Citizen Engagement in development research Essay

Citizen Engagement in development research - Essay Example Its purpose is to contribute in meaningful ways to specific public policy decisions in a transparent and accountable manner". (Phillips, 2002) Around the period centering 1970s, the different governments, especially of the Western nations, more profoundly thought of extending the responsibilities of the citizens and gradually increased and spread the application of the plans in various arenas primarily including the social and infrastructural bodies to address more deeply the quintessential aspects of education and health. Citizens were encouraged to intensively participate and monitor in many small developmental projects and related campaigns in their respective community areas.  Lack of substantial civilian involvement at that period prompted many theories to be developed and scrutinized at this very context. There have been several approaches and detailed theoretical study and discussion regarding literature of public involvement in developmental affairs of the governance. Many such views were studied exhaustively and dissected minutely to frame administrative policies across the nations of the world. One such view to understand the role of civilians in attaining developmental goals was the neo-liberal market approach. The main argument of the neo-liberal market approach is a continually sustained moderation of the government authority through a proper mix of privatization and decentralization policies (Gaventa, 2007). In this particular framework, the main critic is the civilians are mechanically.

Small Business Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Small Business Management - Assignment Example he proposed business is established, product and services improve in quality as the managers gain more experience in production and in some situations the original business concept and management change as entrepreneurs are hit by the reality on the ground (Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm), Films Media Group and Video Education Australasia, 2010, p.52). Small companies can avoid becoming obsolete by scanning the market and the threats by carrying out a clear and concise analysis of their business environment under the PEESTLE (Political, Environment, Economic, Social, Technology, Ethical and Legal factors) and SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) so as to establish the available opportunities and threats. With the above mentioned analysis, such businesses would realize their strengths and weaknesses hence able to employ effective strategies that would enable them focus on their strengths as they look for alternatives to cover up the loopholes (Sitarz, 2011, p.45). Technology based companies can only keep up with the rapidly changing markets, products and competitors by remaining updated with the current trends in the technology industry as well as ensuring that they are innovative enough so as to outdo their business rivals. This can be achieved by ensuring that they carry out regular business analysis and market research so as to establish the exact needs of their targeted customers (Sitarz, 2011, p.45). Moreover, they have to ensure that they have highly innovative and creative product development teams. Having the right strategy is the most crucial factor that determines success of any type of business. Raising resources becomes easier as long as a given business is applying the right business strategies, and at times is able to use other people’s money, an aspect that is highly encouraged by economists and business experts. Entrepreneurs usually experience the challenge of differentiating their companies from the

Video game and primary online games Essay Example for Free

Video game and primary online games Essay Computer game addiction is a worrying aspect of the modern-day technologically able youth. Many children spend hours a day on computers, so much so that computers have become a primary source of entertainment for them , as well as a convenient baby-sitter for parents. Throughout this guide, the details of computer game addiction will be discussed, such as addiction signs, solutions to the problems and alternatives to computers for entertainment. Here are the Famous or most played online games. * 3 Primary Online Games: * World of Warcraft * Final Fantasy XI Online * EverQuest * These are called MMORPGs – Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games * MMORPGs never end, there isn’t a final goal state which you can achieve. You ultimately strive to be the best of the best within the game. II. Statement of the problem Computer Addiction is an ongoing problem for youths to adults everywhere. It involves the person spending time on the computer for hours more than necessary. The problem with Computer Addiction is that as more youths are logging onto the computer, they are spending more time online than doing another things. They become addicted to the computer, and use their time on the computer instead of doing other things, like spending time with the family or doing homework. This causes strange and irrational behaviour, turning these people into computer addicts. 5 Question about Computer Gaming Addiction 1. What is the effect of being Computer Addicted? 2. How do people become addicted to Computer Games ? 3. Doe`s computer addiction affect our health? 4. What symptoms can you find in people who is addicted to online games? 5. How can we say that the people or person is already addicted to computer games ?

Entrepreneurial Management In Marks And Spencer

Entrepreneurial Management In Marks And Spencer The issue of entrepreneurial management is utterly important for any organisation, as it is responsible for the realisation of strategic plans and business objectives by means of the human resources available for a company. This report discusses the perspectives and challenges of entrepreneurial management in Marks Spencer and particularly the issue of the relationship with human resources. The analysis of the problem relies on the models of organisational design context, organisational culture and entrepreneurial skills. The author explores and analyses the changes that the organisational has undergone in respects to MSs organisational structure and how their culture has been formulated. The necessary components of core managerial skills and competencies have been discussed in-line with MSs entrepreneurial activities. These factors have been evaluated and recommendations have been made. The author concludes that on the one hand, the recent reduction of the levels in the organisational structure of MS is beneficial for the company as the communication between the level, transparency and overall effectiveness increase. On the other hand, precise hierarchy and centralisation (mechanistic structure) make the company inflexible and difficult to adapt. Also tight environmental conditions and the current strategic objectives emphasise the need for organisational learning and professional development for both common employees and managers, which should be oriented to develop their existing entrepreneurial skills. The author states that MS should reward the most active and progressive managers creating motivation by all means. It is recommended that the organisational structure is flattened further, managerial control and communication should be improved to ensure better performances of MS and that the company should act in a more consultative manner. 2. Case Study: Marks Spencer The company Marks Spencer (MS) was founded by Michael Marks in 1884. Michael initially opened a stall at Leeds Kirkgate market that sold various items such as nails, screws, soap and wooden spoons for a penny each. In 1893 Michael decided to return back to his home routes in Manchester, and set up a shop downstairs from where he lived. He decided to seek a business partner; the business partner being Thomas Spencer. Today, MS is the largest UK retailer with 600 domestic outlets. Furthermore, the company is presented in over 40 other countries (294 foreign outlets). Marks Spencer concentrates predominantly of clothing and food retailing, which constitute 49% and 51% of its business respectively. The company offers stylish, high quality and great value clothing, as well as giving customers the opportunity to purchase food that is of outstanding quality that has been responsibly sourced from approximately 2,000 suppliers globally. The company has grown substantially throughout the years; the company direction and strategies have been manipulated to cater for the needs and desires of their existing and potential customer base and other stakeholders such as the employees, community, suppliers, shareholders and so forth. MS believes that their company values of Quality, Value, Service, Innovation and Trust are not newly established, and state that they are the principles that the business was founded (MS, 2010). More than 75,000 are employed by the firm all over the world. In 2009, revenue of MS was equal to  £9,062 million; net income constituted  £506 million. The companys profitability has been much higher prior to the recession. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and is included in the FTSE 100 Index (MS, 2009). The share price reached its peak in 2007, and took a dramatic fall in 2008. MS has a variety of competitors ranging from the main supermarket groups, to specialists in fashion and homeware. The competitive environment has changed in recent years due to the rise of home shopping, and more consumers purchasing products from catalogues and the Internet. MS have to compete on price, what they have to offer, the rising expectations of the consumers and on the in-store experience. MSs management recognise the need to do business in an ethical way; to provide products and services to stimulate public interest and to abide by legislations/regulations such as consumers rights, environmental rules and other Industry regulations. Management have attracted 21 million people visiting the stores each week by their entrepreneurial implementations through their decision making processes by acting competitively and innovatively, also by differentiating themselves from their competitors in the retail industry by what they have to offer and by their strong ethical stance. The organisational design, organisational culture and the entrepreneurial skills that the management possess have contributed to MSs success in recent years. Management have been able to spot opportunities first were other competitors havent, or have not been fast enough to act; such as in 2002 MS announced that it was the first ever retailer to use only free-range eggs in all of their products, in 2005 MSs Cafe Revive were the first UK Coffee chain to offer Fair-Trade tea and coffee as standard, and in 2008 by becoming the first retailer to remove all artificial colour and flavourings from their entire food and soft drinks range (MS, 2008). MS empl oyees may therefore feel a sense of satisfaction for working for a well established, strongly ethical and successful company, thus potentially improving their co-operation and motivational levels. Stuart Rose, the Chairman/Chief Executive of MS expressed that the company has a key goal in everything they do: to build a sustainable business for the long term, generating shareholder value through consistent, profitable growth whilst making sure that customers can trust them to do the right thing. Rose states that customers of MS have told us that despite the impact of the recession our commitment to the environment and trading fairly is still important to them (MS, 2009). MS have planned ambitions to satisfy the general public by challenging themselves with the implementation of Plan A, aiming to become the worlds most sustainable major retailer by 2015 that could also prove to be a factor that encourages customer loyalty and help establishing a competitive advantage. Plan A was launched in January 2007 and is a five year eco-plan which has a positive contribution to the environment and society in every aspect of how MS do business so that they grow in a sustainable way. The plan addresses challenges across five areas: Climate change, waste, sustainable raw materials, fair partner and health (http://plana.marksandspencer.com). MS has a standard centralised organisational structure that is characteristic to the majority of the UK multiple retailers. The organisation structure is vertical (Whitehead, 1994). MS has moved to a new flatter structure recently, which implies the reduction of organisational layers in the structure (Varley, 2006); this therefore makes the organisation faster to perceive any changes and respond to them. Due to the organisation having a large complex structure, MS have to ensure that managerial control and communication throughout the hierarchy is efficient and effective to try ensuring high employee morale and motivation, thus a more efficient and effective workforce to meet MSs strategic objectives. This is a key problem area that MS need to focus on. The structure of the hierarchy is complex; therefore employees attitudes and values may only be conveyed to the employees line manager. This reflects the importance of communication in MS between the vertical levels of authority. The leadership style is autocratic; the business decisions are typically made and influenced by management only with a lack of consultation of the employees. Consultation could give employees recognition, motivation and a sense of belonging/need. The recession has had direct effect on MS in terms of profitability and their entrepreneurial thinking in decision making processes, due to the serious nature and potential negative associations that can follow from such an economic downturn. In October 2008 Stuart Rose stated that Consumer confidence remained fragile and the retail environment was unpredictable (http://business.timesonline.co.uk); this enforcing company management to act in an entrepreneurial way, by being alert and acting rapidly in the best interests of the organisation and its stakeholders. MSs management realise that there is an importance of having the ability to spot any opportunities available; in the scope to improve customer loyalty and confidence in the brand to attempt to overcome the negative side effects of the recession and assisting the creation of stability/prosperity for the company. According to Morgan (2001) the corporation provides the training of technical skills and business competencies of their employees. Afterwards, the effectiveness analysis of the learning is conducted within six months (Schutt, 2006). The learning process is necessary for the management to develop entrepreneurial skills to lead the workforce in an effective, appropriate and motivational manner. In January 2009 management announced that they were to cut costs by reducing their workforce by 1000 staff members across the retail stores, head office and their support functions (www.telegraph.co.uk). This reflects the need for strict management of the workforce and certain constraints to be implemented in such a dynamic environment to meet short/long term company objectives. The company comprehend the requirement to ensure that there is a focused balance between each of the stakeholders needs and desires; sacrifices such as these cost cutting measures have been implemented in attempts to outweigh financial uncertainty. According to Stiegert and Kim (2009) the rewards and bonuses for the employees in MS have been reduced considerably with the coming of the global financial crisis; which could be detrimental for the workforces future efficiency, motivation and morale; thus potentially affecting customer satisfaction levels. MS strive to satisfy stakeholders through the utilisation of the management team and their employees. They emphasise the need for effective managerial control in-line with company objectives; for the employees to know the entailment of their job specifications to provide efficiency that may contribute to a competitive advantage being established for MS. The outcome of this process will decide the companys future competitive stance in their market. 3. Context of Organisational Design According to Ferrell (1979) and Gibson et al. (2003), the notion of organisational design is directly associated with the creation of formal relationship, roles and processes within an organisation. The researcher has chosen the model that describes the context of organisational design, since it is necessary to analyse the framework and conditions of the management process and managers roles within Marks Spencer from the very beginning. According to Stanford (2005), the model of the context of organisational design is five-fold, where all the components are mutually influenced. The context of organisational design in Marks Spencer can be presented as follows: Structure: MS has a standard centralised organisational structure that is characteristic to the majority of the UK multiple retailers. Marks Spencer does not possess any manufacturing facilities in Great Britain. This means that the success of this retail business is determined by greater centralisation. The company has a vertical structure (Whitehead, 1994). MS has moved to a new flatter structure recently, which implies the reduction of organisational layers in the structure (Varley, 2006). The composition of the second-layer management team is the following: human resources, international business, retail, IT and logistics, food, store marketing and design, merchandise, finance and operations, marketing (MS, 2009). It can be argued that such hierarchy and the reduced number or levels in the organisational structure to be an advantage (mechanistic structure). The communication between the layers is better arranged, tasks and responsibilities are clearly defined, which is the key to stability. However, it may be argued that the whole organisation is less flexible and adaptive as in the case of organic structure. This deals predominantly with the initiative of lower rank managers. Size: According to the size, Marks Spencer can be classified as a large business, since the company employs more than 75,000 people all over the world (MS, 2010). Huge size implies extensive hierarchy from the CEO to a common worker (Coe, 2004). Despite the fact that organisational structure has been flattened recently, it is complicated anyway. Huge size obliges MS to state and restate precise responsibilities on a regular basis. The fulfilment of duties raises the problem of advanced managerial control. Environment: The environment in which Marks Spencer operates can be characterised as complex. The company is to respect consumer rights, operate according to the regulations in the industry and comply with environmental rules such as waste control (Bevan, 2001). Furthermore, MS is responsible to provide timely salaries and wages to its employees (Jones and Simmons, 1990). Moreover, the company is to adjust to recent social changes, which imply that the UK residents tend to spend more time online than outdoors. It is valid to argue that such a complex environment makes the management process within MS more difficult. Better entrepreneurial skills are required from the top management. And more sophisticated strategies should be used. It can be argued that in such conditions, there is a pressing need for greater integration of the departments of Marks Spencer. Technology: The technologies implemented in Marks Spencer would be rather characterised as routine technologies. Being of a clothes and food retailer, the company faces automatic and frequently repeated processes and tasks. Very few employees are required to demonstrate a creative approach to their responsibilities (non-routine technologies) (Dobson et al., 2004). It may be argued that routine technologies in MS can be explained by the considerable hierarchal organisational structure. In such a case the presence of bureaucracy is inevitable. It is valid to argue that the existing bureaucratic organisational structure should be improved by a more creative management process. This requires better entrepreneurial skills from the managers themselves. But this will enable to upgrade the inter-level communication quality. Strategy: Corporate strategy is quite a broad notion, but it can be stated that the key objectives of MS is to accentuate its own brand, to improve the clothing segment in order to reach the balance between food and clothing retail. Furthermore, the company seeks to improve the line of Home Beauty in its retail stores, to accelerate the programme of store renewal, improve the supply chain and start to use the space in outlets more effectively (MS, 2009; MS, 2010). In May 2008 a press release stated that international sales and profits were up by 16.8% and 33% (http://news.bbc.co.uk); it could be suggested that MS are hoping to overcome some weaknesses of the UKs current economic climate with geographical diversification by increasing stores internationally. As it is seen, these business strategic issues require optimisation and rationalisation of the existing directions. This means that MS is to provide professional training and organisational learning for its employees. According to Morgan (2001) the corporation provides the training of technical skills and business competencies of their employees. Afterwards, the effectiveness analysis of the learning is conducted within six months (Schutt, 2006). It may be argued by the author that the discussed strategic orientation of MS requires more specialised training of the employees. Furthermore, the training should not be academic by nature, but it must be integrated into the practical fulfillment of responsibilities. It is supposed that learning groups should be organised within departments and the team work is to be emphasised in such learning. The model of organisational design context can be criticised for the fact that it does not take into account the dimension of industry. Retail industry, in which Marks Spencer is engaged, is attributed to numerous specific features that do matter in the aspects of organisational learning, entrepreneurial skills and competences. First of all, this industry is customer-oriented (Stanford, 2005). Second, the whole structure should be aimed to provide a stable and high-quality service. From this standpoint, culture of communication, fast reaction between the organisational layers and strong lea dership are sufficient. 4. Organisational Culture The model of organisational culture has been chosen for discussion because it embraces a wide range of management categories associated with the company. It is possible to discuss leadership styles, controls and rewards in organisational processes. Managerial ethics and inter-industry specifics are also included into the model (Pinches, 1999). As it was mentioned, the previous model lacked these industry-related issues. However, the framework was formulated on the foundation of very fundamental assumptions about how organisations work and how they are managed (Cameron and Quinn, 2006); these assumptions may not be true of all organisations in practice; the model also represents that each of the four inputs are of equal importance in prescribing culture, this may not always be the case. Organisational processes: Discussing the leadership styles in Marks Spencer it is quite difficult to generalise since different managers can choose different leadership depending on personal preferences, educational background and experience. Nevertheless, the top managers of the company have been numerously characterised in the past as having an autocratic leadership style (Williams, 1992). This means that with such state of affairs the authority of managers is high, but the autonomy of departments, groups and individuals in the decision-making process is low (Messick and Kramer, 2005; Mullins, 2007). This is partially explained by the centralised vertical structure with considerable number of layers. It is difficult to judge whether this style is the best one for MS, but it is valid to assume that it contributes to bureaucracy, lower motivation and absence of the necessity of personal development of employees. Hence, the management can be at least recommended to improve the autonomy of the creative departm ents. The employees engaged in non-routine technologies should be managed consultatively. According to Stiegert and Kim (2009) the rewards and bonuses for the employees in MS have been reduced considerably with the coming of the global financial crisis. A press release in May 2008 stated that store teams are set to share  £12.8 million; the previous year MS paid a record of  £91 million in bonuses to its 75,000 staff (http://investmentmarkets.co.uk). This could generate negative effect on the motivation and productivity of the personnel. It can be argued that the corporation should find the possibility to reward the most active and progressive managers and employees. However, Stuart Rose believes MS are expecting market conditions to remain difficult for the foreseeable future and are managing the business accordingly. Tight stock control and management of costs are priority. (http://corporate.marksandspencer.com) The company announced cuts of 1000 jobs in January 2009; this could create uncertainty in the workforce that may lead to a lack of motivation, morale and in crease absenteeism levels due to stress and anxiety. Cognitive processes: One of the strongest features of MS is that the company supports professional ethics. This characteristic refers to both the employees and customers of the company. Managerial decisions and actions cannot contradict to the existing regulations (MS, 2010). Nevertheless, the process of strategic thinking is vertical as in the case of organisational structure. It is valid to argue that lower rank managers should be involved into the process of strategic thinking. Behaviours: Group member behaviour in Marks Spencer can be described as traditional teamwork. This kind of member and manager behaviour is characteristic to centralised vertical organisational structures (Morgan, 2001). Such form of behaviour implies lower control by group members and greater control by group facilitators. Again, the company can be criticised for increased control over employees and strict frameworks in which the employees have to perform their functions. Values: The values of Marks Spencer are the following: quality, service, innovation, trust and commitment towards employees and valued people (MS, 2010). The implementation of Plan A strives to meet the environmental concerns of the company, employees and customers, encouraging people to live a greener lifestyle (MS, 2010). Human resources are among the highest values of the company. However, such direction is to be confirmed by the practical actions of the corporation. 5. Entrepreneurial Skills Another model that can be applied to characterise Marks Spencer is the entrepreneurial skills model. It has been chosen for the discussion because it vividly illustrates the necessary components of core managerial skills and competencies developing that take place within the company to contribute towards forming the organisations culture and design. However though, research to determine whether identifiable relationships exist between the performance of the firm, the learning mode of the organisation and organisational competence does not provide clear statistically significant relationships and further work is clearly needed (Chaston et al, 1999). Entrepreneurial skills- The necessary components of core managerial skills and competencies: Research and practice connected to competence is focused by the ambition to achieve superior performance, and for economic gain or business success (Spencer and Spencer, 1993). As it has been already mentioned, the personnel of Marks Spencer participate in regular organisational learning aimed to develop the core skills and competencies (Johansson, 2004). However, the researcher argues that such learning is necessary in the first place for the management of the company to develop entrepreneurial skills; Deakins and Freel (2003) proclaim that there is need for sophisticated knowledge and competencies to operate larger production runs and manage a workforce. It may be stated that the connection to the industry should be emphasised at every stage. The business should focus on the management to build a reliable customer-oriented service. An Industry opportunity has been spotted by management in the implementation of Plan A, in which MS feel has motivated employees and involved them in taking part in contributing to the good cause that they have an interest in in the community where they and the customers live. Costs have also been reduced in result of Plan A, with a  £50 million surplus in 2009/2010 (http://plana.marksandspencer.com). It could be argued that the management team implementing these changes relate to the definition of an entrepreneur as according to Schumpeter and Kirzner. Shumpeter (1934) believed the entrepreneur is a special person who brings about change, whilst Kirzner (1979) believed the entrepreneur is anyone who is alert to the profitable opportunities for exchange; who has additional knowledge which enables the recognition and exploitation of an opportunity (Deakins and Freel, 2003). The skill to recognise and exploit the positive financial, environmental and employee motivational implications of Plan A appears to be welcomed by the general public (through the knowledge gathered from customers (MS 2009) which could establish a competitive advantage). Also by the company and its employees due to the improvement of environmental issues that may affect all of the stakeholders; and by the savings that have been made that can be utilised in other means to the companys strategic advantage. Personal motivation is necessary for managers. If they possess this, it would be a transmitter to further organisational levels. According to Lussier (2009) managers have come to realise that a motivated workforce can contribute powerfully to bottom-line profits and that the poor performance of employees can be caused inadvertently by managers themselves potentially due to their lack of motivation. In this light, the bonuses and rewards for the managers are extremely important. David Michels (Deputy Chairman of MS) expressed that he believes good governance encourages entrepreneurship and innovation within a framework of accountability (http://corporate.marksandspencer.com). The general management skills and human relationship skills appear to be the fundamental competencies for managers. 6. Conclusion and Recommendation It may be concluded that on the one hand, the reduction of the levels in the organisational structure of Marks Spencer is beneficial for the company as the communication between the level, transparency and overall effectiveness increase. On the other hand, precise hierarchy and centralisation (mechanistic structure) make the company inflexible and difficult to adapt. MS can be recommended to flatten its structure even more because the number of departments and layers has remained high in spite of the restructuring that was attempted (MS, 2010). Furthermore, communication, quality control and managerial control over the fulfilment of employees responsibilities should be improved to ensure better performance in the company. Tight environmental conditions and the current strategic objectives emphasise the need for organisational learning and professional development for both common employees and managers. In particular, the professional training of common employees should be carried out in real teams (departments) and should be practical. The professional development of managers in MS should be oriented to develop their entrepreneurial skills. Marks Spencer can be recommended to concentrate on industry specifics, general management and human relationship. Furthermore, the company is to reward the most active and progressive managers creating motivation by all means. MS can be recommended to reconsider leadership styles with respect to creative workers engaged in non-routing technologies (from autocratic to consultative). In addition, lower rank managers are to be involved into the decision-making process of MS that may encourage them to act in a more enthusiastic intrapreneurial way.

Development of Business Strategies Essay -- Business Development Strat

The paper below responds to the following three prompts: 1. â€Å"The six forces model of strategy helps firms develop externally coherent business strategies†. Discuss applying the model to real cases. 2. Explain strategic posture and how it helps firms make strategy in uncertain business environments. 3. Evaluate the role of mergers and acquisitions in corporate strategy. 1. â€Å"The six forces model of strategy helps firms develop externally coherent business strategies†. Discuss applying the model to real cases. The six forces model is an extension to Michael Porter's Five Forces Model. The six forces analyze different areas in an industry. The forces in this model are: a. Competition- Analysis that if there are a lot of competitors. If so, are there any dominant players in the market. b. New entrants- To analyze if it is easy for new entrants to enter the market and compete? c. End users/buyers- Is the price easily affected by the buyers? Can the company work with a specific potential buyer? or to analyze their strength of their position in their relationship with the buyers d. Suppliers- Study the number of suppliers if it is a monopoly and if not, how many suppliers are there in the market. e. Substitutes- To study how easily a product can be substituted and how easily these substitutes are available f. Complementary products- Effect of complementary products and services on the market. The six forces model is used to study the strategic position of a company in a concerned industry and in a given market place. It is also applied to calculate the market effectiveness of a company with regard to competition and profitability. Let us take FedEx as an example. FedEx is one of the largest global courier... ...gy. †¢ Adam Hartung(2014), Three Smart Lessons From Facebook's Purchase Of WhatsApp http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2014/02/24/zuckerbergs-3-smart-leadership-lessons-from-facebook-buying-whatsapp/ †¢ Ibrahim AKGÃâ€"BEK, Mergers and Acquisitions as a Growth Strategy http://psrcentre.org/images/extraimages/412031.pdf †¢ PALO ALTO, CA and HOUSTON, TX (2001), Hewlett-Packard and Compaq agree to merge, creating $87 billion global technology leader http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-news/press-release.html?id=230610#.U00iUvmSy50 †¢ Wikipedia, Tata Group http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Group †¢ Sebastian Spaeth, Nina Geilinger, Corporate Strategy Mergers & Acquisitions http://www.smi.ethz.ch/education/courses/corporatestrategy/Slides_2012/CS_06_MA.pdf †¢ KENT RHODES, Merger and Acquisition Strategies http://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2010/08/merger-and-acquisition-strategies/

A World Of Intoxification :: essays research papers fc

A world of intoxification Screams pierced the midnight air and students ran wildly about the campus. Police cars whizzed by with their sirens blaring in the night. Glass was being broken and girls were being defiled. Confusion was all around and no one could stop it. This is an average night at any given university in America. The similarities between a horror story and a story about a college party are too many. At an average college party where alcohol is being served there is the possibility of fights, rape, death, destruction, and jail time. The common opinion in America is that all of these things are bad. So why do college students continue to engage in these activities? There are three reasons. First, if students have not been exposed to alcohol or drugs previously, when they get into that kind of environment, they will experiment. Secondly, if everyone else who is important, i.e. fraternities and sororities, does it, then to be important, you must drink. Finally, without pare nt instilling morals and good judgment into their children, the students do not think that it is wrong to participate in these activities. All in all, the biggest problem on college campuses is the consumption of alcohol and drugs. If a person was never exposed to the heat of a flame their whole life, and then was thrown into a family barbeque, where they asked this person to cook, how well would they do? They would probably put too much lighter fluid in the grill. Or, they would light the grill while looking at it to see what it did. Or, they would light the grill and then put their hand on it to see what it felt like. All of these things would cause extreme pain to the person who did this. But, would it be their fault? Would it be their fault that they didn’t know how combustible lighter fluid was? It wouldn’t be their fault if they put their hand on it and singed the flesh off of their hand. It wouldn’t be their fault because they were never exposed to it. Th e same thing can be said about drinking and drugs at college. If the person was never exposed to alcohol or drugs and they were thrown into a place where people engage in these activities on a regular basis, of course they would experiment.

The Geography of the Olympics

The London 2012 Olympics has had a massive effect on the world, in particular the UK. Geographically speaking the Olympic park is located in Stratford, East London. The Olympics is obviously a huge financial outlay, but it is not just for the 2 weeks of the games. Urban regeneration: The Stratford area was previously a under developed and unpleasant area of London. Due to the Olympics the ?4 billion urban regeneration of the 73 hectares of land within the M25 has been started, with Stratford at its heart. The new facilities will include over 100 shops, leisure facilities, hotels and schools. One area of Stratford is currently being developed to be the most significant business district since Canary Wharf, this is planned to provide space for up to 30’000 workers. Stratford’s residents have also benefitted from the athlete’s village, the poor standard of the previous housing has led to their demolition and residents will now be able to access the former athlete’s village as part of an affordable/social housing scheme. The inclusion of 11’000 new homes in the Olympic park area will provide what Boris Johnson dubbed â€Å"the most important urban regeneration project in the next 25 years. It was perhaps most needed in this area of London as it had one of the lowest GDP’s in Britain with unemployment peaking at 20% after the demise of what were once the world’s largest docks. The area was very undesirable and often dubbed stinky Stratford because of the slaughterhouses and noxious industries that operated there. A consequence of all this was the housing, before the Olympics it consisted of post-world war prefabs. (Sources: Gaurdian. co. uk/Live discussion- regeneration/ July 2012 & London2012. com/ Regeneration games/November 2011) Transport: With 204 countries competing in the 2012 and over 11 million tickets on sale, people from all around the globe will be travelling to see Olympic events. This influx of people needs significant public transport and a superb infrastructure in order to run smoothly. International arrivals/departures by plane relied on the continuous operation of major airports around the world and the transport links directly to major areas of London in particular, Stratford. This was facilitated by regular trains and buses running between the locations. Since the London 2012 games, Stratford train station has become the third largest station in the UK for the number of trains stopping there. The People: As well as including thousands of people from around the world the Olympics also managed to attract all age groups from young children to pensioners. This sets the Olympics apart from other events; the ability to include such a vast age range is incredibly hard it is event such as the Olympics that enable such a large demographic to come together. For the first time in Olympic history there was a female team member from each of the competing countries, this was a particular change for Saudi Arabia who let two women into the team this year in contrast to none in its Olympic history. The Finances: In the background of the photo it is clear to see the large steel structure. This was donated by Lakshmi Mittal, the owner of ArcelorMittal which is the world's leading integrated steel and mining company. The tower is named the ‘Orbit’ and is located in Orbit Circus to the East of the Olympic Stadium. Mr Mittal has long been a supporter of the Olympics, setting up a trust for aspiring Indian athletes after Indian won only one medal in the 2000 Olympics. Despite being of Indian origin he decided to fund the project in the UK, this clearly demonstrates a sense of globalisation as financial support came from philanthropists all over the world. The economic effects of the Olympics have also been demonstrated by many large corporations, such as Whitbread, the group including Premier Inn, 4 restaurant chains and Costa Coffee. They revealed that sales had pushed Whitbread to the top of the FTSE 100 risers, up 106p to ?22. 05. An average increase of around 5% across the group. Furthermore the construction of the Olympic sites has created 46’000 jobs, much of the workforce sourced locally to retain the financial benefits within the local area. Moreover the active encouragement of a healthy lifestyle generated by the Olympics has a significant impact upon the attitudes viewers have about sport and their health. Theoretically the long term effects of the Olympics could mean the government saves money in areas such as health care treatments associated with obesity and unhealthy living. This in turn would enable a higher proportion of taxes to be spent on further urban regeneration or other public interests. (Sources: Gaurdian. co. uk/Live discussion- regeneration/ July 2012 & Whitbread PLC/ Trading Update/ September 2012) The Economic benefits of the Olympics were hyped up to an un-believable level by some sources, figures circulated at around ?3. Billion from respected organizations such as Visa. This would have meant a 3. 5% rise in the UK’s overall economic output annually. It was also expected that between 2013-2015, all the UK regions would benefit financially totaling 2. 74 Billion in extra money spent by visitors. When broken down into sectors, the High street retailers were expected to gain the most totaling ?705 million, surprisingly the transport sector faired as the lowest e arner totaling just ?81 million. Therefore Visa came to the conclusion that the total ‘economic legacy’ would be ?5. 3 Billion by 2015. However, now the main Olympic Games have come to an end analysts, are broadcasting a contrasting opinions based on the financial figures from the games. The more realistic increase in the nation’s output for 2012 is likely to be around 1%, less than a third of the original predictions for the Olympics alone. This 1% would also include the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee which was estimated to have increase output by 0. 4% along with the 0. 1% of growth gained from ticket sales (doesn’t count as the Olympic effect) to a total of 0. %. So, even without the Olympic effect, output should increase by 0. 5% between the second and third quarters. For the economy to register even zero growth in 2012 as a whole output needs to rise by 1% this quarter and remain at that level in the final quarter. Several major think-tank’s and The Bank of England have cut the ir UK growth predictions to between 0% and -0. 7% after disappointing Olympic revenue. (Source: Visa Europe/Economic impact report/ July 2011 & Guardian. co. uk/Olympics-why the British economy isn’t a winner/August 2012)