Personal encounter with nature (animals) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal encounter with nature (animals) - Essay Example It was an animal with black and white spots that tensed up. However, I had learnt some tips of how to react when one encounters a leopard. According to Schneier (n.d), if one encounters a leopard, the individual should avoid gazing at the animal and run to safety. It is also wise not to disturb or jump over its laid tail. I moved to the sideways of the path to avoid contact with the animal. Leopards are sensitive and react swiftly to the prey. Therefore, the animal raised its tail and walked ahead of my path through the bush and laid its tail again. I did not attempt to chase the animal away or scream for help since it would make the leopard uneasy and attack me. I walked shivering to the gate of my home and avoided any contact with the leopard. It was a great relief getting to door of my house safely. I learnt that when in an encounter with leopards, being cautious and relaxed is always mandatory. An individual can fall a prey to the animal if they attack the animal. However, the animal can also provide protection if handled carefully since they are part of nature. Schneier, Bruce. Dont Look a Leopard in the Eye, and Other Security Advice. Retrieved on 20 Feb 2014 from http://www.wired.com/politics/security/commentary/securitymatters/2007/05/securitymatters_0531?currentPage=all Wired

Information Technology for Managers Essay Example for Free

Information Technology for Managers Essay Introduction In a fast rising popularity of technology, companies will use this to gain a competitive advantage. IT works in helping businesses reach their strategic goals. In the case for Sophia the goal would be to drive up her sales to meet with the standards that stiff competition has set up. Not knowing much about technology, Sophia would require help from an outside source in order to have the technology portion running smoothly. Website One of the best ways to improve the IT component is to open up a website with the help from the website onepageapp. com. This vendor is perfect for small companies to start up a website to your liking. One page app would assist in the purchase of a domain name for the site people go to visit. With a drag and drop interface the site being designed to Sophia’s preferred theme and the main content she would prefer on the site. One page app offers a few monthly plans starting from eight dollars all the way to two hundred. In Sophia case, the best plan would be the twenty nine dollars a month that includes up to twenty additional users, forty newsletters a month and even priority support if having any issues within the website. One of the best incentives here is that when launching with one page app it also creates a website version for mobile phone and tablets. With the increased use of smartphones and the emergence of ipads, people who use these devices on the often can view your website in read able and simple form. Another excellent feature one page app offers is engine optimization. The high use of search engines a good way to have website noticed is through the search results. With proper formatted HTML, Meta tags, meta descriptions, and sitemaps the results on search engines would attract more people viewing the website (OnePager, 2013). Sophia would be given useful analytics with one page app as the traffic the site receives would be documented along with the keywords used to gain the hits. The knowing of the keywords is valuable as we can use this information on seeing what foods people are searching on the web and what products are getting them redirected to Green Peppers website. Trying to further promote the interested item menu would only draw more interest from customers. Onepager allows for a great two stay connected  with customers. Having customers sign up for newsletters can have Sophia sending mass emails to subscribers for upcoming events and new menu items they may have. It’s a great way to keep good relation by also sending coupons for deals and such. If Sophia has trouble understanding these new online concepts she can elect to hire a part time employee or increase the duties of a current employees to keep the website updated. Constantly updating the site is crucial to stay competitive with any other restaurants. Twitter Social Media is a great way for small companies to get some easy exposure. As of September of 2013 there are 200 million twitter users (Canadian Press, 2013). With so many users using one application, generating awareness of a company proves to be beneficial. Having a company twitter account is a great way in getting Sophia’s restaurant known. Twitter can help generate feedback on previous customer experience and ways they could make some improvements. This has worked well with some bigger companies where a customer would tag the business in their tweet expressing some displeasure and the company comes up with a reply to compensate the experience with apologies or even future deals. Customers have already had issues with Green Peppers ordering techniques and this would be a good way for Sophia to gather some feedback. Green Pepper could also seek suggestions on different types of recipes customers would like to see being served. It would allow for them to add menu items that have potential on gaining popularity. Green Pepper would also be able to see what customers are saying about the local competition when it comes to service they provide and quality of food they tend to serve. This benchmark is probably the best when measuring the success of your current business. Opening a twitter account is completely free and very easy to use. Tweets could be sent from any smartphone making it convenient to access for all users. Tweeting out special promotions going on would bring in more customers and consumers are always finding ways to eat for less money. Hash tags are a great way to research what most of the world is talking about. For example, if a celebrity tweets about how much they love Indian or Chinese food, it would provide Green Pepper with a great opportunity to  tweet something to its followers referencing that comment to keep Green Pepper relevant. Facebook Like twitter, having a Facebook account is free. With a positive word of mouth rating of a restaurant being most valuable to a company, Facebook is a good tool to enforce that. Facebook allows for Green Pepper to post restaurant’s menu and updates for its followers to see. Green Pepper can take pictures of their most visually appealing menu items and post the pictures for display in order to entice more customers. They can show videos on the process they take into making the Indian fused Chinese dishes. Fusion food being seemed risky for some consumers, they can showcase the dish on the flavors added and how it is prepped. Listing the benefits of the human body that certain spices can offer, appeals to many health conscious customers. Keeping the account active is the most important as the regular customers who eat at Green Pepper would want to know what deals are occurring. It’s a great way to engage with the customers and making their personal experience at Green Pepper the best it could possibly be. Major fast food chains take great advantage of this by offering coupons online for their followers and always encouraging them to follow them on social media sites like Facebook and twitter. (Brandon, 2011) Replying to a post that a customer had at Green Pepper makes it feel more personal and the customer feels more satisfied as their questions and concerns are being noted by Sophia. Since Green Pepper is a small restaurant every negative comment about the service is a big issue on the company’s image. Having a negative word of mouth comments spread can cause customers to decline fast. Getting customers to partake in polls and quizzes is a free research base as companies can get a lot of info based on the poll results (Eldon, 2009). Offering the meals that customers prefer is an important way in staying relevant. Having someone over-look the operation of Facebook could be great by hiring a part time employee or even increasing the responsibilities of a current employee working at Green Pepper. Group on Groupon is website offering deals that many businesses are taking part in. Restaurants can offer deals on menu items for a fraction of cost if bought on Groupon. This is a great way into bringing customers into the restaurant and having them try other items on the menu and if they are satisfied with the service they could become returning customers. Another incentive is when a voucher is purchased not every customer goes and actually uses it. Many vouchers do have an expiry date and if the customer waits to long the voucher would no longer be valid and Green Pepper would still get half the purchase cost of the voucher. Since Groupon is running their site the only costs occur when the voucher is actually bought from a customer as Groupon takes half that money. They work as a great middleman between Green Pepper and future customers. The downside of this route is that Groupon takes half the proceeds from the voucher. An example is having an 80 dollar menu voucher sold on Groupon for 40 dollars. Groupon then keeps 20 dollars of that and gives the remaining 20 to Green Pepper. Other flaws being seen in their business model in an article in Forbes magazine â€Å"Groupon’s biggest victims are the small businesses that get suckered in to accepting Groupons. Restaurants lose money on them because consumers flood the restaurants, order very low priced meals, strain waiters and cooks, get lousy service, and never return.† (Cohan, 2012). Sophia must know the capacity restrictions well and if offering a Groupon deal then must be fully staffed for that day. Allowing customers to leave the restaurant on a negative really affects the company image especially being a small restaurant. Recommendation The way for Green Pepper to optimize its profits would be to hire a part time employee to run the social media aspects in Facebook and twitter along with working with one page app and keeping the website updated. Many young adults have some experience in social networks and finding a University student who could work part time wouldn’t be difficult. They would oversee the twitter updates and tweeting on the regular. They could update the Facebook Photo album with menu dishes as well as keeping in contact with the customers leaving feedback on the social sites. One page app makes the design of the website so simple just would need the employee to making sure site is  running smoothly and keeping in contact with the developers if any problem occurs. They would work with Sophia and teach her a little about the technology components as one page app allows many users having access to the website. The switch to technology focus should not be a hard one but instead a smart one.

Value of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire

Value of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) is one of the most widely used instruments to measure leadership ability and behaviour in organisations and organisational studies. However this does not mean it is without flaws. This report will describe and discuss the MLQ and its main purposes. It will analyse leadership theories and the ways in which the test resonates with and conflicts with particular theories. In particular it will look at classic and contemporary leadership perspectives and theories and how it has been applied to the development of the MLQ and the Multifactor Leadership Model the questionnaire is based on. This report will show that while there are flaws in the design, construction, validity and practical application of the MLQ, it is a reliable tool when used in conjunction with other leadership selection and development tools and offers much promise in evaluating leadership ability and behaviours, follower reactions and situational attributes. In 1978, Burns proposed that leaders could be distinguished in terms of transactional or transformational leaders (Parry and Bryman, 2006, p 450). In his work, transactional leadership consisted of an exchange process between the leader and follower in which the leader offers a reward for compliance with his or her contract (Parry and Bryman, 2006, p 450) and is based on rewards and punishment. Transformational leadership on the other hand is the process of motivating followers or colleagues to do more than originally expected using charisma, influence and vision by transferring followers attitudes, beliefs and values, as opposed to simply gaining compliance (Parry and Bryman, 2006, p 450; Rafferty and Griffin, 2004, p 330). However, Burns proposed that a leader was either transformational or transactional, and that the two were at opposite ends of the spectrum. In the 1980s, Basss approach was able to draw heavily on Burns work, but hypothesised that successful leaders were transformational and transactional. Bass theory represented a combination of transformational, transactional and non-transactional laissez-faire leadership factors (Antonakis et al, 2003, p 264). Bass propositioned that transformational and transactional leadership styles are separate and independent dimensions that appear simultaneously (Tejeda, Scandura and Pillai, 2001, p 33) and that the transactional attributes would deliver the basic needs of an organisation, while the transformational attributes would foster change and encourage commitment. He believed that every leader displays each of the styles to some extent and called this the Full Range of Leadership Model (Bass, 1998, p. 7). However an effective leader would demonstrate transformational attributes more frequently then transactional attributes. Central to Bass research is the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Hartog, Muijen and Koopman, 1997, p21). The MLQ is a leadership assessment tool that measures leadership behaviour and style. It is the primary measurement tool of research on the theory (Tejeda et al, 2001, p 34). In its most recent format, the MLQ is a short but comprehensive survey of 45 items which measures a full range of leadership styles (http://www.cornerstonecoaching.com.au/MLQ_Questionnaire.html, 20/09/2010).  The MLQ is designed to evaluate the factors that are related to leadership and how these factors determine the efficiency and effectiveness of a leader. It assesses the transformational leadership with five scales: 1) idealised attributes, 2) idealised behaviours, 3) inspirational motivation, 4) intellectual stimulation and 5) individualised characterisation (Muenjohn and Armstrong, 2008, p 5). Three scales are identified as characteristics of transactional leadership: 1) contingent reward, 2) man agement by exception: active and management by exception: passive and one scale for Non-leadership, laissez-faire (Muenjohn and Armstrong, 2008, p 5). It also assesses the outcome of leadership in terms of effectiveness and satisfaction. The current version of the MLQ (Form 5X) was developed based on the results of studies of the previous versions and the feedback of leadership scholars who revised the questionnaire (XXXXX IN Antonakis, Avolio and Sivasubramaniam, 2003, p 265) and is used widely in research and across organisations in leadership assessment and development. Leadership Theories and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire The Multifactor Leadership Model has become one of the most widely cited theory of leadership, and while Bass (Bass, 1990b, in Hartog et al, 1997, p19) claims that the transactional-transformational leadership model is a new paradigm, and does not replace or explain other models, the model does in fact integrate ideas from classic and contemporary theories of leadership. Up until the late 1940s, the trait-based approach dominated leadership approaches (Parry and Bryman, 2006, p 448). These theories isolated characteristics that differentiated leaders from non-leaders based on the premise that leaders are born, to an extent, and that the skills required are innate and are not developed over time. The Multifactor Leadership Theory is not a trait based approach however it is evident that there are certain traits exhibited that differentiate a transformational leader from a transactional leader or traits that are not considered as leadership qualities. For instance, confidence (question 25), pride (question 10), optimism (question 9), resiliance and enthusiasm (question 13) are seen as traits of transformational leaders. One question in the MLQ states my associates and followers trust me and exhibit the values I portrayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (www.mlq.com.au, accessed 21/09/2010). In this question, trustworthiness is a trait that is perceived as important for transformational leadership. In fact, Bass approach is based on the concept of the trait or characteristic of charisma. However what the MLQ does not do is state that leadership traits are innate, and that leaders cannot be developed. A key advantage of the MLQ is that it is a tool to assess leadership skills and develop the leader into becoming more effective, efficient and transformational and show where development is required. From inception, the multifactor leadership model incorporated earlier behavioural approaches to leadership (Sashkin, 2004 in Antonakis, Cianciolo and Stenberg, 2004, p 175). Behaviour dimensions are actions that inspires by communicating a vision, actions that express considerations and behaviours that engage and challenge followers to think for themselves (Sashkin, 2004 in Antonakis et al, 2004, p 175). One of the best known approaches to behavioural leadership theories stems from research undertaken by a group of researchers at the Ohio State University. Stogdill and Coons identified two dimensions of leadership in their studies, referred to as consideration or employee-oriented leadership and initiating structure or production-oriented leadership (Antonakis, Cianciolo and Stenberg, 2004, p 7), not dissimilar to transactional, or task focussed leadership. It is important to note that unlike trait based approaches to leadership which focuses on characteristics that is perceived to make a good leader, behavioural approaches emphasise that behaviour can be changed, and through training, individuals can be better leaders. The MLQ is a tool that assesses current behaviour and can be used as a tool to assist in developing individuals to better leaders. In 1967, Fiedlar proposed a contingency model of leadership effectiveness which measured the leadership orientation of the person completing it (Fiedlar, 1967 in Parry and Byrman, 2006, p 449). The leader was either human-relations oriented, that is, considerate of the subordinates feelings and concerned with fostering good relations, or task-motivated (Parry and Byrman, 2006, p 449). Like Burns approach on transactional and transformational leadership, Fiedlar proposed that leaders were either human-relations oriented or task motivated, and could alternate depending on the situational factors. The MLQ however shows that for a leader to be effective, both task oriented attributes and transformation attributes needed to be displayed. The two were not co-dependent. The theory focuses on contingent reward as motivation, and is similar to transactional leader attributes. However, the theory highlighted that since a leaders personality does not change, it is instead necessary to change th e situational factors instead, such as task structure, position power or leader-member relations (Parry and Byrman, 2006, p 449). The MLQ is an assessment tool based on analysing a persons behaviours and attributes and developing or changing their behaviour to transformational leaders rather than transactional or non-leaders rather than the need to change the environment or situation. The multifactor model seems to stem from research conducted from the late 1980s onwards and the theories that became known as contemporary perspectives. One such example is leadership through emotional intelligence (EI). EI is consistently associated with good leadership and is the ability to understand and manage feelings, moods and emotions in self and others (Kupers and Weibler, 2005, p 369). The connection between emotions and transformational leadership was assessed by research conducted in 2001 by Palmer, Walls and Burgess by measuring emotional intelligence in 43 participants in managerial roles using the Trait Meta Mood Scale, and effective transformational leadership attributes were measured by the MLQ. It was found that there was a positive correlation between EI and transformational leadership, a factor that has not been missed by Bass, who declared that leadership is as much emotional and subjective as rational and objective in effect (1999, p 19 in Kupers and Weibler, 20 05, p 369). This and other research has suggested that EI is an important component of transformational leadership, and the ability to utilise transactional attributes when required. In fact, transformational leaders would need to use emotion to communicate vision to gain a response from their subordinates. It is interesting to note that the EI model became prevalent from 1980 onwards. Perhaps for this reason Bass and team insisted that their multifactor leader model was not based on previous classic models of leadership but asserted that there was a positive relationship between EI and transformational leadership. While this report does not propose that the multifactor model does not have any similarities to classic models, it is evident that the model has more similarity with contemporary models of leadership. Further correlations can be made between the multifactor model and the level 5 leadership model and inspirational leadership model. The level 5 leadership model is based on the premise that an effective leader exhibits attributes effective leadership, competent management, contributing team membership and a highly capable individual and can in addition demonstrate personal humility and professional will. Inspirational leadership is a combination of level 5 leadership and EI. Inspirational leaders selectively show their own weaknesses, dare to be different, rely on intuition and ability to read interpersonal cues and practice tough empathy. Attributes of the multifactor model, including inspirational motivations, simulation and consideration are similar to the concepts presented above. Effective leaders will also be transformational and transactional, therefore showing both competent manager and highly capable individual attributes. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Practical Application The MLQ is essentially based on the premise that for a leader to be successful, transactional and transformational attributes need to be displayed. This has also made the test popular and valid in a variety of situations and environments, including structured, task oriented workplaces, such as manufacturing or in a professional services environment, where employee empowerment, charisma and visionary leadership are prevalent. In addition, it is essentially a 360 degree feedback tool, that is used not only to develop the leader but to identify the thoughts of subordinates, thereby increasing accuracy, acceptance, better understanding of performance and gaps in performance and indicates the leadership skills an individual needs to develop to be effective. Based on the results, ineffective leaders can be differentiated from effective leaders. Furthermore, its successful application in a variety of organisations is highlighted by the fact that it has been translated in other languages to decrease the language barrier or cultural implications. What it does not take into account however, is other cultural implications such as preferred or required leadership style or social factors, and research has revealed that different cultures place value certain leadership styles and behaviours to a greater extent than others. Certain cultures for instance, may not value individualise d consideration for instance as much as the cultural norms of collectivist societies in China or India for instance, so attributes valued in the multifactor model may not be ideal in certain cultures. In a study by Shahin and Wright (2004), they highlighted that cooperation and coordination were important for social integration among people in Egypt, stemming from social culture and its dependence on Islam (Shahin and Wright, 2004, 9 203). The MLQ does not take into account social culture and cultural implications and for this reason further questions were added measuring social integration. Shahin and Wright (2004) also noted that the form in which char ismatic leadership portrayed in the Egyptian context has a strong element of authoritarianism (p 504). The leadership style exhibits strong elements of transactional leadership behaviours, where contingent reward and management by exception are required to ensure subordinates perform (Shahin and Wright, 2004, 9 504). Therefore the ideal measurements of the MLQ needed to be customised to suit the context. In addition Validity and Design As noted above, key to the multifactor model is based on the premise that the theoretical background stems from classic and contemporary leadership, and is based on developing leaders, not that leaders are born. The MLQ is widely accepted and used and extensive research has been conducted that highlights its validity and reliability to measure management behaviour and performance (Agle, 1993; Carless, Mann and Wearing, 1995; Lowe, Kroek and Sivasubramaniam, 1996). It has emerged from a through and rigorous research process over the past fifteen years (Whitelaw, 2001, p 1). Part of its success in implementation in todays business world is its success in integrating emotional intelligence into the attributes of transformation leaders. Based on the results, training, support, mentoring and coaching can be provided to the leader. It would be very difficult in criticising the MLQ in terms of its application, as the multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ) is widely used in academic research and also a broad range of different organisations across many cultures (Anatonakis et al, 2003; Krickbride, 2006). The evidence of this is the fact that the MLQ has been translated into ten different languages, and has extensively been used in organisations globally in the following sectors in many sectors such as training, consulting, financial and insurance institutes, law firms, hospitals, mining and manufacturing businesses, media, government, marketing, gaming industry, defence, retail, property businesses, education etc. However, research (House, 1997) reveals that different cultures vary immensely in the value they give to certain leadership styles and behaviours. This may lead to a problem in the potential application of the MLQ as leadership behaviour that is valued by the MLQ (e.g. individualised consideration t owards subordinates) might violate certain cultural norms of collectivist societies e.g. India and Japan. Furthermore, a research conducted by Connelly, Zaccharo, Threlfall, Marks and Mumford (2002) reveals that questionnaires like MLQ in which subordinates and peers provide evaluation, fail to measure certain types of leadership skills, as they might be less observable e.g. knowledge, problem-solving and judgement capabilities.   The ***** provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of public organizations, especially on the point that the criteria are multiple, shifting, and conflicting (Rainey, 2003) The MLQ is capable of measuring the extent to which leadership is ***** considerate, providing the ***** with support, mentoring, ***** coaching (*****, p. 5). Established ***** (Bass). In addition, the MLQ: *****. Differentiates effective and ineffective leaders ***** all organizational levels; 2. Assesses the effectiveness ***** an entire organizations leadership; 3. Is valid ***** cultures ***** types of organizations; *****. Is ***** to administer, requires 15 minutes to complete; 5. Has ***** extensively ***** and validated; 6. The MLQ provides the best relationship ***** survey data to organizational outcome; and, 7. The MLQ has become ***** benchmark measure of Transformational Leadership (***** *****) The data developed from the ***** to date have been shown to highly correlate with ***** with effectiveness, performance, ***** satisfaction (Bass, p. 83). In addition, the feedback of MLQ results can also be used for mentoring, counseling, coaching, and training; MLQ scores might also be used profitably to identify executives to head ***** ventures (Bass, p. 84). Theoretical background is based on developing leaders, not that leaders are born EI aspects present in MLQ Plenty of research and used widely, accepted 360 degree feedback, tool to identify the thoughts of subordinates practical application design validity Weaknesses of Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Cultural factors e.g. org culture Environmental factors, economy (crisis) Type of organisation e.g. manufacturing organisation might need diff style of leadership to professional services firm Reliance on honesty Self-evaluation Does not consider variance in thought or ideology Some questions may not apply in certain situations Opportunities and Threats of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire practical application design validity Conclusion

Invisibility Over Negation in Invisible Man Essay -- Invisible Man Ess

Invisibility Over Negation in Invisible Man      Ã‚  Ã‚   Early on in Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison's nameless narrator recalls a Sunday afternoon in his campus chapel.   With aspirations not unlike those of Silas Snobden's office boy, he gazes up from his pew to further extol a platform lined with Horatio Alger proof-positives, millionaires who have realized the American Dream.   For the narrator, it is a reality closer and kinder than prayer can provide: all he need do to achieve what they have is work hard enough.   At this point, the narrator cannot be faulted for such delusions, he is not yet alive, he has not yet recognized his invisibility.   This discovery takes twenty years to unfold.   When it does, he is underground, immersed in a blackness that would seem to underscore the words he has heard on that very campus:   he is nobody; he doesn't exist (143).   Hence, Invisible Man is foremost a struggle for identity.   Ellison believes this is not only an American theme but the American theme; "the nature of our society," he says, "is such that we are prevented from knowing who we are" (Graham 15).   Invisible Man, he claims, is not an attack on white America or communism but rather the story of innocence and human error (14).   Yet there are strong racial and political undercurrents that course the nameless narrator towards an understanding of himself and humanity.   And along the way, a certain version of communism is challenged.   The "Brotherhood," a nascent ultra-left party that offers invisibles a sense of purpose and identity, is dismantled from beneath as Ellison indirectly dissolves its underlying ideology:   dialectical materialism.   Black and white become positives in dialectical flux; riots and racism ... ... with Ralph Ellison.   Jackson:   U of Mississippi P, 1995. Hersey, John, ed.   Ralph Ellison:   A Collection of Critical Essays.   Englewood Cliffs:   Prentice-Hall, 1974. Jacoby, Russel.   Dialectic of Defeat:   Contours of Western Marxism.   Cambridge:   Cambridge UP, 1981. Jain, Ajit, and Alexander Matejko, eds.   A Critique of Marxist and Non-Marxist Thought.   New York:   Praeger, 1986. Marx, Karl.   The Communist Manifesto.   Ed.   Frederic L. Bender.   New York:   Norton, 1988. Osborn, Reuben.   Marxism and Psychoanalysis.   New York:   Dell Publishing, 1965. Schafer, William J.   "Ralph Ellison and the Birth of the Anti-Hero."   Hersey   115-126. Schor, Edith.   Visible Ellison:   A Study of Ralph Ellison's Fiction.   Westport:   Greenwood, 1993. Vogler, Thomas A.   "Invisible Man:   Somebody's Protest Novel."   Hersey   127-150.       Invisibility Over Negation in Invisible Man Essay -- Invisible Man Ess Invisibility Over Negation in Invisible Man      Ã‚  Ã‚   Early on in Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison's nameless narrator recalls a Sunday afternoon in his campus chapel.   With aspirations not unlike those of Silas Snobden's office boy, he gazes up from his pew to further extol a platform lined with Horatio Alger proof-positives, millionaires who have realized the American Dream.   For the narrator, it is a reality closer and kinder than prayer can provide: all he need do to achieve what they have is work hard enough.   At this point, the narrator cannot be faulted for such delusions, he is not yet alive, he has not yet recognized his invisibility.   This discovery takes twenty years to unfold.   When it does, he is underground, immersed in a blackness that would seem to underscore the words he has heard on that very campus:   he is nobody; he doesn't exist (143).   Hence, Invisible Man is foremost a struggle for identity.   Ellison believes this is not only an American theme but the American theme; "the nature of our society," he says, "is such that we are prevented from knowing who we are" (Graham 15).   Invisible Man, he claims, is not an attack on white America or communism but rather the story of innocence and human error (14).   Yet there are strong racial and political undercurrents that course the nameless narrator towards an understanding of himself and humanity.   And along the way, a certain version of communism is challenged.   The "Brotherhood," a nascent ultra-left party that offers invisibles a sense of purpose and identity, is dismantled from beneath as Ellison indirectly dissolves its underlying ideology:   dialectical materialism.   Black and white become positives in dialectical flux; riots and racism ... ... with Ralph Ellison.   Jackson:   U of Mississippi P, 1995. Hersey, John, ed.   Ralph Ellison:   A Collection of Critical Essays.   Englewood Cliffs:   Prentice-Hall, 1974. Jacoby, Russel.   Dialectic of Defeat:   Contours of Western Marxism.   Cambridge:   Cambridge UP, 1981. Jain, Ajit, and Alexander Matejko, eds.   A Critique of Marxist and Non-Marxist Thought.   New York:   Praeger, 1986. Marx, Karl.   The Communist Manifesto.   Ed.   Frederic L. Bender.   New York:   Norton, 1988. Osborn, Reuben.   Marxism and Psychoanalysis.   New York:   Dell Publishing, 1965. Schafer, William J.   "Ralph Ellison and the Birth of the Anti-Hero."   Hersey   115-126. Schor, Edith.   Visible Ellison:   A Study of Ralph Ellison's Fiction.   Westport:   Greenwood, 1993. Vogler, Thomas A.   "Invisible Man:   Somebody's Protest Novel."   Hersey   127-150.      

“Houzit” Marketing management plan Essay

Marketing objectives The market for home-wares in Brisbane is estimated last year at $175 million per annum with an anticipated growth rate of the percent in the coming year. Here I outline the following marketing objectives: 12% market share (up from 11%) Increase in sales by 8.5% over last year’s result No expansion stores are planned during this phase of consolidation and on average the stores achieved $24,680 per week for the year. Marketing activities Here we present the marketing activities that show potential for the organization’s growth in seasonal demand that occurs during this period. Increased marketing – focus on magazine advertising and PR In-store promotions– in-store displays will feature advertising visuals and ink the featured products with other areas in Houzit’s assortment. Web based promotions- the company’s web page will also carry the advertising visuals on the home page and will use the PR copy in article marketing on popular article content sites. The webpage will be targeted towards the key words found in the PR article and featured in the advertising of ‘stylish bathroom’ and ‘exotic mirrors’. These keywords will also be secured via pay-per-click traffic directing. Focus in bathroom fittings and mirror categories with linkages to the other two categories of bedroom fittings and decorative items. Key driver in achieving the marketing objectives is through the opportunity of having advertising space together with a PR write up in one of the leading home-ware magazines and their website. For the next six months the marketing plan calls for increased marketing to match the growth in seasonal demand that occurs during this period. Integration of organizational activities Advertising visuals and links will be displayed throughout at Houzit’s assortment and web homepage. Company Web address line of ‘Find us at http://www.houzit.com’ will be displayed on all materials. PR copy- used in article marketing on popular article content sites. The webpage will be targeted towards the Key word throughout. These keywords will also be secured via pay-per-click traffic directing. Distribution and pricing Online retailing a new distributional channel- Company have decided to update the webpage so that the customers can order and pay online. The Price of imports will be monitored against competitors and exchange rate on daily basis because imports were usually an area of high margins for the company and any loss there could be a serious issue. KPIs Market share = store sales/total estimated market sales Marketing cost of customers acquisition = cost of marketing / Total new business acquired Delegation of roles and responsibilities Marketing manager – enjoy taking responsibility for the in-store promotions because it keeps me connected with key personnel and trend in merchandise category sales. Tony – he is a specialist search engine optimizer and webpage designer Marie – advertising /PR Lamberts consulting – market research and marketing audits Communication Strategies Marketing communications is a rather generic term for a very important function of marketing. Communicating and disseminating information has become increasingly important. While public relations are a form of marketing communications, the role encompasses much more, including content development, product positioning and brand messaging. Thus we will use the below methods to communicate effectively:- 1. Shared emails 2. Formal meetings 3. Informal meetings 4. Team visits – stores 5. Progress chart Assessment Task 2 – Case study analysis Staffing support plan Strategies: 1. Setting goals Will organise weekly meeting by providing to employees where can achieve greatest return that to work toward and has the potential to increase productivity in the workplace. 2. Providing Feedback We believe that consistent feedback from mentors and coaches not only helps improve employee performance, but it ensures employees are not caught off guard when disciplined for poor performance. 3. Celebrations and Rewards Celebrations and rewards will build respect for the mentor or coach and help employees see that the individual is not only there to criticize but also to share in employee success. 4. Collaboration Managers will provide for new employees to collaborate with as they begin working with a Houzit. I believe that managers help employees learn to navigate an organization and how to complete tasks effectively. Resources Marketing outcome model: ROI – Return on investment Feedback Providing the feedback using the Star model: An easy way to remember the elements of effective feedback is to use the acronym STAR. ST – Situation or Task. What was the problem, opportunity, challenge or task? A – Action. What was said or done to handle the situation or task? Remember to provide developmental feedback and areas for improvement. R – Result. What was the impact of the employee’s efforts, and how did their actions influence the end result? Here’s an example of using the STAR model to provide positive feedback. ST – â€Å"Thanks for completing the spreadsheet on resource allocation I requested.† A – â€Å"You provided all of the data I asked for and got it to me on time.† R – â€Å"I was able to bring the data to a  planning meeting with our director, where we used it to create a strong resource plan for next term.† Scenario 1 One-on-one coaching will include Role-play activities Testing and reviewing answers Meetings to encourage the employee to perform and homework in which answers are reviewed The manager provides the individualized coaching to her employee. May set up a time line with preset intervals to review progress Scenario 2 Performance measurement and Corrective actions such as: Ask the employee to rate themselves Provide a written performance review to the employee Make sure that can back up any positives and negatives with specific examples Conduct a review meeting within 48 hours of the written performance review Note and file any employee comments and then ensure that the final version goes on file. Customise the one-on-one coaching template of Houzit company’s requirements and hand to employees to complete prior to a performance review. Identifying weaknesses: To evaluate our employees’ weaknesses we will consider factors such as: Tardiness Communication problems Lack of enthusiasm or drive Poor comprehension of materials or program Difficulty getting along with others. We will work with each employee to come up with measurable goals for improvement. For example: devise a system to track each employee’s progress and check in regularly. If an employee has a problem with attendance or tardiness, for instance, create an attendance chart and offer positive reinforcement, such as praise or recognition for good attendance each week. For employees with technical problems or a lack of understanding, offer training on computer programs or systems. Other ways to track employees’ progress may include having employees keep track of their daily or weekly  sales numbers. For more subjective areas, such as people skills, consider holding office seminars on topics such as diversity, compromise or communication or paying for employees to attend training. Offer incentives for the training — such as lunch for all participants or a certificate. Assessment Task 3 – Marketing performance report Marketing objectives The estimate for home-wares is currently $199 mln p.a up from $175 mln This year’s predicted growth 10% and expecting to continue for the next 5 years Average weekly sale has grown $28,200 although expectation was 8.5% growth on $24,680 Market share targeted 12% Last 6 months marketing expenditure: Advertising- $250,000 PR- $30,000 In store promotion- $60,000 Internet marketing-$100,000 The cause of the profit increase was we have successfully implemented the new strategies by actively engaging to achieve the marketing objectives. There was a seasonal demand that occurred during the last year by giving growth in share from10-12%. Increase in share will be remained in next force able 5 years, which is giving more opportunity to Houzit stay in the market specifically continue to focusing on magazine advertising and PR, together with in store promotions. Also, we should invest more on web based promotions in the next marketing period. With a growing market we should maintain the market share to bring to the Houzit solid and controllable growth. Targets We should maintain our high performance as much as we can. There will be a large growing increase in interstate migration consequently the home-wares and the building activity for at least next five years. REFERENCES 1. Joshi, Rakesh Mohan, (2005) International Marketing, Oxford University Press, New Delhi and New York 2. Philip Kotler, Philip.; Kevin Lane Keller (2006). Marketing Management, 12th ed.:).Pearson Prentice Hall 3. Clancy, Kevin J.; Peter C. Kriegafsd (2000). Counter intuitive Marketing. The Free Press 4. Porter, Michael (1998). Competitive Strategy (revised ed.). The Free Press. 5. Kotler, Philip.; Kevin Lane Keller (2006). Marketing Management, 12th ed. Pearson Prentice Hall 6. Ries, Al; Jack Trout (2000). Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind (20th anniversary ed.) 7. Porter, Michael (1998). Competitive Advantage (revised ed.). The Free Press

Explaining a Misdemeanor and Why It Can Be a Big Deal

Explaining a Misdemeanor and Why It Can Be a Big Deal A misdemeanor is a lesser crime in the United States with less severe penalties than felonies, but more severe punishments than infractions. Generally, misdemeanors are crimes for which the maximum sentence is 12 months or less. Many states have laws that establish different levels or classifications for misdemeanors, such as Class 1, Class 2, etc. The most severe classes are those that are punishable by jail time, while the other classifications are misdemeanors for which the maximum sentence does not include incarceration. Misdemeanor sentences of incarceration are usually served in the local city or county jail, while felony sentences are served in prison. Most misdemeanor sentences, however, usually involve paying a fine and doing community service or serving probation. Except in a very few states, people convicted of misdemeanors do not lose any civil rights, as convicted felons do, but can be prohibited from getting certain jobs. Classifications Differ by State It is up to each state to determine specifically which behaviors are criminal and then classify the behavior based on a set of parameters and the severity of the crime. Examples of how states differ when determining crimes and penalties are outlined below with the marijuana and drunk driving laws in different states. Marijuana Laws There are significant differences in laws governing marijuana from one state, city or country to another and from state and federal perceptions. While Alaska, Arizona, California and 20 other states have legalized (or decriminalized) the personal use of medical marijuana, other states including Washington, Oregon, and Colorado have legalized recreational and medical marijuana. A handful of states including Alabama (any amount is a misdemeanor) and Arkansas (less than 4 oz. is a misdemeanor) consider the possession of (specific amounts) of marijuana as a misdemeanor. Drunk Driving Laws Each state has different laws governing drunk driving (driving while intoxicated - DWI or Operating Under the Influence - OUI) including the legal limits, the number of DWI offenses, and the penalties. In most states, a person who receives their first or second DUI is charged with a misdemeanor while the third or subsequent offense is a felony. However, in some states, if there is property damage or someone is hurt, the penalty jumps to a felony. Others states, for example, Maryland, consider all DUI offenses as misdemeanors and New Jersey classifies DUIs as a violation, and not a crime. What Is the Difference Between Infractions and Misdemeanors? Sometimes people will refer to their crime as, just a misdemeanor, and while being charged with a misdemeanor is less serious than being charged with a felony, it is still a very serious charge that if found guilty, could result in jail time, heavy fines, community service, and probation. There are also legal fees that should be considered. Also, failure to follow any of the court-ordered conditions of a misdemeanor conviction will result in more misdemeanor charges and even heavier fines, possibly more jail time and extended probation and legal fees. Being charged with an infraction is a lot less serious than a misdemeanor and the penalties usually involve paying a ticket or small fine and never result in jail time unless there is a failure to pay the fine. Also, people found guilty of an infraction are not ordered to perform community service or attend problem-specific programs such as Alcoholic Anonymous or anger management. Criminal Record Misdemeanor convictions appear on a persons criminal record. It also may be legally required to disclose the particularities of the crime during job interviews, on college applications, when applying for the military or government jobs, and on loan applications. Infractions may appear on a persons driving record, but not on their criminal record. Misdemeanor Penalties The penalties for a person convicted of a misdemeanor depends on several factors including the severity of the crime, if it is a first-time offense or if the person is a repeat offender and if it was a violent or non-violent offense. Depending on the crime, misdemeanor convictions will rarely result in more than one year in the city or county jail. For petty misdemeanor convictions, the jail sentence could fall between 30 to 90 days. Most misdemeanor convictions also result in a fine up to $1,000 although for repeat offenders or for violent crimes the fine can increase up to $3,000. Sometimes a judge may impose both the jail time and a fine. If the misdemeanor involved property damage or financial loss to a victim, then the judge may order restitution. The restitution can include court costs.  Also, a court may suspend the sentence and place the defendant on probation.