My Mother Was A Military Brat - 1258 Words

My grandmother once said, or at least I am told she once said, that she was concerned that my father should not marry my mother because she had no roots. My mother was a military brat. The longest she’s ever lived anywhere is seven years. She makes no bones about the fact that she doesn’t know where she’s from. Like the planes my grandfather worked on, my mother was a child of the wind, going here and there, and wherever destiny took her. I suppose my grandmother would say the same thing about me. I am a missionary’s child, taken wherever the call of God took my family. I didn’t grow up in just one place, therefore I have no roots. It’s a very Southern concept, â€Å"having roots,† and is as sacred to the Heart of Dixie as sweet tea and†¦show more content†¦But even if that misfortune should befall them, they are still in the same spot they were planted in. I am like a bird. My roots are confined to one area. My egg hatched in Auburn, and since then I have collected roots Auburn, Roanoke, Quito,Temuco, Santiago, Cullman, Florence, and Killen, and have woven them all into a nest that is currently nestled in the branches of Killen. My roost don’t trap me in one spot. I am free to fly wherever without hesitation, and if I so desire, bring back some leaves, or branches, or even more roots from the places I visit. At some point I’m sure a storm of life, or an unexpected gust of wind will blow me out of Killen’s tree. So I’ll glide where the wind takes me, and rebuild my nest in a new tree with new roots. I’m sure my grandmother thinks her little bird is an unstable wreck, and in some ways I am. My ADHD and scattered brains have turned me into quite the character. The payoff is worth it though. Why watch the seasons slip by the same old burrow when you can soar to the heavens and gaze upon the whole world? I’ll always have my nest to come back to, and with each blustery, windy trip to a new tree, my nest of roots grows bigger and grander. My senior year. One glance down the halls of my high school, and one would think it was any ordinary day. Kids laugh, talk, gossip, make-out, throw paper wads; nothing is different. They don’t realize. They don’t remember that day. They don’tShow MoreRelatedMilitary Brat871 Words   |  4 PagesRehling-Rodriguez ENG 098R 1053 FINAL DRAFT Military Child: ‘Brat’ Pure hell took its course on me as a young innocent girl. Being a military brat definitely impacted my life in many challenging ways. The term military brat is usually misunderstood by non-military population. A military brat is a child from a parent who is in the military. My mother was a commanding officer which made me and my siblings labeled â€Å"military brat† The word brat (by itself) may seem negative. HoweverRead MoreNarrative Essay - Original Writing1643 Words   |  7 PagesNarrative I was about ten years old when this happened. It was in the fall of fifth grade, and I had just gotten settled into the new school year. My dad was deployed to Kuwait, and so for the time being it was just my mom, my brother, and I. He had been deployed previously, so I was used to him being away for months at a time. One thing that helped me get through the times he was deployed was my school who offered a special class called TDY on Friday mornings before the bell rang. TDY (TemporaryRead MoreIdentifying A Culture At The Navy946 Words   |  4 Pagesleading me to identify with the military culture includes. This includes constant adaptivity to the new lifestyle that one needs to be accustomed to along with exposure to new foods, music, traditions and more. Misconceptions Often children of parents serving in the military receive the term of being a â€Å"military brat†. This is often thought of with a negative connotation as the term â€Å"brat† is seen as a child with contempt. Those with limited knowledge of the military culture are frequently misunderstoodRead MoreMy Family - Original Writing914 Words   |  4 PagesI was raised in Jellico, Tennessee, a quaint town bordering Kentucky with my parents, and three older sisters. My family was extremely religious up until I was nearly a teenager. My family attended church every week, in addition to leading the church youth group. One would be under the impression that the Hughes family was an exceedingly wholesome family that did little wrong, I was under this impression also. Being a white family in an old-fashioned town in both the south and the bible belt, thisRead MoreI Was Born And Raised In The Small Town, Fayetteville Located965 Words   |  4 Pages I was born and raised in the small town, Fayetteville located in North Carolina. The town was beautiful. It was surrounded by thousands of trees and flowers. In the middle of the town, there was a strip, with a Bojangles, Wal-Mart, and The Waffle House. Why did my parents choose to live in such a small town? Because we were in the Army. The earliest memory I have, is of me running through our small two bedroom house, in a pink and purple track suit. At the time we lived on an Army Base rightRead MoreThree Generations Of Health Care1029 Words   |  5 Pageson the year, your ethnicity and social status, the healthcare you received was either top notch or seriously lacking. I sat down with three different people from three different generations and probed their brains about healthcare they received through-out their lives. We will see what the differences are from the 1930’s to 2015, and compare them to see how much difference eighty-two years made. My grandfather, David was born in 1932 in Austin, TX.† During that time African Americans were consideredRead MoreLife Experiences That Influenced My Academic Career859 Words   |  4 PagesEXPERIENCES 2 Life Experiences that Influenced My Academic Career My collegiate career began in August 1999, only a few months following my high school graduation. Most of my classmates had gone through the process of submitting college applications and applying for scholarships and financial aide, signing military contracts and receiving funds for school via those means, in fact, many had post graduation plans before we reached ninth grade. That was not my reality however. I had plans, but they hadRead MoreAn Interview with a Video Gamer Essay558 Words   |  3 PagesIn this meeting, Andrew Wong happily proclaims his love for video games. At 23 in the military, with his own house and eccentric personality, he plays every weekend. He’s even into comic books and all the latest hit TV shows—he enjoys the witty humor and is enticed by the creativity. â€Å"Nevertheless,† he says, â€Å"my best memories lie with video games.† As his fellow co-workers claim, he’s the ultimate nerd. Wong is conscious of those stereotypes. He knows it’s unpopular to be a nerd—described by RachelRead MoreResearch Employment Laws Is A Tough One1535 Words   |  7 PagesPicking out just one country to research employment laws was a tough one. I have been very fortunate that during my childhood (I was a military brat, and lived everywhere) and even the last 16 years of my adult life (from being in the military myself, and being married to a service member) I have been to many countries around the world. I have enjoyed my time everywhere I have been, as I am one that always makes the best of the new situation. I probably would be a great expatriate for a companyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Gore A Political Life By Bob Zelnick949 Words   |  4 PagesJunior is the son of Al Gore senior and Pauline LaFon Gore. He was on of two children. AL Gore Junior had an older sister named Nancy, who was ten years older. Gore was born on March 31, 1948 in Washington D.C. Gores fa ther was a member of the house of representatives and also a senate member for Tennessee. Gores father was a democrat as was his mother. Al Gore junior was raised in D.C. and also on his family s farm in Tennessee. When he was at the farm he would work from morning to night most days

Public Administration Through Different Forms Of Management

The major theme prevalent throughout this week’s readings is a detailed look at the study of public administration through different forms of management. The two main forms of management discussed in the passages by Shafritz Hyde (2012) and Chester Barnard (1968) are scientific management and human relations school of management. The theory of scientific management, first introduced by Frederick W. Taylor (1912, pp. 37-39) proposes that the driving force behind a man’s work is receiving a monetary reward. On the other hand the theory of human relations, as suggested by Mary Parker Follet (1926, pp. 58-65) and later validated by the Hawthorne experiments conducted in the 1930s (Shafritz and Hyde, 2012) propose that the driving force†¦show more content†¦He (Barnard, 1968, pp. 65-81, 114-123, 186-199, 215-234) emphasized on the point that there was a mutually dependent relationship between a formal and informal organization, and in order to achieve a successful running organization (whether formal or informal) the executive/superior should ensure that both the needs of the organization as well as the needs of the empl oyee are met equally. William Willoughby (1918, pp. 40-43), did prominent work in the field of public administration. One of his most prominent work is on budgetary reform. Willoughby shared a similar school of thought as Frederick Taylor, based on the principles of scientific management. Both Willoughby and Taylor, through their own school of thoughts concluded on the same point that the driving force behind management/administrative/individual ultimately is monetary/financial. Years later came along the Luther Gulick, with the â€Å"Theory of Organization† (1937, pp. 81-89), who again shared Frederick Taylor’s ideology of taking a scientific approach to management. Gulick (1937, pp. 81-89) was famously known for his mnemonic on the seven major functions of management: â€Å"planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting and budgeting.† Weber’s work on bureaucracy (1922, pp. 44-49) is considered the basis for the subject. Weber’s main idea of organizations being

Case Study The Owners Of Price And Carter Accounting

Introduction - Ricki We have been hired by Price and Carter Accounting, LLC, a small startup accounting firm located in Columbus, Indiana that has only been open for about three months. They have hired us to look into their current situation and make recommendations based on that information for how they should begin acting on their goal of expanding within their market. Given that they are still a young company, they indicated their plans for expansion will not happen for the next few years. However, they would like to begin forming the right mind set now, so when it comes time to begin implementing the new changes within their organization, they will be fully prepared for what is to come next. Company Information - TJ The owners of†¦show more content†¦Mission, Vision, Values of the Company - Ricki The company’s mission statement is to help clients accomplish their goals by providing the highest quality of accounting, auditing, and tax-related services. Price and Carter Accounting, LLC’s primary purpose as an organization is to exceed clients’ expectations by continually striving to provide exceptional service, responsiveness, and personal attention based on their specific needs. It strives to employ people who go the extra mile for their clients. It is the goal of the organization to create a culture of growth, profitability, and enthusiasm for success throughout the firm. We feel this mission statement is a strong indicator of the types of services and level of care customers can expect from this organization. These statements give customers, employees, and potential shareholders a good overview of the company in relation to its overall function and reason for being. We believe that the mission statement for Price and Carter Accounting, LLC is a conci se and well thought-out foundation for the business. The company’s vision is to be the leading tax and accounting firm, providing reliable solutions and services for businesses worldwide. The company’s vision statement gives stakeholders a good overview of the company’s end goal and where it is headed. We believe that this statement accurately depicts Price and Carter Accounting, LLC’s intent toShow MoreRelatedAccounting Policies, Income Statement and Related Items2283 Words   |  10 PagesAbstract GAAP requires company to disclose accounting policy in their financial reports. These policies provide relevant information to decision makers on choices taken by executives. Financial statements are the final product of accounting process. Income statement provides data for investment and other decisions. The net income is essentially the common income statement form, consisting of classifications such as income from continuing operations, discontinued operations, extraordinary itemsRead MoreIntroduction and Learning Objectives of Accounting and Management6224 Words   |  25 PagesSchool of Accounting ACCT 1511: Accounting and Financial Management 1B Session 2, 2012 Week 5 Completing the Balance Sheet Student Handout Contents: 1. Learning Objectives 2. Tutorial Questions 3. Lecture Materials Lecturer: Dr Victoria Clout Website: http://telt.unsw.edu.au 1 Introduction and Learning Objectives In this week we are turning our attention towards the remaining major component of the balance sheet – owners’ equity. Like liabilities, owners’ equity represents anotherRead MoreThe Small And Medium Scale Enterprises2024 Words   |  9 Pages1.1 Background of the study The small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries such as Ghana have been playing very strategic role in the developmental agenda of the nations in the areas of rapid industrialization and other developmental goals as well as job creation among the youth. The interest in the role of SMEs in the development process continues to be in the forefront of policy debates in most countries. Citing Abor and Quartey (2010), Nyameet al (2013) revealed that SMEsRead MoreThe Financial Performance of Low-Cost and Full-Service Airlines in Times of Crisis8844 Words   |  36 PagesHalifax: Mar 2005. Vol. 22, Iss. 1; pg. 3, 18 pgs Abstract This paper examines the stock and accounting performance of three major airlines in the United States in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. September 11 (9/11) resulted in dramatic changes in the airline industry and had significant implications for the economic gains and future prospects of most airlines. Our study focuses on the stock markets perception of the viability of low-cost versus full-service businessRead MoreGrowing Pain8511 Words   |  35 Pagesoutside of Lee Carter’s office. She must have been talking with Les Finch, Maher thought. Here’s trouble. Of course, it didn’t necessarily mean anything, Maher told himself as he passed the office, waving to Carter. Finch, a well-connected marketing consultant, had been the matchmaker between Carter and Waterway Industries to begin with. With the company in the fourth quarter of its best year ever, he certainly wouldn’t be encouraging her to leave. Would he? Maher got a cup of coffee in the company’sRead MoreForeign Exchange Risk Management14141 Words   |  57 Pagesbusinesses. REFERENCES: Adler, M (1982)Translation Methods and Operational Foreign Exchange Risk Management, in G. Bergendahl (Ed) International Financial Management, Stockholm, Norsteds. REVIEW 2 How is foreign exchange risk managed? An empirical study applied to two Swiss companies. ABSTRACT This paper investigates how two Swiss companies manage their foreign exchange risk and compares the results to theoretical findings and to previous empirical research. We find significant differences in theRead MoreAccounting for Non Accounting Students45396 Words   |  182 PagesinggLecturer’s Guide Accounting for Non-accounting Students Sixth edition J R Dyson ISBN 0 273 68301 2  © Pearson Education Limited 2004 Lecturers adopting the main text are permitted to download the manual as required. Pearson Education Limited Edinburgh Gate Harlow Essex CM20 2JE England and Associated Companies around the world Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.pearsoned.co.uk First published in Great Britain under the Pitman Publishing imprint in 1997 Second edition publishedRead MoreBackground Inditex, One of the Worlds Largest Fashion Distributors, Has Eight Major Sales Formats - Zara, Pull and Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home Y Kiddys Class- with 3.147 Stores in 70100262 Words   |  402 PagesInterorganisational management of environmental and social aspects in the supply chain Case studies from the textile sector Doctoral dissertation the international institute for industrial environmental economics Lund University, Sweden  IIIEE DISSERTATIONS 2009:2  Responsibility in the Supply Chain Interorganisational management of environmental and social aspects in the supply chain Case studies from the textile sector Beatrice KOGG Doctoral Dissertation May 2009 Read MoreAgency Theory Essay 329591 Words   |  119 PagesCATHERINE M. DALTON Kelley School of Business, Indiana University Abstract A central tenet of agency theory is that there is potential for mischief when the interests of owners and managers diverge. In those circumstances, and for a variety of reasons, managers may be able to exact higher rents than are reasonable or than the owners of the firm would otherwise accord them. While that foundational element of agency theory is secure, other elements derived directly from agency theory are far less settledRead MoreEffect of Internal Controls on Financial Performance11978 Words   |  48 PagesINTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study Over the past decade, Africa and other developing regions have been in the midst of tremendous changes. Market liberalization and governmental decentralization policies have interfaced with globalization and urbanization trends to dramatically transform social, political, economic and cultural lives. In this context of rapid change, SME operations can no longer remain behind serving only to meet sustenance income for their owners. SMEs engagements have to become

Electronic Cigarettes Tobacco Harm Reduction - 2146 Words

Electronic cigarettes have been marketed in recent years as alternatives to smoking. They are electrically-driven devices, used to vaporise a liquid that may or may not contain nicotine. They consist of a battery part-usually lithium battery, and an atomizer where liquid is stored and is aerosolized by heating a resistance encircling a wick. The main ingredients of liquids are propylene glycol, glycerol and a variety of flavourings. A huge variety of devices and different liquids are available, with the main purpose to satisfy users’ need and preference. The powerful addictive properties of nicotine and of the ritualistic behaviour of smoking make smoking cessation a difficult task. Currently-approved products for smoking cessation have low long-term quit rates, with nicotine replacement therapy having less than 7% sustained abstinence rate, while oral medications have less than 20% quit rate at one year. Therefore, tobacco harm reduction strategies and products have been developed, with the goal to reduce smoking-related morbidity and mortality burden by providing nicotine in a less harmful form. Electronic cigarettes are tobacco harm reduction products that may deal with both chemical through nicotine delivery and behavioural through motor simulation and sensory stimulation addiction to smoking. Awareness and use of Electronic cigarettes are growing exponentially, but there is controversy over their potential as smoking substitutes. Surveys have shown that they may beShow MoreRelatedNon Smoker Policy1028 Words   |  5 PagesTo: S enior Policy Maker From: Shirley Kyere Subject: Tennessee’s Non Smoker Protection Act Date: November 12, 2017 Policy Background In 2007, Tennessee, one of the largest tobacco-producing state in the United States endorsed the Non-Smoker Protection Act (NSPA) that banned smoking in enclosed areas in Tennessee with some exceptions (â€Å"Information for Employers†, n.d.). The law went into effect on June 11, 2007 and municipalities had to observe it no longer than October 1, 2007. This law was enforcedRead MoreSmoking Essay1280 Words   |  6 Pagesknown as public health enemy number one. Smoking is addictive due to its main psychoactive ingredient of tobacco. Tobacco is an agricultural crop that contains nicotine: a stimulant. Tobacco has been smoked and chewed for hundreds of years; however, it was not used enough to cause widespread illnesses until the 20th century. The beginning of smoking can be traced to the invention of the cigarette rolling machine and safety matches in the 1880’s but, the surge in use began after 1913 when Camel, andRead MoreTobacco Smoking Is A Major Public Health Threat For Both1308 Words   |  6 PagesTobacco smoking is a major public health threat for both smokers and non-smokers. There is accumulating evidence demonstrating that smoking causes several human diseases, including those affecting the cardiovascular system. Indeed, tobacco smoking is responsible for as high as 30% of heart disease related deaths in the United States (US) each year1. Being the single most preventable risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease, a trend towards tobacco harm reduction started years ago2Read MoreElectronic Cigarettes Should Be Legal1444 Words   |  6 PagesElectronic cigarettes are designed to replicate cigarettes without the smoke, tobacco, and tar. Although smokers enjoy the electronic version of a cigarette, many non-smokers are not too fond of being around one. These devices provide nicotine to the user by converting a liquid mixture to an aerosol, usually composed of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavored chemicals, and a varying amount of nicotine (Grana). Electronic cigarettes have caused a major debate among doctors, smokers, andRead MoreA Practical Solution For A Growing Crisis?976 Words   |  4 Pagesof the fastest growing trends/smoking alternatives in society today. Utilizing what is known as an electronic cigarette the user vaporizes by means of applying heat to a nicotine containing solution known as E-liquid. This creates a vapor that is then inhaled by the user thus admi nistering nicotine into the lungs to be absorbed by the blood. This system avoids the combustion related to smoking tobacco products and in theory is much safer and better for your health. Considering that smoking causes theRead MoreSmoking Is The Single Highest Cause Preventable Death2515 Words   |  11 Pagespreventable death in America and puts users at significantly greater risk for disease compared to the rest of the population. Tobacco use costs the U.S. more than 289 billion dollars annually in medical expenses and lost productivity (Surgeon General, 2014). The problems associated with smoking are due in part to its addictiveness. Nicotine is the addictive substance found in tobacco and its chemical dependence is as strong as heroin, cocaine, or alcohol (CDC, 2014). Getting all smokers to quit entirelyRead MoreResearch Project On Smoking Tobacco Cigarettes3740 Words   |  15 PagesIntroduction Smoking tobacco cigarettes has been recognized as the leading cause of lung cancer and other health related illnesses in the developed world. But there is a new emergence of electronic cigarettes, which can deliver nicotine without the vast range of carcinogens and toxins found in a regular tobacco cigarette. Of course, this is a very controversial topic in which creates a dilemma, some people approve the use of electronic cigarettes as an alternative to tobacco cigarettes. In the other handRead MoreElectronic Cigarettes: A Healthier Alternative Essay2413 Words   |  10 Pagescalled electronic cigarettes that are believed to aid individuals in the fight against addiction. It’s a battery powered device that heats a nicotine diluted solution into a vapor that is then inhaled. It’s believed to be a healthier, more affordable alternative to tobacco cigarettes. It is much safer because it doesn’t have nearly as many harmful chemicals as tobacco cigarettes and itâ₠¬â„¢s believed to be much more affordable for consumers. However, many critics believe that electronic cigarettes areRead MoreTobacco Companies: Reynolds American Inc.1608 Words   |  7 Pagessubsidiaries like R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, American Snuff Company, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, and Niconovum. Reynolds American Inc. also manages various licensed brands like Dunhill, Captain Black, and State Express 555. The company and its subsidiaries operate in manufacturing and selling of many tobacco products in United States and international markets. Each of the subsidies has their own brand of products that they manage. The RJR Tobacco manufactures cigarettes under the brand names ofRead MoreBritish American Tobacco Investment Strategies: Past 5 Years1346 Words   |  6 Pagesmainly extracted from the Annual Reports of the five-year period subject to analysis. INTRODUCTION BOOK In the last five years, the tobacco industry has remained fairly stable, with little Mamp;A activity undertaken by the leading industry players. British American Tobacco aims to increase its market share and to become the biggest publicly-listed tobacco company. In pursuing this intention (objective, goal), the company has completed a number of strategic investments and partnerships focused

The Plague Today - 1048 Words

Close your eyes and imagine a world full of a black cloud of sickness. People no longer have any hope or want in being equal. People are turning on each other and parents even deny their own children. This would soon become a reality if the plague were to come to America now. There would be so much contention and the morals around the world would decrease. There will no longer be a love for other people and people would only act for themselves.We would act even worse than the horrible way that the people acted in the middle ages.We would be very immoral and we might take joy in the pain of others. This would be the most immoral action that we could take. If the black plague hit the world today we would never be the same. Even if we lost our connection with people we would also become crazy. The plague would affect the world today as we know it for the worse. I think that morality is more important when a society is falling apart then in the situation of every man for for himself. Mo rality, or rules of right conduct and the morals you follow, is the way you act around other people and the way you think. I think that you would need to use your morals when your society is falling apart. When something you love is falling apart you have to check your own morals and what you believe in so that you can benefit the situation. When you see that your society is dying the best thing you can do is try to help it. If you just run away and fight against other people you are not makingShow MoreRelatedBlack Plague And The Plague1367 Words   |  6 PagesBy the 14th century, the plague had wiped out sixty percent of Europe’s population. Because of its devastating fatality rate, The Black Plague was one of the most devastating pandemics in history. The disease was made famous by the outbreak in Europe, however it did not originate there. The origination of the Plague, History of the Plague, Strains and Symptoms, as well as effects of the Plague are essential ideas, im portant to understand the Black Plague. The Black Plague is said to have originatedRead MoreThe Black Death Essay1018 Words   |  5 PagesThe Black Death or â€Å"plague† that killed thousands in the fourteenth century may have evolved into a more modern version of itself. The â€Å"plague† is known as the â€Å"Yersinia pestis† bacteria, which is a rare zoonotic disease. These diseases are spread from animal to human (Newquist 239, Adamloakun M.D. 718). The bacterium lives in rodents such as rats and is carried by fleas (Newquist 238). When the fleas bite humans, the bacterium spreads. There are three types of the plague, which include the bubonicRead MoreThe Effects Of Plague On The People Of Florence938 Words   |  4 PagesThe Bubonic Plague took the lives of many individuals in the heart of Florence. Its reign affected â€Å"not just that of men and women†¦but even sentient animals† (Stefani). While the plague only lasted a mere six months, from March 1348 – September 1348, it is a piece of time that society should forever acknowledge and learn from. Much of the significant information from the Bubonic plague are unbeknownst to people today, even though it possesses such an importance aspect in our history. Therefore, inRead MoreThe Black Death Of The Nineteenth Century And Today s Modern Medicine1580 Words   |  7 Pagesimportant events of the medieval era. This catastrophic plague spread through Western Europe terminating two hundred million people which happened to be one third of the population between 1328 and 1351(Sterling). The Bla ck Death Plague stands out as one of the most dramatic and lifestyle changing event during the seventeenth century (Dunn). My hypothesis is that with modern medicine and a understanding for the Black Death this disastrous plague could have been prevented and saved over two hundred millionRead MoreBlack Death : The Black Plague768 Words   |  4 PagesThe Black Plague is known as the most fatal disease in the worlds history! The disease killed nearly one-third of Europe’s population in the fourteenth century. The Black Plague is also known as the Black Death and was transmitted to humans by rodents such as rats and spread due to extremely unsanitary living conditions. European cities such as Paris and London were most devastatingly affected by the Black Plague The Black Plague is transmitted from fleas to rodents such as rats or mice to humansRead MoreBubonic Plague1154 Words   |  5 PagesBubonic plague is believed to have brought the Byzantine empire to its knees in the 6th century. This is the first ever documented record of bubonic plague in human history. But the fact that bubonic plague continues to afflict human population even today is a matter of concern. Your bubonic plague research paper would revolve around the premise of it being a deadly disease, but we assure you that we won’t scare you by the facts. Bubonic plague is typically differentiated from other infections becauseRead More Plague - Bacillus Yersinia Pestis Essay1364 Words   |  6 PagesIdentification and Prevention of What Makes Life â€Å"Nasty, Brutish, and Short† Plague is caused by the bacterium bacillus Yersinia pestis, and is carried by rodents, fleas, and mammals. Plague takes three forms: bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic. Bubonic plague affects the lymph glands, while the pneumonic and septicemic forms affect the lungs and the blood. Today, plague can be prevented by antibiotics and strict public health measures. Three methods of controlling carriers involve sanitizingRead MoreThe Death Of The Black Death1380 Words   |  6 Pageskilled about 50 million people in Europe alone, which was about 60% of Europe’s population at the time. That being said, the Black Death, often referred to as the Bubonic Plague, clocked in the death toll at about 75 million people. The Plague reached France, Norway, Denmark, and Britain, making it the largest and worst plague to ever strike against mankind. To add perspective, The Black Death struck around 1348 and lasted almost two years. It truly was was one of the most devastating and criticalR ead MoreThe Plague Of The Bubonic Plague1386 Words   |  6 PagesThe Bubonic plague has been said to be a part of history since the biblical eras and has had an undeniable effect on the development of contemporary civilization Gowen, B.S. (1907). The cause of the plague is not known. However, there is religious reference of God punishing sinners causing death and destruction using this deadly disease. Throughout the years, there has been a question to be answered by historians and medical professionals. This question is: if the destructive attributes of theRead MoreThe Plague Of The Bubonic Plague825 Words   |  4 PagesThe Plague Discussion Questions The Black Death was an epizootic bubonic plague, a disease caused by the bacterium of rodents known as Yersinia pestis. The bubonic plague overwhelming effects of European history. The Black Death was considered one of the most â€Å"devastating pandemics† in human history. Whom Did the Black Death Affect The Black death affected mostly Europe. â€Å"The disastrous mortal disease known as the Black Death spread across Europe in the years 1346-53.† (Paragraph 1) â€Å"By the end

Human Resources Management in Health Care Operations

Questions: 1. Explain the factors that need to be considered when planning the recruitment of individuals to work at St. Patricks Nursing Home. 2. Explain how relevant legislative and policy frameworks of the home country influence the selection, recruitment and employment of individuals to work in St. Patricks Nursing Home. 3. Evaluate the different approaches that may be used to ensure the selection of the best individuals, and make recommendations for St. Patricks Nursing Home. 4. Explain the theories of how individuals interact in groups in relation to the types of teams that work in health and social care. 5. Evaluate the approaches that may be used by staff at different levels to develop and promote effective team working at St. Patricks Nursing Home. 6. Explain the ways in which the performance of individuals working in health and social care can be appraised. 7. Assessment of how individual training and development needs can be identified at St. Patricks Nursing Home. 8. Analyse the different strategies for promoting the continuing development of individuals in the health and social care workplace. 9. Explain theories of leadership that apply to the health and social care workplace. 10. Analyse how working relationships may be managed at St. Patricks Nursing Home. 11. Evaluate how your own development has been influenced by management approaches that you encountered in your own experience. Answer: Introduction: There is an important role played by the activities of the human resources management in the different operations of the healthcare organization. The significance of the human resources management was realized in the 2000 B.C. Despite considering the type of the operations, the use of human resources was applied to any type of organizational activities (Armstrong 2014). In this essay, there is a detailed discussion of the recruitment process of individuals in health care, strategies for the effective building of social care, promoting and monitoring of the individual in the health care and approaches taken for the management of people engaged in health care. 1. Factors that is to be Considered when Considering the Planning and the Recruitment of the Individual at St. Patricks Nursing Home: The important factors that is looked into when there is recruitment in the organization for the positions that are vacant involves a very comprehensive policy of the recruitment, overall aim of the recruitment , the main objectives of the organization , policies of organizational personnel , government policies , post legislation , cost of recruitment and implication of finances (Armstrong and Armstrong 2011). For St. Patricks Nursing Home, the factor that is considered very important is the defining of the requirements for the candidates to be recruited. Some opportunities are present that can replace the employee for achieving the requirements of the hospital (Valentine, Mathis and Jackson 2013). There is a need for the nursing home to justify and clarify it. There is a need for the vacant spaces to be filled by setting out of the person specification and the role of job. With the role of the profile, the capabilities and the skills with the working experience and the profile of th e job will help in the effective evaluation of the individual at the time of the interview. When the candidates are recruited in hospital then there is a need for understanding the technical skills and knowledge, overall behaviour, past experience, manual handling of the capabilities (Byars and Rue 2011). There is a need for the internal recruitment needs to be considered as crucial for the St Patricks Nursing Home. There is a need for the nursing home St Patricks to advertise in the newspaper, internet and many job centers. St. Patricks Nursing Home should make sure that it attracts more candidates that are capable. 2. Ways through which the Legislative and the Policy Framework Helps in Influencing Recruitment of the Individuals in St. Patricks Nursing Home There are different countries in the world they have their own policy and the legislative guideline for the recruitment, selection and employment of the individuals in the organization (DeCenzo, Robbins and Verhulst 2013). St Patricks Nursing Home is also strictly following this type of rules and the regulations. Under the UK law, there is equal opportunities and the rights provided regardless of the religion, race , language and gender. Some of the major law that is concerned with the process of recruitment are Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Employment Act 2008, The Race Relation Act 1976, Employment Policy and Legislation Employment Relations Act 2004. Employment Policy and Legislation Employment Relations Act 2004 helps in covering the resolution at the place of work. This helps in enhancing the tribunal methods and there is equal wage for all (Tracy 2014). Sex Discrimination Act 1975 helps to resolve discrimination against the individual. There are many time the job searchers they are faced with the direct and the indirect discrimination. Direct type of discrimination involves deciding not to hire, rejecting with the training and not providing with promotion for what they deserve. The Indirect type of discrimination arises from the procedures, practices and the policies of the organization. There are many issues under the UK labour law that has been reformed by the Employment Act 2008. This will help in the resolution of the conflict, strengthening of the standards of the minimum levels of wage and standards of the employment. The St Patricks Nursing Home helps in the recruitment of a diverse workforce (Torrington 2011). As a Human Resources Officer, there is a need for implementing all the above acts along with the Equality Act 2010 so that there is fair recruitment, selection and retention of the staffs in St Patricks Nursing Home. 3. Different Approaches to Ensure Selecting Best individual and Recommendation for the St Patricks Nursing Home: The selection of the candidates by St Patricks Nursing Home is done as per the ability to perform the job efficiently. There are three steps that is used for interview, psychometric test and assessment centers. Interview: The first step that is involved when there is selection of the candidate involves conducting of the interviews. The interviews can be done through the structured or the unstructured form like the common face-to-face interview or one to one interview (Dessler, 2013). This would be helping the recruiter to get a suitable candidate and then matching the curriculum vitae of the candidate with that of the job description. All the candidates they are given the equal opportunities so that they are shown suitability to the job (Rothwell et al. 2012). Interviewer during the time of interview talks about the impression of the candidate and then it can amend any type of the superficial elements. Psychometric Test: The numerical and literacy are used as the trait which is seen to use critical reasoning and intelligence which is not revealed through the interview. There is a fair assessment of the candidate is done for the suitability of the job as all of them are tested through the standardized test (Werner, Schuler and Jackson 2012). There can be increasing retention of the employees when the employers they can predict the performance of the future (Dessler 2013). There is a difficulty that the candidates they can write anything in order to please the employees. There is a problem of language barrier, which can create misinterpretation of the results. It is recommended that St Patricks Nursing Home should be selecting the individuals through the structured interview. This would help in following some type of criteria and would be helping in getting the right type of candidate. There is also a scope for the candidates to ask questions regarding the job profile, prospects of the job and training of the organization. 4. Theories on the Way Individuals Interact in the Groups in Comparison to the type of the Teams that is Working in the Health and the Social Care: A team mainly involves a number of persons who are working for the common goal. There are several theories that help the individuals to work as a team. There are a number of theories on the way the individuals they interact with the team namely Belbin and Tuckman. The development of the team at the first stage involves forming as per the Bruce Tuckman theory (1978). This is the stage when there is no identification of the role of the members. There is identification of the role but the progress is little and when they are tested, the leaders will be answering the questions (Price and Price 2011). There are arguments and differences involved during the time of brainstorming. The members who are competing for it take the positions. There is a struggle for the power and there is difficulty in making decisions. Norming is another step through which the group members the members they are frankly exchange of ideas and views and there is behavioral pattern adjustment and the attitude to towards each other for the developing of the work habit (Belbin 1993). In this particular type of phase, the team members they agree and work towards rules and values, professional attitude, exchange of the methods and others (Stone 2011). The supervisors and the mana gers they are seen to contribute more. The members they are able to understand the others better through this phase. The team development was analyzed through the mature team, consolidated team, experiment team and undeveloped team as per the theory of Wood Cock (1979). St Patricks Nursing Home can use the theory for the development of the team from a group of strangers to the making the member focus towards the common goal. The development of the team will be starting when the feeling of the members will be avoided. The leader will be take most of the decision. As a team of experimenting, the long hours of working and favoritism will be discussed openly and the members would be listening to each other. The team would be more self-examining. With a consolidated team, there will be interaction with the members in the cooperative bases, which would helps in enhancing the interpersonal skills. The opinions of the others will be respected. There would be clear objective of the tasks and would be defined properly. During the stage of the maturity, it is evident that there is higher degree of productivity , methods of working style and leadership contributory. The team would be recognizing the duty with rest of the organizations. Through the theory there will be development of a productive team which would be delivering high quality service which would help in the retention of the staff and the enhancing of the quality of care. 5. Approaches that could be Used by the Staff as the Different Levels to Promote and Develop Team Working in the St Patricks Nursing Home: Several types of approaches work collaboratively in a group or team. There is uniqueness in every team so there is a need for a collaborative process of working. The following are the approaches that can be taken by St Patricks Nursing Home, which is concerned about the working of the teams in the organization: There is a need for diversity in the personalities and the skills for the effective working of the team. The members of the team need to use their strengths so that the weak points are covered (Dessler 2014). There is a need for the core objective of the team is understood and is explicit. This needs to be learnt by the members (Wilton 2013). There is a need for transparency and understanding of the responsibility of every member.There is a need for the development of trust among the members of the team, which is done through spending of quality time in the open environment. The members should be given the space to talk on the different type of subject and making a conclusion on the topic. There is a need for providing additional opportunities of social time with the others in the open sort of communication environment (Dowling, Festing and Engle 2013). The concerns that helps to deeply rely on the pledge and group agreement, will help in trying to engage all the members of the group in the decision making process and the implementation. There is a need for the members of the group to be engaged in the activities of health and social care. While the group is managed, there is a need to see that there is no communication barrier (Gilmore and Williams 2013). There is need to recognize the interactive, relational and the social issues. This all issues need to be identified and recognized early.There is a need for authorising the members. There is a need to provide appreciation to the best work (Prescott and Rothwell 2012). There is a need for leading and arranging meetings in a group on the nursing home. There is a need for the development of different team for the various tasks. For example, Team A would arrange for the meetings, Team B for the maintenance, the supply, and many more. 6. The ways Through which the Performance of the Individuals in the Health and Social Care can be Appraised: There are a number of steps for the measurement of the performance of the individuals in the social and health care organization. The main type of approaches involves level of performance, finding for the domains where candidate improvement is weak, marking the level of performance of the individual and the fixing of the standards that would be helping in the accomplishment of the standards (Harzing and Pinnington 2011). The performance management helps in preparing of the plan by the employees and the managers to monitor and review of the contribution of the employees for the objectives and the targets (Ivancevich and Konopaske 2013). The management of the performance can be appraised through the observation, appraisal of performance, management through the objectives and 360-degree feedback. The performance appraisal in a six-month or the yearly evaluation helps in understanding the contribution of the employees to their present job and their potential for a good performance (Mondy and Mondy 2012). This will be helpful in the communication of two types, improves the level of the performance , there is equal effort made by all in the setting of the objectives and the goals , identifying the needs of training and support for a better type of job. The performance appraisal will be helping the workers of St Patricks Nursing Home to improve their overall performance, which would be evaluated against the set of objectives and targets. The performance of the employees from the various sources will help in getting views on the performance of the employees. 7. Assessing the Individual Training and Development needs can be identified at St Patricks Nursing Home: The performance management would involve where the employees and the manager they prepare to review and monitor the employees contribution to the objectives and the target. Performance management can be done through the 360-degree feedback, observation, appraisal of performance and management through the objectives. Performance appraisal is a six months or a yearly evaluation of the contribution of the employees to the present job and the potential to perform better. This would help in the two way communication, improvement in the performance, joint effort for setting up the goals, identification of the training needs and support required for better job (Noe 2014). The performance appraisal will help in benefiting the St Patricks Nursing Home in the overall performance will evaluate the set of the objectives and targets. The performance management will be done through the 360-degree feedback. The feedback provided and the view of the performance of the employees performance will be made from the different sources. This will help in the accurate and the genuine feedback. The 360 degree feedback tool will be used by the St Patrick Nursing Home so that there is unbiased views on the performance of the employees. The problem like the poor communication, lack of teamwork and poor attitude needs to be dealt. This will help in improving the quality of the work and enhancing the performance. Under management by objective performance is evaluation against the extent to which the goals are agreed by the employee and the manager to achieve. As the employees will be involved in the process so the utilization of the improved satisfaction and self-appraisal as they would be involved in the process. 8. Analysing the Strategies for Promoting the Development of the Individuals in Health Care and Workplace When there is continuous, development there would involve variety in the activities of learning. The strategies for the promoting of the development of the individual involve the following: On the job training is a type of training that is gathered in the place of work. An experienced individual in the working environment gives the training (Mondy and Mondy 2014). There is a need for the appropriate type of training and this will help in acquiring of enough skills before the carrying out of the work. The human resources officer should be choosing the most appropriate form of on the job training for the employees of SPNH. The employees can use the knowledge, learners decide how they want to learn and increase the productivity as the employees they will learn as they work. The quality of the training will be done based on the knowledge and skills of the work. Coaching will help in the identification of the individual capabilities and the skills and this gives them the support to use them for the achievement of the goals. There is also need for the manager to possess the necessary skills for coaching the members for the development of the team. The benefits of the coaching is that the person who will be able to identify the goals and way of achieving them through, inquiry, reflection and discussion. Coaching will help in the acquiring of the skills. The lack of the resources will affect the development of the individuals. Mentoring: This helps in the continuous development. There is a long-term relationship established between the employees who are less experienced and the experienced employees through mentoring. The level of productivity also increases (Mondy and Mondy 2013). The high performing team will be established when the manager they have mentoring skills. Mentoring will help in enhancing the growth and productivity through the assessment of the feedback, which gives the mentee the sense of achievement. 9. Theories of Leadership Healthcare Applicable to the Health and Social Care Workplace: There are two types of leadership theories that can be used and they are Situational and the Functional Theory Model. Functional Theory: The functional theory focuses on the working of the leaders towards meeting the needs of the team. The leader will be aiming at achieving the cohesion and effectiveness of the team. The leader in such a case function participates actively, coaches the subordinates , motivates the others , organizes the task and monitors. This theory will be applicable for SPNH as there is no team work present. Through the active participation, the manager will be able to identify the weakness of the members of the team. Motivation will help in the retention of the staff and the through the system of monitoring. The errors will be will be identified and eliminated. Situational Leadership Model: The patterns and styles of the leadership depend on the level and the position. The situational theory helps in ascertaining the best leadership patterns. It has been believed that there are certain types of leadership applicable to the different situations. When the leader deals with the skilled expert groups then the authoritarian leadership is applicable to the less skilled workers. The style of leadership will be determined by the situational variable. This theory would be applicable for SPNH as the problems related to the staff turnover, poor teamwork, communication and quality would be resolved. 10. Managing of Working Relationship at St Patricks Nursing Home: Ivancevich and Konopaske (2013) has argued that the individuals they are able to achieve better results for the work done through participative , collaborative and person centred approach. The ground rules , respect and rights will be used for managing the work in SPNH. This would help in the resolving of the bad behavior and resolving the conflicts. The promotion of the rights by the members must be done for example the right to be respected. The members need to work in cooperation so that there is effective communication. There is a need for the employees to listen. A member will be only listening attentively through the body language, good eye contact, giving feedbacks and asking questions to the mentor (Valentine, Mathis and Jackson 2013). The views of the other staff will be accepted and staff will not impose their opinion in the others. The relationship at work can be better managed through the when there is allocation of the task done suitably in the organization. There is a need for all the members in the organization to understand and be fully aware of the responsibilities and the jobs .Apart from this there are some features and attributes that is to be incorporated through the working of the relationship. The people who share their opinions very honestly about their failure and the successes will be helping the co-workers to be motivated. St Patricks Nursing Home employees should consider and be aware of the relationship at work, as this will help in opening of the concept and new thoughts. When there is respect among the co-workers, there would be a valuable approach for managing the work relationship at St Patricks Nursing Home. The managing of the workplace relationship can be done through the interaction of the skills and communication. The managing of the conflict will help in resolving the friction and the disagreements among the employees which will be threatening the relationship at work. The differences in the opinion of the team members must be resolved within the team (Gilmore and Williams 2013). The staff will be able to bring in productive outcomes when they will be developing situational sensing. 11. Influence of the Management Approaches on own Development Encountered while Working: There are different types of skills and knowledge acquired though the development and training. This has led to meeting of individual need of the user. I gained the confidence for running my own duties. I was able to work well with the others when giving training to the workers. It helps me to build a strong relationship with the colleagues. There were times when I could not learn during the short phase of time. Training is also funded in my organization so that the cost can be cut. My manager helped me to learn about the approaches of training. I have developed myself throughout the course of my work as my manager allotted tasks to me. The experience and the knowledge that she held was passed on to me, which developed my profession. I clarified by queries along the course of my work. There were times when I received the criticism for my opinions. I have developed tremendously. My manager was approachable and flexible. There has been proper training and coaching received by my mentor. Working in the team has helped me to identify my fallacy. Team members have helped me to learn in group. Working independently has made me learn more from the experiences but it would be even better to work under someone for the proper guidance. For starting of a business, I would be recruiting the person who is capable for the post and proper training and guidance would be provided so that they turn out to be productive for the organizations (Gilmore and Williams 2013). I would be transformational leader who would be incorporating the changes in the organization as per the changes in the current scenario. Conclusion: Thus, it can be concluded that the management of the human resources is very important for the health and social care. The goals of the organization are dependent upon the people working in the organization. Human resource is one of the three principles of the inputs with the other two types of major inputs being the consumables and physical capital. There is a lot of planning and the controlling of the activities of the human resources so that efficient level of performance is done while meeting the objectives of the organization. References: Armstrong, M. (2014).Armstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. London: Kogan Page. Armstrong, M. and Armstrong, M. (2011).Armstrong's handbook of strategic human resource management. London: Kogan Page. Belbin, R. (1993).Team roles at work. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Byars, L. and Rue, L. (2011).Human resource management. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. DeCenzo, D., Robbins, S. and Verhulst, S. (2013).Fundamentals of human resource management. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. Dessler, G. (2013).Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. Harlow: Pearson Education. Dessler, G. (2013).Human resource management. Boston: Prentice Hall. Dessler, G. (2014).Fundamentals of human resource management. Boston: Pearson. Dowling, P., Festing, M. and Engle, A. (2013).International human resource management. Andover: Cengage Learning. Gilmore, S. and Williams, S. (2013).Human resource management. Harzing, A. and Pinnington, A. (2011).International human resource management. London: SAGE. Ivancevich, J. and Konopaske, R. (2013).Human resource management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Mondy, R. and Mondy, J. (2012).Human resource management. Boston: Prentice Hall. Mondy, R. and Mondy, J. (2013).Human resource management. Mondy, R. and Mondy, J. (2014).Human resource management. Boston: Pearson. Noe, R. (2014).Fundamentals of human resource management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Prescott, R. and Rothwell, W. (2012).The encyclopedia of human resource management. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons. Price, A. and Price, A. (2011).Human resource management. Andover: Cengage Learning. Rothwell, W., Prescott, R., Lindholm, J., Yarrish, K., Zaballero, A. and Benscoter, G. (2012).The encyclopedia of human resource management. San Francisco: Pfeiffer. Stone, R. (2011).Human resource management. Milton, Qld.: John Wiley. Torrington, D. (2011).Human resource management. Harlow, England: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Tracy, B. (2014).Leadership. New York, NY: AMACOM. Tuckman, B. (1978).Conducting educational research. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Valentine, S., Mathis, R. and Jackson, J. (2013).Human resource management. Werner, S., Schuler, R. and Jackson, S. (2012).Human resource management. Australia: South-Western Cengage Learning. Wilton, N. (2013).An introduction to human resource management. London: SAGE. Woodcock, M. (1979), Team Development Manual, Gower

Entrepreneurship and Marketing Management †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Entrepreneurship And Marketing Management? Answer: Introduction The dark side of entrepreneurship from GoPro Case study A common saying goes that "Every sinner has a future and every saint has a past", so is the case with entrepreneurship. Behind each entrepreneur, there are personality traits, commitment obsession, desire for independence, longing for validation and fears among other feelings that drove them to start their own establishments. Similarly, in the case of GoPro, Woodman exhibits personality traits associated with the dark side of entrepreneurship (Mac 2013) To begin with, a dark trait that is resplendently exhibitive in entrepreneurship is fear of failure. This pushes many entrepreneurs to great lengths to ensure that their ventures thrive in the market. (Spinelli and Zacharakis 2007). In the case of GoPro, Woodman had already failed in an online gaming venture and this failure was a constant reminder of the repercussions involved throughout his innovative camera creation. Some entrepreneurs tend to have workaholic tendencies. This is more so when the business is still in the incubation stage and ideas are still being developed to bring the business to the market. This may affect their relationship with other people. Case in point is Woodman who was always developing the cameras in isolation for long periods (Kelleher 2016). Another dark trait associated with entrepreneurship is an obsession to an activity. Many entrepreneurs open businesses backed by their own attachments towards particular items or activities. This may not always resonate with the customers. In the case of GoPro, Woodman had a strong obsession towards water surfing and skiing. In his own admission, he would never have created the high-resolution mount and wrist cameras had it not been for love of water sport (Mac 2013). Many entrepreneurs also suffer from a desire for validation and applause. This comes mostly when their innovation is young and yet to get a foothold in the market. They will showcase their ideas or products in the hope of getting assurance or support. Sometimes this validation is not given and they panic. In the case of GoPro, Woodman showcases his creation to friends at parties and states that it is how they will make millions (Mac 2013). According to Warren (2016), balancing feelings is also a dark trait experienced by entrepreneurs. When business is doing fine, the mood in the establishment is lively but when challenges set in, then it becomes intolerable to work in the firm as the entrepreneur has rapid mood swings as is evidenced by Woodmans behavior in the case study. A mistake many entrepreneurs make is running their businesses with close friends and family, and confidants despite their lack of knowledge in managing the business. This stifles chances of expansion especially when the business is transitioning from medium to a large enterprise. The GoPro case study exhibits this as woodman works with close friends and family (Mac 2013). The need for independence is another dark trait experienced by entrepreneurs. Many go into their own business because they cannot tolerate differing in opinion with others. For others, the case is being their own boss and not answering to others. Woodman clearly did not want to answer to a board of management from the case study (Warren 2016). Sometimes entrepreneurs engage in irrational behavior. There are many instances where entrepreneurs invest shareholders funds without consulting or clearly picturing their investment. This puts the shareholders funds at unnecessary risk (Kelleher 2016). Evidence that exists in the GoPro case study that supports and/or refutes that entrepreneurship is a discipline. Strictly going by the evidence portrayed in the GoPro case study, this reports affirms that indeed entrepreneurship is a discipline. From the GoPro case study, Woodman has the ability to set goals and make priorities to drive the business forward. This is exhibited by his decision to publicly list his company and get into partnership with other corporates like Foxconn. Setting goals is a learned attribute rather than an inborn trait (Varis and Littunen 2010). Woodman also exhibits wide knowledge and abilities in the camera creation arena. This comes from his background in computer engineering which is a learned trait (Mac 2013). He also displays experience in the water surfing sport and recognized the market potential from the same having learned the sport himself. From the case study, Woodman is able to make a sound judgment. This is evident from his decision not to sell the majority of his shares at a compromised price while still, the company was making profits. His decision paid off since the company's profits went up along with the value his shares. Sound judgment is a learned aspect (Zineldine and Philipson 2007). To start with, Woodman realizes that his business requires support and extensive networks to be sustainable in the near term and long term. For this reason, he has taken a cue from developed businesses that at one point or another in their life cycle introduce shareholders to spread the risk and benefit from talent by partnering with Foxconn (Southern Cross University 2016). It is also evident that before venturing in the GoPro cameras, Woodman had done extensive research in the market and realized that there was a demand that was unfulfilled in the water sports arena (Mac 2013). The current market share estimates place GoPro as the market leaders in the provision of mini cinema cameras by commanding a third of the market share. This is marketing research as a discipline (Saxena 2010).Woodman seeks to grow his business by fulfilling other needs in the market to keep the business growing. According to Mac (2013), GoPro has segmented its market by targeting only the water sports customers whose needs had not been met before. This is differentiation strategy, a discipline that stems from strategic management. Woodman also seeks to develop into other markets currently unfulfilled. This is evidently a market penetration strategy proposed by Ansoff when competition is rife. Figure 1: Market operation strategies by Ansoff. Source: Southern Cross University (2016) How GoPro gained a competitive advantage from their marketing processes Competitive advantage for a company stems from having products and services that are unique and cannot be easily replicated by the competitors. It allows companies and the customers to pursue their win-win objectives. On one hand, the company products or services command loyal following by customers. On the other hand, the customers have products that best suit their interest and utility. This is achieved through both brand marketing and relationship marketing (Porter 2008). From the case study, GoPro managed to create competitive advantage through focus differentiation (Eldring 2009). The company targeted the sporting customers who needed action cameras which were not available on the market at the time. By targeting the sports market GoPro was able to establish itself as a leader in that market segment (Kotler 2012). GoPro created a unique brand. Through the creative innovation of action cameras that had unique capabilities not available in the market, GoPro managed to command a third of the market share simply because their brand marketing was exceptionally executed (Southern Cross University 2016). Another way GoPro managed to gain a competitive advantage was through strategic alliances with an original equipment manufacturer like Foxconn and other hardware vendors. This communicated premium build to the customers since Foxconn ingenuity was already evident in Apple products. This gave the company traction from perceived stability by partnering with an already established company (Laboda 2012). GoPro excelled at focus strategy. This implies that they only segmented customers in the sports arena and created value for them. This is unlike other competitors prevented GoPro from going after all customers and spend money marketing where there was no guarantee of return on investment. Subsequently, they were able to specialize in their niche market (Peng 2016). GoPro action camera was perceived to be a leader in quality. This means that the company could charge their action cameras at a premium of between $200 and $400 still enjoy customer growth as the customers wanted to be associated with a quality premium product (Mac 2013). A unique competitive advantage for GoPro was that their product could be mounted on any device and also be worn as an accessory. This was a creative innovation that had not been developed in the market and enabled the company to gather a huge following among the sports fanatics as well as regular customers (Southern Cross University 2016). GoPro was able to achieve competitive advantage by creating customer clusters. Unlike other competitors like Sony who develop their cameras away from the customers, GoPro had the advantage of developing theirs near the customers which meant that they had close interactions and opportunities to incorporate customer feedback quickly into their units (Hunger and Wheelen 2014). Relationship marketing also played a big role in creating a competitive advantage for GoPro action cameras. This is evident as the company provides other accessories to their customers after selling them the GoPro cameras. These accessories include mounting pads for the cameras, Karma drones, among others that keep the customers hooked to the product (Zineldin and Philipson 2007) Social network marketing also played a key role to ensure brand awareness of GoPro action cameras. Although Woodman did not have a social network account, he invested heavily in social networks to the tune of a million dollars to ensure brand awareness of GoPro through social networks (Mac 2013). The company does not manufacture hardware. It outsources this exercise to original equipment manufacturers hence are able to bring the lower the cost of production and also stick to their core competencies. This gives them an edge in the market and also increases their profit margins (Southern Cross University 2016). An early entry in the action camera market also served as a barrier to entry for competitors since they would have to invest a lot of money and change their processes to be able to compete with GoPro (Porter 2008). GoPro future threats to the companys strategy According to Porter (2008), a company should conduct an industry analysis of the market as part of the process to establish its strengths and weaknesses which are internal factors that the company has control and opportunities and threats which are external and out of the realm of control by the company. This is an industry analysis of the operating environment for GoPro. The future threats for GoPro are thus: Increased bargaining power of the buyers The company GoPro will experience the threat of empowered customers. The bargaining power of customers increases when there are many action cameras in the market. Since original equipment manufacturers are offering similar products the only differentiation is quality and price (Peng 2016). GoPro still faces an empowered customer since competitors like Sony can offer a quality product at similar or lower prices and there are no switching costs involved (Porter 2008). Figure 2: Industry analysis using Porters five forces. Source (Porter 2008) Increased market rivalry(High) Besides GoPro, Sony is positioning itself as a very Strong contender in the action camera market. Currently, GoPro commands 21% of the market share in the United States (Mac 2013). Other strong rivals in future will include Samsung electronics and their point and shoot cameras as well as action cameras. Another strong competitor is LG not to mention an array of mobile phone manufacturers who are offering action cameras as accessories to their devices. Increased bargaining power of suppliers (Low) As is evident from the case study, GoPro does not manufacture its own camera components. Rather, they outsource the manufacturing aspect to other companies. By virtue of not controlling the components, GoPro is at the mercy of the suppliers. Since the suppliers have many customers they may decide to hoard the cameras or charge a price premium for the parts supplied. However, this threat is low since there are many suppliers and the switching cost to any supplier relatively low (Porter 2008). Threat of substitutes (High) There are many direct substitute products to the action camera that GoPro produces. An example is the mobile phones which nowadays have camera functions which can easily replace the utility of GoPro action cameras. Other substitutes include Camcorders in the market as well as standalone digital cameras. All these can easily replace the functions served by GoPro action cameras (Loboda 2012). Threat of new entrants (High) The threat of new entrants is very high as there is a very minimal barrier to entry (Lee 2015). To start with, Foxconn is developing cameras for the mass market. There are many Asian companies particularly China producing action cameras and may gain entry to the US thus posing a grave danger to GoPro. Other threats include forward integration by GoPro suppliers. They may decide to compete directly with the company. The company is also exposed to decreased purchasing parity by the customers due to the global economy crisis. Moreover, the company he already listed for an IPO to go public which means external influences such as politics, the stock market, and legal issues may interfere with their business (Leitner and Guldenberg). Lastly, falling stock prices and production of several models may lead to drop in the revenues collected by GoPro. This may lead to more company restructuring and loss of capable and talented management personalities (Warren 2016). Recommendations on how GoPro can respond to these threats Firstly, the company needs to diversify. To be able to command a larger market, GoPro is considering venturing into consumer models which have access to social networks. This will decrease chances of failure (Peng 2016). The company may also consider incubating new ideas for business through innovation (Southern Cross University 2016) As market rivalry is high, GoPro should consider going global to increase its market. The company may consider joint ventures or strategic alliances with other players to gain traction in new markets (Hunger and Wheelen). To deal with increasing bargaining power of suppliers, the company may want to consider having multiple suppliers or having a contingency supplier unit to avoid any market shocks (Porter 2008). GoPro has spread the risk by going public. The next step is to have a strong board of directors to run the operations of the company to avoid a situation where many entrepreneurs suffer a crisis of management (Warren 2016) References Eldring, J. (2009). Porter's (1980) generic strategies, performance, and risk. 1st ed. Hamburg: Diplomica-Verl, pp.65-82. Hunger, D. and Wheelen, T. (2014). Essentials of strategic management. 1st ed. Essex: Pearson, pp.8-9. Kelleher, K. (2016). Why GoPro's Stock Is Nosediving Today. [online] Time.com. Available at: https://time.com/4208149/gopro-stock-earnings-report-gpro/ [Accessed 12 May 2017]. Kotler, P. (2012). Kotler on marketing. 1st ed. New York: Free Press, pp.30-48. Lee, J. (2015). 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