A Detailed Research on Corruption in India Essays - Free Essays

A Detailed Research on Corruption in India Essays - Free Essays A Detailed Research on Corruption in India What is corruption? Corruption is a form of dishonest or unethical conduct by a person entrusted with a position of authority, often to acquire personal benefit. [1] Corruption may include many activities including bribery and embezzlement, though it may also involve practices that are legal in many countries. [2] Government, or 'political', corruption occurs when an office-holder or other governmental employee acts in an official capacity for personal gain. The word corrupt when used as an adjective literally means "utterly broken". [3] The word was first used by Aristotle and later by Cicero who added the terms bribe and abandonment of good habits. Stephen D. Morris, a professor of politics, writes that [political] corruption is the illegitimate use of public power to benefit a private interest. Economist Ian Senior defines corruption as an action to (a) secretly provide (b) a good or a service to a third party (c) so that he or she can influence certain actions which (d) benefit the corrupt, a third party, or both (e) in which the corrupt agent has authority. Daniel Kaufmann, from the World Bank, extends the concept to include 'legal corruption' in which power is abused within the confines of the law as those with power often have the ability to make laws for their protection Causes of Corruption 1.Personal greed that leads to an unfettered desire for money or power, with no regards whatsoever to moral boundaries. The underlying anthropological cause is the innate human impulse to own external goods, when it is not subject to personal integrity. Is personal integrity less valued than it used to be? Is there a need for religious or other types of motivation that were once stronger? 2.Decline of personal ethical sensitivity, either due to lack of education or negative learning experiences, developed by downplaying perverse conduct in the past. Should ethical education be put under review? Is it time for a personal reassessment with sincerity and repentance, to learn more about its influence in promoting positive learning? 3.No sense of service when working in public or private institutions. This is seen, for instance, in those who use politics for their selfish interests, instead of serving the common good through politics. How can we promote politicians and leaders with a true service-oriented spirit? 4.Low awareness or lack of courage to denounce corrupt behavior and situations conducive to corruption. That is the case of someone who is aware of corruption and stays quiet. They simply cover for the corrupt individuals, perhaps thinking that it is not their problem, or perhaps out of cowardice, so as not to make their lives more complicated. Would it help to promote a culture of denouncing corruption? 5.Cultural environments that condone corruption. Such as defending or even admiring crooks (you have to be pretty smart to evade taxes). Or rationalizing false arguments with no moral basis (everyone does it; take advantage while you can; life is short). Who ought to promote that culture? Social leaders? Everyone? 6.Lack of transparency, especially at the institutional level, but also in less formal organizations. Knowing that what you do is seen by everyone, wouldnt that deter acts of corruption? 7.Regulations and inefficient controls. Increased regulations and control mechanisms are probably not the answer. They are costly and tend to stifle initiatives and administrative dynamics. But why not have better regulation and more effective control in areas prone to corruption. Is that so difficult? 8.Slow judicial processes. In some other countries, we would have to add and unreliable to that statement. Swift processes can have a greater exemplifying effect than those that, by the time the sentence comes, the crime already is nearly forgotten. Justice requires appealing processes and warranties, but not if it means slowing down the administration of justice. Do we need more judges, but also better processes? 9.Lack of moral criteria in promotions. Corruption is prevalent when there are no criteria for proven integrity and responsibility in the promotion. Such criteria are ignored when someone is promoted simply because of their loyalty to whoever is in charge or those in control of the party. Or if it is only their strategic or organizational skills that are evaluated. Obviously, someone can be wrong when making a promoting someone, but

Learn What Colleges Look for in an Applicant

Learn What Colleges Look for in an Applicant College applications vary from one college to the next, and every college and university has slightly different criteria for determining which students to admit. Still, the list below should give you a good sense of the admissions factors considered by most schools. Academics and College Applications Rigor of secondary school record: Did you take challenging and accelerated classes, or did you pad your schedule with gym and easy As? At nearly all colleges and universities, a strong academic record is the single most important part of your application. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Honors, and dual enrollment classes all play an important role i the admissions process.Class rank: How do you compare to your classmates? Dont worry if your school doesnt rank students- colleges use this information only when available. Also keep in mind that your high school counselor can put your rank into context if, for example, your class had an unusual number of extremely strong students.Academic GPA: Are your grades high enough to indicate that you will be successful in college? Realize that colleges are likely to recalculate your GPA is your school uses weighted grades, and colleges are often most interested in your grades in core academic subjects.Standardized test scores: H ow did you perform on the SAT or ACT? Do your general or subject tests reveal particular strengths or weaknesses? Note that a good SAT score or good ACT score isnt necessary everywhere- there are hundreds of colleges that have test-optional admissions. Recommendation: What do your teachers, coaches, and other mentors say about you? Letters of recommendation can play a meaningful role in the admissions process, for they give the college a different perspective on your accomplishments. Good recommendation letters typically address both academic and nonacademic issues. Nonacademic Factors in College Admissions Application essay: Is your essay well-written? Does it present you as a person who will make a good campus citizen? Nearly all selective colleges have holistic admissions, and the essay is a place where you can really make your personality and passions set your application apart from other applicants.Interview: If you met with a college representative, how personable and articulate were you? Does your character show promise? Have you demonstrated your sincere interest in the school by asking specific and meaningful questions? Did you have strong answers to common interview questions?Extracurricular activities: Are you involved with non-academic clubs and organizations? Do you have a variety of interests that suggest you have a well-rounded personality? There are dozens of options for extracurricular activities, but the best activities are those in which you can demonstrate leadership and accomplishments.Talent/ability: Is there an area where you truly excel, such as music or athletic s? Students with a truly remarkable talent can often be admitted even when other application components arent quite as strong as the could be. Character/personal qualities: Do the pieces of your application paint a picture of someone who is mature, interesting, and bighearted? Keep in mind that colleges arent just looking for smart and accomplished applicants. They want to enroll students who will enrich the campus community in meaningful ways.First generation: Did your parents attend college? This factor isn’t usually weighted heavily, but some schools do try to target first-generation college students.Alumni/ae relation: Are you a legacy applicant? Having a family member who attended the same school can help a little, for it’s in the college’s interest to build a family’s loyalty.Geographical residence: Where are you from? Most schools want geographic diversity within their student body. As an example, a student from Montana might have an advantage over a student from Massachusetts when applying to an East Coast Ivy League school.State residency: This is usually a factor only for public univers ities. Sometimes in-state applicants will receive preference because state funding of the school is designated for students from that state. Religious affiliation/commitment: Your faith may be a factor for some colleges that have a religious affiliation.Racial/ethnic status: Most colleges believe that a diverse student body leads to a better educational experience for all students. Affirmative Action has proven to be a controversial policy, but youll find it often plays a role in the admissions process.Volunteer work: Have you given generously of your time? Volunteer work speaks to the question of â€Å"character† above.Work experience: Colleges like to see applicants with work experience. Even if your work was at a fast-food joint, it can show that you have a strong work ethic and good time management skills.Level of applicant’s interest: Not all schools keep track of an applicants interest, but at many schools demonstrated interest plays a role in the admissions process. Colleges want to accept students who are eager to attend. Attending information sessions, open houses, and campus tours can all help show your interest, as can well-crafted supplemental essays that are truly specific to a particular school.

Database assignment 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Database 2 - Assignment Example It is a car rental company based in the USA. As a car hire organization, Budget Car Hire Company requires various systems to manage its operations. The company has branches all over the world and booking can be made directly via branched or online through the company’s website and agent websites. Three Proposed Applications In this report, three proposed applications that fulfill the companies’ needs will be discussed. Specifically, the three applications are to facilitate transactions and operations. The applications are: Direct Renting from braches. Online booking system. Car purchasing system. The systems will have to be integrated into a single database and network for the purpose of data access and processing. This is the function of the data modeling process. Brief overview of the Applications Direct renting from braches This application describes the transaction where the client goes directly to the companies’ branches and asks for a car to rent. Depending on the availability of car, the customer has to provide staff with his licenses, bank card number and personal information such as name, age and address. A customer must also buy an insurance package only then, a member of staff will enter the information n the system and give back an invoice along with the car keys. Online booking system The online booking system is an application that will enable customers to do car reservation online through Budget website. The online booking should be able to process the booking and produce the corresponding confirmation message or travel vouchers to the applicant. The customer must fill a form on Budgets website that provides the company with his/her information like name, age, address and other personal and paying information. Most importantly, the type of car, pick up and return time and date, location. The website calculates the price for the selected vehicle for the specified period. After that, customers receive an email confirmation. Car purchasing system The third application is for car purchasing, where employees in the logistics department Budget gets to interact with different car vendors. The Budget employee has to select the car type, color, model, price and quantity. After that the application generates the name of the buyer (Budget), seller (vendor), purchasing date and time and the total price of the transaction including the cars specifications, quantity and date of manufacture. Key Data Required for Each Application The systems require various data items because they all manage different data and processes. Each database will have various datasets. Of course, some of the data sets will have common data fields shared between themselves (Heath and Bizer 36). The databases for each application will have local model with entity relationships specifically between the entities in them. Overall, the local models will be linked into a larger model, the global data model. The global data model will link the three databases in such a way that the three applications have relationships with each other through the relationships in their entities. Direct renting from braches Direct renting from braches application will have the following data entities: Entity Attribute RENTAL RENTAL_NO Primary Key (PK), CUST_ID foreign key (FK), RENTAL_TIME, RENTAL_DATE, PICKUP_DATE, RETURN_DATE, PICKUP_TIME, RETURN_TIME, CAR_ID (FK), PRICE_PAID,

Photojournalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Photojournalism - Essay Example Narrative: The image adds to the clarity of events when combined with other stories and news elements and gives an insight to the person who is reading through or glancing at the pictures. Important war zones of the US such as Vietnam was an example of how photojournalists could influence public opinion. There are certain marked characteristics that distinguish photojournalists from other photographers. One of the most important distinguishing factors is their capability to make instant decisions. They are always on the move and carry all their heavy equipment with them all the while. They are alert and think with the tip of their fingers as to which frame in time has to be preserved for posterity and for the world to see. They face the same risk and dangers as any serious journalist such as when at the war front or in the middle of a rioting crowd. They also lack the option to wait and watch for the worst to pass since they have to throw themselves in to the middle of the action if they are to make any good pictures. In fact, they take more risks and face far more dangerous situations that a conventional journalist. As a descriptive term, photojournalism refers to the genre of photography that bears the distinct characteristics of that produced by photojournalists. A large number of commercial and fashion photographers today prefer to adapt this style into their works. Photojournalistic style has been widely accepted as the standard format in fashion photography as well as in event coverage such as marriages and child ceremonies. Commercial photography is keenly taking on the garbs of photojournalistic style to bring in more room for innovation as well as to increase public appeal for their works. The term photojournalism was coined by none other than the famed professor of communication studies, Cliff Edom (1907-1991), who taught at the University of Missouri School of Journalism for 29 years. He is credited with the first establishment of a professional programme for photojournalism in 1946. The practice of printing press and the growth of print journalism and the print media brought to focus the importance of the media and role of photography in media. Since written language could be manipulated to any extent whereas a photograph could not, it added to the weightage of the newly introduced genre of photography. Early news photographs required the pictures to be reconstructed by an engraver before it could be published. The battlefield pictures captured by the famous reporters such as William Simpson of the Illustrated London News and Roger Fenton had to be published as engravings. The public craved for more realistic representations of the pictures that go along with the news stories. Most newspaper companies were looking for trained photographers to be put to cover the wars and thereby report from the front, giving a new dimension to public imagination. There

Degree Appraisals Essay Example for Free

Degree Appraisals Essay General Electrics’ Durham, North Carolina assembly employees have a unique work environment in which they build the GE90 jet engine for Boeing. The 9 engine build teams consist of approximately 18 employees who own the entire process of assembling some 10,000 parts perfectly to create one complete engine assembly. The teams are self managed, doing everything from ordering parts and tools to scheduling vacation and overtime. The success of the teams comes from their founding method of agreement by consensus decisions making. In fact, the consensus decision making process has become a way of life to many of these employees, and management decisions are only needed about 12 decisions per year. Although employees don’t always have unanimous agreement, there is seldom any blame when things go wrong because of their strong trusting relationships. This type of consensus management has instilled a high level of trust relationships among the team members and their superiors. These self-managed teams operate in a culture of continuous feedback and rely on management to make them aware of problems and report solutions. Beyond the day-to-day decisions making, any major issues, such as safety and cost, are decided by a task force. The plant manager informs and educates the task force and employees about the problem and why it is important, and the task force decides how to address problems. The task force takes the responsibility to find solutions and decisions are reporting back to plant management on what the future solutions will be. These solutions and decisions made by the task force are communicate to the plant manager and then on to the higher-ups for their buy in. The Plant Manager Paula Sims, who has been on the job 4 years, has proposed to HR that she would like initiate a 360-degree review to supplement existing performance  measures. Ms. Sims’ proposal is met with some concerns from HR, it is assumed that HR has concerns that implementing a new system without a consensus decision will breakdown trust with the employees and limit the willing participation if the 360 review were to be implemented. Root Problem The root problem with Ms. Sims proposal is that the implementation goes directly against the culture of consensus agreement on making decisions for the teams and the plant. Since this would be considered a major change, it should be brought to a task force for review and solution, or at minimum be brought to the attention of all employees. In the past, Ms. Sims has experienced issues of missed trust with the assembly teams and this direct approach with HR for the implementation a new performance measure stands to have an equally negative effect. Alternative Ideas In order to address the root problem, HR would like to propose some alternative ideas to Ms. Sims proposals that could include awareness of GE corporate use general of 360 degree performance measures in other locations. Investigations on the benefits from other GE plants should be presented to employees to gain a better understanding and buy-in of the proposal. Knowing the culture of feedback that exist within the plant, Ms. Sims could call for a task force to investigate the benefits of 360 degree feedback and make a direction decision on the use of 360 degree appraisals. In consideration of alternative ideas, Ms. Sims should consider approaching the employees and HR by providing factual information about the value of peer reviews. For example, â€Å"research shows that appraisals by peers are useful predictors of training success and future performance† (Jackson, S.E., Schuler, R.S., Werner, S., 2012). Additionally, since the GE employees are team-based units, it is also been shown that anonymous peer appraisals in teams increase interpersonal effectiveness, group cohesion, communication openness and group satisfaction (Jackson, et al, 2012). Furthermore, she could gain more leverage by stating the success of the peer reviews in other GE facilities, as real life inter-company example. The last alternative is simply do nothing and keep the current system as it is without a 360 degree review. Considering Ms. Sims determination to implement the new appraisal, she should consider a trial basis with a one the nine teams as a test bed  from training implementation and use of the 360 review. As multiple alternatives have been presented, a closer evaluation of each proposal is the necessary to derive the what is believed to the best alternative. 1. Awareness and Buy-in – this alternative looks at bringing awareness to the 360-degree appraisal as a supplemental appraisal by providi ng factual information on the benefits of the program at GE’s jet engine plant. Awareness makes buy-in easier when at the end of the day, you allow the teams to make a decision by consensus on the implementation of the new peer review. 2. Empowered team decision – this alternative simply turns the information and decision back to the team and task force. This alternative is the most cohesive alternative and aligns well with the culture of the company. 3. Trial basis this alternative assume Ms. Sims pushes her idea forward and assumes she will be met with some resistance during the implementation phase. In this case focusing on a smaller beta test group proves to be easier to manage and create buy-in with when the results show positive improvements. 4. Status Quo – this alternative assumes that nothing is done, no implementation is agreed upon and the current performance measures stay in place without a 360-degree appraisal. Choose an Alternative Implementation In an effort to maintain the strong trusting relationships that exist at the various levels of team members and management, it is recommended that the alternative proposal of â€Å"awareness and buy-in† be selected and acted upon. Implementation of this plan will begin with Ms. Sims collecting and presenting data from both internal GE resources and external resources to show the benefits of supplementing the current performance appraisals with a 360-degree peer review. Next Ms. Sims must work directly with HR to plan an appropriate training period and plan in conjunction with the roll out of information to the 9 assembly teams. This portion of the preparation should include the consideration of one group to be the test bed or beta group for evaluation purposes. Once the information is presented to all the employees, an internal task force should be commissioned to evaluate the information provided by Ms. Sims for the purpose my allowing the continuance of the consensus culture . There are a multitude of options this management team has in considering the addition of the new peer review. However,  allowing the teams and/or special task force to make the decision on their own and continue to feel the sense of ownership is paramount in the implementation phase of the proposal. Therefore it is recommended that after the beta group is selected and effectively trained, HR and Ms. Sims must monitor the effectiveness of the raters over an initially shorter period of time for the appraisals to take place. This step will be for the purpose of training and evaluation. Based the results from the six months data collection and feedback from the Beta group, Ms. Sims and HR will determine if further training is needed, if the employees are seeing value in the productivity and performance improvements as a result of using the 360 degree appraisals. If the results are positive the information will be shared with the task force and all employees for further implementation and training, beyond the beta group. Reference Jackson, S.E., Schuler, R.S., Werner, S (2012). Managing Human Resources (11th edition)., Mason, OH: South-Western

The Comparison and Contrast of I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud & The Prese

‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ and ‘The Preservation of Flowers’: two notable poems, two very different styles of writing. This essay will look at their contrasts and similarities, from relevant formal aspects, to the deeper meanings hidden between the lines. We will look at both writers use of: rhyme scheme, sound patterning, word choice, figurative language and punctuation. The essay will also touch a little on the backgrounds of the writers: themselves, and their inspiration, with the intention of gaining a greater understanding of both texts. The structure and form of both poems is evidently dissimilar. Wordsworth’s poem follows a clear rhyme scheme: ABABCC; and contains four stanzas of six lines each. In each stanza, the first line rhymes with the third, the second with the fourth and the stanza concludes with a rhyming couplet. Bird’s sixteen line- narrative verse does not follow any formal rhyme scheme. She describes full rhyme as being â€Å"too strident†E1 for her personal taste. Choosing instead: to use consonance and near rhymes. Despite this seemingly unconventional style with which the poem is written, it does follow an iambic pentameter, with every line containing five stressed syllables, except line 13 which contains six. ‘Cer-tain cus-to-mers, he slips an ex-tra rose’13. This is a very clever play on words, using the term ‘extra rose’ to mirror the extra syllable in the line. This patently demonstrates Bird’s astute understanding of structure and form. She explains – â€Å"There's a poetry joke in there too - each line has five stresses, but the 'extra rose' line has six stresses. An extra rose, an extra stress.†E2. This again presents another parallel to Wordsworth’s lyric, where the meter is not u... ... he has a point. Contrary to this statement however, there remains the reality: that without dissection and close analysis, the true meanings encoded within these two texts, might remain perpetually esoteric. Bibliography .T Furniss & M Bath. 1996. Reading Poetry: an introduction. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. .Preface to Lyrical Ballads, in Wordsworth (1968) Lyrical ballads, pp. 241-72, 246. ‘Organic sensibility’ refers to the responsiveness of the senses. See ‘The Tables Turned’, in Wordsworth (1968) The Lyrical Ballads, pp. 105-6. .Internet 1 http://www.enotes.com/william-wordsworth/q-and-a/what-elements-nature-daffodils-poem-144087 .Internet 2 http://www.wordsworth.org.uk/poetry/index.asp?pageid=101 .Internet 3 http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/2337.html .Internet4 http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/rom.html

Assignment 4: Internet Technology, Marketing, and Security Essay

Assignment 4: Internet Technology, Marketing, and Security The purpose of this assignment is to â€Å"evaluate the reasons Social Media Marketing has become exceedingly popular among businesses of all sizes. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of Social Media Marketing for business entrepreneurs. Assess how Social Media Marketing is helping Pepsi gain more customer insight than it would have otherwise. Research two (2) other businesses that have used Social Media Marketing to their advantage. Discuss how each of these businesses has utilized Social Media Marketing and provide examples with your discussion. Speculate what impact Social Media will have business over the next decade and identify what skills you need to improve to take advantage of the changes (Boone, Kurtz, 2012).† Evaluate the reasons Social Media Marketing has become exceedingly popular among businesses of all sizes. â€Å"The experimentation era in social media marketing is long over. Social media has proven to be a viable and potentially lucrative marketing channel for B2B and B2C companies of all sizes, across the globe. As more and more companies jump on the social media bandwagon, it is more important now than ever that you provide value, not add to the clutter already on the social web. The reigning champions of social media are the brands that listen to their community, and deliver worthwhile information based on what they hear (Top Rank, 2013).† Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of Social Media Marketing for business entrepreneurs. â€Å"Your online advertising strategy might include paid advertising on search networks such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo. Social ads on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn may also be effective tools for your messaging. Our first step is to determine your goals and where your audience lives, in order to place your brand in front of the right people, in the right place, at the right time (Top Rank, 2013).† â€Å"Through compelling, creative copy and imagery, our search, display and social ads inspire your audience to take your desired action, whether your intent is to: †¢ Attract new prospects and customers †¢ Engage consumers and build community around your brand †¢ Convert prospects to loyal customers (Top Rank, 2013).†. â€Å"Regular reporting and ongoing optimization ensures you receive maximum accountability and the best results possible from your online campaigns (Top Rank, 2013).† Assess how Social Media Marketing is helping Pepsi gain more customer insight than it would have otherwise. â€Å"The rise of social and mobile is rewriting the marketing playbook for even the most established companies. While many brands are still casting a wary eye at social media for business, Pepsi has embraced the technology, carving out an ambitious social strategy aimed at building relationships with the Millennial generation, soon to be the largest consumer group in US history (Social, 2012).† â€Å"A recent article by David Hatch of US News and World Report does a great job of breaking down Pepsi’s social strategy, the centerpiece of which is its â€Å"Live For Now† marketing campaign. The campaign, targeting 18-35 year olds, is a great example of an established brand effectively utilizing five critical aspects of social media marketing: consumer engagement, user-generated content, data aggregation, geo-local, and inbound marketing (Social, 2012).† DYNAMIC CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT â€Å"Pepsi’s new digital dashboard is the most recent iteration of an online strategy that included last year’s debut of Pepsi Pulse and Sound Off, online destinations that encouraged visitors to comment on The X-Factor, a Fox network reality television show whose sponsors include Pepsi (Social, 2012).† â€Å"To further engage its online community, the song selection and encores for a Pepsi concert series this summer featuring major artists will be chosen in part by tweets from the live audience and people watching online (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Pepsi is learning that if you want to remain relevant with this new type of consumer, you have to be where they are, you have to talk their language,† and you have to connect with them in a way that â€Å"keeps them feeling like they want to be part of your brand,† says Brian Solis, a principal analyst at the Altimeter Group. Connected consumers, he adds, are â€Å"getting groomed and conditioned to expect the world to come to them (Social, 2012).† â€Å"USER-GENERATED CONTENT ‘Social media marketing is becoming increasingly dependent on user-generated content, meaning reviews, comment, or any other input from customers. Peer influence has a measurable impact on consumer purchase decision, especially among Millennials (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Understanding this, Pepsi has created a new digital dashboard on their Pepsi.com place page to support the Live For Now campaign, highlighted by user-generated messages from Facebook and Twitter that include the #LiveForNow hashtag (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Moreover, with the help of SocialFlow, a tool that ranks the popularity of editorial content within audience segments, Pepsi is paying attention to what their target audience is interested in. â€Å"It’s all about that movement [online], and where people’s time is being spent,† says George Smith, senior manager, social strategy and execution, for Pepsi Beverages (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Actually listening to consumers in order to understand their wants and needs builds user loyalty, creating brand evangelists who will spread the word and act as online defenders of the company brand (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Moreover, by monitoring what people say online about its products, Pepsi is able to manage user complaints in real time, before they take on a life of their own (Social, 2012).† â€Å"DATA AGGREGATION â€Å"Unlike traditional, harder-to-track advertising methods such as TV and print, social media provides a wealth of statistics about the age, gender, demographics, interests, and reactions of consumers. As Smith notes, â€Å"With digital, you end up with a lot of extra data, and you end up with a lot more understanding of who your consumer is (Social, 2012).† â€Å"This consumer data helps Pepsi refine its consumer engagement model, the effect of which is to attract new fans, and thus more data (Social, 2012).† â€Å"GEO-LOCAL REACH â€Å"Pepsi is hopping on the newest trend in social: SoLoMo, or Social, Local, Mobile. Thanks to the massive consumer adaptation of smart phones, companies like Pepsi can integrate social media with location-based mobile marketing. (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Why do so? Because Pepsi can be more surgical about reaching populations in specific geographic areas. â€Å"We’re seeing good results from that,† Smith says, explaining that the company can target local audiences with specially tailored advertising messages fueled by location information provided in Facebook profiles (Social, 2012).† â€Å"This kind of micro-targeting allows brands to hunt consumers with a high-precision rifle instead of a shotgun (Social, 2012).† â€Å"INBOUND MARKETING Out with the push, in with the pull (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Pepsi has recognized that the tech-enabled power shift to the consumer has effectively neutralized many traditional forms of outbound, or push, marketing. Today’s savvy consumer wants to be listened to and courted by  marketers. They want direct channels of communication to brands. In short, consumers expect brands to employ inbound marketing best practices as an engagement model (Social, 2012).† â€Å"When done properly, this approach is a win-win for brands and consumers. Pepsi’s social strategist George Smith recognizes the mutual benefit of direct consumer interaction: â€Å"It’s nice to be able to have that direct conversation with them, and not have to rely on a specific media channel to push this, or buy TV constantly to push that message,† he says (Social, 2012).† â€Å"By last count, Pepsi’s 8,181,075 Facebook fans agree (Social, 2012).† Research two (2) other businesses that have used Social Media Marketing to their advantage. â€Å"At TopRank ® Online Marketing, we understand that your company’s success in social media requires a deep understanding of your customers’ needs and their journey throughout all stages of the buying cycle. We specialize in crafting targeted, high quality content that serves to attract, engage and even convert customers as they factor their social relationships into their purchasing decisions. Many companies offer social media marketing, yet we are one of the few with experience and proven results to consistently reach goals in branding, social PR, and even lead generation using social (Top Rank, 2013)† â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ BFM ® is a unique industrial pipe connector designed to provide safe, sanitary and efficient connections for the transportation and movement of powder within bulk powder processing plants (Top Rank, 2013).† Their objective was â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ develop a new website and launch a strategic online marketing program that would increase visitors as well as sales inquiries for the company†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Top Rank, 2013).† â€Å"The decision was made advertise their brand on the website utilizing search engine optimization (SEO) tactics: †¢ Website development and technical assessment †¢ Keyword research and content optimization †¢ Content promotion and link building †¢ Web analytics and conversion tracking (Top Rank, 2013).† These actions utilizing social media marketing resulted in, â€Å"†¦ website traffic increase more than 700% in its niche market. Additionally, with the launch of its creative campaign, The Powder Doctor, organic traffic to the company website has more than doubled. (Top Rank, 2013).† â€Å"Organic search, combined with the creative concept leveraged for online PR and email marketing campaigns, have helped to increase bottom line sales for the company by 83% (Top Rank, 2013).† Discuss how each of these businesses has utilized Social Media Marketing and provide examples with your discussion. â€Å"A success social media strategy ties outcomes to overarching business goals and connects you with the right prospects and customers on the proper platforms. It engages your loyal fans, friends, and followers through a combination of organic and paid media (Top Rank, 2013).† â€Å"Our social media marketing experience at TopRank spans all of the major social networks and a variety of niche sites, including Google+, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, SlideShare, YouTube and more (Top Rank, 2013).† Speculate what impact Social Media will have business over the next decade and identify what skills you need to improve to take advantage of the changes. In closing, the purpose of this assignment is to â€Å"evaluate the reasons Social Media Marketing has become exceedingly popular among businesses of all sizes. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of Social Media Marketing for business entrepreneurs. Assess how Social Media Marketing is helping Pepsi gain more customer insight than it would have otherwise. Research two (2) other businesses that have used Social Media Marketing to their advantage. Discuss how each of these businesses has utilized Social Media Marketing and provide examples with your discussion. Speculate what impact Social Media will have business over the next decade and identify what skills you need to improve to take advantage of the changes (Boone, Kurtz, 2012).† References Boone, L. E. & Kurtz, D. L. (2012 Update). Contemporary business (14th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John & Sons. Social Media Today (2012). 5 Ways Pepsi’s Use of Social Media is Right On. Retrieved from http://socialmediatoday.com/synecoretech/509355/5-ways-pepsis-use-social-media-right Top Rank (2013) Online Marketing. Retrieved from http://www.toprankmarketing.com /services/social-media-marketing// [pic][pic]

Decision Making and Investment Decisions Essay

Chuck Jones aimed to have a new design decision process supported by data and surveys instead of a return or payoff on the investment approach. At first when he presented his idea, authorities requested poof and Mr. Jones was unable to show them proof. Then M. Jones started his process. 1.As a first step, he surveyed 15 â€Å"design-centric† companies, including BMW, Nike, and Nokia. To his surprise, few had a system for forecasting return on design 2. Mr. Jones needed to provide a new plan to focus on Customers preferences. 3.Good feedback from the public would equal possible future return on the investment that was requested by the research team. 4.Do not focus on Bottom-line returns 5.Puts Design prototypes in front of customer focus groups 6.Get detailed measurements of their preferences about Aesthetics, Craftsmanship, technical performance, ergonomics and usability 7.Chart the results against competing products and the company’s own product 8.This approach gives the Decision makers a base-line of objective evidence from which to make investment decisions Evaluation: The Duet washing machine, launched five years ago, was the first big win for the common platform approach. By redesigning an existing product, using the same underlying technology but with modifications to the appearance and user interface, the design team created a product that could be sold at three times the price of its predecessor and competitor products. Design investment decisions are now based on facts not opinion. The new decision making approach has transformed the company’s culture. It had led to bolder designs because the designers can now make a strong case for making those investments. By following this approach the company can do innovation in their products. The shift has enabled Whirlpool’s designers to make the business case for investments and give financial folks greater confidence to ante up–resulting in bolder designs. What criteria does Whirlpool’s design team use in design decisions? What do you think each of these criteria involves? Whirlpool’s design team used their customer’s preferences as the basis of the company’s criteria. After significant considerable investigation of the, what Chuck discovered was that many of the organizations, including those the ones that operate on a global scale, many faced the same or similar situation as he did; they were all in need of a system that could forecast profitability based on design. They used a â€Å"metric-based approach† design, to capture â€Å"objective evidence† that would support and provide insight into future investment decisions for the company. Chuck and his design team â€Å"created a standardized company-wide process that puts s design prototypes in front of customer focus groups and then get detailed measurements of their preferences about aesthetics, craftsmanship, technical performance, ergonomics, and usability. This approach I think provided Whirlpool with a â€Å"baseline of objective evidence from which to make investment decisions† because with this innovative approach, the company could now make â€Å"design investment decisions† that are based on fact and not opinion

Kelvins Clouds Speech

Kelvin's Clouds Speech On Friday, April 27, 1900, the British physicist Lord Kelvin gave a speech entitled Nineteenth-Century Clouds over the Dynamical Theory of Heat and Light, which began: The beauty and clearness of the dynamical theory, which asserts heat and light to be modes of motion, is at present obscured by two clouds. Kelvin went on to explain that the clouds were two unexplained phenomena, which he portrayed as the final couple of holes that needed to be filled in before having a complete understanding of the thermodynamic and energy properties of the universe, explained in classical terms of the motion of particles. This speech, together with other comments attributed to Kelvin, such as by physicist Albert Michelson in an 1894 speech, indicate that he strongly believed the main role of physics in that day was to just measure known quantities to a great degree of precision, out to many decimal places of accuracy. Meaning of Clouds The clouds to which Kelvin was referring were: The inability to detect the luminous ether, specifically the failure of the Michelson-Morley experimentThe black body radiation effect- known as the ultraviolet catastrophe Importance References to this speech have become somewhat popular for one very simple reason: Lord Kelvin was about as wrong as he could possibly have been. Instead of minor details that had to be worked out, Kelvins two clouds instead represented fundamental limits to a classical approach to understanding the universe. Their resolution introduced whole new and unanticipated realms of physics, known collectively as modern physics. Quantum Physics In fact, Max Planck solved the black body radiation problem in 1900, presumably, after Kelvin gave his speech) In doing so, he had to invoke the concept of limitations on the allowed energy of emitted light. This concept of a light quanta was seen as a simple mathematical trick at the time, necessary to resolve the problem, but it worked. Plancks approach precisely explained the experimental evidence resulting from heated objects in the black-body radiation problem. However, in 1905, Einstein took the idea further and used the concept to also explain the photoelectric effect. Between these two solutions, it became clear that light seemed to exist as little packets, or quanta, of energy- photons, as they would later come to be called. Once it became clear that light existed in packets, physicists began to discover that all kinds of matter and energy existed in these packets, and the age of quantum physics began. Relativity The other cloud that Kelvin mentioned was the failure of the Michelson-Morley experiments to discuss the luminous ether. This was the theoretical substance that physicists of the day believed permeated the universe, so that light could move as a wave. The Michelson-Morley experiments had been a rather ingenious set of experiments, based on the idea that light would move at different speeds through the ether depending on how the Earth was moving through it. They constructed a method to measure this difference... but it hadnt worked. It appeared that the direction of lights motion had no bearing on the speed, which didnt fit with the idea of it moving through a substance like the ether. Again, though, in 1905 Einstein came along and set the ball rolling on this one. He laid out the premise of special relativity, invoking a postulate that light always moved at a constant speed. As he developed the theory of relativity, it became clear that the concept of the luminous ether was no longer particularly helpful, so scientists discarded it. References by Other Physicists Popular physics books have frequently referenced this event because it makes it clear that even very knowledgeable physicists can be overcome by overconfidence at the extent of their fields applicability. In his book The Trouble with Physics, theoretical physicist Lee Smolin says the following about the speech: William Thomson (Lord Kelvin), an influential British physicist, famously proclaimed that physics was over, except for two small clouds on the horizon. These clouds turned out to be the clues that led us to quantum theory and relativity theory. Physicist Brian Greene also references the Kelvin speech in The Fabric of the Cosmos: In 1900, Kelvin himself did note that two clouds were hovering on the horizon, one to do with properties of lights motion and the other with aspects of the radiation objects emit when heated, but there was a general feeling that these were mere details, which, no doubt, would soon be addressed. Within a decade, everything changed. As anticipated, the two problems Kelvin had raised were promptly addressed, but they proved anything but minor. Each ignited a revolution, and each requires a fundamental rewriting of natures laws.

Humorous Fathers Day Quotes

Humorous Fathers Day Quotes Looking for humorous quotes about fathers? Here are some funny Fathers Day quotes. These quotes reflect the subtle wit with a touch of sarcasm. Poke your dad with your own brand of humor. What fathers love most is a relaxed holiday in the company of their kids. Your father may seem broody on other days, but with a touch of tender love, watch your dad turn into a giant candy-dispensing, singing and laughing, happy old man. Humor is the best way to reach out. It can soothe hurt feelings, calm tempers, and build strong relationships. Share a joke with your dad and watch his lips curve into a sly smile. Tickle him further with more jokes, quips,  and quotes. Read him funny verses or funny Fathers Day sayings to bring out the chuckles. Once  the floodgates open, you will find a very different father beneath the veil of sobriety. Funny Fathers Day Quotes Red ButtonsNever raise your hand to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected. Jimmy Piersal, on How to Diaper a BabySpread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then, fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitchers mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again. Ernest HemingwayTo be a successful father, theres one absolute rule: when you have a kid, dont look at it for the first two years. Phyllis McGinleyThe thing to remember about fathers is... theyre men. A girl has to keep it in mind: They are dragon-seekers, bent on improbable rescues. Scratch any father, you find someone chock-full of qualms and romantic terrors, believing change is a threat, like your first shoes with heels on, like your first bicycle... John AubreySir Walter, being strangely surprised and put out of his countenance at so great a table, gives his son a damned blow over the face. His son, as rude as he was, would not strike his father, but strikes over the face the gentleman that sat next to him and said, Box about: twill come to my father anon. James BaldwinIf the relationship of father to son could really be reduced to biology, the whole earth would blaze with the glory of fathers and sons. Helen HayesWhen Charles first saw our child Mary, he said all the proper things for a new father. He looked upon the poor little red thing and blurted, Shes more beautiful than the Brooklyn Bridge. Peter De VriesMy father hated radio and he could not wait for television to be invented so that he could hate that too. Robert OrbenLife was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards.

Change Management or Change Leadership Which is more important Discuss Essay

Change Management or Change Leadership Which is more important Discuss - Essay Example This paper will particularly examine the two terms ‘change management’ and ‘change leadership’ and suggest which is more important in today’s highly competitive business environment. Change management Vs change leadership John Kotter (2011), the chief innovation officer of the Kotter International, has deeply researched into the difference between change management and change leadership. The author strongly says that these two terms are not interchangeable under any circumstance. According to Kotter, change management â€Å"refers to a set of basic tools or structures intended to keep any change effort under control† whereas the change leadership â€Å"concerns the driving forces, visions and processes that fuel large-scale transformation† (Kotter 2011). The major goal of the change management is to reduce the distractions and effects of the change maximum while the main objective of change leadership is to identify and promote various c hange driving factors that would fuel the planned change. Change management encompasses areas like planning, organising, and project management (Davis 2012). Change leadership tries to communicate the vision and the nature of the change process (ibid). Active participation of staff and other stakeholders is necessary to make the change leadership effective. ... Similarly, effective employee involvement is necessary to ensure greater commitment and support from their part.. Definition, explanation, and progression are crucial prerequisites to a successful change management program (ibid, pp. 209-210). It is identified that change management is a loosely defined term and hence different authors present different views to address this concept. Under the change management process, a range of ideas from areas like business, engineering, and psychology are applied to achieve desired outcomes (Hiatt & Creasey 2003, p. 11). In today’s business environment, many organisations fail to adapt to various changes properly because of various reasons. Change leadership is a primary solution to make the change management effective and to adapt to different organisational changes quickly and efficiently (Daft 2008, p. 454). Leaders have an inevitable role to play in promoting the change because they are the persons responsible for providing motivation and communication essential to keep the change efforts in the apt track; hence, strong and proactive leadership is a major factor determining the success of the change (ibid). A better change management model itself would not guarantee a successful change; instead, better supervision of the change management programme by an efficient and committed leader is vital to achieve expected goals (Orridge 2009, p.19). It is clear that a leader often needs to go beyond written check lists and fundamental operational models to understand his/her followers and their concerns and the feelings of the change. Therefore, under any circumstance, change leadership is the key to get the