Cybercrime Continue to Rise Essay

Cybercrime is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide with more than a million people becoming victims every single day, according to the Norton Cybercrime Report 2011. The victims of cybercrime also paid dearly with a total loss of US$388bil (RM1. 21bil) to cybercriminals in 2010. Effendy Ibrahim, director of consumer business at Symantec Asia Pacific, said that cybercrimes don’t only cost victims financially but emotionally too. On average, it takes 10 days for a victim to recover from a cybercrime and it can be emotional too considering the amount of data they lose,† he said at the launch of Norton 2012, Symantec’s latest cybersecurity solution. However, victims could have saved themselves money and regret as the type of cybercrimes they fell victim to were preventable. The report found that the most common type of cybercrimes are malware, scams and threats targeted at mobile devices. However many people tend to underestimate the dangers of online crime thinking that it will happen to everyone else but themselves. The survey found that seven out of 10 adults thought they would more likely be a victim of physical crime rather than an online crime. â€Å"This is a lingering attitude users have when they are offline and it gets replicated when they are online,† Effendy said. The report also found that men, particularly those in the generation Y demographic, are most likely to become victims of cybercrimes. â€Å"Men spend more time online and do more ‘dangerous’ activities,† Effendy said. The report stated that more men watch adult content, gamble and participate in online dating sites compared to women. All these are social engineering techniques and it’s quite easy to fall victims to such tactics,† Effendy said. Local threat landscape Although Malaysia wasn’t in the list of countries studied in the report, national cyberspace police Cybersecurity Malaysia said the findings are representative of the Malaysian threat landscape. â€Å"It is the same environment, so whatever that is happening in the world will definitely affect us the same way,† said Cybersecurity Malaysia chief executive officer, Lt Col (Rtd) Prof Datuk Husin Jazri. He said the Malaysian cyberthreat landscape is no less alarming with over 10,000 cases reported every month up till August this year. Last year, Cybersecurity Malaysia received over 8,000 reports about cybercrime via its cyber999 hotline. Its Cyber Early Warning System has also detected over 5,000,000 security threats up until August. Given the increasing amount of cyberthreats, Husin said there is a need for more proactive measures to prevent more Internet users from becoming cybercrime victims and it will take more than reviewing or improving current cybersecurity laws. â€Å"Amending laws take time and it is slower than the prevailing problem. We need to intensify education and awareness efforts to educate users on Internet risks,† he said. Husin said Cybersecurity Malaysia is open to the idea of working with security solution providers like Symantec to come up with cybersecurity awareness programmes. Cybersecurity Malaysia already has a list of home-made security tools such as DontPhishMe, DNSwatch and MyPHPiPs that protects users from cybercriminals which can be downloaded for free. It is also working on establishing a Cyber Clinic which will offer an extensive list of cybersecurity services to computer users. The clinic is expected to be ready before the end of the year.

Christianity- Sexual Ethics

Sexuality is important in the lives of all Christian adherents and it is for this reason that Christianity offers many explicit instructions on sexual intercourse and sexual behaviours, such as when, where and with whom sexual expression is permitted. Guidance for the expression of sexuality is sourced in the Christian sacred texts the New Testament and the Hebrew scriptures and differs throughout the various Christian denominations. Christians are essentially encouraged to enjoy sexual relations within the confines of a loving, adult, heterosexual and married relationship, any other sexual behaviour in considered sinful. That is why a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself to his wife, they become one body† (Genesis 2:24) The Christian teachings on sexual ethics from Christian sacred texts teach adherents that there is strictly to be no adultery; â€Å"You shall not commit adultery† (Exodus 20:14). Each Christian denomination teaches that divorce is a sin, à ¢â‚¬Å"everyone who divorces his wife makes her commit adultery, whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery† (Mt 5:31-32). Likewise, each denomination is also opposed to remarriage, viewing it as betraying God’s wish; â€Å"whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery† (Mk 10:12).Each Christian denomination teaches that unfaithfulness is not permitted within the Christian Church and is a great sin against God, teaching Christians to ‘love your wife just as Jesus loved the church’ (Ephesians 5:31-2). Adultery in all forms is seen as an immoral sin from all denominations. The Christian teaching on premarital sexuality differs between Christian denominations. The Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches emphasise chastity as essential, stating that there should be no sexual activity outside or before marriage, however the both churches acknowledge human mistake and view chastity as a gradual process.Evangelistic Protestant Churches have a strict no sex before or outside marriage view, whilst mainline Protestant Churches state that marriage is the ideal location for sexual activity, however accept the individual’s own decision as to their sexual whereabouts. Homosexuality is rejected throughout all Christian denominations aside from mainline Protestant Churches, due to Biblical instruction of natural law; men and women were intended for each other in hopes for children; â€Å"Men, leaving natural use of woman, burned in their lust toward one another; men with men† (Romans 1:26-27).Mainline Protestant Churches accept the medical opinion and reasoning for homosexuality, viewing that people cannot help being homosexual, as it is something they are simply born into. Mainline Protestant Churches permit a loving, committed and faithful homosexual relationship. Contraception is another highly controversial matter throughout the Christian Church regarding sexual activity. All Christian denominations permi t contraception as a way of regulating the number of children and space between births, except for the Catholic Church.The Catholic Church has strict teachings that all unnatural forms of contraception are impermissible, based on natural law. Catholics view sex and fertility as a part of nature and view it as wrong to unnaturally prevent the conceiving and life of a new human being, and thus, even within a marriage, unnatural products such as condoms and the pill are not allowed. However, the Catholic Church does permit natural methods of birth control such as rhythm control and allows for unnatural contraception to be used to treat sexual medical conditions only.Each Christian denomination teaches that within a marriage, sexual intercourse should be participated in for a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle for a loving and committed couple; ‘two people become one flesh, so they are no longer two but one’ (Genesis 2:24). The Church teaches that sexual activity should always lead to new life and hopes for children, otherwise it is viewed as selfish; ‘be fruitful and increase in number’ (Genesis 1:28). Inside a marriage is seen by all denominations as the desirable place for sex where children can be raised. God created sexual intercourse to unite an individual with their partner in Holiness.

An analysis of a student paper with unf writes rubrics

An analysis of a student paper with unf writes rubrics Analyzing papers with UNF Writes Rubrics set a very clear guideline for writing a paper. The rubrics include logic, mechanics(grammar,syntax, punctuation,and spelling), rhetorical awareness, and plain English style. After assessing a student paper based on these Rubrics it is apparent how well a paper or even how poorly a paper is written. The rubrics rate the essays on level of expertise, ranging from professional to unacceptable. Included in the levels are expert, skilled craftsperson, craftsperson and apprentice. This student paper,based on the UNF Writes Rubrics score, earns the grade of a C; the author reinforces the prompt and main idea but loses the audience in style and logic. The student essay prompt stated to relate an epigraph or short quotation from Dr. Kimball’s essay to the student reading of the text. This student emphasized the idea of â€Å"self-talk† and a quote by Judith Butler. By stating this quote in the first paragraph the student leads the audience to think this is the topic essay, but instead loses track of this idea by the end of the second paragraph. In the second and third paragraphs the author writes about how self talk forms and changes a persons personality while in the opening paragraph the main idea is the â€Å"I† and where it comes from. By opening up more topics to the reader the authors logic received a two out of four, or apprentice craftsperson on the UNF Writes Rubric scale. According to the Self-Talk Rubric:Logic (Logical Coherence and Development), the essay logically connects some of the ideas to the thesis and uses transitional words. The essay does logically connect back to the original thesis by r epeating the thought of the ‘I’ but the sentences are not cohesive with one another. The paper changes topics from sentence to sentence without bringing the old information back up. The lack of coherence and loss of focus equally decreased the writers grade on the logic portion. Using the prompt of the essay the author chose the epigraph from Judith Butler about the story of the â€Å"I† to relate to the entire article. Using this prompt the student should have written about this quote to explain to the audience how it relates, instead the student loses the prompt in the second and third paragraphs by writing about other short stories such as an infant crawling away turning into a person that loves to travel. By the author writing about other epigraphs off topic from the original, the audience is left confused on the main idea. The author receives a Rhetorical Awareness grade of a two out of four. A two out of four on the Self-Talk Rubric: Rhetorical Awareness states the writing addresses the assignment prompt and audience expectations with minor exceptions. By the end of the paper the audience knows about the ‘I’ and the idea of self-talk but not exactly how they relate or which one is the main idea. As for writing style in sentences, diction and tone the writer receives a UNF Writes Rubric score of two out of six, or apprentice craftsperson. This grade means the writing exhibits minor problems in sentences, diction and tone, and the language does not adhere to plain english standards. For example the student writes in first person throughout the paper, using words such as us, we, you and our. Along with the overuse of the first person the text has an unprofessional tone, using words such as ‘goes’ to explain what a quote said. In addition to the first person narrative and lack of professional tone the sentences are simplistic, all of these factors come together as work of an apprentice craftsperson. For the fourth rubric on mechanics, which includes grammar, syntax, punctuation and spelling, the writer maintained a three out of six or a craftsperson. This means the writer was able to only have around two mechanics error on the page. The errors found were the use of sentence fragments in the first paragraph and wrong use of punctuation in the last. These errors do not affect the grade as much as the other rubrics because mechanics is weighed the least. The author earned a C according to UNF Writes Rubrics on logic, rhetorical awareness, style and mechanics. The rubrics were weighed as the following: logic 30%, rhetorical awareness 30%, style 25% and mechanics 15%. From these weightings and the aforementioned level of expertise the student writes at a craftsperson level and received an average grade because of it.

Reflection on Film Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection on Film - Movie Review Example One of the key functions of the movie was to depict a current reflective model has several aims for the young nurses to be successful. Â  The current model aims to meet the aspirations of the modern medical healthcare services by increasing the recruitment of nurses. One of the most critical components for these young medical professional is to put them in an environment in which they can enhance their skill base and competences with the hosptial’s development progress. More focus is emphasized on training while increasing the staff morale in midst of adversities. Furthermore, the goal was to escalate the interpersonal communications of these students in order for them to communicate with their patients. It is evident that patients and the hospitals want to have this symbiotic relationship in which habits of trust and confidentiality are solidified. The movie focused on organizational methods and education offers many incentives for its members. First and foremost, it allows nurses to have mentors and create a solid foundation of network that will allow its members to have a connection for recruitment purposes. Another incentive to join this organization is the fact that it implements a model that should be developed for nursing students should be simple in order to facilitate the process. It should consist of peer collaboration, discussion, research and testing along with shadowing a medical professional. These steps are vital because they solidify the foundation of core competencies along with remedying deficiencies. Needs were assessed based on quantified manner. In essence, research was based on the assessment and further investigation that the patients condition was severe. Additionally, much of the emphasis was based on patient-nurse relationship, which was depicted consistently throughout the movie. Reflect practice was another common theme in this movie as reflective practice becomes an

Behavioral and performance issues with a customer service Case Study

Behavioral and performance issues with a customer service representative - Case Study Example This study focuses on many challenges resulted by the recent deregulation of financial services in Canadian banking industry, many changes have been incorporated in banking system. Previously cross-ownership between four pillars (banking, insurance, trust and security) was not allowed but due to the deregulation it is possible now. This has brought many new opportunities and challenges in the market with increased competition. To meet new objectives pressure on customer service officers have been increased which also meant low flexibility in working hours and job sharing. The Canadian National bank is among the largest chartered banks in Canada with 1600 branches around the nation. The focus of this study is on one of the case of employee behavior in the Chatham branch of Canadian National bank. This case discusses two employees of Chatham branch of Canadian National bank, Lesley Mohan and Pam Stewart. Lesley was a newly hired customer service manager and Pam Stewart was 25 years employee, holding the position customer service executive. The main area of discussion is Pam’s conflicting attitude and Lesley’s respond to it.... Previously cross-ownership between four pillars (banking, insurance, trust and security) was not allowed but due to the deregulation it is possible now. This has brought many new opportunities and challenges in the market with increased competition. To meet new objectives pressure on customer service officers have been increased which also meant low flexibility in working hours and job sharing. The Canadian National bank is among the largest chartered banks in Canada with 1600 branches around the nation. The focus of this study is on one of the case of employee behavior in the Chatham branch of Canadian National bank. This case discusses two employees of Chatham branch of Canadian National bank, Lesley Mohan and Pam Stewart. Lesley was a newly hired customer service manager and Pam Stewart was 25 years employee, holding the position customer service executive. The main area of discussion is Pam’s conflicting attitude and Lesley’s respond to it. Problem statement â€Å" Although Pam’s (CSR) experience was so vast and past performance was above average, but her conflicting behavior, self superiority and resistance to change was creating difficulties for new customer manager to adopt recently made changes by higher authority and improve assigned bank branch performance while sustaining her growth and position, human resource and conflict management theories could be considered as a measure to decrease the severity of problem† Problems Pam’s (customer service representative) conflicting behavior with Lesley, new customer service manager Pam’s self superiority because of her 25 years of experience Pam’s resistance to change recently made by customer service capacity management schedule Pam’s rebellion attitude towards Lesley Sub problems

World Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

World Religion - Essay Example For example, when reading the almanac page about Buddhism, we read that its sacred texts provide â€Å"rules of monastic life† and that it practices meditation (â€Å"Major Non-Christian World Religions†). Just by reading this, we will form our own ideas of what mediation and monasticism is from our limited knowledge and understanding of Buddhism. We have to read and learn about the history of Buddha, the meanings and context of his teachings and how they have been influenced through out its history. Also, just by reading a small paragraph that their belief consists of cycle of rebirth and death, we can’t grasp the full understanding of this belief and what it is trying to say (â€Å"Major Non-Christian World Religions†). With such basic and little knowledge we would be unable to even try to compare it to other religions. When we just read these simple summaries, it makes us believe that religions are boiled down to the few listed practices and beliefs. We make the wrong conclusions and tend to misunderstand the true meaning and their teachings. For example, when reading the summary on Islam, it seems like a list of rigid tasks of fasting, giving charity, and strict rules of conduct (â€Å"Major Non-Christian World Religions†). These few words fail to do justice to the vast and rich history of the religion, its founder, practices, and cultural context. We don’t get an idea of how and why it came to be, what influences it had on the people and how it changed and developed history. Also, when we read the basic concepts and practices of any religion we start making assumptions that its followers worldwide do these same few practices that we have read on a page. For example, when one reads that in Judaism, people observe certain dietary restrictions, celebrate specific holidays like Rosh Hashana and adhere to a â€Å"period of fasting and penitence†, we automatically assume that every single

The Hmong People Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Hmong People - Term Paper Example The researcher of this term paper describes the Secret Wars in Laos, that attracted the Royal Laotian government and the Pathelt Lao, who was keen in repulsing the presence of the Northern Vietnamese Army and had taken control of the Lao land. Whereas this war was regarded as secret, the American government deployed many of its troops and in the end, the war claimed many casualties. The Secret Wars in Laos had a number of significant effects. It is stated that the end of the war resulted in a large number of deaths as well as displacement of the Hmong people into other foreign lands, such as the US, because of their persecution. It is believed that more than 200, 000 Hmong communities were resettled in the United States as the fighting and persecution of non-communist continued to be perpetrated by the Communist regime in Lao. The researcher also discussed the subject of interactions between the Hmong and western medicine, that have led to several challenges and outcomes, such as con flicts between Hmong traditions and western medical practices. These conflicts were characterized by differing opinions on treatment options, such as the removal of organs or the use of anesthesia during surgical operations. To overcome this hurdle, healthcare institutions employed interpreters who understood the Hmong language and English as well. The interpreters often found themselves to take conflicting role, where they had to convince patients against tradition treatment options such as wearing of amulets.

Why Parents are Sometimes Strict to their Childeren Essay

Why Parents are Sometimes Strict to their Childeren - Essay Example This paper examines the issue of strict parenting by first defining what this means, and then exploring the multiple reasons why parents might choose to be strict to their children on occasion. A number of scholarly findings are reported, along with illustrative examples, in order to demonstrate the type of situations which call for strictness, and finally a comparison is drawn between strictness which is appropriate, and strictness which is unhelpful for a child’s development. Most people can remember instances from their childhood when their parents punished them because of something that they did. It is entirely natural and proper for a certain amount of conflict to arise between parents and children because the only way children can learn about the world is by being gradually introduced to it in a safe and practical way. Babies and young children have to be taught that certain objects are hot, or sharp, or in some other way dangerous, and caring parents are generally very strict about things like fire and matches, crossing roads, talking to strangers, and other kinds of behavior which could bring harm to the child. Strictness in this context is a fundamental parental duty. It would be criminal and negligent to allow children to freely experiment with such dangerous behaviors and so in this sense strictness is a positive quality which protects the child by teaching it what must be avoided. There is another kind of strictness, and this relates to the social behavior of a child, for example in learning to say hello and goodbye, or to say polite phrases like please and thank you. There is an element of culture in this kind of strictness, because it has more to do with what people think about the child (and by implication also the parents) than what the child wishes or needs. Some families are very strict about using titles such as â€Å"Sir† or â€Å"Ma’am† when the child is addressing adults, while other parents are much more relaxe d, and some even allow children to address parents by their first names, rather than by polite phrases or the labels â€Å"Mom† and â€Å"Dad†. The purpose of this kind of strictness, when it occurs, is to make sure that the child learns to fit into the norms of the social setting in which the family lives. Parents who have been in the military, or who have a strong faith in a major religion, are often more concerned about this kind of behavior, because they have high moral standards themselves and wish to pass these same standards on to their children. Parents who work in the arts and media, or who are unemployed, or who are of a more gentle disposition may, on the other hand, value a free and easy approach to life, or perceive such good manners as something irrelevant, or elitist. The moral, religious and political views of the parent, therefore, are often a key factor in determining how strict they are with their children. A number of studies have been carried out o n parents and strictness, including a recent exploration of the relationship between teenage drinking behavior and parental strictness levels (Aubrey, 2010). Researchers at Brigham Young University found that children whose parents are indulgent and easy-going tend to be the most likely to become involved in binge drinking of alcohol. The same study found also that parents who are very strict try to prevent the child from coming into contact with alcohol, but unfortunately this has the effect also of removing the opportunity for children to make their own judgements. (Aubrey 2010). An earlier study on parental strictness in the United Kingdom found that â€Å"Children are more likely to grow into well-adjusted adults if their parents are firm disciplinarians.†

The ability to read critically is an important skill not only at Essay - 1

The ability to read critically is an important skill not only at university but also in the business world. discuss - Essay Example Hence, through enhancing critical perspectives towards texts, products and other symbols emergent in a society, students can transfer these abilities to the public, thus reading their society through a critical lens that directs to empowerment (Cioffi, 1992). Responding to the emerging need toward critical literacy, universities nowadays include communication curricula as an integral segment of the undergraduate and graduate courses of multitudes of business schools. These universities and colleges require that students gain knowledge on various interpersonal communication skills such as oral, reading and writing in addition to the major courses such as management, marketing and accounting skills (Muir, 1996). Nevertheless, there is no common agreement on the implication of business communication and the conventional manner to instructing business communication frequently presents a one-dimensional process framework that falls short in addressing critical thinking in order to perceive political and power relationships that are present in the workplace. Recently, there has been greater emphasis on the communication practices within the organization as well as inside the more significant economic, political and social environment of the wo rkplace (ibid). New college graduates are often surprised to discover that communication traditions in the workplace are more highly criticized than in the academic realm and that superior-subordinate interactions are very much complicated than the typical student-instructor relationship. Even though several organizations promote open communication and innovative capabilities, they are repressed by elements that may not appear obvious or sensible to the novice employee. For instance, it is not at all times apparent who the important actors are in the decision-making arena, and the novice may desire to obey traditional business communication approaches which

Kpis to Measure Sales Force Essay Example for Free

Kpis to Measure Sales Force Essay Sales Force of a company is often called the face of the company because they are the ones who actually face customers on the behalf of their business. And in terms of an insurance company, the sales force would be considered an important aspect of the business. Therefore, the need of effectively managing the insurance sales force also rises in importance. Effectively evaluating the performance of the sales force is necessary to figure out the loopholes in the performance and to devise ways to improve their efficiency. The nature of business is what makes an insurance company differ from other businesses around. Specially trained and motivated sales force is what required is in this form of business scenario where the customers are smart enough to bargain terms and where the competition in the insurance industry is immense. KPIs can be used to provide a holistic view of the business and with regard to Insurance Sales force Management. These can be categorised in four perspectives- financial perspective, operational perspective, customer service perspective and education and training perspective. Financial perspective comprises of KPIs like annual salary, incentive as percentage of salary, etc. This is to take care of the financial standing of the organization. Operational perspective represents KPIs such as percentage of renewed policies to the number of policies sold, percentage of policy lapses or missed payments, etc. This helps in conducting operations in a streamlined manner. Customer service perspective includes KPIs like number of referrals generated from customers, number of customer focused products developed, percentage decrease in customer complaints, etc. This angle works in making the organization build reputation and minimize losing customer base. The last perspective, Education and Training perspective talks ab out KPIs number of training sessions, number of motivational sessions, etc to ensure that the sales force is not leaving any stone unturned in achieving the targets. One of the most prominent challenges this industry has to encounter is the high attrition rate hinting at the very high professional pressure one has to go through. This in turn calls for implementation of as effective performance management system as possible. Balanced Scorecard is the measure that is dependable enough to combat such situations. This helps in creating a win-win scenario. The next hurdle to be faced is the concept of the task itself. There are a whole lot of verifications to be done before any funds are released when any claim is made. This requires clear strategy formulation from the organizational point of view. This is to further assist in laying down the goals, measurements and targets.

Citizen Journalism in Malaysia

Citizen Journalism in Malaysia INTRODUCTION Online citizen journalism is a hot topic that has been happened around us but there have numerous perceptive or opinion regarding the definition and meaning derived from a various sources. The existence of different information offers citizens access to a variety of topics, ideas, stories and capability in their writing. In this research will measure a credibility Metro Online Broadcast (MBO) and Citizen Journalist Malaysia (CJMY) that includes variety of content and topics that most serve this function in the Malaysia. Based on observation of the site, Metro Online Broadcast (MBO) and Citizen Journalist Malaysia (CJMY) is obviously to feature a greater diversity of content, topics, general information, lifestyle and interactive. The role of journalism According to (Goh, 2007) the press or journalism is known the compulsory component that played a role as the watchdog for a healthy democracy. Journalists are played an important responsibility as a journalist in our society. However, Goh also found that Michael Schudson gives a similar definition which means journalism is the business of a set of institutions that promotes periodically information and on contemporary affairs. Basically, journalist are presented their story as true and sincere especially to an anonymous and spread it to spectators openly including within discussion space which considered very important. However, (Deuze,2006) stated that basically journalism is undergoing a transformation. (Witt,2004) found that because of the power of technological advancements have reduced the costs of publishing and with a computer now equating to a printing press individuals have immediate access to publishing suites. Bases on the observation, transformation has emerged the increasing audience expectation that a certain level of audience participation be permitted and indeed facilitated by the media. Online citizen journalism According to (Bowman Willis, 2003), citizen journalism is defined a people who have a responsibility in the process of collecting, analyzing, reporting and delivering news or information to the readers. They also stated that citizen who becomes a journalist are be given the opportunity to become a writers either in online and offline with a variety of forms and formats, working under a variety of editorial schemes that focuses on a differences range of topics. The range whether from the expert to the generic and the micro-local to the global. According to the information at the website (Educause, 2007) citizen journalism is defined to citizen have an opportunity in which they can contribute information or comment about news events at the website. Furthermore, people could be denied that over the year’s citizen journalism has advantage from the development of various technologies which includes the printing press that provided a different tools for the pamphleteers within 17th and 18th centuries. In addition, at that century was using a television, telegraph, and tape recorders which offered opportunities for people to participate in sharing news events and commentary. By the growth of digital technologies, society have unprecedented access to the tools of dissemination and production. The information were include citizen journalist of submitted reviews or opinion such as on a web site about movies to Wikipedia based news. According to (Educause, 2007) has stated that some sites only run stories written by citizen. However traditional news normally accept comments and news stories from readers. Citizen journalism indicate a difference but between simply offering opinion on a topic and developing a balanced story that will be originally useful to readers. Online citizen journalism do their work The issues surrounding how citizen journalism works involve policy more than technology which make a blog as main tools to convey their mission. A website or blog that only includes stories from nonprofessional journalists or citizen who willing to share their stories have responsibility for the content resting with the contributors, or as usual it can have some level of editorial error make a decisions about such as checking facts or editing grammar. However, for a mainstream primary flow that allows citizen to comments or submit the story. To avoid any effect on organization’s credibility the policies must be established about these issues (Educause, 2007). Normally, citizen journalism projects would use a range of technologies which include digital video and audio online tools for posting or accessing stories, have a rules to block who can submit or edit content, and RSS tools to simplify accurate dissemination of content. Some citizen journalism were prefer using wikis and collaborate writing and editing. Flickr photos and YouTube videos as an example of applications encourage users to link to online resources (Educause, 2007). People who involved in online citizen journalism Online citizen journalism were consisted a people who making a sites limited to nonprofessional reporting, such as in Malaysia there have Metro Online Broadcast and Citizen Journalist Malaysia but in overseas a divisions of traditional media companies that feature citizen journalism, such as CNN’s I-Reporter. Basically, citizen use blogs, wikis, photo, video sharing sites, digital storytelling applications and other online media as tools for citizen journalism to deliver their stories. Most of them were taking a projects that relates to local approach, convey the news about citizen issues especially interest topics, such as financial matters, gender issues, political issue and economics issue. Types of online citizen journalism website working in Malaysia Metro Online Broadcast Metro Online Broadcast or MOB which acts as a citizen journalism site, gives an opportunity to the public to share news from their communities that may often go unreported or published. It is similar with newspaper which reports news and happening from around our community. MOB apart are the people known as citizen journalists who produce and determine the suitable news content should be publish. The hidden vital stories among community also are reported and covered in the MOB website. The process of news gathering and information had received from the journalists or known as MOBbers are confirmed and legalize with the help of a core team of journalists or MOB advisors who manage the site. In addition, readers can share their feedback, views and comments on stories that have been published. Citizen Journalists Malaysia Citizen Journalism Malaysia or CJMY was introduced by Malaysia Kini’s CEO, Premesh Chandran. He has started the citizen journalism training course with funding from International Center for Journalists in the United States in 2008. The first training conducted in November at the same year. The aim of this website to existence of participants, without knowing a background with journalistic skills in order to improve their writing and develop new skills such as video story telling. CJMY has spawned 400 citizen journalists and 150 are an active reporters. Some of them have made their own name. There are over 80 training workshops have been conducted throughout Malaysia including in Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Kelantan, Penang, Sarawak and Sabah. The training and workshops was successful therefore CJMY become a platform for citizen journalists to host their work. Amateur journalists have an opportunity to make a right news is being reported and challenge them to feel a surrounding with sensitive issues. Development of citizen journalism Phenomena of citizen journalism was include veteran sites such as Slashdot and Indymedia. OhmyNews one of the famous and the most influential news related weblogs in South Korean which in 2003 was attracting an estimated two million readers a day and online news site in that country (Gillmor, 2003). Other than that, Wikipedia also one of the source with recognize as up to date news and currents events section. Currently, it was introduced as Wikinews and even citizen journalists have huge opportunity to produced video news through in sites such as YouTube and DailyMotion. According to (Flew, 2007) news media organizations are adopting citizen journalism practices and are encouraging citizens to contribute to their news sites while professional journalists are also cooperating with citizen journalists in their news presentation and dissemination processes. However (Jenkins, 2008) found that major daily newspapers are rapidly inviting and subsequently sharing user generated content. For example comments, photos, videos and articles on their news sites. Based on the (Amanda, 2006) more than 1000 citizen news media organizations are sustained through blogs and websites in local communities. Therefore, ordinary citizens enable to contribute news and information. However, the information that were provided by citizen journalist could influences community thoughts either in negative or positive ways. (Ashely, 2006) found that blog users were highly have a credibility to attribute in blogs rather than traditional media sources while also rating traditional sources as moderately credible. Nowadays, community much prefer choose a source of information through online. Content diversity on online citizen journalism The existence of online citizen journalism content in the marketplace may include diversity of information that citizens have contribute while making decisions related to the community environment. According to (Kim Ball-Rokeach, 2006) the utilisation of a diversity of content can encourage individual to give awareness of self because it exposes people to various ideas. According to (Blanchard, 1977) diversity is also a matter of accuracy. According to (Pease, 1990) must have diversity of content and coverage should give a serious attention. The variety of content at the organization level would decrease because of the rising online competitors and declining profits. According to Pease newspapers normally limit their coverage to maintain their readers when faced a lot threat of competition. However, specific coverage may not fully meet the specific of accuracy because demographically tailored coverage can lack representativeness. According to (Carpenter, 2008) there are few studies conducted on online citizen journalism publications but there have a differences in content probably attributed to the perceived changes in their readers. However, according to (Johnstone , 1976) citizen were prefer to generated content by published for smaller and more integrated audiences on a less permanent basis in order to encourage citizen journalists to produce content dissimilar from that daily newspaper journalists. By their observations, blogs are usually used by online citizen journalism and newspaper journalists to disseminate their content. Smaller publications whether urban or rural are focus on community especially about conflict, advocacy over objectivity and evaluation over straight reporting. According to (Donahue, 1972) smaller publications distribute a stories community’s needs with their desire to make professional journalistic content. However, they are not recognize as online newspapers. Their normally loyalty not steadily toward their community. This is because according to recent survey by (Schaffer, 2007) most of the online citizen journalists perceive they are be able to solve community problems and encourage a high local voter turnout. But the value of content it was failed to known widely by online citizen journalists in the marketplace. The situation would be seen through (Carpenter, 2008) online citizen journalists were rarely to rely the opinion by media routines and prefer producing stories that use more unofficial sources. According to (Pease, 1990) previously newsroom leadership have failed morally and economically to diversity the content because they only focused on hiring minorities in the newsroom. Negative actions in socializes among journalists would affects the presence of content diversity. However (Shoemaker Reese, 1996) were argued compliance to routines and the implementation of similar news values to stories will causing the content become variety to the public. Then the researcher would analysed the selected online citizen journalism website by using quantitative content analysis. This is because it is suitable for measuring large quantities of data. According to (American Society of Newspaper Editors, 2002:) the responsibility and roles of a journalist is very important because readers really care about have been show but not how the stories will be published. They are also be able to judge based on the content rather than the process. For this research, the researcher are focus on a diversity content in online citizen journalism website which is Metro Online Broadcast (MOB) and Citizen Journalist Malaysia (CJMY). This research also are created to measure of content diversity to make the comparisons for each topics. The content was measured the general information that provide diversity of content on both website, news source, and topics selection. Primary topic in online citizen journalism website One of the author in the (Project for Excellence in Journalism, 1999) stated that the increasingly of topics that covered by the news organization will showing an excellent of the organization. They stated that a diversity of topics would describes entirely about community issue. This study will evaluate the diversity level of articles by utilizing Simpson’s D. According to (McDonald Dimmick, 2003) Simpson’s D was measures the proportions across categories and the diversity will considered an optimal measure to improve of its interpretative capability. The content that found at the online citizen journalism is probably similar with smaller publications. According to (Janowitz, 1952) smaller publications are most focus on the coverage on human interest, social events and athletics. Whereas, larger publications are more to concentrate on government and crime topics. Based on research of (Project for Excellence in Journalism, 1999) found that the topics such as business, government, crime and foreign relation stories were has greater reported proportion than other stories such as accident, entertainment, science reporting and elections that includes in newspaper.

Custom Written Essays: Ranking the Play Hamlet -- The Tragedy of Hamlet

Ranking the Play Hamlet  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   The Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet is among the best ever written, and perhaps the very best. Why do the literary critics say this? In this essay let’s examine the play to see what makes it a prizewinner.    Phyllis Abrahms and Alan Brody in â€Å"Hamlet and the Elizabethan Revenge Tragedy Formula† give some detail about the reasons for the undying popularity of this play:    No play demonstrates the power and glory of Shakespeare’s tragic vision more than Hamlet, which for over 350 years has excited us with its action, its insight, its brilliant language. Hamlet is an unparalleled adventure story, complete with suspense, intrigue, murder – even a battle at sea with pirates. It is a play of intense emotional and physical violence. Yet underlying all of this are some of the most profound explorations of the mysteries of human existence. (43)    This play is ranked by many as the very greatest ever written. Cumberland Clark in â€Å"The Supernatural in Hamlet† gives the consensus regarding Hamlet that exists among literary critics of today:    At least six or seven years pass after the writing of Midsummer Night’s Dream before we find Shakespeare engaged on Hamlet, the second of the great plays with an important Supernatural element, and, in the opinion of many, the greatest tragedy ever penned. (99)    There is no more exalted ranking than the above. Richard A. Lanham in the essay â€Å"Superposed Plays† maintains that no other English tragedy has generated the literary comment which this play has produced: â€Å"Hamlet is one of the great tragedies. It has generated more comment than any other written document in English literature, one would guess, reverent, serious comment on it... ...iversity Press, 1965. Lanham, Richard A. â€Å"Superposed Plays.† Modern Critical Interpretations: Hamlet. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Rpt. from The Motives of Eloquence: Literary Rhetoric in the Renaissance. N.p.: Yale University Press, 1976. Levin, Harry. General Introduction. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line nos. Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"Hamlet: A Man Who Thinks Before He Acts.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar. N. p.: Pocket Books, 1958. Custom Written Essays: Ranking the Play Hamlet -- The Tragedy of Hamlet Ranking the Play Hamlet  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   The Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet is among the best ever written, and perhaps the very best. Why do the literary critics say this? In this essay let’s examine the play to see what makes it a prizewinner.    Phyllis Abrahms and Alan Brody in â€Å"Hamlet and the Elizabethan Revenge Tragedy Formula† give some detail about the reasons for the undying popularity of this play:    No play demonstrates the power and glory of Shakespeare’s tragic vision more than Hamlet, which for over 350 years has excited us with its action, its insight, its brilliant language. Hamlet is an unparalleled adventure story, complete with suspense, intrigue, murder – even a battle at sea with pirates. It is a play of intense emotional and physical violence. Yet underlying all of this are some of the most profound explorations of the mysteries of human existence. (43)    This play is ranked by many as the very greatest ever written. Cumberland Clark in â€Å"The Supernatural in Hamlet† gives the consensus regarding Hamlet that exists among literary critics of today:    At least six or seven years pass after the writing of Midsummer Night’s Dream before we find Shakespeare engaged on Hamlet, the second of the great plays with an important Supernatural element, and, in the opinion of many, the greatest tragedy ever penned. (99)    There is no more exalted ranking than the above. Richard A. Lanham in the essay â€Å"Superposed Plays† maintains that no other English tragedy has generated the literary comment which this play has produced: â€Å"Hamlet is one of the great tragedies. It has generated more comment than any other written document in English literature, one would guess, reverent, serious comment on it... ...iversity Press, 1965. Lanham, Richard A. â€Å"Superposed Plays.† Modern Critical Interpretations: Hamlet. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Rpt. from The Motives of Eloquence: Literary Rhetoric in the Renaissance. N.p.: Yale University Press, 1976. Levin, Harry. General Introduction. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line nos. Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"Hamlet: A Man Who Thinks Before He Acts.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar. N. p.: Pocket Books, 1958.

Bilingual Education :: American History

Bilingual Education In order to learn more about the bilingual education program in the Public School system, we felt it would be essential to discuss a few controversial issues with some bilingual teachers, and ask them for their opinion on the effectiveness of the system and the concept of bilingual education. We also questioned the benefits and disadvantages of the program. We wrote and asked these question with Latino (Puerto Rican) migrants in mind, however the Public School system consists of many ethnic groups which speak other languages other than Spanish. As one of the teachers stated, the political connotation that Bilingual Education carries is that of concerning only Spanish and English. We interviewed Mrs. Aida Ramos (Vice-Principal), Ms. Clara Velez (Bilingual Math Teacher), Mrs. Irene Killian (TESOL), Ms. Zoraida Ortiz (Bilingual Science Teacher), and Ms. Nancy Harrison (TESOL/Bilingual Computer Lab Teacher). When we asked these teachers whether they supported or were against the bilingual education system, they each shouted their answer as if it were instinctive. Although they had different reasons why, each and every one of the teachers said they supported the system without a doubt. We were given a multitude of reasons why bilingual education is advantageous. Ms. Velez stated that she supports bilingual education because, first and foremost, she is a product of it, and second because she believes the program allows the children to earn credit and learn the language at the same time. She said that if the non-English speaking child were immersed in the English mainstream classes they will fail, and as a result the already high drop out rate of Latinos would increase. Ms. Harrison felt that the bilingual education program would be even stronger and more effective if it served more of the ethnic groups in Hartford. The Vietnamese, Lao, and Albanian students are often put in transi tional classes because there are not enough in that particular ethnic group to create a bilingual class that will help them to learn English, while maintaining their primary language. Presently, the state requires twenty students who need assistance in the same language to hire a teacher to create a class for them. She also stated that the students in bilingual education classes have just as many difficulties in academics as do the students in mainstream education, and that the bilingual education program is often used as a scapegoat for those students not achieving.

Essay --

The Ku Klux Klan has existed since the mid nineteenth century. The Klan has had periods membership numbered in the millions, whereas nowadays they do not have as much influence as in the past.What has ceased to change is the media depicting the Ku Klux Klan as a hateful group of bigots wanting to solely wipe out any non-white race. However, the media has not only surfaced many misconception but they fail to realize that the Klan is actually within US Constitutional rights. Because the Bill of Rights guarantees American citizens the freedom of speech and to peacefully assemble, the Ku Klux Klan has the right to continue their practices. With that being said, excluding some violent outburst conducted by Klan subgroups, no one has the right to stop the KKK from protesting, speaking their beliefs, or celebrating their heritage. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The Ku Klux Klan was founded in May of 1866, in Pulaski, Tennessee by six veterans of the Confederate Army. The early years of the Klan's existence were focused mainly on restoring white power in the government. The Klan often spoke against Radical Republicans, the political party that most supported the rights of former slaves. At first the Klan seemed relatively harmless. But as time went on, the so called white supremacists showed how far they were willing to go to fulfill their craving for America to go back to its former ways. According to the Klan members, the only requirement for being a part of the organization is to be Christian. As they see it, America is under attack by immigrants and foreign groups. To them it seems that it isn't right for races to mix because we would all melt into one race of "brown". The highest ranked members of the KKK are said to be led by divine provide... ...portunity, and rightfully so. The KKK has given more than enough validation for why they believe that they are simply making an attempt to save the white race. Our forefathers were of the white race, and if the Klan makes the point that by not mixing races in terms of marriage would preserve American culture, it is actually a justified statement from that standpoint. Although many people, including myself, would not agree with their opinions, the Klan has the right to hold their own beliefs. The Bill of Rights will always be relevant. They were written with our citizens’ best interests in mind. It was our forefathers' responsibility to ensure that our country would always be free, even centuries after the amendments were written. The Klan, although their beliefs may not be those of the general public, have and will always have the right to preach their own opinions.

“Hunters in the Snow” by Tobias Wolff Essay

In â€Å"Hunters in the Snow† by Tobias Wolff, we see three characters who apparently appear to be close friends but then as the story moves they lose their patience with each other. In the story, the reader notices how the cold temperatures started to create an impact on each of the characters. It brings out the complexities in their character. In due course of time the reader comes across the true self of the characters. Their simmering resentment towards each other is aptly highlighted by the author amidst the appropriate setting of the cold bleak winter season. When concentrating on the conversation that takes place between the men the reader realizes that underneath all the friendship there is a cruelness of words that cuts to the deep as the men flaunt the others weaknesses and seem to be ignorant of the effect that the words will have on the emotional state of the other. The atmosphere plays a very crucial role in defining the theme for a story. When used to its full potential it can stir deep feelings in the reader that go beyond rational thought. Tobias Wolff in his short story †Hunters in the Snow† uses this factor to create atmosphere and a sense of crisis. The story craftly uses the setting and thereby makes it a fascinating study in self-absorption. Wolff draws three strongly distinct characters in a small space, and again manages to convey the ambiguities and complexities of human interaction and personal struggle. The story begins with Tub waiting for his friends Frank and Kenny â€Å"for an hour in the falling snow.† In the same paragraph we find Tub is walking down the street, carrying a rifle and seemingly, shooting the breeze. The cold and the waiting surely creates an impact in the mood of the character. Tub is restless from the wait and the cold adds on to it. Besides, aiming at the breeze fairly depicts that the character continues to be impatient and will later ironically reflect the true nature of Tub. The snow let up, but still there was no edge to the land where it met the sky. Nothing moved in the chalky fields. The cold bleached their faces and made the stubble stand out on their cheeks and along their upper lips. They stopped twice for coffee before they got to the woods where Kenny wanted to hunt.   Wolff builds up the story on the platform of cold weather and the impact of the cold on each character slowly builds up. As they ride together in Kenny’s truck, we learn more about them. They are traveling in an old truck with a hole in the windshield, making it a very cold journey.   Once again the cold seems to follow them throughout the journey. On the trip into the woods, and while they are walking around searching for tracks, we realize the fact that Kenny and Frank don’t seem to like Tub very much. Not only that, they seems to exclude him from walking with them in the forest, they make fun of him about his eating habits and even try driving off without him. Tub, had an overweight problem and because of the cold temperatures and the snow he couldn’t keep up easily with his friends. â€Å"When Tub crossed the last fence into the toad the truck started moving. Tub had to run for it and just managed to grab hold of the tailgate and hoist himself into the bed. He lay there, panting. Kenny looked out the rear window and grinned.† Kenny kept taunting Tub about his weight all the while. Even though he appeared to be the most sensitive guy in the group, the reader sees a changed character in him at the end. It is probable that Kenny tortured Tub to an intolerable point and that Kenny’s joke backfired. It is through misunderstanding that Tub shoots Kenny. The difficulty that he was going through walking in the cold weather and troubled with himself bothered him enough and made him more and more impatient with time. Apparently we find the nice guy ending up shooting his friend Kenny. This reaction wasn’t expected from him but the reader can feel the frustration that this character has in his life and how the need of keeping warm made him leave his friend behind. Later in the story, Tub finally reveals to Frank the truth about his gluttony. Tub admits, â€Å"I’ve even got stuff (snacks)†¦ He who is â€Å"self conscious about his weight and in denial about his gluttony† apparently ends up in a confession while he tries to keep himself warm during their journey towards the hospital. Frank, on the other hand, seems much more mature and emotionally stable then Tub, while also seems to be the parent figure of the group. He â€Å"doesn’t care about his wife, and is in denial about his lust.† Frank was troubled with his family. He liked a fifteen year old girl who was his babysitter. The freezing temperature and his confused thoughts kept running through his head all the while. This prevented him from thinking rationally and therefore it did not bother him after Kenny was shot and lay freezing to death in the back of the truck. His selfishness was so obvious when kept talking only about himself. This reached its limit when he tried to keep himself warm and thereby ended up taking Kenny’s blankets and let him back there without any regret. He seemed to be the toughest one among them but when Tub couldn’t take him anymore and confronted him he backed up and showed otherwise. In the beginning, he seems like a simple guy. He just basically does whatever Kenny demands of him, and seems to be the calm, undemanding one of the trio. He tells Kenny and Tub to stop obsessing over the hunting: â€Å"‘Relax,’ Frank said. ‘You can’t hurry nature. If we’re meant to get that deer, we’ll get it. If we’re not, we won’t.’† (142). However, later in the story, the plot of the story begins to prove that Frank is not so innocent. He follows whoever has the most power at the moment. After the â€Å"power shift† from Kenny to Tub, Frank beings to follow Tub’s lead. He seems to not even care that his previous best friend is dying in the back of the truck†¦The hunting grounds and the cold weather makes them invariably confide in each other secrets about their personal lives, and enjoy each other’s company immensely. As the story continues, Tub and Frank become more interested in patching up their differences and less concerned with Kenny, to an extent that becomes strange. Kenny, appears to be the comic character of the bunch, and is always in a kind of light-hearted mood, joking around, even while shooting the dog. He â€Å"doesn’t care about anyone or anything.† Kenny appears to be going crazy in due course of time. With all playfulness he keeps saying â€Å"I hate that tree,† and shoots a tree. Next, he approaches the farmer’s dog, and says, â€Å"I hate that dog,† and shoots the dog. Finally, he approaches Tubs and says, â€Å"I hate you Tubs.†Ã‚   And this was when he was shot in his stomach by Tubs.   This reaction of Kenny’s shows his sheer desperation to an unsuccessful hunting trip. Frank and Tub even lie to Kenny at the end, letting him believe that he is being taken to the hospital even though they had no intentions of doing so. Kenny in the story bears the impact of cold to the maximum. He is left at the back in cold for a long time since Frank and Tubs were busy taking breaks to warm themselves up. His blankets are taken away to keep others warm. The story ends in a highly un- dramatic way, with Tub and Frank changing paths away from the hospital, and Kenny freezing in the truck bed, thinking he’s on his way to safety.   He tried to keep himself warm by repeating constantly that he is on his way to the hospital thereby fooling his own self till the end. His world comes to a standstill and he turns quieter than his usual self in pain and cold. His   pain made his brains numb and therefore even though he knew that he was no where near to the hospital, yet he kept repeating that he was on his way to the hospital. The monotony of words provided him the comfort of warmth. The freezing weather made these characters act erratically in the story. With Frank and Tub being in denial of what is happening, they neglected Kenny to the point of his death. Kenny lay at the back of the truck while Tub and Frank pull off to the side of the road three separate times, once for coffee, once to warm their hands from the frigid cold and a third time so Tub could hoard some pancakes because Frank felt pity for his seemingly unchangeable diet. These stops are increasingly random and seem completely inappropriate seeing that there is a man possibly dying in the back of the truck. This inconsiderate attitude of the three men who apparently called themselves as friends and the effect of their words targeted at each others weak points makes for a rather perverse realization that under these men’s simple appearances lies a cruel complexity of human nature, which is as frigid as the snow on the ground.† The reader realizes how all their internal problems plus the weather got into them and showed unexpected reactions from a group of friends that went on a trip. Wolff has taken an ordinary setting and environment of the woods and the snow,   and turned it into an extraordinary event for the three men participating in it. Literary critic, Karen Bernardo mentions, that the different turn the three friends have taken is away from being human beings, and towards being no better then animals.†    References: http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/26578.html Perrine’s Literature : Structure, Sound, and Sense (Hardcover); Thomas R. Arp (Author), Greg Johnson (Author) Bernardo, Karen. Tobias Wolff’s â€Å"Hunters in the Snow†. Storybites: A Taste of the World’s Best Short Stories. May 21, 2003.   

Marketing Mix and Branding

MARKETING MIX: PRODUCT AND BRANDING STRATEGIES Abstract Brands have now transcended their general definition of just being a name or logo that differentiates them from other products in the market to a more humane and characterized version to which people can relate to and come to depend on in their everyday lives. According to Fournier brands create relationship with customers. This paper agrees with the statement in the goods only category for Coca Cola however for the service only it does not hold true in this particular case for Disney’s Pixar Animation Studio. Lastly, it looks at the implications for managers and how they can support their brand to outshine others in the market and garner a more loyal base resulting in profits. Marketing Mix: Products and Branding Strategies The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a â€Å"name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers†. However, in today’s competitive and consumer driven world brands are no longer simply names to identify a certain product or service they have taken the shape of a living character that has the ability to be a part of one’s self, family and everyday life (Fournier, 1998) Brand Ambassadors Brands have evolved into ‘people’ for consumers. When we talk about a brand we don’t just mean to consume a product or service. Repeated purchases and the satisfaction derived from them takes brands to a higher level. Brand loyalists expect brands to not only cater to their immediate but also psychological needs such as provide comfort, superior quality or service. There is a sense of attachment and relatedness to brands. Marketers and brand managers have started thinking of brands as not only a colorful logo or a catching tag-line and attractive packaging but also by characterizing it. Rolex has consistently presented its brand as a symbol of ‘power and success’ reinforcing it through advertising their watches through two most successful players, Tiger Woods and Roger Federer. Brand managers are looking for ‘brand ambassadors’ to carry out the personalization of brands and the benefits they have to offer to the consumer. People expect brands to deliver their expectations like from human beings and not to disappoint them. Successful brands always stay ahead and think of their consumer needs and how they can be personalized more so the brand becomes an essential part of their everyday lives. Enterprise Rent-a-Car has personalized its brand through its superior customer service. They understood their consumer’s needs for immediate and convenient service and whenever a car breaks down or is unavailable Enterprise’s name comes up the first thing in our heads. People have formed a relationship with McDonald’s Golden Arches and Ronald McDonald. Wherever they will see a familiar, smiling Ronald McDonald they’ll know the restaurant is present even if it’s in a foreign country. The New Coke vs. Coke Classic The best example of customer- brand relationship is of Coca-Cola Classic and the New Coke. Coca Cola has been in the maturity stage of the product life cycle for a long time as it continues to cater to millions of consumers worldwide across 200 countries everyday and continues to remain substantially profitable and ahead of its competitors. It has met with competition from Pepsi and other beverage makers yet it markets the top four of five beverage brands in the world. In 1985, New Coke was revealed to the consumers amid much fan fare, TV commercials and promises of ‘smoother but bolder’ taste. Though product surveys had concluded that the taste of New Coke was preferred however, the deep attachment of consumers to the original Coca Cola formula and their association with it was so strong that Coca Cola soon saw consumers protest and hoarding of the old version of product. On July, 11 the New Coca Cola was taken off shelves. â€Å"We did not understand the deep emotions of so many of our customers for Coca-Cola. † (Keough, n. d) As mentioned earlier, successful brands keep their consumers needs in view however Coca Cola made the error of not asking their loyal consumers if they even wanted to change their favorite beverage (Craig, n. ) Thus, this clearly shows that consumers form a relationship with brands and come to rely on it. They reject changes that take away that personalization aspect from the product that makes it their favorite. Even after 20 years the original Coca Cola is still the most preferred brand of millions worldwide. Disney Pixar Animation Studios With the advent of computers, animation has become an integral part of movies and they continue to entertain young and adults alike. Disney’s Pixar is a name among many which has produced outstanding movies like Wall-E, Ratatouille, Finding Nemo, etc. All these movies have fascinated viewers and pulled in billions of dollars worth of business. However, brand loyalty would not be the term for Pixar. Audiences enjoy movies that provide great entertainment and although Pixar provides excellent animates stories and characters and audiences expect them to do so yet they will basically focus more on the film rather than the movie studio producing it. Audiences are pulled in by the movie storylines, their characters and how they are portrayed. Even though big movie studios have better resources and greater distribution networks yet it does not guarantee them blockbuster movies every time. Animation studios like Pixar are in the maturity stage where other studios like Dream works SKG is also trying to make its marks and produce quality animated movies including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and others which were also successful at the box office. Therefore what pulls in audiences is not the studio name itself rather it’s the story line and the entertainment provided by the movie. Implication for Brand Managers Fournier’s customer-brand relationship holds true for the goods only category in this paper whereas for the studio example it does not hold true. Brand management is an important aspect for any company that wishes to succeed in the consumer market. To have an effective position in the minds of the consumers and the ways to attract them and make them loyal to their particular brand is what most marketers aim to do. A foundation of brand loyalists allows the organization to charge a higher price and spend less on advertising, free trials and other promotional costs, with final result being an increase in shareholder wealth and continued profits. The key to managing brand identity is evolution, not revolution. Marketers are often tempted to radically change brands and products, which is a highly visible activity. Totally changing the brand visuals can give rise to consumer concerns about changes of ownership, or possible changes in brand values, or even unjustified extravagance (cited in Bennett & Rundel-Thiele, 2005) Marketers must seek to be maximally different from competitors, and this requires more radical innovation. Brand managers must take risks. One successful launch involving a maximum difference will be very profitable and far more memorable for customers. Organizations seeking to improve brand loyalty should first identify the level at which their brand is successfully operating (functional, emotional or symbolic), and then develop marketing programs designed to resonate with the consumer at that level in a way that differentiates the brand from the competition. The ultimate goal for a brand manager would be a brand community, where consumers affiliate with other consumers around a brand (cited in Bennett & Rundel-Thiele, 2005). References Bennett, R. & Rundel-Thiele, S. (2005). The Brand loyalty life cycle: implications for marketers. Journal of Brand Management, 12(4), Retrieved February 17, 2010 from http://web. ebscohost. com/bsi/pdf? vid=3&hid=106&[email  protected] Craig, S. (n. d). New coke and other marketing fiascoes. Retrieved February 17, 2010 from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/7209828/ Fournier, S. (1998). Consumers and their brands: developing relationship theory in consumer research. Journal of Consumer Research, Retrieved February 17, 2010 from http://web. ebscohost. com/bsi/pdf? vid=3&hid=106&[email  protected] Keough, D. R. (n. d). New coke and other marketing fiascoes. Retrieved from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/7209828/ Lake, L. (n. d. ). What is Branding and how important is it to your marketing strategy? Retrieved Fevruary 17, 2010 fromhttp://marketing. about. com/cs/brandmktg/a/whatisbranding. htm

Work Ethics in Cosmetology

When starting a career in cosmetology, it is imperative to develop a strong code of work ethics. Having a strong work ethic shows that a person is self motivated, conducts themselves in a professional manner, and is able to self evaluate. It is necessary to possess these qualities because they will determine how successful one can become in this industry. The first important fundamental of a strong work ethic is self motivation. Self motivation is the ability to satisfy a desire, expectation, or goal with out being influenced to do so by another person. Having this motivation is important in the work place because it allows one to stay focused and perform tasks to the best of their ability. A person who lacks self motivation is someone who is â€Å"lazy† or simply does not care. This could negatively affect the way a salon is run. An unmotivated receptionist for example, may not take down an appointment correctly. This could potentially disrupt a stylists entire schedule for the day, upset the client, and make the entire salon look bad. Another key element to having a strong work ethic is having a positive attitude. Having a positive attitude makes a person enjoyable to be around. This allows for a pleasant work environment and creates a professional atmosphere for clients. It is also important to maintain a positive attitude when learning a new technique or skill. For instance, when learning a new updo, it is very difficult to make it look perfect on the first attempt. Someone with a negative attitude would get frustrated and give up. A progressive thinker would stay positive and try to reevaluate the situation and learn from their mistakes. Lastly, when first starting out in this industry it is important have the ability to self evaluate in order to grow. Self evaluation requires one to assess his or her own work to find strengths and weaknesses. This would help a new stylist learn which areas they need to improve in. For example, if one struggled with foils, they could ask a more experienced co-worker for constructive criticism to find out what they are doing wrong. This will allow the stylist to correct their mistakes and learn from them. Developing a code of work ethics does not happen over night. It takes years of hard work to build on these skills to become a true professional. However, with the right attitude, determination, and the eagerness to learn, one can become extremely successful in the cosmetology industry.

Literature Review of Strategic Management

This review provides an overview of a few of the key topics that have defined the strategic management field since the later twentieth century. Strategic planning, strategic planning frameworks and strategy implementation issues are discussed both from a historical and modern perspective. Michael Porter's frameworks and generic strategy provide an excellent backdrop for formulation of strategy but scholars argue that the current environment of business may require new or altered frameworks.A blended strategy of differentiation plus cost leadership may be possible within the new technology platforms afforded via e-commerce. Mega sized corporations nearing 500 billion in revenue are redefining the rules of strategy and using their massive scope and scale in new and unique ways. Regulation, diversity and shared value are important to consider in developing strategy and can contribute to differentiation if properly managed. Strategy implementation is an area where further research is nee ded and special attention needs to be focused on the internet and mega corporations as they seem to defy all historical strategy guidance.Keywords: Strategic management, strategy implementation, Michael Porter Introduction The single most important intellectual asset in any company outside of its employees is its strategy. Leaders are defined by the strategies they create and execute. Poorly designed strategy can be devastating to firms and many years of hard work can disintegrate when strategic plans are not properly implemented. Developing consistency in strategy is very important to proper implementation of the core elements. Ultimately the strategy must become centrally integrated and externally oriented in order to define how the business will achieve its objectives.One of the most common reasons for firm bankruptcy is improper implementation of strategy (Hosiery, Chambermaids, Onerous, & Saudi, 2013). Strategy is largely defined by adaptation to a constantly changing marketpla ce which seems to get more and more complex. True strategy is about making complex bets and following up with hard choices (Martin, 2014). Historically stable markets allowed managers to rely on complex strategies that were built on future predictions (Eisenhower & Sulk, 2001). But in the current fast moving marketplace and with the rise of the millennial billionaires, opportunity seizure may require a different approach.The review contained herein will take a shallow dive into a few of the endless strategic management models along with the challenges and typical faults with implementation. The e-commerce world and mega sized corporations will be explored as they present special challenges to strategy makers. The internet seems to defy many of the historical perspectives on business strategy. Diversity and regulation are highlighted as these issues stand out in the literature as being an ongoing consideration for strategy makers.A special focus is on the perspectives of Michael Port er both historically and in the present. Countless reviewers have dissected and applied Porter's academic work. Many arguments have been made both for and against Porter's frameworks held up against a modern business landscape. This paper will serve to challenge Porter's generic strategies and the applicability in today's business world. Managers can learn much from Porter, but to survive in the age of millennial billionaires, leaders may need to develop new frameworks.And those who do will have a good chance at building a firm foundation for responding to competition and reacting to market opportunities in a fast moving global economy. Strategic Management Overview The word strategy is often improperly used by managers as an industry buzzword in hopes of gaining credibility for their management priorities. This often results in confusion and can undermine the credibility of the leader. The word strategy is derived from the Greek strategist, which means the art of the general. The b usiness general must form a coherent strategy which is the sum of the parts of the organization.If this is not accomplished then mid level managers will focus time on their own priorities and the organization will risk fragmentation (Humpback & Frederickson, 2005). The origin of the subject of strategic management is heavily abated but H. Igor Anions is commonly noted as having significant influence in the field prior to Michael Porter whom took center stage in the asses (Martinet, 2010). Insofar bestselling book titled Corporate Strategy was published in 1965 and started to transition the mindset from strategic planning to strategic management.Much of the current understanding of strategic management can be traced back to Porter's (1985) low cost, differentiation, focus framework. His concepts marked a key transition point in the strategic management field by integrating organization specific factors into a model of firm performance (Apparel, 2006). According to Porter's generic st rategy, a firm can maximize performance by either being a low cost producer or differentiating its products or services from other businesses. Either of these strategies can be accomplished by focusing the organizations efforts on a segment of the market.Porter believes that businesses that attempt to employ both strategies simultaneously will end up â€Å"stuck in the middle† and will not be successful. This issue is hotly debated in the literature and especially as related to e-commerce. Internet firms seem to be employing strategies that exhibit one of more firms of differentiation in unison. Despite all the debate, Porter is widely cited in the literature and is highly respected by both supporters and critics alike whom all consider him to be a significant contributor to the field of strategic management.Nag, Humpback, and Chem. (2007) contended that the field of strategic management is lacking an identity. The researchers conducted an exhaustive large scale survey of aca demics in the field and came up with the following definition for strategic management. â€Å"The field of strategic management deals with the major intended and emergent initiatives taken by general managers on behalf of owners, involving utilization of resources, to enhance the performance of firms in their external environments. † (p. 944).The interface with the external environment, also known as the customer and the community, is a central dogma of the strategic planning process and we will see this theme emerge throughout the literature review. Strategic Planning Strategic planning is normally the first step in the strategic management process and is critical to the success of an organization. Strategic plans normally have three parts (Martin, 2014). The first is the mission or mission statement that sets the long term owls. The second is a listing of the initiatives that the organization will carry out as part of its fulfillment of the goal.And third is the financial i mpact of the initiatives. Martin (2014) recommends three rules for strategic planning to prevent from falling into the trap of focusing on internal metrics and not the external customer. Rule one is to keep the strategy simple by focusing on what will attract customers. Eisenhower and Sulk (2001) contend that to survive in a complicated high velocity market space, managers should choose simple rules over complicated plans. The simple rules will low the managers to move quickly in order to capture opportunities more quickly.Customers will spend their money with the company that has the superior value proposition. Martin (2014) rule two is strategies do not have to be perfect. There should be some risk in the strategy and boards should not prevent management from taking risks in setting strategy. This actually weakens the strategy. And the final rule is to test the logic of your thinking. Write down the desired outcome when setting strategy. The logic should be compared to real life e vents in order to identify areas of improvement along the way.Despite the criticality of strategic management to an organization's success, a McKinney survey found that most executives are not happy with their strategic planning process (Dye, 2006). And companies that have formal strategic planning processes have the highest level of satisfaction with corporate strategy development. Selene (2009) broke strategic management into four different schools including the classical school, the environmental school, the competitive school, and the contemporary school.The classical school is based on the research contributions of the mid twentieth century and is centered on the fit between internal and external actors. Classical management assumes that internal and external factors have an equal fit. The SOOT analysis is a common model used to assess the classical business environment. The environmental school contends that the external environment plays the most important role in strategy de velopment. And firms that do not respond well to the external environment will eventually die out. The competitive school of strategy is distinguished by competition being the driving force in differentiation.Porter (1980) noted that the firm must acknowledge and respond to the external opportunities and threats to survive. The contemporary school souses on understanding the internal firm. Collaboration and differentiation are important to winning with a contemporary strategy. Multicast (2009) provides an interesting perspective on strategic management and its relationship to time. Strategic planning is most often thought of in terms of planning for the long term future of the firm. The author encourages management to also consider history, the present, and the near future in making strategic planning decisions.When new management enters a firm, history is often seen as a negative since historical perspectives are sometimes viewed as a hindrance to instituting hanged. But in reality , history can be an asset to strategic planners. For example, if the company has a culture of continuous improvement, good employee loyalty and commitment, and good learning ability, then this is a sustainable competitive advantage that should be retained. If new management is not aware of the firm's culture then they may make decisions like terminating senior employees therefore damaging the firms culture and competitiveness.Passage of time can also be a weakness if management has become complacent and they are not questioning the way their firm operates or making suggestions for efficiency gains. Improving the learning capabilities of the firm can help prevent previous strengths from turning into weaknesses. Generic Strategies According to Porter (1980), differentiation, cost leadership, focus, or a combination of differentiation and cost leadership are the keys to maintaining a competitive advantage. These are known as Porter's generic strategies and are still relevant in busines s today.The below sections will explore some of the applications of Porter's generic strategies. This section also addresses a blended cost leadership/ differentiation strategy model which has emerged in the literature largely as a result f the success of companies that have seen success using the internet as the primary customer interface. Differentiation. Differentiation or value is defined by having a product or service that is differentiated from the competitor on some stand alone merit. Firms that employ differentiation typically can charge a premium for their product or service.The consumer typically sees a superior value in the product or service, whether perceived or real, and is willing to pay a premium. Akin, Allen, Helms, and Sprawls (2006) discovered three tactics that were most commonly employed in differentiation strategy. These included innovative marketing technology or tactics, a culture of creativity and innovation, and an emphasis on having a significant market sh are. Marketing research had found that it is eight to ten times more expensive to market to new customers than to existing customers (Akin et al. 006). Organizations must have insight into the future in order to manage and drive profitability and this should be a key component of the strategic planning process. This can only be accomplished by developing a culture of innovation. Unfortunately the tactics needed to create a culture of innovation are not ell understood and documented in the literature. Many firms seem to be out of touch with the external environment in which they operate. Kim, Name, and Stripers (2004) evaluated differentiation within the context of e-commerce.Due to the low costs on switching sources via the internet, it is more important that internet companies learn how to differentiate. Differentiation based on distribution is a key area of focus for internet firms. Speed of delivery, online interface, security, and order tracking are all ways that internet firms are differentiating themselves. There re numerous studies that show that internet shoppers are less sensitive to price when the product or service is coupled with information or services. Olio and Fay (2012) noted that innovation is only possible with a good strategy.Firms should avoid copying other company's ideas. And instead develop innovation that is relevant to the needs you are trying to serve. Jumping on trends is not always a bad idea as long as it is tailored to your strategy. The firm's core value proposition should have stability. Successful companies rarely have to go through major changes since they re constantly updating their processes, offerings, and methods. Industry structure is dynamic and structural change is very slow. Having a good understanding of industry stricture will help to identify new strategic opportunities.Multicast (2009) discussed differentiation as a crucial component of understanding competitiveness. Differential value is an important component of competitiveness and can be created in a number of ways including reliability, product features, quality attributes, and aesthetics. In addition to having differentiating factors, the product will also need to overcome the â€Å"hurdle factors. These are the characteristics that the customer expects the products to have and are a limiting factor in the initial product selection. Differentiating factors without â€Å"hurdle factors† will not position the product or service competitively.Perception is important since it is important to understanding the customer perspective since it may be different than the firms perspective. If the customer does not have a need for a differentiating characteristic of the products than those characteristics will potentially add manufacturing cost without adding value to the customer. Cost Leadership. Cost leadership requires a accompanied mindset to operate at the lowest cost possible. The company must be willing to walk away from opportuniti es where they cannot be a cost leader and must choose outsourcing partners whom will provide cost leadership.All company operations and marketing must be centered on cost leadership. Tactics employed include mass production and distribution, vertical integration, lower input cost from raw materials, and technology. The tactic that has proven to be most beneficial to cost reduction strategy is to lower distribution costs (Akin, Allen, Helms, & Sprawls, 2006). One way hat retailers have accomplished this is through cross docking or shipping direct from manufacturer to retailer without storing in warehouses. Wall-Mart is largely credited with developing cross-docking strategy and this has been widely adopted and refined by retailers since the asses.The internet has been a hotbed for companies trying to implement cost leadership strategy. Kim et al. (2004) studied this issue and reported that most online shoppers are using price as their most important buying criteria. The internet prov ides a format for retailers to quickly access a large volume of customers through a price leadership strategy. Porter (2001) argued that the internet is a very difficult environment in which to differentiate one's firm since they lack many of the physical attributes of brick and mortar firms like sales people.In general, most online only brands have not been very successful at brand building and have developed only modest customer loyalty(Papua & Upon, 2000). Kim et al. (2004) recommend that companies avoid cost leadership for internet firms. And instead they recommend using a blended strategy that includes elements of cost leadership as well as differentiation. Porter's cost leadership framework is often misinterpreted by managers. Competitive advantage for example has come to mean anything that the organization deems as noteworthy. Porter was very specific in defining competitive advantage as price advantage versus rivals.The price may be low or high depending on the choices made in the value chain. These choices shift relative cost or relative price to the advantage. This ultimately leads to sustainable performance (Olio & Fay, 2012). Price competition is more about developing a value chain than it is about low prices. This value chain should be differentiated and not easily reproduced by competition. When companies imitate each other's reduces and value chain then price becomes the only dimension that customers utilize. This results in a very destructive environment.Competition should be thought of more in terms of profits rather than competing to win. Competitors are competing to capture the value an industry creates. The value is being captured by customers, suppliers, rivals, potential new rivals, and producers of replacements. Creating economic value results in sustained profitability by using resources effectively to meet customer needs. Focus Strategy. Focus strategy is when firms decide to focus on a specific segment of the market. The company may f ocus on specific customer demographic, product range, or service line.Often the focus strategy is used to grab market share that may have been overlooked or is not large enough for larger competitors. The segment must have good growth potential but be small enough to not be of great importance to competitors. Firms may utilize focus strategy as a standalone or they may bundle low cost with focus strategy. Common tactics that are employed in low cost/focus strategy include providing outstanding customer service, improving operational efficiency, quality control of products, and extensive training of front line sales and technical personnel(Akin, Allen, Helms, & Sprawls, 2006).The key to success with low cost/focus strategy is to reduce cost by creating a happy customer. Customer complaints and a failure to meet customer expectations result in higher costs through corrective actions. Low cost/focus firms must be masters of preventative action and create quality procedures that drive c ustomer satisfaction through consistently meeting customer expectations. Customer service is typically the first point of a customer engagement and can be an important component in standardizing procedures and preventing problems.If services are done right the first time the firm will save a significant amount of costly managerial time in solving problems in the future. Men's Warehouse is an example of where price and focus strategy and successfully employed. The store offers a lower priced high quality suit when compared to larger retailers, and they couple this with a high level of customer service and on site services such as tailoring. Kim et al. (2004) note that focus strategy can be very effective with online commerce. The internet allows companies to customize their products and offerings to meet the pacific wants and needs of a select group of customers.Customers see value in being directed to the specialty retailer on the internet and will pay a premium for the products or services. The internet has the ability to service both broad markets and very niche markets. Consumers have instant access to price information and product information. Internet retailers would be wise to consider focus or focus/ differentiation strategy as their primary strategic development platform. Focus/ Differentiation Strategy. Firms may also employ a focus/differentiation strategy when he firm has a unique quality focused product aimed toward a specific market segment.Common tactics employed by these firms include the production of specialty products and producing products for higher priced market segments (Akin, Allen, Helms, & Sprawls, 2006). Specialty retailers like Pier 1 accomplished the first tactic by focusing on unique high quality specialty products. These are often times imported goods that have a unique differentiator. The second tactic is employed by luxury car companies like Cadillac that can only afforded by the highest income segment of the population. Blended Strategy.An integrated strategy of price leadership and differentiation was strongly opposed by Porter (1980). He argued that these two generic strategies are fundamentally contradictory and that any firm attempting to fluctuate between the two would fail to realize the full potential of their performance. On one extreme, cost leadership requires standardization and building low cost in the value chain. One the other extreme is differentiation which almost always drives up marketing and production costs. But there is a large proportion of the literature which challenges Porter on this issue (Kim et al. 004). Most scholars agree that Porter's incompatibility argument will hold up in a stable business environment, but in the rapidly changing competitive environment that reflects the modern business world, a flexible combination of multiple strategies may be required. The internet is especially challenging in that it can disassemble traditional value chains. For example, several onlin e companies are successfully employing a diversified business strategy such as Amazon and Backbone. This issue will be discussed in more detail later in this literature review. Strategic Management FrameworksThe multitude and complexity of issues facing organizations has resulted in a wide variety of strategic management frameworks that are referenced in the literature. Each model attempts to organize issues in a way that makes management decision making more comprehensible. With each framework comes a myriad of academic scholars that have created, critiqued, or built the frameworks in positive ways. This literature review will cover two well known strategic management frameworks, SOOT and Porter's five forces. In SOOT analysis, internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats are considered.Some of the most widely referenced frameworks in the literature are credited to Michael Porter. The framework that will be reviewed in this section is Porter's fiv e forces. SOOT The originator of SOOT is somewhat unclear from the literature but it was first described by Learned, Christiansen, Andrews, and Gust (1969). SOOT is often the first tool of choice for decision makers assessing alternatives and complex decisions. The use of SOOT to group external and internal business issues is a logical starting point for most management decisions.Helms and Nixon (2010) provide a more cent analysis of SOOT as a strategic planning tool and some of the limitations. SOOT is commonly used in academia and business largely due the simplicity of SOOT as well as its catchy well known name. The literature reveals that SOOT is most commonly used for business strategic planning both for individual organizations as well as for comparing two or more companies. SOOT analysis consists of examination of internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats.The analysis can be quickly constructed and multiple viewpoints can be combined to pe rform a brainstorming exercise Helms et al, 2010). Internal strengths and weaknesses may include branding, organization structure, access to raw materials or natural resources, production capacity, or capital for investment. External opportunities and threats could include customers, rivals, market trends, contractors, vendors, or technology. Various environmental, political, and regulatory issues are often examined as well. The literature revealed that SOOT was the most commonly utilized strategic management tool well into the late nineties.After the year 2000, the literature is conflicted as to he value of SOOT although there are multiple researchers both for and against (Evans and Wright, 2000). Sherman, Rowley, and Armband' (2007) added steps to SOOT and came up with a seven step strategic management process to assist firms in the pre planning stages. Many researchers have coupled SOOT with various mathematical models to give it a quantitative basis versus qualitative. Most supp orters of SOOT admit that it should be combined with other strategic management tools like Porter's five forces and not used in isolation.But as with any strategic management tool, SOOT is only as good as the experts whom use it. Its greatest weakness is probably that it is a snapshot of time. The business environment is constantly changing and firms will need to constantly scan the environment and update their SOOT analysis (Helms et al. , 2010). In the next section we will explore another widely used strategic management model developed by Michael Porter. Porter's Five Forces Porter is most well known for the association of competition with the firm and its external environment.Porter felt that corporate strategy should meet the threats and opportunities in the external environment Ellen, 2009). Porter identified five nominative forces that he claims are the key to shaping every industry and every market (Porter, 1980). By studying and understanding these forces, a firm should be able to determine the level of competition and therefore the attractiveness and potential profitability of a market. Porter's five forces analysis framework is primarily used for industry level analysis Ellen, 2009). Five forces were first discussed by Porter in his publication titled Competitive Strategy (Porter, 1980).The five forces are threats from competitors, buyer power, supplier power, threat of new entrants, and alternative products. The strength of these collective forces decides the amount of profit potential available to rivals in an industry. Unfortunately the literature reveals that the application of the five forces may not be straight forward and even Porter (2008) has been disappointed with its misapplication. Five forces analysis should not only be used to determine if an industry is attractive or not, but it should be a primary tool to unravel the complexity of competition and improve performance (Olio & Fay, 2012).Dobbs (2014) discusses some of the challenges tha t are faced by managers when they attempt to apply the five forces. These include a lack of depth, lack of structured analysis, lack of strategic insight, and millennial generation preferences. Many people use the five forces analysis in a superficial way and this leads to inaccurate and incomplete analysis. This may largely be due the lack of in depth study given to MBA students. The lack of quantitative measures in the five forces framework may be a limiting factor in many cases. Most applications of five forces consist of lists which make poor substitutes for in depth analysis.Olio and Fay noted that five forces analysis should not only be used to determine if an industry is attractive or not, but it should be a primary tool to unravel the complexity of competition and improve performance. With the rise of the millennial generation in 2010, Dobbs (2014) noted that the five forces framework must be modified in order to accommodate the technology vigor and analysis preferred by thi s generation. Akin, Allen, Helms, and Sprawls (2006) contend that the literature is missing information on the tactics that are needed in order to implement Porter's strategies.Several researchers have proposed models to be used to better apply the five forces. In Akin et al. s (2006) study, the authors researched over 200 companies to develop a set of key tactics that could be used to implement Porter's generic strategies and drive organization performance. Dobbs (2014) provides a practical template that provides good comprehension and ease of use. The models have proved very beneficial in the classroom setting in terms of driving higher levels of strategic insight and industry analysis.Diversity and Shared Value Building market share can also be influenced by diversification in the workforce and acknowledgement of a preference for products that are made and sold by companies with similar cultural heritage. This is largely due to the diversification of the customer base which cross es many borders, cultures, and ethnic groups. Hiring a diverse workforce and drawing in a culturally diverse customer base is critical to success. This group of consumers is growing at a much faster rate than the rest of the US population.The US welcomes nearly one million new immigrants into the country every year. These people come from different backgrounds, nationalities and ethnicities and they are learning how to work in an unfamiliar culture. Ramifies (2010) reported that the challenges are immense for immigrants as they try and maintain a nation connection to their home country as well as try and adapt to their host country. The pressure that results drives individuals to be more inventive and productive. The force is very powerful and one of the reasons why immigrants do so well in start up businesses in the US.They develop a comfort level with uncertainty and risk that allows them to drive performance. Despite the advantages of diversity most companies fall short on divers ity thought and leadership. In fact, half of companies operating in 25 countries or more, reported only having one or two foreign nationals on their boards. Yet they cited global experience as one of the most important factors in terms of selecting board members. Managers that understand and take advantage of diversity into their strategy will have a distinct competitive advantage.Developing a global company that appeals to a global customer is extremely important in developing strategy. In work done by Watson and Wright (2000), the authors looked into the country of origin effect. This â€Å"made in† concept has to do with the attitudes and buying behaviors of consumers for foreign made goods. This is also known as ethnocentrism. Research has proved that the â€Å"made in† concept has as a very strong influence on buying behaviors. These behaviors can override other more practical factors such as brand name, quality, or price.A tactic that is commonly employed is to m arket the country of origin information with the product. For example, a Chinese American may have a preference for Chinese manufactured products over US manufacturing products. Shared Value Porter and Kramer (2011) discuss the concept of the shared value which focuses on improving the connections between society, the economy as well as corporate growth and profitability. The economic collapse of the last decade contributed to frustration with corporations as companies in the banking sector were largely blamed for causing the failed economy though risky lending practices.Firms have begun to realize that social harms and weaknesses frequently create internal costs for the firm in wasted energy costs and costly accidents. As a result many large firms have begun to embrace the concept of shared value and have started to see some rewards in terms of public opinion and profitability. Companies and their communities are intertwined since companies need the consumers and the raw trials fro m their communities, while the people in the communities need the wages and opportunity offered by the firm.This interdependence or shared value has the potential to unlock the next wave of growth and innovation for companies if incorporated into their strategic plans. Regulation and the Porter Hypothesis No review of strategic management would be complete without a discussion on the impact of regulation on business. Regulation has become an increasing concern for business leaders as they develop strategy and decide on how best to allocate resources. There are also political implications since government regulators have the power to influence market dynamics between rivals as well as between countries.Generally economists, politicians, and business leaders see increasing regulation as an economic challenge which erodes global competitiveness. But Porter (1991) argued that well designed regulation could be a competitive advantage if properly managed. This concept is frequently refere nced in the literature as the Porter Hypothesis. Researchers frequently use the Porter Hypothesis to help understand the links between regulation, competitiveness, and innovation. Porter (1991) andClass van deer Lined (Porter & van deer Lined,AAA) argued that pollution was an example of wasted resources and that by reducing pollution, productivity could be improved. They felt that properly designed environmental regulation would help drive innovation and would more than offset the additional cost of implementing regulation. Porter brought these concepts to mainstream businesses and policy and has revolutionized how strategic management deals with the impact of environmental or other regulation. Porter et al (AAA) explained five reasons why they thought innovation offsets any negatives created by regulation.