Descartes’ First Trademark Argument Essay

Descartes argues that our idea of God is innate, meaning it is something inside us from birth, something that has always been there and will always be there. He believed that everybody has an idea of God being a supremely perfect being, and comes to the conclusion in his argument, that God himself put this idea there, he even said that our idea of God is like â€Å"the mark of the craftsman stamped on his work† – us being the work, the mark being our knowledge of God himself. For Descartes, the fact that everybody has this innate idea of a supremely perfect God is in itself, proof of his existence; and the fact that this is an a priori argument, makes this argument appealing for all rationalists, as it relies on knowledge, and not sense experience – which Descartes never trusted. The foundation for Descartes argument is the causal adequacy principle, this is the idea that something (for example, A cannot exist unless it is produced or caused by something else that contains formally or eminently everything that is found in A. Formal reality refers to the basic properties that a thing possesses. However, this alone would cause problems for Descartes argument, because God obviously does not possess all of the properties, of all of the objects on earth, take for example a stone, its properties are hard, round, rough. God is not these things. The way Descartes gets round this is by saying that something say again, a stone, can be caused by something that contains the properties eminently. To contain something eminently, means for the cause to not necessarily have the same properties as the effect, but to have a greater property. So God may not possess the qualities of a stone (say hardness) however he possesses a quality greater then this. In other words, the causal adequacy effects means the cause of something can be no less then the effect. Descartes then takes this principle, and believes he can apply it to ideas, in particular the idea of God as a maximally/supremely perfect being, the cause of this idea, must therefore must contain formally or eminently maximum perfection, so therefore the cause of the idea of God must itself be maximally perfect. Descartes then uses deductive reasoning to decide where the idea came from, he first asked, could he be the source of the idea? However concludes that he can’t be, because he himself is not supremely perfect, and therefore he can’t be the cause of a supremely perfect being. He then considers if the idea of a supremely perfect being could have come through his senses, however he decides this isn’t possible, as he knows he has never seen (heard, smelt, tasted) a supremely perfect being. He then asks if he could have imagined a supremely perfect being, again he concludes he couldn’t have, because his idea of God is too clear and distinct to have come from his imagination. He therefore deducts that the cause of the idea of a supremely perfect being, is actually an existing supremely perfect being who ‘placed’ this idea in his mind; so therefore, God exists. There are however, a number of criticisms to this argument, firstly, many philosophers have raised doubts as to whether the causal adequacy principle is actually true to real life, as there are a number of examples in everyday situations where the cause at least appears to be less then the effect, for example, a match causing a roaring bonfire, or a whisper causing an avalanche. Further examples include chaos theory – the idea that a flutter of a butterfly’s wing can cause an earthquake. If indeed causal adequacy principle isn’t true, Descartes’ whole argument is flawed, as if the cause can be less great then the effect, then Descartes indeed could have created him himself. The second criticism is David Hume’s argument, that you cannot know a cause a priori, but only by experience. He says you cannot determine the cause of something, simply by using reasoning, for example, if a window is broken, you know it must have been something big enough to produce enough force to break it by our past experiences, not by using a priori reasoning. He concludes that you have to have to have observed the cause and the effect to truly know what happened, and therefore the cause must be in existence. The third criticism questions whether we can actually have an idea of a supremely perfect being, Thomas Aquinas doubts our imaginings of God, because he is too great, and that it is impossible for us to understand some of his qualities, particularly the idea of God being infinite, as it is beyond out understanding to understand what such qualities actually mean, and therefore we don’t have a genuine idea of God. The forth criticism of Descartes’ argument is that the idea of God is incoherent, there are attributes which appear to be just plain contradictory, for example God is both immanent and transcendent. There is also doubt raised over Gods supposed omnipotence, can he make a rock so heavy that he can’t lift it? It seems either way his omnipotence will be compromised. There is also the problem of evil, if God is all good, omniscient and omnipotent, then why does he allow suffering in the world? It would therefore seem that the idea of God is unclear, and if so it is likely the cause isn’t that great, and so would make sense that the cause could in fact have been Descartes himself. Another criticism is that the idea of God is not universal, as many other religions do not have an idea of one all powerful God, and therefore the idea of God cannot be innate, as if it was, it would be inside all of us. Also, it is put that the idea of omnipotence cannot be divine, as it can be traced back to having historical routes as tribes fought over who had the greatest God, they would start with ‘our God is powerful’ until one tribes got to ‘our God is maximally powerful’ – and therefore cannot be beaten by the other tribe. Descartes would argue that the fact other religions don’t acknowledge one maximally perfect God does not mean the innate idea is not in us, it just means they have chose to ignore it, or haven’t been made aware of it. He compares it to maths, in the way that we may not have used its truths and laws (i. e. that a triangles interior angles add up to 180) however they are still truths none the less. The last criticism is the empiricists account for the idea of God, that we have experienced attributes such as power, knowledge and goodness in people around them and simply extended them to the idea of God, therefore the cause is less great then the effect, and the idea is not innate. One thing it has in it’s favor, is that it is an a priori argument, and therefore uses reasoning, something rationalist would find very appealing, it means that if the premise can be accepted that it can give 100% certainty. Overall, I feel Descartes’ argument has too many valid criticisms for it to be considered as a successful argument, and its foundation- casual adequacy principle, is itself flawed, leaving the whole argument to fail.

Miley Cyrus: A Teenage Inspiration

People screaming at the top of their lungs for the rock band that they idolize; an individual buying all the books and imitating the writing style of his favorite author; a young girl imitating the clothes of her fashion idol; the aforementioned instances are familiar examples of people who are practicing the idea of fandom wherein they are becoming huge fans of famous personalities or things. The idea of becoming a fan is perceived by people in different ways.There are individuals who look at the idea of being a fan as simply liking something or someone in a degree that is not common to other people. On the other hand, there are also those people who negatively look at fans, as individuals who are going crazy or psychotic for something or someone to the point that they are becoming obsessed. There are even allegations that fans eventually become stalkers, who do untoward decisions and actions. The opposing perspective of the term â€Å"fan† entails a more in-depth study about the topic.To be able to fully understand the meaning of being a fan, it is necessary that it is given due attention and importance. In doing so, I conducted an interview with three individuals, who have different backgrounds but is idolizing the same pop star.The pop star that I focus on is Miley Cyrus. My main motivation for looking for individuals who idolizes Miley Cyrus is due to the popularity and influence of this personality. In 2008, Miley Cyrus is included in Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.Due to this, I want to find out the reasons why people idolize her and its corresponding effects to their life. Moreover, by conducting the interview with three individuals who idolize Miley Cyrus, I learn more about the idea of being a fan. Summary of Cavicchi’s Book and Argument Based on the book of Cavicchi (1998) the term â€Å"fan† is used as both descriptive and prescriptive when it comes to describing individuals that are regarded as fans. Cavicchi even states that,On the whole, it [the term â€Å"fan†] is used both descriptively and prescriptively to refer to diverse individuals and groups, including fanatics, spectators, groupies, enthusiasts, celebrity stalkers, collectors, consumers, members of subcultures, and entire audiences, and, depending on the context, to refer to complex relationships involving affinity, enthusiasm, identification, desire, obsession, possession, neurosis, hysteria, consumerism, political resistance, or a combination (39). The interest of Cavicchi with the concept of â€Å"fan† is rooted from the fact that Cavicchi himself is also a self-proclaimed fan.The book that he wrote entitled Tramps like us gives an in-depth research and analysis of being a fan, especially when it comes to its corresponding effects to the individual who is a fan of something or someone. Cavicchi uses Bruce Springsteen as an example for his central argument that fandom is actually a useful and mea ningful behavior, which allows individuals to form their identities, establish communities, and make sense out of their lives and the society as a whole. Cavicchi (1998) points out that the contribution of Bruce Springsteen in the world exemplifies the advantageous effects of fandom.In the past, many critics have noted that the songs of Bruce Springsteen is unique from other singers in a sense that it actually exist in world of its own with its respective characters, settings, words, and images. The world that Springsteen creates is actually very relevant to other people wherein individuals who only have little knowledge or none at all about Springsteen can still relate with his music. Springsteen emphasizes the world of highways and factories, loners and underdogs, and many others. As such, the themes of the songs of Springsteen actually embody the ideals and struggles of most ordinary Americans.Being the case, Springsteen was able to substantially influence the American pop cultur e and also different societal debates. Springsteen has the ability to not only speak for his fans but actually to them with directness and sincerity, which actually touches the lives of his followers.Cavicchi uses three years of ethnographic research and his own experiences and impressions as a fan in writing his book. He provides an interdisciplinary study of the ways by which ordinary individuals who have special and sustained attachments to their idols actually were able to change and affect their lives because of fandom.Furthermore, it challenges the negative perception about the term â€Å"fan†, specifically the stereotypes of fans as being obsessive, delusional, and to the point of having mental problems. Cavicchi strongly emphasizes that fandom is a normal socio-cultural activity that aids in shaping the identity of individuals. Object of Fandom Destiny Hope Cyrus also popularly known as Miley Cyrus is an American pop singer, songwriter, and actress. Her rose to fame s tarted when she stars in the Disney Channel as Hannah Montana.After the success of her television series, she released a soundtrack CD of the songs that she sang in the Hannah Montana Show. The popularity of the soundtrack CD in the American market, especially for teenagers enables her to create a solo music career with her debut album, Meet Miley Cyrus. In her first album, Miley Cyrus was able to create her first top single entitled â€Å"See You Again†. The increasing popularity of Miley Cyrus paved the way for her to launch her second album called Breakout. Both the albums of Miley Cyrus top number 1 on the Billboard 200.In addition, the single of Miley Cyrus entitled â€Å"Party in the U. S. A. † was recognized as the highest charting and fastest selling single that reach number 2 in the Billboard Hot 100. The influence of Miley Cyrus reaches different nations, which is proven by the record-breaking sales of her albums that reach more than 15 million records. Miley Cyrus also shines in the field of acting. Miley Cyrus first extended play was The Time of Our Lives. Miley Cyrus also performed in the concert/film Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert.In relation to this, Miley Cyrus also starred in Bolt wherein she recorded the soundtrack for the movie, which enables her to be nominated in the Golden Globe Awards. The hit show Hannah Montana was later produced in the film with Miley Cyrus as the lead star of the movie. Moreover, the prominence of Miley Cyrus in the society is recognized by Time magazine when she is included in the â€Å"100 Most Influential People in the World and she also ranked 35 on the â€Å"Celebrity 100† list of Forbes magazine for earning $25 million in 2008.Interviewee # 1The first interviewee is Zoe, a 16 years old girl that describes herself as an avid fan of Miley Cyrus. Zoe is a Caucasian American, who is currently studying in a public school. The interview was conducted through phone wh erein the queries in the questionnaires were asked and were substantially answered by the respondent.The main interest of Zoe mostly deals with normal young adult hobbies like shopping and hanging out friends. In addition, Zoe also stated that she is very much interested in music, especially from modern pop artist. As previously mentioned, Zoe is a self-proclaimed Miley Cyrus fan.She said that she first get acquainted with the pop star through her series in the Disney Channel, Hannah Montana. Zoe immediately likes the character of Miley in the series and she also took notice of her exceptional singing abilities. Zoe said â€Å"Miley has an exceptional and unique singing voice that can really attract its listeners, once I heard her voice she already mesmerized me. †Zoe opted to have the complete albums of Miley Cyrus instead of just downloading it from the Internet, which she said is a way for her to actually give worth to the singing ability of her idol buy adding to her CD s ales.In addition to this, Zoe is also a fan of Miley Cyrus in Facebook and she also follows her in Tweeter. The influence of Miley Cyrus on Zoe affects her fashion sense because Zoe admitted she is actually imitating the fashion sense of Miley. â€Å"I always look carefully at the outfits that she wear, as I really admire her unique fashion sense†, stated Zoe. Zoe explains in the interview that she has not really done anything outrageous as a fan of Miley, the only thing that she did is make a scrapbook of her idol, which other people finds weird.Moreover, Zoe strongly believes that Miley Cyrus exemplifies the normal life of a teenager that has to go through the awkward stage of adolescence, which Zoe can relate to. Zoe expressed in the interview that Miley Cyrus affected her life by making her believe in her dreams and do more things in her life, as Zoe said, â€Å"I can have the best of both worlds just like Miley†.Interviewee # 2The second interviewee is Samantha, a 13-years old teenage girl who is a die-hard fan of Miley Cyrus. She is an African-American that is studying in a public school.Samantha’s interests usually involve watching television, playing computer games, and the occasional going out with her friends. Samantha exclaimed â€Å"I love Miley Cyrus so much! † when asked in the interview on who is her idol. She explains in the interview that she was introduced to the pop star sensation while watching Hannah Montana because her parents only allow her to watch limited channels and this include the Disney Channel. At first, she likes the comic banter between Miley Cyrus and her dad because Samantha can actually relate to it because she said that she has the same relationship with her father.Later on, Samantha is really entertained by the singing capabilities of Miley Cyrus. In relation to this, Samantha can actually relate to the lyrics of Miley Cyrus’ songs that talks about related issues about being a teenager. S amantha keeps a collection of different Miley Cyrus memorabilia like bags, school supplies, and others. She even said that â€Å"almost all my things are Miley Cyrus inspired†. In addition, Samantha also applauds the acting capability of Miley Cyrus, especially when it comes to comedy that is why she even created her own fan page for Miley.Samantha informed me in the interview that she has not done any outrageous thing as a fan of Miley Cyrus because she believes that becoming a fan does not necessarily mean doing something â€Å"stupid†. Moreover, Samantha points out that Miley Cyrus is an inspiration to her and also to her friends because she represents teenager everywhere who are following their dreams despite the set-backs of the teenage life.Interviewee # 3The last interviewee is an 18 years old Asia who is actually on her way of going to college.She requested that I do not state her name in the paper, as she is afraid that someone might know that she is a fan of Miley Cyrus. The hesitation of this girl in admitting that she is a fan of Miley Cyrus comes from the fact that most of her peers perceived Miley Cyrus as a loser. As a result, this girl does not have any Miley Cyrus memorabilia and she does not join any networking site about Miley Cyrus. The main reason of this girl for idolizing Miley Cyrus is because she can relate with the life of the pop star.She states that â€Å"Miley Cyrus is just a typical teenager who commits mistakes like her photo scandal and other boyfriend troubles . . . she is being real to herself and to her public. † The girl idolizes Miley Cyrus because of her courage to be true to herself and to others even if she is already popular. In relation to this, she also thinks that Miley Cyrus is a strong individual that can properly handle all the criticisms that come her way. Being the case, Miley Cyrus influences this girl to also be true to herself and never give up. AnalysisBased on the answers of the three i nterviewees it is quite observable that most of Miley Cyrus fans are teenage girls who are undergoing the difficult and confusing stage of adolescence. Their main reasons for idolizing Miley Cyrus are due to her singing and acting talents as well as the way she handles herself. The interviewed fans of Miley Cyrus have not done any outrageous or stupid things for their idol because of the reason that they have other outlets in order to express their enthusiasm and support for Miley Cyrus such as buying her albums, patronizing her products, and joining/creating networking sites.However, in the situation of one girl, she cannot freely express that Miley Cyrus is her idol because of the negative perception of her friends when it comes to the pop star. From the answers of the interviewee it is clearly proven that Miley Cyrus becomes an influential and powerful personality in the society because she represents the life of most teenagers.Miley Cyrus’ songs, television series, and ev en her life exemplify the issues and problems of an average American teenager. Miley Cyrus has substantially contributed to the American pop culture because most of her fans can actually relate with her life. Moreover, Miley Cyrus has her way of actually inspiring the lives of teenagers through her songs and the characters that she portrays, which embody a strong woman that will not give up amidst the challenges of life.

Hector vs Achilles

Achilles Motivation Fighting for personal honor Knows that his fate leads him to death so he is willing to sacrifice his life so his name will be remembered Cared little about anything except for his own desire†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦but this man’s ambition, remember, is to lead, to lord it over everyone, give orders to the rest of us!† (lines 337-340) †Well, this time I make sail for home. Better to take now to my ships.Why linger, cheated of winnings, to make wealth for you?† (lines 197-199). †And let them both bear witness before the gods who living bliss, as before men who die, including this harsh king, if ever hereafter a need for me arises to keep the rest from black defeat and ruin† (lines 394-398). †Thetis left her son still burning for the softly belted girl whom they had wrestled from him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 494-496) Loss of girl=loss of honor†He tells the delegates that he has decided to return to his kingdom and live out his life i n comfort, forgoing the honor of dying a hero’s death in battle† (246).Vengeance Hector killed his best friend †On hearing of Patroclus’s death, Achilles is overcome with grief and rage. Vowing to avenge his friend, he finally returns to the battle† (246) †Hector, had you thought that you could kill Patroclus and be safe? Nothing to dread from me; I was not there. All childishness†¦The dogs and kites will rip your body. Hiss will lie in honor when the Achaeans give him funeral† (lines 392-400) †Down by the ships Patroclus’s body lies unwept, unburied. I shall not forget him while I keep my feet among the living† (lines 458-460).Actions TakenStrong temper/rage â€Å"A pain like grief weighed on the son of Peleus, and in his shaggy chest this way and that the passion of his heart ran; should he draw longsword from hip, stand off the rest, and kill in single combat the great son of Atreus, or hold his rage in check an d give it time?† (lines 220-225) â€Å"But now the son of Peleus turned on Agamemnon and lashed out at him, letting his anger  ride in execration†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 263-265) â€Å"On hearing of Patroclus’s death, Achilles is overcome with grief and rage. Vowing to avenge his friend, he finally returns to the battle, mercilessly slaying the Trojan forces†Accuses Agamemnon of being a glory hound and trying to take more than his fair share â€Å"I have seen more action hand to hand in those assaults than you have, but when the time for sharing comes, the greater share is always yours† (lines 192-195).Sensitive when his pride is in jeopardyâ€Å"Eyes wet with tears, he spoke† (lines 412-414) â€Å"Thetis left her son still burning for the softly belted girl whom they had wrestled from him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lines 494-496)Selfish/pridefulputs his own needs above his army’s lives. â€Å"Without Achilles’ help, the Greeks are at a serious disadvantage against the Trojans† (246) â€Å"Achilles’ immense pride is revealed as he stubbornly refuses to accept Agamemnon’s gifts† (246). â€Å"†¦he has decided to return to his kingdom and live out his life in comfort, forgoing the honor of dying a hero’s death in battle† (246) Torture’s Hector’s dead bodydisrespect/dishonor Role/ Reaction of others Only his mom grieves for him â€Å"Her eyes filled, an a tear fell as she answered† (line 476) His army respected him when he was in battle but he did not seem to have a close relationship to anyone but his mother and possibly his bet friend Patroclus Role of godsHera favored the Greeks in general Athena was constantly by his side â€Å"Then Athena, gray-eyed, to the son of Peleus, falling in with him, and near him, saying swiftly:‘Now at last I think the two of us, Achilles loved by Zeus, shall bring Achaeans triumph at the ships by killing Hector†¦Ã¢â‚ ¬  (lines 253-259) â€Å"As his tumult swayed him, as he slid the big blade slowly from the sheath, Athena came to him from the sky† (Lines 226-228) Apollo did not favor himâ€Å"Archer of heaven, deadliest of immortal gods, you put me off the track, turning me from the wall this way†¦you saved my enemies with ease and stole my glory, having no punishment to fear† (lines 18-24) Obeys the godsâ€Å"Die, make an end. I shall accept my own whenever Zeus and the other gods desire† (lines 435-436) â€Å"Nothing for it, goddess, but when you two immortals speak, a man complies†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 253-255).Hector Motivation Duty and honor Protector of the people â€Å"Hector returns to battle, fighting fiercely for the Trojans† (246) â€Å"†¦here you may fight on to save our Trojan men and women† (lines 66-67) Not motivated by what was best for him, but what was best for his country and his people Actions TakenSelfless Would die for his peopl e â€Å"Now my soul would have me stand and fight, whether I kill you or am killed† (lines 298-299) Tried to make a pact of honor with Achilles â€Å"So come, we’ll summon gods here as our witnesses, none higher, arbiters of a pact: I swear that, terrible you are, I’ll not insult your corpse should Zeus allow me victory in the end, your life as a prize . Once I have your gear, I’ll give your body back to Achaeans. Grant me,too, this grace† (lines 300-306). Examines ways to get out of conflict  fear? â€Å"Suppose, though, that I lay my shield and helm aside†¦and go to meet the noble Prince Achilles, promising Helen, promising with her all the treasures that Alexandros brought home by ship to Troy†¦ Then I might add, apart from these, a portion of all the secret wealth the city owns† (lines 134-142) â€Å" â€Å"These were his shifts of mood† (line 157)Runs away â€Å"†¦and Hector, as he watched, began to tremble. Th en he could hold his ground no more. He ran, leaving the gate behind him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lines 164-165) cowardly not to fight Role of Others/ Reaction of Others Everyone loves and cares for him â€Å"If he brings you down, I shall no longer be allowed to mourn you laid out on your bed, dear branch in flower, born of me† (lines 103-106) â€Å"With tears and cries the two implored their son, and made their prayers again† (lines 109-110) â€Å"Child, I am lost now. can I bear my life after the death of suffering your death? You were my pride in all my nights and days, pride of the city, pillar to the Trojans and Trojan women† (lines 507-511). Role of the godsApollo was on his side â€Å"How could he run so long from death, had not Apollo for the last time, the very last, come near to give him stamina and speed† (lines 239-242) Zeus felt sympathetic towards him â€Å"How sad that this beloved man is hunted around the wall before my eyes! My heart is touched f or Hector;† (lines 200-203) Athena was against him â€Å"Now at last I think the two of us, Achilles loved by Zeus, shall bring Achaeans triumph at the ships by killing Hector†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 256-259) The gods choose his death â€Å"This the end. The gods are calling deathward†¦ Long ago this hour must have been to Zeus’s liking and to the liking of his archer son† (lines 351-358)Similarities Both are driven by stubbornness â€Å"Achilles’ immense pride is revealed as he stubbornly refuses to accept Agamemnon’s gifts† (246) â€Å"With tears and cries the two implored their son, and made their prayers again, but could not shake him. Hector stood firm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 109-111) Neither listen when a wise figure tells them who they are up against is more powerful â€Å" †¦don’t try to hold your ground against this man, or soon you will meet the shock of doom, borne down by the son of Peleus.He is more powerful by far than you, and pitiless† (lines 45-48) â€Å"Achilles, for your part, do not defy your King and Captain. No ones vies in honor with him who holds authority from Zeus. You have more prowess, for a  goddess bore you; his power over men surpasses yours† (lines 327-332) Both are heroes in the eyes of their peers at one pointBoth have some pride in them â€Å"Book 6 reveals to us Hector’s pride, for we learn that although he believes Troy is doomed, honor will not allow him to surrender† (246) â€Å"Now troops have perished for my foolish pride†¦ He kept his pride and ost his men, this Hector† (lines 126-129† â€Å"Agamemnon, humiliated me! he has my prize by his own whim, for himself† (lines 411-413) Both are ruled by fate through the gods

Exemplar design & advertising agency Coursework

Exemplar design & advertising agency - Coursework Example Below the line advertising comprises of production of calendars, T-shirts, caps, wrist band and newsletters. Creating the environment The company’s structure shall be two fold comprising of a business structure and an organization structure. The business structure shall be a partnership between the original ten designers whom I have recruited. This will act as an incentive to encourage them own the business and to work towards success The business will adopt functional organizational structure. This is ideal for small business startups. The business will have specialized departments that will report to single authority (Day and Zacarro, 2004). It will help in grouping every department in the organization in line with its core functions within the design agency. However, we shall maintain a level of flat management policy where by the various department heads shall have an open door policy to eliminate communication barriers (McCauley and Rudeman, 2010). The success of any comp any depends on the management as well as individual employees. The management should create a favorable environment by making a management decision based on the situation (Goleman 2000). Core values For a company, core values provide the guiding philosophies that form the basis of how the company management and it employees behave. Exemplar’s key core values will be contained within its mission statement. The company shall entrench a value system whereby innovation and excellence shall be encouraged and nurtured among its people. This shall further be reaffirmed by our mantra† Communication that adds value†. Second value preposition for the company is commitment; the company shall stress the importance of team members owning the various projects they are tasked with. Thirdly passion for the job will be a prerequisite for each individual working under the roof of Exemplar as they are our brand ambassadors to customers. Because we are in the business of selling drea ms passion needs, this has to be an ingrained trait right from the account executive, the copy writer and the tea lady. As a teamwe can only be effective in this endeavor if we are passionate about our cause. Because we are working in an idea oriented environment, creativity shall be one of the key pillars to Exemplar’s core values. (Day and Zacarro, 2004). It shall be harnessed through various ways, the most important of this being brainstorming sessions. Exemplar wants to pride itself as a company that conserves the environment and will also seek to minimize on energy cost. This will include seeking out office space that uses natural light within the premises, use of energy saving bulbs and also using paperless forms of communication and recycled paper in all it stationery needs. The last value preposition of the company shall be open-mindedness. Everyone who works in an agency has to have an open mind since there are times ones patience might be overwhelmed by demands from customers, colleagues or immediate supervisors (McCauley and Rudeman 2010). Exemplars culture shall seek to build an identity that will be easily associated with the design firm both by the internal staff and our customers through constant and mandatory practice of certain beliefs, meanings, language, values, rituals, norms which are the normal behaviors expected in the organization. Also for the new employees that

Global business venture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global business venture - Research Paper Example The battery life is the same 10 hours as of it predecessor. This iconic tablet is available in two colours, black or white, and supports HDMI output using a separate cable. It has front-facing cams with the traditional rear camera and a few cool accessories offered first time by Apple (Apple iPad, 2012). Till now, the product has been launched in many different counties but not in Japan. The other products of Apple have been successfully launched in Japan previously. Therefore Apple Incorporation is now planning to introduce iPad 2 in Japan. For this purpose government, political and economic analysis was carried out. Japans government is a constitutional monarchy and has a parliamentary government. Sovereignty, previously embodied in the emperor, is vested in the Japanese people, and The Emperor is the symbol of the state with sovereignty bestowed to the people of the country. Cabinet composes of Prime Minister and State Ministers and holds the executive power. The members of the cabinet must all be civilians and the power to appoint and remove state minister lies with the prime minister. The judiciary here is independent, with judicial system being drawn from civil law, customary law and Anglo-American common law. The final judicial authority is with the Supreme Court, though there are several levels of courts. The Japanese constitution includes a bill of rights similar to the U.S. Bill of Rights, and the Supreme Court has the right of judicial review. The court verdicts are made in accord with legal statutes. Since the 1980’s Japan has faced political instability. To put Japan back on the path of vibrant growth, the nations tax system was changed; there was a cut in corporate tax and a hike in sales tax, to escape sovereign debt crisis. There were a few other changes in government policies to attract investors towards Japan which had given positive outcomes (Takenaka, 2010). The free-market economy of Japan is the third-largest economy in

How Does Individualism-Collectivism Influence the Sales of Mobile Essay

How Does Individualism-Collectivism Influence the Sales of Mobile Phones in China - Essay Example Whereas, collectivism can be defined as a working culture where people work in groups, form relationships among teams and prioritise the team’s goal before their individual goals (Aldulaimi & Zedan, 2012). It is in this context that marketing strategies are designed based on the culture of a country where the product is to be positioned. Hence, collectivism culture of a target market can be effective for marketing brand with names which are preferred more than the product itself. Consumers who consider other’s opinion to rely on a product can be influenced by the collective marketing strategy such as word of mouth. Whereas, in the individualistic culture, the consumers do not rely on other’s information, rather make choices according to their individual likings. Advertising, packaging and promotions can be some of the factors that influence a change from collectivism culture to individualism culture such as the quality of group of people using the product (Ekeret e, 2001). For instance, the culture that the Chinese people follow to a large extent is collectivism and thus prefer to work in groups with due consideration to the team goal rather than their individual objectives (Hofstede, n.d.). This particular notion of the Chinese culture is observed to create a vast impact over their buying behaviour which can certainly influence mobile phone selling in the economy. The objective of the proposal will be to provide a brief description to the research process intended to be performed focused on the influence created by individualism and collectivism on the sales of mobile phones in China. The evaluations will be reviewed through reviewing literatures and relate them with the cultural marketing strategy adopted by mobile phone companies of China. 2.0. Literature Review 2.1. Individualism and Collectivism According to Markus & Kitayama (1991), individualism and collectivism can de differentiated within a group by the independence and interdepende nce style of working culture. In an individualistic culture, people work as independent targeting their individual goals whereas in collectivistic culture people are interdependent to each other within the group and aim to fulfil the group’s target ahead of their personal targets. As observed by Goncalo & Staw (2004), people in individualistic culture often describes themselves as ‘I’ when using any abstract but in the collectivistic culture people uses the abstract of ‘We’ to describe themselves. According to Bond & Smith (1996), a study demonstrated that Asians tend to conform more to their superiors than the Americans. Conformity prevails more to the collectivistic culture where people abide to certain guidelines that have been drawn by either the team or their superiors. However, in an individualistic culture, conformity is often treated as negative and only the organisations guidelines are being followed. As observed by Davidson & et. al. (1976) , a person’s behaviour is closely linked with the group in collectivistic culture where the goal of the people should not be regarded as solely independent and different from others’, but to encourage the interests of the group. In disparity, the people’s identity in individualisti

Foreign Market Entry Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Foreign Market Entry - Dissertation Example Bhorat, Lundall, and Rospabe (2002) provide that South Africa has a diverse constituency within her borders, the movement from oppression based political power to that of a free democracy has provided a number of opportunities and development within the country. Additionally this has arguably laid the platform for focus upon growth for the economy in South Africa, which has in turn been successfully implemented via the new regime and visa â€Å"orthodox economic management† which has lead to the fact that South Africa is seen as an emerging economy by international investors, based upon their foreign exchange policies, monetary policies and more importantly according to the authors, their trade policies (pp. 2-3). It is amongst these issues that make South Africa arguably more attractive to invest in and target a specifically defined demographic within the marketing, branding, and sales of the Kofola product. Specifically in terms of the economics and demographics of the country of South Africa, Robbins (2009) provides that the country is â€Å"classified as an upper-middle income country†, however the past of the country, being that of Apartheid and oppression rule has resulted in a significantly skewed proportion of wealth within the country itself, hence the preceding mention of the country’s history with respect to politics. This â€Å"skewed† income distribution translates to â€Å"approximately 3 million households† living in poverty (p. 35). However the concentration of wealth remains largely within the areas of the country that are seen as â€Å"population concentrated†, and not so much in the rural areas, where it is said that such poverty is more prevalent (Tait & HSRC 1996). To this end, the following figures have been obtained for representation and determination of the key focus areas within South Africa, in terms of targeting with respect t o this product and marketing plan. Figures represented here are South Africa’s â€Å"Mid-Year Population Estimates: 2010† as provided by the official Statistics Authority in South Africa (Robbins).

World Literature Phase 4 DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

World Literature Phase 4 DB - Essay Example Other comparisons include the thought that sometimes the sun is too hot while his love is never unpleasant to be around, never too intense. In these types of comparisons, in which she is not like early summer nor like late summer, Shakespeare indicates that his subject exists in a space of time that doesn’t exist, neither shaken by rough winds nor too hot for comfort nor too short for summer. Despite this, he recognizes the short term period in which most beauty exists. The summer is too short to contain his love, but as time passes, â€Å"every fair from fair sometime declines, / By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed† (7-8). As much as her beauty seems timeless to him, Shakespeare is acknowledging that time cannot be held back for anyone and will eventually leave its trace upon her beauty. The second half of the poem begins to describe her in terms that seem to place her beyond the realm of the living, â€Å"But thy eternal summer shall not fade / Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st† (9-10), because time seems incapable of touching her. This idea is negated in the next line though, â€Å"Nor shall Death brag thou wand’rest in his shade† (11), making the reader begin to wonder just how this individual is to escape the inevitable progression of time to which the rest of the human race is subject. The only way t o preserve such a thing, Shakespeare reasons, is through poetry. â€Å"So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, / So long lives this, and this gives life to thee† (13-14). As long as someone is capable of reading his lines, the beauty of his love will remain unforgotten and unspoiled. Because of these wonderful images that portray the depth of affection felt for another, poetry remains inextricably linked with romance and the involvement of the imagination. Christopher Smart’s poem, â€Å"Jubilate Agno† is quite different from most poems because half of the lines all start with the word

Short Story Al Q Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Short Story Al Q - Essay Example More so, there is very little or no evidence that occurrence of terror activities that relate to publication. The 9/11 Museum for instance refused to censor an Al-Qaeda film even amidst criticism (Weiss, 2014). This is because, according to Akbar Ahmed, Chair of Islamic Studies at American University argued that censoring such publications was an offense to the Islamic religion because it would stigmatize the whole world into thinking that terror activities are done by Muslims. To make it clear, John Esposito, an apologist for Islam at the Saudi-funded Prince Talal Center at the Georgetown University insisted that if censorship was to be used, it was then important make sure that â€Å"Muslim terrorism† and â€Å"Islamic terrorism† are two independent terms that needed to be defined separately. Through such explanation, negative ideologies embedded in peoples’ minds that terror activities are purely carried out by Muslims could be dropped. According to reports dating 13th Jan, 2015 on CNN (Wimple, 2005), censoring Al-Qaeda information would only generate news and in return most people would end up reading all contents revolving around the Militia group. Therefore, disassociating from such propagandas, according to the CNN spokesman would be an intelligent way of protecting news reporters from being targeted especially in situations where there is very little evidence to support the claims. CNN host Carol Costello r said, â€Å"CNN will not show you the new cover, which depicts the prophet Muhammad, because it is our policy not to show potentially offensive images of the prophet.† (Wimple, 2005). The statement was made after people claimed that the media was censoring Charlie Hebdo out of fear of Islam (Hemingway, 2015). A critical analysis into the claim indicates that censoring Al-Qaeda publications, especially the Inspire Magazine could be a

DECA- Commissary Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

DECA- Commissary - Research Paper Example The particular organization operates in the context of the US Department of Defense. Since its first appearance, DECA Commissary had to face the following problem: ethics related to the organization’s activities were often not appropriately promoted. For addressing this issue effectively, the organization’s managers decided to establish an ethical environment for others and introduce a plan for developing Positive Ethos across the organization. These efforts are described below using relevant literature, where necessary, for evaluating the appropriateness of the measures taken. It is proved that the organizational initiatives for the incorporation of ethics in the organizational culture have been successful but minor improvements would be made so that the high performance of the organization in regard to ethics is standardized. DECA Commissary - investigation of practices Company Overview DECA Commissary is an organization aiming to promote a particular plan: the provis ion of grocery to American Military, not only to the active members of the Military but also the retirees, at cost prices (DECA Commissary Overview). In this way, the Commissary helps the members of the Military to make a plan of living and to be released from stress related to the costs related to the particular type of food. According to the organization’s website, ‘the authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5 percent surcharge’ (DECA Commissary Overview). As a result, the members of American Military and their family can enjoy a life of high quality, as possible, a fact that helps them to increase their readiness towards the challenges that they have to face daily (DECA Commissary Overview). The organization’s success up today is highly based on its ethical environment, which is based on certain principles, such as ‘excellence in quality, sense of urgency, high standards and innovation’ (DECA Commissary Mission, Vision, Values). E stablishing an Ethical Environment For Others The promotion of ethics within organizations has a series of benefits for stakeholders; reference is made in particular to those individuals who support the organization’s plans, i.e. employees, suppliers and shareholders, but also to those affected by the organization’s activities, such as the state and the public in general (Brown 2005). In practice, it has been proved that establishing an ethical environment in organizations can result to a series of benefits, such as ‘the improvement of society, the increase of productivity and teamwork and the promotion of ethical education as part of the organization’s strategies’ (Fernando 393). For Collins (2009) the criterion for considering a behavior as ethical is the following one: the particular action needs to have ‘an ethical motive and ethical consequences’ (Collins 5). In the context of organizations the above view would be translated as fol lows: a business plan would be ethical if the motives of its designers are ethical and if the consequences of the plan are expected to be ethical. In business environment, ethics is a concept related not just to society, i.e. morals, but also to business, i.e. ethical conduct. DECA Commissary has managed to establish an ethical environment for others through the following practices: a) at a first level, the organization tries to ensure that the members of the

Global war on terrorism Essay Example for Free

Global war on terrorism Essay Serving my country is one of the bravest and greatest things I have done in my life. I was the first sergeant of Bravo 796 of the 14 military police brigade. Being the first sergeant was one of the most exciting jobs I have ever done, yet tough and hard, with a lot of personal responsibilities. The position is a bit challenging and demanding, so I had to be tough too. On a single day, the things that you I had to do were many, with many people complaining that they cannot get a hold of you. This might have been true, because of all the jobs that had to be done. My job was people. Dealing with people’s problems every day, starting from their health, welfare, discipline, and morale to mention but a few was the order of the day. From the time that I started my day, sometimes as early as one o’clock in the morning, having to deal with people’s problems and at the same time complete my duties at the end of the day, was so tiring. Most of the time, I had little or no time to do the paper work, as most of the duties involved outdoor activities. There was also no enough time spend with my family. The job requires that the needs of the country and the service be put before the personal needs. By doing this, I was able to enjoy the rewards of my military career. I also had to be skilled enough in matters concerning the army, because the position requires a person that is knowledgeable enough. Therefore, a lot of learning was necessary, for me to meet the demands of the position. I was mobilized for Global war on terrorism on the July of 2006 up to January 2009. Our mission was to train and to provide disciplined, physically fit, motivated, tactically and technically fit military police soldiers. The soldiers had to be familiar with the values of the army, and their character and conduct had to be pleasant, and reflecting the values of the military. In my experience as a first sergeant, one of my duties was to over see the smooth training of the soldiers in law enforcement duties. Some of the subjects that were taught were basic law enforcement tasks, reports and reforms, responding to incidents, unarmed self defense, maneuver and mobility support operations and enemy prisoner of war operations. I had to ensure that the soldiers were familiar to and fully understood the concepts that these subjects taught. Since the first sergeant’s position is the one at which all units merge, there are several key duties that are attached to this position, including holding formations, instructing the platoon sergeants, advising the commander and assisting in the training of the enlisted members. Relationship with the soldiers When the young soldiers to be first arrive at the training grounds, many of them are not aware of the reality of military training. They are not used to being shouted at and to obey orders, even when they do not feel like. They are also not used to being woken up so early in the morning by an officer shouting so loud at them. For many of them, it is their first time to leave home, or to be away from home alone for the first time to stay on their own. Despite these difficulties, they have to be treated in a manner that will harden them. As a sergeant, I had to treat the soldiers in such a way that they will able be to survive, even at the worst conditions. They have to live where they are asked to live, even when the situation is uncomfortable. However, these difficulties are imposed on purpose, to adjust the soldier’s attitude to the military way of thinking. Furthermore, it makes it easier to impose self discipline, obedience, loyalty, military rules, military policies, etiquette and sacrifice among other values and customs of the military to them. Some people say that the military officers gain pleasure in making the lives of the soldiers difficult. However, from my experience, I would not say that this is true. They only adhere to the rules of the military, to train the soldiers both physically and psychologically, in order to tear apart the civilians, and build from scratch a dedicated, physically fit and a proud member of the United States Armed Forces. Being in direct contact with the soldiers, and at the same time able to influence them for the better using your power is the key to earning their respect and to understand them. This is one of the most importance things that the first sergeant has to do. Your influence is so important that it determines whether a company will fail or deteriorate. As the first sergeant, I had to take all the knowledge I had and effectively pass it to the commanders of the units to teach it to the soldiers effectively, and at times training them myself. Being the first sergeant, you can only know if your efforts in training the soldiers have been effective through the behavior and the work of the soldiers. Normally, I had to make sure that my behavior, especially when around the soldiers is at its best. If a sergeant’s behavior is rotten, then the company will definitely copy that, and the results will be rotten soldiers. I also had to be completely involved and aware of every thing that goes on in the army, especially with the soldiers. This is why the position is so important, that most people refer to it as the livelihood or the blood of the army. A sergeant is required to act as an exhibitionist, to display his impressive character to all the other members. Sometimes, it may be said or thought that he is boasting; such a behavior is not egotistical, but it is required and can be viewed as a way of setting the example. Therefore, I had to ensure that my behavior is exceptional and outstanding. By doing this, it is assumed that the members of the unit will want to be exceptional too, putting aside their differences involved at a personal level, and work or live as brothers. As the duty of the first sergeant, I had to train the members of the units to the best of my interests, and be proud of them and their achievements. This entails praising the soldiers and talking proudly of all their success and positive attitudes to different people. In my experience, I learnt that a first sergeant’s role is important, in that he should act as the leader for the soldier’s success, and should he fail, the unit members may fail too. To attain the best of the soldiers, he needs to discipline them and be tough, to ensure their behavior is pleasant and acceptable in the military. He should also be a wise counselor, giving them advice whenever they need it. Being a provider is also a major duty of the first sergeant to ensure that they are comfortable. I also had to be a confidant to the soldiers of my company, listening to them and also being a friend in general. These are some of the aspects that bring the sergeant and the soldiers closer, to establish a close relationship comprising respect and concern to them. Relationship with the captain A unique relationship comprising of respect and confidence should exist between the sergeant and the commander. This relationship should not be the buddy to buddy kind of relationship, but one based on the work values. In most cases, such a relationship with the captain is not so common with officers of other ranks within the military. Being the first sergeant, I had to ensure that the will of the captain is carried out. When the first sergeant is given the title during his appointment, then he is automatically given authority to pass his ideas to the captain, to ensure the learning of the soldiers is as effective as it can be. While advising the captain, I sometimes found myself arguing or disagreeing with him on several matters. This is where there the authority, professional relationship, past experiences, and loyalty with the captain was required. At times, there are situations when the captain is not as experienced as the first sergeant. This may lead him to disregard the advice given to him by the sergeants. There can also be times when the sergeant’s reasoning has saved the captains reputation, which signifies the important role of the sergeant as the advisor to the captain; that failing to take the sergeant’s advice may lead them to making blunders that may cost them their jobs. In conclusion, I would say that the role of a sergeant is very important in the military training ground. Being a good leader, showing all the desirable characteristics, and above all things being able to interact with people of all kinds were some of the characters that guided me. Otherwise, I would not have been able to execute the position’s duties, and my job would have been a lot harder. Training the soldiers to the best of my knowledge for the sake of the countries safety was my priority, and today, I am proud of the service I gave my country. References 1) Military, Global security. org, 2009, retrieved on 2/9/2009 from http://www. globalsecurity. org/military/intro/enlist. htm

Fast Food Nation Essay Example for Free

Fast Food Nation Essay The growth of the fast food industry over the past few decades into what it is today is an undeniable phenomenon that has occurred in an alarmingly rapid pace. The fact of the matter is it seems that a person has a very realistic chance of finding a McDonalds within a 4 mile radius of any household in the country, it is also arguable that this is already the case for the world as well, and if not now then very soon indeed. According to an article â€Å"Good Home CookingRight off the Assembly Line,† by James Bone on the Times Online Web site said, â€Å"only one-third of Americans cook meals from scratch†, meaning with fresh ingredients. Bone also reports that â€Å"Americans spend only thirty minutes cooking dinner, compared with 2-1/2 hours in the 1960s†. In his book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser says, â€Å"one-quarter of Americans eat in a fast-food restaurant each day† (3). Why are Americans eating so much fast food? The answer is simple: they are willing to trade quality for speed. While Americans may be attracted to food that is fast and easy, they are missing some important benefits of slowing down. In fact, Americans’ obsession with fast food is hurting not only their health but also the quality of their lives. The main reason that Americans are getting take-out food and cooking prepared meals is obvious: they don’t have enough time. Bone said â€Å"in more than two-thirds of households in America, two people are working†. People with demanding work schedules have little time for food shopping and cooking. Another reason that mealtime has become so short is that many younger adults grew up in what one might call a fast-food culture. In the past fifty years, inventions such as televisions, fax machines, and computers have increased the pace of life. At the same time, microwave ovens, drive-through restaurants, and TV dinners have changed the way Americans eat. Many people now prefer to eat quickly, even in their cars or in front of the television, instead of taking time to cook a meal and sit at the table. In this culture of instant gratification, people don’t think food is important enough to spend much time on. Even though Americans think that they are saving time and improving their lives by eating precooked and prepackaged food, their obsession with fast food is causing the quality of their lives to go down. Fast food doesnt contain the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. They have lots of preservatives, fat, sugar, and salt to hide the fact that they are not fresh. As a result, people may feel chronically fatigued and lack the energy they need to complete daily tasks. If people do not eat fresh foods that provide necessary vitamins and minerals, they may become tired and sick, and they will miss out on opportunities to enjoy their lives. Another serious health concern is obesity. There is an obesity epidemic in America today, especially with young person, that is related to the way people are eating. According to Schlosser, â€Å"the rate of obesity among American children is twice as high as it was in the late 1970s† (240). Obesity can lead to many health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In The Link Between Fast Food And The Obesity Epidemic. Dustin Frazier writes, â€Å"deaths due to poor diet and physical inactivity increased 33 percent over the past decade†. It cites a study concluding that, â€Å"poor diet and physical inactivity may soon overtake tobacco as the leading cause of death in this country†. Certainly, if fast food causes people to become obese, and then obesity causes them to get sick or die, fast food cannot be considered â€Å"improvement† in Americans’ lives. Even though Americans may think they are saving time and improving their lives by eating fast food, they will actually have healthier and more enjoyable lives if they change the way they cook and eat. Making dinner from scratch is much healthier than getting burgers and fries from a fast-food restaurant. And people get more than just a full stomachthey get more time with family and friends and a good feeling from creating something healthy. People should learn to choose fast food carefully and remember the pleasure of eating good food in good company. Work Cited Bone, James. â€Å"Good Home CookingRight off the Assembly Line. † TimesOnline 27 Mar. 2006. 9 Oct. 2006http://www. timesonline. co. uk/article/0,,11069-2105427,00. html. Frazier, Dustin A. The Link Between Fast Food And The Obesity Epidemic. Health Matrix: journal Of Law-Medicine 17. 2 (2007): 291-317. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Sept. 2012. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York, NY: Perennial, 2002. Print.

Learning and development strategy

Learning and development strategy Part A Learning and Development Strategy Learning and development is basically directed towards the alignment of training needs and career development of an employee. The basic purpose of the learning and development strategy is that you advance an employee skills and knowledge in such a way that will help in getting his job done and eventually to leads to overall organization performance. Combining both learning and development strategies, you actually create a link between them. That is you actually motivate employee to learn those skills which will help them in performing their job. Essential elements of learning and development strategy are: How a learner will learn the information? Which form of information input will a learner prefer? How a learner will draw meaning from the received information? What will be the preferred learning style of the learner? Differences in formal and informal learning techniques Informal learning Formal learning In informal learning there is no formal instructor involved in it. In formal learning you are directly directed by the instructor to learn a particular thing. In formal learning has no predefined objects and end results. Before the start of the formal learning, you have some objectives that clearly define the reason and result of the learning. Informal learning does not take place within a structured environment. Rather it is more of spontaneous nature. Informal learning usually happens with the frequency of experiences Formal learning takes place within a special arrangement within an organization. In informal learning you dont get any recognition or certificate for learning that knowledge or skill It results in achievement of special degree or certificate that actually certified that the recipient of this has learned a particular skill or knowledge. Informal learning may not be intentionally learned. It may happen unintentionally In formal learning, learner consciously and intentionally learns a specific skill. It usually happens through hit and trial process; through socialization when you interact with people you tend to learn different things from them unconsciously. Examples of formal learning are discussions, role playing, lecturers, simulations etc. Honey and Mumford learning style The learning ability of each individual varies from another individual. Learning styles determine the preferences of individuals in terms of how they focus on different types of information, particular ways of perceiving that information and how each individual understands that information (Sandra Penger and Metka TekavÄ iÄ , 2009). Honey and Mumford come up with different four learning style to examine differences in learning approaches. The four learning styles are: Activists Reflectors Theorists Pragmatists Activists Activist learners have short them orientation. Activist wants new experiences in their lives. Activists are more flexible and welcoming. They are more of adventurous nature and want to try anything new. They are ready to take decisions without thinking that what would be the results of that decision. They dont like to prepare before they take any action. Because of their short term orientation, they get bore easily and quickly and always look for new things as soon as pleasure from one activity decreases. They are risk taker who want to accept challenges but without thinking the possible consequences of those challenges. Reflectors Reflectors are considered as good and active listeners. When learner gain experience as an activist, then there is a stage to process those experience. They seek information from people both primary that with their own efforts and secondary that is from others. That is why reflectors do not engage or participate or provide information rather they are seekers and listeners of information. They dont quickly jump to conclusion. Rather they want to have deep understanding and insight of the information and like to think over and again. There fore reflectors are slow decision maker. They resist from taking decisions immediately before pondering into the collected information. Their purpose is to collect and analyze information as possible before coming to conclusion. That is these learners focus on gathering and thorough processing of information instead of drawing conclusions from it. Theorists Theorists are those learners who are more attracted towards theories, logics and principles. They tend to transform the learned information, being an activist and reflectors, into theories and come up with logical reasoning. Their way of analyzing any information or solving problem is that they go step by step and draw relationships or logics to grasp the big picture. That is why they are said to be vertical thinkers (Frank Coffield, David Moseley, Elaine Hall and Kathryn Ecclestone, 2004). They are more of perfectionist who wants discipline in their lives. That is why they go systematically, logically and rationally. Theorists are more of objective nature. Therefore they do not believe in subjectivity, gut feelings or intuition. They want logics and reasons to grasp the information. Pragmatists As theorist look for theories and logics to understand the information, pragmatists are one step forward. They want the practical implication of theories to grasp the information. As the name implies, pragmatist learners are more of practical and realistic in nature. They cannot assimilate any model theory or principal until and unless it has practical verification. Like activist they look for challenging wok and new ideas but it should be of practical nature. These types of learners want to try out the information they have learned once they get out of the learning institution. Activities that form part of the learning and development Case study Case study is one of the activities that form part of learning and development strategy. In this method learners are provided with situation that could be hypothetical or real. That situation or story includes the background, some supporting information and issue faced by a company or any organization around which the case study revolves. Learner has to solve the case study by providing possible solutions to the problem. Learner must be told that case study may not have one concrete solution. Rather its the property of the case study that a problem in case can be solved by many and different ways. Therefore each learner can have different solution for the case study. The focus on using case study as a learning tool is that how the learner approaches towards the solution, how much he understands the problem and what are the tools and techniques he has used to solve the problem. Harvard case studies are widely used in colleges and universities to improve problem solving and decision making skills of learners. On the job training (OJT) On the job training is especially applicable for small business. Its more appropriate when learner has to learn new technology. OJT can be done formally or informally. In formal OJT, there is a formal trainer, learners observes the teacher that what and how he is doing. Then after the demonstration, instructor will discuss the process of using orally. Then the learner will himself practice the learned skills and will get feedback and instruction at the same time. This process will repeat until the learner become master to it. Whereas in informal on the job training, there is no formal trainer, those who knows the technology can teach the learner whenever he requires. There is no formal practice of the learned skills or proper feedback of the performance of the learner. Mens Wearhouse is practicing formal on the job training in which they have trained trainers and they are responsible for the development of their trainees. Part B Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Maslow hierarchy of needs theory was proposed in 1943 by Abraham Maslow in a paper A theory of human Motivation (William G. Huitt,2004). Maslow points out five levels of need that are the sources of motivation for every individual. This level of needs is presented in a specific sequence. If one level of need is satisfied, then individual will move towards another level of need. An individual will not move forward to another level of need until and unless the existing level will be satisfied. And this process will continue until a person reaches to most upper level. Different people will be motivated by different level of need at the same time. The five levels of needs are Psychological needs Safety needs Social needs Esteem needs Self actualization needs Psychological needs This is the primary level need of Maslow hierarchy of needs. It includes basic necessities of an individual that are food, shelter, water and other physical requirements. This level of need is the basic requirements of every individual and it must be met to move upward in need pyramid. Safety needs Safety needs includes protection, security both physical and emotional. Safety needs include financial security, health care, justice, personal security etc. If the physiological needs of an individual is satisfied then he will move for safety needs. For an employee safety need would be job security, justice in distribution of rewards by the company. Social needs Social needs include need for friends, relationships and belongingness. Every individual needs love and love by others. Esteem needs Esteem needs includes need for self respect, achievement, recognition, status, reputation. All individuals have tendency to engage themselves in such activities that results in recognition and value to enhance their reputation and gain a status among the group. Self actualization needs Self actualization needs includes need for growth and to satisfy the drive of becoming what one has capacity to become. This is the most upper level of need hierarchy. Any individual will reach to this stage, when the lower levels of needs will be satisfied. If pervious level of needs will be satisfied, then an individual will realize its inner potential and will try to become what he can be. Critical analysis of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory The crux of Maslow hierarchy of needs theory is that each level in hierarchy must be satisfied before you go to the next level. In business world, managers adopted this theory to motivate their employees. Motivating employees is a big challenge for managers in any organization. Managers not only motivate their employees to get their job done but they motivate their employees to perform their job in such a way that leads to both employee and organizational productivity. So Maslow theory gives basis to how to motivate employees. Managers have to determine that which need level is more important to an employee. Sometimes managers only focus on physiological and safety needs to motivate employees in terms of salary and job security. But manager must keep in mind that if you want outstanding performance from the employees, then you have go upward and focus on upper level of needs like esteem and self actualization need. Merely monetary incentives are not sufficient to motivate employees but recognition in public, raising status, promotions, career advancement also encourage employees and wok as a token of apprecia tion for the employees. It also gives signal to the employees that company value the contribution of employees. Criticism on Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Maslow hierarchy of needs theory is based on intuition and has no scientific reasoning behind it to support the argument. Maslow hierarchy of needs is not applicable in all culture. For instance, some culture gives importance to esteem needs than social needs. Some culture emphasizes social needs then over self actualization. According to Nevis (1983), Chinas primary need is belonging need and there is no esteem needs in need pyramid. Moreover self actualization need for China in not realizing ones own potential, but being collectivist country, the meaning of self actualization for them is to serve the members of the society. Implication of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Apart from criticism, Maslow hierarchy of needs theory has an implication on HR practices. Through this theory, managers can design the framework to determine how to motivate employees for better performance. For instance you can arrange lunch breaks, define rest hours and enough salary and wages so that employee can have their basic necessities of life to fulfill their physiological needs. In safety needs, managers must provided safe and sound working conditions in which workers can work easily and there is low level of hazards. Managers must design pension plans, retirement plans and gratuity to help employees after their retirement age. In social needs, managers must design groups or teams to which employees can associate them. In esteem needs, managers must recognize the contributions of their employees not only by giving them monetary rewards. But employees must be rewarded on basis of total reward management concept which includes intangible rewards as well like recognition program, certificates, gifts etc In self actualization need, managers can give career advancement opportunity to employees by giving them more challenging work, sponsoring them for higher education etc

Queen Elizabeth I - Family, Religion, and Politics Essay -- essays res

Born of a king whose most disappointing day was that of her birth, Elizabeth Tudor’s life seemed almost made for trials and controversy, both personally and politically. Although she had, at times, a horrible temper and a disagreeable personality, and suffered through many physical and psychological problems as an adult, Elizabeth proved to be one of the most remarkable monarchs in English history. Firstly, I will discuss Elizabeth’s family (including her many stepmothers), and then I will talk about her relationship with her siblings under their power. Thirdly, I will examine religion and how it affected her opinions and politics during her reign. Lastly, I will look at foreign politics of the time and some of Elizabeth’s decisions affecting England’s position in the world. Elizabeth was born in 1533 to Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn. Anne was Henry’s second wife, after having divorced the first (Catherine of Aragon) for having failed to produce a male heir to the throne. (On Catherine’s death, her daughter Mary’s birth was declared illegitimate.) Ann had been Catherine’s lady-in-waiting. After Elizabeth’s disappointing birth, Ann Boleyn had two miscarriages. The king was growing impatient for a son. During Ann’s fourth pregnancy, she discovered Henry in bed with her lady-in-waiting, Jane Seymour. Her anger brought on premature labour, and she gave birth to a dead boy. Henry had her arrested and taken to Tower Hill. She was charged with having committed adultery and incest, and was beheaded. The King married Jane Seymour thenext morning. Elizabeth was only three years old at the time. In 1537, Jane Seymour gave birth to a boy, Edward. Jane died a week later. The king remarried quickly (to Ann of Cleves), but the marriage en... ...lso proved to be a wise political move, for she flirted incessantly, and â€Å"not to marry always left the door open to the possibilities of marriage, and that was an asset.... which she did not care to lose† (Read, 162). Though, near her death, more problems were caused by a new generation looking for change (more people were executed in those last few years than all of the other years of her reign put together), Elizabeth Tudor’s name will echo in history books for many years to come as an important figure in English history. References Jenkins, E. (1965). Elizabeth the Great. London: Victor Gollancz. Morris, C. (1955). The Tudors. London: Fontana/Collins. Read, C. (1936). The Tudors: Personalities and Practical Politics in Sixteenth Century England. New York: Henry Holt and Company. Rowse, A.(1950). The England of Elizabeth. London: Macmillan and Co.

A Character Analysis of James Joyces The Dubliners Essay -- Literary

In the collection of short stories in â€Å"Dubliners,† James Joyce introduces a mosaic of the day-to-day lives of working class Irishmen and their personal struggles with the pre-independent societal and personal restrictions of Victorian England. The characters of Little Chandler, Eveline, Maria, and Farrington symbolize the specific components of the kaleidoscopic Irish population and their universal tendency to stay contained within the limits of the current time period and within the limitations of their society. Despite life presenting them with opportunities to improve or change their living conditions, these people are not ready to move on and are suffocated by their ambiguity, their belief system, and their stereotypes. Joyce’s characters illustrate multiple stereotypes and also a variety of beliefs that Irish people followed, which influenced their behavior and their choices. Some literary critics recognize the reason for the paralysis of Dubliners as being the society as a whole with its pervasive moral conditions (Bloom 90-91). One of the most significant stereotypes, described by Phillip F. Herring, was the misleading belief among the Irish population that the improvement of their lives comes â€Å"only through death or emigration† (Bloom 91). This false conviction is presented in at least two Joyce’s characters; Eveline and Tom Chandler. Eveline is a nineteen year old girl from the book of the same name. Although still very young, she is taking care of her abusive father and two siblings in return for having a roof over her head. She is employed in â€Å"stores† under the supervision of Miss Hill, who, similarly to her father, does not show any fondness f or and kindness to Eveline. However, there might be a light at th... ...guage 51.1 (2009): 1-16. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. de Voogd, Peter. â€Å"Imaging Eveline, Visualised Focalisations In James Joyce’s Dubliners.† European Journal of English Studies 4.1 (2000): 39-48. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 Apr. 2012 Goldberg, S.L. â€Å"Virtues and Limitations In James Joyce’s ‘Dubliners’: A Critical Handbook.† Eds. James R. Baker and Thomas F. Staley. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc. (1969): 29–35. Print. Herring, Philip F. â€Å"‘Dubliners’: The Trials Of Adolescence In James Joyce: A Collection of Critical Essays.† Ed. Mary T. Reynold. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc. (1993): 67-80. Print. Kelly, Joseph. â€Å"Our Joyce: From Outcast To Icon†. University of Texas Press, 1998. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 10 Apr. 2012. Joyce, James. â€Å"Dubliners†. Ed. Margot Norris.1st ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2006. Print A Character Analysis of James Joyce's The Dubliners Essay -- Literary In the collection of short stories in â€Å"Dubliners,† James Joyce introduces a mosaic of the day-to-day lives of working class Irishmen and their personal struggles with the pre-independent societal and personal restrictions of Victorian England. The characters of Little Chandler, Eveline, Maria, and Farrington symbolize the specific components of the kaleidoscopic Irish population and their universal tendency to stay contained within the limits of the current time period and within the limitations of their society. Despite life presenting them with opportunities to improve or change their living conditions, these people are not ready to move on and are suffocated by their ambiguity, their belief system, and their stereotypes. Joyce’s characters illustrate multiple stereotypes and also a variety of beliefs that Irish people followed, which influenced their behavior and their choices. Some literary critics recognize the reason for the paralysis of Dubliners as being the society as a whole with its pervasive moral conditions (Bloom 90-91). One of the most significant stereotypes, described by Phillip F. Herring, was the misleading belief among the Irish population that the improvement of their lives comes â€Å"only through death or emigration† (Bloom 91). This false conviction is presented in at least two Joyce’s characters; Eveline and Tom Chandler. Eveline is a nineteen year old girl from the book of the same name. Although still very young, she is taking care of her abusive father and two siblings in return for having a roof over her head. She is employed in â€Å"stores† under the supervision of Miss Hill, who, similarly to her father, does not show any fondness f or and kindness to Eveline. However, there might be a light at th... ...guage 51.1 (2009): 1-16. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. de Voogd, Peter. â€Å"Imaging Eveline, Visualised Focalisations In James Joyce’s Dubliners.† European Journal of English Studies 4.1 (2000): 39-48. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 Apr. 2012 Goldberg, S.L. â€Å"Virtues and Limitations In James Joyce’s ‘Dubliners’: A Critical Handbook.† Eds. James R. Baker and Thomas F. Staley. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc. (1969): 29–35. Print. Herring, Philip F. â€Å"‘Dubliners’: The Trials Of Adolescence In James Joyce: A Collection of Critical Essays.† Ed. Mary T. Reynold. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc. (1993): 67-80. Print. Kelly, Joseph. â€Å"Our Joyce: From Outcast To Icon†. University of Texas Press, 1998. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 10 Apr. 2012. Joyce, James. â€Å"Dubliners†. Ed. Margot Norris.1st ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2006. Print

Existentialism in The Stranger by Albert Camus :: essays research papers

In defining existentialism the responsibility of the free being is essential to define what one is although the actions taken by the individual are self imposed and are not the fault of the environment. The Stranger by Albert Camus is in relation to the existential philosophy of the individuals deviating thoughts towards their actions are in relation with protagonist Meursault in The Stranger by Albert Camus. Existentialism and its definition of mans self determination reflects life during the world war two era. World war one and two developed a sense of pessimism to the optimistic faith driven world. The suggestion that pessimism dominated the outlook of the world is out ruled in the perspective of an existentialist. The leading philosopher of this attitude Jean ?Paul Sartre believed that in passing judgment of individual?s actions one is being deceptive towards their own. To a spiritual individual this is unacceptable way of thought, coming to terms with the reality of living in purposeless world, would be end to a faith of a purposeful future which ultimately does not exist. In The Stranger Meursault comes to terms with his own execution as he realizes death will come for him weather it is today or five years from now this life is meaningless but he lived as he wanted (Fiero 71 -72). During Post World war two era developments of technology and the modern society?s estrangement from reasoning left the individual alienated from aspects of life. The modern individual discomfort toward the unknown which was ultimately led to death left one alienated with a sense of anxiety. It can be assumed that the individual came to terms with the reality of the world through that existentialism was found. Leading a life that an individual currently wants to live and not that of what society tells them live by for their future, can be compared to Meursault life style. Meursault is a passive man, unmotivated to the individual leading a life of judgment and denial. His way of life fulfills the qualities of an existentialist and he is ridiculed for the ease of the pleasures in his life during his trial (Fiero71). The existential life is free of the constraints of society, morality and values are irrelevant to the existence of the individual. Lack of rationality in a world filled with events occurring spontaneously existentialism can be perceived as the basic irrational structure to an individual?

Philips vs Panasonic: Facing the 2008 Economic Crisis Essay

1. Introduction Panasonic and Philips are two of the main consumer electronics companies in the world with different origins but similar international path. Several hurdles were faced by both companies in their evolution. This paper will analysis how the administrative heritage of Philips and Panasonic caused problem in the changing of their strategy, causing problem in the implementation of the respective strategic decisions. Moreover it tries to explain how time contingences and the external environment had influenced the strategy of the two MNEs and shape the organizational structure; sometimes leading to success, sometimes losing ground in the market field. Nowadays the main tasks of the two companies are conflictual : for Panasonic defending its leadership position, for Philips challenging the global leader. How to reach these goals? The last paragraph will address these objectives providing to the CEOs of the respective companies further steps to consider in order to remain com petitive in the market field, from 2008 looking forward. 2. How the environment and culture shape companies’ strategy and organization 2.1 Philips evolution: from responsive to integrated Philips’s strategy, right after WWII, led the company to its success. The economic situation during the 30s, forced the company to transfer part of its assets and laboratories abroad. This led to a dispersion of responsibilities. Countries protectionism, high tariffs and trade barriers required local production facilities. These problems led to the adoption of a decentralized federation with independent and self sufficient units and autonomous marketing. The contingent environment spurred the management to rebuild their structures upon National Operations (NOs). Philips built its success on a worldwide portfolio of responsive national organizations. Economic conditions, tastes and preferences, at that time, differed across countries; corporate management treated subsidiaries as independent national businesses with the aim to satisfy local needs. National Organizations were so vigil that they manage to preempt products required by customers, launching products such as the first color TV, the first stereo TV and the first TV with teletext. Innovation and R&D were the core strength of the company. They were flexible, responsive and fast in the approach to market. Entrepreneurial initiatives derived, not from top down imposition, but from every single division. The company succeeded in managing its innovation and to bring it to the next level, making innovation and customer’s needs the purpose of their business. The focus on national responsiveness was appropriate since the 50-60s, when it started to become the firm’s limitation. The great focus given to tailor solution to costumers’ tastes increased the cost of production and led to a dispersion of subsidiaries across too many countries. Problems of efficiencies and coordination arose. The company took several years to get rid of its matrix structure. Attempts to shift the companies to a slimmer organization in order to become more efficient in its production were slow and cumbersome. The National Operations continued to detain major responsibilities. The company was captive of its past. Contrarily to management prevision, the matrix structure created more problems that it solved. It was more complex than either the â€Å"worldwide area structure† or â€Å"the worldwide product structure†, and it created conflicts of responsibilities. Market signals warned the company to implement changes in the way business was conducted. However, in the 1990s, the company was, still, going through major losses. The structure was too costly and value added higher, compared to Japanese production facilities. Even if a good objective were settled in the strategic planning, however, as history showed, the further step of re-organization failed due to difficulties encountered in rebuilding the organization. It was not a zero-base reconfiguration. For more than 35 years, from 1971 onwards, different CEOs tried to take action in order to reduce the power of NO and create an agile and simple divisional organization that could create efficiencies, however trying not to neglects their sources of innovation: respond to country specific markets. 2.2 Matsushita evolution: from integration to responsiveness Matsushita point of departure instead was complete different from the one undertaken by Philips. Matsushita employed a divisional structure with a strong centralized decision making. The adoption of the divisional organization was well-thought due to the large and highly differentiated product range manufactured by the companies, aimed to different target clients. This allowed the company to reduce the organizational complexity and reducing transaction costs within the company. Matsushita exploited the favorable characteristic of the post war era, such as a convergence of tastes across borders and the â€Å"uncontrollable† globalization. In the 60s, the firm managed to expand its product range. It created self-funded research laboratories to develop new product solution. At the time, Matsushita detained a strong distribution channel directly owned by the company with more than 25.000 domestic retail store. However, when the demand in the domestic marketed slowed down, what was a competitive advantage domestically was not replicable abroad. The company made a lot of effort in expanding its international presence, without being demoralized. However as times passed by, the highly centralized control structure, create problems in their offshore operations. By the 1980s, the company, mainly concentrated on global integration instead of localization, decided to re-tailored its strategy . Decentralization of responsibilities was more than a necessity. Matsushita’s strategy was too focused on global efficiencies neglecting innovation, and learning and flexibility. R&D was vital in this industry. Actions of several CEO tried to address these issues, changing the company’s strategy from copycat to promoter of invention. However, as Philips encountered problem in its â€Å"transformation†, so did Mastushita. The firm had difficulties in promoting self initiatives among different divisions. The former centralized hub organizational structure was still present in the employees’ mentality. The initiatives, such as the introduction of local managers with stronger responsibilities in key positions and locations, did not give the expected outcome in the short run. It took several years and a lot of effort to see some res ults. Again the company was captive of its past. Today, Mitsushita’s configuration is mainly built around 3 main divisions: Digital networks, Home appliance and Components; reduced from the 36 product divisions used in the 1980s. The simplification was clear and so its advantages. The reaction of such a structure led the company to be more flexible to local need, reduce costs of duplication and achieve economies of scope. The products developed within each division were highly linked. However the company was not safe from competition. With the crisis’ approaching, the economical situation of the company does not remain untouched. What else is left to do? 2 Core issues today in the consumer electronic industry The current economic situation differs drastically from the one encountered in 10 or 20 years ago. Phenomena like globalization have given companies such as Philips and Panasonic the chance to provide their product to an extensive market, raising however new challenges. The global economic recession has created new needs. Consumers are more price sensitive and less willing to pay high prices for low quality products. Companies need to be aware of their cost structure and be ready to take respond to rapid technological changes and changing consumer preferences with timely and cost-effective introductions of new products in markets that are highly competitive in terms of both price and technology. The access to low factor cost, such as low labor force in emerging country as become crucial. Moreover, developing markets, such as India and China, are not only location where firms can manufacture products at lower costs, but also new opportunities where companies can market their own produ cts. In the consumer electronic industry, competition has become extremely high and innovation, now more than ever has become crucial as new source of revenues. 3. Recommendation for Philips: Exploit contingencies of the time you are in The 2008 situation of Philips is not flourishing. In 2008, the company scored a net loss of â‚ ¬260 million. This was probably due to the financial crisis that affected the company drastically. However, company’s loss can not only be attributed to external factors. The company has made some mistakes, in the recent years, and should take action and correct its own strategy, remembering it origins. Coherence with past is crucial to tailor an effective strategy that could lead to innovative solutions for the future. That’s why Philips should continue to develop consumer-centric solutions. Research laboratories should remain independent but linked across one another. Philips should tackle the recession without sacrificing its long term strategic ambition: â€Å"Improving people live through meaningful innovation†1. That why now, more than ever, the company should be able to forecast marke t trends. Philips should continue more efficiently to re-allocate resources to growth opportunities and emerging markets. To do so it should transfer part of its qualified personnel to target markets, such as from India and China, building a strong teams of both local and expatriates managers and engineers. The combination of foreign and local figures could help the firm to continue the strategy of local responsiveness. To do so, it is necessary to include in the company agenda selective mergers and acquisitions. M&A, however, should not be out of focus. Philips has reduced its current division to 3 main domains: healthcare, lighting and customers lifestyle. My recommendation would be to stay true to these three core segments, acquiring key strategic companies in foreign markets. How to finance these new objectives? Disinvestments in peripheral activities and less profitable plans are still needed in order to obtain liquidity to reinvest in developing countries. This tactic would not repay within short term but long term profits would offset the high level of investments. Moreover leveraging of local subsidiaries in emerging markets can a springboard, to target back developed markets selling low cost products. 4. Recommendation for Mastushita: defending worldwide dominance The economic situation of Panasonic is different from the once faced by Philips. Panasonic is the world’s leading plasma maker in the industry and has to defend its worldwide dominance. Matsushita has based its competitive advantage ion low cost production. However, particular during financial crisis period, several other initiatives are to be implemented. First the company has to reduce its cost structure in order to face the deep decrease in demand in order to continue to make profits. Panasonic its already leader in this activities, however, there are always margins of improvements. To achieve cost reduction, it has to downsize its workforce. The firm should prioritized certain businesses over less profitable ones. Moreover adopt a lean management in order to reduce at the minimum the wastes in the value chain. Secondly it should restructure its organization to make it as clear and simple as possible in order to avoid cost duplication, slow process and cost of bureaucracy. In addition, The shift of demand and the focus on emerging market, in particular Asian markets, should be the highest priority. The market signaled opportunities in untapped market. The firm should be upfront in order to gain advantages over competition. These is a necessity to shut down plants in Japan and oversea and transfer workforce and capital to new sites. This initiative can also overcome exchange currency risk. Also distribution channels in these countries should be enhanced. However, the company should not forget its heritage: leverage on efficiency. The company should achieve a â€Å"transnational strategy†; incrementing its local responsiveness and innovation and learning, at the same time. Even during times of recession in essential to continue to invest in R&D, with the objective to grow faster than competitors when the market recovers. The main revenues for the companies come from distinct technologies. Local responsiveness could be achieved through the delegation of, even more, profit responsibilities to the three main divisions. This could enhance the company performance and to keep it on the podium. 6. Conclusions The structural variety is function of the environmental characteristics, Organization has to adapt to the external environment. Both companies has gone through several changes in their evolution. Environmental factors pushed companies to rethink their strategy and consequently their organizational structures. In some cases the difficulties encountered in the transition, for instance from an highly integrated company to more responsive, was slow and cumbersome. Both companies has been proved to be reluctant to change. . It is true that the set of strategies a firm is limited by the decisions the company has made in the past, however, these limitation should not be considered as insurmountable. Change can occur and rapidly. Philips and Panasonic lacked the ambition to design solution at 360 °. Firms should learn from their past and continue to leverage on their own competitive advantages, building on existing infrastructure. Do not be captive of your own past, but use your past experience to create a strong advantage, compensating your deficiencies. 5