our time, talent and business strengths to make our communities strong, healthy and safe. We invest in career development and well-being of our team. And from the start, we’ve given 5 percent of our income, a commitment that does not waver based on the economic climate. . Goals * To incorporate diversity into every facet of their business. * To make sure that the diversity of their employees mirror the diversity found in the communities in which they are located. * As a company: To search for and find the most qualified applicants who are high-performing, highly motivated, and bring with them diverse experiences and talents. * The goal of the councils is to jointly help individuals to further develop their careers at the same time as improving the Target work environment as a whole. To respect and value the individuality of all their team members and guests. Target today * Target stores tend to attract younger and more educated and affluent customers than Wal-Mart, among other competitors. * The median Target shopper is 41 years old, the youngest of all major discount retailers that Target competes directly against. * The median household income of Target's customer base is roughly $63,000. * Roughly 76% of Targ et customers are female. * More than 45% have children at home. * About 80% have attended college and 48% have completed college. 97% of American consumers recognize the Target Bulls eye logo. ________________________________________________________________________________________ III. External Analysis 1. Environmental Analysis: a. Economics b. Demographics c. Governmental 2. Industry 3. Competition 4. Opportunities and Threats ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Environmental Analysis: a. Economics * Target plans to have between 100 and 150 stores open in Canada by 2014. The company has also launched a new store concept plan called City-Target.These stores are aimed at urban shoppers who live in cities, so these stores won’t carry big bulky items customers can’t carry. The corporation has also done remodeling to stores so they now have fresh produce and grocery items. All these new additions to the Target Corpor ation have been an aid in the growth of the company in the past years. * Target can access helpful economic trending data compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD), including economic forecasts for growth, weakness, instability, as well as GDP and aging indexes. Target stores are rapidly growing and opening in almost every city in America and show no signs of downsizing. * To boost sales, the company has increasingly promoted its company issued credit & debit card. * As the economy has faltered, more consumers have become price-conscious and Target has adapted to such needs by creating $1 bins, offering bulk paper product and household goods, and scaled back on home decor items. b. Demographics * Target shoppers have a median age of 46 — the youngest among major retailers. The median household income of Target guests is $55,000. * Forty-three percent of Target shoppers have completed college. More than half of Target guests are employed in pro fessional or other managerial positions. * Eighty to ninety percent of Target guests are female. * Thirty-eight percent of guests have children at home — or in a red shopping cart with them. This figure is consistently more than any other discount store’s customer profile. c. Governmental * Long-standing commitment to equal opportunity Employment has increased the diversity of the work force. In 2005, Target became the first national retailer to voluntarily decide to place all cough, cold and allergy products containing pseudo ephedrine behind the pharmacy counter. In stores where we do not have a pharmacy, products containing pseudo ephedrine will not be sold. * Target does not sell real guns, or toy guns that can be mistaken for real guns. * Refrain completely from use of child labor. Child labor as being below the minimum legal working age according to local law, or under the age of 14, whichever is greater. Wage calculations are done in all factories to verify that the workers are being paid according to local labor law as well as for all of the time worked. 2. Industry Target Corporation operates in the Services industry, specifically in the Discount, Variety Stores sector. Target remains a high performer, with a market capitalization of 43. 2 billion dollars, second only to Wal-Mart. Market Positioning Analysis Industry Classification = Discount Department Store. Categories * Household * Pharmacy, beauty, personal care * Toys * Electronics * Music, movies, books Sporting goods Apparel * Apparel for women, men, boys, and accessories * Food and Pet Supplies * Dry grocery, dairy, frozen food, beverages * Home Furnishings, Furniture * Lighting * Kitchenware, small and Decor appliances, home decor * Bath and bath accessories. * Automotive 3. Competition Target faces strong competition from wholesalers such as Wal-Mart and Costco as well as department stores like Macy’s and Sears Holding Company. Nevertheless, it has secured a strong posit ion in the market, holding a 33. 4% department store market share while the Super Target represents 3. % of the Warehouse Clubs & Super Centers in the US. a. Barriers to Entry: Despite the expansive network of suppliers needed to become a viable company in this sector, successfully adding a company to the mix in order to compete against the likes of BJS, Costco, Wal-Mart and Target is highly unlike. Especially because of the nature of the business- to provide all types of quality items at a low cost, unless one angles to come in as niche discounter (like with the 99 cent/Dollar stores), there are enough barriers to entry in place to keep most companies out of the discount retailer competition. b.Substitutes: There are very few substitutes for discounted retailers, thus making it a profitable industry. Either consumers shop at traditional retail outlets with higher prices, or stay within the industry itself. c. Buyers: Though feeling the pinch of a weakened economy, are still looking towards Target and its peer competitors for the best products at the lower prices. While demand in the sector has slowed little, Target continues to perform well above industry. d. Suppliers: Individual discount retailers have a vast network of suppliers from all over the globe and even under their own private label.Target has its own label for furniture and home goods that operates in Minnesota. Many of its competitions, including the Family Dollar Chain and the 99 Cent chain also have networks of suppliers, mostly in Asia, in addition of their own in-house suppliers. 4. Opportunities and Threats e. Opportunities * Global Expansion * Entering untapped US Markets * Continued growth in private label products * Financial Services- (credit cards) * Demand for Top quality, luxury, comfort * Demand for organic products * Technology (Internet, credit cards, reservations) f. Threats * Costco and Wal-Mart are heavy competition. U. S. Economy * Economic forces effect many areas negatively, but are expected to improve. * Interest rates are rising * Increase in online shopping * Decreased Customer Spending ______________________________________________________________________________________ IV. Internal Analysis 1. Target’s Strategic Business Units: a. The Stores: i. Target Discount Stores Is a chain of discount stores that are about 95,000 to 135,000 square feet, and carry hardliners, soft lines (clothing), and a limited amount of groceries, mostly non-perishable. Specifically, Target stores carry lothing, shoes, jewelry, health and beauty products, electronics, compact discs, DVDs, bedding, kitchen supplies, sporting goods, toys, pet supplies, automotive supplies, and hardware supplies. They also carry seasonal merchandise such as patio furniture during the summer and Christmas. ii. Super-Target Is a chain of hypermarkets that are about 174,000 sq. ft. (16,200 m2) and feature double entrances on one-story stores. These stores offer everything found in a regula r Target as well as a full grocery selection, fresh produce, bakery and deli, with most locations having a Target Optical.Many Super Targets feature Starbucks Coffee, Pizza Hut Express, Taco Bell Express, Target Pharmacy, The Studio @ Target (a portrait studio), Target Photo, Target Mobile (a Wireless kiosk), and a Wells Fargo Bank or U. S. Bank. iii. Target City: The Chicago store allocates approximately 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m2) to its sales floor. City Target stores carry groceries, prescriptions, cosmetics, clothing, electronics, toys, and apartment essentials such as furniture, linens, and kitchen utensils. Certain items too bulky for urban apartments or for customers to carry are not stocked in City Target stores. v. Target Greatland Is a chain of general merchandise superstores, with a size of about 150,000 square feet, they carry a larger selection of general merchandise than basic Target store; however, they do not have a full-line of groceries like meat, bakery, deli, produc e and dairy. b. Financial and Retail Services (FRS) Formerly Target Financial Services (TFS): issues Target's credit cards, known as the Target RED card (formerly the Target Guest Card), issued through Target National Bank (formerly Retailers National Bank) for consumers and through Target Bank for businesses.The Target Debit Card withdraws funds from the customer's existing checking account, and allows for up to $40 â€Å"cash back. † The debit card allows customers to save five percent of each purchase, as well as designate a school for Target's Take Charge of Education program, and accumulate pharmacy rewards. c. Target Sourcing Services (TSS): This global sourcing organization locates merchandise from around the world for Target and helps import the merchandise to the United States. TSS has 27 full-service offices, 48 quality-control offices, and seven concessionaires located throughout the world.TSS employs 1,200 people. d. Target Commercial Interiors: Provides design se rvices and furniture for office space and originated in the home furniture department at Dayton’s. Currently, Target Commercial Interiors has an unusually high market share of Fortune 500/1000 business customers, and are expanding to attract small to medium sized businesses, as well as home offices. e. Target Brands: Owns and oversees the company's private label products, including the grocery brands Archer Farms and Market Pantry. f. Target Forensic ServicesTarget also operates two sophisticated criminal forensics laboratories, one at its headquarters and the other in Las Vegas. Originally, the lab was created with the role of investigating internal instances of theft and fraud and other criminal actions that have occurred on its own properties. Eventually, the company began offering pro bono services to law enforcement agencies across the country. Target's Forensic Services has assisted agencies at all levels of government, including federal agencies such as the United Stat es Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.The labs have become such a popular resource for law enforcement that Target has had to restrict its assistance to violent felonies. g. Target. com: Owns and oversees the company's e-commerce initiatives, such as the Target. com domain. Founded in early 2000 as target direct. 2. Financial Analysis (Also Attached) 3. Strengths and Weaknesses a. Strengths: * Strong Marketing Initiatives * Brand Quality * Leading Market Presence * â€Å"Going Green† Trend * Online shopping with free shipping to the local store * Design-trend * Innovative Marketing Techniques * Active Social Media * Favorable Real Estate Locations Size and Cost Advantages * Customer Loyalty at Target is Essential * Target Has Efficient Operations * In Store Credit Card b. Weaknesses * High employee turnover at store level * Food margins lower than general merchandise * Stores vary little by region * Their store bran d can be the same price as well-known brands item * None or no enough self-service register * No whole sale. c. Financial trends and projections Target Corp. (TGT) may represent one of the best choices in the retail sector. There are many pluses to consider regarding this retail stalwart given today’s rapidly changing retail environment.Target is much more than its 1,787 retail stores in the United States and Canada. Target’s credit operations and rapidly evolving online presence both offer strong prospects for growth. From a fundamental perspective, Target appears attractively valued on many fronts. Although the company trades at a below-market valuation, even more importantly it currently trades at a strong discount to the quality premium that the market has historically awarded their shares. As a result, Target Corp. offers an above-market dividend yield of 2. 1%. That has grown on average, by close to 20% per annum since calendar year 1999.During the five yearsâ₠¬â„¢ time frame, the earnings growth of 10. 6% remains consistent with Target’s longer-term historical growth achievements. The fact that Target’s price (the black line) is touching its intrinsic value (the orange line) illustrates that there exists good value in their shares. Projections The consensus of 19 analysts reporting to Standard & Poor’s Capital IQ expect Target to grow earnings at the rate of 10% in fiscal 2013, 15% in fiscal 2014, and 12% thereafter out to calendar year 2018 (see Chg/Yr at the bottom of the graph).If these estimates were to prove true, then a current position in Target offers the potential to generate returns in excess of 13% per annum over the next five years. d. Strategic key factors (SKFs) Compared together, Wal-Mart and Target are very close competitors. They are all retail-variety discount stores making their existence known throughout the world, except Target, is newer in the global market. These companies are constantly vying for the reputation as the lowest priced retailer.In the competitive profile matrix, the most critical success factor would be advertising Target does a lot more advertising then Wal-Mart and Kmart. Price competitiveness, Wal-Mart, remains above all competitors. Product quality, Target’s products tend to be top brand products. Customer loyalty many people prefer better products no matter how much it costs, especially if they get other benefits they might not get elsewhere, such as, customer service, store cleanness, more visual organization appeal, etc. _____________________________________________________________________________________ V. Long Term Objectives and Strategies 1. Objectives * The company’s long-term objective is to attain $100 billion or more in sales and $8. 00 or more in earnings per share by 2017. * Target plans to donate more than $500 million by the end of 2015 to support education, doubling its support to-date, for a total of more than $1 billion. The financial commitment is part of Target’s new reading initiative, Target Read With MeSM, aimed at helping more U.S. children read proficiently by the end of third grade. As part of the initiative, Target also announced a reading pledge, a donation of up to 2 million books to kids in need, and plans for an innovative reading center that will reach communities across the country through a physical and virtual presence. 2. Strategies * Target has partnered with other fast-food chains like Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, again to cater to consumer desires for food while they shop, hoping to increase same store sales.The fact that Target has been able to infiltrate the urban market at a much better rate than Wal-Mart has helped to make these strategic partnerships successful. * Target’s efficient marketing, multi-channel strategy, product innovation, compelling pricing strategy, and new merchandise assortments, should drive comparable-store sales and operating margins in the lo ng term. We expect the company to gain market share, and believe that more focus on consumable items should boost sales and earnings in a sluggish consumer environment. ______________________________________________________________________________________ VI.Implementing Strategy Integral to the success of the corporate strategy is what the company prides itself in the most, it’s pioneering nature in store design. Target designs their stores to be easy and intuitive to shop, with related departments conveniently placed next to each other (decor next to home improvement, toys next to sporting goods) and a â€Å"racetrack† central aisle to speed you on your way. They also work hard to make sure the shopping experience is consistently enjoyable, with a clean environment, friendly team members and feel-good details on all sides. This commitment to excellence, to stylish and chic, yet affordable items presented with the user in mind has allowed the company to gain and maint ain a strong foothold in the industry, carving out its own niche and distinguishing it from competitors. The company’s strategy has also allowed Target to remain flexible and able to change significantly with its consumers, allowing it to seek substantial growth opportunities in various branches and extensions of the brand. Targets performance can be attributed to many things, including a corporate decision to follow a path of brand extension and cautioned expansion.Target has created a corporate culture conducive to a constant call of innovation and a group of people who are committed to the success of the brand. Target employees praise the â€Å"flexible† corporate structure that offers â€Å"frequent chances for promotion. 1. Functional Areas a. Management Most directors have established a good working relationship with one another through previous business dealings. They are educated and successful business people and all directors and staff. Strong Management Lea dership in Target Corporation’s executive office that provides leadership for all divisions.The divisions are encouraged to share advances in technology and coordinate purchasing and financial management. Target Corporation has experienced accelerated growth in sales and earnings under the management leadership of Robert Ulrich, Chair ; CEO. b. Marketing The Marketing Planning team identifies marketing opportunities and develops integrated marketing campaigns. Additional responsibilities include writing creative blueprints, developing media plans, overseeing project execution and managing budgets.The Marketing Creative team communicates the Target brand through various advertising media and campaign strategies including in-store marketing, promotions and packaging. c. Human Resource Target’s philosophy is an example of the resource based perspective of strategic human resource management (HRM), in which a firm’s collective human resources are believed to have im plications for firm performance and provide a unique source of competitive advantage that is difficult to replicate. The formal mission of Target’s HR organization is to â€Å"drive company performance by building a fast, fun, and friendly team committed to excellence. To fulfill this mission, over the past four years the HR function has translated Target’s competitive strategy into four core HR strategies and processes in the following areas: * Organizational culture * Staffing * Employee development * Employee retention d. Strategy and Research The Strategy and Research group explores new business opportunities, strengthens existing business relationships, and applies consumer insight to marketing messages. The Market Research team analyzes shopping behavior through focus group interviews and observation.The Strategy team uses the resulting data along with other tools to recommend changes regarding product mix, content, display and marketing. Target gives back to th e community * Target ranked No. 22 in Fortune Magazine's â€Å"World's Most Admired Companies† for 2010, largely in part to the donation efforts of the company as a whole. * Target donates around 5 percent of its pre-tax operating profit; it gives over $3 million a week to the communities in which it operates. * Target gives a percentage of charges from its Target Visa to schools designated by the cardholders.To date, Target has given over $150 million to schools across the United States. * Target House complex in Memphis, Tennessee, a long-term housing solution for families of patients at the city's St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The corporation led the way with more than $27 million in donations, which made available 96 fully furnished apartments for families needing to stay at St. Jude over 90 days. * Target donates to local Salvation Army chapters through its grant program and annually to the United Way of America. * During disasters, Target has been a major benef actor for relief efforts.It also allowed its store properties in the affected area to be used as command centers for relief organizations. * Target will often donate its unused, returned or seasonal merchandise (particularly clothing) to Goodwill Industries. Bibliography â€Å"Capstone Analysis: Target. † Capstone Analysis: Target. N. p. , n. d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. Carnevale, Chuck. â€Å"Target Corp Offers Solid Value And An Above Market Yield. † Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 15 Mar. 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Corporate Fact Sheet. † Fact Sheet: Quick Facts About Target. N. p. , n. d. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Target Corporation. † Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Mar. 2013. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. â€Å"The History of Corporate. † Target Corporation. N. p. , n. d. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Target Corporate: Social Responsibility, Careers, Press, Investors. † Target Corporate: Social Responsibility, Careers, Press, Investors. N. p. , n. d. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Target Corporation: Company Analysis and Evaluation. † Yahoo! Contributor Network. N. p. , n. d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. â€Å"WikiWealth. † Target (TGT) SWOT Analysis -. N. p. , n. d. Web. 24 Mar. 2013

Definition of Records Management

In the past, ‘records management' was sometimes used to refer only to the management of records which were no longer in everyday use but still needed to be kept – ‘semi-current' or ‘inactive' records, often stored in basements or offsite. More modern usage tends to refer to the entire ‘lifecycle' of records – from the point of creation right through until their eventual disposal.The ISO 15489: 2001 standard defines records management as â€Å"The field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposition of records, including the processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records†. The ISO defines records as â€Å"information created, received, and maintained as evidence and information by an organization or person, in pursuance of legal obligations or in the transaction of businessâ⠂¬ .The International Council on Archives (ICA) Committee on Electronic Records defines a record as â€Å"a recorded information produced or received in the initiation, conduct or completion of an institutional or individual activity and that comprises content, context and structure sufficient to provide evidence of the activity. † The key word in these definitions is evidence. Put simply, a record can be defined as â€Å"evidence of an event†. Records Management is the storage preservation and retrieval of information in the shortest possible time. MUDD) Records management is very important for the use of storing document this topic was thought in Office Administration. The United States Department of Defence standard DoD 5015. 02-STD defines Records Management as â€Å"The planning, controlling, directing, organizing, training, promoting, and other managerial activities involving the life cycle of information, including creation, maintenance (use, storage, retrieva l), and disposal, regardless of media. â€Å"

BALANCED SCORECARD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

BALANCED SCORECARD - Essay Example It is headquartered at Ohio, United States. The company is engaged in the business of offering consumer goods to its customers in packaged form. The sales and marketing division of P&G group is committed towards providing best services to its customers. This study entails the preparation of a balanced scorecard for the strategies to be implemented in the sales and marketing division of the company keeping it aligned with the overall strategy of P&G. The Balanced Scorecard includes all the four perspectives of a balanced scorecard namely, the financial, customers, learning and internal business process perspectives. The purpose of this Balanced Scorecard is to look at three objectives in this organizational unit. These objectives will be measured using metrics appropriate for this discipline. Financial The primary goal or objective of this business unit is to increase the sales and add to the profits of the company. A lot of sales personnel are involved in the marketing of products of P&G and it needs to look at the objective of reducing the costs incurred in the various processes involved in this department as well. Customer Customers are the key towards the success and profitability of the company. Hence the company needs to have a well devised strategy leading to complete satisfaction of its customers. Internal Business The strategy related to this perspective would be to increase the efficiency of the marketing division so that it can serve for the better performance of the company. Learning and Development A well devised strategy related to this perspective is also required to be devised by the company. It would include various objectives like imparting training to the personnel in the department so that they can carry on their activities efficiently and help the company to have a sustainable growth and development. Table of Contents Table of Contents 4 Formulation and Implementation of Balanced Scorecard of Procter & Gamble 6 Financial Perspective 8 Sales Growth 9 Growth in Operating Activities 9 Free Cash Flow Productivity 9 Customer Perspective 10 Increase in Customer Retention 10 Improved Customer Service 10 Increase in number of Customers 11 Internal Perspective 11 Reductions in Inventory 11 New Product Developments 12 Improvement in Distribution Efficiency 12 Learning and Growth Perspective 12 Employee Turnover 13 High Skill Levels 13 Employee Satisfaction 13 References 16 Formulation and Implementation of Balanced Scorecard of Procter & Gamble Balance Scorecard was developed by Robert Kaplan and Dr. David Norton in the year 1992. It is a tool developed to measure the level of performance mainly of the employees in an organization. In a Balanced Scorecard system performance is measured on the basis of four perspectives, namely, financial, customers, learning and development, and internal business process perspectives. It contains both the target scores and the scores achieved based on the given category. So it becomes easy to me asure high as well as low performances using Balanced Scorecard (Balance Scorecard Institute, 2012). This study entails about the preparation of a Balanced Scorecard for the sales and marketing division of Procter and Gamble (P&G). P&G is a reputed company which operates its business activities worldwide. It is headquartered at Ohio, United States. P&G is engaged in the business of offering wide range of FMCG products to its customers and they are delivered to them in packaged forms (Yahoo Finance, 2012). The sales and market division of the company constitutes a critical unit of the organization and Balanced Scorecard prepared in this study can help analyze and measure its effectiveness, thereby helping the company to have well devised strategy to attain the objectives of the company. The first step towards

What makes a run on bank When is the government intervention necessary Essay

What makes a run on bank When is the government intervention necessary - Essay Example A bank run progress is an automated momentum gaining process which is, said or believed comes true as the peoples are expecting it to come true: eventually as the deposition withdrawals increase the image of the bank falls provoking many withdrawals. Continuation of a bank run for long time can result in a bankruptcy as bank runs have a very ugly reputation. Insecurity during a bank run creates fear to same extent when the room is on fire. The panic drives us to the nearest visible exit blindly like a reflex without a single thought that the seen exit shown up like an oasis is really an exit or just a mirage. Sometimes it is better not to take risks with your money. The panic or â€Å"the shout† of a bank run is as fast and as growing like a fire. This panic takes an epidemic look as the depositors start to feel the same with other banks too as an incoming shock as this kind of economic disasters are very frequently on the headlines. It’s like when my friend’s ba nk is under a bank run the next bank could be mine. So a bank run is efficiently capable of contaminating its misfortune to cause several bankruptcies at least if the total economic breakdown is managed to block. (Shin, 2009) What causes bank run? Banks have an origin of centuries. Once they were just little shops that were used to collect fund from people and use them as to lend to the borrowers. This model, however, does not look much tough. Particularly in case of depositors, they can freely withdraw their money with a small penalty where a bank cannot ever ask for the money to be returned whenever they need it. Thus, an error arises in this model. In order to nullify this error a bank generally keeps a cash reserve which the bank uses to lend money to the borrowers taking only a little part from the deposits. However, if the bank is completely healthy it can survive a bankruptcy in the long run, but the sufferings of a bank run cannot be avoided when many people take their money back much than the cash reserved. So if a rough situation arises like this all depositors may not get their money back. The thing that makes the situation much worse is the first come first serve policy of the withdrawal. As long the bank have their cash reserve depositors can take their money back, but beyond the cash reserve level the bank is unable to return the money back. Hence, the insecure and desperate depositors rush to the bank to take their money bank thinking this to be a bank run. On forcing the borrowers to return fast the bank undergoes a loss as fire sales occur and the money taken back is very less may be less than the total deposits. In September 2007, a United Kingdom bank called Northern Rock experienced a severe bank run when depositors rushed to the bank to withdraw their money. UK experienced bank run even before. In case of US also bank run was not uncommon prior to 1930s. However, bank runs become rare after that. Why do bank runs exits?   There are three main reasons. (Shin, 2009) (I) Individual Liquidity Shock: Money could be needed in any time as an individual could suffer a liquidity shock for various reasons such as damage repairs from any sort of disaster, loss of earning, emergency hospitalization which leaves no choice to the depositors to withdraw their money. When the individual liquidity shock is completely independent and there are multiple depositors ten we consider it as the aggregate liquidity shock is non- stochastic, so in that case for a particular period of time a fixed amount of deposits are allowed to be withdrawn. This way the policy of cash reserve can resolve the bank run problem. In reality completely independent liquidity shocks are quite unrealistic as aggregate liquidity shocks are found normally in the time of currency crisis or natural disasters. That

Strengths and Weaknesses of Social Contract Theory Research Paper

Strengths and Weaknesses of Social Contract Theory - Research Paper Example This paper tells that the social contract is considered to be an agreement between the state and those subjected to it, over their duties towards one another and how these duties are likely to be carried out. It is through the belief in this contract that many states today have come to be formed, and this mainly through the development of constitutions. The social contract theory recognizes that individuals have their own natural rights some of which they surrender to their governments so that the latter can protect their remaining rights. This paper seeks to show that while the social contract theory has many strengths, it also has various weaknesses, both of which will be addressed. The social contract theory is one which attempts to bring order to the society through the recognition of the rights and duties of individuals and states towards each other. This recognition allows for the development of a constitution which helps in the formulation of laws the protect the rights of ind ividuals while at the same time making it possible for people within the society to recognize their responsibilities not only to the state but also towards one another. It is through this recognition that it becomes possible for the government to enforce its authority over the society within its territory and this helps it to protect the individuals living within it. This theory can be considered to be a guideline for governments on how they can handle their responsibilities towards their people, for example, the provision of security as well as ensuring that their people are able to exercise their freedoms without any prejudice. It also recognizes that there are certain situations where individual rights have to be put aside in favor of the good of society especially in situations where individuals are required to pay taxes in order to help the government to fulfill its obligations.

Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

Analysis - Essay Example Verification of requirements will ensure that people define them correctly. This will imply that they will be of acceptable quality. The institute should ensure that the management effectively revises the various requirements that defective. The management should assign a business analyst the role of ensuring that the requirements are ready for review by customers. They should also ensure that they contain all information that workers require for further work (Carkenord 36). The institute should verify both input and output requires for efficient results to attain efficient results. The main purpose of validate requirements is to ensure that the various requirements support delivery of value to an entity, fulfill its goals, and meet the needs of stakeholders. Brisbane Institute of Art (BIA) should validate requirements to ensure that stakeholders, solution, and transition requirements are in line with the requirements of business. The management should come up with assumptions concerning customers and stakeholders response on the services they offer. This will enable them to acquire vital information concerning the introduction of the unprecedented product or service (Carkenord 42). The institute should define an evaluation criterion that is measurable. The evaluation criteria should show whether the resulting change is successful. This criterion will indicate performance and thus ensuring that one chooses an appropriate criterion. This refers to the value that a solution delivers and which meets the scope of solution. In case a solution does not give either direct or indirect value to stakeholders, then they should eliminate it. There are requirements that have value to stakeholders and not desirable part of a solution. The management of the institution should consider the opportunity cost that would arise in investing in this institution. Opportunity cost is the benefit that one accrues as a

Cultural influence in Architecture. A casestudy of HSBC HEadquarter Dissertation

Cultural influence in Architecture. A casestudy of HSBC HEadquarter building, Hong Kong Norman Foster) - Dissertation Example The study will be focusing on the headquarter building of HSBC Bank (Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) which is located in Hong Kong. Designed by Sir Norman Foster, the building emerges from the obscurity of the night time beneath to a dynamic new lighting scheme. HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations with its branches all over the world. Its headquarter building is one of the most significant architecture building of the world. It recently illuminated the building in what is a colorful dress of dynamic lights. This was launched in January 2004 and called as the HSBC illumination which became the integral part of the Victoria Harbour Lighting Plan. As part of the plan the permanent lighting and the special effects makes the building to be one of the most prominent planned building of the country. The HSBC headquarter building is built to preserve the values of the past. The place at which it is constructed is preserved to mak e sure that the land is still treated as the HSBC property. The structure of the building has been modified to modern terms but the initial roots of the structure were maintained keeping in mind the cultural values of HSBC and Hong Kong at the same time. History The first HSBC building in Hong Kong was Wardley House which was used as the office from 1865 to 1882. It was then demolished in 1886 before it was rebuilt in the same year. The main feature of the constructed building was the division of the structure into two separate buildings. The building which was on the Queen’s Road Central was in the Victorian style with a verandah and an octagonal dome. The arcade which was harmonized with the adjacent buildings was then constructed on the Des Voeux Road. The early settlers in the Hong Kong that came from Britain had a lot of interest in Feng Shui. This is the reason that most of the buildings that were created in Hong Kong at that time were on the philosophies that were ther e in the concept of Feng Shui. This made the British and the Chinese believe that the ones who had a direct view of the water, whether it is a river, a sea or an ocean, are more likely to prosper compared to the ones that are not build with keeping Feng Shui in mind which is directly linked to the wealth associated with water and what it can add to the construction of the buildings. Keeping this in perspective, the HSBC building was constructed in the area which was wide open view in front of it. It was made sure that there is no other building which blocks the HSBC building’s view of the Victoria Harbour. This benefited the traditionally followed concept of Feng Shui which had the country’s cultural belief associated with it. Thus, the HSBC building is consider having a good Feng Shui. The HSBC building illuminated Hong Kong’s capacity to stun the people who visit the country. Even though it is not the largest skyscraper in the country, or to be more precise, t he city, but it is considered to be the most extraordinary building of the country. The location of the building has remained the same at present to where it was initially constructed in 1965, but it has expanded itself in area with the passage of time taking over the space that could be occupied by four more buildings in the surrounding area. Design The design of the building was given by English Architect Norman Foster. Along with stamping the visible symbol of stability and power on the fabric of the urban city, the new HSBC

Ir Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ir - Essay Example Mr Johnson has admitted that the people have a just point when they complain. The claim that the rebels represent Islam, but Muslim theologians say they do not follow the teachings of Islam. An Islamic theological institute, Al-Azhar in Egypt, has strongly denounced the abductions, saying it â€Å"completely contradicts the teachings of Islam and its tolerant principles.† President Johnson has admitted the country is struggling, but his wife has told the group they are just playing games. The report states that the government is corrupt. Boko Haran only has a few hundred men, yet the Nigerian army seem powerless. The kidnappings have taken place just before the World Economic Forum on Africa, with 6,000 troops deployed for security, so this is an embarrassment for the president. The delegates may be kept secure, but the army cannot protect its own vulnerable people safe, so how can it hope to attract investment. This is written from a very personal viewpoint of the ‘It could have been me’ as the reporter had travelled as a student on the very same ferry route to that where tragedy recently struck. He describes how there was no thought of possible danger and that the ship was just a giant playground for the school children. The incident is described as a preventable accident, and from this the writer sees lessons which can be learnt. The ship was very overloaded and the cargo was not properly secured so it moved about, affecting the stability of the ship. The captain had left the ship in the charge of a very inexperienced mate, and this resulted in only two life boats being used and many lives lost. He describes the fury of the Korean public that the captain was among the first to leave the ship. This isn’t the only image of Korea he insists, and gives the example of a Korean crash in San Francisco where stewardesses carried injured passengers to safety. The difference

SWOT Analysis Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

SWOT Analysis Master - Case Study Example 2005). Since long, A Company known for inventing the personal computer range on this earth is APPLE COMPUTER. This company has begun a revolutionary raid into personal computing with Apple II. It is highly accredited to help people how to use computers with its accomplishment of the graphical user line in Apple Macintosh. Every single product / service is designed in a different way. Product analysis enables us to see the different features of the product, how different it is in appearance, its feature, its price, its demand and other factors which are required to be considered before its production. A critical review of such points helps management in designing and selling products. The Ipod shuffle has distinctive features. It is the world's smallest music player. Ipod shuffle has two amazing features that make it a best device. First the song capacity is 4 minutes per song and 128 Kbps AAC encoding. It has a capacity to save songs up to 500. It has a very small size and easier to use. It dramatically allows the users to control all its functions quickly. The music library of Ipod shuffle can save 1000 songs. And has a plenty of space to store multiple play lists. Ipod Shuffle is also considered a fashionable accessory which is very famous these days. The voice quality of ipod shuffle as per musician is very huge and dramatic. Moreover it has a huge library in 14 different languages. Situation Analysis: As per market share, Apple at present maintains the most minuscule worldwide user base which is merely 2.5% of any operating system. The Microsoft Windows dominate by 92% in this race. What makes Apple exclusive is its capability to offer inventive and dependable hardware along with trend-setting & consumer responsive software. No other company does so. Amazingly this enabled Apple to ingeniously mingle its strengths in these areas to give fresh solutions to users. Market Analysis: i. Management: In order to persistently innovation of Apple Ipod & retaining enough funds, during competitor launching new product, valuable management is needed for the training & development of employees (JWT, 2008). ii. Capital Accessibility: Calamity of cash flow may be happen cause of heavy competition. When competitors capriciously launch their product in the market, adequate funds must be on hand. iii. Adoption of New Technology: In order to progress

Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Exam - Essay Example There are also a number of events that are identified such as the conquering of the Danish by the English, entertainment activities by the English, the King’s banning of the game, and the eventual origination of football. All of these confirm that the paragraph is a narration. As the name suggests, a process analysis involves an exposition on how a process is carried out, with an accompanying factor of the effect of various stages of the process on the other (Fowler and Aaron, 2002). Generally, a process analysis would involve a central target or goal that needs to be accomplished. But to accomplish this, a doer is required to put in place a number of tasks or achieve a series of specific objectives, known as processes. In the paragraph above, it would be seen that a central goal of a meal needs to be achieved. But to achieve this effectively, there are specific tasks to fulfill such as sautà © onion, stirring in flour, among other processes. The paragraph also rightly gives out an analysis of the process as it emphasizes that serving the meal hot is the best way to get results from

Organizational Behavior-Syllabus Essay Example for Free

Organizational Behavior-Syllabus Essay I. Course Information Intelligence and technical knowledge will only take you so far in your work and private lives. My goal is to introduce you to behavior in organization (and of organizations) in a way that stresses you personal behavioral skill development. In other words, the course should help you assess your strengths and weaknesses and will stress how you can enhance and improve your management skills. To that end, the course stresses a mix of assessment tests for each chapter to give you a personal point of departure for learning and skill development, along with basic theory and cases and role plays to examine examples of situations and skills that we are studying. This is a hands-on course. I expect students to come to class prepared to learn and to participate! Course Objectives: 1) To provide students with knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of organizational behavior (i.e. human behavior in organizations). 2) The course includes both theoretical and practical aspects of OB and is designed to offer introductory knowledge, skills, and perspectives in OB that can be useful for students’ professional and academic careers. II. Course Learning Outcomes: On completion of this course, students should be able to: 1ï ¼Å½ Understand the basic principles of organizational behavior (i.e. human behavior in organizations). 2ï ¼Å½ Be equipped with introductory knowledge, skills, and perspectives in OB that can be useful for students’ professional and academic careers. Teaching and Learning Activities: 1. Lecture 2. In class exercises, small group discussion 3. Team Presentations 4. Final Exam III. Assessment In addition to attendance and engagement in classroom discussion, all items discussed in class including all materials assigned as ‘Required’ reading may be used to assess students’ progress in the class. The methods of assessment include the following: Personal Journal A skills-based OB course centers upon assisting you to assess your strengths and weaknesses, developing a learning plan to redress these and regular reflection about how you can apply the skills and concepts learned outside the classroom. Keeping a journal is the best way to facilitate this. To ensure you get off to a timely start, I shall ask for some specific assignments that constitute part of the journal to be handed in for credit. Examples include the self- assessment of strengths and weaknesses based upon the online assessment (class 2), and other individual exercises in the textbook. You can fulfill the first assignment online at http://www.passovoy.com/assessment/sal/quick.html. You are required to complete a minimum of 8 assessments. In some cases, you will be surprised by what you learn about yourself – both positive and negative. Each student is required to write a maximum two-page single-spaced typed write-up regarding what you learned about yourself. Final Exam A written in-class exam will be given on May 14, 2012. The format of the exam is a combination of multiple-choice and/true-false questions, and are based on lecture and text materials. Many questions are applied and require you to analyze and synthesize OB concepts. Please prepare early for the exams and come to class with any questions or concerns you may have prior to the exam date. Do not feel uncomfortable asking questions. Other students will also benefit from the discussion. Top Five Take-Aways This assignment provides a final opportunity for you to synthesize and share your learning with the class. Reflect on your learning in this class and write up a list of your â€Å"Top Five Take-Aways† from the course. Explain why you chose each concept, how you have utilized it in your own life, and how you think it will help you in your future role as a leader. There is no set length of the paper. That depends on your learning. You are required to turn in a hard copy. Single-spacing, please. Obviously you will not be graded on whether your choice of a learning point is valid or not. Your learning is your learning. Your grade will be based on how well you explain that concept’s application to your life. Your presentation in class will be fairly informal. Each member of the class will have about a minute or so to share a point or two about your most important learning from the course. It is simply an opportunity to reflect on your learning with your peers. Sometimes hear ing what is important to other people can also contribute to your own learning. Group Project Learning to work effectively in groups is a critical work skill. On day one, you will be asked to form groups (final membership to be handed into me by the third meeting. With your group, you will have two assignments. The first is to develop a team learning notebook, recording team responses to case discussion questions throughout the semester. The team learning notebook will be collected during the mid-point of the course (6th week), as well as the end of the course (12th week) . The second assignment is to conduct a 20 minutes presentation on a topic of your choice related to the topic on the day selected by your group. Further information will be given in class and sign up is on a first-come first –serve basis. If any group member expresses displeasure with group process and contributions of others shall used a peer evaluation form. Each individuals contribution will be identified on the peer evaluation form I will provide and that will be confidential (i.e., your group members will not see your evaluation of their participation). All group members should participate equally to obtain full credit for the assignment. For example, if the assignment receives a grade of 8.5 out of 10 and your group gives you 100% participation rate, then you will receive the total 8.5 points. If your group gives you less than 100% participation, your grade will be adjusted accordingly. Evaluation of your peers should help you maintain an appropriate level of participation from all of your group members. IV.Course Policies Academic Dishonesty: Assignments found to have been plagiarized or an exam in which cheating is found to have occurred will receive a grade of ‘zero’.

Intensive Family Based Services Essay Example for Free

Intensive Family Based Services Essay The study carried out by Raschick (1997) offered a keen input on how to create family preservation services and enhanced choice for families in opposition to out of home placements, stating that ‘the information proposed that IFBS (Intensive Family Based Services) services lessened average restrictiveness and extent of out-of-home placements. ’ Still, there are a number of researches that has very short-range, study-focused outcomes that has no long term assurance, picking out the direction that the three sides being argued in this paper is a part of the managing a cruel cycle which is neither stepladder arrangement nor cause and effect, only directed by conditions taking place on a case per case basis. While systematic Family Preservation Services (FPS) was associated vis-a-vis to the enrichment in substantiated reports relating to exploitation and out-of-home placements because of, as Littell imagines in Children and Youth Services Review, case-finding consequences given that FPS contact prioritized cases is considered as high-risk. , ‘the duration, extent, strength of family preservation services had small effect on succeeding youngster maltreatment, out-of-home placement, or the closing of cases’ (Littell, 1997). Extending the scope – is there more to out of home placements and its being used in juvenile delinquency reduction? Juvenile delinquency, as a problem, presents several courses of action which can be explored to combat juvenile delinquency, and two of the several options are sitting at both ends of the social order pole: family preservation efforts and out of home placements. It has a very tyrannical tone in it, as if the government is saying that ‘if you cannot stick together, we will pull you apart. ’ Some do not have a clear cut, black and white clarification on how to keep citizens from stepping within the gray part. Some claim ‘that family preservation agendas bring about substantial decline in the placement of children are based fundamentally on non-experimental studies’ (Littell, Schuerman, 1995), and this is just one of the many cynical or / and critical voices speaking out and representing the greater part of the social behavior discipline that needs a more clear cut answer on where each foot stands in the issue that has continued to threaten homes when it is not inquiring its reliability and firmness to stay together and work competently, contributing optimistically to the the community without the imposition of state- sanctioned procedures. Littell and Schuerman (1995) upped the stake with their disagreement, adding up the learning that ‘there is little solid attestation that programs planned at preventing out-of-home placements or reunifying families with the youth in foster care have the predictable outcomes. ’ Indeed, one of the pressing concerns that should be answered if there are hopes in being able to define what constitutes success and failure in out of home placement programs, juvenile delinquency programs and family preservation programs and how these three agendas are linked with each other (if not, then by designing allowing each to step on another’s foot on purpose) it should depend on the identification of the exact parameters that will dictate success or failure of any program, and the intended affects of each program should be clear to anyone and everyone involved so that the formulation of what was achieved should be in line with what the programs are designed to accomplish in the first place. â€Å"These conclusions do not inevitably mean that thorough family preservation services are weakening, but that researchers and practitioners must recognize that the purpose of services is to assist families attain basic goals and skills needed to keep a child at home, not to attempt to make major changes in family performance† (Wells, Whittington,1993). The trouble may also be intensified by the fact that actions taken by persons who are openly involved in the categorization of out of home placement, family preservation indicators and juvenile delinquency disregard the stipulated characteristics of each of the three areas of discussion and generating more gray and puzzling areas since there are no alternatives provided for or by researchers on how to enumerate or evaluate disparities from conventional behavioral patterns that makes the classification more complicated, success or failure of any of the three. This was the position of Wells and Whittington (1993) who stated that children who are not formally subjected to relationship or non-kinship out of home placements yet still travel from house to house disqualifies it as being measured as family preservation, noting how researchers, as a substitute, give importance on the constancy of a childs living arrangement; ‘if a child moves from home to home, but avoids placement, the researchers argue that this does not constitute family preservation’ (Wells, Whittington,1993) and adding that ‘out-of-home placement is an inadequate indicator of how well children and their families are functioning after discharge, because child placement may be a result of a large number of factors, like the child or familys mental health’ (Wells, Whittington,1993). Still, some study shows some positive signs from any one of the three interlinked areas. The study using the Emergency Family Care Program in Northern California to address the out of home placement problems of truly high-risk families yielded a result of ‘eighty-eight percent placement prevention rate found after one year (1985) of treatment’ (Berry, 1994). III. Quantitative and qualitative approaches – how each differ in impact in previous studies and in this paper’s objectives Different studies pertaining to out of home placements and juvenile delinquency cases take different routes, and while research designs, both quantitative and qualitative are unquestionably both generally accepted approach in which data is taken out from the focus groups and, it should also be put in proper perspective that both qualitative and quantitative study styles undoubtedly yield important when used in studying juvenile delinquency and out of home placement and other juvenile delinquency alternative solutions simply because either of the two can provide either a means by which crucial statistical information can be obtained or first hand individual sentiments are determined, sentiments, feelings or emotions that can represent a prevailing emotion residing in the realms of the issue this paper wishes to address. There are researches that provided quantitative output which can be key references in understanding the intricacies of the study focus. A very good example is the identification of Potocky and McDonald of the figures pertinent in determining which among the families with regards to number of children have a higher rate of sending the kids to foster care, pointing out that those with an average of 4. 8 children have higher chances of sending the children to foster care while those with an average 2. 6 children have a greater chance of staying together.

Independent Learner Study Skills For Independent Learners Education Essay

Independent Learner Study Skills For Independent Learners Education Essay Independent study is a process, a method and a philosophy of education whereby a learner acquires knowledge by his or her own efforts and develops the ability for enquiry and critical evaluation. Independent learning is a process in which development of values, attitudes, knowledge and skills are needed to make responsible decisions and teach students to take actions individually. Independent learning is promoted by creating study skills, which encourage students motivation, curiosity, self-confidence and self-reliance; it is based on students understanding their interests and the value of what they are learning. In this essay I will identify these study skills required for independent learning. I will discuss these individually further on. Organisational skills/ time management Stress management Critical thinking Research and information management Organisational skills/time management A very good basic technique is being able to mentally and physically prepare yourself for study. Organisation is widely thought to be the key to success in life itself, Let alone in studying. There are various ways of organising ourselves and managing time effectively. Everybody has a slightly different style of learning, so different things will work for different people. The goal of organising your time is to help become aware of how to use your time. Developing and planning for blocks of study time in a typical week is a useful way of getting things done. Keeping in mind some difficult material may require more time than others. Determining a place free from distraction where you can maximize your concentration like the library.   Having a simple To Do List will help identify activities, the reasons for doing them and the timeline for getting them done. Referencing back to the list for reminders of upon coming events like assignments and exams etc. a daily planner will help for lectures, labs and other daily routines. A long term planner can help plan ahead for assignments and exams. The activities motioned above are all well and good for any student to implement but it is not as simple as that. If you do not get organised and start managing you time effectively in the early stage of your studies it will be very hard to do so later on. Having said the above there are reasons for students not to be organised. Some students may not start work until the deadline starts frightening them. Others may compare it to climbing a mountain; these students may manage to finish their work in time and even get a feedback of their draft work. But they do not leave any time to implement this feedback in their work. Nor are they able to reflect on the feedback. No matter what useful comments the tutor may give these student have not left enough time to act on that advice. Furthermore because they have not paced themselves properly over the semester or year they have not given themselves the time to understand new material, to extend their learning with additional research. And to plan, prepare and refine their work. These students never get to reflect on their true potential. And remain unaware of what they can do. Whilst schools and colleges set homework in university you are on your own. You may be given lists of reading material but that is it. The rest is on the students themselves. Every student must work out how much time they are prepared to give to get the grades they want. Research/ information management Tom burns Sandra Sinfield (2003) Research is about investigating or searching for ideas to increase your knowledge. Listening in class, reading textbooks and journals, all involve research for they are all opportunities for engaging with theories and knowledge claims that already exist in the subject area. The purpose of research is to engage with these existing ideas to deepen understanding and to construct arguments within the subject area. By gathering new ideas and information student are adding to their sum of knowledge on the topic. Whilst you may be given information in lectures, classes, seminars and tutorials, this will not be all you need to know on the subject. You are also supposed to develop your knowledge of the subject beyond what the tutor has taught. Therefore you have to read what other thinkers and experts have written on the subject. There is usually far more information available than you need, you need to make choices about what to read and use. Consider: Your purpose? What do you intend to do with each piece of information? Do you really need it? Can you do without it? What you already have? Brainstorm your knowledge of the subject or make a list of keywords for the subject. Use this to guide your search for information in the index at the back of books, in catalogues and on the internet. Is it the best source? Check whether the source is reliable, up to date, written by experts in the field, and relevant to your needs. Is it the best example? You will usually be able to refer to very few examples in your assignments and seminars. As you find more information, the latest information may be better than that you have already collected. Be prepared to put the less valuable information into a separate section which you use only if absolutely necessary. Keep evaluating which material is the most up to date and best for your purposes. How much do you need? Usually word limits are strict. You cannot usually make more than a few lines or a paragraph on any one example. Bear this in mind when you make notes so that you do not record more than you need. This will save you a lot of time. Stress management Stress management is also very important for independent students. First step in stress management is to recognise stress. Exhaustion, loss of/increased appetite, headaches, crying, sleeplessness, and oversleeping are evidence of stress. Escape through alcohol, drugs, or other compulsive behaviour are often indications. Feelings of alarm, frustration, or apathy may accompany stress. Stress Management is the ability to maintain control when situations, people, and events make excessive demands. If there is something that needs to be done to change the situation, that will be a good step. Setting up realistic goals and achieving them in steps instead of at one time. No matter if your studying biology or playing pool it is focus on the task at hand that makes you succeed in your objective. The ability to concentrate and focus attention on a task is an important tool for independent learners. Sometimes the mind can wander off from one thing to the other. Students worries and outside distractions can affect learning. Reasons for loosing concentration include difficult or boring material. A dedicated space with no outside distractions like mobile phones and TV etc. is useful to maximize concentration. Changing subject after an hour keeps the focus in learning by offering variety. A positive attitude towards learning will give a good advantage to independent learners, recognizing that in order to succeed you need to make decisions about prioritizing time and resources. Putting things according to priority helps keeps things in check. Critical Thinking/ reflection Critical thinking is at the heart of independent learning and professional development and is fundamental for whatever subject you are studying. They are seen as a transferable skill which employers expect graduates to bring to the workplace from university. They are both developmental and particular to the individual. By thinking critically independent learners can engage more confidently in debate within their subject area. A well known writer on critical thinking, Jenny Moon, gives the following definition: Critical thinking is a capacity to work with complex ideas whereby a person can make effective provision of evidence to justify a reasonable judgement. The evidence, and therefore the judgement, will pay appropriate attention to context. (Moon, 2005) Reflection is a complex set of processes which can empower an individual to recognise their learning opportunities and make the most of them. In its simplest form, reflection is the ability to look back over your experiences and identify significant aspects, such as reasons for success and failure. The important thing, of course, is to then learn from these reflections, by using them to inform practice and future learning. Conclusion

Take What You Get :: Personal Narrative Baseball Friendships Papers

Take What You Get I hated both my last day of school in Hopkinton and my first day of school in Sherborn. My mother drove me to my new school in our brand new white Volvo station wagon. The ride from our house to the school seemed much shorter than it actually was. Looking back on it, anytime I’ve unwillingly traveled somewhere, the car ride seemed extremely short. I remember the station wagon climbing the long, winding hill that led to Pine Hill Elementary school. As I watched the trees and fields pass, I imagined that the car hadn’t gone by them. In my mind, I was still back in my new trundle bed at home. My mom knew I was on the verge of tears, and she was constantly moving her hand back and forth between the car’s stick shift and my knee. "All the kids are going to love you," she said, patting my leg. "Mrs. Smith is so excited to have you in her class." I couldn’t even muster a response. I pictured Mrs. Smith forcing me to stand up in front of the class, asking me to tell the kids my name and what I liked to do. Then I saw the kids laughing when I broke down in tears, unable to give them an answer, or merely mumble a few words about myself. I couldn’t even respond to my own mother. "Honey, it’s ok to be nervous. Remember that I’ll pick you at 3:15. You don’t have to take the bus this afternoon." She parked the car and held my hand as we walked up the steps to the school’s entrance. I was wearing blue shorts, a bad choice because they were too short and revealed my pale, chubby legs. The walk with the principal and my mother down the long, empty corridors was what finally did it for me. I had been trying my hardest to hold back the tears, forcing myself to think of the end of the day, when my mother would be waiting for me. But the classroom was getting too close. I could sense it by the way the principal slowed his pace and drifted to the right side of the corridor. I felt the tears under my eyes, but I didn’t care enough to wipe them away with my arm. "Welcome to Pine Hill," Mrs. Smith said.

Corporate Control :: essays research papers

Title: Corporate Control Author: Annonymous Rating: 0 Rate this Paper It seems that there is an ever-increasing trend in our society. Big corporations are becoming more and more influential in our lives. As they gain more and more muscle in our government they also invade our schools and many other facets of our lives. Perhaps the most disturbing area of potential influence, however, is corporate control of the media. Can the American media uphold its values of free press under pressure from big corporations? Can they continue to present the absolute truth? The simple answer, especially in my opinion, is no. The movie The Insider provides us with an excellent case to back that point of view. Perhaps one of the biggest stories of this decade has been the tobacco industry. We saw them stand before Congress and tell the world that cigarettes were not addictive. The industry was able to â€Å"lawyer† its way out of trouble time and time again. They essentially used legal maneuvers, and certainly money, to keep the truth from the American people. Fin ally, we saw all that come to an end. When Jeff Wigand decided it was time to tell the truth, he put everything he valued at risk. He stood to loose his family, any chance at a job, and quite possibly his life. He knew all these things and still he went on, because he thought he could make a difference. He knew that his testimony would never be heard in a court of law, so where could he turn. The answer: the fourth and fifth estates, or the press and television. Every night millions of Americans sit down and watch the nightly news or read the paper. We know that we will be told all the days news, that we will be educated about what is happening in the world around us. We also know that we will be updated on issues that we care about as individuals and a society. Another delivery mechanism for information is television magazine shows like 60 Minutes. People know that when Mike Wallace talks to them, they should listen. They can also look at his reputation and know that he is telling the truth. Wigand put faith in that fact. Wigand agreed to do an interview with 60 Minutes because he knew that people would listen. He knew that the absolute truth would finally be out in the open, and that it would come from a source that people would believe.

Violence In Rap Music Essay -- essays research papers

Boom, boom! Boom, boom! The kind of bass that drains batteries and the kind of lyrics that unload clips, these are the sounds that rap music produces. I chose this topic because I am extremely interested in rap music and I want to explore the violent aspect of the industry. I have never had a chance to look at the violent side of it and I plan to find answers to questions I have in my search. Tupac Shakur is one of my favorite artists and when he was shot and killed I really started to take notice of the violence. People were getting killed because of an image that was being set. What I really want to know, however, is why rappers feel compelled to graphically describe the violence. In my search I plan to find out reasons behind the deaths of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. Was there some kind of connection between both of their deaths? I believe that rap music was never violent until "gangsta" rap came about. What sparked this change and who was behind it? I want to explore "gangsta" rap from the beginning until now. I want to research the major players in the rap game, who they are and what some of their lyrics are saying. Today our society is bursting at the seams with violence. There is fighting in other countries like Kosovo, shootings in schools, and violence on television. In my opinion, though, nothing has a greater effect on the youth of America than rap music. However, this isn’t a new issue, there has been violence in rap music for years. Such as, gang violence, references to drive-by shootings and homicides in songs. Since this is such a broad topic I will explore the violent side and history of the industry, the lyrics, as well as the artists. Page 2 In 1986 an unknown rap group came "Straight Outta Compton" and they called themselves N.W.A ( Niggaz With Attitudes). Eazy-E (Eric Wright) started this group along with four friends Dr. Dre (Andre Young), MC Ren (Geronimo Pratt), Ice Cube ( O’ Shea Jackson) and DJ Yella and they soon became the most controversial group ever to hit the industry. In 1989 they released the album, Straight Outta Compton, and a wave of fear was sent over the country, it was an instant classic. With disturbing song titles ranging from "F*ck Tha Police" to "Gangsta, gangsta" caused the FBI and the LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) to invest... ...t’s most influential rappers, gangsta rap has essentially died with it. Today there is still violence in rap music, but things aren’t as bad as they were. There is still lots of references to killings and gang violence, but things have calmed down and things aren’t so tense around rap music anymore. In my search I have learned a lot about N.W.A, for instance I never knew that there was so much controversy surrounding them when they first came on the scene. I Page 7 learned a lot about artists lyrics, a lot are just due to rivalries that were formed. From the myths that I read concerning Tupac’s death I have a really strong feeling that he is still alive. In retrospect I fell that I am ahead of where I wanted to be at the end of this paper. I have such a good knowledge of gangsta rap’s roots until now and who the major players are. The one thing that surprised me was when I found out the F.B.I and LAPD investigated N.W.A. I think that was a little bit of overreacting . I felt that I made good progress on this paper, I found information that I needed and my interviewee was very cooperative. I really enjoyed doing my search, it was a topic I chose myself, so I had fun conducting it.

Advertising in Schools Essay

Although this semester our class has discussed the different types of advertising in the marketplace, one technique that was not discussed is that of advertising in schools. This idea is a growing technique that if conducted the right way, could perhaps benefit not only corporate organizations, but also schools and students. However, there are many critics, along with parents that feel advertising in schools is a horrible idea and could only lead to harm. Many advertisers view children as a profitable three-in-one market. That is, 1) As buyers themselves 2) As influencers of their parents purchases, and 3) As a future adult customer. See more: Recruitment and selection process essay Every year, children have an estimated $15 billion of their own money, of which they spend $11 billion of it on products such as toys, clothes, candy and snacks. Children also influence at least $160 billion in parental purchases. Generally speaking, today’s children have more money to spend than ever before. Companies know this and find that advertising to the ‘youth of the nation’ can be beneficial and lead to future dedicated customers. Because of the increase in children’s spending power in recent decades, advertisers have closely targeted children as consumers. New advertising strategies aimed at children have been steadily growing and expanding. The toy-related program, or program length commercial (which is just like a infomercial) is developed to sell toys, and stirred public attention and debates. Along with this form of advertising, 900-number telephone services were accused of being aimed at children. In the 1980’s, children got their own TV networks, radio networks, magazines, newspapers, kids’ clothing brands, and other high-price items such as video games and other high-tech products. Other new advertising strategies include kids’ clubs, store displays directed at children, direct mailing to children, and sponsored school activities. At first glance, selling corporate sponsorship rights to pay for school activities looks like a win-win situation. Needy schools get resources they need. Companies get new marketing opportunities that can build brand loyalty. After all, advertising in schools is nothing new. Districts have long used ads from local businesses to help pay the costs of school newspapers, yearbooks, and athletic programs. Even here at CBU our athletic department sells ads for ‘Sports Media Guides’ to local institutions as well as national organizations. A growing number of companies are offering schools money for a chance to market their products directly to students. As budgets shrink, schools must find ways to get extra funding. Many schools are doing away with fund-raising and have begun to look at corporate dollars to fund just about everything. Signing contracts with these companies seems like an easy way to get the money they need. Schools need funding for in-school activities and equipment, and, in order to reduce the number of children going home to empty houses, they need to fund many after-school activities. Product advertisements can be found almost everywhere in schools. They are most frequently found in stadiums, gymnasiums, school cafeterias, hallways, and on textbook covers. Some schools across the nation are even putting advertisements on school buses. So what types of advertising are out there in our schools? There are different categories that ads can fall into. The following categories can represent most the advertising techniques used in our schools today and give a description of how they work. Types of Advertising 1) In-school advertisements In-school ads are forms of advertising that can be found on billboards, on school buses, on scoreboards, in school hallways, in soft drink machines, or on sports uniforms. This type of advertising is also found in product coupons and in give-aways that are given to students. 2) â€Å"Exclusive rights† contracts A company gives money to schools that carry ONLY their products. Extra money can also be given if a schools’ sales exceed a certain amount(quota). 3) Corporate-sponsored educational materials and programs Sponsored educational materials include free or low-cost items which can be used for instruction. Examples of these may include; multimedia teaching kits, videotapes, software, books, posters, activity sheets, and workbooks. While some of these materials may be ad-free, others may contain advertising for the producer of the item, or they may contain biased information aimed at swaying students towards a company’s product or service. 4) Corporate-sponsored contests and incentive programs This is where students compete for prizes by selling, buying or collecting labels for a certain product. These contests and incentive programs bring brand names into the schools along with the promise of such rewards as free pizzas, cash, points towards buying educational equipment, or trips and other prizes. 5) Ads in classroom materials and programs Ads in classroom materials include any commercial messages in magazines or video programming used in school. A perfect example of this type of advertising is â€Å"Channel One†. Channel One is a 12-minute daily news show for students in grades 6 through 12 that includes two minutes of age-appropriate ads for products like jeans and soft drinks. In exchange for airing the program each day at the same time for three years, Channel One gives schools a satellite dish, a cable hookup, a television monitor for each classroom, and an agreement to service the equipment for the three years. While some state school systems had originally said ‘No’ to Channel One, the company reports to be present in some 350,000 classrooms. So what types of guidelines are set to insure that in-school advertising is done correctly and does not become overly exploited? Those who support the call for guidelines include educational groups such as the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, The National Parent Teacher Association, and the National Education Association. The Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Business(SOCAP) and Consumers International are two consumer interest groups that have formulated guidelines for sponsored materials. These guidelines suggest that†¦ † †¦ education materials should be accurate, objective, clearly written, nondiscriminatory, and noncommercial. † (Karpatkin & Holmes) In dealing with the issues of in-school commercialism, Karpatkin & Holmes suggest a three-pronged approach that includes: * Reviewing all sponsored materials and activities and holding them to the same standards as other similar items by using the SOCAP guidelines. * Pursuing noncommercial partnerships with businesses and rejecting the notion that it is ethical to bring advertising into the schools to provide materials or funds. * Begin the teaching of media literacy in elementary school, to educate children to be critical readers of advertising, propaganda, and other media messages. Groups that support advertising in schools have very strong arguments to back their case. It seems that there is a large area for investment in advertising in schools. It also appears that if handled correctly, advertising techniques in schools can lead to the raising of an overall helpful, efficient way to ‘fundraise’. Although advertising in schools may bring needed increases in funds, it is not without controversy. Many people are opposed to advertising in schools. They feel that children are being exploited for profit because big companies feel students are a captive, impressionable audience. Is there any way to balance the true goals and purposes of advertising in schools? Perhaps the best way is to have each school decide what amount and types of advertising in their schools is acceptable. And although advertising in schools seems to be a great way of obtaining funds for school activities, every school board should definitely be sure they know what they are getting into before signing any contracts with big time corporations. In-school Advertising Grace Farrell Promotional Strategy Dr. Peyton 12/02/02 Bibliography Chaika, Gloria. Education World. 1998 Education World. Consumers Union Education Services(CUES). 1990. Selling America’s Kids: Commercial Pressures on Kids of the 90’s. Yonkers, N. Y. Karpatkin, Rhoda, H. and Anita Holmes. 1995. Making schools ad-free zones. Educational Leadership 53(Sep, 1):72-76. McNeal, James U. 1990. Kids as customers. New York: Lexington Books. McNeal, James U. â€Å"Planning Priorities for Marketing to Children†. The Journal of Business Strategy. 1991. Advertising in Schools Essay Although this semester our class has discussed the different types of advertising in the marketplace, one technique that was not discussed is that of advertising in schools. This idea is a growing technique that if conducted the right way, could perhaps benefit not only corporate organizations, but also schools and students. However, there are many critics, along with parents that feel advertising in schools is a horrible idea and could only lead to harm. Many advertisers view children as a profitable three-in-one market. That is, 1) As buyers themselves 2) As influencers of their parents purchases, and 3) As a future adult customer. Every year, children have an estimated $15 billion of their own money, of which they spend $11 billion of it on products such as toys, clothes, candy and snacks. Children also influence at least $160 billion in parental purchases. Generally speaking, today’s children have more money to spend than ever before. Companies know this and find that advertising to the ‘youth of the nation’ can be beneficial and lead to future dedicated customers. Because of the increase in children’s spending power in recent decades, advertisers have closely targeted children as consumers. New advertising strategies aimed at children have been steadily growing and expanding. The toy-related program, or program length commercial (which is just like a infomercial) is developed to sell toys, and stirred public attention and debates. Along with this form of advertising, 900-number telephone services were accused of being aimed at children. In the 1980’s, children got their own TV networks, radio networks, magazines, newspapers, kids’ clothing brands, and other high-price items such as video games and other high-tech products. Other new advertising strategies include kids’ clubs, store displays directed at children, direct mailing to children, and sponsored school activities. At first glance, selling corporate sponsorship rights to pay for school activities looks like a win-win situation. Needy schools get resources they need. Companies get new marketing opportunities that can build brand loyalty. After all, advertising in schools is nothing new. Districts have long used ads from local businesses to help pay the costs of school newspapers, yearbooks, and athletic programs. Even here at CBU our athletic department sells ads for ‘Sports Media Guides’ to local institutions as well as national organizations. A growing number of companies are offering schools money for a chance to market their products directly to students. As budgets shrink, schools must find ways to get extra funding. Many schools are doing away with fund-raising and have begun to look at corporate dollars to fund just about everything. Signing contracts with these companies seems like an easy way to get the money they need. Schools need funding for in-school activities and equipment, and, in order to reduce the number of children going home to empty houses, they need to fund many after-school activities. Product advertisements can be found almost everywhere in schools. They are most frequently found in stadiums, gymnasiums, school cafeterias, hallways, and on textbook covers. Some schools across the nation are even putting advertisements on school buses. So what types of advertising are out there in our schools? There are different categories that ads can fall into. The following categories can represent most the advertising techniques used in our schools today and give a description of how they work. Types of Advertising 1) In-school advertisements In-school ads are forms of advertising that can be found on billboards, on school buses, on scoreboards, in school hallways, in soft drink machines, or on sports uniforms. This type of advertising is also found in product  coupons and in give-aways that are given to students. 2) â€Å"Exclusive rights† contracts A company gives money to schools that carry ONLY their products. Extra money can also be given if a schools’ sales exceed a certain amount(quota). 3) Corporate-sponsored educational materials and programs Sponsored educational materials include free or low-cost items which can be used for instruction. Examples of these may include; multimedia teaching kits, videotapes, software, books, posters, activity sheets, and workbooks. While some of these materials may be ad-free, others may contain advertising for the producer of the item, or they may contain biased information aimed at swaying students towards a company’s product or service. 4) Corporate-sponsored contests and incentive programs This is where students compete for prizes by selling, buying or collecting labels for a certain product. These contests and incentive programs bring brand names into the schools along with the promise of such rewards as free pizzas, cash, points towards buying educational equipment, or trips and other prizes. 5) Ads in classroom materials and programs Ads in classroom materials include any commercial messages in magazines or video programming used in school. A perfect example of this type of advertising is â€Å"Channel One†. Channel One is a 12-minute daily news show for students in grades 6 through 12 that includes two minutes of age-appropriate ads for products like jeans and soft drinks. In exchange for airing the program each day at the same time for three years, Channel One gives schools a satellite dish, a cable hookup, a television monitor for each classroom, and an agreement to service the equipment for  the three years. While some state school systems had originally said ‘No’ to Channel One, the company reports to be present in some 350,000 classrooms. So what types of guidelines are set to insure that in-school advertising is done correctly and does not become overly exploited? Those who support the call for guidelines include educational groups such as the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, The National Parent Teacher Association, and the National Education Association. The Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Business(SOCAP) and Consumers International are two consumer interest groups that have formulated guidelines for sponsored materials. These guidelines suggest that†¦ † †¦ education materials should be accurate, objective, clearly written, nondiscriminatory, and noncommercial.† (Karpatkin & Holmes) In dealing with the issues of in-school commercialism, Karpatkin & Holmes suggest a three-pronged approach that includes: * Reviewing all sponsored materials and activities and holding them to the same standards as other similar items by using the SOCAP guidelines. * Pursuing noncommercial partnerships with businesses and rejecting the notion that it is ethical to bring advertising into the schools to provide materials or funds. * Begin the teaching of media literacy in elementary school, to educate children to be critical readers of advertising, propaganda, and other media messages. Groups that support advertising in schools have very strong arguments to back their case. It seems that there is a large area for investment in advertising in schools. It also appears that if handled correctly, advertising techniques in schools can lead to the raising of an overall  helpful, efficient way to ‘fundraise’. Although advertising in schools may bring needed increases in funds, it is not without controversy. Many people are opposed to advertising in schools. They feel that children are being exploited for profit because big companies feel students are a captive, impressionable audience. Is there any way to balance the true goals and purposes of advertising in schools? Perhaps the best way is to have each school decide what amount and types of advertising in their schools is acceptable. And although advertising in schools seems to be a great way of obtaining funds for school activities, every school board should definitely be sure they know what they are getting into before signing any contracts with big time corporations. Bibliography Chaika, Gloria. Education World. 1998 Education World. Consumers Union Education Services(CUES). 1990. Selling America’s Kids: Commercial Pressures on Kids of the 90’s. Yonkers, N.Y. Karpatkin, Rhoda, H. and Anita Holmes. 1995. Making schools ad-free zones. Educational Leadership 53(Sep, 1):72-76. McNeal, James U. 1990. Kids as customers. New York: Lexington Books. McNeal, James U. â€Å"Planning Priorities for Marketing to Children†. The Journal of Business Strategy. 1991.