Ford Paradigm Shift Essay Example

Ford Paradigm Shift Essay Example Ford Paradigm Shift Essay Ford Paradigm Shift Essay This report alms at critically reviewing, analyzing and evaluating fords present strategy. We will be Identifying the external factors that are impacting on the organization and evaluate why they have led to a paradigm shift. This report will also include our recommendations on how to improve the organizations competitiveness and efficiency. Brief History Ford is a motor company based in Dearborn, Michigan. It is one of the largest industrial corporations in the world with revenues exceeding IEEE billion and over 370,000 employees. They operated In over 200 countries. Although Ford obtained significant revenues and profits from Its financial services subsidiaries, Fords companys basic business still remains the design and manufacture of automobiles and founded by Henry ford. In addition to the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Gaston Martin in the UK. Ford Introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars and large-scale management of an Industrial workforce using elaborately engineered manufacturing sequences typified by moving assembly lines hence I-J subsidiaries which was were sold off to India Data in March 2008. Over the last two decades the competition in the auto industry has grown increasingly and since sass the biggest automakers have seen their home markets encroached upon the expansion of foreign-based auto manufacturers, such as Toyota and Honda. The automobile industry also faced over capacity as developing and industrialized nations began to recognize the wealth and lob-producing effects of automobile manufacturing, encouraged development and expansion of their own export-oriented auto Industries. : Although manufacturers varied in their degree of market presence in different geographical regions, the battle or advantage in the industry was fast becoming global. Ford, faced with the challenges of gaining global presence had to look for a way of improving the quality, and reducing cycle while dramatically lowering the cost of developing and bulling cars. In other to achieve this, Ford acquired Swedes Volvo in 1999 this was a movement towards industry consolidation. In 1995 Ford embarked on another strategic plan of restructuring is management and operations called Ford 2000. The plan saw Fords North American, European and International automotive operations Into a single global organization. The restructure plan called for a massive cost cut through reengineering and globalization of corporate organizations and processes. 1 OF 7 Fords new global approach called for technology to be employed in other to overcome the difficulties brought about by geographical information flow. Teams on different continents needed to be able to work together as if they were in the same building. These in turn have brought about a revolution in Fords information technology; in Ford 2000 restructuring information technology was placed within the process reengineering organization. External Factors Affecting Ford The Ford Motor Company has been facing a steady decline in market share for approximately the past twelve years. This decline is largely attributable to certain factor like consumers Behavior, Economic Factors (Rising Gas and Fuel Prices) and Government Policies / Economic Situation and Environment Need. Consumer Behavior: Ford Motor Company Consumers behavior affects ford production and revenue, this could be seen from the Ford decline of market share where consumers where demanding for more cheap quality cars with less fuel consumption or fuel efficient. This gave their Japanese Toyota who is a competitor an edge because there auto products were known to be fuel efficient than fuel. Ford had suffered serious decline in revenue for the past decades and still effect Ford Production and Management Strategic policies. Economic Factors and Government Policy The Economy is another factor that affects Ford Just like it affects other Automobile Industries. These could also be seen through the unstable price of Gas and Fuel which affects the choice of the Consumers. The Recession, Tax and also have much contribution to the growth, management and operation or production of Ford. Environmental Need: This is another factor that has cost Ford Motor Company some huge amount of assets and money. Ford being known to be environmental friendly does what ever it takes to respond to the need of environment or protect it. They have invested heavily to reduce gas or CO emission hence their solar power plane and the hybrid cars Soot Analysis of Form Motor Company Strength I Diversity:Jaguar, Volvo, Mercury, Lincoln, Mazda, Land Rover Second Largest Auto Maker in the world, Ford Motor Credit I Supportive:Gives generously after Seep 11 attacks,Give generously to fight Breast Cancer, Support racing teams MASCARA, Formula 1 etc). 4th on the global 500 list. I Quality:Strong and Quality Productions of the worlds best known brands. Modern Technology e. G. Hybrid Cars. Web strategy has cut car build costs as much as IEEE per car I Weakness I Firestone tire recall which caused stock price to suffer ,3. 5 billion to cover tire recalls. I Disharmony in Management leading to Bill Ford taking over as CEO. I High fuel consumption cars. Shortage of Cash reserve. I Opportunity I More environmentally friendlessness Power, clean the environment and cleaner engine emissions. I Generosity:Given more to charities I Investment in Solar Power very throng chance to become a market leader. They can use their web strategy to cut cost further. I Threat I Competition in Automobile industry is very high I Recession is great Low to For a The paradigm shift. I stoutest products Like natural gas, electricity, water etc. Ford like most other high profile automotive industry has witness paradigm shift in their various stages of their existence and production which we consider to have been as a result of changes in technology, market competition, consumer behavior and regulation from Government. These in turn has been responded by Ford Motor which obviously affected it positively or negatively there by leading to either a new era of technology or product or management changes. Technology Technology has the potentials of changing in lesser time than many other things. In Ford, the development of feature for comfort like Air condition, Heater, etc shifted Ford Automobile technology from the simple vintage cars to more luxury with currently unlimited features www. Overlord. Com/PDF/Deathwatches_BP_report. PDF Consumers Behavior The choices of Consumers have also lead to certain level of shift in Ford Production. These could be seen from general demand for Fuel Economy Care. The demand for fuel economy cars has affected Ford that it has to respond by cutting down the rate of their fuel consumption Just like the need for more Automatic gearing system vehicles has lead Ford to shifting from Manual handling to Automatic. Environmental Need Environmental need has lead Ford to complying with Cafe © and CO Emission Regulation which obvious is leading to a new shift of Technology and production hence the new Ford Fusion and Hybrid cars Economic Position and Government Policy The need also to reduce the Gas (CO) Emission has lead to certain Regulation by Government which is leading to a shift in technology like the environmental need. Ford has adopted a strategy that focus on CO Emission reduction and regulation which ultimately has lead to the production of Ford Fusion 2010 (Hybrid Cars). Market (Demand and Supply) Ford like other automotive industry remains concern over the unstable prices of oil and fuel which has influenced the choice for cars with fuel economy or efficient. These gave Japanese Auto Industries like Toyota an edge over Ford that Ford has lost some its market share to its competitor whose production technology and high fuel efficient cars products has been in high demand. The lost of market shares has lead to lost of revenue and in effect has created or added more problem to Ford. In an effort to address this, new strategic policies has been strategists by the new CEO Alan Manually that focused on cost cutting and consumers / market demand responsive approach. This has seen a new shift in Ford where for example new Hybrid Car Technology is available which still keeps the competitive edge of Ford and increases its market share product. For Hybrid Fusion Ford Monde Fuel Car Forays Present strategy an a ten Review Ford being a multinational company has been faced with challenges and factors ranging from internal and external, environment, technology advancement, competition, government policies etc and these entire factors has not been without either negative or positive effect. These factors have lead to either improvement or change of plans or strategy to achieve its vision. This plans or strategy is very vital to the well being of organization. No organization has existed without making the management of these policies or plan know as Strategic Management. Many authors have written on strategic management. Alfred D. Chandler (1962) defined it as the determination of the basic long time goals and the objectives of an enterprise, and the adoption of courses of action and the relocation of resources necessary for carrying out these goals. According to G. A Cole (2004, IPPP) Chandler sees strategy as combined goal setting and the planning / action elements required to achieve goals. Kenneth Andrews in his work combined goal- setting with the policies and plans needed to achieve the goal. G. A Cole (2004, IPPP). He distinguished between corporate strategies which defined the businesses the organization is to compete tit. H. L Anions point of view separated goal or what he called objectives from strategy however, he envisaged a relationship between the two in which an objectives (end) is followed by strategy (means) which is evaluated and may lead to a revision of the original objective (ibid). He argued that here typed of decision need to be made and they are, Strategic, Administrative and operating decision. Andrews view that literature of organization theory is by itself of very little use in managing a live organization according to J. Moor (1992 up). And that case studies resent, not illustrations of principle, but data from which generalization may to a limited degree be derived and to which the idea of strategy may be applied is very paramount when considering Ford strategic Management policies and Plane. Ford Motors considered Strategic Management policies / plane as the life wire to existence hence its clear Vision, Mission and Value definition which they called: Our Vision, Our Mission, and Our Value. This serves as a standard by which they could judge or be Judged Our vision: to become the worlds leading company for automotive products and services. Our mission: we are a globally diverse family, with a proud heritage, thats passionately committed to providing outstanding products and services. Our values: we do the right thing for our people, our environment and our society, but above all for our customers or personal mobility for everyone around the globe. Www. Ford. Co. UK/Abductors/Confrontational The (above) has been a frame work by which Ford had recorded its long time success history. They anticipate consumer needs and deliver high quality products and services that will help improve the lives of the people around them (Ford Motor Co. , 2005, April 27). The current President and the CEO Mr.. Manually have made a new innovative and result achieving oriented move in strategist the strategic policies aimed at repositioning, turning Ford around and creating a global multi-national corporation that is self-sustaining and viable according to Ford official online report following the negative effect of the recession on Ford Motor Company. To accomplish these, significant changes were made as and in the strategic Management Polices wanly was Disloyally on Ana Includes developing Ana sustaining a competitive advantage for the goods and services that are produced. At the equines level, Fords strategy formulation phase should deal with positioning the company against rivals, anticipating changes in demand and technologies and then adjusting the strategy to accommodate them, and influencing the nature of competition by strategic actions such as vertical integration and through political actions such as lobbying. Ford developed strategies for cost leadership, differentiation, and focus to create a competitive advantage. Ford recommitted itself to sustainable and profitable growth, to a renewed focus on customers, and to boundless innovation in everything they do: from design, to safety, to fuel-efficiency, o efficiency on the factory floors. They are using their size to accelerate change, and build a culture that encourages fresh new thinking and breakthrough ideas. They concentrated on improving their core automotive business and divested several non- core companies, lowered costs, refocused financial operations on supporting the automotive business and launched the biggest wave of new products in history. To strengthen the balance sheet and cut costs, Ford sold The Hertz Corporation and restructured its agreement with Visited, their parts supplier spin-off. Http:// www. Papers. Mom/sub]sects/strategic-management-and-business-policy-ford-motor- company-page. HTML. However, the strategy has found no whole or basic place with the previous Six Sigma Management Rule based Strategy . The Six Sigma Management Rule seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects and minimizing variability in manufacturing and business processes. Ford and Alan Manually have done an outstanding Job however, the biggest challenge lies ahead in continuing to keep his management team and employees focused, whilst managing others expectations at the same time. Part of the strategy is a policy on Environment which contributed to stabilizing the climate by considering reducing long-term emission. Ford reported that they will achieve this goal by continuously reducing the GOGH emissions and energy usage of their operations, developing more products that lower GOGH-emissions, and establishing an effective and predictable market policy and technological framework for reducing road transport GOGH emissions. Another one of their goals is to promote the development of an infrastructure that will expand the use of bio-fuels and help reduce our dependence on oil. One more goal of theirs is to cut the usage of global energy by 27% and the usage of water by 25% which they have been working on since 2000. Some of their major timeshare targets they are currently working on to contribute to the climate are to reduce North American facility emissions by 6% by 2010, voluntarily offset 2007 and 2008 CO emissions from manufacturing facilities, and reduce U. S. Facility emissions by 10% per vehicle produced by 2012. Http:// company-page. HTML The new strategy has no doubt paid off going by the Ford 2009 financial report that Ford Motor Corporation made $2. Billion, the first after about four years and without taken any federal loan. Www. Unpredictabilitys. Mom/ industry-focus/world-class-operations/ford-CEO-Alan-manually-turnaround-specialist Recommendation After reviewing the current strategic policies Ford adopted, it is easy to see that they are Touching on tenet products, as tenet Dragon name Is tenet Deluges strength a very strong brand name as well. But their policy might not go far enough in preparing for the future in terms of alternate, greener fuels. The importance of this sector w ill become paramount in the near future especially with more competition ND as well as the situation in the Middle East if this deteriorates and oil crisis develops then Ford will lose out. In other to achieve the above mentioned objectives, it is pretty obvious that Ford cannot only rely on their strength they have to think about the future which is more and more technological evolutions taking place hereby increasing the competitors in the automobile industries. Japanese competitors such as Honda are well advanced in developing hybrid engines and new fuel sources and in retrenching to cut costs and focusing inwards, Ford are in danger of missing out on the bigger world market picture. So we would recommend a strategic thinking with more emphasis being put on emerging technologies. With campaigns and slogans that stresses Fords position as a leading world company and at the fore front of development of a greener, cleaner future. This would also help to negate a little bit of the boring image people have of the company. Another strategic thinking I would recommend is the Total Quality Management (TXT) based on Redefined Six Sigma Rule. It was developed in the sass and has been employed by companies to help manage qualities through various processes. TXT is another approach to improving effectiveness, competitiveness, efficiency and flexibility in order to best suit customer needs. Globalization in the world right now means consumers are first in every aspect. There is so much competition at the moment which can only mean one thing consumers have more options and so without smart thinking and planning Ford could easily lose out on the bigger world market picture. Total quality Management is broken down like this: T: quality involves everyone and every activities taking place in the organization Q: Conformance to Requirements (Meeting Customer Requirements). M: Quality can and must be managed. The process of TXT involves various responsibilities such as; meeting customer satisfaction and requirements, reducing time, demand flow manufacturing, improvement teams, reducing costs of service and cost, and improving training. TXT has been successful at reducing costs and improving quality at several companies. Ford Motor Company, Toyota Motor Company and Motorola are Just a few of the major companies who have used the TXT process. By using TXT it will also help Ford to divert attention from the recent history of in-fighting within the organization cause TXT involves that everyone is in the same boat heading in the same direction. Conclusion Ford Like we pointed at above is one of the largest Automobile Industry who has made name and based globally, It has had a decline in revenue and Market share for some years now, these are attributable to certain factor ranging from Consumers behavior, Technology Environmental need, Economic situation etc. These factors that have affected Ford have in some extent lead to another era of management or Production (Paradigm Shift). Ford management has called for a drastic measure that saw ten emergence AT ten new CEO Mr..

The Life Given Through Adoption Professor Ramos Blog

The Life Given Through Adoption Adoption is something that helps the children and the people who want a child to warm their heart. There aren’t a lot of people who really know and understand the meaning of adoption. Usually everyone knows the basics like, people adopt, because they want to help a child, can’t have a child, or just want government money which is really sad. These things are what I and everyone else think of what adoption is, but there is so many other important facts about adoption that I never knew before. After researching about adoption I found out good and bad things about it. As a person that doesn’t know a whole lot, reading articles based on adoption has blown my mind. In an article named â€Å" The Waiting Game† written by: Prue Leith, she tells her story on how her husband was adopted as a little boy, Then her and her husband adopted their child and now their child is adopting their grandchild. She also states how different it has changed since she had adopted he r daughter. Prue states, â€Å"There are now nearly 73,000 looked after children in the UK, rising every year, and it gets increasingly difficult to place them as they get older† in which is very true and heartbreaking, because it is harder for the older children to get adopted. It is so hard, because nowadays a lot of people want babies or little kids so they could be able to raise them. I think that everyone should know the real facts about adoption, because it’s something very important. I believe that people who care and help out are the people who deserve an award, because adoption brings out happiness and sadness at the sametime. As I was doing my research I never knew that adopting a child came with having to do so much work, while trying to adopt and when you’ve have already adopted your child. In this article that I read written by, Asher Folg she stated a lot of interesting facts about the children who are waiting for families to bring them to a new home. She said â€Å" One out of every 25 U.S. families with children have an adopted child† which is new to me, because I never knew about this fact. Another think that she said that really blew my mind was ,† There are 107,918 foster children waiting to be adopted† while reading this my heart dropped didn’t know that there were so many kids in the fostering system just waiting in group homes having hope for a family to come along. Thinking of how these children feel make me sad, because I know most of the kids aren’t in great homes while in the system and I just don’t understand how the government could get put kids in homes when the environment is bad for them. There needs to be a change and a lot more effort on the government side. Did you know that there are three types of adoption? Well they have types of adoption while your in the process so as the singles or couples are looking and trying to find out how to adopt a child. They are given a choice on which type of adoption they going to go through to get there new loving baby or child. While I was reading the article, â€Å"Adoption† by: Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law, she mentioned â€Å" When individuals or couples choose to adopt, the have options.† Reading the different types were very interesting, because I never knew that there was a choice given or that the individuals and couples had a say on the looks of the child they were going to adopt. I would think that people wouldn’t care about what there child looked like. Right? But no people really care and expect to find a certain child to look like the way the parents whom are adopting describe what they want. Which is very sad. I guess it’s okay in a way to a lot of other people because of the money they pay to adopt a child that isn’t in the foster care. Types Of Adoption Domestic Adoption This type of adoption is when the singles or couples want to adopt a child who has the same culture as they do. Also to look physically like the parents who are adopting like the race in particular. Multiethnic Adoptions This type  of adoption are when the parent or parents don’t particularly mind what  culture or ethnicity the child is. In other words they don’t care what kind of child they are going to adopt, because they are going to love the child anyways.   International Adoptions The last type of adoption are adopting children who live overseas. In which adopting  from different countries which a little bit easier than the other types. Even though it’s easier it comes along with adding more steps to the whole process. Also adds having to understand our government rules and their child whom is getting adopted country as well. After all these facts that I have found with the research of articles. I could say that there is a lot of important factors that come with adopting children. I hope after reading this research paper it has helped you as much as it helped me understand more about how complicated adopting could be. Work Cited Leith, Prue. The Adoption Waiting Game. The Spectator (London), May, 2018. SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com. This article talks about a married couple who the husband was adopted as a child, also how they both adopted a Cambodian girl named li-da which she is going to adopt a child. The main things that I read was about the whole process of adopting a child and the visitations that happen throughout the whole process. The writer of this article Prue Leith is a cookery writer, novelist, businesswoman, and a journalist.   I am using this source into my report by showing how adoption isn’t easy at all. On how there are many things that needs to be done while in the process and having people show up surprise at your home. The article is teaching me things I never knew and thats how I am putting it in the report as a learning process. Adoption. Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law, edited by Gale, 3rd edition, 2013. Credo Reference, https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/galegel/adoption/0?institutionId=5312 . Accessed 26 July. 2018 This article talks about the different types of adoption. The types are of what the type of kids the people who want to adopt end up choosing. Also it’s about all the hard obstacles that the people who want to adopt a child have to face. I am using this source in my report by showing my peers that there are different types of being able to adopt a child. Another reason is how hard it is to help a child have a better life than what they have. This source is reliable because   I found it on the library database under the resources. Edelstein, Susan B., et al. Preparing and Partnering with Families to Support the Adoption of Children from Foster Care. Adoption Quarterly, vol. 20, no. 1, Jan-Mar 2017, pp. 119-133. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/10926755.2016.1170087. This article is about how the whole process people end up going through to adopt a child. Also the steps and order of on how the processing goes about. I am using this source in the report on showing that there are many steps and how it pretty much goes about. This source is reliable because I found it on the library database under the resources.    Provencher, Ashley J., et al. Adoption Policy and the Well-Being of Adopted Children in the United States. Child Welfare, vol. 95, no. 1, Jan. 2016, pp. 27-55. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=ehhAN=124228780site=ehost-live. This article is about stating the policies and rules of adopting children in the United States. Also it talks about how the percentage of children that need a little more attention behave without being in ASFA or APA. I am using this source because it’s helping me understand that there are rules to benefit the children. Also how there are people helping the special need kids or older kids get adopted by getting into a program. This source is reliable because this article is written by 3 professors. Fogle, Asher. â€Å"Surprising Facts You May Not Know About Adoption.† Good Housekeeping, Good Housekeeping, 21 Mar. 2018, www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/a35860/adoption-statistics/ .This article is about how many children that are adopted, in foster care, and how many US citizens consider adopting. Also it’s just about the important facts about adoption itself. This source is going to be used into my report by helping me tie in facts into the paragraphs. This writer of this article, Asher Fogle is reliable because she is a writer and is married to a composer.

Soviet response to the Hungarian revolution of 1956 Essay

Soviet response to the Hungarian revolution of 1956 - Essay Example Only a major and relentless Soviet military incursion quickly put an end to the profound political transformations happening in Hungary, the setting up of the Soviet-ruled administration led by Janos Kadar, and launched the ruthless rebuilding of Soviet rule in the country. This paper discusses the Warsaw Pact and the roots and effects of Hungary’s withdrawal from the pact on Soviet power and alliances. Introduction The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 characterized the unparalleled confrontation to communism in East Central Europe’s postwar history and regarded as one of the most disastrous episode in the series of political reforms after the demise of Stalin and loosening Stalinist rules in the province. The revolution had three separate stages characterized by transition in leadership. Stalinists were deposed on the 28th of October and the administration of Imre Nagy proclaimed its approval of the revolution, a negotiating period was affirmed, and the Soviet army pulled out from Budapest.2 Janos Kadar declared the establishment of the Hungarian Socialist Worker’s Party, and the formation of revolutionary organizations began. On the 1st of November the Soviet heads declared the initiation of the second military intervention.3 The Warsaw Pact and Hungary’s Withdrawal The Warsaw Pact is an agreement between the Soviet Union, Romania, Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Albania, which was ratified in 1955 and was formally named ‘The Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance’.4 Supposedly the Warsaw Pact was a reaction to an analogous agreement formed in 1949 by Western Allies, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the 1955 West Germany’s re-militarization, which raised impending risks to the Eastern nations.5 Even though it was emphasized by everybody that the Warsaw Pact was founded on absolute global equality and joint intervention in one another’s domestic issues, the agreement rapidly became a potent political instrument for the Soviet Union to control its allies and exploit their military might and influence. When Hungary attempted to pull out from the 1956 treaty, Soviet military responded to defeat the rebellion.6 There are several causes and effect of the withdrawal of Hungary from the Warsaw Pact. Hungary was the first among ex-Soviet protectorates to raise the possibility of unilaterally retreating from the Warsaw Pact. Rezso Nyers, the Hungarian Socialist Party Chairman, declared in January 1990 that the country withdrew its membership from the Eastern Bloc and that it planned to encourage better alliances with Central European countries, such as Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and West Germany.7 Nyers further appealed to the Soviet military to exit Hungary immediately. Afterwards, Budapest made a settlement for the total extraction of Soviet troops by the 30th of June 1991, which was ratified on the 10th of March 1 990, by the foreign representatives of Hungary and Soviet Union.8 Budapest, in 1990 and 1991, was determined in its resistance to the prolongation of the Warsaw Pact. Prime Minister Jozsef Antall proposed in June 1990 that the

Retrofitting of Existing Reinforced Concrete Members with Carbon Fibre Essay

Retrofitting of Existing Reinforced Concrete Members with Carbon Fibre - Essay Example The results from the experiment generally indicated that when beams are retrofitted in shear as well as flexure by the use of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates, they become structurally efficient. In addition, they are also restored to stiffness as well as strength values which are almost equal to or in some cases greater than those of the control beam. It was evident from the results that the efficiency of the strengthening technique by the carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) in flexure was varying with respect to the length of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) plate. Of the three failure modes identified in this experimental work, the main failure was plate debonding in the retrofitted beams. There exist many structures which, for some reasons, fall short of fulfilling the specified requirements. These reasons may include accidents (such as earthquakes), increased loading, upgrade of the design standards, lack of maintenance, construction errors as well as corrosion of the reinforcement bars. The possible remedies for such insufficiency of the structures may include either replacement or retrofitting. Either fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) or steel plates laminates can generally be used in retrofitting of bonded reinforcement to concrete structures. However, fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) is the most convenient for a number of reasons when compared to steel plates: In recent years, carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) has been widely used as an external reinforcement because it has been found to be important for the improvement of the structural performance of the reinforced concrete structures. Many research work conducted in the past on the strengthening of existing reinforced concrete (RC) beams has been mostly focused on the flexural strengthening (Obaidat et al. 2009), (Ashour et al. 2004), (Wang & Zhang 2008), (Esfahani et al. 2007) and (Wenwei & Guo 2006). On the other hand, the topic

Army Profession of Arms Essay Example for Free

Army Profession of Arms Essay The Profession of Arms Campaign is mandated by John M. McHugh, secretary of the Army, and Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Army chief of staff, to assess the state of the Army and take a critical look at how the past decade of war has impacted the military and civilian workforce. â€Å"The overall objective of the campaign is for Soldiers and leaders to refine their understanding of what it means to be professionals expert members of the Profession of Arms after over nine years of war and to recommit to a culture of service and the responsibilities and behaviors of our profession as articulated in the Army ethic,† Dempsey said. Another Army leader talked about what the campaign means for all those serving in the Army, whether Soldier or civilian, and how it is designed to help transition from the past decade of continuous conflict into a still-uncertain future. â€Å"The Army has decided to introduce the campaign for the Profession of Arms to develop leaders of character and competence required to meet the dynamic challenges of the 21st century,† said Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, Kan., commanding general. â€Å"This campaign is designed to define and reinvigorate what it means to be a professional in the Profession of Arms. As we embark on this mission, we must reflect on the values and traits that define and distinguish us as a unique profession.† Lt. Gen. Richard P. Formica, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command commanding general, has initiated a command-wide review of what it means to be in the Profession of Arms. This review is part of a broader Army wide effort and leaders across the command are getting involved in this open collaborative process to solicit and capture feedback from its Soldiers and civilians. This campaign will also be a teaching opportunity to help better understand what it means to be in this profession and what it means to be in public service that distinguishes a profession from a career. For the workforce at USASMDC/ARSTRAT, the Profession of Arms Campaign is a chance to give input to the Army on how the past decade has influenced, both good and bad, those serving their nation in wartime. â€Å"For the Army as a whole, this is a chance to assess a lot of what impact the last 10 years of being at war has had on our workforce. It is a chance to take note of what we need to do right now, what we need to do in the future and what direction we need to go in, and I think this could have a great effect on SMDC as a whole,† said Lisa Ratley, Concepts Division, Future Warfare Center-Battle Lab. â€Å"We will conduct some roundtable groups and town hall-type meetings with civilians, officers and noncommissioned officers that will take input from everyone. â€Å"This is a great opportunity for SMDC to gather input and have something to say to the Army as a whole,† she added. In the Profession of Arms Campaign, there are five ‘cohorts’ that the Army is looking at. They are officers, noncommissioned officers, warrant officers, junior enlisted Soldiers and civilians. The campaign focuses on three questions: What does it mean for the Army to be a Profession of Arms? What does it mean to be a professional Soldier? After nine years of war, how are we, as individual professionals and as a profession, meeting these aspirations? â€Å"The Army chief of staff and secretary of the Army are concerned about what effect the last 10 years of war is having on the Army,† said Donald Long, FWC-BL. â€Å"They want to assess the impact of it and to keep ahead of what has actually changed, and how do we implement fixes to any problems or issues that may come up so we can continue to be a professional Army. â€Å"The Profession of Arms Campaign was officially going to end in December but the commanding general of SMDC wants to extend it to include the next 18 to 24 months of professional development for the civilians, Soldiers and officers in the command to provide professional development on what it means to be a professional in this Profession of Arms,† Long added. The Army has also sent out 20,000 surveys to civilians across the Army to get an input from the workforce. â€Å"To me, working for the Army is not just a job, it is an understanding that we are here to serve the American people,† said Ginny Partan, FWC-BL. â€Å"I think the Profession of Arms Campaign is going to help us bridge the gap between 10 years at war and where we need to head in the future. It is going to help us take a hard look at ourselves, across the spectrum from Soldiers to civilians, to see what we are doing right and where we can improve so that we are better in the future.†

The Red Pony: Death and Rebirth Essay -- Red Pony Essays

The Red Pony:Â   Death and Rebirth The pony still lay on his side and the wound in his throat bellowed in and out. When Jody saw how dry and dead the hair looked, he knew at last that there was no hope for the pony . . .he had seen it [the dead hair] before, and he knew it was a sure sign for death." In Steinbeck's The Red Pony. death played an intricate role in the life of Jody, an adolescent farmer's child. With the reoccurring theme of death's association with violence, we are eventually enabled to discover that from one such horrific incident, a rebirth of life can be formed. In Steinbeck's classic tale of a young boy's coming of age and his initiation into manhood, this sense of life and rebirth played harmonious roles together. As a typical ten year old boy in a western farming village, Jody basically~y felt the need to justify his manliness, and to prove to his parents that he alone could handle immense responsibilities that others of his own age couldn't. To test this exact faith, a horse, named Gabilan, was handed to Jody by his stem father, ironically called Carl Tifflin instead of "dad." The horse, in fact, proved to be Steinbeck's reoccurring message throughout the remainder of the novel. Testing the patience between man and horse, and also the boy's great love for the beastly animal, it is learned of the need to develop discipline in order to cope with life and with death and the violence associated with it. With the death of the horse came the arrival of an old Mexican man, who too so happened to be coming to the crossroads of his life. The man claimed to be coming to the mountain region to die in the place where he so happened to have been born. Jody's immediate reaction to Gitano, as he was called, appear... ...y now must correlate into his own life. All of Jody's experiences surrounding the violent death of his treasured horse, Gabilan, served to prepare him for an eventual balanced acceptance of life and death. Realistically, Jody knew that the pony was going to die: "When Jody saw how dry and dead the hair looked, he knew at last that there was no hope for the pony." But however prepared he appeared for the death, he still had to assert some resistance to it. This is expressed when he "bashed" the head of the "buzzard straight" as retribution for harming his loved animal. This gory attack on the buzzards at the end of the story indicated his irrational, emotional rejection of the violent aspects of nature. This aspect is what the death of the Red Pony helped Jody to realize, for although his friend had passed, a new rebirth of insight into maturity had entered his mind.

Company G 3 Year Marketing Plan Essay

XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices. Introduction With two decades of innovative and award winning design, Company G has grown to be a market leader in consumer electronics. The Company enjoys unparalleled brand recognition and is highly rated and trusted by consumers worldwide. Company G’s products are known for their original design, durability and use of innovative technology. Company G’s brands enjoy both high consumer desirability and high consumer loyalty. With a reputation as a trend setter, many of Company G’s mobile electronic products are sought-after as â€Å"Status Symbols† purchases. Some of the Company’s products benefit from a cult like following among early adopters and some serve as industry bench-marks against similar products. With the introduction of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway, the Company plans to continue to strive to be the first to market in the consumer electronic market segments that it enjoys competing in. The Company will also maintain the practice of extending products life c ycles and promoting their market positions by offering novel peripheral products such as the XG Wi-Fi Gateway timed to support and broaden the market interest and appeal associated with other existing XG products. Mission Statement â€Å"We combine beautiful design and intuitive functionally to provide consumers with desirable products that enhance the quality and convenience of their lives.† The Product The new XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices allows consumers to easily manage which Wi-Fi enabled mobile device can assess their secured home Wi-Fi network. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a peripheral product of the Company’s popular XG Wireless Router series. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is industry compliant with North America and Euro Zone wireless communication standards and is compatible with other manufacturer’s routers. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices allows a consumer to manage their secure home Wi-Fi network through any other device designated as the â€Å"Administrator†. When a new Wi-Fi enabled device attempts to access the home Wi-Fi network through the XG Wi-Fi Gateway, an alert message is sent to the administrator. The administrator can choose several pre-set network access options as well as select from their own custom rules allowing or limiting network access to specific devices. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices is a 3 inch by 3 inch by 1/3 inch pad that links to the home router via a 2.0 USB plug. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices can also connect directly to any router with the additional purchase of a USB to Ethernet converter cable. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices has a minimal footprint. Once connected, the consumer does not have to interact with or manipulate the devices and it can be hidden or placed out of the way behind a computer or router. The administrator interacts with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices through the Wi-Fi Gateway application. The software is provided and compatible with desktop and laptop computers running Windows, OS X and Chrome operating systems. A free Wi-Fi Gateway application can also be downloaded, installed and run on smart phones and tablets using iOS, Android and Windows Mobile. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices is also compatible with the Xbox360 and PS3 gaming consoles. Consumer Product Classification The consumer product classification for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices falls under a shopping product. Additionally it should be considered with a sub-classification of unsought products. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway extends the functionality and security of modern router, thus the separate, pre-purchase of a router is required. Consumers have ample information available to make decisions regarding purchase decisions for routers; however, they have limited knowledge of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway peripheral or add-on. Consumers will require education and persuasion during the buying process. This is seen as a unique product, currently, there are no other devices or substitutes that offer the functionality of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway. Target Market Majority of our consumers will be males, head of household age 25-54, in a home with a wireless router. The household has multiple computers, smart phones or tablets. Our consumer expresses interest in electronic gadgets and considers themselves to be a â€Å"tech savvy† buyer. The target consumer is conscious about online security threats and has purchased or upgraded anti-virus software in the last 24 months. Our shopper is engaged with online social networks and media with most news delivered to the household digitally. Purchases of electronic products are heavily influenced by the favorable opinions and reviews from friends and colleagues. They are also strongly influenced by negative reviews of products by tech blogs and consumer comments in social media. Household income of our target consumer is $32,000- $70,000 annually with at least one child living in the home. Analysis of Competitive Environment Threat of new competition The threat of new competition is high. Our belief is the technologies associated with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway could be replicated by any of the other leading manufacturers of wireless routers. Company G hold proprietary technology in the design of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway and will fight to protect its interests and rights, however other manufactures could adopt their own existing patents and processes to compete. We feel these other established brands with distribution channels could generate a competitive rivalry if they choose to enter this market. Threat of substitute products or services The threat of a substitute product is low. Consumers determine if they have a need for the features offered by the XG Wi-Fi Gateway or they choose to forgo those features and service. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway has a high level of product differentiation. Consumers attempting to replicate the services of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway will find it technologically challenging and cost prohibitive to duplicate. Bargaining power of consumers Consumers have moderate bargaining power. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a discretionary purchase. The consumer has to desire the enhanced control of their home Wi-Fi network and or the additional security offered by the product. Buyers who have suffered a loss from a network breach will be less price sensitive than those only looking to enhance their level of control. We expect downward price pressure due to demand to bundle and discount the XG Wi-Fi Gateway with other XG routers. Bargaining power of suppliers Threats from suppliers are low. While our product is new, most of the individual components are already mass produced or can easily be produced on existing manufacturing lines requiring only minimal retooling. Key proprietary components can be produced by several of Company G’s subsidiaries. Suppliers and materials are plentiful and available globally. Intensity of competitive rivalry Rivalry is low. Currently there are no competing products for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway market. Company G enjoys significant brand recognition and brand loyalty. The XG lines also profits from a history of positive consumer reviews and ratings and benefits from higher perceived value when compared to similar products in the market. Outlays are kept low by utilizing existing manufacturing facilities and distribution channels. Costs, such as R&D, marketing, engineering and packaging design are allocated and shared across the whole XG catalog of products. SWOT Analysis Strengths 1.Company G and the XG Brand have high consumer loyalty and are recognized for innovative product design and functionality. 2.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is the first of a kind to market. 3.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway received positive reviews from influential tech blogs and media. Support 1.Company G has carefully nurtured and reinforced its company brands. Company G has invested a considerable amount of resources promoting and showcasing the various products in the XG line. XG branded products benefit for the loyalty and familiarity consumers have with the existing line thus helping to lower overall new consumer acquisitions costs. We consider this strength to be a core competency. 2.As a first of a kind to market, Company G can maintain a higher price point by controlling the amount of products available without fear of lost of market share to competition. Company G can operate as a monopoly until others enter the market. First to the market also helps reinforce the XG brand’s reputation as a leader in providing cutting edge technology to consumers. We consider this strength to be a core competency. 3.Our target market reads and is influenced by tech blog reviews. Tech blog reviews are a valuable cost neutral resource for increasing product awareness and help raise consumer sentiment and increase product differentiation. Weaknesses 1.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a secondary purchase or upgrade after the initial purchase of a router. 2.Low target consumer awareness of product. 3.Target consumer requires educated before purchase. Support 1.Consumers are resistant to making an additional secondary purchase after deciding to buy a router. Consumers realize the enhanced services the XG Wi-Fi Gateway offers are not essential to a secure home network and may postpone a purchase until a demonstrated need is established. 2.As a first of a kind to market, consumers are not aware of the product. The target market is highly sought after and regularly bombarded with sophisticated marketing campaigns. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a peripheral product and does not command the spotlight associated with a flagship product launch. 3.Our target consumer will do research prior to making a purchase. Company G will have to put forth assessable information through multiple media outlets for the consumer to find and review. Additionally, sales persons and other trusted sources will need to be introduced to specifications and features of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway to be credible and persuasive. Opportunities 1.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway can be developed for commercial and retail use. 2.Integration into other manufactures’ routers through licensing agreements. 3.Add versatility with the incorporation with NFC (near field communication) chips. Support 1.The technology in the XG Wi-Fi Gateway could be upgraded to provide a solution in commercial spaces (coffee shops, restaurants stores†¦) that want to control, monitor or monetize their Wi-Fi bandwidth service. This would expand the XG line into a new market. 2.Company G could increase revenues by licensing the XG Wi-Fi Gateway technology to other router manufactures. By providing completive licensing agreements, it reduces the incentive of the competition from developing rival technology. 3.Near field communication (NFC) chips are an emerging technology with potential to disrupt retail checkout/payment process. The inclusion of NFC could help broaden the market for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway as the technology becomes more widely available in the retail industry. Threats 1.Shifts in technology away from Wi-Fi protocols and services. 2.A low cost competitor enters and disrupts the market. 3.A widespread security breach or software flaw could be catastrophic for the product. Support 1.The pace of change and innovations in technology is ever quickening. Consumer sentiment tends to move towards the newest standard. Wi-Fi technology is well established, reliable and widely taken for granted, it is the old guard. Some modern countries have already shifted away from Wi-Fi services in favor of cellular protocols or Super Wi-Fi, which functions in the TVWS bandwidth. Any shift away from the Wi-Fi protocol would require retooling of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway with new technology which may be prohibitive due to IP rights or development costs. 2.If a low cost competitor enters the market, Company G would have to spend additional marketing resources defending its market share. Company G would also have to engage in completive pricing to maintain its market position. Lower pricing and increased marketing efforts will have a negative impact on the XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s profits. 3.A security breach could permanently tarnish the XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s reputation. A major flaw or breach could kill the product’s viability in just a few days. Any breach would be an embarrassment to Company G, could result in lower share prices and expose the company to additional liabilities and lawsuits. Marketing Objectives Product Objective Provide our target consumer with an innovated and desirable product that is friendly and enhances their online activities with ease of use, technological compatibility and upgradeability resulting in annual sales of 1.5 million units in the first year, 3 million by the second year and 5 million by the third. Price Objective Pricing for a stand along XG Wi-Fi Gateway will start at $34.99. Company G will also offer up to a 20% savings premium when retailers order, bundle and promote the XG Wi-Fi Gateway with other XG products. Place Objective The XG Wi-Fi Gateway will utilize existing Company G online and retail distribution channels throughout North America and Europe. Additionally, the XG Wi-Fi Gateway will be carried and offered by the 3 leading cable companies in North America when selling optional residential broadband internet services. 100 days post launch, Company G will also introduce the XG Wi-Fi Gateway into AT&T and T-Mobile retail stores and kiosks in North America along with Vodafone retail outlets in the UK and Movistar retail outlets in Spain. Company G will continue to utilize its proprietary predictive algorithms to ensure global product availability. Promotion Objective We expect to increase our target consumer awareness of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway by 25% in the first six months and by 33% by each year post launch. Catching the attentions of our target consume and demonstrating the XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s unique features will be critical to the product’s success. Company G will leverage its name recognition, reputation and media relationships along with its vast distribution channels to ensure the target consumer has ample opportunities to learn about and interact with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway prior to purchase. These Marketing Objectives are crafted to provide the optimal return for all of Company G’s stakeholders. Marketing Strategies Product Strategies †¢Compatibility The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is compatible with all major router equipment sold in North America and Europe. Our target consumer will be assured that The XG Wi-Fi Gateway will work will even previously purchased equipment regardless of the manufacture. †¢Friendly, Ease of Use The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a plug and forget it device. The software is multi-operating system compatible. The user interface has been extensively reviewed and focuses group tested to ensure an appropriate and intuitive workflow. †¢Longevity, Durability The XG Wi-Fi Gateway hardware has no moving parts and is incased in a durable vinyl covering. The hardware has a life expectancy, with normal use, of 5 to 8 years. Software upgrades are pushed to the device as needed, no interaction is required from the consumer. Given current trends in Wi-Fi technology, Company G expects the software to be compliant with FCC and EU regulators for 10 or more years. Price Strategies †¢Skimming Model Company G will use Skimming Model for the first 100 days. Leading up to The XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s launch, marketing efforts will target the less price sensitive â€Å"early adopters† portion of our consumer group. †¢High-low Pricing High-low pricing will be utilized for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway after 100 days post launch. Special offers will be presented through online and traditional retailers when they bundle other Company G products with the purchase of a The XG Wi-Fi Gateway. Company G will also offer a rebate program in secondary markets coinciding with â€Å"back to school† activities. †¢Psychological Pricing Psychological pricing will be used to have an encouraging psychological influence on our target consumer. The consumer is well educated and well connected and knows what his peers have paid for other similar products. This pricing model will ensure he feels satisfied with the decision leading up to his purchase and comfortable sharing that information with his peer group. Place Strategy †¢Strategic Channel Alliances Company G will utilize strategic channel alliances to get the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in to areas where our target consumers live, work and play. We are partnering with recognized industry leaders to cross promote their compatible products with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway. This strategy allows consumers to see how the product works with other devices and gives them the opportunity to realize an immediate benefit of ownership. †¢Intensive Distribution Model Company G will also unitize an intensive distribution model. We will maximize our current distribution network to deliver the XG Wi-Fi Gateway to all available channels our target consumer may wish to utilize to make a purchase. †¢Pull Strategy Since our consumer desires product specifications in order to make a purchasing decision, Company G will take that â€Å"teaching† opportunity and convert it in to a desire to, at a minimum, interact with the physical product. We will run a campaign to persuade consumers to â€Å"give it a try yourself at your local electronics retailer†. This pull strategy should help Company G entice retailers to provide the XG Wi-Fi Gateway a more prominent position in their outlets as consumers ask to interact with the device. Promotion Strategies †¢Trade Shows Trade Shows are an important and ideal location to introduce the XG Wi-Fi Gateway to our target consumer. He regularly attends trade shows and often shares part of his experience on social media. If our consumer does not attend a show, he often seeks out opinions or stories from friends that have attended. The trade show environment allows us to craft the best possible informational and presentation opportunity outside of the consumer’s own home. This strategy is important because our consumer tends to make multiple electronics purchase within three months after attending a Consumer Electronics Show. †¢Product Placements Seeing the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in use is important to our target consumer. We are identifying their popular movies, television and web series and negotiating subtle placement of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in to the main story’s setting. Company G used this strategy successfully for several of its mobile products. The overall return for this strategy was better than that of a 30 second commercial buy on a similar type show. Our consumer pays attention to their favorite show and interprets the commercials as interruptions. †¢Trade Allowances Company G will provide advertising and promotion allowances in targeted markets. Trade allowances will be based on a matrix consisting of ratings for the importance of market, the retailer’s foot traffic, sales volume and ad placement and media buy. Retailers can determine how to use the allowance within the terms and conditions of the trade allowance agreement. This strategy demonstrates that Company G values the retailer’s understanding of how to capitalize on the unique marketing challenges in their local market. Tactics and Action Plan Product Action Plan †¢Compatibility oTactic: Test and adjust all XG Wi-Fi Gateway components to ensure the final unit meets all FCC and EU regulations. Test and rate for compatibility against all targeted compatible products. Make adjustments and updates when identified. oDue Date: 6 months before launch then ongoing every 6 months throughout the products life cycle. oResponsible Party: A team made-up of members for the software development group, components and hardware group, competitor intelligence group and the product management team. †¢Friendly, Ease of Use oTactic: Ensure the XG Wi-Fi Gateway is user friendly and offers an intuitive user interface. oDue Date: 9 month ahead of launch. Review will also be conducted before the release of any update that may impact the user interface. oResponsible Party: A team made up of members from market research, software development, public relations and the product management team. †¢Longevity, Durability oTactic: Only high quality components from Company G selected suppliers will be utilized in the manufacturing of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway. All parts are randomly selected for quality assurance and destructive testing throughout the assembly cycle. oDue Date: Continuous once components arrive for assembly. oResponsible Party: Quality control team as well as independent 3rd party auditors. Price Action Plan †¢Skimming Model oTactic: Capitalize and maximize revenue on consumer interest and desire to own a cutting edge product. oDue Date: Initial pricing to be finalized 90 days prior to launch and monitored for the first 100 days post launch oResponsible Party: Financial analysts, accounting, channel marking managers and product management. †¢High-low Pricing oTactic: To maximize the revenue opportunities by providing incentives for retailers and consumers by making special offers by bundling Company G products or offering appropriate rebates. oDue Date: Special pricing, bundling offers and rebate programs will be finalized at launch then reviewed every 3 months. oResponsible Party: Marketing managers, financial analysts, channel marking managers and product managers. †¢Psychological Pricing oTactic: Ensure our target consumer is persuaded that the perceived value is greater than actual retail price. oDue Date: 90 days prior to launch then every 3 months. oResponsible Party: Marketing managers, public relations team, consumer research team, independent 3rd party consumer survey team Place Action Plan †¢Strategic Channel Alliances oTactic: Partner with non-retail partners to introduce the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in unique and impactful locations and situations to our target consumer. oDue Date: 1 year prior to launch then every 3 months. oResponsible Party: Marketing team, channel marking managers and product managers. †¢Intensive Distribution Model oTactic: We will engage all of our distribution and retail partners throughout the entire product cycle. oDue Date: 1 year prior to launch then continuous. oResponsible Party: channel marking managers and distribution management team †¢Pull Strategy oTactic: Entice consumers to ask their local retailers about the XG Wi-Fi Gateway oDue Date:90 days prior to launch then continuously for the first 100 days oResponsible Party: Marketing team and public relations team Promotion Action Plan †¢Trade Shows oTactic: Secure prominent floor space at CESs and Home Shows in major and secondary markets oDue Date:1 Year prior to product launch oResponsible Party: Marketing team, product management team †¢Product Placements oTactic: Identify and secure placement opportunities on targeted media outlets/shows oDue Date: 9 months before launch and through the first year oResponsible Party: Marketing team and media relations team †¢Trade Allowances oTactic: Provide strategic retailers marketing and promotional resources to increase awareness of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in the local markets they serve. oDue Date: 3 months prior to launch then ongoing. oResponsible Party: Marketing team and channel marking managers Monitoring Procedures To ensure the Product and Marketing Teams meet the XG Wi-Fi Gateway meets Company G’s financial performance goals: Monitoring Activity: Regular review of ongoing product performance and benchmarking. Due Date/Frequency: Weekly meetings.

Life development Essay

The aim of this research is to explore a married couple’s real life experiences and the possible influences that affect their life development. A qualitative thematic analysis was carried out on pre-existing material of three semi-structured interviews and a video. Two main themes were identified : Various Influences and Changeable. This analysis showed support for some research done regarding Erikson’s development stages, Peck’s contribution on later life, developmental contextualism and Bronfenbrenner’s theory. The findings suggest that life development is multi-facet. A reflexive analysis reviews some limitation on this analysis and recommendations are also made. INTRODUCTION Lifespan development is the one among different psychological perspectives. Psychologists are of different views on human development. Some of them split human development into different stages, some of them focus on the people’s later development, some are optimistic but some not, and some opined that our development are deterministic but also some do not think so. Erik Erikson has developed a theory named as Psychosocial in which he stated that there would be eight development stages from birth to later adulthood within our life. (Cooper & Roth, 2002). The theory emphasised that our development is a product of the interaction between the society and individual; and our parents seems to play a key role in our early life. Erikson argued that everyone must develop throughout these eight stages. While treating later life as a relative stable period, Erikson neglect the room of change during the middle and old stages, to cope with this difficulty, Peck further subdivided these two stages into sub-stages. For middle age, Peck consider that we should acknowledge our loss of physical strength while also appreciate our gaining of wisdom, the main task within these stage is to redefine one’s personality and personal relationship. Besides, individual should shift their emotional attachment to both the vertical and horizontal relationship, i. e. the death of parents and friendship (Cooper & Roth, 2002). For old age, in order to cater the crisis of retirement, Peck argued that individual need to seek other meaningful activities, thus accepted by themselves that they are continually contribute to and valued by the society. Other approach on lifespan development is named as developmental contextualism. It emphasised that development of an individual cannot be seen as an isolated manner, rather, there are internal (e. g. physical fitness) and external (e. g. cultural and social) factors that influences one’s development. These factors are referred as a level of explanation by psychologists, they comprise different variables, for instances, interpersonal influence, cultural influence, historical influence and etc. These variables would interact and change each other at the same or a different level of explanation which is known as dynamic interactionism. (Cooper & Roth, 2002) In contrast to developmental contextualism, Bronfenbrenner is of different view. He argued that individuals are capable to determine their own development rather than simply constrained by internal and external influences. In his ‘ecological’ theory of development, he suggested that individuals are actively interact with his or her environment during their development. According to the theory, it divided individual physical environment into four parts, i. e. micosystem, mesosystem, exosystem and macrosystem as well. The microsystem refers to one’s immediate environment, includes social, symbolic and physical characteristics, e. g. personality, healths, values and expectations. The mesosystem describes two or more microsystems inhabited by the same person, e. g. family, work and marriage. Links that take place between two or more settings involving the individual is known as the exosystem, i. e. our community. The macrosystem illustrates the patterns of the aforesaid systems that characterize any given culture or society structures. (Cooper & Roth, 2002) In view of the above approaches, it seems that human development are encompassed by different stages, with internal and external influences; and individuals are with ability to actively change it during the process of development. The purpose of this qualitative research is to see how a couple, Tony and Jo experienced their life and what influence to their development indeed. METHOD Three semi-structured interviews were conducted of a (an aging) couple, Tony and Jo. There is no information on the exact ages of the stakeholders, including the interviewees and the three interviewers. For teaching purposes, the process of the interviews were videotaped with the interviewees’ consent. The interviews touch topics of identity, separation and attachment and lifespan development. The first interview was conducted by a female researcher Jane who knew that couple for several years. A male researcher has conducted the second interview who knew none about that couple. The last interviewer was a female who asked them about their experiences on the first two interviews. The research was adopted analysing pre-existing materials. It assumed that the Open University of United Kingdom (OUUK) adhered strictly to the British psychological code of ethics such as obtaining informed written consent, addressing issues around confidentiality, protection of participant’s identities, permission to withdraw at any time and sufficient debriefing. (Miell, Phoenix & Thomas, 2002). I am a Chinese male, a part-time psychology student (36 years of age) of the Open University of Hong Kong, and carried out a qualitative thematic analysis on transcripts and video provided by the OUUK. (see Appendix for the full annotated transcripts and an extracted video of the three interviews is also attached) The lifespan development research topic and question were selected and supplied by the OUUK (DSE 212, Method Booklet 5, pages 60 and 61). Familiarization of material was done by reading Chapter 1 in Book 2 (Cooper & Roth, 2002). The next stage of the analysis involved my reading the transcripts several times – noting significant points related to my chosen research topic. I then identified recurrent themes from the transcripts. Two main themes were identified and the data was condensed under these themes. This was achieved by photocopying the transcripts and highlighting each bit of the dialogue relating to the themes in different colour pens. Only the first two interviews were used in this research.

The Young Holden essays

The Young Holden essays J.D. Salinger, an American novelist and a short story writer, introduces a peculiar and a very special strange young man in an outstanding novel labeled The Catcher in the Rye. A troubled teen named Holden Caulfield, at the age of 16, tries to maintain the purity and realness of life. He rejects the society around him and continuously describes people and their behavior as phonies. He constantly feels lonely, miserable, depressed and not to belong to the environment he lives in. Although he is very immature, he feels he has grown up and hates people when they expect him to be more mature. He is a troubled young boy who is having difficulties trying to survive in the world around him. He cares for weakness and pure innocence. This is shown in his affection towards little children and the ducks in Central Park. He is a very affectionate sensitive guy, however, he tries not to show this part of his character to the reader. Throughout the novel, Holden does not completely become mature. He keeps on remembering the death of his younger brother, Allie. Just because somebodys dead, you dont just stop liking them, for Gods sake-especially if they were about a thousand times nicer than the people you know thatre alive and all(J.D. Salinger, 171). He keeps on repeating how smart and nice he is. Although he thinks high of his parents, he avoids them. He is socially hopeless. He does know many people and have friends, but is unable to form real friendships that last long. He feels like the only person he can talk to his little sister, Phoebe You should see her. You never saw a little kid so pretty and smart in your whole life. Shes really smart. I mean shes had all(J.D. Salinger, 67). Holden likes when everything he leaves behind stays the same way. He loves going to the Museum of Natural History. He used to go there since he was a little kid. The museum is one of the plac...

Washington Adventist University Admissions Data

Washington Adventist University Admissions Data Washington Adventist University Description: Washington Adventist University, WAU, is a private university affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The university occupies a 19-acre campus in Takoma Park, Maryland, about seven miles from downtown Washington, D.C. (see other D.C. colleges). The universitys diverse student body comes from 40 states and 47 countries. Washington Adventist takes its Christian identity seriously, and students will find an active spiritual life on campus with regular convocations, student-led vespers, and prayer groups. WAU is made up of three schools: the School of Arts Social Sciences; School of Health Professions, Science Wellness; and School of Graduate Professional Studies. Professional Studies programs cater to working adults, and roughly a third of WAU students are 25 or over. WAU students can choose from 47 bachelors degree programs, 9 masters degrees, and a wide range of academic minors. Nursing is by far the most popular program at WAU. Academics are supported by a 7 to 1 student / faculty ratio and small classes. Academically talented students should check out the WAU Honors Program for access to special classes, research experiences and cultural opportunities. Student stay active outside of the classroom through involvement in a range of student clubs and organizations as well as intramural and intercollegiate athletics. The Washington Adventist University Shock compete in   the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). Admissions Data (2016): Washington Adventist University Acceptance Rate: 33%Washington Adventist University has test-optional admissionsTest Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 360 / 470SAT Math: 360 / 480SAT Writing: - / -Whats a good SAT score?ACT Composite: 14  / 21ACT English: 15 / 22ACT Math: 15 / 16Whats a good ACT score? Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 1,090  (911 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 41% Male / 59% Female77% Full-time Costs (2016- 17): Tuition and Fees: $23,400Books: $1,200 (why so much?)Room and Board: $8,930Other Expenses: $1,100Total Cost: $34,630 Washington Adventist University Financial Aid (2015- 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 50%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 49%Loans: 33%Average Amount of AidGrants: $11,541Loans: $6,251 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Business Administration, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Genreal Studies, Health Care Administration, Nursing, Psychology Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 75%4-Year Graduation Rate: 17%6-Year Graduation Rate: 38% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Track and Field, Basketball, Cross Country, SoccerWomens Sports:  Volleyball, Cross Country, Soccer, Basketball, Track and Field Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like Washington Adventist University, You May Also Like These Schools: Union College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWalla Walla University: Profile  Bowie State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphOakwood University: Profile  Coppin State University: Profile  Hood College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDelaware State University: Profile  Towson University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphAndrews University: Profile  Howard University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph   Washington Adventist University Mission Statement: see the complete mission statement at  https://www.wau.edu/mission-statement/ A WAU education is faith based and student focused. The University offers more than 32 majors and academic programs leading to associate, bachelor and graduate degrees. You will experience small, lively classes taught by faculty who are committed to your success. Special options include the honors program, pre-professional programs, bridge program, capital summer session, study abroad, internships for credit and a special first year experience program to assist incoming freshmen in the transition to college life.

Bonds mod 2 case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bonds mod 2 case - Essay Example 5.35% 1.125381 Bond 3 has the highest percentage change and bond 1 has the lowest percentage change. Table 3: Price for the four bonds (after increase of 0.5% in yield to maturity) and the percentage change from base case Bond number Maturity (years) Coupon ($) Price ($) Yield to maturity (%) Change from original (%) 1 2 50 974.1183 6.42% -1.8026 2 3 45 958.3473 6.06% -1.34675 3 4 60 994.5793 6.16% -1.72141 4 6 55 958.6585 6.35% -3.77975 Bond 4 has the highest percentage change and bond 2 has the lowest percentage change. From the results, it can be inferred that under normal circumstances and for normal bonds, the yield increases as the maturity period increases, so, if an investor is holding the bond for longer time, then, he/she will have greater yield as compared to an investor who holds the bond for shorter period. There are various corporate bonds, wherein, the companies raise funds by issuing bonds and make the interest payments to the bond holders. However, in case of corporate bonds, there is a probability of default, if the company defaults, the bond-holder will not be able to generate returns on the bonds. Any investor who wishes to invest in bonds should consider the probability of default. All the above calculations are done on the basis of the assumption that there is no risk of default. Dividend Growth Model The three factors which affect the stock prices in case of dividend growth model are as follows. The current dividend Growth of the dividend Required rate of return The formula which relates the above mentioned parameters with the value of the stock is as follows. (Dividend Growth Model) Value = (Current Dividend * (1 + Dividend Growth)) / (Required Return - Dividend Growth) Some of the inferences from this formula are as follows. The value of... There are various corporate bonds, wherein, the companies raise funds by issuing bonds and make the interest payments to the bond holders. However, in case of corporate bonds, there is a probability of default, if the company defaults, the bond-holder will not be able to generate returns on the bonds. Any investor who wishes to invest in bonds should consider the probability of default. All the above calculations are done on the basis of the assumption that there is no risk of default. The value of stock increases with dividend growth if the dividend growth is less than 50% and it decreases of dividend growth is more than 50%. (Calculated by differentiating the equation with respect to dividend growth)

QuickTest or WinRunner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

QuickTest or WinRunner - Essay Example Mercury QuickTest Professionalâ„ ¢ (QTP) and WinRunner (WR) are automated functional Graphical User Interface (GUI) testing tools created by the HP quality management and performance testing solutions subsidiary Mercury Interactive (now HP Software) based in Sunnyvale, CA, with R&D in Israel (Mar, 2007, p. 2) that allow the automation of user actions on a web or client based computer application. WinRunner was introduced in 1995 while QuickTest Pro has been available since about 2002 (LoPorto, n. d., p. 3).The Software Test & Performance 2006, Tester’s Choice Grand Award winner (Award-Winning QA by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet, 2007, para.1), Mercury QuickTest Professionalâ„ ¢ is a next-generation automated testing solution. It provides the industry’s best solution for functional test and regression test automation – addressing every major software application and environment including next-generation development technologies such as Web Services, Ma cromedia Flex, .NET, J2EE, and ERP/CRM applications (Mercury Functional Testing: Mercury QuickTest Professional , 2006, p.2). Mercury QuickTest Professionalâ„ ¢ uses the Keyword-driven testing concept to radically simplify test creation and maintenance. Its unique Keyword-driven testing approach enables the test automation experts to have full access to the underlying test and object properties, via an integrated scripting and debugging environment that is round-trip synchronized with the Keyword View (Mercury QuickTest Professional, 2007, para. 2).... d., p. 3). Over the past decade, WinRunner is one of the market leaders when it comes to automated functional testing tools. WinRunner utilizes a "Graphical User Interface (GIU) Map" approach to create an automated test script. Since each object within a test has a minimum set of physical attributes that make it unique (Korhonen, 2000, p. 26) hence WinRunner recognizes objects like buttons and edit fields by their unique properties.It can also be used to create automated scripts for applications created using a range of technologies, including Java, Siebel, PowerBuilder, and Delphi (Mercury WinRunner, 2006, p. 2). It has gain an enormous popularity and thousands of developers has gathered under its flag who have improved their skills in this product over the years of their professional careers. With Mercury WinRunner, the organization reduces testing time by automating repetitive tasks, optimizes testing efforts by covering diverse environments with a single testing tool and maximizes return on investment through modifying and reusing test scripts as the application evolves (Quality Assurance, n. d., pp. 1-3). Although WinRunner has proved to be an efficient testing tool and it has become an industry standard as functional testing technology, yet continuous technological development scenario has highlighted its few short comes or limitations over its applications. In a number of applications, WinRunner has fallen short to recognize a lot of texts, graphics and drop-down lists hence failed to make sure that all of the company's software 100% error-free. To be able to check all of the texts, graphics and drop-down lists, developers have to do more work. This really degrades the automation testers efficiency and makes it impossible for