The Battle of Waterloo Essay Example

The Battle of Waterloo Essay he The Battle of Waterloo Napoleon was just recently made emperor again in France in 1815. And his enemy’s had already formed an alliance against him. He only had one way to stay emperor and that was to fight his way through it. He had one main goal in his grand strategy to win the war and that was to isolate the allied and Prussian armies, and annihilate each one separately. This was a great strategy in theory because if he could destroy the coalition forces before they were reinforced then he might be able to drive the British back to the sea and knock the Prussian’s out of the war. This ended up leading to the strategy proper of the war because Napoleon knew that the British and Prussian armies were trying to meet up so he marched his army to a spot where he was in between them. Once his army was in the middle he ended up hitting the British on the west side and the Prussians on the east side. When Wellington saw how fast the French were moving he knew he had to act fast so he concentrated most of his troops at Quatre-Bras so that he could hold a tenuous position against the soldiers of Ney’s left wing. We will write a custom essay sample on The Battle of Waterloo specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Battle of Waterloo specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Battle of Waterloo specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The grand tactics come in when Napoleon wants Ney to take the crossroads of Quatre-Bras so that way he can go reinforce him if needed. This led to the battle against the British there, where the French were being held off pretty well. But while this was happening the French attacked the Prussians at Ligny and were able to defeat them which made holding Quatre-Bras for the British untenable. So the British retreated and marched north parallel to the Prussians retreat. These precursor battles affected the culminating campaign battle because a lot of men were lost and a portion of Napoleons’ army was off searching for the retreating Prussians at the time of Waterloo. There were many battlefield maneuvers that impacted the outcomes of the battles. One was when Wellington had ordered in reinforcements for Quatre-Bras. This was good because they were starting to lose the battle until the reinforcements got there and then they were able to push Ney’s forces back. The next maneuver was when the Prussians had been defeated they were able to retreat unnoticed from the French. The Prussians getting away without the French knowing was big because they were able to make it back to Wavres where there reinforcements were so that they could have a fresh new army to fight them with. This leads to another maneuver, which happened once Napoleon finally realized the Prussians had retreated. Napoleon decided to send a big chunk of his army after the Prussians even though his army would be around 2 days behind them. This was a bad move because then when the French army reached Waterloo he now had to face the British and the Prussians combined without part of his army to use. Another maneuver was when Napoleon tried to do a faint attack at Hogomouh but it doesn’t work and because of that he loses much more troops then needed; this lead to the eventual loss of the war. And the last battle maneuver was when Wellington had his army hide behind a ridge and therefore Ney believed they were retreating and sent his cavalry after them. Once his cavalry got over the ridge they were annihilated by the British infantry, which eventually led to them losing the battle. Napoleon as a general made some bad choices during these battles. One bad choice he made was not following the Prussians right away when they retreated. Because of this the Prussians were able to get back to their reinforcements and then were able to meet up with the British. Another bad choice Napoleon made was when he decided to wait 4 hours to battle because he wanted the ground to dry to help his cavalry and artillery. Because of this move he allowed the Prussians enough time to get to the battle and now he had to fight two armies instead of one. And the next bad decision Napoleon made was sending his cavalry on an assault on Mont Saint Jean because he took a big loss on cavalry from that. One of the key reasons why Napoleon and his French army were defeated was because of the attack at Hogomouh. He lost a lot more troops then he needed to which did not help him in the long run. The next reason why he was defeated is because of the imperial guard attack. In this attack he lost a lot of cavalry that could have helped out later in the war. And the final key reason Napoleons army lost was that he delayed one of the battles. Because he delayed attacking it gave the Prussians enough time to arrive and help out the British. Overall Napoleon made some key decisions that turned out to lead to his defeat. Sources Battle of Waterloo. Â  Wikipedia. Web. 08 Nov. 2011. The Battle of Waterloo: 18 June 1815. Â  Home Page. Trans. Marjorie Bloy. 5 Jan. 2011. Web. 08 Nov. 2011. BBC History British History in Depth: The Battle of Waterloo. Â  BBC Homepage. Web. 08 Nov. 2011.

Free Essays on Reader Opinion Of “Pattern Language“ By Christopher Alexander

While reading the book â€Å"A Pattern Language†, I first thought the author was setting out to do was almost an impossible task. The introduction stated that there the keys to rural living to metropolitan existence could be summarized into 253 combinable patterns. I had a hard time grasping the understanding of what he was going to accomplish with the information he was providing. Questions such as how is someone going to place a town, city etc. in a box of 253 combinable patterns. I researched the Internet to see what others were saying about the book and their attempted to explain just how the book applied to them and their project. I noticed a common thread among the many and various sites that I viewed. The famous 253 patterns were moved and shifted by the authors in an untrusting manner. The author â€Å"Christopher Alexander† has made a bold move by placing limits on how small to large scale projects should be designed/set-up to work in a â€Å"Society†. W hether the application is technology, architecture, towns, cities or your new house, he has stepped up to the plate and has stated just how you can optimally organize your project. I will categorize two types of readers that I feel will be exposed to this book. First are the â€Å"hands off thinkers†. These are the people that use their brain for about 70% of the workday. They do not prefer to be exposed to the actual work as an original, but more of a doubting or justifiable agreement type. The second is the â€Å"forced reader†. They will not willingly choose or select a book of this caliber but will be coerced into reading the book as a favor to a supervisor or work place hype about the depth and passion of the author. The definition of the â€Å"forced reader† will offend the â€Å"hands off thinker† because they are dedicated to the process of working through the thought process. Here now lies the problem with the â€Å"hands off thinker† and the â€Å"forced readers† that will be e... Free Essays on Reader Opinion Of â€Å"Pattern Languageâ€Å" By Christopher Alexander Free Essays on Reader Opinion Of â€Å"Pattern Languageâ€Å" By Christopher Alexander While reading the book â€Å"A Pattern Language†, I first thought the author was setting out to do was almost an impossible task. The introduction stated that there the keys to rural living to metropolitan existence could be summarized into 253 combinable patterns. I had a hard time grasping the understanding of what he was going to accomplish with the information he was providing. Questions such as how is someone going to place a town, city etc. in a box of 253 combinable patterns. I researched the Internet to see what others were saying about the book and their attempted to explain just how the book applied to them and their project. I noticed a common thread among the many and various sites that I viewed. The famous 253 patterns were moved and shifted by the authors in an untrusting manner. The author â€Å"Christopher Alexander† has made a bold move by placing limits on how small to large scale projects should be designed/set-up to work in a â€Å"Society†. W hether the application is technology, architecture, towns, cities or your new house, he has stepped up to the plate and has stated just how you can optimally organize your project. I will categorize two types of readers that I feel will be exposed to this book. First are the â€Å"hands off thinkers†. These are the people that use their brain for about 70% of the workday. They do not prefer to be exposed to the actual work as an original, but more of a doubting or justifiable agreement type. The second is the â€Å"forced reader†. They will not willingly choose or select a book of this caliber but will be coerced into reading the book as a favor to a supervisor or work place hype about the depth and passion of the author. The definition of the â€Å"forced reader† will offend the â€Å"hands off thinker† because they are dedicated to the process of working through the thought process. Here now lies the problem with the â€Å"hands off thinker† and the â€Å"forced readers† that will be e...

Schroeder Surname Meaning and Family History

Schroeder Surname Meaning and Family History The German last name Schrà ¶der  or Schroeder is an occupational name for a tailor or cutter of cloth, from the Middle Low German schroden or schraden, meaning to cut. In northern Germany, Schroeder was sometimes translated as drayman, or one who delivered beer and wine. Schrà ¶der  is the 16th most common German surname. Surname Origin: German Alternate Surname Spellings:  SCHRÃâ€"DER,  SCHRODER, SCHRADER, SCHRØDER Famous People with the SCHROEDER  Surname Richard Bartlett Ricky  Schroder, Jr. - American actor and film directorFriedrich Ludwig Schrà ¶der - German actor and prominent masonic  leaderAbel Schrà ¸der - Danish woodcarverChrista Schroeder - personal secretary to Adolph HitlerErnst Schrà ¶der  - German mathematician Where is the SCHROEDER  Surname Most Common? Surname maps from Verwandt.de indicate the  Schrà ¶der surname  is most common in northwestern Germany, especially in areas such as Hamburg, Region Hannover, Bremen, Lippe, Diepholz, Herford, Rendsburg-Eckernfà ¶rde, Mrkischer Kreis and  Hochsauerlandkreis. Surname distribution maps  from  Forebears  do not specifically address the  Schrà ¶der spelling but indicate that the surname Shroder is most prevalent in Germany (although not as common as Schroeder), while the majority of individuals with the Schroeder spelling live in the United States. Based on population percentage, however, Schroeder is a much more common surname in Germany and is especially common in Luxembourg, where it ranks as the 10th most common surname in the country. Data from WorldNames PublicProfiler varies (probably based on the interpretation of the umlaut spelling), pointing to Schroder being most prolific in Germany, followed by Denmark, Norway, Austria, and the Netherlands, while Shroeder is by far the most common in Luxembourg, followed by the United States. Genealogy Resources for the Surname SCHROEDER Meanings of Common German SurnamesUncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to the meanings and origins of common German surnames. Schroeder  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Schroeder  family crest or coat of arms for the Schroeder surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. SCHROEDER  Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Schroeder  ancestors around the world. DistantCousin.com - SCHROEDER  Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Schroeder. GeneaNet - Schroeder  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Schroeder  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Schroeder  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Schroeder  surname from the website of Genealogy Today. Sources Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Globalization and its Discontents paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Globalization and its Discontents paper - Essay Example The policies devised by them are a result of prolonged discussions between the economists. The policies that have been devised by the International Monetary Fund have helped many countries to overcome the problem of financial crisis. In order to avoid a financial drought the country has to avoid all sorts of financial problems that may come up. The country has to control the flow of money internally otherwise the financial crisis cannot be avoided (IMF). If the international capital flow is not maintained properly, economic stability in a country cannot be achieved. The price in the country cannot be stabilized and hence the financial policies designed to overcome the crisis cannot be implemented properly. This shows that if a country has to prosper in terms of finance and economics it has to improve its structure internally and then ask for help from the outside sources. Hence if a country is in the developing stage and is not practicing its economic policies properly, the Internati onal Monetary Fund also cannot be of much help. One example of such a country is Botswana which improved itself internally and prospered than any other country in Africa. When Botswana got independence it was suffering from a severe financial crisis. And it was of utmost importance to address the issue properly. Botswana was rich of agriculture and diamonds but lacked the resources to make use of both these assets. The assets in the country did not prove to be lethal for them as they were used in the right way. This was quite beneficial for the country to achieve stable economy. The political leaders of Botswana believed in national integrity and worked towards the betterment of the state. And thus Botswana did not approach the International Monetary Funds for any kind of aid. But they received advices and suggestions from the outsiders who belonged to public or private institutions. These advisories helped in devising a future plan for the country. They laid out plans which involved the whole structure of the country and not only one department. The advisors selected by the state were properly interviewed and then hired. This showed that the state w as being controlled properly and each and every individual in the state had the spirit to move the country towards prosperity. For e.g. the deputy governor who was referred to by the IMF was only hired by the state when he was interviewed. This clearly illustrated that the state was internally stable and was working towards the betterment of the state. The state of Botswana maintained a good relationship with the International Monetary Funds through out its history. The advisories of International Monetary Funds helped the state of Botswana in tackling the problems of economics in the state. And these advisories were highly honored by the state of Botswana. Botswana was not helped properly by the IMF when it faced the problem of liquidity. But this was because of the requirements of the IMF. An economic policy should be devised before asking for any financial help from the IMF. This generally is a correct way of handling the situation as the IMF provides support so that the state ca n prosper further. However even then the state of Botswana was strong enough to pass through these problems. The reserves which the state of Botswana had from the income generated from its natural assets

Ford and the World Automobile Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Ford and the World Automobile Industry - Essay Example This paper illustrates that in order to respond to the competitive threat, Ford’s Chief Financial Officer had emphasized upon the longer term financial outlook. To this end Ford’s management had implemented plant closures which had resulted in reductions in fixed cost. Additionally the company had made an early switch to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars and sold loss-making Jaguar, Aston Martin and Land Rover subsidiaries. As a result of these initiatives, Ford had improved its financial and operating performance. However if the company were to maintain its performance, then it would have to focus upon the combined forces of technology and environmental forces that were changing the industry structure and formulate strategies accordingly. Competition in the world auto industry The industry was facing rising competitive pressures due to a variety of factors. Experts had expected the industry to consolidate from the demand pressures that had resulted from the financial c risis of 2009. Instead the outcome had been one of worsening the problem of excess capacity as national governments provided financial assistance to support those companies which were suffering from the downward trend in demand. Therefore the weaker competitors had not been weeded out. Instead they increased their production, thus worsening the problem of excess capacity. This was the most important factor which contributed to the rising competitive pressures. The world auto industry was far from being static as demand shifted from mature industrial nations to the growing markets of Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. These dynamics had forced the automakers to implement strategies aimed at seeking new markets as additional sources of demand. Between 1990 and 2008, the five biggest automakers were GM, Toyota, Ford, Daimler-Chrysler and Volkswagen. The evolution of market demand had been affected by the combined forces of technology and environmental concerns. For this reason For d planned to make the switch to all-electric commercial vans and automobiles. This change in strategy had also been necessary because of the shift of market opportunities to the growing markets of Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. As a result the automobile producers were changing strategic focus to emphasize upon the newly industrializing countries as new sources of market opportunities. Driven by the emerging markets in BRIC countries and in the newly industrializing countries such as Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Turkey and Argentina, the supply of cars and trucks continued to grow. However new product development costs limited automakers abilities to differentiate products. For this reason there was little differentiation between manufacturers. The industry’s key issue was excess capacity. As noted in the case, consultants at PwC had estimated that supply exceeded demand by 31 million units per year. The problem had been exacerbated by government intervention which has kept inefficient companies afloat. Applying Porter’s five forces analysis, the conclusion to draw is that the threat of new entrants would be low since supply exceeds demand. The threat of substitute products came from electric cars which would offer opportunities for new entrants. The transition to electric cars would enable companies with expertise in electrical engineering to enter the industry, thus intensifying competition. Public transportation also offered a substitute. The threat of competitive rivalry in the present state of the industry was considerable since supply exceeded demand.

A Review of the Literature Essay Example for Free

A Review of the Literature Essay Introduction Because the focus on market orientation has steadily increased over the last decade, academicians and marketing managers have begun to debate the effectiveness of market orientation as a profit enhancing strategy. Researchers and marketing managers are attempting to measure the benefits and costs associated with the implementation of market orientation. For researches and managers, the key questions that surround market orientation are whether or not it increases performance, and if so, in which circumstances should market orientation be implemented. In order for market orientation to become a cornerstone of business practices in years to come, these questions must be answered. This review will focus on three articles which address these key questions: Market Orientation and Company Performance: Empirical Evidence from UK Companies by Greenley, G (1995), Market Orientation: Antecedents and Consequences, by Jaworski and Kohli (1993) and The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability by Narver and Slater (1990). Summary of The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability by Narver Slater (1990) In The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability (1990), Narver and Slater address the lack of empirical evidence surrounding the effectiveness of market orientation. They begin the article by stating: market orientation is the very heart of modern marketing management and strategy ? yet to date, no one has developed a valid measure of it or assessed its influence on business performance? as a result, business practitioners have had no specific guidance as to what precisely a market orientation is and what its actual effect on business performance may be. Their study attempts to develop a valid measure of market orientation and its effect on the profitability of the firm. Narver and Slaters study is designed to test the hypothesis that there is a strong correlation between market orientation and profit levels for both commodity and non-commodity businesses. Narver and Slater  hypothesize that market orientation is a one dimensional construct consisting of three behavioral components: customer orientation, competitor orientation and inter-functional coordination. Additionally, they hypothesize that there are two decision criteria: a long term focus and a profit objective. Based on these criteria, Narver and Slater developed a questionnaire which was given to a sample group of 140 strategic business units in the same division of a major Western corporation. They then used statistical analysis to try to determine the correlation between the adoption of market orientation and the increase in profit and overall performance. In order to obtain accurate results, the researchers attempted to limit the influence of the other forces that impact a businesss profit margin; by doing this, they were able to isolate two key variables and find the relationship between them. Based on their data and analysis, Narver and Slater concluded that there is a monotonic relationship between profit and market orientation for the non-commodity business, whereas the relationship with commodity business was only apparent above the stated median in market orientation. Narver and Slater also concluded that market orientation is economical in all environments, and the question was finding the optimal level of market orientation. Critique of The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability by Narver Slater (1990). Narver and Slaters study is one of the first major empirical studies on the subject of market orientation and its impact on the firms profit. This ground-breaking study offers empirical validation to theories that were unproven prior to the study. However, based on the results of Narver and Slaters study, there are still many questions that remain unanswered. I found that the most significant problem with the study is that their sample was taken from a single corporation, meaning that the data they used was limited to only one industry and one region. As Narver and Slater noted in their conclusion, a sample this limited means that their results can be influenced and skewed by many variables, including corporate culture and regional practices. It is also possible that their findings are industry-specific and do not pertain to other companies outside of foresting. However, in the articles conclusion, Narver and Slater acknowledge these shortcomings and are eager for others in different regions to conduct further research in this field. Although the limited nature of the study makes it difficult to draw any large scale conclusions about the effectiveness of market orientation, Narver and Slater have created a useful model for an empirical study of market orientation which can now be applied to other industries and regions. The most interesting part of the study is not necessarily the results, but the fact that they were able to design the first successful empirical study. Another problem with the study is that Narver and Slater concluded that an equilibrium existed: the point at which the level of market orientation reaches a point at which its cost is equal to its benefit. At this point, any increase of market orientation would only be detrimental to the firms profit margin. Although the study states that the equilibrium is present, the authors offer no guidance on how marketing managers can identify this critical point. Further studies should be dedicated to answering this question in order to make market orientation a more effective strategy for businesses. Additionally, in the articles conclusion, Narver and Slater neglected to discuss a very key finding which surfaced in their data. Their study revealed that market orientation can have a detrimental effect on a companys overall performance when certain market forces and internal conditions apply. In my opinion, this finding was largely ignored in the conclusion in order to validate their original hypothesis: that market orientation has a positive impact on the performance of an organization. Although this finding was acknowledged in the article, I felt the conclusion was somewhat misleading with regard to the outcome of the study in this respect. Summary of Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences, by Jaworski and Kohli (1993) In Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences (1993) Jaworski and Kohli set out to empirically build upon Narver Slaters study. Jaworski and Kohli attempt to study the relationship between market orientation and its effect on numerous aspects of the firm. The authors lay out a series of 13 hypotheses which they attempt to prove within their study. The four hypotheses that dealt directly with the key questions noted in the introduction of this review are: A. The greater the market orientation of an organization, the higher its business performance. B. The greater the market orientation, the greater the (1) esprit de corps and (2) organizational commitment of employees. C. The greater the market turbulence, the stronger the relationship between market orientation and business performance. D. The greater the competitive intensity, the stronger the relationship between market orientation and business performance. The other nine hypotheses are related to the antecedents of market orientation, including managements role on market orientation and the impact the organizations structure and communication has on market orientation. Although these questions are important, I am primarily interested in Jaworski and Kohlis conclusions on whether or not market orientation affects overall performance and profit/return on equity. Jaworski and Kohli set up two samples from which they derived their data. The first sample was made up of executives from 102 companies; the second sample was made up of 230 executives taken from the membership roster of the American Marketing Association. The authors gathered data via a questionnaire that was sent to participants by mail. Based on the data reviewed, Jaworski and Kohli concluded that market orientation is an important determinant of overall performance regardless of factors such as market turbulence, competitive intensity or technological turbulence. However in both samples, the authors found little correlation between market orientation and return on equity and market share. Jaworski and Kohli also found that the commitment of top management towards implementing market orientation is an important factor on the strategys overall performance, as are the levels of interdepartmental coordination and interdepartmental conflict. Critique of Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences, by Jaworski and Kohli (1993) Jaworski and Kohlis study measures the value that market orientation creates for a business. In their introduction, the authors state their intentions quite clearly: The purpose of this research is to address the voids in knowledge [in the Narver and Slater study]. (Jaworski Kohli 1993) In this study, Jaworski and Kohli build upon and answer many of the questions left unanswered in Narver and Slater (1990). In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of Jaworski and Kohlis article is that they attempted to explain their study in an accessible manner by including a section that dealt with the implications of their findings for market managers. Unlike Narver and Slater, I felt that Jaworski and Kohli went to great lengths to try to answer the key questions that managers might have and attempted to lay down guidelines that managers could use in the implementation of market orientation. Jaworski and Kohli also realized the importance of one of the findings Narver and Slater neglected in their conclusion: that market orientation could be detrimental to a business in certain circumstances. Jaworski and Kohli explained the relationships between market orientation and certain environmental contexts including market turbulence and competitiveness. The aspect of the study that I found most interesting was Jaworski and Kohlis discovery that there is neither an association between market orientation and return on equity nor a relationship between market orientation and market share. Although the two authors still concluded that market orientation was beneficial for overall performance, the finding that it does not help return on equity is very significant. Return on equity, for many firms, is the guiding factor in the decision-making process, especially for private equity groups and investment banking firms. Having worked for a private equity firm, where return on equity is the principal goal, I can confidently say these findings are a huge blow to the advocacy of market orientation. However, I would not feel comfortable ruling out market orientation based on one study; further research must be done on this topic. Additionally, I found one aspect of Jaworski and Kohlis conclusion problematic: the authors concluded that market orientation had a direct relationship with overall performance, organizational commitment and esprit de corps, yet they stated that it did not influence return on equity and market share. This finding seems to be contradictory to common business beliefs, which would suggest that if market orientation had a positive impact on commitment, overall performance and esprit de corps, it would therefore have an impact on profit or return on equity. This finding is either misleading or it indicates that common beliefs regarding performance and employee motivation are incorrect. Summary of Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies by Greenley, G (1995) In the article Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies Greenley identifies a clear need for an  empirical study in the United Kingdom. As of 1995, no major empirical research had taken place anywhere but the United States. Greenley created his study based upon this research gap. His basic hypothesis, that market orientation is positively associated with performance, is taken from the aforementioned studies by Narver and Slater (1990) and Jaworski and Kohli (1993). Greenley also tested additional hypotheses from Narver and Slaters 1990 study. The hypotheses Greenley tested dealt with the relationship between market orientation and cost, size of the company, market entry, customer power and competitive hostility in the market. Additionally, he tested hypotheses pertaining to market growth, turbulence and technological change. To obtain his data, Greenley used a slightly altered version of Narver and Slaters 1990 questionnaire, adapted for UK business culture. The questionnaires were sent to 280 top level managers, mainly CEOs. Of those 280 questionnaires, he received 240 usable responses, which made up the data for his study. Based on the analysis he conducted, Greenley concluded that market orientation does not have a direct affect on performance. (Greenley 1995) He also concluded that with high levels of market turbulence, market orientation is negatively associated with return on equity, whereas with low levels of market turbulence, market orientation is positively associated with return on equity. Critique of Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies by Greenley, G (1995) Greenleys study is the first major empirical study of market orientation in the UK, and quite surprisingly, his results were very different than the previous findings of studies conducted in the United States. Any reader of Greenleys study Market orientation and company performance must immediately question whether or not business culture and practices in the UK are so different from their United States counterparts that one strategy empirically proven to work in the United States will be rendered ineffective in the UK. If Greenleys results are accurate, multinational corporations using a centralized control method would have to rethink using market orientation. This, however, does not seem to be the case. Proctor and Gamble (PG) appear to successfully implement global strategies, including market orientation, profitably. Therefore, I propose that Greenleys inability to find a positive relationship between market orientation and performance is a result of a problem in his data collection process. As Greenley stated in his conclusion, his data was gathered during a recession, and therefore a managers thoughts on a long-term profit schemes such as market orientation might have been skewed. Also, Greenley obtained nearly 60 percent of his data from top level CEOs and Chairmen, a different sampling base than previous studies in the United States. For instance, Narver and Slater used CPUs and Jaworski and Kohli primarily used market managers for their samples. The difference in sample bases significantly impacts the results of Greenleys study; typically, CEOs and top management, like those that Greenley questioned, are not as involved in the day-to-day implementation of market orientation and tend to be short-term profit oriented. Managers lower on the organizations hierarchy, such as marketing managers, might have a more direct involvement with the implementation of market orientation. For future research, I think it would be more prudent to take a broader sample of managers at all levels, thereby eliminating any bias that can occur when only sampling a certain section of the managerial hierarchy. Another problem that I found in Greenleys conclusion was the fact that he did not make the individual participants aware of the studys purpose. Although he intended for this to be a tool for gathering accurate and unbiased data from participants, I believe this strategy actually had the opposite effect, given the timing of his article. During a recession, CEOs and Chairmen are attempting to regain short term profitability and/or attempting to scale down costs in order to survive until the recession ends. At such a time, market orientation would not be a viable option and it is unlikely that the top management Greenley questioned would consider it a useful strategy. Therefore, the data collected by Greenley during this period would have little or no relevance for the measurement of the effectiveness of market orientation outside of a recession. Conclusion All three of the articles discussed deal with the task of empirically studying the relationship between market orientation and its effects on businesses. Narver and Slater produced the first major study in this field and their research became a significant starting point for future studies. Narver and Slaters article stated that they found a direct relationship between marketing orientation and performance; however, the study also brought to light many holes in their research and aspects of this relationship which needed further study. Jaworski and Kohlis 1993 study attempted to answer some of the key questions that arose from Narver and Slaters article. The questions Jaworski and Kohli addressed included why some organizations are more market oriented then others and whether or not the linkage between market orientation and business performance depend on the environmental context. The Greenley study in 1995 was the first major study done outside the United States. Greenley followed Narver and Slaters model in his attempt to empirically study market orientation in the United Kingdom. While his methods were the same, Greenleys research produced very different results than that of Narver and Slater, and only agreed with some of Jaworski and Kohlis conclusions. In my opinion, Greenleys research only added to the confusion that surrounds the study of market orientation; the differences in his results can be attributed to many factors, including gaps in previous research, differences between the United States and the UK, or differences in the economy at the time of the studies. The ambiguous results of this study confirm the need for more research in order to answer the key question of market orientations relationship with performance and profit. Therefore, after reading and critically reviewing the above articles, my conclusion is that further empirical research must be done in order for there to be any confidence in the use of market orientation as a performance-enhancing strategy. A multi-national study or the study of multiple multinational companies would provide valuable insight into whether market orientation is exclusively suited to companies operating in the United States or if its implementation in different countries can also be profitable. Further research must also be done in order to affirm or refute Jaworski and Kohlis claim that market orientation has no positive relationship with market share and return on equity. I believe that if Jaworski and Kohlis claim is true, managers, especially those operating publically traded companies, will inevitably need to rethink the use of market orientation within their corporations. List of References Greenley, G. (1995). Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies. British Journal of Management, 6:1-13. Jaworski, B. and Kohli, A. (1993). Market orientation: antecedents and consequences. Journal of Marketing, 57(July): 53-70. Narver, J. and Slater, S. (1990). The effect of a market orientation on business profitability. Journal of Marketing 54(October): 20-35.

Message Boards and Their Abuse: Trolls :: essays research papers fc

Message Boards and their Abuse: Trolls Nowadays, anybody with and internet connection can go online and chat with a variety of peers. One of the most common places to chat is bulletin pages known as message boards. Messages written on these boards stay on the boards for everyone to view. Overtime, as people on the boards get to know each other, message boards usually end up being a part of a community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yet, with all the activity and chatter a message board supplies, there are nuisances as well. Adolescents who go on the computer usually want to start trouble or irritate others. These people are called trolls. Trolls are a very troublesome problem in the message board community. Trolls usually post beliefs that are not well respected within the message board community. Take a sports message board for example. A troll on a sports message board would usually say that the team that specific board supports â€Å"sucks† and the troll would go on to brag how his or her team is superior. Trolls usually do this on consistent bases to annoy the other members on the board.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trolls also can abuse a message board by spamming or flooding the board. Some message boards have website problems where one can click the submit button a thousand times and then his or her message would be posted the amount of times the spammer clicked â€Å"submit.† Trolls can also find ways to exploit message boards into using censored words. If a message board censors out bad language, one can put message board code like [i][/i] between the censored word and it will bypass the censor system. Smart trolls can also program scripts to post a specific message during a specific time frame (every 30 seconds, for example). Egotistical trolls usually try to imitate other members on the board by making screen names that look similar to the members being impersonated. This can be done by such methods as putting an underscore before after the person’s name or exchanging syllables with letters ( for example, exchange the letter L with the number 1). When imp ersonating, a troll will usually try to act like the normal person at first to fool the community and then try to wreck that person’s image by posting obscene remarks. Trolls are just trying to cause trouble on the message boards.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trolls are the main cause of message board abuse. They do not try to work with the community, but rather try to destroy it.

Perodua research Essay

Consumer made various decision in their daily life from basic needs to the luxury needs. Their needs include basic physical needs food, clothing, warmth, and safety, social needs for belonging and affection and individual needs for knowledge and self- expression, they are a basic part of human make up. Nowadays, consumers demand for better quality and product knowledge on products of services. The consumer expectations and values are considered in various factors such as benefit and advantage of the products or services before making the buying decisions. The product and service offered from car industry must be fulfill customer‘s demand. The car industry should create various plan and delivering relevant services. Besides that, the car industry should study the customer needs and wants and provide different product to different consumer that will satisfy their need. This research is attempted to identify and analyze the factors that affecting the customer buying decision on ca r and to know what factors may influence their buying decision. 1.1 Local Car Company Perodua Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (PERDUA), Established in 1993, is a joint venture company between Malaysian and Japanese Partners. The shareholders of Perodua are UMW cooperation Sdn. Bhd with 38% stake, Daihatsu Motor co. Ltd (20%) MBM resources Bhd (20%) PNB Equity Resources Corporation Sdn Bhd (10%) , Mitsui &(7%) and Daihatsu ( Malaysia) Sdn Bhd ( 5%). The company started operations in 1994 and the ever so popular Perodua Kancil was introduced to the Malaysian market in August the same year.to date the following vehicles have rolled out of the Perodua plant: †¢ The Perodua Rusa – March 1996 †¢The Perodua Kembara – August 1998 †¢ The Perodua Kenari – June 2000 †¢The Perodua Myvi – May 2005 †¢The Perodua Viva – May 2007 †¢The Perodua Nautica 4 WD – May 2008 †¢The Perodua Alza- November 2009 As of May 2008, Perodua has sold some 1.4 million units of vehicles of various models Perodua Headquarters is located on an 81 Hectare site in  Sungai Choh, Rawang, Selangor Darul Ehsan. It houses among others Perodua Corporate building , R&D testing laboratories and styling studio, vehicle test track , manufacturing plant, engine plant, pre-delivery inspection area, vehicle distribution stockyard and parts ware house. Perodua Auto Corporation Sdn Bhd (PCSB) was established in the final quarter of 2001.Besides Perodua , the two other joint venture partners of PCSB are Daihatsu Motor Co.Ltd and Mitsui & Co.Ltd both Japan. The manufacturing operations of the Perodua Group are being managed by PCSB. The Three active within the group are. Perodua sales Sdn Bhd (PSSB) is responsible for the sales, Marketing and distribution of all Perodua vehicles as well as after sales services and spare parts operations. Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (PMSB) is the company responsible for the manufacturing of Perodua Vehicles. Perodua Engine Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (PEMSB) undertakes the assembly of vehicle engines and also manufacturing of selected engine component parts operations. Workforce The total Number of manpower of Perodua was over 10,000 staff as of May 2011 Production capacity The plant currently has the capacity to produce 250000 units per annum, on 2 shift cycle. Sales and service Network To the date ,PSSB has 39 sales branches and 140 sales dealers nationwide to serve its customers efficiently .It also has 41 service branches and 120 services outlets throughout Malaysia for customers Convenience. Overseas Perodua vehicles are sold in countries such as the UK,Singapore ,Brunei,Fiji,Nepal and Sri Lanka. 1.2 Research Problem Transportation nowadays can say as a needs for today’s society .The consumer nowadays have different request for their car. The goals for the most Perodua car are to sustain competitive advantages and become or maintain as the market leader. However question as to how one can achieve this still remain despite studies and recommendations are carried out in order to understand consumer buying behavior and ways to improve marketing strategies to move more effectively reach to consumer. Therefore, this research would attempt to identify the factors that influence consumer buying behavior and  to understand whether pricing, quality, design, interest rate and the service after sales have significant contribution to consumer buying decision and the importance of their role affecting the buying behavior. Some people are buying Perodua car and some of them are buying imported car. This study is to find out why people are buying Perodua car and the factors that can influence them to b uy Perodua car. 1.3 Objective of the study The objective of this research is to examine several factors that influencing the consumer buying decision on local car as follow. †¢ To find out whether price influence consumer buying behavior towards Perodua car. †¢To find out whether design of the car will influence consumer buying behavior. †¢To find out whether interest rate of the Perodua car influence consumer buying behavior †¢To find out whether quality of the Perodua car will influence consumer buying behavior †¢To find out whether service after sales will influence consumer buying behavior towards Perodua. 1.4 Scope of the study This study cover how consumer perceive and deciding on purchase their car. The factors and criteria that the consumer will take into considerations when purchasing a car. This study conducted to provide a cleared picture on factors that possible on affecting consumer consumption decision and to find out the least importance factors at consumer in purchasing car. This research suggest that consumer buying behavior can be caused by factors such as price , design of the car, interest rate , Quality and also sales after service. Questionnaire will be conducted and distributed to local car users. Questionnaire will be developed based on the dependent and independent variable which will then be distributed to despondence ( Uses of local car) Questionnaire will be collected for analysis using SPSS to obtain findings. This will be follow by discussion and recommendation relevant to objectives of this study. 1.5 Significance of the study Transportation nowadays has become a need for today’s society . This study will help the Perodua car industry understand how to consumer think, feel , needs and many variable of the purchase decision process. In additional , This paper would consider on the ways that marketers can adapt and improve  their marketing strategies to reach the consumer buying behavior to know the relatively factor that may effect consumer purchasing decision on Perodua car. 1.6 Definition of terms In this study, the factors influencing consumer behavior towards Perodua car such as price, design, quality, interest rate and service after sales. The definition of terms fully understands the topic of discussion in this study of research. 1.6.1 Consumer Consumer is broad label that refers to any individuals or households that use goods Services generated within the economy .The concept of a consumer is used in different context, so that the usage and significance of the term may vary . (From Wikipedia). 1.6.2 Consumer Buying behavior process and physical activity Consumer buying is defined as â€Å"decision making process and physical activity whereby individuals engage in when evaluating, acquiring, using or disposing of goods and service†. ( Sternbock, 2013). It is a subset of human behavior on how they use their resource on consumption related items. The study of consumer behavior allow marketers to understand and predict how consumer are likely to react to various information and environmental cues and able to shape their marketing strategies accordingly. (Leon G. Schiffman & Leslie Lazar Kanuk, Consumer Behavior 2013).It is also concerned with the question of what, why, when, where, how and how often they buy it, 1.6.3. Car An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor. Most Definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally for the transport of people rather than goods. 1.6.4 Price Price in economics and business is the result of an exchange and from that trade we assign a numerical monetary value to a good, service or asset. Price is only part of the information we get from observing and exchange. The other part is the volume of the goods traded per unit time, called the  rate of purchase or sale. From this additional information we understand the extend of the market and the elasticity of the demand and supply. In general terms price is the result of an exchange or transaction that takes place between two parties and refers to what must be given up by one party in order to obtain something offered by another party. 1.6.5 Product design Product design can be defined as the idea generation, concept development, testing and manufacturing or implementation of a physical object or service. Product Designers conceptualize and evaluate ideas, making then tangible through products in more systematic approach. The role of a product designer encompasses many characteristics of the marketing manager, product manager, industrial designer and design engineer. 1.6.6 Interest rate A rate which is charged or paid for the use of money. An interest rate is often expressed as an annual percentage of the principal. It is calculated by dividing the amount of interest by the amount of principal. Interest rates often change as a result of inflation and Federal Reserve policies. 1.6.7 Quality Quality is the standard of something when it is compared to other things such as how good and how the something is. If a product fulfils the customer’s expectations, the customer will be pleased and consider that the product is of acceptable or even high quality. If his or her expectations are not fulfilled, the customer will consider that the product is of low quality this means that the quality of a product may be defined as its ability to fulfil the customer’s needs and expectations. Quality needs to be defined firstly in terms of parameters or characteristics, which vary from product to product. 1.6.8 After sales service Service, which is addressed here, should be an integral part of any company’s export strategy from the start. Properly handled, service can be a foundation for growth. Service is the prompt delivery of the product. It is courteous sales personnel. It is a user or service manual modified to meet your customer’s needs. It is ready access to a service facility. It is knowledgeable, cost – effective maintenance, repair or replacement. 1.7  Summary This report is presented in five chapters. Each chapter is connected to the other and is systematically structured to ensure easier understanding of the research. The first chapter is the introduction of the consumer buying behavior on Perodua car. It include the research problem and the objective and definition of terms are also include to allow better understanding of objectives of the research and terms used in this research .Chapter two is the literature reviews where other literature source are extracted to address the topic of consumer buying behavior on Perodua Car. Chapter three is the discussion of theoretical framework used in this research. This chapter also involved the method of used for collection data and statistical method used to analyze the data. Chapter four is the discussion of the data gathered in this research .this discussions involved in this chapter include the hypotheses testing and evaluation of finding in the research area. Chapter five is the discussion of findings together with the conclusion of this research. This chapter also covers the recommendations of factors that have significant impact and influence the most consumer purchase decision.

Should Cell Phones Be Banned in the Classroom?

Should high school students work part-time? Why or Why not? In my opinion high school students should work a part-time job because it gives the student an opportunity to contribute to the community. A part-time job will teach students the value of money and give them the skills that they can use in their future. Firstly, a part-time job for students is a good idea because students are greatly needed to participate in today’s society. Getting a job in the community is a great way to participate and get them involved. A part-time job would give the student a sense of ownership and belonging within their community. Also, when the student gets a pay check he or she has to know that they need to budget their money and also create a savings account for future purchases. Having a job will also teach students the value of the dollar. When a student is about to spend his or her money they can stop and question themselves, do I really need this? Finally a part-time job gives students important skills useful for their future. For example, if a student would get a job at the local department store, he or she would learn how to handle money, how to stock shelves, order supplies that are needed and customer service skills. Having a job builds a student’s character and trust worthy values. As we all know, in society word of mouth about one’s character and how responsible they are excels fast within any community. In conclusion, part- time work for a student is a key element in future success. It allows the student to grow and learn as an individual and create strong work ethic. There is nothing more valuable to an employer than an employee that has these skills. In life there is nothing more desirable to an individual, than to have a strong sense of worth, character and the ability to handle and manage money to its fullest potential.

napster controversy essays

napster controversy essays What is the big deal with the whole napster controversy? All it is is a network, which allows millions of people to share files, which are already available on the Internet. People say things like, its a form of stealing, because you are taking something from an artist that cost time and money to create. But honestly, if napster wasnt there people would have gotten these songs from another source. I personally use napster all the time for about a year and a half now, but before napster, I would get songs from mp3 chats or websites. Napster was just a quicker and more convenient way to get those same songs. And another thing about napster is the kind of artist that disagree with it. For instance, Dr. Dre and Metallica both hate napster. Now, you say what could those two artists possibly have in common. The answer is their age. They both have been around for a while and arent with the new wave of the future. Dont get me wrong, I love Dr. Dre, and I used to like metallica until they discontinued my napster, but someone really needs to help them realize, that they need to either get with the new generation or get left behind in the dust. They should be happy, there are so many Dr. Dre songs that I didnt t know existed until I looked in Napster for them. Also Justin Timberlake of NSYNC says its like stealing hot dogs from a hotdog vendor when that is his only livelihood. Funny how Justin Timberlake has enough money to buy out a thousand hotdog vendors. And Justin Timberlake is also the same person who said that he makes music, not for the money but because he loves it. I dont think so. And I personally bought the NSYNC CD after I heard some of the songs off napster. I think napster enhances CD sales. Studies have shown that CD sales have not dropped since Napster became mainstream. Also true artists have nothing to worry about from Napster. Its the little 15 mi ...

A Multinational state

Through this, each nation is granted with certain powers within the state. The positive side in this is that it is easier to regulate, since these nations manage themselves. However, it could lead to problems resulting to competition between these nations. They should be given proper delimitations to avoid further conflicts (Xhaferi, 1998). Another method to maintain peace in a multinational state is the secession or the withdrawal of a nation within the state. This is achieved by complete separation of the nations. An example would be the separation of Czechoslovakia where Slovakia has seceded thus leaving Czech Republic. The positive side of this secession is that the nations become completely separated. They become individual nations which is greatly different back when they are still merged with the other nations. The problem however, is that division of these nations would take them back to scratch, wherein they would have to work on becoming an individual nation. It is like starting a new country or nation from square one. This would require the attention of the whole nation wherein their cooperation is the biggest help in the success of their newly separated nation. They will also have to work on establishing their international relations (Xhaferi, 1998). There is also another method to maintain peace in a multi-national state. This involves public mobility which could lead to civil wars. This would force the nation to take action which would lead to the formation of federations or the initiation of secession. This would however be very costly as well as damaging for those who will engage in the civil war. A Multinational state Through this, each nation is granted with certain powers within the state. The positive side in this is that it is easier to regulate, since these nations manage themselves. However, it could lead to problems resulting to competition between these nations. They should be given proper delimitations to avoid further conflicts (Xhaferi, 1998). Another method to maintain peace in a multinational state is the secession or the withdrawal of a nation within the state. This is achieved by complete separation of the nations. An example would be the separation of Czechoslovakia where Slovakia has seceded thus leaving Czech Republic. The positive side of this secession is that the nations become completely separated. They become individual nations which is greatly different back when they are still merged with the other nations. The problem however, is that division of these nations would take them back to scratch, wherein they would have to work on becoming an individual nation. It is like starting a new country or nation from square one. This would require the attention of the whole nation wherein their cooperation is the biggest help in the success of their newly separated nation. They will also have to work on establishing their international relations (Xhaferi, 1998). There is also another method to maintain peace in a multi-national state. This involves public mobility which could lead to civil wars. This would force the nation to take action which would lead to the formation of federations or the initiation of secession. This would however be very costly as well as damaging for those who will engage in the civil war.

Team Performance Measurement in the Health Care Services Essay

Team Performance Measurement in the Health Care Services - Essay Example These periodic performance assessments are deemed important in every line of work, even more so in jobs that deal with life and death situations, as methods of bringing care to the sick and injured can be improved by taking the outcomes of previous performance assessments into consideration (Sundar, Sundar, Pawlowski, Blum, Feinstein, & Pratt, 2007). By creating clear and realistic goals based on the attainability of meeting or exceeding previous goals, patients and members of the community can get an assurance that the services being given by health care personnel in health facilities can either remain as satisfactory as before or become even better. Thus, it is important that there is a proper monitoring of the performance of teams and their members to maintain quality services to all stakeholders. However, while monitoring of performance measures and keeping track of goals sounds fairly simple, doing the actual thing can be daunting and even labor-intensive. It can be expected that some problems and challenges could arise during the evaluation itself, such as questioning the reliability of performance measures as well as the accuracy of goals which depend on quantitative characteristics and could bring challenges in the appropriate assessment of a team’s performance (Zeiss, 2002). Self-monitoring for each member normally does not pose a problem, even among team members that have other ancillary functions apart from their specific job functions, but when it comes to feedback from other members of the team, interpersonal problems between the evaluated party and the evaluating party could affect the outcomes of total scoring such as supervisory and peer evaluations, which could lead to resentments with each other if not addressed promptly (Reader, Flin, Mearns, & Cuthberts on, 2009; Shi, 2010).