Honour Killing Women

Sample details Pages: 14 Words: 4340 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? What is honour killing? Every year, hundereds of women are killed in the name of honour by their family members because they have brought shame to the family and the community. Honour killing is defined murdering a member of the family in the name of honour, it is usually the female who is murdered for bringing shame to the family. In rare cases, men are also murdered if they bring dishonour to their family or community. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Honour Killing Women | Cultural Studies Dissertations" essay for you Create order It is believed that honour killing is a private family affair and it should remain between the four walls of the house, no accurate statistics are available on this social evil. It should be noted that honour killing is a gender-neutral concept but overwhelming majority victims are women. The only fundamental difference is that the male accussed of dishonouring might be given a chance to explain his situation before the triabl leaders and can escape the death penalty by giving compensation to the family who has been dishonoured. Women are rarely given oppurtunaties to explain their side of the story and the only possible way to restore the honour is by killing the women who has brought shame to the family. Where does it take place? Pakistan consists of four provinces known as Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab and North West Frontier Province(NWFP). The menance known as honour killing frequently all four provinces of Pakistan. In Sindh, the practise of honour killing is known as Karo Kari, meaning black female and black male. In Balochistan it is known Siahkal. The majority of the honour killings take place in rural areas, however, there have been some reported incidents of honour killings in urban cities of Pakistan such as Karachi and Lahore. How can one be dishonoured? Honour killings for a choosing a marriage partner According to the article 16 of Universal Declaration of human rights, both men and women of full age, irrespective race, religion and nationality can enter into marriage with any partner of their choice. It is our fundamental to marry a partner of our choice, however in Pakistan, women are not encouraged to have this right because women are seen as personal property of a man, therefore women should exercise their right. Women are seen as commodity owned and controlled by their fathers, husbands and brothers. Women are not suppose to express any desires and feelings contrary to the wishes of their fathers, husbands, and brothers. Traiditionally women are not allowed to choose their partners for marriage. The head of the family, usually the father, chooses the groom. the bride does not have any say in the process and any defiance against the process is considered a taboo. Women who have been succesful in marrying partners of their choice are often threatened by their father that charges of zina(unlawful sexual relations) would be brought against them. Under the islamic law of marriage, the wali(the closest male adult relative) has the responsibilty and authority with respect to marriage, the wali is usually the father and if it can be proved that the father did not give consent to the marriage then it will be considered invalid, if marriage is invalid then any sexual relations which took place between the man and the women would amount to zina. Most of the time, family members take matters into their own hands instead of going to court. A women who married a man of her choice was murdered outside Peshawar court by her brother in the name of honour. Women seeking divorce The article 16 of Universal declaration of human rights states that men and woman should have equal rights regarding dissolution of marriage. Under Islamic marriage law, a man is allowed to divorce his wife anytime, the divorce can be given verbally but a women cannot divorce her husband, she can apply for Khula(Separation) in the court of law. Divorce is seen as a very serious problem in the muslim world and muslim women are enouraged to avoid divorce at any cost, even if it means by putting up with a severely abusive husband. In 1999, Saima Sarwar was shot dead in a lawyers office because she attempted to obtain divorce from her husband severely abusive husband. The killing was instructed by her uncle but he was soon released Qisas and Diyat laws which states that the person(s) involved in killing will go free if he is pardoned by the Wali of the victim.Her uncle went unpunised as he was pardoned by her husbad and father in the capacity of Wali. It should be noted that Saima Sarwar belonged to a upper-class prominent family, her father is a entrepenuer and the mother is a doctor, this case shows the social evil in question is a cause of concern for both rural and urban population. The local newspapers in the region overwhemingly supported the killing, arguing that it was accordance to the tradition and therefore it cannot be a crime. Honour killings for rape A woman brings shame to the family if she becomes a victim of rape. In 1999, a 16 year old mentally-retarded girl was raped on many occasions by junior clerk of the local government department of agriculture in hotel in Parachinar, NWFP. The uncle of the girl lodged a complain, the accussed was taken into protective custody and the girl was handed to her tribe. The Jirga(tribal court) decided that she has brought shame to her tribe and the honour can only be restored by killing her. She was shot dead in front of tribal gathering. Get rich quick scheme? Ratio of honor killings is higher in those provinces where agriculture lands are abundant. Land is the main reason behind a majority of honor killing incidents in Sindh and Punjab. In overwhelming majority of cases, there is always a ulterior motive such as lust for money, land, lust for another women or to conceal other crimes. Many individuals exploit the concept of honour killing for gaining compensation or land. If both accused of karo kari are murdered then the matter usually ends but if only kari is killed and karo escapes, the karo has to compensate the affected man by giving him money, land or another women. Nafisa Shah, a leading human rights activist describes honour killing as industry which has range of stakeholders including tribes people, police administration and tribal mediators, honour killing is used as an excuse to hide sins and gain money. Police accept bribes of about 7000 rupees(equivalent to 70) for not investigating claims of honour killing. The International Law International human rights law recognises honour crimes as a form violence against women, therefore it is a direct violation womens right to life and security; freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment; and the right to equality before the law and equal protection of the law. Honor crimes also violate rights guaranteed to women by the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), such as the right to freely choose ones spouse and the right to equality in marriage. CEDAWs General Recommendation Number 19 defines gender-based violence as a form of discrimination against women and makes explicit reference to honor crimes. CEDAW obligates States to protect women from gender-based violence, including violence committed by family members and to prevent, investigate, and punish acts of violence against women. The Convention also requires States to disqualify honor as a legal defense for acts of violence against women. The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women echoes these obligations and states that, States should condemn violence against women and should not invoke any custom, tradition or religious consideration to avoid their obligations with respect to its elimination (Article 4). International human rights law is enforced through the state and by way of treaties. A state becoming the party to a international treaty will be bound by th treaty and it is the states responsibility and duty to protect the rights of the citizens. Pakistan is a party to a Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the treaty has been ratified and as a result of that, the Pakistani government ammended the Criminal Act 2004 which makes Honour killing a punishable offence. Apart from making the ammendment to Criminal Act 2004, Pakistan has taken several other intitaves to curb honour killings and domestic violence against women: Establishment of Gender Crime Cell Gender Crime Cell was established in National Bureau on 1st April 2006 to curb violence against women. The function of the Cell is to gather, collate and analyse data on cases of violence against women. The cell will act as central repository of relevant data on cases of violence against women and it will assist top-policy makers in developing holistic and effective policy countermeasures to control the social evil volence against women. Gender and Human Rights Sensitization To sensitize the police and to further improve law enforcement response to human rights situations, a comprehensive program has been included in the cirruculum of police training schools, police training colleges and national police academy. Cooperation/Collaboration with NGOs/ Civil society National Police Bureau has welcomed visits from NGOs who monitored severall police stations across the country, the main aim was to look into the business procedures, handling of public complaints against police, infra-structure, and facilities in lock-up of the stations. According to the Government of Pakistan, all these measures will help directly or indirectly contribute against curbing crimes against women. After reading the responses submitted to UN by the Government of Pakistan regarding the issues relating to violence against women, one would get the impression that Pakistan is trying to tackle the problem, some measures have been to curb the problem mentioned but the measures taken are not adequate enough to protect women, controversial laws such as Qisas still exist which are often exploited by murderers. Qisas Law Qisas law is relates to offences involving bodily injury or loss of life. The aim of the Qisas law is to put the victims family in control, ir is up to the family members of the victim to decide whether to bring an action against the murderer or pardon the murderer. Under the law, murdering a family member virtually carries no punishment as the other family members have the right to pardon the killer. In June 2002, Zakir killed 18- year Sabiha on suspicion that she had become pregnant, Zakir was pardoned by uncle of Sabiha, therefore his crime went unpunished. In a situation like such as this, courts and law enforcement agencies cannot take further action if the pardon is granted by the family member of the victim. n 90 percent cases of honor killings, the culprits are close relatives and therefore they are easily forgiven by the family of the deceased, in order successfully tackle this social evil, Qisas and Diyat Ordinance should not be in practise at all as it allows murderers to walk away free. It is evident that more needs to be done to tacke the menance known as honour killing, but the question what can the further steps can UN take to ensure that Pakistani Government makes further ammendments to the law to ensure that no murderers goes unpunished? The role of United Nations The human rights machinery in the UN systems works in three areas: information, analyis and policy development; provision of support to human rights bodies and organs; and promotion and protection of human rights. In order for this machinery to be successful, the UN has developed human rights institutions at the country level. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights(OHCHR) assigns human rights advisers to country teams and their aim is to advance human rights through legislative, judicial and other enforcement mechanisms. The UN has created commitees to oversee implementation of implementation human rights but the commitees have a limited power to investigate or monitor violations of human rights. The UN machinery is merely way of recording information. If a state fails to comply with demands of UN then procedures usually range from coaxing to naming and shaming, it is very rare that sanctions are imposed for human rights violations because of the undesirable consequences. UN is also having monetary problem, many of the major member states have refused to pay their assesed share of costs, the guaranteed budget of OHCHR has fallen less than half. United nations is not effective in curbing human rights violations, it has no other to make sure that the human rights are not violated, they do not have effective mechanisms to make sure that human rights are enforced and they do not have the necessary resources. Simply by signing and ratifying a treaty does not ensure that the State will carry their duties and protect human rights. The only serious measure which the UN can take is impose sanctions. It is possible to impose sanctions solely on the basis of human rights, imposing sanctions for breaches of human rights is rare. Should the UN impose sanctions to pressurize the Government? UN can impose sanctions such as diplomatic isolation , restrictions on international travel, trade and financial transactions. Sanctions is regarded a tool created to ensure that States comply with demands of UN. Imposing may seem as attractive option but it can discredited on the basis of its harsh consequences on the citizens of the state. Sanctions have a bad history as they inflict undeniable pain on the citizens which the UN is trying to protect. If UN was to impose trade and financial sanctions to pressurise Pakistan to do more to curb honour killlings, then it is highly unlikely the sanction will work because Pakistan already a poor country, 17% of the population lives under $1 a day. Pakistan economy nearly went bankrupt as a result of sanctions imposed by UN for carrying out nuclear tests. Economic sanctions means that the Pakistan economy will suffer and therefore the people of Pakistan will suffer, the overall level of poverty will increase and it is likely that honour killings will increase as well because honour killings are often carried to gain compensation or land. Sanctions will have a counter-productive effect on Pakistan, therefore it should be avoided. The role of NGOs Traditionally NGOs are considered to be more effective than United Nations, in the sense that they are better at monitoring than UN. NGOs tend to focus on one issue at a time compared to UN which focuses and many issues at a time, thus there is overload of work within the UN, therefore the procedure of monitoring is not effective. NGOs do not have any authority, it can pressurise Government by way of protest, NGOs can run aware campaigns and provide support and counciling services to the victims. NGOs cannot directlty enforce human rights, for human rights to be enforced, NGOs rely on courts, there are still loopholes in the law which favour the murderer, unless the loopholes are closed, the NGOs will not be effective. Majority of honour killings take place in remote areas such as NWFP due to poor infrastructure, as a result of poor infrastructure, it can be very difficult for NGOs to monitor remote areas of Pakistan. According to Khawar Mumtaz, a leading human rights activist said there were many as eight NGOs working in the NWFP and for betterment of women. The organisations were targeted by religious extremists, the houses of workers and directors were destroyed. The NGOs had to close their operations and flee from NWFP because of security concerns. Who else can help? Apart from the United Nations and NGOs, countries such as United Kingdom can help to tackle problems such as honour killings in Pakistan by giving them aid, which then can be used to improve the situation of human rights in Pakistan. The United Kingdom donated 2m in 2006 to set up a gender and justice protection fund, the main aim of the fund is to curb violence against women. Many critics argue that the aid which is given is not always spent on protection of human rights due to high levels of corruption within the the Government. How can we fight this social evil? Legal measures The Government of Pakistan must repeal the Qisas law as it provides a loophole for murderers to exploit, the fight against the menance cannot be won unless Pakistani Government makes further ammendments to law. Adopt a legislation which would criminalise all forms of domestic violence, The UN has developed a framework for a model legislation which can be adopted. Honour killing should be treated as a crime against the state and Preventive measures Run campaigns to inform citizens of their human rights througout the country. Currently Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights is running a human rights mass awareness campaign throughout the country. The campaign is approached through print and electronic media, the campaign is delivered in the form of jingles, talk shows, commercials, slogans and promotional material in the Newspapers. In remote areas such as NWFP and interior Sindh, the people dont usually have access to electronic media or newspapers. The literacy levels are low in pakistan, the literacy rate for women in 16%, this means that media is ineffective in remote areas because there is no televisions and majority of the women cannot read and write. The women who live in remote areas are most vunerable. Honour killing crimes are under-reported, as a result it is not possible to estimate the real magnitude of the problem. Monitoring and collecting information would help the Government to understand the problem better, and therefore it will enable the Government to come up with better strategy. Protective measures Provide adequate protection to human rights activists and lawyers, often leading human rights activits such as Hina Jilani and Asma Jehangir. In one incident, the two daughters of Asma Jehangir were assaulted and illegally held for several hours along with their friends by armed persons because they were making a video clip. The police did eventually arrive but failed to take any action againt the perpertrators, the police asked Asma Jehangir to remain quiet otherwise the girls would be kidnapped, raped and killed. If activists are not adequately protected by law enforcement agencies then they will not be able to fight for protection of human rights. Long term strategies Honour killing is not a recent phenomoen, similar practices have been known since ancient Roman times, when the Pater Familias (senior male within a household) retained the right to kill an unmarried but sexually active daughter or an adulterous wife. In order to fully eradicate this menance, we should look at the true root causes in order to curb this heinous crime against women. The three main factors are: Male domination Financial dependency Lack of education Male domination Both men and women should be represented equally in all public institutions, most importantly there should be proportiante representaion of women in the Government. The National Assemebly of Pakistan(equivalent to Parliament) has a total number 342 seats and 60 seats are reserved for women, only 17.5% of seats are occupied by women, in order to protect rights of women, it is imperative they are represented proportionaly in the Government. At the moment, there are few women in the Government who are holding key Government ministry, Sherry Rehman is the only women who is holding the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting which considered one of the important ministries. Recently Dr Fehmida Mirza was elected as the Speaker of National Assembly, she is the first woman is Pakistan to be elected as the Speaker of Natioanl Assembly. Late Benazir Bhutto was the first female prime minister of a muslim country. To end male domination, women should participate in politics, proportiante representation would mean that it will not possible to pass discriminatory laws in future against women such as Hudood ordinance as women would have a greater say in the law making process. Financial dependency Agriculture is the largest of economy of Pakistan, 79.8% of rural women are engaged in some sort of agricultural work. Majority of rural women have dual responsibilties, they have to look after house and work in agricultural land as well but they are grossly underpaid, in many cases they are not paid at all. Most women living in rural areas of Pakistan are not aware of their rights such as equal pay, the Government should run campaigns to empower women and inform them of their rights. The Government should run courses to give women vocational training, this would improve womens capacity to earn by increasing womens access to source of livelihood, in particular cottage industry, livestock production and agriculture. Only 9% of the jobs in the services industry of Pakistan are done by women. The Government should encourgae equal employment oppurtunities, it was only 2001 when an Act was introduced which ensures equal remunaration for men and women for work of equal value. Study carried by a NGO confirmed the widespread occurrence of sexual harrasment of women at the workplace, the Government of Pakistan been able to implement laws which adequately protect women at the workplace. Government should undertake measure to make places more safe so women could work without fear of discrimination and harassment. Lack of education Only 16% of women in Pakistan are literate. Illiteracy rates are very high Pakistan. The education sector in suffering from inadequate financing and infrastructure. The budget allocated to education sector is low, Pakistan is one of the twelve countries who spend 2% of their GDP on eduction sector. Education needs to be improved, more schools are needed in Pakistan so more girls could attend school. How practical is it to enforce rights in Pakistan? Lack of eductation and financial independence are the main factors which stop from going to relevant law authorities for protection of their human rights, low literacy rate and lack of awareness does stop women for seeking protection against violations of human rights. Also approching the judiciary through a lawyer can be a expensive proposition, therefore women do not attempt to take any action. Democracy and human rights It is believed that military regime are the worst offenders of human rights, from November 1999 to Feburary 2008, General Pervez Musharraf, a army general has enjoyed absolute power over Pakistan. In his term many human rights abuses took place such lal masjid killings and he sacked 12 judges out of 17 judges to install his own hand picked judges. General Pervez Musharrafs human rights record has been poor. Elections took place on 18th Feburary 2008, most specators believe that elections were free and fair and democracy was restored. Recently the new Government ratified a key UN human rights treaty and signed two others, this suggests that the new democratic Government is serious about human rights issues and the position of human rights should be better under the Government of Pakistan Peoples Party. For many years, a military general had absolute power over Pakistan, the military regime was rarely criticised by USA or UK because of Pakistan position against war on terror, infact he was praised by George W Bush and Tony Blair for his role despite the fact that he committed various violations of international law during his tenure, UN never imposed any economic sanctions on Pakistan, infact economic sanctions were lifted which were on Pakistan for conducting nuclear tests in 1997 after he promised support to hunt Osama bin Laden. Human rights violations in Pakistan are often ignored by major member states such USA and UK. The major member states did provide immunity to a dictator against human right violations, If USA and UK would have not supported Musharraf and would have taken steps earlier to restore democracy in Pakistan then the human rights situations would have been far improved by now. Jirga system Jirga is defined a tribal assembly consisting of male elders of the tribe. Majority of the cases relating to honour killings are decided in Jirga instead of a formal court. Jirga should be banned because the system is unfit to provide justice to women, male elders are biased towards women, trial by jirga is the prime protector of the tradition of honour killing. The tribal assembly usually consists of uneducated male elders who do not have the knowledge and the skills to judge. They do not have any jurisdiction to impose capital punishments. Sindh is the only province of Pakistan where the panchayat(equivalent to Jirgra system) have been banned, Jirga system still operational in Baluchistan and North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Jirga system should be be completely banned throughout Pakistan, the only reason why Jirga system is still operational in rural parts of Pakistan because it seen as a cheaper alternative. Any hope? Pakistan is grappling with many crisis at the moment, the burning of judiciary is still unsolved. There is shortage flour and food prices are rising dramatically. There is severe shortage of basic neccesaties such as electricity and clean water in Pakistan. Recently, one of the most popular leader of Pakistan was shot dead. The new Pakistani Government is facing many problems and as result of that, they are not able to fully concentrate human rights issues, honour killings have rarely received any attention from the media or the new Government. We can only hope that the new Government takes positive steps to curb this social evil, so far there has been no progress made by the new Government to address this problem. Pakistan as a suffering from increasing unemployment, increasing inflation and growing anger and frustrations with the system, lack of opportunities, all these factors can lead to violence against women, all tend to build aggravation in men. At the end of the day, its the women who are at the receiving end of the vented frustration, thus violence against women occurs as a direct result.

Zappos Recruitment Policy - 728 Words

Zappos Recruitment Brian Hains Kaplan University Abstract ââ€"  Select a recruitment policy that might best fit the culture of Zappos. Why is this policy a good fit for the organization? What might be the impact of the recruitment policy on the organization? The new recruiting â€Å" No job postings† website is truly unique. First off, you have to give the Zappos team credit for eliminating anything in recruiting, because we have a long history in recruiting of adding but never subtracting approaches. The new talent community declares the end to job postings and the painful transaction between applying for a specific job and getting a cold rejection. It further offers the opportunity to become â€Å"a corporate insider,† where you join the†¦show more content†¦Senior human resources manager Christa Foley says one of her favorite questions is â€Å"What’s the biggest misperception people typically have about you?† She uses the question to identify candidates who are sincere and honest. Besides traditional interview questions, Zappos has some unconventional ways to learn about candidates. One of the company’s values is â€Å"Be humble.† To gauge humility, HR directors talk to someone candidates didn’t know they were supposed to impress: the drivers of the shuttle buses that bring candidates to the company’s offices. The HR directors find out whether the candidates treated the driver with respect; if not, the candidate is elim inated from consideration. Another value is creativity and open-mindedness. To test for this, the interviewer gives candidates a mockup of a newspaper and asks how many photos it contains. On one page of the newspaper, a headline states the answer. The assumption is that people who are open-minded will be paying attention and notice the headline. The recruiting team also goes to lunch with the candidates and observes how they interact with other people. 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Disadvantages of Decentralisation free essay sample

The success of decentralization will depend upon the quality of personnel manning the decentralized units. In those cases where the training, experience, education etc of the employees are inadequate, decentralisation of authority and of decision making would be harmful for the enterprise. There will be wrong decisions, confusion, contradictions etc. (2) Decentralisation becomes uneconomic and unwieldy unless the organisation is large and strong enough at the top to cope with a decentralised structure. Particularly for a small organisation decentralisation is not at all desirable because it would be easier and more economical to administer the enterprise on a centralized basis. (3) When an organisation expands through internal growth, decentralisation is not necessary and may be harmful. Unlike external expansion, in this situation no desire for absolute autonomy pre-exists. (4) In situations of emergency or trouble, decentralised administration is ineffective. It is costly and time consuming to control an emergency situation which affects a vital business area under a decentralised plan. Such decisions have to be taken at the top, and excessive decentralisation may lead to too much of consideration and delay before the problem is brought to the attention of the central or top authority. (5) In the absence of adequate information, decentralised administration tends to become weak. Decentralised decision making depends upon the quick availability of information pertaining not only to the particular decentralised unit but also to the other related activities and unit. In the absence of this ancillary information decisions will lack coordination and unity amongst the different organizational units. 6) If it is not possible to break up the business suitably into profit centers or investment centers, then decentralisation may result in inadequate appraisal and control. In conclusion we may quote H. A. Simon, that some measure of centralisation is indispensable to secure the advantages of organisation, coordination, expertise and responsibility. On the other hand, the costs of centralisation must not be forgotten. Decentralization in Organizations: Learning Objectives: 1. Define and explain the term decentralization. 2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of decentralization in business organizations? 3. What are business segments? 4. Define and explain cost, profit, and investment centers. Definition and Explanation of Decentralization A decentralized organization is one in which decision making is not confined to a few top executives but rather is throughout the organization, with managers at various levels making key operating decisions relating to their sphere of responsibility. Decentralization is a matter of degree, since all organizations are decentralized to some extent out of necessity. At one extreme, a strongly decentralized organization is one in which even the lowest-level managers and employees are empowered to make decisions. At the other extreme, in a strongly decentralized organization, lower-level managers have little freedom to make decisions. Although most organizations fall somewhere between these two extremes, there is a pronounced trend toward more and more decentralization. Advantages/Benefits of Decentralization: Decentralization has many advantages/benefits, including: 1. Top management is relieved of much day-to-day problem solving and is left free to concentrate on strategy, on higher level decision making, and coordinating activities. 2. Decentralization provides lower level managers with vital experience in making decisions. Without such experience, they would be ill-prepared to make decisions when they are promoted into higher level positions. 3. Added responsibility and decision making authority often result in increased job satisfaction. Responsibility and the authority, that goes with it makes the job more interesting and provides greater incentives for people to put out their best efforts. 4. Lower level managers generally have more detailed and up to date information about local conditions than top managers. Therefore the decisions of lower level management are often based on better information. 5. It is difficult to evaluate a managers performance if the manager is not given much latitude in what he or she can do. Disadvantages of Decentralization: Decentralization has four major disadvantages: 1. Lower level managers may make decisions without fully understanding the big picture. While top level managers typically have less detailed information about local operations than the lower level managers, they usually have more information about the company as a whole and should have a better understanding of the companys strategy. 2. In a truly decentralized organization, there may be a lack of coordination among autonomous managers. This problem can be reduced by clearly defining the companys strategy and communicating it effectively throughout the organization. 3. Lower-level managers may have objectives that are different from the objectives of the entire organization. For example, some managers may be more interested in increasing the sizes of their departments than in increasing the profits of the company. To some degree, this problem can be overcome by designing performance evaluation system that motivate managers to make decisions that are in the best interests of the organization. 4. In a strongly decentralized organization, it may be more difficult to effectively spread innovative ideas. Someone in one part of the organization may have a traffic idea that would benefit other parts of the organizations, but without strong central direction the idea may not be shared with, and adopted by other parts of the organization Read more at http://www. accounting4management. com/decentralized_organizations. htm#kX2TyKXfLDTQ2pML. 99 Decentralization: Inspecting the Tradeoffs Decentralization generally comes into account to accouterment the disadvantages of centralization. Although a decentralized command anatomy does advice to affected the cons of absolute administration such as abridgement of buying and authority, as you go bottomward the hierarchical alignment structure, it has its own different set of pros and cons. Let us analyze these claim and demerits of decentralization and put into angle the tradeoffs complex back adopting this administration concept. Advantages of Decentralization * The top administration and promoters of the close accept broadcast the controlling ascendancy and are therefore, larboard with added time to accompany the action for acumen the organizations abiding vision. Day-to-day botheration analytic is no best the better affair for the higher-ups. * Operational ability makes it easier for the alignment to abound overall. Activities such as franchising, about-face and hiring of advisers at the authoritative levels do not charge connected action from the top management. Consequently, amplification becomes easier, adopting basic and inducting added workforce become beneath time-consuming. Decentralization abundantly allowances huge organizations advance over several thousand advisers and geographic locations. Increased controlling ability anon translates into greater accountability. Bounded managers and alike added advisers added bottomward the accumulated ladder are motivated to booty buying of their work. Leadership qualities acquisition announcement alfresco the boardroom aural the silos and cubicles as well. The all-embracing atmosphere tends to addition agent assurance arch to greater job achievement than the austere borders of a centralized set up. Grooming approaching leaders is additionally abundant easier in such an atmosphere. Theres no best aloof one centermost of arete in the alignment but several pockets of arete abounding of accomplished bodies advance out beyond the organization. Ascendancy is delegated at the bounded level, which agency decisions are added abreast and accelerated admitting not consistently strategic. * Decentralized ability agency greater accuracy which in about-face ensures that beneath mistakes are made. A accommodation is usually a autonomous and participative aftereffect and if theres a fail up in progress, affairs are abundant that addition will atom it. While theres buying of success, decentralized ascendancy additionally ensures that there are beneath scapegoats. A aberration cannot be mapped to one distinct being (this can be a bankrupt beneath some added circumstances). * Perhaps, one of the best able outcomes of decentralization is the achievability of accessible innovation. With aptitude advance out beyond all levels and locations and the consistent networking possibilities, ablaze minds get calm with ideas, arch to addition rapidly. There are no authoritative bottlenecks or hindrances to barter of ideas. In a decentralized setup, it becomes accessible to atom the anemic links that are consistently affecting the basal lines. Therefore, it becomes easier to bung the leaks in time and accomplish abiding that the acquaint abstruse are finer conveyed to all added subunits aural the organization. * The acceptance of authoritative standards and best practices is additionally facilitated by a decentralized setup. Accuracy in action en sures that it is accessible for the assorted bounded teams to challenge and accept the methods and processes that brought success to a aggregation amid elsewhere. One of the above advantages of decentralized way of demography decisions is witnessed during a abrupt change in the bounded business ambiance such as the access of recession or bill devaluation, etc. Businesses are able to acknowledge and acclimate bound to these changes back ascendancy is decentralized. * Retail businesses like Walmart and auberge chains generally account from accepting a decentralized appearance of management. Businesses, area quick decisions amidst fast-paced changes in ambiance are the adjustment of the day, angle to account from decentralization. Disadvantages of Decentralization * Too abundant accent on localized way of demography decisions may end up abashing the bigger picture. As you go bottomward the accumulated ladder, advisers assume to lose afterimage of the authoritative vision. * A awful decentralized alignment can be the battlefield for ailing antagonism amid bounded managers arch to abridgement of co-operation and coordination. As a result, commutual functions may ache and absolute interdepartmental conflicts is difficult back ascendancy has been delegated. In addition, there is cher duplication of assignment (activities, processes and outcomes) that may appulse abridgement of scale. * Decentralization is not consistently a acceptable action to activate with, abnormally back the alignment is still to acquisition its basement in the market. Pushing decisions bottomward the bureaucracy after assessing if those levels in actuality accept the appropriate abilities and capabilities, is a aberration that could prove to be costly. * While decentralization promotes the advance of standards and best practices, altered managers apperceive them differently. Therefore, accomplishing of compatible organization-wide constant behavior becomes problematic. In case of emergencies that crave acceptance of organization-wide standards, the circulation of ascendancy and absolute opinions and accomplishments affectation a above hindrance. * Decentralization generally gives acceleration to an agent citizenry composed mainly of generalists and actual few specialists. External specialist consultants generally charge to be approved back the charge arises, added abacus to the costs. Assignment allocation and achievement appraisal are not constant in a acerb decentralized establishment. A subunit that is a amount centermost ends up accepting a raw deal, admitting acquirement breeding units acquire the allowances of a acceptable achievement by their subunit. It is difficult to admeasurement the achievement of amount centers and the associated advisers as they do not accomplish profits. * Businesses like fast aliment chains such as McDonalds area speciali zation is important and bendability in account is vital, angle to account from a added centralized assignment culture Source: http://www. shvoong. com/business-management/business-ideas-and-opportunities/2263925-advantages-disadvantages-decentralization/#ixzz2Oc5y6AfP Advantages of Decentralization The top management and promoters of the firm have distributed the decision-making authority and are therefore, left with more time to pursue the strategy for realizing the organizations long-term vision. Day-to-day problem solving is no longer the biggest concern for the higher-ups. Operational independence makes it easier for the organization to grow overall. Activities such as franchising, diversification and hiring of employees at the departmental levels do not need constant intervention from the top management. Consequently, expansion becomes easier, raising capital and inducting additional workforce become less time-consuming. Decentralization greatly benefits huge organizations spread over several thousand employees and geographic locations. Increased decision-making power directly translates into greater accountability. Local managers and even other employees further down the corporate ladder are motivated to take ownership of their work. Leadership qualities find expression outside the boardroom within the silos and cubicles as well. The overall atmosphere tends to boost employee morale leading to greater job satisfaction than the strict confines of a centralized setup. Grooming future leaders is also much easier in such an atmosphere. Theres no longer just one center of excellence in the organization but several pockets of excellence full of talented people spread out across the organization. Authority is delegated at the local level, which means decisions are more informed and accelerated though not always strategic. Decentralized power means greater transparency which in turn ensures that fewer mistakes are made. A decision is usually a democratic and participative outcome and if theres a goof up in progress, chances are great that someone will spot it. While theres ownership of success, decentralized authority also ensures that there are fewer scapegoats. A mistake cannot be mapped to one single person (this can be a demerit under some other circumstances). Perhaps, one of the most powerful outcomes of decentralization is the possibility of open innovation. With talent spread out across all levels and locations and the resulting networking possibilities, bright minds get together with ideas, leading to innovation rapidly. There are no bureaucratic bottlenecks or hindrances to exchange of ideas. In a decentralized setup, it becomes easy to spot the weak links that are consistently affecting the bottom lines. Therefore, it becomes easier to plug the leaks in time and make sure that the lessons learned are effectively conveyed to all other subunits within the organization. The adoption of organizational standards and best practices is also facilitated by a decentralized setup. Transparency in process ensures that it is easy for the various local teams to emulate and adopt the methods and processes that brought success to a team located elsewhere. One of the major advantages of decentralized way of taking decisions is witnessed during a sudden change in the local business environment such as the onset of recession or currency devaluation, etc. Businesses are able to respond and adapt quickly to these changes when authority is decentralized. Retail businesses like Walmart and hotel chains often benefit from having a decentralized style of management. Businesses, where quick decisions amidst fast-paced changes in environment are the order of the day, stand to benefit from decentralization. Disadvantages of Decentralization Too much emphasis on localized way of taking decisions may end up blurring the bigger picture. As you go down the corporate ladder, employees seem to lose sight of the organizational vision. A highly decentralized organization can be the battleground for unhealthy competition between local managers leading to lack of co-operation and coordination. As a result, interdependent functions may suffer and resolving interdepartmental onflicts is difficult when authority has been delegated. In addition, there is costly duplication of work (activities, processes and outcomes) that may impact economy of scale. Decentralization is not always a good strategy to begin with, especially when the organization is still to find its footing in the market. Pushing decisions down the hierarchy without assessing if those levels in fa ct have the required skills and capabilities, is a mistake that could prove to be costly. While decentralization promotes the spread of standards and best practices, different managers perceive them differently. Therefore, implementation of uniform organization-wide consistent policies becomes problematic. In case of emergencies that require adoption of organization-wide standards, the diffusion of authority and independent opinions and actions pose a major hindrance. Decentralization often gives rise to an employee population composed mainly of generalists and very few specialists. External specialist consultants often need to be sought when the need arises, further adding to the costs. Work allocation and performance evaluation are not consistent in a strongly decentralized establishment. A subunit that is a cost center ends up getting a raw deal, whereas revenue generating units reap the benefits of a good performance by their subunit. It is difficult to measure the performance of cost centers and the associated employees as they do not generate profits. Businesses like fast food chains such as McDonalds where specialization is important and consistency in service is vital, stand to benefit from a more centralized work culture. We have seen both the advantages and disadvantages of decentralization that hopefully makes clear what the tradeoffs could be in adopting this concept in an organization. However, most disadvantages of decentralization can be overcome by controlling the degree of authority delegated to the lower levels of the organization. Both centralization and decentralization have their extremes which is why, the key is to avoid those extremes and take the middle road. A combination of both concepts and a conscious deviation from the autocratic management style is recommended as a plausible strategy. Striking a balance between how much independence is given to individual business units and what kind of decisions remain under the central command could lead to a successful strategy. By Preeti Sunil Published: 2/13/2012

Plato Vs. Aristotle Essays (1056 words) - Philosophy,

Plato Vs. Aristotle Regime Change We have two great philosophers, Plato and Aristotle. These are great men, whose ideas have not been forgotten over years. Although their thoughts of politics were similar, we find some discrepancies in their teachings. The ideas stem from Socrates to Plato to Aristotle. Plato based moral knowledge on abstract reason, while Aristotle grounded it on experience and tried to apply it more to concrete living. Both ways of life are well respected by many people today. Plato started his teachings in remembrance of his good friend, Socrates. After his death he traveled back to Italy and studied under Pythagoras. Some years later he began The Academy. Much of the curriculum taught was dedicated to the teachings of Socrates. During this time he began to write down his thoughts about politics and development of a regime. Developing different aspects than Socrates. The Republic is the most important dialogue within Platos teaching of politics. It deals with the soul, which, as we know from the beginning, at the level where one must make choices and decide what one wants to become in this life, and it describes justice as the ultimate form of human, and the ideal one should strive for both in life and in state. Justice as understood by Plato is not merely a social virtue, having only to do with relationship between people, but virtue that makes it possible for one to build their own regime and reach happiness. The Republic is a political, and a work dealing with what traits or virtues one must have, as its whole purpose is to show that the one cannot be separated from the other. Politics is nothing more than the attempts of man to put order or disorder in his social life or regime. There is no way people can bring order in their social life if one does not first put order in their life, nobody is able to lead others unless one first leads oneself. Peoples soul are made up of several parts, as will be shown along the way, each man's main concern and occupation in life should be to build harmony and unity. Politics is the way a person expresses how his or her order in life can be used for everyone, the image of their own inner order or disorder reflected in his social life. A person cannot live alone, because one is a social animal, one must act; politics becomes an important part of the mind. Politics are simply the means of bringing order into the world of men through laws that are the pro duct of rational nature. It is the ultimate concern of the philosopher, the one of wisdom, to bring this order forward. Aristotle at the age of 17 attended The Academy founded by Plato. Recall that The Academy had been set up using the principles that were later set out in Platos major work, The Republic. Aristotle continued at The Academy until the death of Plato some twenty years later. Aristotle was recognized as a brilliant independent student of philosophy. Aristotles view of politics is expressed in his writing, Politics. Rather than focusing on the individual Aristotle is more intent on the regime, and the highest goal, justice. Another main point is that people must live together, thus having a united regime. The family unit was highly respected, for the household is where people originate. Aristotle's political science encompasses the two fields that modern philosophers distinguish as ethics and political philosophy. Political philosophy in the sense is roughly speaking the subject of his literature called the Politics. The most important task for the politician is, in the role of lawgiver, to frame the appropriate constitution for the regime. Aristotle defines the constitution as a certain ordering of the inhabitants of the city-state. Once the constitution is in place, the politician needs to take the appropriate measures to maintain it, to introduce reforms when he finds them necessary, and to prevent developments that might pose threats to the political system. This involves enduring laws, customs, and institutions for the citizens. Aristotle sees that every regime is a sort of community, and that every community is established for the sake of some good. Aristotle had different

Totalitarian Government Essays - Social Science Fiction,

Totalitarian Government "Those who would trade their liberties for a little safety deserve neither liberty nor safety". That quote by Benjamin Franklin described mindset that leads to totalitarian government. The British novelist, George Orwell is known for his chilling governmental satire. Animal Farm, his other well-known novel is a look into the past, his novel 1984 was a eerie prophecy into the not so distant future. This view of a negative Utopia has become so well known that people who believe in his theory are called Orwellian. But do we exist in a manner similar to the prophecy of the world in which he claimed to be what life would be like in 1984? The answer is No, but in just a few years we could. Ironically one of the greatest differences in our society and the society of Orwell, is that in 1984, the gene which leads to sex has been suppressed. For In our society promiscuity and suggestiveness have gotten maybe not more common but certainly more public. When Orwell published 1984, this seemed to be a logical conclusion that such an event might happen. For in the Post- World War II, generation sex was expressly hidden. For example on television the Rock musician Elvis Presley was not shown below the hips because it was considered far too suggestive. In this aspect Our Society more resembles the other most famous novel of a negative utopia, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. However we do share some similarities. Part of the power base in 1984 has its power exclusively through the deception of the people. Winston for example accepts the"fact" that two plus two does in fact equal five. As we know, two plus two equals four. The most important way in which we can prevent turnining into an Orwellian society is to not be able to be misled. To prevent the society of which we live from becoming Orwellian we must stave off apathy. For it is a slippery slope and if we take the first step down it we could live in an Orwellian totalitarian state. Closing, we do not as of today live in the society, which Orwell predicted. We still maintain a level of personal freedom in the United States greater than that described in 1984. However other nations of this world, the Peoples Republic of China comes to mind, where they live in a semi-Orwellian world. Even though we tend to say "it can't happen here", it can. That's what they would have said in Germany in the twenties or Russia in the Pre-World War One era. It can happen here and it shall if we do not remember the lesson of the American President Thomas Jefferson "The Price of liberty is Eternal Vigilance".

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incredibly unique. â€Å"My daddy couldn’t be here, Because he lives so far away. But I know he wishes he could be, Since this is such a special day. And though you cannot meet him, I wanted you to know All about my daddy, And how much he loves me so. He loved to tell me stories He taught me how to ride my bike We used to share fudge sundaes, And ice cream in a cone. And though you cannot see him, I’m not standing here alone. â€Å"Cause my daddy’s... Free Essays on Comparing Free Essays on Comparing Her hair was up in a ponytail Her favorite dress tied with a bow. Today was daddy’s day at school, And she couldn’t wait to go But her mommy tried to tell her , That she probably should stay home. Why the kids might not understand, If she went to school alone. But she knew just what to say. What to tell her classmates Of why he wasn’t there today. But still her mother worried, For her to face this day alone. And that was why once again, She tried to keep her daughter home. But the little girl went to school, Eager to tell them all. About a dad she never sees A dad who never calls. There were daddies along the wall in back, For everyone to meet. Children squirming impatiently, Anxious in their seats. One by one the teacher called, A student from the class. To introduce their daddy, As seconds slowly passed. At last the teacher called her name, Every child turned to stare. Each of them was searching For a man who just wasn’t there. â€Å"where’s here daddy at?† She heard a boy call out. â€Å"she probably doesn’t have one† Another student dared to shout. And from somewhere near the back, She heard a daddy say, â€Å"Looks like another deadbeat dad, Too busy to waste his day.† The words did not offend her, As she smiled up at her mom. And looked back at her teacher, Who told her to go on. And with hands behind her back, Slowly she began to speak, And out from the mouth of the child, Came words incredibly unique. â€Å"My daddy couldn’t be here, Because he lives so far away. But I know he wishes he could be, Since this is such a special day. And though you cannot meet him, I wanted you to know All about my daddy, And how much he loves me so. He loved to tell me stories He taught me how to ride my bike We used to share fudge sundaes, And ice cream in a cone. And though you cannot see him, I’m not standing here alone. â€Å"Cause my daddy’s...

Conclusion to cctp Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conclusion to cctp - Essay Example This plan also seeks to give all students technological instructions, as well as hands on material, for their future. Additionally, this technology plan will also educate the community, parents, and teachers to prepare them for the future with innovative skills that aid them to collaborate and have success in an evolving world. The CCTP system is dedicated to achieving education at a higher level through increasing access to technology for teachers and students. Through, drafting both technological and district plans, I believe we will be suited to implement goals, evaluate the success of change from technology integration, strategy assessment development, and give a continuous growth and improvement in education of our students. The use of technology in the classroom, however, has come with ethical issues that need to be considered. To handle these ethical issues will require the input of parents, the community, and the school administration. This will require students to learn internet safety and security that will certify the students benefit holistically from the Comprehensive Classroom Technology Plan. Finally, ensuring that the integrity of the students’ data is protected is essential for them to get the correct

Virtual Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Virtual Culture - Essay Example Our intertwined lives have made these Disney figures as much a part of our family as our own parents or siblings. Information technology has made our lives easier and more complex at the same time. Working professionals are on a 24/7 duty thanks to e-media (mobile and email). This has created the parental responsibility of parents even harder. In these difficult times, the virtual culture can serve a part of the parent's role by portraying the good and evil to the children and instilling the core cultural values in the children's minds. [4] The virtual culture created by the information age is apparent in our lives as well and especially for children. Since most of the virtual figures are projected towards children, it is they who get inspired and affected the most. Every child searches for the Harry Potter in his/her own life and become a part of that magical world. So it is now up to the creationists of the virtual cultures how to influence the children in shaping up their lives. As children gain easier access to information, the role of virtual culture will become ever so important in creating better leaders for tomorrow. [4] Each and everything in our lives can be segmented into either good or bad. Each thought will have two perspectives i.e. either it will be accepted or it will be rejected. Same is the case with newly establishing virtual culture. Conservatives may argument that each society has strong roots in its heritage and history that makes up the culture and traditions. For these conservatives, adopting the new way will be difficult and may even be dismissed as a totally not acceptable change. For these fundamentalists, cultural traditions will definitely be eroded from adopting the virtual culture. The values created by their ancestors that have built the culture will change and it will be considered as a bad change. [1] On the other hand, sociologists may argue that culture is an ever changing entity. Newer values and beliefs are entrenched each day in our lives which gradually changes that cultural tradition. For these theorists, change is a positive force and these changes enhance the cultural traditions. Change fosters progression and since the information revolution is already bringing the virtual culture to our boundaries, it only seems sensible to embrace the change with arms wide open. In these changing times, with children coming into contact with information more rapidly than most adults, the virtual culture can create the same values that twenty years ago our parents used to teach us. From this point of view, the application of virtual culture looks good. [1] What image of this country do US movies and television shows give to people abroad Hollywood is considered as the heart of the movie industry in the world. Movie standards are set according to American movies as they are considered as the benchmark for quality. Similarly American television and soaps are amongst the most watched in the whole world. So are these movies and TV shows watched because they portray the reality The answer to this question is 'No'. As with most products in the world, movies and TV programs only show things what the viewers want to see. This viewer oriented

Final exam ( very important to finish on time ) Essay - 1

Final exam ( very important to finish on time ) - Essay Example As an example, legacy applications are software designed and implemented in the previous decade and have limited functionality. At the same time, web applications use the latest programming techniques, gather inputs from a variety of sources and offer many new functionalities, features and modules (p. 16-17). Hence, the same approach of software engineering cannot be applied to them. Prototyping model is a part of the prescriptive process model and is a part of the evolutionary process model. In prototyping, the customer defines a general set of objectives for functions and features. The developer then uses these requirements as the basis, identifies the requirements and then creates a prototype model for the software that is further refined until the final product is ready (p. 43-44). The prototype model is used to develop applications used by a organizations in different sectors namely, banking, insurance, manufacturing and retail. As an example, banking applications have requirements such as registering the customer, assigning an account number for each customer and tracking their account related activities. On the other hand, a manufacturing firm produces a small range of products with a fixed number of parts. In this case, the prototype model must allow the organization to track each part, assist the marketing department in sales, aid the accounts departmen t to carry out billing and so on (p. 45). The Manifesto for Agile Development has the objective of finding better ways of developing software and it is based on four values (p. 65). However, some situations can arise that can vitiate the development procedure and create trouble for the software team. These possible situations are briefly discussed as follows. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools: Process and tools specify protocols and methods in which they

Strategic Marketing Management Sainsburys

Strategic Marketing Management Sainsburys Introduction J Sainsbury plc is a huge UK based food retailer with interest in financial services. Its chain of supermarkets has survived the challenges of competitive retail business since 1869, which makes it the longest standing major food retailing chain in UK. With the heritage of providing customers with healthy, safe, fresh and tasty food it has indeed come a long way from a small store from Drury lane to the current headquarter in Holborn, London. Currently it is serving over 18 million customers just in a week and have a market share of a staggering 16%. Along with its 502 supermarkets it has over the course of time diversified its business to 290 Sainsburys convenience stores, an internet-based home delivery shopping service and Sainsburys Bank. The internet-based home delivery shopping is available noticeably to about 88 percent of the UK households. They clearly identified five areas to focus on in order to maintain their superiority in the retail business which were a) Great food at fair prices b) Accelerating the growth of complementary non-food ranges c) Reaching more customers through additional channels d) Growing supermarket space e) Active property management. Situation Review In order to perform the situation review as a Marketing Consultant I have decided to conduct a SWOT analysis of J Sainsbury Plc. The reason behind my selection of SWOT analysis is that it has been used for a long time and is a trusted tool of strategic and marketing analysis. Its importance in reviewing the situation of a company is massive as it suggests ways in which the organisation can profit from strengths and opportunities and shield itself from weaknesses and threats (Adams, 2005). After the explanation of every SWOT elements of J Sainsbury Plc Ive also mentioned the likely effect of such elements to their competitive advantages and brand. However it is a method that has to be used very carefully because if not thought or investigated properly the results will not provide the actual picture. Strength There are several strengths of Sainsbury that needs be highlighted when performing a situation review which are analysed below: Sainsburys as a brand: Brand of Sainsburys stands it out amongst the crowd of other supermarkets. The goodwill that has been built over 140 years of service in its business is represented by its brand and that has several benefits like customer loyalty, brand familiarisation, increase and maintenance of customer belief etc. If Sainsburys want to increase its outlets the cost involved for advertisement for the local areas will be far less than that for a smaller organisation with a lesser known brand. Having such a strong brand is definitely continue to enhance its competitive advantage as other new competitors will have a hard time building up such a good brand as it needs a lot of time and effort. Use of effective Marketing Strategy: Sainsburys like any other large company has to use effective marketing strategy. It has been doing so very well and which is why it stood up the test of time. Sainsburys use of Jamie Oliver one of Britains most high profile chefs who famously launched campaigns regarding healthy eating in different sections of the community in its advertisements can be considered as a very good marketing move. It was like using a renowned dentist to promote toothpaste as it adds to the customers the trust for healthy food for good price. The positive effects of the campaign were apparent as shown in the growth of the sales in Sainsburys. With its effective marketing strategy Sainsbury is far likely to attract more customers and increase their competitiveness and enhancement of their already powerful and attractive brand. Human Resource Policy: There is equal opportunities policy in Sainsbury on different functions like recruitment, promotional, training and development etc. Their policy basically focuses on keeping their staff motivated and providing them with proper training. These kinds of policies have enhanced the reputation of Sainsbury as a very good employer. Having a good HR policy will only have positive results in terms of their competitiveness and brand as people will be more inclined towards joining with their team and most importantly staying with them. Conveniently located: Due to its huge network of outlets there is always a Sainsbury nearby. This is a very good advantage to have which backs up the effects of the brand. Even if Sainsbury had built up a good brand most people will be only be interested in going to buy groceries and daily necessities if there is a Sainsbury close by. Groceries and daily necessities are prime products of Sainsbury and in order to boost their sales location is of prime importance. Like I mentioned convenience is a key to a retailers success and its wide spread outlet helps them to provide customers with opportunity to stay loyal to them. Reliability and trust: Sainsbury have built up over the years, a sense of the trust and reliability among customers. Customers believe on Sainsbury that it would not compromise on health and safety issues. They also trust Sainsbury on providing very competitive prices for the products if not the cheapest. When there is trust among customers about your product and services they will continue to remain your customers. Extra care is taken by Sainsbury and this will in future continue to boost their image. Environment Friendly: Sainsbury has always been environmentally aware while performing its business. Some of Sainsburys efforts are mentioned below: It uses environment friendly till printers. It gave away eco-friendly loo rolls as promotional offers. It opened environment-friendly store in Dartmouth, Devon which was built with recycled materials and will help in reducing its energy bills. It signed a landmark deal that has enabled the creation of a new  £8 million wind project at Lochhead in Scotland, due to be completed in Summer 2009. The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) means that Sainsburys will purchase energy direct from A7 Lochhead Ltd. for the next ten years. These efforts mean that customers will have in the back of their mind that Sainsbury is doing its part in the great cause of saving the environment. The reputation has been slowly building in this regard and will continue to grow further. Try something new today: Even by the slogan we can understand that there are a range of products available in similar categories. Sainsbury take every possible care to match the changing needs of the different cultures and communities with its products and on doing so provides multi choices to customers. For example, Frozen Chicken Tikka Masala (Indian dish), Chicken Dumplings (Chinese dish) etc found in Sainsbury. This strength of Sainsbury means that it will increase its customer base, retain its customer by spoiling them with choice and attract new suppliers as well, boosting its competitive advantage and brand name in the process. Weaknesses Lack of international expansion: Sainsbury has always been a brand that is famous only in Britain. It hasnt ventured into the international market that much as yet. In other words it has not been adventurous enough. Its main rival Tesco has been more successful in this regard than them which will hamper their growth and market domination. This weakness will definitely haunt them as with more international coverage its rival will be more powerful and have more flexibility which means theyll gain more competitive advantage and a better brand name. No self-service: In todays world time is money. The service should be up to the standard at the same time it should be time efficient. Due to which self-service system has proven to be very effective over the years. However, there are no self-service systems like self-checkout counters in most of the Sainsburys stores. Providing time efficient service in every way is a key to any companys success and Sainsbury has not fully integrated this theory in their practice which will have negative effects in their competitive advantage and brand. Implementation problem: There have been many such cases in Sainsbury where they have been found short on the implementation of the pre-determined plans. It can be considered as one of their major weakness. There is no point of planning if it were not be implemented. It will affect adversely to their morale and brand doing a world of good to that of their competitors. Opportunities Every organisation in order to survive and compete in a market has to keep a close eye on any opportunity of growth, expansion, diversification, merger etc. Opportunities are something if not grabbed at the right moment the value of it later will be significantly diminished or elapsed. On the current situation I have tried to categorise some of the opportunities that lay in front of J Sainsbury, which are as follows: Growth: Sainsbury has been involved in other projects as well like its investments in property, banking, environmental issues etc. These kinds of alternative business present great opportunities for future growth. Growth is vital for any companys competitiveness and for Sainsbury its no different. Suppliers and Partners: Food for Britain (FFB) is Sainsburys partner and supplier. FFB helps its clients access new opportunities abroad through a network of nine international offices, associates in developing markets and a range of London-based services. Maintaining a good supply chain will help Sainsbury to be cost effective and hence competitive. Technology: This is a modern age of technology where every company has to find ways to upgrade their services using technology. Sainsbury has had bad experiences for not planning technology better when they had to buy back  £1.8b worth of technology outsourcing deal with Accenture. However there are huge opportunities in front of Sainsbury in the future for further development in technology. Technology is one of the key aspects in todays IT age to stay competitive. Previously overlooked Market Segments: Ive mentioned earlier that Sainsbury has not ventured into many international markets. This thus provides it with great opportunities for future to go forward towards those markets which were not considered fruitful. Markets changes with the economy and previously overlooked markets need to be analysed now and then which might prove very helpful to edge ahead of your competitor. Social Patterns: Understanding of the changing social patterns is a challenge as well as opportunity for Sainsbury. Understanding the need of the current society is vital. Threats Threats are other external factor that needs to be give considerable attention in order better prepare the company to face them in a proper way. It is one of the major component on determining the companys performance and situation. There will definitely be some underlying threats for every kind of industry and the company must take appropriate measures to deal with them. Threats however cannot always be identified beforehand so awareness of the environment is the key. Some of both the underlying/imminent and possible threats of J Sainsburys are explained below: Entrance of new competitors: Sainsbury needs like any other company watch out for entrance of any new competitors. This is a serious threat and emerging competitions should be monitored. Too much environment friendly: Huge investments have made in environmental and green issues without immediate benefits. There is a threat of doing it a bit too much. Actually a balance has to be maintained and cost should be controlled to remain competitive. Technological Changes: Technology is changing all the time and it is a massive threat to Sainsbury as well. Expansion of Competitors: Expansion of its competitors like Tesco have to be monitored carefully as their expansion is a clear threat to Sainsburys market coverage. This threat if not addressed properly can harm gravely to the competitiveness of Sainsbury and its brand name as well. Foreign company takeover: We can say that Sainsbury represents the British people. It lacks of international expansion also means that most of their customers are British. However there was a takeover bid by the Qataris Private equity firm which can have serious implications as its customers who are predominantly British will gravitate towards other British companies at the prospect of Sainsburys being governed by a foreign firm. This is also a significant threat as it will diminish the competitive advantage and brand name built by Sainsbury on British people. Task-B Explanation of various marketing strategies and how they can be used by J Sainsbury Plc to achieve competitive advantages and long term growth. In order to fulfill the visions of a company by fulfilling the its goals a proper marketing strategy needs to be formulated. Marketing strategies are the corner stones upon which marketing plans can be based. Market strategies include a series of tactics to make a marketing plan more effective in order to achieve marketing goals. Marketing strategies amalgamates the organizations marketing goals, policies, and tactics into an effective unit. Markets change their nature and behaviour constantly so for marketing strategies to become successful it needs not only to be properly planned but should be dynamic and interactive. Types of strategies Marketing strategies need to be formulated as per the need of the market situation for any given company. However there are of ways of generalizing some of the common strategies. There are several general marketing strategies that have emerged of which some are presented below: 1. The strategies that are based on market dominance Here there are basically three types of market dominance strategies: Leader Challenger Follower 2. Innovation strategies This strategy basically goes for promoting new product development, cutting edge technology and business innovation. In this type of strategy there are three types: Pioneers Close followers Late followers 3. Growth strategies This scheme focuses more on growth of the company. Some ways of differentiating the strategies are as follows: Horizontal integration Vertical integration Diversification Intensification 4. Porter generic strategies Porters these strategies are the most commonly used strategies so needs to be discussed in detail. Michael Porter described the generic strategies as not firm or industry dependant but general. These strategies were initiated in the early 1980s, and till date it has been widely used. According to Porter for any company go generate profit the attractiveness of the industry itself may be the main factor however even if the industry is doing not very well the company can still make good returns if it holds a good position in the industry. In order to position itself properly in the industry the firm has to leverage its strengths. When these strengths are applied in either broad or narrow scope the following generic strategies are evolved: Cost leadership Differentiation Focus Further explatnation: Cost leadership: The motto of this type of strategy is to remain cost effective and gain competitive advantage though being able to produce at the lowest cost at a given quality level. With its low cost the company can benefit in two ways. One, it can obtain higher returns against its rival while selling at industrial average and two it can benefit from increased market share while selling below industrial average which it can do without making loss. There are many ways to achieve this kind of leadership some of which are mentioned below: Improving the efficiency of processing Research in obtaining cheaper raw materials Utilising the benefits of outsourcing Avoiding various leakages in cost controls. Differential Leadership: As its name suggest, this strategy tries to dominate the market by developing products and services which are different and at the same time also appreciated by customers more than other products and services available generally in the market. The customers are hence ready to pay some extra due to the uniqueness of the product. However it needs the following kinds of strengths to achieve success in this strategy: Able to invest in research and developments. Highly skilled manpower. Creativity and insight. Proper marketing tools and media. Goodwill in regards to quality and innovation. No close substitute of product/service available in the market. Focus Strategy: This strategy basically focuses on attempting to achieve either cost or differentiation advantage upon a narrow segment of market. The assumption behind this strategy is that when strategies are focussed on a narrow segment of market the actual needs of such a market can be addressed. It tries to achieve as much customer loyalty as it can in order to be competitive. The main drawback of this strategy is that it will lose its bargaining power with the suppliers while focussing on a narrow market and producing less. Other risks might be that a broad-market leader may influence its target market and as its market is limited there will be no flexibility or room for tackling such competitiveness. Having said that, if the focus strategy is based on differentiation advantage due to its uniqueness it will be able to maintain its competitiveness. In light of the marketing strategies propounded by Michael Porter, J Sainsbury Plc can use these strategies to gain competitive advantage and long term goals in the following ways: As the brand of Sainsbury is of such worth it can use differential strategy to invest in research and production of its own organic food, special diet food, environment friendly recycle bags and other products. Due to its huge coverage of market and large human resources it might be beneficial for them to use differential strategy like opening its own training institute for retailing, health and safety clinics etc. As close proximity of its stores is a major strength of Sainsbury it can use focus strategy to increase its sales. For example: opening special vegetarian oriented store in a community which is thickly populated with Gujrati people ( a tribe of Indian people who are mostly vegetarian). Due to its strong and long partnership with Food For Britain (FFB) and its operation in a broad scope with good purchasing power it can use cost leadership strategy and reduce its cost of purchase. Differential strategy can be used to promote its products as it already has goodwill as environmentally friendly retailer. With its possession of good HR system and career security it can use differential strategy and can acquire capable human resource at affordable price. Task-C Analysis of Current marketing environment for J Sainsbury Plc and Recommendations on how the marketing mix elements may be developed to contribute to enhance their goals and values. In order to comment on the marketing mix that can be developed by Sainsbury to contribute to enhance their goals and values Ive first analysed the current marketing environment of J Sainsbury Plc and then explained further about the marketing mix. Environment and its factors: Globalisation: With rapid increase in globalization Sainsbury like any other company has to face a lot of challenges. The basic challenge is to fight to off the competition to achieve best value for quality supply of its products. Opportunities like entering new markets via joint venture and partnerships etc also arise due to globalisation. The price fixing scandal: Sainsbury is one of the four retailers within the UK who are most likely to be affected by this scandal or allegation. Sainsbury has a strong presence in the market and possession of a good public image there is a serious threat of this being hampered by the recent allegations. Tax rate: Corporation Tax rate is fixed by the government in UK like any other country. It keeps on fluctuating generally upon the need of the industry. Currently UK government has changed the tax rate to 28% from 30%. A huge amount of tax is paid by a company like Sainsbury every year and this change of 2% is a massive cut in the tax rate which means there is more margin in profit. Cost of products prices: Food prices have risen dramatically since the increment in global food crisis resulting in the rise in Sainsburys costs. This will mean that the increased cost will be passed on to the customers and theyll have to pay more. Unpredictable fluctuations in the fuel costs also has made it even harder to plan and control the cost of production and delivery. The credit crunch: The mentioning of credit crunch while discussing about the current market situation has been an obligation recently. There are basically two ways in which itll affect Sainsburys. One getting finance has become so much difficult as the market has become almost dead and two credit crunch have decreased the purchasing power of consumers. This has created a sense of distrust and suspicion in the market. Sales of luxury items have gone down and even basic products are being bought less. Another section of Sainsbury that has been hit by this is its bank. The Sainsbury bank is not a very established bank and when even the big players in the banking systems are in trouble it has been really difficult time for Sainsburys bank. †¢ Nowadays there seems to be more emphasis on fresh, easy style cooking. This serves an opportunity for Sainsburys to encourage new recipes and unfussy The Internet sales: In order to stay competitive in todays market, internet sales is a phenomenon that has to function well. The Internet accounts for 8% of global advertising spend and is growing rapidly (The Economist, 2007). Sainsburys can further develop in this area. It can either develop itself or outsource the internet system to increase its sales. Marketing mix It is a commonly used marketing term probably the most famous one. It is also known as the Four Ps which are product, price, place and promotion. It is the combination of the elements of marketing and what roles each element plays in promoting your products and services and delivering those products and services to your customers. In short the marketing mix is a set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that work together to achieve companys objectives and goals. The elements of Marketing Mix and how they can be used by Sainsbury: Product: The product is the first element of marketing mix elements that needs to be explained. The products or services offered to your customer have physical attributes what they do, how they differ from your competitors and what benefits they provide to the customers. The product/service has to maintain quality, features, packaging, guarantees, and after-sales service. The basic objective of Sainsburys Supermarkets is stand as the leader of the pack when it comes to consumers choosing their food. They want to deliver products of outstanding quality and great service at a competitive cost through working faster, simpler and together. For that their product has to be given top priority and only quality products will do for that reason. Environmental friendliness should also be considered while deciding on the product. Services like banking should be made efficient and easy to use. Price: Price is the second most important thing of marketing mix elements. How you price your product or service so that your price remains competitive but allows help to make a good profit. How price plays a role in your marketing strategy with respect to differentiating your products or services from your competitors. The pricing policy including discounts, allowances and credit policies. Your pricing should be based on a realistic assessment of all your costs and take into account what the market will bear and the image you are trying to create. To stay competitive, price should be competitive as well as it is a prime element in the marketing mix. If the price is either very high or very low in regards to its competitors the long term goals will be hindered. Place: Place may also be used in your marketing strategy to differentiate you from your competition in the market. Where your business sells its products or services and how it gets those products or services to your customers. By considering good locations, retailers, inventory implications, transport and warehousing you can reach close to your customers. It will obviously give you a competitive advantage. Place is another important factor that has to be considered by Sainsbury to achieve its long term goal. It has a huge number of outlets around UK and is in close proximity with its customers. It should however always look to build upon it more. Promotion: Promotion is used to communicate with the customers and express the features and benefits of your products/services to your target customers. Promotions may include advertising, personal selling, public relations, networking, web-based marketing etc. By doing this you will express your product and its features to the customers to attract them to by the products and it will be helpful to earn profit. Sainsbury has built up its image as a very good retailer in terms of its product quality, environmental friendliness, services etc. Partly its such success in creating such an image goes to its promotion and advertisements, like using Jamie Oliver in its advertisements. There are much rooms for improvements in that area as well. References: Lecture notes provided by our lecturer Dr. Roman Puchkov Mica R. Endsley, Daniel J. Garland, 2000, Theoretical Underpinnings of Situation Awareness, 2nd Edition, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Mahwah, NJ, 383pp. O Connor J and Galvin E, 1999, Marketing in the Digital Age, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall. Doyle P, 2001, Marketing Management and Strategy, Prentice Hall. Official website of Sainsbury, www. Sainsburys.co.uk

Julius Caesar - Summary Of Act I-v :: essays research papers

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a play about loyalty, betrayal, love, and deception. There are many characters with fairly in-depth personalities. Some of the main characters are Cassius, the crafty, deceptive, witty man who is the leader of the conspiracy that killed Caesar. Brutus, the noble, honest, honorable man who is one of the key members of the conspiracy. There is also Antony, who is Caesar’s right hand man. He is shrewd and ruthless man, willing to do anything to get revenge for Caesar’s death. Act I is centered around introducing the play and some of its characters. The play opens around a crowd of people waiting for Caesar’s return after his victory over Pompey’s sons. As the parade marches by, a soothsayer bids Caesar to "beware the ides of March." Later in Act I, Cassius persuades the frightened Casca to join the conspiracy during a violent storm. They both plan to visit Brutus later with fake petitions to help persuade Brutus to join the conspiracy. Act II opens with Brutus contemplating whether to join the conspiracy or not when Lucius brings Brutus one of Cassius’s petitions. Cassius and five other conspirators enter. Brutus agrees to become a conspirator, but refuses to take and oath, including Cicero in the conspiracy, and killing Mark Antony. Brutus then leaves with Caius Ligarius for the Capitol. Later in the morning, Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia, begs Caesar not to go to the Capitol. He is finally persuaded to go by Decius. Mark Antony and the conspirators enter, and they all leave for the Capitol together. On the way, Artemidorus tries to warn Caesar of his impending death with a letter, which never makes it to Caesar. Portia sends her servant, Lucius, to the Capitol for news while she speaks with a soothsayer who will try to warn Caesar a second time. In Act III, Caesar, along with the conspirators, makes his way to the Capitol. The soothsayer and Artimedorus both try to warn Caesar to no avail. He is killed at the Capitol, stabbed first by Casca with the words "Speak, hands, for me!" All the conspirators except Brutus follow Casca’s lead and stab Caesar. Caesar tries to fend off all the blows until he sees Brutus’s raised dagger. Caesar dies after Brutus stabs him with the words, "Et tu, Brutè? Then fall, Caesar!" Brutus then explains the conspirators reasons for killing Caesar at his funeral. Julius Caesar - Summary Of Act I-v :: essays research papers The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a play about loyalty, betrayal, love, and deception. There are many characters with fairly in-depth personalities. Some of the main characters are Cassius, the crafty, deceptive, witty man who is the leader of the conspiracy that killed Caesar. Brutus, the noble, honest, honorable man who is one of the key members of the conspiracy. There is also Antony, who is Caesar’s right hand man. He is shrewd and ruthless man, willing to do anything to get revenge for Caesar’s death. Act I is centered around introducing the play and some of its characters. The play opens around a crowd of people waiting for Caesar’s return after his victory over Pompey’s sons. As the parade marches by, a soothsayer bids Caesar to "beware the ides of March." Later in Act I, Cassius persuades the frightened Casca to join the conspiracy during a violent storm. They both plan to visit Brutus later with fake petitions to help persuade Brutus to join the conspiracy. Act II opens with Brutus contemplating whether to join the conspiracy or not when Lucius brings Brutus one of Cassius’s petitions. Cassius and five other conspirators enter. Brutus agrees to become a conspirator, but refuses to take and oath, including Cicero in the conspiracy, and killing Mark Antony. Brutus then leaves with Caius Ligarius for the Capitol. Later in the morning, Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia, begs Caesar not to go to the Capitol. He is finally persuaded to go by Decius. Mark Antony and the conspirators enter, and they all leave for the Capitol together. On the way, Artemidorus tries to warn Caesar of his impending death with a letter, which never makes it to Caesar. Portia sends her servant, Lucius, to the Capitol for news while she speaks with a soothsayer who will try to warn Caesar a second time. In Act III, Caesar, along with the conspirators, makes his way to the Capitol. The soothsayer and Artimedorus both try to warn Caesar to no avail. He is killed at the Capitol, stabbed first by Casca with the words "Speak, hands, for me!" All the conspirators except Brutus follow Casca’s lead and stab Caesar. Caesar tries to fend off all the blows until he sees Brutus’s raised dagger. Caesar dies after Brutus stabs him with the words, "Et tu, Brutè? Then fall, Caesar!" Brutus then explains the conspirators reasons for killing Caesar at his funeral.