Devising a Strategy for Accor Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Devising a Strategy for Accor - Research Paper Example Johnson et al. confer additional dimensions to strategy in their definition: i) long-term perspective, ii) meeting competition and iii) stakeholder value. According to them, a strategy is " the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term which achieves the advantage for the organisation through its configuration of resources within changing environment and to fulfil stakeholder expectations. (2004) After understanding what 'strategy' means the next logical step is to design the 'strategy' and work it. Of the four elements that make 'strategy', according to Mintzberg's definition, internal competencies and shortcomings are internal and therefore within the organisation's control. The other two, viz. changes in the environment and contingent moves by intelligent opponents are external and therefore need to be carefully monitored to be turned into an advantage or counter-acted. The external elements, according to Porter evolve into five forces that impact business success as i) industry competitors, ii) potential new entrants, iii) substitutes, iv) suppliers and v) buyers. (2004 4). In order to meet the challenges of the five forces and out-perform competitors, according to him, there are three generic (meaning they are applicable across industries) strategies. They are i) cost leadership, ii) differentiation and iii) focus. (2004 35) Ireland et al. describe six components of strategic leadership that help organisations navigate the choppy waters of the twenty-first century businesses: they are i) determining the firm's purpose or vision, ii) exploiting and maintaining core competencies, iii) developing human capital, iv) sustaining an effective organisational culture, v) emphasizing ethical practices and vi) establishing balanced organisational controls. (2005)

Differiating Between Market Structures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Differiating Between Market Structures - Essay Example The first part of the paper will identify the market structure of the high technology industry; outline the market share of Samsung Corporation, explain why I decided upon this marketing structure and how different the marketing structure is from other alternatives. Part two of the paper will identify four competitive strategies that may be used by Samsung to maximize its profits effectively within the high tech industry’s competitive environment. More so the paper will evaluate the efficiency of these strategies in the market structure. Market structure of the high technology industry High technology industries are prone to the same market forces just like any other industry, but there exist few forces that are stronger in the high tech industry. Research claims that these forces affected the market structure of high technology industry in the 1890s and are still affecting the same industry to date. The high technology industry falls under an imperfectly competitive market st ructure, which means that products and services are highly differentiated (Varian, 2001). There are vast factors that arise from effective price discrimination that affects the high technology industry. These factors include personalization of products and pricing, versioning, bundling, switching costs, lock-in and economics of scale. Differentiation of products and services - The information technology allows flexible observation and analysis of consumer behavior, which in turn brings in various kinds of marketing strategies that seemed impossible on a large scale. For instance, a seller can offer prices and goods that are differentiated through individualized behavior and characteristics. Ideally, the high technology industry allows the market of one phenomenon where customers can personalize their prices (Varian, 2001). The high technology industry customers can personalize their adverts on the front pages online and can still buy a personally configured computer. According to th e theory of monopoly first degree price discrimination in most industries charge the highest prices they can to each customer, but the technology industry’s case is different because online sellers face competition from each other as well as from online sellers; hence, further stiffening the competition. Versioning - Versioning is a second-degree price discrimination that usually falls under product quality, which means that sellers design product line that appeals to different market segmentation. For instance, the latest trend of DVD version sells at a higher price and has a lot of content, an aspect that studios uses to discriminate prices between collectors and viewers, as well as between buyers and renters. Bundling - Bundling is the process of selling two or more distinct goods together for a single price. In the technology industry, these goods are â€Å"small† information goods like the individual items of web content that are sold in extremely large bundles. B undling affects the economy by reducing the dispersion of willingness to pay as well as increase entry barriers, but it enhances firm profits and overall efficiency (Varian, 2001). For instance, instead of a soft w3are company selling a word processor and a spreadsheet separately at different prices, the company could combine the two products and sell them at a higher price. Switching cost - Unlike other industries, switching costs in the high technolo

Identify the key influences on the health and well being of Young Essay

Identify the key influences on the health and well being of Young people 13-19 years in westminster - Essay Example There have been major progresses in the Governments approach to children and young people since that report was published; and systems are currently in place to make certain a further planned and coherent approach to childrens issues throughout the Government. The Quality Protects Program to make better life chances of children in public care led the way for the participation of children and young people in its design. The fresh Connexions personal consultant service for 13 to 19yrs. has been made in full discussion with young people The Department for Education and Skills has discussed with young people on its new White Papers to renovate Secondary Education for 14-19 year olds. The core values go together with the standards for children and young peoples involvement in local democratic system set out in the National Youth Agency. The Children and Young Peoples Unit is taking step to make this sort of excellent practice the standard. The Government has decided to follow clear ideology for engaging well with children and young people and the Sections in charge for strategies and services for children and young people in England will make yearly evaluated action plans to show the progress checked against consistent values (Joint Committee On Human Rights, 2003). The Westminster is a City that makes sure everyone’s health and well being. The agenda for a Healthier Westminster stand for more incorporated approach to setting up local services to support work around enhancing the health of local people. This merges work in the region of both the Health Improvement and Modernization Plan, and the Community Care Plan. As a result of combining these two plans together, the Program attracts all the local ideas which are intended to help improve health. This is a broad vision than looking at precise priorities for rising health and social care services and comprises data about the wider determinants of health in Westminster. to improve access to health and social

HCM477-0802A-01 Finance in Health Care - Phase 2 Discussion Board 2 Essay

HCM477-0802A-01 Finance in Health Care - Phase 2 Discussion Board 2 - Essay Example Departmental budgets are pieces of budgets that individuals and/or groups (departments) of an organization are responsible for (Oliver 2000). Total facilities budget, on the other hand, is the total, final budget prepared by an organization chairperson. Clearly, the relationship between them is that departmental budgets are parts of the total facilities budget. That is, the total facilities budget is made up of the departmental budgets; hence, it is dependent on them. The business transactions that take place in an organizational budget are all expected income and expected expenses for the year. The first one is reported as budget income transactions and the second as budget expense transactions. Furthermore, the start of year Class balances are identified and accounted for as an accessible source of income. Therefore, the budget formula is: The three stages involved in preparing a total budget are: (1) Budget Preparation (2) Budget Execution and (3) Budget Evaluation. The first one requires program and budget planning and funds procurement. The decisions, therefore, that need to be made at this stage involves how to estimate costs, where to get funds from, communicating with members of the organization so as to make planning effective, etc. The second stage engages in fiscal management so decision problems that could affect the relationship between departmental budgets and total facility budgets could be how to locate internal funds, whether projection of variances by the departments were right, whether management of cash flow was effective. Lastly, the third stage requires budget cycling and performance assessments and audits. The decision problems here could be about reporting to external constituencies, maybe program re-planning or continuing with the budget. (http://www.socwel.ku.edu/marke//Total%20Budgeting.ppt). Each department is responsible for managing within the constraints of the fiscal year. Each departmental budget

Karla Homolka English Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Karla Homolka English - Research Paper Example With both of them participating in the murders, the role of Karla Homolka in the crimes was figured out vaguely, as there were differences of opinion regarding her contribution to those murders. This paper will chronicle her life starting from her early years, her marriage to Paul Benardo, rape and murder of the girls, finishing with the investigation, conviction and her eventual release. Early life Karla Homolka was born to Dorothy and Karel Homolka in 1970 as the eldest of three daughters in the Canadian town of Port Credit, Ontario. She went to Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School and even while going to the school, Karla worked as a part-time employee at a local pet shop. She graduated in the year 1988, and got employment as a veterinary assistant in Thorold Veterinary Clinic in Ontario. She did a similar job at the Mardinale Animal Clinic as well. â€Å"Karla developed a passion for animals and after high school she went to work at a veterinary clinic† (Montaldo). Thus, when one focuses on Karla’s early life, it appears that she lived a normal life, without exhibiting any negative or even psychotic tendencies. However, it all started to change when he married Paul Bernado. Marriage to Paul Bernado Karla as part of her job attended a pet convention in Toronto in the spring of 1987. During that visit, Karla, just 17 at that time, met 23-year-old Paul Bernardo in a â€Å"suburban hotel restaurant outside of Toronto and she fell for Paul, immediately.† (biography.com). They had sex on their first meeting and as their relationship started to develop, they â€Å"discovered that they shared the same sado-masochistic desires,† (Montaldo). Because of this ‘extremity’ in their relationship, Paul assumed the role of a ‘master’, with Karla willingly assuming the role of a ‘slave’, who has no problems in fulfilling her husband’s extreme fantasies. One of these extreme ‘fantasies’ o nly leads to their first murder - the murder of Karla’s own younger sister, Tammy Homolka. Rape and the murders Three years into their relationship, Paul starts to become obsessed with Tammy and to abuse her, he gets Karla’s help. One of Paul's constant complaints with Karla was that she was not a ‘virgin’ when they met and so she becomes ‘devoted’ to pleasing Paul in every way possible. (Montaldo). Using this weakness of Karla, Paul openly expressed his feelings for Tammy, and also convinces Karla to aid him in raping her. â€Å"It was, therefore, from his point of view, her responsibility to make it possible for Paul to take the virginity of†¦Tammy without her knowledge or consent.† (Bardsley). Karla wrongly accepts this flawed logic, and decides to make or force Tammy into being a sort of ‘surrogate virgin’ for her. In their first attempt in July 1990, Karla serves Tammy, a spaghetti dinner mixed with heavy doses of Valium, which was stolen from her workplace. â€Å"Bernardo rapes Tammy for about a minute before she starts to wake up† and so they temporarily abandon their plan then, waiting for another opportunity. ("Key events in the Bernardo/Homolka case"). Then, six months before their marriage, at a Christmas party at Karla parent’s house, Karla first mixes sedative Halcyon in the alcoholic drinks of Tammy. After the party was over and family members retired, the husband and wife duo took Tammy to the basement, with Karla holding a cloth soaked with Halothane over Tammy's mouth. (Becker, 2005). There, Paul with Karla

Commercial law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Commercial law - Essay Example This particular Act is stated to be applicable for all personal properties that comprise the tangible properties i.e. the items which have physical presence such as office equipments, motor vehicles, inventory, currency and livestock among others. Moreover, the Act also includes the intangible properties which embrace intellectual properties, licences as well as contract rights owned by organisational as well as individual entities. However, the properties which include lands and licences as well as the statutory rights such as water along with gambling licenses are excluded from the list of personal properties of the Act (Hempel, 2011). There were several personal properties which have been mentioned in the case of Rats River Pty Ltd (Rats River). The properties owned by the corporate entity includes a high tech bottling machine which was to be installed by Rats River in order to increase its production quantity and the oak barrels which were purchased by the company for the product ion purpose of a new brand of red wine named the Rat Box. Moreover, the personal properties which were referred in the case scenario comprise the new office block built by Rats River for expanding its business operations and original prints which the company borrowed on bailment for setting-up a new and more advanced working atmosphere. Among the aforementioned personal properties, it can be stated that the new office block of Rats River will not covered by the PPSA. This is due to the reason that the new office block built by the company for its business expansion would be treated as a land and is not granted by a Commonwealth (Cth), a Territory or a State law as an entitlement, right or authority. Thus, the asset has been excluded from the register of personal properties of the PPSA Act (Hempel, 2011). Apart from the new office block, the other personal properties belonging to Rats River are duly covered by the PPSA 2009 (Cth). Question 2 Rats River would have a better claim to th e grapes which were delivered for toll pressing. This is due to the reason that the company had developed a business plan following legal contracts with 30 local vineyards in order to process their grapes. For entering into the contracts with different local vineyards, Rats River felt the need of obtaining finances from two different banks such as EastPac and BAN. These two banks provided significant amount of financial support to Rats River as a loan for the expansion of the vineyard. In the meantime, the company had also recruited an Assistant Accountant named Ms. Onsen for managing the expanded business operations. Unaware of the personal trait possessed by Ms. Onsen to be seriously addicted to gambling habits, the company had to face severe financial losses. It was in this context that as days passed by, Ms. Onsen exhausted all the funds in the bank account of Rats River which consequently hampered the financial viability of the company to repay its debts within the stipulated p eriod. Therefore, if the company cannot repay the loan amount which they had acquired from the two banks i.e. EastPac and BAN, these two banks would possess the actual claim to the grapes which were delivered for toll pressing. Question 3 According to Section 14 of the PPSA 2009 (Cth), Purchase Money Security Interests (PMSI) is regarded as a specific kind of security

Instructional strategies & approaches 2 Essay Example for Free

Instructional strategies approaches 2 Essay According to Barbara Gross Davis, author of Tools for Teaching (1993), students learn best when they participate actively in the process. A lot of research has been made on collaborative learning, or learning in groups, and it has been proven that no matter the subject matter, students learn more this way. Working in groups help students learn and retain more about what is taught to them than when they are taught using other means. Davis enumerates three general types of group work. The first type is informal learning groups. These groups aren’t permanent and may be done in a single session. An example of this is asking the students to turn to their seatmate and discuss a particular question. In any case, this kind of grouping may be done in a class of any size at any time to check the level of understanding of the students, give them a way to apply what they have learned or to have a change in the learning pace. The second type is formal learning groups, which can be organized to do specific tasks like writing a report, doing a lab experiment or making a project. The tasks can be completed in one session or over a few weeks, until the students have finished the activity and are given a grade. The last type of group is a study team. Such groups are usually long-term, like a whole semester or course, and have permament members wherein each member is responsible for helping each other to complete course requirements and assignments and to provide support and encouragement. A student with a study team can ask his teammates to update him on classes or activities he might have missed. Study teams are valuable in courses that have a large class size and a complex topic. With that in mind, it is then appropriate to inquire as to how to group these students so that they would learn the most. Davis cites examples on how one could group the students: the teacher can assign randomly so that a mix of different students are in one group; the teacher can let the students choose their groupmates; the teacher, himself, forms the groups taking into account the students’ differences; or the teacher asks the students first on their preferences and then makes assignments. Whichever the case, Davis argues that these types of grouping have their own advantages and disadvantages and can be used depending on circumstance. After all, the teacher cannot assume that just because the students have been grouped and asked to work cooperatively, that they would actually do so. It should always be remembered that a group is composed of different individuals with different personalities, skills, concerns, temperament, etc. Thus, the teacher should be flexible, yet firm, and always ready to give assistance. In addition to considering the combination of students in a group, its size should also be given equal attention. According to researches done by Cooper (1990), Johnson, Johnson, and Smith (1991) and Smith (1986) as cited by Davis, groups with a maximum of five members would work best since a larger number would decrease the opportunity for the group members to actively participate. They also add that the group size should be smaller if the members are less skillful and time available for the group work is shorter. Furthermore, the level of the task should also be considered. Simple tasks like solving a math problem or planting a seedling would be enough for small groups. On the other hand, complex tasks, such as a chemistry experiment that would require students to research and report, are better done by a bigger group (Knowles, 2005). Of course, students are individuals that have different learning abilities. Some teacher group the class according to these abilities. According to the Westchester Institute for Human Services Research (2002), ability grouping is the practice of dividing students according to their perceived learning capacities. The two most common ways of grouping via ability is within-in class grouping and between-class grouping. The former refers to the division of students with the same abilities into small groups. This is usually seen in Math or Reading classes. Between-class grouping refers to division of students into varying courses or classes according to their achievement. In a nutshell, ability grouping caters to the difference between students. Each group formed with this strategy may be using different materials that are unique and will address their needs. In general, research shows that within-class grouping produces better results than mixed ability grouping. Within-class grouping can promote faster learning since the students are learning with people of the same level and pace. Thus, fast learners can cover more topics without being dragged by the slow learners. On the other hand, as learning progresses it is only appropriate that the task difficulty also increase, and in line with that, the group composition and number. A more difficult task would require a larger group to execute successfully. Thus, if a class was previously divided into smaller groups, the teacher can merge these groups to form a larger group. In relation with this, the teacher should again consider the composition of the groups. Ideally, it is better that the group be as heterogenous as possible but should also contain a fair number of the assets, those with previous relevant coursework or language proficient, and liabilities, those with negative attitudes toward the course or language problems, in a class. Whole group instruction is usually used when introducing a new topic, new materials or new strategies to the whole class. In this way, the teacher can build a common experience between the students which can later be an avenue for further exploration of the topic and improvement in their problem solving and other skills (Valentino, 2000). On the other hand, group or collaborative learning cannot always be used despite its good results. Since topics have to be discussed within a certain timeframe, it is very hard to use collaborative learning often since such strategy really takes a lot of time. Thus, for courses that covers a broad, complex topic, like general chemistry or physics, it is advisable to make the students form a study team. For example, in chemistry, experiments may be done by a whole group. They can perform one experiment and help each other analyze their data and understand what they just did. In such a setting, not only will it minimize the concerns of the teacher, it would also help those students who come to class unprepared. At least, with group mates, there would still be an avenue for them to cope with the lesson. Also, Also, collaborative learning would be beneficial if the class size is large. As mentioned earlier, a heterogenous group is ideal. A teacher would want to distribute those who’ve already understood the topic or are fast learners among those that are still coping or having some difficulty. What the teacher can do, then, is determine the students that could be classified among the two groups. Generally, the teacher can determine the ‘assets’ and ‘liabilities’ by observation, diagnostic tests or group dynamics activity or by asking other teachers and his students. Such a technique would ensure that someone in the group knows what’s happening in class and possibly give assistance to his groupmates. In conclusion, group or collaborative learning is very beneficial to students. However, the success of such activities would depend on the composition and size of the group, as well as the level of learning of the students. The teacher should know when to use this strategy and he should be well prepared, organized and flexible when doing so. References Davis, BG. (1993). Collaborative Learning: Group Work and Study Team. Tools for Teaching.Retrieved August 16, 2007, from http://teaching. berkeley. edu/bgd/collaborative. html Knowles, P. (2005). Thoughts on Student Grouping: Teaching Decisions. Retrieved August 16, 2007, from http://www. netc. org/[emailprotected]/classrooms/peter/working/grouping. html Valentino, C. (2000). Flexible Grouping. Retrieved August 31, 2007, from http://www. eduplace. com/science/profdev/articles/valentino. html Westchester Institute for Human Services Research (2002). Ability Grouping. The Balanced View: Research-based information on timely topics. Vol. 6, No. 2.