The Value Of Service Quality Essay - 1783 Words

2.2.1.3 Consumer Online Repurchase (Continuance) According to ( Butcher ,2005 , and Hellier et al., 2003) defined repurchase intention as ‘the individual’s judgment about buying again a designated service from the same company, taking into accounts his or her current situation and likely circumstances’, and also regarded as a sound service outcome that is measurable, and intentions-as-expectations. Service quality has a significant effect on repurchase intention, through a direct link between service quality, Customer Satisfaction, and behavioral intentions Among the various behavioral intentions, considerable emphasis has been placed on the impact of service quality in determining repeat purchase, which the more satisfied the customers are the greater is their retention and customer loyalty, while service quality influences a customer’s subsequent behaviour, intentions and preferences. When a customer chooses a provider that provides service quality that meets or exceeds his or her expectations, he or she is more likely to choose the same provider again. In addition, the hospitality’s reputation plays an important role in determination of purchase, repeated purchase, and customer loyalty (Choi et al., 2004, Yongyui, Cronin, Jones and Farquhar, 2003, Brady and Hult, 2000). Psychological factors such as Satisfaction, confirmation and loyalty incentives as salient factors are impact affecting on consumer online repurchasing, and also product/service characteristics,Show MoreRelatedService Quality Is An Antecedent Of Perceived Value Essay1933 Words   |  8 PagesService quality is an antecedent of perceived value, and it will cause a significant influence on perceived value (Bojanic, 1996; Oh, 1999; Sweeney et al., 1999). Ostrom Iacobucci (1995) found that price, level of quality, friendliness of service personnel, and the degree of customization of the service are important factors to customer value perceptions. Although customer perceived value has long been recognized in marketing research as an important concept in influencing preference, satisfactionRead MoreBest Youth Services : An Organization With Values Based On Enhancing The Quality Of Life Of The Youth1608 Words   |  7 Pages Best Youth Services is an organization with values based on enh ancing the quality of life of the youth in the community. The severity of the allegations of soliciting sex from a student of Bill Barnes cannot be taken lightly. Mr. Barnes is the scheduled guest speaker for the 25th anniversary banquet being held Saturday night. The luncheon is in honor of all the staff and children who have participated in the program over the 25-year span with the goal of enhance BYS’s reputation in the communityRead MoreDescribe the Importance of Quality Leadership and the Difference Between Leadership and Management Within a Health and Social Care Environment, and Explain the Ethical Value Framework Leaders of Services Should Adhere to3762 Words   |  16 PagesWORKING IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CAREHS4501-40Describe The Importance Of Quality Leadership And The Difference Between Leadership And Management Within A Health And Social Care Environment, And Explain The Ethical Value Framework Leaders Of Services Should Adhere To STUDENT ID: 213599 06/05/2011 WORD COUNT 3,606 | | Describe The Importance Of Quality Leadership And The Difference Between Leadership And ManagementRead MoreOnline Restaurant Reviews And Selecting Restaurant Via Online Reviews1414 Words   |  6 Pagesonly have indirect information about the quality of a service or product until they have been purchased, and so they look for mediators to reveal this information (Parikh, Behnke, Vorvoreanu, Almanza, Nelson, 2014). The restaurant reviews present a variety of information which help the restaurant’s consumers to make selections. By reading the restaurant reviews, consumers can get more detailed information about previous consumers’ overall food and service experience (Z. Zhang, Ye, Law, Li, 2010)Read MoreOperation Strategy Within an Organization1287 Words   |  6 Pagesfor any organization. Operation strategy is the link that brings all of an organizations processes and value chains together. As a result the value chain will expand pass the walls of the organization, which includes suppliers and customers. What is operation strategy across the organization? So, what priorities are used within the operation strategy? How will the operation strategy add value for the customer? What trends affect operation strategy decisions? In order to achieve operation strategyRead MoreService Quality And Quality Management Essay1510 Words   |  7 PagesService quality can be defined as the reflection of service delivery by finding the gap between the perceived service and expected service. There are 8 dimensions for quality , they are performance, features, reliability, conformance, durability, service ability, aesthetics, perceived quality and value. Total quality management depend mainly on quality control tools and previously developed quality techniques. It’s a process of continuous quality improvementRead MoreCustomer Perceived Value1698 Words   |  7 PagesCustomer Perceived Value – A Literature Review Introduction The concept of value exists back from the days where people begun engaging in exchange activities, however, it was only recently when both academics and practitioners realised the importance of delivering superior value to customers in order to achieve competitive advantage (Ulaga and Chacour, 2001; Khalifa, 2004; Lindgreen and Wynstra, 2005; Hansen et al.,2008). Read MoreValue Proposition Of Patient Care1368 Words   |  6 PagesValue proposition in Patient Care In the modern world of health care, organizations should be up to date about how to improve their value-added services within the hospital. The services and value of Paradise Hospital will undergo new changes such as, community benefits, outreach activities, program support and volunteers services. The hospital will also partner with other local clinics and charity. Due to these changes, this will allow the hospital to be a more sufficient support system to the patientsRead MoreBus 430 Assignment 1: Lenscrafters Case Study1307 Words   |  6 Pagesconfronting them. 3. Examine LensCrafters’ value chain and evaluate its effectiveness to operations in terms of quality, value creation, and customer satisfaction. 4. Determine the different types of performance measurements that can be used to measure LensCrafters’ service-delivery system design. Select at least two (2) types that can be applied and provide justifications for the selection. 5. Examine the different types of technologies applied to LensCrafters’ service operations and evaluate how the technologiesRead MoreLiterature Review : Key Concepts Theories And Theories1125 Words   |  5 Pagesexisting scholarly material and to understanding gaps relating to the research area the questions pose. Meharabian and Russell (1974) proposed a theoretical model in which they discussed how service environment stimulates the customer’s emotions and there by influences their behavioural intentions. In this model quality of a customer’s experience is measured by measuring the emotions of pleasure, arousal and dominance (PAD). Pleasure comes from happiness or satisfaction, arousal is derived from excitement

Motivation Work Performance Free Essays

High performance organizations are those organizations with a culture that is flexible and encouraging dynamism, inventions, knowledge sharing, allowing diversities in working across boundaries, stimulates its people to be high performers; it is based on certain values and a great place to work. These key elements are believed to be what encourages the employees to be performing highly. Researchers use these organizations to find out several barriers as a result of cultural variations that subsequently contribute to low performance in the organization (Sanford and Bracey 1977). We will write a custom essay sample on Motivation Work Performance or any similar topic only for you Order Now Such organizations have a pure formal structure of administration of which the positions in the organization have professionals. Any informality in the organization disqualifies it from being a high performance organization, since it has to have clear means of communication without misunderstandings from either the source, or towards the source. Members of such organization put mechanism in place that act in a mediating capacity to help resolve any arising matters that may result into a problem of the future e.g. if a member is rejecting another’s opinion then he is considered by being appraised positively in order to generate new opinions. Groups are people sharing one commonality. They (groups) exist because of a common interest that is necessary for the survival of individuals belonging to the group. An example of a group is the community which has a complex commonality. Groups can be informal and others can be formal depending with each one group’s interest. Group of young boys (peer group) can not be considered to be formal because of its nature of operation, even though they have their rules, regulations, code of conducts, and valued opinions amongst themselves. All the above mentioned about a peer group is not written anywhere, they all adapt to those factors through the natural process of learning as they socialize one another in relation to the society they live in. For such groups it is either you abide by the set standards in order to fit in, even if it is that bad, you either do it as a way of showing solidarity. Refusal whatsoever displays deviance and it could lead to punitive measures at times it could be death or rejection. In some instances it is correct to say that a group can improve itself till it gets to the status of a high performing organization. Some things have to be observed so that a group can finally increase its performance for better. The informal status of a group has to be changed; in that case it should have a formal procedure in terms of handling matters related to the affairs of the group. The other important initiative to consider is the manpower, and the availability of staff that are professionally fitting in the capacity they occupy in that group (Anderson 2001) Many groups have taken an initiative to offer their employees equal chances in terms of pursuing further education, or granting employees’ funds for studies. Such a move has a positive impact on the progress of the group towards becoming a high performer in future. Motivation is a concern of study that has varied approaches on how to define it, even though describing it seems a little more understandable and common to many of us i.e. running home very fast because of a possible down pour in the next ten, or so minutes. In such a situation is it the rain, or a person own determination and willingness to run that can be accounted for that state of motion, or action? Let’s consider here the fact that one energizes himself after thinking that he will be wet in no time unless h/she does something about it. Motivation can be described as a human’s internal state of being in need, or having a desire towards achieving a set goal, that goal is a target which acts as the source of energy we use while we engage ourselves in a goal directed/oriented behavior. This goal oriented behavior is believed to persistently continue until we achieve our set goal. Motivation thus can be said to be an activity that is result oriented, while we undergo an internal experience. Hertzberg’s two-factor-theories- of work and motivation, it is a clear and very simple theory which tends to confine itself to a circle of activities that revolve around the human-work relationship. As the theory goes it starts with satisfaction and dissatisfaction. In between the two is a neutral state; satisfaction is achieved through motivation which entails several other factors that make it achieve the state of satisfaction, they include; achieving the set goals, to move forward by advancing in whatever one is pursuing, being recognized as an important person, or personnel   in the organization, or place of work. Dissatisfaction is believed to be accelerated by several other factors that are coined into one title; hygiene factors, this factors include, low salary pay that really make one undergo too much constraints in his day to day budgeting while attempting to make ends meet, the other one is the company policies which are at times unfavorable to the employees by putting them on toes all the time throughout the working time at times draining the workers to the point of performing poorly; hence being in a constant conflict with management, the other factor is work mates who might not be getting along well with one of the employees; or even amongst themselves, one might feel out placed in such a situation, another last but not least hygiene factor is the supervisory styles from the management; supervisors at times are always a headache to employees because they at times clash at work with their juniors because most supervisors are poorly trained, of which it would have been better in the mai ntenance of good work relationship and performance in the company. A point to note is that when one will attempt to manage dissatisfaction h/she will get to the neutral state, and he needs to put in motivational factors in order to achieve satisfaction (Steers and Porter, 1987). Leaders are people who are thought to be intelligent than the persons they lead this assumption is based on the fact that they (leaders) have a greater influence to the people they lead than how the people can influence them. Leaders be it political ones, religious ones, diplomatic leaders, traditional leaders, or spiritual leaders all of them have a following they command and at times these leaders are used to influence the people they lead in order to satisfy certain goals. People in organizations will always respect their bosses simply because they are above them; and that they lead them especially those people heading unions that represent the rights of workers, students and religious based organization, most of the time they are taken seriously, even in times of declaring protests, demonstration, riots, strikes, and many more activities such as ejecting other people in offices simply because their territorial leaders have declared. Employees’ team spirit is a major contributor towards motivation at work places because of several other factors, including the relationship amongst them, and with the management. Good relationship is needed in all direction so that it improves the blame game that always interferes with group motivational abilities. Most employees will be seen as competing among one another only to spoil so much, this is a negative type of motivation since they have not realized how harmful the competition is to them. Hence employees need to realize they are one against many others out there, as a matter of concern they should convert their motivation of competing against one another, into a motivation of competing with the outside competitors. The managerial staff is in charge of many functions that go on in the organization and that they have the ability to influence employees positively and ethically in order to make them productive at will without violating the code of ethics. Employees’ rights should be observed carefully because it is very hard at times to realize that one is oppressing employees more so if the part of pay is high and the working conditions are bad. Employees   should provided with transport services to enable them to get to work early and at the end of the day they appreciate what they are offered since they remain with an excess that would have gone towards payments of transportation costs. Conclusion High performance organization can be defined as agro up setting only that it has way far standard than that of an ordinary group we all feel is still immature in a number of ways, although   it is hard maybe for some people to understand such a comparison because, generally the two are made up of people. Groups ought to be motivated   by giving them examples of high performing organization, the trend of their success so that they see it as an achievable value of improvement, otherwise its easy for members of a group to disbelieve and dismiss claim that a group can grow into an outstanding performer in future. Many might be believing that, unfair means e.g. corruption might work fast towards achieving the high status. Motivation theories at times don’t simply agree to one thing as a contributing factor of motivation, why are we doing things we always do? Money is a form of external extrinsic factors of motivation we encounter in our day to day life not to forget other extrinsic factors such as promises of reward if one performs best at a given work., threat to do something; like running fast to avoid being mugged, scrambling for little food in order not to starve is intrinsic factor of motivation, but salivating to food upon seeing them on display is an extrinsic factor of motivation. Such ways of describing how motivational factors work need a closer understanding by reading almost the whole explanation of how motion is related to our environment, physiology, society, and our psychology. References Anderson. N. 2001. Handbook of Industrial, Work and Organization Psychology. Sage, ISBN 0761964894. Sanford. C. A and Bracey. J. H 1977. Human Relationship: The Theory and Practice of Organizational Behavior.Merill. ISBN 0675085055. Steers, R M. and Porter. W 1987 Motivation and Work Behavior.NY McGraw-hill How to cite Motivation Work Performance, Essay examples

Conflict Resolution free essay sample

It identifies conflict in the context where organisational stakeholders pursue diverse interests and make competing claims on resources, and tries to enable all stakeholders achieve some degree of success. Where does conflict come from? Pluralists do not agree the proposition that goals of organisations are implicitly understood and agreed with by all participants. For pluralists, there are varying goals pursued by diversified individuals or groups of the organisational stakeholders which are not always consistent with the top objective. The impossibility to achieve an overall organisation objective together with other sources of conflict such as structural, scarce resources, different value system, makes conflict a naturally occurring phenomenon in this context, resulting from pursuit of competing claims and demands. Describe conflict: * Multifaceted Conflicts in this approach, is multifaceted, emerging from different pressure points both within and outside the organisation. With complex sets of tensions and different claims, conflict situations can be intrapersonal, where an individual is conflicted over goals, and interpersonal, where two or more individuals disagree with each other, or intragroup, intergroup, intraorganisational and interorganisational. Informal groups are those that are not formally structured and are not part of the organizational structure (Robbins, 2007). These groups are generally made up of employees who have found common ground through personal conversation. When one employee sees a behavior in another employee that they can relate to, it provides the impetus for conversation and the beginning of a relationship. This type of group is good for those who need to have some sort of social contact, such as a new employee or one that is kind of shy otherwise. This type of group is considered a friendship group (Robbins, 2007). Friendship groups often get together outside of work to continue their relationship and build on commonalities such as a favorite sports, children, cards, etc. Recently, a group was formed by the asset protection manager that included several employees who were assigned to watch over the movie display aisles. This constituted a task group (Robbins, 2007). Each of the employees assigned to this group, designated as the â€Å"watch group† were from different departments and involved all of the managers, asset protection, and the local police department. Their assigned task was to watch out for customers who shoplifted movies, which are high theft items. Armed with a walkie-talkie and a â€Å"call code† in the event of a potential theft or suspicious activity, this group must coordinate communication and movement to prevent the suspect from leaving the premises with stolen merchandise. Interestingly, this group has grown through volunteer efforts and is the largest task group at the local Sam’s Club. Meetings are held on a monthly basis to review video tapes, review laws and policies, and make decisions on how to raise awareness in all employees. To facilitate groups, there would need to be more opportunities for workers to interact with one another. This may involve increasing the number of workers in a given shift, or to have management suggest a particular cause that workers may like to become involved in. In the groups that were described above, there are strengths and challenges. One of the challenges of a friendship group is that it may tend to become cliquish or refuse to include others. When a conflict arises among its members, that conflict can spill over into the work environment and create problems where management will need to step in and solve it, simply because the group is at odds with one another and cannot solve it on their own. One of the strengths of the friendship group is that it can create a harmonious environment that is observed by others and therefore leads to other friendship groups. While based on commonalities outside of work, the subject of work will arise. A friendship group may discuss issues within the club and commit to reaching a solution that may or may not involve a manager. One issue may be how to get everyone together for a fun social event, such as a picnic or evening of bowling. The differences among the members will bring various viewpoints, and can lead to lively discussions that end up being unproductive. The task group, while given a specific task must get together and devise a â€Å"plan of attack† for thwarting theft, and reducing inventory shrinkage in this area. The challenge comes when there are gaps in the watch due to employee absences, or when an employee is temporarily assigned to another area, or other scheduling conflicts. The ability to get everyone in the group together to make decisions on the plan of attack can be difficult in that situation. It may be that the group will have to break up into smaller groups such as grouping members together by shift or by days worked, then have one member of each maller group get with the others to discuss how they will relay information pertinent to the task. One of the strengths of this group is that everyone knows who they are, and realizes the importance of their task. Because of its importance, the seriousness with which decisions are made gives the group a sense of authority, and a request made by a group member to someone outside the group is acted on immediately. The watch group has created a status that others would like to have. When it comes to decision making and the diversity of a group, all ideas need to be considered. Perhaps through discussions, all ideas can be offered then discuss the pros and cons of each to narrow down choices until a final decision can be made. At the outset of a discussion, members of the group can set a time limit and a goal for the discussion. This helps to keep everyone on track and limits conversations and behaviors that may be distracting or off topic. Perhaps having a formal agenda can help in keeping the discussion moving forward. At my Sam’s Club we also have teams. These teams are in the areas of member recruitment, safety, spirit, audit, and sustainability. Each of these teams are manager-led teams. The member recruitment team is led by the Membership Manager whose job is to oversee the membership desk, front-end associates, the fax-n-pull associate, and the sign maintenance associate. This team has weekly meetings to review membership numbers and recruitment strategies. The safety team is led by the Asset Protection Manager and consists of volunteers from all departments. Their goal is make the club as safe as possible to avoid injuries to associates, vendors and members. The team has monthly meetings to review observations by team members of negative behaviors by employees that had the potential to cause injury; review the status on machinery repair or replacement requests; and plan safety activities for the entire club. The audit team which is led by the Club Manager is responsible for inventory control, ensuring accurate merchandise counts, and club supplies. Unless there is a discrepancy in the counts or the club is preparing for the yearly inventory, the audit team does not meet. The team has regular assigned duties and tasks that are performed daily and weekly. There are reports that are generated from inputs by the audit team that are reviewed by the corporate office and any discrepancies are then sent to the Club Manager for review and correction. The spirit team is led by the Soft Lines Manager, and their function is to create activities that boost morale and assist with customer service. The decisions that are made by this team are considered fun and wacky to relieve the stresses that come from working in retail, that is, dealing with unsatisfied members, long lines at the check outs, and short staffed shifts. Members of the team will dress in funny outfits, or will develop a theme such as a Hawaiian theme that draws attention from members and creates a lively environment. The sustainability team is led by the Hard Lines Manager. Their function is to devise ways to reduce paper waste, water waste, and energy conservation. The club is currently in a recycling program where all paper that is to be thrown away is shredded and given to local veterinary clinics, and animal rescue facilities to line animal cages. Any cardboard or shrink wrap plastic is made into bales that is picked up by a local recycling company to be reused for packaging products. The members even bring in old batteries, ink cartridges, glasses, or plastic bags that we then use in our bales, donate to charity, or send to the recycler. Energy is saved by turning off lights in unused office spaces, ensuring equipment is maintained, turning down the temperature on water heaters, and water usage has been reduced by installing water saving faucets and toilets in the restrooms and cafeteria and maintenance sinks. Each of these teams serves a specific purpose in meeting the company goals, and in keeping with the company’s mission. Leadership and Politics Every company needs leaders and managers. While the two roles are separate, they can be the same as managers can be leaders and leaders can be managers. What makes them different is their focus. Managers focus on tasks and processes, leaders focus on people and building relationships (Pinkett, 2012). Leaders also behave in ways that makes them an inspiration; an inspiration to other employees and to the company. At Sam’s Club, there is one such leader that stands out above the rest. That leader’s name is Patsy. Patsy’s job title is that of Plus Champion. Patsy has been in this position for approximately five years, and has earned every minute of it. She was chosen not only for her results in the obtainment of Plus memberships from current members, but also for her ability to lead and inspire others to do their best, and when they have difficulties she is the first to step in and offer assistance. Patsy exhibits the characteristics of a transformational leader as well as a transactional leader. She promotes rewards for efforts; corrects behaviors that may be harmful to reaching goals; communicates high expectations; gives personal attention; coaches, and advises the employees who are on her team in solving the dilemma of closing a Plus membership sale. Patsy has the trust of all the employees. She exhibits integrity at all levels, is competent in her abilities to get results, is consistent, loyal and open (Robbins, 2007). Patsy has the personality that draws you to her. She is constantly smiling, encouraging, and always positive. Patsy is the type of person that when she has a day off, the employees ask her whereabouts because they miss seeing her. She provides the inspiration that guides the sales of the plus memberships. While Patsy is an inspirational leader, there are other leaders at Sam’s Club. Each of them has their own characteristics that make them leaders, and most are trusted. Each of the leaders has built relationships with other employees either on their team, or in their group. Trust has been developed due to the consistent nature in which the leaders do their work, follow the policies of the organization, and communicate with management. Trust has also been proven in that while the employees and their leader share work activities, they discuss personal matters of interest and find commonalities to talk about but their discussions stay amongst the group. At Sam’s Club and in other organizations as well, there are leadership roles that can be observed. The team leaders at Sam’s Club are leaders of teams who are task oriented. The leaders of these teams not only set the goals of the day, but they also provide the vision on how to achieve them. These team leaders, through training, have gained the skills with experience, and education through classes held by managers to lead their teams to successes in their departments. Some of these leaders share a desire to move up in the organization, and therefore seek a mentor. Some of the mentors are managers, but most are other team leaders. The leader/mentors are the employees who have been with the company many years and have fulfilled several positions without moving into management. Their experience has qualified them to teach, introduce the employee to higher level individuals within the rganization, and also provide the employee with friendship, and act as a role model (Robbins, 2007). One of the challenges that this mentoring role has is that the mentor and mentee are not compatible. Incompatibility can come from personality conflicts, or same-gender/opposite gender conflicts. In the same gender conflict, jealousy can arise when the mentee learns quickly and becomes well-liked over the mentor. The company can solve this conflict by adopting a formal mentoring program where employees have to apply to be mentors and show that they have the capabilities and skills to mentor others. Some of the leaders who have several followers have the occasion to teach their followers how to self-lead. They are taught through modeling self-leadership behaviors. These behaviors include such things as setting personal goals, teaching them how to reward themselves for good performance, think positively, and how to look at themselves critically so that they can learn and perform better (Robbins, 2007). One of the challenges that self-leadership can have is that not every employee has the ability to self-lead. Their confidence level and dependent personality may make it difficult to teach them those self-leadership skills that will move them from dependence to autonomy. A suggestion to help with this challenge would be to assign the employee a coach or to slow the pace of learning, taking one idea at a time and not moving on until the employee has mastered the first. As in all organizations, conflicts can arise. One such conflict is happening at the local Sam’s Club. Currently, the club is preparing for inventory. The audit team is responsible for prepping the club in preparing for inventory. They do this by performing pre-counts that is taking what was received into the club and subtracting the sales count. The conflict is that members of the audit team who are performing their daily audits of select merchandise are unable to reconcile that the on-hand amounts. The procedure at this point would be to review received numbers minus sales to this point. That equation should result in the on-hand quantity. What then is causing the conflict? The conflict comes when consideration is not given to merchandise that is returned, and the possibility that the quantities received to start ith were incorrect. The team leaders of these two teams (audit and receiving) are in conflict as neither wants to be incorrect. The team leaders then must go to management, with the dilemma and their numbers, for correct reconciliation. My recommendation would be that the two team leaders sit down together with their teams, and review and discuss all activities to ensure that each has performed their tasks correctly according to policy and procedure. Once this has been done, it can prove the counts and the reconciliation should balance. Leaders within organizations must challenge, inspire, and offer assistance, when needed, to their followers. Colin Powell stated, â€Å"To be a good leader, be a good follower and take care of the followers† (Powell, n. d. ). Leadership is a role that can be attained through training and experience. To be an inspirational leader, it must come from the heart. An inspirational leader has a heart for the company and for the followers that follow them. On the other end of the spectrum of leadership behavior is that of political behavior. Legitimate political behavior is defined in the text as normal everyday politics. Such behavior considered legitimate is complaining to your supervisor, bypassing the chain of command or excessive adherence to rules. Illegitimate political behavior involves such things as sabotage, whistle-blowing, or groups of employees calling in sick (Robbins, 2007). Such politics goes on in every organization, but perhaps not in every way as described here. Negative politics is a mind game of sorts where individuals seek to advance themselves or to make a point by whatever means necessary. When employees misuse their power to gain undue attention and popularity, they are playing politics. Illegitimate political behavior promotes negativity at work. When an employee is exposed to organizational politics there are some things that can be done to â€Å"win,† such as not getting involved, focusing on your own work, do not spread rumors or listen to gossip, and best of all, set goals for yourself and do not allow anyone to influence you (Management Study Guide, 2012). By avoiding or not participating in political behavior, you are taking the right steps towards leadership and becoming the respected, fair, and trusted leader that organizations need and want. Diversity We hear so much about diversity in the workplace these days. Diversity refers to the ways that people in organizations differ, besides the usual race, national origin, sexual orientation, etc. Diversity not only involves how people think of others and how this affects their interactions at work, but also how they look at themselves (University of Maryland, 2012). The management team in an organization is key to how diversity works or does not work. An organization’s culture plays a huge role in the acceptance of diversity within it. Understanding the differences in workers, accepting them for who they are, and appreciating their contributions to the work environment are all necessary to cohesion, cooperation, and moving the organization forward. Diversity training programs are intended to raise awareness and to examine stereotypes (Robbins, 2007). Training programs should also include self examinations and how our own thoughts and feelings affect our interactions with others. At WalMart, Inc. , which includes Sam’s Club, diversity is a huge part of the company’s culture. Through its hiring practices, Sam’s Club ensures that all applicants have equal access to jobs and positions within the company. â€Å"A diverse workforce drives a sustainable business† (WalMart, 2012). So what can the management team do to promote diversity within the organization? To start, hire workers from different backgrounds and cultures. Seek venues, such as college campuses, where recruiters can obtain a pool of applicants from varied backgrounds, cultures and races. Once they are hired, provide them with a coach or mentor. This individual can assist them with getting settled into the workplace and their position. Take them around and introduce them to everyone. Ensure that they are included in special events and activities. Give them proper diversity training. Another recommendation would be to ensure that diversity is an open topic and discuss it often in both formal and casual settings. When managers observe negative behavior towards individuals that are of a different race or national origin, take them aside and discuss their attitudes to find out what the issues are and help them to look past their own stereotype. A third recommendation would be to require everyone to attend diversity training, from the top down. Review with employees how diversity and inclusion are part of the company’s mission and value statements. Lastly, managers should practice what they preach; demonstrate the behaviors that show their commitment to diversity (Farmer, 2011). While the management team is important in the promotion of diversity in the workplace, the Human Resources department may be more so. The HR department has become a core function within organizations. As an individual who may be coming to work for Sam’s Club, regardless of the position they are hired for, there needs to be a look into the practices of Human Resources and several questions asked. Randall Pinkett, in the video on HR Practices, states that the HR strategy of the company is critical in making decisions and evaluating the company itself. To do that, one must look at the HR activities across the entire spectrum of hiring practices, recruiting, benefits, performance evaluations, social responsibility, and community involvement. Ask yourself then what you get from looking at all of that. Does the company value diversity as they say they do? Do they believe in developing their employees from their training? Does their benefit package support work/life balance? Does their bonus structure reward a job well done (Pinkett, 2012)? To demonstrate my Sam’s Clubs’ commitment to diversity, every quarter the management team and selected employees are required to take a day and work in a business of a different type such as an ethnic restaurant. Many of the business members who shop at Sam’s Club are of different ethnic backgrounds and cultures. There are members from India, China, and Africa. These members can own such businesses as hotels, nail salons, restaurants, and convenience stores/gas stations. By working at these establishments, we learn so much about the members’ background and culture. We see not only how they think and operate their own businesses, but we also learn how they look at us in America and the way we conduct business. We have an opportunity to get to know them as people and business owners. The knowledge we gain from working with them for the day, can be brought back to the club and conveyed to the other associates in an effort to dispel stereotypes, and show that differences among people can be beneficial. When those members enter the lub again, by understanding them and their businesses, we can provide better customer service and request an expansion of our product lines that include more of what those members need to run their businesses. This opportunity opens the door for better communication and community relations. By adopting such diversity activities, my Sam’s Club upholds the company’s culture.

North American Free Trade Agreement

Introduction The NorthAmerican free trade agreement (NAFTA) is a trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico. Effected in the year 1994, the agreement substituted the former Canada-United States free trade agreement which only involved the two countries.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on North American Free Trade Agreement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper seeks to discuss how the formation of the North American free Trade Agreement affected politics and economies of the three countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States. The paper will discuss the backgroundto the formation of the agreement, its terms and the effects that the agreement has impacted in the politics and the economies of three member countries. Background of NAFTA Prior to the formation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, there existed a trade agreement between the United States and Canada. The agreement that seemed to isolate Mexico saw the country of Mexico adjust its structures and systems towards international trade in order to resolve its economic crisis due to destabilized oil prices and overwhelming foreign debts that Mexico had been experiencing since the 1980s.Being drawn to international trade and the move that saw Mexico join the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) forced Mexico to review its regulations and terms to international trade. The economic reforms done through reduction of trade barriers, in a bid to comply with the globalization wave, motivated Mexico to trade agreements besides the normal international trade. This consequently led to the readiness of Mexico to forge an economic bloc with the already established Canada- United States free trade agreement. This led to the formation of the North American Free Trade Agreement that was established in the year 1992 (Kehoe 1). Terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement The free trade agreement made between the three countries had provisions to help achieve theobjectives of a free trade bloc and regulations to help protect industries in the countries in terms of competitive advantage. The agreement had provisions to protect patent rights and curb production of counterfeit goods. Generally, the aim of the agreement was to improve trade among the three countries by total removal of tariffs and other limitations to international trade such as international trade formalities and requirements. One of the provisions of the trade agreement was that the trade among the three countries was to be free from government policies which control international trade. It also provided for freedom to â€Å"cross boarder services rules† (Trade1).Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This meant that companies and organizations within the three countries had the freedom to cho ose their trade locations free from control by any of the governments. The agreement also provided for universal access to governments’procurement processes in the three countries to enable suppliers bid for any public tenders in any of the countries without limitations. The agreement also provided for the adoption and use of similar customs rules in the three countries. In its terms, the North American Free Trade Agreement provided â€Å"protection against unjustified actions† (Trade1) by any country against traders from other member countries. It also ensured provisions for â€Å"fairness for investors† among its member states. Under these provisions, the modes for undertaking a â€Å"safeguard action† was outlined with a further provision that any such actions required compensation to any member country affected by the action. The terms of the agreement also provided for â€Å"environmentally sound investments† (Trade1), protection to service pr oviding companies and protection to â€Å"intellectual rights† among others (Trade1). Economic Impacts of NAFTA on its Member Countries The formation and implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement had economic impacts on the countries owing to the fact that barriers to trade were eliminated increasing the volume of trade among the three countries. Mexico and NAFTA With consideration to the trade activities between the United States and Mexico, there were significant impacts in the Mexican economy derived from the liberalized trade. In general terms, the trade agreement brought significant benefits to the Mexican economy. In a research conducted by the World Bank in the year 2005, it was realized that in its contribution to the Mexican economy, the North American Free Trade Agreement improved the development levels in Mexico. The study actually compared the developments in Mexico at the time to that of the United States. This can be viewed as boost to the Mexica n economy taking into consideration that Mexico was in an economic crisis two decades earlier. The liberalized trade, according to the World Bank study, improved the technology in the Mexican industrial sector.The subsequent expansion of the sector together with the improved technology improved the â€Å"number and quality of jobs†(Villareal 17).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on North American Free Trade Agreement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The trade liberalization also exposed the three member states to the sensitivity to each other’s economies. The free transfer of goods and services among the countries has the impact of transferring economic implications together with the flow of goods and services. An increase in the price of raw materials in one country will impact on the price of the end product of the resource. This will be transferred to the other countries inducing its impact in the destination country. It has also been established that the trade agreement was fundamental in the Mexican economic recovery that was realized in the year 1995. Through the terms of the trade agreement, Mexico reformed its economic policies. This move boosted the confidence of foreign investors and as a result attracted investments into the country. With respect to the reports from World Bank, Mexico has overwhelmingly experienced economic developments and the improved economic status is attributed to the North American Trade Agreement. The trade agreement also contributed to average change in the wages in Mexico. It is noted that with the enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the wage rate offered in Mexico increased steadily between the years 1990 and 2000. The wage rate has since then been fluctuating along a mean rate (Villareal 18).Mexico has particularly been on the receiving end of the trade agreement. As a result of the increased international trade du e to the NAFTA trade agreement, the Mexican international trade increased from about thirty five percent to over sixty percent in a span of eight years. Exports in the industrial sectors have, for example, increased by about three hundred percent due to the trade liberalization induced by the trade agreement on the Mexican economy (Vazqueze and Chen 3). The United States and Canada Though more significantly felt in Mexico as compared to the United States and Canada, the North American Free Trade Agreement has had economic impacts among all its three member states.Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The effect of the agreement increased trade in the region and globally by not shifting business activities from other regions to the North America, but by creating more opportunity for business. The United States for example found a rich market for its products in Mexico. The effects of the agreement are also seen to have caused a change in employment systems in theUnited States and Canada. The change in trade patterns and the business activities due to the liberalized arrangement led to a shift from â€Å"blue collar jobs† to â€Å"white collar jobs†. This shift in the employment structure has a neutralizing effect of loss of employment opportunities in one profession and a subsequent creation of jobs in another sector of the economy. There will still be a net effect resulting from this shift in employment structure since the remuneration rates in these types of jobs are relatively different (Laursen 54). The General Impact NAFTA can be claimed to have â€Å"succeede d in boosting the three member states economic performance† (Chambers and Smith 244). There have been increased levels of international trade among the three member countries. The sensitivity created by the trade liberalization among the three countries also led to improvement of international trade between the countries and the rest of the world. Mexico, for example, adjusted from its former restrictive policies that limited international trade to economic policies that are more tolerable to international trade. The NorthAmerican Trade Agreement is also noted to have induced a generally negative impact on the trend of employment rates among the member countries. A study of the employment data trend in Mexico indicates that the job creation in Mexico that is attributed to the trade agreement affected the Mexicans in a rather negative way. The agreement,however, affected the flow of workers from the United States into Mexico; Americans are said to have flooded Mexico. This had the implication of increased competition for jobs hence displacing Mexicans from their jobs and increasing unemployment rates. A similar threat to employmentsecurity was observed in Canada on the onset of the former trade agreement between Canada and the United States. In the arrangements Canada opened its industrial sector to the more developed United States industries. The consequence was the closure of some industries in Canada in response to the competitive environment that the trade liberalization exposed the domestic industries to. These closures were consequently followed by loss of employment for the workers of the closed industries. Another impact of the regional trade liberalization was the ease of mobility of factories. This led to movement of some factories from one country to another. The significant mobility of factories would mean loss of jobs especially to the employees who for one reason or another, could not move along with the factory mobility to its new country o f location(Chambers and Smith 245). Political Impacts of the Creation of NAFTA The formation of the trade agreement called for the grass root support from the three member states. With this respect, there were movements across the three countries with differing motives. There was a move to support the establishment of the trade agreement on one side and another movement to oppose the same on the other side. The idea of establishing the agreement generated a regional political momentum that combined the three countries: Mexico, Canada and the United States. The pro trade agreement side, for example, located their office in Washington to manage the campaigns for the support of the establishment of the North American Free Trade Agreement. In the United States, for example, U.S.-NAFTA coalition was formed to unite parties that were supporting the establishment of the trade agreement. The process of establishing the agreement was itself a politicized move that saw the two camps transvers e the region in search of support to either oppose or spearhead the establishment of the trade agreement. The governments of the three countries into the agreement were also actively involved in the process of establishment the agreement. The government of Mexico, for example, provided support to the pro-NAFTA camp by giving information and other forms of support to the group. The process itself also involved politicians by the fact that the governments played a role in the establishment. This is because governments are headed by political leaders (Levi, Bruhn and Zebadua 254). Mexican Politics The relationship between Mexico and the United States which was cemented by the North American Free Trade Agreement plays an important role in the democratization of the Mexican politics. It was noted by Levi, Bruhn and Zebaduathat a number of groups in the United Statesplays a significant role in the politics of Mexico. The vested interest in the trade established by the agreement has induce d the interest of the United States to protect its market. With this respect, Levi, Bruhn and Zebaduaexpressed the view that the significant interest that the United States has in the Mexican politics is more of a move to ensure economic stability rather than political democracy. With this respect, trade agreement is seen to have induced a political impact on the two countries with Mexico being on the receiving end of the political influence by the United States. TheUnited States, therefore, manipulates or influences Mexican politics towards the economic stability of Mexico (Levi, Bruhn and Zebadua29). The political impacts of the trade agreement were anticipated long before the agreement was enforced. Cameron Maxwell and Wise Carole indicated that both the opponents and the proponents of the North American Trade Agreement had different opinions over the political impacts that the agreement would have on the three countries with specifications to Mexico being on the receiving end of political influence from both Canada and the United States. Those who supported the agreement saw the political influence as an opportunity to enhance democracy in Mexico through the influence of its two economic partners. Those who opposed the formation of the trade agreement however argued that the economic relationship will subject Mexico to being ruled by the two nations: Canada and the United States. The later election that was held in the year 2000 in Mexico, however, indicated a level of improved democracy giving credit to the argument of the proponents of the NAFTA regarding democratization of Mexico by the establishment of the trade agreement (Cameron and Wise 301). Conclusion The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is an economic agreement that was made by Canada, Mexico and theUnited Statesand was finalized in the year 1992. The economic agreement was intended to eliminate all trade barriers among the three countries. The establishment of the trade agreement has both economic and political effects among the three countries. The economic effects included increased international trade among the countries as well as changing employment trends in the countries. The political effects included political influence among the member states with the aim to safeguard the economic stability in the region. Works Cited Cameron, Maxwell and Wise, Carole. The Political impacts of NAFTA on Mexico. Works Bepress, 2004. Web. Chambers, Edward and Smith, Peter.NAFTA in the new millennium. Alberta, Canada: University of Alberta, 2002. Print. Kehoe, William. NAFTA: Concept, Problems, Promise. People Virgia, n.d. Web. Laursen, Finn. Comparative Regional Integration: Europe and Beyond. London, UK: Ashgate Publishing, 2010. Print. Levi,Daniel., Bruhn, Kathleen and Zebadua, Emilio. Mexico: the struggle for democratic development. California: University of California Press, 2006. Print. Trade.NAFTA key provisions.Trade Observatory, 2006. Web. Vazqueze, Jorge and Chen, Duanjie.The impact of NAFTA and options for tax reform in Mexico. Mexico: world Bank publications, 2001. Print. Villareal, Angeles.U.S.-Mexico Economic Relations: Trends, Issues, and Implications. Pennsylvania, PA: DIANE Publishing, 2011. Print. This research paper on North American Free Trade Agreement was written and submitted by user Lacey P. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

29 Great Colleges for B Students and How to Get In

29 Great Colleges for B Students and How to Get In SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Generally, the better your grades, the more college options you'll have. However, some students are under the false impression that you need straight As in order to get into a wonderful college. Students stress and worry that a few Bs will sentence them to an inferior university. Fortunately, getting Bs won't prevent you from being able to go to a good school. There are a number of excellent colleges that admit B students. I'll provide a list of 29 of the best colleges for B students and explain how to find a good college if you're a B student. Are You a B Student? You Can Still Go to a Great College If you’re at the end of your junior year or the beginning of your senior year and you have mostly Bs on your transcript, don't freak out: you can still gain admission to an excellent college. Since super selective colleges will likely be a big reach for you, you might want to set your sights on quality schools that are significantly less selective. For example, Stanford only admits around 5% of its applicants, and its average admitted student has a high school GPA of 3.95/4.00. By contrast, the University of Michigan has an acceptance rate of 28%, and the average admitted student here has a GPA of 3.83/4.00. As a B student, you might have trouble getting into schools in the top 50 on the US News and Forbes rankings lists; however, you might have a decent chance of getting into a school in the top 100. Considering there are almost 3,000 four-year colleges, the #100 college is still better than over 99% of colleges in the US. For instance, according to our admissions calculator for Indiana University Bloomington, a student with a 3.2 GPA and a 29 ACT composite score would have about a 62% chance of getting accepted. Indiana University is currently ranked #89 by US News. How Much Do Your Grades Matter for College Applications? It should go without saying that your grades are a huge factor in determining your college options. In fact, grades are one of the most important factors colleges use when deciding whether to admit you. According to a 2017 study on the state of college admission conducted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), 77% of colleges believe that overall GPA and grades in college prep courses are considerably important admission factors. Meanwhile, test scores from the ACT, SAT, etc., are deemed considerably important by just 54% of colleges surveyed. This indicates that grades are by far one of the most important factors in college admission. It's not just grades that mean something, though; colleges also want to see that you're challenging yourself with difficult courses. According to the NACAC study, 87% of colleges deem the rigor of a student's course load at least moderately important. In other words, just getting good grades isn't enough- you also need to get good grades in tough classes. Although you can still get into a great college as a B student, if you have any extra time before your college applications are due, I recommend using it to try to improve your grades. Not All B Students Are Created Equal Colleges take many factors into account when determining admissions, including grades, classes, standardized test scores, extracurriculars, recommendations, and the personal statement. All else being equal, a student who got all Bs in regular classes is going to be much less qualified than a student who got all B+'s in mostly honors and AP classes. Generally, this is reflected in your weighted GPA, which weighs harder courses more heavily than regular classes. So in this example, the student with straight Bs would receive a 3.0 GPA, and the student with straight B+’s (assuming she took four honors classes out of six total classes) would get a 3.97 GPA. That said, you can compensate for lower grades by excelling in other areas. For example, if you had a 3.4 weighted GPA and a 33 ACT score, you’d probably be able to get into much more selective schools than would a student who has the same GPA as you and a 27 ACT score. Also, you might be able to make up for lower grades if you exhibit exceptional achievement in your extracurriculars. If you're an Olympic-level athlete or a successful entrepreneur, you might be able to gain admission into the most selective colleges- even with some Bs on your transcript. Overall, if you’re a B student but want to get into highly selective colleges, focus on ensuring that all other components of your college applications are as strong as possible. If you go to the Olympics, you can get into a good school with lower grades. How Did I Create This List of Colleges for B Students? I compiled this list of great schools for B students by looking at various ranking lists, including US News, Forbes, and Niche. I gave extra weight to the US News rankings because they’re the most referenced and prestigious of the college rankings. I considered a college accessible to B students if its average GPA for admitted applicants was less than a 3.75. If you've got a weighted GPA in the range of 3.30-3.80, all the schools below could be reach, target, or even safety schools for you. If your weighted GPA is less than 3.30, you might also want to take a look at the best colleges for students with a low GPA. By no means does this list contain all the great colleges for B students. Ultimately, I tried to come up with a diverse list that included colleges from all regions and of all types, including large public universities and small liberal arts colleges. List of the Best Colleges for B Students Below, we introduce our list of great colleges for B students. I categorized all the schools by region: West, Midwest, Northeast, and South. For each school, I listed its location, US News ranking, average GPA, average SAT score, average ACT score, and acceptance rate. Keep in mind that US News separates its school rankings into four categories: National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. Most of the schools on our list are National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges; no Regional Colleges made the list. For all regions, the listed US News ranking is for National Universities unless otherwise noted. Lastly, here are the ranges for GPA and other items on our list: Average GPA: 3.33 to 3.83 Average SAT Score: 90 to 1340 Average ACT Score: 25 to 30 Acceptance Rate: 34% to 81% West School Location US News Ranking Average GPA Average SAT Average ACT Acceptance Rate Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA #3 Regional Universities West 3.75 1270 28 54% Pepperdine University Malibu, CA #46 3.64 1300 28 39% San Diego State University San Diego, CA #127 3.7 90 25 35% University of Colorado, Boulder Boulder, CO #96 3.62 1250 27 80% University of Oregon Eugene, OR #102 3.55 80 25 83% University of the Pacific Stockton, CA #106 3.52 1200 26 65% University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT #9 3.61 1220 25 66% Pepperdine is pretty. (CampusGrotto/Flickr) Midwest School Location US News Ranking Average GPA Average SAT Average ACT Acceptance Rate Beloit College Beloit, WI #68 National Liberal Arts Colleges 3.29 1200 27 54% Creighton University Omaha, NE #1 Regional Universities Midwest 3.79 80 27 72% College of Wooster Wooster, OH #67 National Liberal Arts Colleges 3.68 1270 27 56% Indiana University Bloomington Bloomington, IN #90 3.72 1250 28 76% Michigan State University East Lansing, MI #85 3.71 1200 26 71% Purdue University West Lafayette, IN #56 3.75 1280 29 57% University of Iowa Iowa City, IA #89 3.63 1240 26 81% Wabash College Crawfordsville, IN #56 National Liberal Arts Colleges 3.65 70 25 63% College of Wooster Kauke Hall (Maitri/Flickr) Northeast School Location US News Ranking Average GPA Average SAT Average ACT Acceptance Rate Clark University Worcester, MA #66 3.63 1310 29 55% Fordham University New York, NY #70 3.65 1320 29 46% Providence College Providence, RI #2 Regional Universities North 3.43 1240 28 52% Rutgers University Piscataway, NJ #56 3.73 1300 28 58% St. Lawrence University Canton, NY #56 National Liberal Arts Colleges 3.56 1300 28 48% Syracuse University Syracuse, NY #53 3.63 1260 28 47% University of Delaware Newark, DE #89 3.71 1240 27 65% University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA #70 3.89 1270 28 58% Purnell Hall at the University of Delaware (Mathieu Plourde/Flickr) South School Location US News Ranking Average GPA Average SAT Average ACT Acceptance Rate Auburn University Auburn, AL #5 3.86 1230 27 84% Baylor University Waco, TX #78 3.68 1280 28 39% Furman University Greenville, SC #51 National Liberal Arts Colleges 3.7 1290 29 61% Rollins College Winter Park, FL #2 Regional Universities South 3.3 1270 27 64% Sewanee: University of the South Sewanee, TN #49 National Liberal Arts Colleges 3.73 1290 28 47% Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX #80 3.6 1230 28 41% Samford Hall at Auburn University (Jason Coleman/Flickr) How Should You Use This List of Colleges for B Students? If you’re a B student looking for a great college, be sure to research any of the colleges on this list that interest you. Use the school websites, finders, guidebooks, and ranking lists to guide your research. You can also go on college visits to truly get a feel for some of these schools and determine whether they might be a good fit for you. Furthermore, I advise you to consult with teachers, counselors, parents, current students, and alumni to get more information and to further narrow your college search. How to Find Other Great Colleges for B Students: 2 Resources There are plenty of excellent schools for B students that didn’t make the list above. Here are a few different ways to identify other colleges that might work for you. #1: College Finders On Big Future, you can’t search for colleges by average GPA, but you can search for colleges by SAT/ACT score and selectivity. Because most good colleges for B students have an average SAT score of around 1200 and an average ACT score of around 27, you can look for colleges that match that criteria. These colleges range from very selective (25-50% of applicants admitted) to less selective (more than 75% of applicants admitted). You can select additional search filters to help find schools that better fit what you want in a college. With the website College View, you can enter your SAT/ACT score and unweighted GPA in your college search. #2: PrepScholar Database Our PrepScholar database contains profiles for every college. A school's profile lists its acceptance rate, average GPA, and average standardized test scores. We also have an admissions calculator on every school profile so you can roughly determine your odds of admission based on your GPA and SAT/ACT test scores. To find a school's profile, search for "[School Name] PrepScholar admissions" on Google. Another great feature is located at the bottom of each school's profile page. There, you'll see three lists: schools that are harder to get into, schools that are equally hard to get into, and schools that are easier to get into. I suggest looking up the profiles of the schools on our list above to find other schools that are about as selective and to get even more good colleges for B students. For instance, on our PrepScholar page for Syracuse University, Boston University and UT Dallas are listed as harder to get into, Penn State and Hofstra are listed as equally hard to get into, and Ohio University and Quinnipiac are listed as easier to get into. You can use these lists to identify other schools that might interest you. These are schools that are listed as "equally hard to get into" on Syracuse's profile. How to Improve Your Chances of Admission Even as a B student, there are a number of ways you can improve your odds of getting into your dream school; this depends on where you are in the college application process. Here are some examples of things you can do to improve your application: Follow an SAT or ACT study plan and give yourself time to take the test a second or even third time if your scores aren't up to par Come up with a compelling essay topic for your personal statement Spend the summer before your senior year doing something incredibly interesting, such as traveling abroad or volunteering Remember that colleges consider a multitude of factors when evaluating your application. By strengthening any of these components, you can increase your odds of being accepted! What's Next? Is it really important for you to attend a top-tier school? Find out if it really matters where you go to college. Do you want to go to a college in the Midwest or the South? Then check out my lists of the best colleges in the Midwest and the South. Are you looking for a traditional college experience in a fun setting? Learn about the 23 best college towns. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

How to Write Papers for Graduate School

How to Write Papers for Graduate School Graduate study is all about writing, as the thesis or dissertation is the ticket to graduation. However, lots of writing occurs well before the thesis and dissertation are begun. Most graduate courses require students to write term papers. Many beginning graduate students are accustomed to writing papers and approach them in ways similar to undergraduate papers. As students advance and near the end of their coursework, they often look ahead towards the next task (such as preparing for comprehensive exams) and may begin to resent writing papers, feeling that they have already proven themselves as competent students. Both of these approaches are misguided. Papers are your opportunity to advance your own scholarly work and receive guidance to enhance your competence. Take Advantage of Term Papers How do you take advantage of papers? Be thoughtful. Choose your topic carefully. Each paper you write should do double duty - complete a course requirement and further your own development. Your paper topic should meet the course requirements, but it should also relate to your own scholarly interests. Review an area of literature related to your interests. Or you might examine a topic that you are interested in but unsure whether it is complex enough to study for your dissertation. Writing a term paper about the topic will help you determine if the topic is broad and deep enough to fulfill a large project and will also help you determine if it will sustain your interest. Term papers offer a place for you to test ideas but also to make progress on your current research interests. Double Duty Each assignment you write should do double duty: help you advance your own scholarly agenda and get feedback from a faculty member. Papers are opportunities to get feedback about your ideas and writing style. Faculty can help you improve your writing and help you learn how to think like a scholar. Take advantage of this opportunity and dont simply seek to finish. That said, take care in how you plan and construct your papers. Attend to ethical guidelines of writing. Writing the same paper over and over or submitting the same paper for more than one assignment is unethical and will get you into a great deal of trouble. Instead, the ethical approach is to use each paper as an opportunity to fill in a gap in your knowledge. Consider a student in developmental psychology who is interested in adolescents who engage in risky behaviors such as drinking and drug use. While enrolled in a course in neuroscience, the student might examine how brain development influences risky behavior. In a course on cognitive development, the student might examine the role of cognition in risky behavior. A personality course might push the student to look at personality characteristics that influence risk behavior. In this way, the student advances his or her scholarly knowledge while completing course requirements. The student, therefore, should be examining multiple aspects of his or her general research topic. Will this work for you? At least some of the time. It will be better in some courses than others, but, regardless, it is worth a try.

Emergency & Disaster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Emergency & Disaster - Essay Example Training of the authorities to help in disaster management will make them well prepared to handle the affected population in case of disaster. Authorities taking care of emergency plans should have to liaison with the community. This will ensure that they take their advice when they are informed of imminent danger. Mistrust has been seen to cause fatalities like the case of hurricane Katrina where the residents refuse to vacate after being told to move because of hurricane which was due to occur (Cordasco, 2007) The Hurricane Katrina posed a number of threats to the general population as it caused a lot of destruction to property and infrastructure. The Hurricane Katrina caused massive destruction of property, inclusive of residential homes, schools, hospital, roads, power lines, communication equipment and other property. In order to avert destruction from a disaster like this, vital infrastructure like hospitals and homes should have strong buildings which can survive hurricane. People should also be well informed of procedures to follow in the event that such a disaster occurs, and this will see to it that property and lives are saved. Callaghan, M. W., Rasmussen, S. A., Jamieson, D. J., Ventura, S. J., Farr, S. L., Sutton, P. D., †¦ Posner, S. F. (2007), Health Concerns of Women and Infants in Times of Natural Disasters: Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina, Matern Child Health J, 11:307–311 Cordasco, M., Eisenman, P., Deborah C. Glik, C.,Golden, F. & Asch M. (2007) â€Å"They Blew the Levee": Distrust of Authorities Among Hurricane Katrina Evacuees, Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 18(2) ,

Executive summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Executive summary - Assignment Example Gripper company roadmap starts with our specific mission, which is lasting. It declares our purpose as an organization and serves as the standard against which we assess our decisions and actions. Our mission is to improve safety in the world; to inspire optimism and happy moments and to create a value and make the difference. Our core objectives are to increase sales over the next two years, to improve our gross margin over the current line of product and maintain the level, to meet the market demand at a high gross margin. Our near and long term goals is the Growth of our company with the development of new and quality products, moving our operations to many countries, selling products at a cheap price and producing quality products over our rivals. Gripper Company is a regional company that sells its products on wholesale to its retail customers. The percentage of our gross margin is above average with many customers coming from within the country. The company hopes to become an international company within two years. It is an anti-slip treatment that is proven to make wet floors slip resistant. It brings about non-slip tile floors, bathtubs, or non-slippery shower floors in minutes. It prevents slip-fall accidents in bathrooms, kitchens, workplaces hotels or anywhere with a slippery tile floor (Pinson and Linda

Gap Inc. in France Essay Example for Free

Gap Inc. in France Essay Since the 16th century, France has been the epicenter of high fashion. From elegant designs of the old royal court to the stylish threads made by contemporary French Fashion Designers like Christian Dior, Coco Chanel and Jean-Paul Gaulthier. Im very sure we would all agree that location is a key factor in the success of a business and France is  known to many if not all  as the fashion capital of the world hosting many world renowned designers such as Gucci, Chanel, Prada and many more. The country has advantages in being well known for fashion in that many consumers have often travelled to France to obtain firsthand experience of the beautiful glamorous lifestyles associated with the country of fashion. In terms of tourism, France is the most visited country in the world and hosts seventy-five million visitors a year. The success of the tourism industry through the fashion attraction has help the economy grow in that people from all over the world bring money from various countries to spend in France. What better place to set up a GAP, Inc. like banana republic. With our growing base of loyal customers in our various different locations, both in our stores and online, we’re confident that shoppers in France will have a strong appetite for banana republic’s proposition of affordable luxury, as we open yet another location. Introducing something new and slightly different would most definitely be a challenge but would also attract and build a new customer relation experience. Identifying Global Business Opportunities Siddha Param of Worldwide Business Connection online magazine begins one of his articles with the quote â€Å"Opportunity is very often found in solving existing inefficiencies in a market†. I believe this statement as true because identifying global markets; making a proper assessment the inefficiencies affecting that particular market; and making a strategic move to fill that need, is the formula for creating successful business. For instance, a local water purification company may be looking to expand their markets. They may see where a particular region has been affected with a natural ditsier, economic straits or any number of situations; but where left with the need of fresh water. A smart opportunity would see the needs of that community and began to supply their goods to fulfill the demands that region. This would be an example of solving existing inefficiencies by identifying business opportunities. In most cases of supply and demand with in the global community has practically fulfilled the wants and need of all consumers. Leaving no room existing inefficiencies to be resolved. In the case of introducing GAP Inc. to France, an already established fashion haven, I would have to ask where the opportunity to succeed in this market is. A possible opportunity would be establishing GAP as an affordable alternative for clothing competitors. In doing so, you would have created an inefficiency to be filled thus opening the door successful operations in a new global market. Analyzing International Competitors Potential Competitors: Gap Inc. competes with local, national, and global department stores, specialty and discount store chains, independent retail stores, and online businesses that market similar lines of merchandise, probably too many to mention. But to name a few of these companies, we feel are similar to ours include brands like Zara (owned by a Spanish company Inditex) and H;amp;M (from Sweden). This designer brands cater to the same target market as GAP Inc. they offer high quality clothes at an expensive price and the crowd is willing to pay that much to look good. Competitive Advantage: Gap’s style will be rooted in simple, easy to wear pieces that form the foundation of any wardrobe – the jean, the khaki, and the pocket tee. It will epitomize casual cool which transcends trend making it easy for people to express their personal style. Our company offers a range of great versatile wardrobe solutions, delivering elevated design and luxurious fabrications at approachable prices while combining contemporary and traditional elements to evoke the brand’s essence of affordable modern. Assessment of the Geographic and Economic Environment of France Geographical Influences: France is located in Western Europe, bordering Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. The total area covered by France is 419,328 square miles. This number includes France’s other territories located throughout the world including French Guiana (South America), Guadeloupe (Central America and the Caribbean), Martinique (Central America and the Caribbean), Mayotte (Africa), and Reunion (World). Metropolitan France covers an area of 342,807 square miles. France is the 43rd largest country of the world. In comparison, France is slightly smaller than the state of Texas (World Fact book, 2012). France lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel on the west and northwest, and the Mediterranean Sea on the south giving France access to numerous waterways. Metropolitan France is mostly flat plains and gently rolling hills in the north and west, and the remainder is mountainous, especially the Alps in east and the Pyrenees in the south. France’s geographical location allows for a great business opportunity with access to many other European nations. The climate in France is also welcoming with generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean. Major Products and Industries: France is a significant producer of uranium, bauxite, nickel, iron ore, crude steel, aluminum, and coal. According to French Customs, France is the worlds second largest agricultural producer after the United States (Department of State, 2012). France’s agricultural productions include grain, dairy, pork, poultry, apples, beef, fruits, vegetables, and wine. Current Economic Conditions: The current economic conditions in France are looking good. France is currently transitioning from an economy that was mostly controlled by the government to one that relies more on a market driven system. Being able to operate under this new economic system will allow us to control more aspects within our company. This is definitely something to consider in regards to our foreign direct investment (FDI). Frances current leaders remain committed to capitalism by looking to maintain social equity by means of tax policies, laws, and social spending (Department of State, 2012). France’s GDP is $2. 214 trillion dollars, which is 10th in comparison to the rest of the world (World Fact book, 2012). The French government expects GDP growth of 1. 0% for 2012 (Department of State, 2012). This is a great time for us to open a GAP in France knowing that the economic forecast is looking bright. France is one of the founding members of the European Union (EU) and well respected by other members. The currency used in France as well as other countries within the EU is the euro. One euro is currently equaled to 1. 32705 USD. This is one negative aspect of our business proposal that we will have to deal with. The French government’s current economic policy aims to promote domestic growth and investments. Reducing the high unemployment rate and creating jobs has been a top priority (global EDGE, 2012). Infrastructure of France: This will be a welcoming approach to help solve unemployment issues in France. Cultural Analysis: The ethnic groups within France include Celtic, Latin, Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Sub-Saharan African, Indochinese, and Basque minorities (World Factbook, 2012). Religions in France include Roman Catholic (Majority), Muslim, Protestant, and Jewish. France is home to the largest number of Muslims and Jews in all of Europe. The language spoken in France is French. Throughout history, French has been the international language of commerce and diplomacy (Department of State, 2012). Some of France’s biggest cultural accomplishments include those made to fashion, cinema, and cuisine. Noteworthy, Paris, France is considered one of the fashion capitals of the world and is home to successful fashion brands such as Jean-Paul Gaultier Celine, Chanel, Balenciaga, Chloe, Dior, Givenchy, and Vuitton (ParisDigest, 2012). France’s love for fashion will open great opportunities for our business and help us to establish the GAP brand throughout Europe. The reputable fashion industry in France will can be beneficial for us in the development of our operation guidelines. Social Institutions: France is made up of different ethnicities, religious backgrounds, and cultures which we must consider when executing business activities such as marketing. I would suggest that all employees heading to France to conduct business participate in a cultural awareness program. Informal Trade Barriers: Being a member of the EU has helped France and other European nations maintain healthy trade relations. However, there are some informal trade barriers that may hinder these trade relations. Communication failure is one of the biggest informal trade barriers that exist. A current goal of the French government is to reduce budget deficits to help ensure sustainable growth. In 2008, in order to become more competitive, the National Assembly passed four bills to modernize the economy and reform the labor market (Department of State, 2012). President Sarkozy is credited with increasing the tax credit for investments in small and medium enterprises, as well as eliminating the annual flat business tax. These are definite signs that France is moving in the right direction in regards to their economy, and a great sign that this is the perfect time to establish our business. Formal Trade Barriers: There are two factors that seem to motivate the trend toward globalization. These two factors include declining trade barriers and changes in communication, transportation technologies, and information (Hill, 2011). Regional economic integration has stimulated France’s economy by lowering trade barriers and emplacing fewer restrictions to help increase trade among members of the EU. However, if the EU decides to erect trade barriers on non-EU members, France will have to abide by them. This could cause a negative impact on trade relations with other countries outside of the EU. Trade and investments between France and the United States are extremely strong. France currently ranks as the U. S’s eighth largest trading partner for total goods (Department of State, 2012). Promoting Global Business: Promoting global business is a priority among all EU members, especially France. France has worked to strengthen political and economic influences of the EU throughout the world. France’s drive to promote global business will aid us in the establishment of our business. Tax Implications: Recently, France has been pursuing a policy to reduce corporate tax. Currently the nominal rate of corporate tax is 33. 33% higher than the European average. However, according to international comparative studies, France had the lowest business setup and operating costs in the EU (Invest in France, 2012). These costs include labor, facility costs, transport, utility costs and corporate tax. Selecting a Global Company Structure Strategic Planning In an attempt to broaden our customer base GAP Inc. looks to expand its market into France. Today, Paris, along with London, Milan, and New York City, is considered one of the worlds fashion capitals, and the city is home or headquarters to many of the premier fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior, Vuitton, and many more. Fashion has been an important industry and cultural export of France since the seventeenth century. It is our desire to maintain a permanent presence in the region to capitalize on the long-term growth opportunities of that country. Entry Mode Entry will be gained by establishing facilities in the new market. With the help of independent representatives and agents who reside in the new market, we look to construct and capitalize on the market available to us. Organizational Structure Due to the difficulty of working globally with a centralized functional structure, and the communication gaps that come from working in divisional silos, most modern companies employ a hybrid structure that combines elements of each. We look to do the same thing. There is no single hybrid structure, but rather a range from mostly-functional to mostly-divisional, which varies between companies. We will have a central headquarters that sets strategy and high-level policy, combined with geographic divisions that determine their operational methods, and may have internal functional departments within the division. The Action Plan Our business operations will simply be an extension of what has already been established in the U. S. We look to provide France with its very own unique selection based on the trends of each market and region. Our objectives are to establish a long-term presence in the region through participating in one of the country’s most valued areas and also capitalize on the opportunities available within France. One facility will be used as the starting point of this expansion. We will begin by uniquely designing and advertising clothing that fits the new region of France. With a reputation as one the worlds fashion capitals, we will have to adapt to a higher class of fashion and consistently keep on pace with the latest trends and styles. Specifically we will consult some independent designers residing in the new region and work with them alongside our own designers to collectively create new clothing and designs crafted just for this market. This will be and ongoing process for the beginning of the entry into France. Once a solid customer base has been established we will look to expand and establish more facilities within France including Paris. Product and Target Market Planning Product Concept We have a unique opportunity here to expand the knowledge of our multifaceted company. Although GAP, Inc. is our parent company, Banana Republic, Piperlime, Athleta, and Old Navy are well recognized brands we are proud to provide affordable, classic American style clothing. Product Life Cycle There is a previous history of opening locations within this country and we will continue with these vendors and contractors. Expansion projects in France for the entire brand have been on schedule, on budget, and well established within the community. Branding and Packaging With Stephen Sunnucks as President of Gap Inc. ’s International, we have the talent developed in fashion and local icons at New Look, which topped 700 locations throughout Europe. Colin Funnell runs Gap, Inc. Global Supply and has a record of dependable logistics. Our brand has worldwide recognition for our leadership and for its reliable supply of goods. Target Market The primary target for the GAP stores, which are known as iconic, inventive, and classic American, is the original vision for the founder, Don Fisher, and that is the â€Å"Generation Gap† of the 1960’s, and thus the name â€Å"Gap†. This would be middle aged shoppers of both genders. The clothes in the Gap stores have a more timeless and properness about them. The style is not suggestive or skimpy at all. Banana Republic appeals to a more luxurious taste, fashion forward and youthful shoppers. The shoppers here are more confident, mature, and sophisticated when choosing accessories and fragrance as well. Men and women in their twenties and up will enjoy the finer side of casual dressing. These stores even smell wonderful. Old Navy offers more whimsical and friendly side to affordable fashion for all ages of family members. Colorful and durable make it a working class family’s problem solver. Piperlime is where hot trends, fashion news, and boutique styling all meet. Our shopper here is getting a diverse and creative collection of ladies day and evening dressing. Courageous and adventurous style is common and prices vary by item, so anyone can enjoy this eclectic boutique. Athleta is a line of ladies performance and exercise garments. Strong sponsorship in tournaments and health promotion make ladies seek this store out. From newborn pajamas to prom night accessories to a matriarch’s distinguished garments, we have many bases covered in this family of Gap, Inc. We grow with our clients, literally. We have an extensive presence in the region including national and international advertising, promotion, and logistics ensured by proven leadership and secure contracts. Designing a Global Distribution Strategy Promotional Goals: As we continue to expand our presence internationally, were more aware than ever how our decisions affect the communities in which we do business. And our philosophy will be to seek to make a positive, lasting impact on the people in France. We plan to listen to our customers, and share their expectations. For us, that means looking deeper into our supply chain to ensure that we take a responsible path throughout the product lifecycle, from the source to our stores. Promotional Strategy: We will intensify the presentation of denim and sweats, both of which we feel has been under merchandised, and merchandise additional categories such as accessories, outerwear and swimwear, and finally, create more of a departmental distinction between the mens and womens business, particularly the latter which requires more fixturing for hanging garments as the fashion component increases. Media Plan: Advertising is a way of promoting a business, product or service. Advertising introduces consumers to new products and services. It provides exposure and legitimacy, so the more a business spends on advertising, the more consumers are aware a business exists. Here are some different methods of advertising that we would use; magazines- which will give us a way to target a variety of consumers, television-which will give viewers visual representations of our products, the internet- through the internet we will reach out to more households and business enterprises than any available medium, and lastly, another method of advertising that we would use is word of mouth. We would accomplish this by providing a satisfactory service and product to every customer. Planning a Global Promotion Strategy Distribution Channel: Well-chosen channels constitute a significant competitive advantage, so our products will move directly from us to our consumers. Distribution Barriers: Opening a new location in France will be a good strategic plan for the company but the company will be exposed to social, political and economic risks in France. Import restrictions, including the alterations in tariffs and quotas could influence the importation of our products and add to the company’s cost or diminishes supplies.

What is Copyright? Essay example -- Legal Issues, Ethics

What is â€Å"Copyright†? What is â€Å"Fair Use†? To all, these words are a meaning of protection. Ironically, one represents the law and the other is debatable under the law. Copyright.com best defines copyright in the United States as â€Å"a form of protection provided by the government to the authors of ‘original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works.’ This protection is available to both published and unpublished works, regardless of the nationality or domicile of the author† (Copyright Education 2011). The website continues on to say that â€Å"fair use is a uniquely U.S. concept, created by judges and enshrined in the law. Fair use recognizes that certain types of use of other people's copyright protected works do not require the copyright holder's authorization† (Copyright Education 2011). Though there are four basic principles (which will be discussed later) that ke ep fair use â€Å"in check,† it is still in somewhat of a gray area—relying on the will of a judge (should an allegation lead to court) to determine whether or not copyright infringement is being committed. This is why it is important to know, as a teacher, what copyright infringement constitutes and how to be as sure as possible that one is within the realm of fair use. As every teacher knows, sticking to â€Å"what’s in the textbook† may not always be the desired path for instruction, but it is probably the safest. Textbooks are purchased by each state’s Board of Education, and each district within that state chooses from the list of acceptable textbooks that the board permits to be taught. Therefore, each textbook in every classroom, though it is copyrighted, is purchased—making it eligible to be taught in its entire... ...tries offer protection to foreign works under certain conditions that have been greatly simplified by international copyright treaties and conventions† (International Copyright 2010). Perhaps foreign creations are another area to consider when looking to incorporate copyrighted material into the classroom. So what really is safe for teachers to use? Essentially, teachers are left with this notion: textbooks and public domain appear to be the only truly â€Å"safe† routes for incorporating copyrighted material into non-profit classroom-use lesson planning without raising any eyebrows. This is not to say that curiosity should be curbed. If a teacher is interested in using a copyrighted material not purchased by the state or granted permission by the copyright holder, then he or she should look into whether or not they can obtain permission for non-profit classroom use. What is Copyright? Essay example -- Legal Issues, Ethics What is â€Å"Copyright†? What is â€Å"Fair Use†? To all, these words are a meaning of protection. Ironically, one represents the law and the other is debatable under the law. Copyright.com best defines copyright in the United States as â€Å"a form of protection provided by the government to the authors of ‘original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works.’ This protection is available to both published and unpublished works, regardless of the nationality or domicile of the author† (Copyright Education 2011). The website continues on to say that â€Å"fair use is a uniquely U.S. concept, created by judges and enshrined in the law. Fair use recognizes that certain types of use of other people's copyright protected works do not require the copyright holder's authorization† (Copyright Education 2011). Though there are four basic principles (which will be discussed later) that ke ep fair use â€Å"in check,† it is still in somewhat of a gray area—relying on the will of a judge (should an allegation lead to court) to determine whether or not copyright infringement is being committed. This is why it is important to know, as a teacher, what copyright infringement constitutes and how to be as sure as possible that one is within the realm of fair use. As every teacher knows, sticking to â€Å"what’s in the textbook† may not always be the desired path for instruction, but it is probably the safest. Textbooks are purchased by each state’s Board of Education, and each district within that state chooses from the list of acceptable textbooks that the board permits to be taught. Therefore, each textbook in every classroom, though it is copyrighted, is purchased—making it eligible to be taught in its entire... ...tries offer protection to foreign works under certain conditions that have been greatly simplified by international copyright treaties and conventions† (International Copyright 2010). Perhaps foreign creations are another area to consider when looking to incorporate copyrighted material into the classroom. So what really is safe for teachers to use? Essentially, teachers are left with this notion: textbooks and public domain appear to be the only truly â€Å"safe† routes for incorporating copyrighted material into non-profit classroom-use lesson planning without raising any eyebrows. This is not to say that curiosity should be curbed. If a teacher is interested in using a copyrighted material not purchased by the state or granted permission by the copyright holder, then he or she should look into whether or not they can obtain permission for non-profit classroom use.