How to End a Relationship

Breaking up with someone is never easy†¦. , I know from personal experience. I recently broke up with my boyfriend of four and half years. We really just couldn’t be happy with one another fighting all the time. I really had to sit down and make the dissension it was really hard having to explaining to him that we could never be together and that it would take a while before we will be able to be friends once again. But, did you know that is a lot harder to break up with a guy than a girl.Although it has always been said that women are the sensitive ones. Some reasons are men have stronger emotions are unpredictable. Some men get angry and others beg pleading you to take them back they always you that phrase â€Å" I can change just give me another chance†. there are three simple steps to ending a relationship, such as thinking thoroughly, consulting a friend, and the break up itself, doing what you need to do to end it for good. Step one, you need to think truly h ard about how you feel about that person.You need to search yourself and ask, am I truly happy with this person, do they make me feel special. Then you need to decide on the key reason(s) why you are even doing this. Its very important to make sure your head is clear before going into anything you yourself is uncertain of. Another thing is you should never breakup with a person out pure spite or being angry, might make a mistake and regret that dissension in the morning. Step two consulting a friend otherwise known as a break up buddy.Its almost necessary to have a break up buddy, because you must be strong not to go back to your ex. If you don’t have a break up buddy or lots of friends ( things to do) then more than likely to go back to your ex for whatever reasons boredom, sex, lonely, but it is crucial to stay strong and to hold your ground. Step three the break up†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦It is so crucial to keep it simple especially for guys its just easier that way for them. You mu st never leave a hint of maybe, this word is dangerous because you are leaving the signal that there might still be a chance between you two.Look at like this you might just end back up with them asking yourself the same thing as you are doing now. In conclusion on how to end a relationship is thinking thoroughly, consulting your breakup buddy, and being a strong person and following through with the break up itself. But some key tips to remember one is breaking up with a person is only as hard as you make it to be, second if you understand that person and how they work then sometimes it can help make the breakup a little less horrible for the both of you.

Marketing Plan analysis on Forever Living Products Essay

1.Summary This assignment will look at the existing marketing plan for the company Forever Living Products that focuses on the selling of aloe vera based products. The marketing plan will show how the company focuses on two areas – the consumer and the distributor. Both seem to be interlinked and both are important in the objective of the company. Furthermore, recommendations on shortfalls and lacking information will be made as to ensure that marketing is optimised and that this sales orientated company can improve on sales and profits. 2.Introduction and Background Founded in 1978 on little more than dreams and hard work, Forever Living is a multi-billion dollar company, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, that manufactures and sells dozens of wellness and beauty products. People from  all over the world, including South Africa, distribute these life-enhancing products, providing the opportunity to own an own business and secure a financial future with a proven plan. With over nine and a half million distributors in over 145 countries, Forever Living offers a once in a lifetime opportunity of living a healthier, wealthier life. The founder proposed a very simple business idea to his closest family and friends over thirty years ago. Offer consumable products to the public that are proven to promote lasting wellness and health—and do it in a personal way. Instead of dumping big bucks into traditional advertising, compensate anyone willing to share these products with their family and friends. In minimising traditional advertising, the company’s marketing plan was developed as seen in Addendum A . This marketing plan is very simple and focuses primarily on sales and promotion levels of sellers. Since 1978, very little changes were done to keep up with trends over the years. 3.Business Mission Forever Living believes their greatest legacy is what they do for others and how they do it. â€Å"We adhere to sustainable practices that let us work in harmony with the earth, leaving a more promising future to our children. We take great pride in our charity foundation, Forever Giving, because it allows us to help others around the world who has needs far greater than our own. We are taking ideas and turning them into reality. It is a part of our business that’s so deeply ingrained you could call it our culture. Working towards a brighter future is so much more than our duty—it’s truly our pleasure. Forever Living offers a unique opportunity where distributors are in business for themselves, but never by themselves.† 4.Objectives Seeing that the company primary focus is on sales, that is exactly what drives the objectives of the company. This is very clear in the current (unchanged) marketing plan still in use. The main objective is: Own your own business – You are in charge of your own destiny. Instead of making your boss rich, all the work you do actually benefits you. Thus, the company tries to empower ordinary people with the ability to own an income related to the amount of effort put into sales and marketing based on known and proven products and catering for people with the same values in life. A promotion scheme is followed where the distributor starts at entry level and then progress to higher levels determined by the amount of sales accomplished. It seems like primarily the focus is based on the total of sales obtained, but on the other hand a strong emphasis is placed on customer satisfaction. 5.SWOT Analysis Strengths – Being a company that has existed since 1978, it proves that this is no fly-by-night company. Sound records and proven results are in favour of establishing this company as a reputable business. Forever Living has a track record of more than 30 years of success. The company offer excellent training, seminars, incentives, and a support center. Forever Living is a company with an international presence that demonstrates stability, growth, and ample industry experience. Innovative, quality products speak of the credibility of the company. Weaknesses – Seeing that the Forever Living Company, on customer related issues, primarily makes use of word-of-mouth marketing, as well as drawing the majority of costumers from family and friends, it seems like this could lead to a potential gap in their marketing plan. On the side of distributors, it seems like there is limited protocols and measurements regarding the amount of sale being monitored and available for  scruitinising. Thus, it seems like whatever sales you submit per month is the only way of monitoring your own progress in the company. Opportunities – Although it could also be seen as a stumbling block, Forever Living Products utilise the opportunity to play the ecological card (which seems to be quite popular in recent trends) and puts a great deal of emphasis on being â€Å"green† and sustainable. As quoted they are: â€Å"- Accountable to the Environment Ever since Forever Living Products was founded in 1978, we’ve had the utmost respect for nature. – Not Just Greenwashing Our challenge to be more eco-friendly wasn’t based on following fads or silencing critics. In 2006 we launched a formal environmental sustainability program to challenge ourselves to do more. We designated two areas where we could improve: * Waste Generation * Waste Recovery Since we began monitoring our progress we have reduced our waste by 50% and increased our recycling from 26% to 61%. – Our Carbon Footprint When it comes to the efficiency of converting CO2 into oxygen, 20 aloe plants are equal to one tree. With over 40 million aloe vera plants in our plantations, our Aloe Vera of America plantations actually cleanse the earth of 2 million tons of CO2 every year!† https://www.foreverliving.com/marketing/Page.do?name=sustainability Threats – Looking at the global economy, this could be a factor in reduced sales as Forever Living Products might be costly for costumers in countries (third-world countries) that are struggling economically. Few competition threats in relation to the product itself are known of as aloe vera products  are limited by resources (aloe plants mostly grow in arid/ desert areas). Also, the amount of aloe vera in the base product makes this product range unrivaled by most other products. 6.Competitive Advantage For consumers, the Forever Living Company’s product range is solely based on Aloe Vera products, which are divided into health drinks, nutritional supplements, weight management products and cosmetic / personal care products. This alone already gives the company a unique foothold on the health and beauty market – a fresh approach with a definitive product focus. As for distributors, Forever Living also has the advantage of a multi-level â€Å"step-up† promotion scheme for distributors where you can reach a certain level and not â€Å"degrade† once you have reached that level. With this being said, other advantages are: Owning your own business – You are in charge of your own destiny. Instead of making your boss rich, all the work you do actually benefits you. Little risk and no overhead costs – Traditional brick-and-mortar businesses cost tens of thousands of dollars to establish, not to mention a bank loan that will take you decades to repay. Starting your home-based business with Forever Living only costs you a few hundred dollars. No salary cap – Corporate jobs limit your pay range based on a market standard. With Forever Living, there is no cap on how much you earn. The harder you work, the more money you make. Residual Income – Perhaps the greatest benefit is that the multi-level marketing strategy offers lasting income. You as a distributor will always earn commissions on distributors you introduce to Forever Living, continually reaping the benefits of your hard work. 7.Marketing Strategy 7a). Target Market As the company’s unique product – aloe vera – is linked to many health and cosmetic benefits, it is a product that is sellable to virtually anyone. The target market is generally based on friends and/ or family buying from the distributor. This is not limited though to the above mentioned, but also includes people that have the urge or need to better their lives by living more healthy and doing so in reaching out to products (like Forever Living Products) that could sustain and/or improve that kind of living. Because of the relative high pricing linked to these products, one would classify the core target market as middle to high income groups. Being a sales orientated business, distributors are however expected to contact as many as potential â€Å"consumers† to sell to and build up enough credit points (as part of the sales plan) to earn their compensation/rewards. Although a fair deal of business comprise of new business, a large part of sustaining and re-enforcing selling targets is based on repetitive sales from previous customers. 7b). Positioning The positioning basically rest on aforementioned health and cosmetic benefits – to improve your way of life. With few competitors supplying specifically (certified) aloe vera products (keeping in mind that at least 75% of the base product must comprise of aloe vera), Forever Living has created a niche market and a unique selling opportunity. 7c). Marketing Mix Marketing to potential customers basically comprises of launch events, word-of-mouth and sample tests conducted in various environments suitable to potential customers. In this instance distributors seem to gather a group of people and thus present the products to various potential customers. This type of approach seem to work well in that people in numbers agreeing on an issue would more likely be proned to buying and thus push up the sale quota. As for distributors, Forever Living Products provides them with a simple, proven cycle that guarantees your success. If the distributor and their team members follow the steps in this cycle, there is no limit to how large their business will become and how much money you will earn. 1. Purchase a Business Pak 2. Develop a personal selling/marketing plan 3. Set your foundation by retailing four case credits per month 4. Follow up with your clients and prospects 5. Present the business opportunity 6. Sponsor new team members and guide them through the cycle i)Product Since the foundation in 1978, Forever Living Products markets extensively aloe vera based products. They pride themselves in claiming at least 75% of the base product consists of this core ingredient. Thus all products marketed are said to contribute to the health and cosmetic (e.g. skin care) satisfaction of their customers. Over the years, with the trend of energy drinks that became popular in recent years, the company made sure that the products offered also includes these trends. Focusing on a better living, the name Forever Living Products leans quite suitably towards what the company tries to â€Å"sell† – a longer, better, healthier life. The company also offers a full refund and/ or replacement of products without any disputes. What has been noted in delivery service is that customer service in this regard is very sufficient and fast – 2 days delivery since placing an order to delivery on your doorstep. ii)Place Forever Living took a stance on the fact that they want to assist ordinary people to â€Å"own† their own businesses. As Forever Living Products markets primarily through the use of family and friends and word-of-mouth, it seems that there could be a gap in utilizing other means of distribution. However, it is also understandable that the company would like to empower distributors (without the necessity of holding a large stock reserve) and thus ensure that even the smallest distributor would be able to make a  living. This would furthermore project the products as being more exclusive – not being able to walk into your nearest shop and pick it off the shelf, and in this way â€Å"justify† the price of the product. The home company is situated in Arizona, United States. The South African setup with four distributor outlets services distributors all over South Africa. iii)Promotion As mentioned earlier, products are primarily marketed by means of word-of-mouth, friends and family. Other means of marketing and advertising includes internet advertisements and online testimonials. All of these are rather inexpensive marketing tools being utilised. Through these channels is seems that there is sufficient affirmation to uphold the reputation of the products offered. However, with these channels used it seems to be difficult to obtain a clear estimation of the effectiveness of these efforts. On actual selling by distributors there is no clear indication of time spend, the only indication that could be used as a measure is the sum of â€Å"case credits†. Case credits determine the effective selling of a distributor. The more case credits accumulated during a month, the higher the incentives and possibility to progress to another level (often with even better incentives). The company tries to keep their products â€Å"exclusive† and thus the use of database marketing seems ineffective, as this would make the products seem â€Å"common†. In general, promotion of products for this company is based on testimonials from â€Å"regular consumers† who can recommend the benefits to others. Through this line of advertising, it would seem that benefits of the products are more creditable, true and trustworthy – due to the fact that you â€Å"know† the person who introduced you to the line of products. iv)Price Pricing on international products are generally seen as being expensive, especially on â€Å"niche† products. Even with Forever Living Products, this phenomenon occurs. However, focusing on health and cosmetic enhancements, the company can still make a reasonable stance in the pricing arena. 8.Implementation, Evaluation and Control The marketing plan appears to be in line with the goals set out by the company to achieve the desired goals. Primarily the activities required are achieved through sales of the distributors, which is measured on a monthly basis. Most probably the company would need to attempt a fresh approach on current marketing strategies such as e-commerce, although this could affect the purpose of the current structure and â€Å"mission† of the company – to empower â€Å"normal people to own a business of their own†. Seeing that performance standards are basically measured in the amount of sales per month (to achieve the desired â€Å"case credits†, this is the only way to measure the above mentioned. 9. Conclusion / Recommendations The Forever Living Products Company has set remarkable sales initiatives in place, rarely found in this type of marketing. For one, when a distributor has reached a certain sales level, there is no reverting back to a lower sales level. In every sale that is made down your line as distributor (no matter what level), you benefit from the inputs of â€Å"your team. Although the company follows a very plain marketing plan, which seems to be quite effective, some improvements can be noted. Lack of information is found in the distributors’ channels. As the company’s main aim is based on sales, it could be recommended that an on-line â€Å"portal† be created as to inform distributors of a current sales analysis (as of the first of every month, and therefore should be accessible and reflect updates any time of the month). This would pose to be a great motivational tool in driving this  sales orientated business and ensuring that you as distributor acquire the necessary â€Å"case credits† required. It is also recommended that the use of social media such as e.g. television and radio, bill-boards and poster be used on a global and general scale to promote products. This would in turn mean that a central access point (like a website or telephone call centre be utilised to direct potential customers to their nearest distributor. References Forever Living Products South Africa (Pty) Ltd.(2014): https://www.foreverliving.com/marketing/Page.do?name=sustainability, [Accessed 29-04-2014] Forever Living Products South Africa (Pty) Ltd.(2014):.https://www.foreverliving.com/marketing/Page.do?name=our_culture, [Accessed 29-04-2014] http://aloe-business.yolasite.com/resources/Marketing_Plan_English%20Forever.pdf, [Accessed 28-04-2014]

90s vs. 2000s

1990’s versus 2000’s In the U. S. The 1990’s was an era when people actually communicated, gas was cheap, and people didn’t have to worry as much about terrorism and could find things to keep them entertained. The 2000’s is now an era where everything costs a lot of money, people have out of control kids, technology is very advanced and people rely on it to get them through the day. Both decades have their own positives and negatives, but they are different in a lot of ways; like technology, social, music, and their economy differences.Both decades are different in that the 1990’s had less technology, kids were well behaved and it was a more peaceful time; the 2000’s now have all kinds of technology, everyone has to have the newest phone or computer, a lot of kids are brats who want the newest video games and there’s a lot of security at places like airports because of so many terrorist attacks. The technology difference from bo th decades is huge, because all there was back then was vhs, cassette, and standard cable with 50 channels or so, a couple different types of cellular phones, dial up computers and so on.With technology today, everyone has a cell phone, most people have some type of computer or lap top, there are blu ray and DVD players, either cable or satellite television with high definition, smart phones with touch screens, high speed broadband, and cars that can tell someone when there veering onto a side lane. Next is a big difference which is how different children act whether it is to adults, each other, or in public.In the 1990’s most kids had parents who were physically able to play with them; kids were creative and found so many different games or activities to do’ they were respectful to whomever they came into contact with because they were raised well. Now when looking at most children they either are crying in public with their parents screaming at them, playing on their parents’ phone or tablet, prefer to stay in the house to play video games online, and most parents don’t play with their kids anymore because they are either too hung up on their laptop or too tired from being fat.Finally going back to the 90’s everyone felt safer or not worried about some kind of terrorist attack like people do now. Back then airports didn’t need so much security; people didn’t have to worry about a crazy person shoot up a movie theatre or mall. Now on weekends certain malls require teens under age 18 to be accompanied by an adult over the age of 21 because of gang violence over the years. These decades differences are very different, but are only a few contrasts between the two decades. The music and social era between these two decades is another difference.In the 90’s was an era that was mainly dominated by rock and booming hip hop music industry. This music was brought on to people with baggy or tight fitted clothing. People would walk around with their cassette players jamming out to their new favorite artist. Now in the 2000’s people mainly listen to their iPods or phones because it’s easiest to acquire music that way via wireless connection from the Internet. They also listen to rap or pop because everyone is about what’s mainstream and popular. People like to wear tighter and shorter fitting clothing now because that’s also what the popular fashion is.People in the 90’s communicated through telephone or just drove or walked to each other’s house to talk or do something. Now people rely on texting each other to find out where they are located and what they want to do rather than going to each other’s house, or calling because it’s not the same type of communication; a lot has changed. Technology and music has definitely made a huge impact on how people socialize and act. Overall I think the 90’s was a great era filled with a lot of memories and seeing a lot of changes happens.It was great being able to also grow up into the 2000’s because that was when technology really started to grow and so much was happening with the world. The advantages and disadvantages of growing up in each era are very different mainly because of all the changes, but a lot of them were good and some were bad. References The 1990’s. (2013). History of the 90’s. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/1990s The 2000’s. (2012). Americas best history – U. S. Timeline 2000’s. Retrieved from http://americasbesthistory. com/abhtimeline2000. html

EFFECTIVE TRAINING METHODS FOR LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Essay

EFFECTIVE TRAINING METHODS FOR LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT - Essay Example rms of knowledge and learning with the help of such concepts as â€Å"learning organisation†, â€Å"intellectual capital†, â€Å"people-centred approach† or â€Å"knowledge based management†. Cakar and Bititci (2001) perfectly summarise this trend in the following statement: â€Å"1980s were all about automation. In the manufacturing industry FMS, FAS, Robots, AGVS etc. were commonplace. The 1990s have been about people, this is evident in the development of†¦ concepts throughout the 90s focusing on delegation, involvement, ownership cross functional teamwork, self managed works teams and so on†¦ The needs of modern business emphasize the role and importance of people and knowledge† (p.2). The ideas of Peter Drucker (1994), whom was the first to use term ‘knowledge worker’, and other theorists and practitioners working in the same direction became popular in 1980s when investments in human resources were increasingly justified as being more cost-efficient than investments in machines. Strong and effective leadership is a critically important aspect of modern human resource management practices and organisation’s functioning. Defining what makes a great leader is not a simple task. Leadership is an exceptionally complex phenomenon and the amount of literature covering various aspects of leading and managing people highlights this complexity. Despite huge amount of books and articles dedicated to the issue, there is still a great deal of ambiguity surrounding the true meaning of effective leadership in contemporary organizational environment. In psychology the phenomenon of leadership has traditionally been associated with in-group dynamics of social interactions. In any group, regardless of its size, members differ in their degree of social influence over one another: â€Å"†¦ the person who exerts the most influence on the rest of the group thus affecting group beliefs and behaviour is usually addressed as leader† (Hollander, 1985: 14). Although this

African americans in sports Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

African americans in sports - Research Paper Example 42-43). Too often, however, sport does not provide social mobility and lucrative careers for African American. Background Debate involving whether or not the sport domain in the United States is benefiting or exploiting its African American participants continues to be an issue of critical concern. Specifically, as the discussion relates to the impact of the athletic experience upon the progress of young, African American student- athletes. Embedded within this discussion exist two opposing perspectives which view sport as either "the embodiment of the American dream of meritocracy and success" (Sammons, 1994, p. 215) or as an institution designed to operate as a form of social control. According to sport sociologist George H. Sage (2000) the fundamental difference regarding these arguments and in how sport has historically been understood lies in whether one considers sport a cultural practice or not. Sage (2000) offers a logical and rational argument for considering larger socio-hi storical context when examining sport issues. He maintains that sport is a cultural practice that cannot be fully understood "as a practice isolated from the social, economic, political, and cultural context in which it is situated" (In Brooks & Althouse, p. 2). The divergence in opinion regarding the utility of sport, as expressed by the African American community, has dated as far back as slavery (Wiggins & Miller 433). The sentiments of ex- slave and abolitionist Frederick Douglass on this subject have been noted by historian Jeffrey Sammons: From his retrospective position as ex-slave, Douglass considered sport and oppressive instrument and divisionary device to occupy the minds and energies of slaves, thus preventing them from pursuing more useful activities and fully appreciating their horrible plight (p. 216). Cautiousness about the current role of sport in the lives of the African American community continues to be voiced mainly through the limited amount of sport sociologic al literature addressing the subject of the African American athletic experience. As indicated by Gates (p. 78) much of the current focus involving African American athletes has been generated in response to the channeling and overrepresentation of young black youth into collegiate revenue producing sports, unrealistic dreams of playing at an elite level, and the alarmingly poor academic performance and graduation rates of high profile Division IA collegiate athletics [i.e. basketball and football]. Historically, higher education institutions have tended to view low achieving minority students as "problems" citing the student's inability to "acculturate" to the college environment as a significant factor. Tierney (p. 603-618) suggests that institutions reconsider this position and to consider their own inability to operate in a multicultural world. Explanations for poor academic performance [as compared to whites] in African American student-athletes have generally been consistent w ith the "problem" perspective, implying that these student-athletes and their significant others overemphasize sport at the cost of academic development. According to Powell (p. 73) African-American males â€Å"don’t treat academics with the same intensity as they do basketball or football.† According to Harris (In Brooks & Althouse, 47) the National Collegiate Athletic

Economic Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economic Analysis - Essay Example There is an elastic demand for the industry products and services. Perfect elastic demand means that the responsiveness of the consumers towards a price change is high than the price changed. With the reduction in call rates and message rates, Celcom will register an increase in the number of consumers using this service. The elasticity of demand in Celcom Company will increase the demand of the company products services and products as compared to the other services and products offered in the telecommunication industry. The introduction of a new telecommunication service provider known as the U-mobile in the country has increased the number of close substitutes when it comes to provision of telecommunication products and services. The availability of the close substitutes has led to a greater elasticity of demand (Armstrong and Kotler 2010). The elasticity of demand in the Malaysian telecommunication industry has led to the adoption of price penetration strategy. The products of Celcom are highly differentiated from those of its competitors. That is, its products are highly customized to meet the customer demands. As part of its product differentiation, Celcom has reduced the cost per message from 50 cents to 25 cents and the cost of a call from 35 cents to 20 cents per minute. This has been done to fully differentiate its services from those of its potential competitors. Celcom has also differentiated its broadband network in a way which keeps up with the current technology in Malaysia. The broadband network has been differentiated in a way which makes it the fastest network in Malaysia compared to the networks provided by its competitors (Armstrong and Kotler 2010). Its network has been updated with the current technological advancements. The company also intends on launching a new differentiated product from those of its competitors. The U-verse will allow customers to pay their bills using the phone, book online hotel

Critical Perspectives of Management and Organisations Essay

Critical Perspectives of Management and Organisations - Essay Example 87). These behaviours have become so common in the workplace to the point that they are viewed as normal and legal steps are rarely taken to discourage the same (Thomson Reuters, 2007). Although various countries have established laws to control this behaviour and minimize its effects to the employees, which are usually negative to their productivity and psychological health, most companies still tolerate them especially in the cases where seniors harass subordinates (Crosby, 2007, p. 45-50). Most of these cases are not reported as individual are usually afraid of losing their jobs. Desexualizing the work place is important both for the sake of the organization and for the employees who may become tormented by unwelcome advances of their bosses. Desexualizing is the change in direction with respect to suppressing sexuality as a way of establishing managerial control on employees. The topic of sexuality in the workplace is very important both for the employees and for the employers (O erez & Liberman, 2010, p. 102-107). The employees benefit by knowing that they have the right to be provided with a healthy working places without sexual discrimination of any kind. In addition, the topic provides information to the employees on possible steps to take in the case that they may be subjected towards sexual discrimination (Williams et al., 1999, p. 77-79). On the other hand, the employer is made aware that they may be subject to lawsuit in the event that sexual discrimination takes place in the organization and they fail to take steps to avert the same. In this essay, I am going to present the work of Katie Sullivan who outlines various claims connected to the case of sexualisation in the work place. In the essay, I am going to show how the society has accepted this behaviour and present facts to show how it can be averted especially in the profession of massage. Sullivan

The Main Challenge of Intercultural Relations Essay

The Main Challenge of Intercultural Relations - Essay Example Every person belongs to a certain culture and, therefore, the qualities or characteristics in a given culture depend on the general characteristics of the people. This implies that the average strength and weakness of people in a given culture might be considered as the weakness or strength within the culture. Identifying personal weakness and strength is an important aspect of effective communication. Tolerance is the ability to give other people a chance to express themselves and their ideas. This course has enabled me to acknowledge tolerance as an important element in culture. I also realized that I am a very analytical person. In addition, I realized that I have good listening skills and this is my basic strength in intercultural interactions. Good listening skills enable to give people from different cultural backgrounds the chance to express their views and ideas (Lustig & Koester, 2010). Using this skill, I am able to learn other people and this contributes to effective inter cultural relation. Our culture promotes good listening and analytical skills. However, the culture has some few weaknesses that act as a barrier to effective communication. The course has enabled me to realize that members of our culture are very judgmental. I have also learnt this is the basis of having a negative attitude towards people from different cultures. If people from our culture improve in this area, I believe that we can become more competent in our intercultural interaction and communication.

Design of an Enterprise Level Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Design of an Enterprise Level Business - Essay Example An Enterprise's need for tighter financial controls1, more consistent data2, support for streamlined sourcing and procurement processes3, a single data source for product or services data4, support for closed-loop sales and operations planning processes5, portfolio approach6 collectively points to the requirement of a software system named Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). It's a comprehensive system capable of breaking down barriers between departments within an enterprise and brings together various pockets such as sales, production, finance, human resources, purchasing and shipping - to unify access to the up-to-date information to produce a consistent, single version of the truth on Talking simply about organisation and its processes isn't understanding them. To get a deeper understanding of the processes, one needs the right information for capturing process detail. It's in the heads of the people who, day in and out, are living the process (Ben B Graham, 2004). This is where Ben Graham process mapping methods steals the picture. The symbols used call attention to value-added work, non-value-added work, work inspections (controls), movement of work from one location to another and delays (when nothing is happening). No other mapping technique provides such a transparency, decision making support and support for analysis that is provided by Ben Graham Process Map. Another such is the 'IDEF' methodology (Integrated DEFinition language). It frees the process from arguing about process modelling taxonomies. IDEF suite provides functional, information, data, process, object oriented and ontology modelling to map business processes. The 'BPMN' (Business Process Mode lling Notation) provides a set of graphical elements, Swimlanes is most popular among them, which facilitates the developers in implementing the technology that will perform those processes. For a close comparison, Graham stands taller than the rest (See figure 1). Documenting the design requires a right tool. It should provide clarity without being overly simplistic and provide detail without clutter. There are a lot of flowcharting tools which provide symbol sets but unless it's wrapped in a methodology, it's of no use. The 'Process Developer Enterprise Edition' is a mapping tool for internal activity, flowchart mapping and document control. It helps an organization to meet ISO 9000:2000 standards. Another very useful tool is the 'FlowBreeze Flowchart Software'. It is 100% MS Office integrated tool for making flow charts faster and easier. It lets you just type the text and converts it into flowchart shapes, adds flow lines, and formats the drawing. It is in accordance with Sarbanes Oxley. The 'Stylus Studio XML' Enterprise Edition is another mapping tool with IDE features, XML Editing, Debugging, Testing, Graham vs IDEF vs BPMN Features G I B Displays All the Items that are involved in the process / detailed Shows step by step processing at the task level- the work people do Shows processing at a function level Shows relationships between items Shows multiple related flows Displays single-line flow Identifies WHO

B200 TMA02 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

B200 TMA02 - Essay Example This can lead to inefficiency due to imperfect competition, which can take many different forms, such as monopolies, monopsonies, cartels, or monopolistic competition, if the agent does not implement perfect price discrimination. OPEC (oil cartel in Middle East is an example of this). Second, the actions of an agent can have externalities, which are innate to the methods of production, or other conditions important to the market. An externality occurs when an economic activity causes external costs or external benefits to third party stakeholders who did not directly affect the economic transaction. In a competitive market, the existence of externalities would mean that either too much or too little of the good would be produced and consumed in terms of overall cost and benefit to society. Finally, some markets can fail due to the nature of certain goods, or the nature of their exchange. For instance, goods can display the attributes of public goods or common-pool resources, while markets may have significant transaction costs, agency problems, or informational asymmetry. In general, all of these situations can produce inefficiency, and a resulting market failure. "One cause of market failure is the limited nature of property rights. ... By extending these rights, individuals may be able to prevent other people imposing costs on them, or charge them for doing so." (2000: pp. 152-153) As a result, an agent can have imperfect control over the uses of its commodity, as the system of property rights that defines this control is not comprehensive. Typically, this includes two basic rights that have more generalized nature - excludability and transferability. Excludability caters to the an agent's ability to control who can use its commodity, how much, and for how long - and also the associated costs for doing so. Transferability states the right of an agent to transfer the rights of its commodity from one agent to another, primarily by selling or leasing a commodity, and associated costs associated for doing so. If a system of rights cannot fully guarantee these at low (or no) cost, then an inefficient distribution can be the consequence. There can be many examples of market failure. In this author's region, for instance, traffic congestion is an example, as driving can be considered to impose hidden costs on other drivers and the society, whereas the use of public transportation and/or other ways of avoiding driving to mitigate traffic congestion would be more beneficial to society as a whole. Other common global examples of market failure may include environmental issues such as pollution and exploitation of natural resources to an excessive extent. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is, currently, a cartel of 12 countries comprising Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. One of its principal goals

Computer Forensic Tools Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Computer Forensic Tools - Term Paper Example The program recovers files in various operating systems such as vista, windows 7, Xp and different server. Recuva enables the recovery of files with sheer minimal footprint on the disk. The program can be downloaded freely from the internet and is easy to install and run. In addition, the software is able to recover the files that have been emptied from the recycle bin. The program can also be used to recover files in tablet computers. Pandora on the other hand enables the recovery of files that are in NTFS and FAT-formatted volumes. It works by scanning the hard drive and creating an index both existing and deleted files and directory on the logical drive of the computer. The scanning will provides retrieve all the deleted files where you will choose one’s to recover. Unlike the Racuva, Pandora provides a preview of the files in case you can to refer to it shortly. The software is also downloaded freely. However, a version with more robust function is obtained by subscribing $500. The software is exceedingly straightforward to use. Glary undelete is a hybrid file recovery software that enables recovery of files in NTFS, NTFS + EFS, FAT, compressed files, encrypted files, compressed, fragmented and files in removable devices. The program has a remarkably easy user. The software supports both dynamic and basic volumes. Like the other two, the software can be obtained free by downloading from the internet. The most prevalent tools used to extract forensic evidence from mobile phones are Flasher Box and PmExplorer. The devices are extremely effective and therefore used by the security agencies such as the police. According to Heiser & Kruse (2011), the two devices are hugely expensive. In addition, one requires a personal computer such as a laptop to use the device. The latest model of Flasher Box cost approximately $10000. This cost does not include the other supporting hardware and software. You also have to buy a set of cables that are used to connect to different mobile phones. A laptop that runs remarkable software for analysis the evidence is also needed. In total, price of a complete Flasher Box system is almost 12000 dollars. PmExplorer is relatively cheaper. It comes with an ensuite of all required software and hardware. According to Solomon & Barrett (2012), the total price is approximately $8000. This explains why the system is more common compared to Flasher Box. The cost hiring a professional computer forensic expert is extremely high. A profound trial lawyer and Technologist computer forensic examiner based in UK charges between 500 to 1000 dollars per hour to examine a computer system that contains digital evidence. The expert charges the client according to the magnitude of the crime committed and the size of the company. To perform the operation for a large business organization, the expert can charge over a thousand dollars. In addition, the expert also charges some extra $500 for his security. Research has shown tha t the expert has experience in the field. In fact, he has been conducting several government investigations (Vacca, 2005). The investigations were successful and he has helped the government deal with cyber criminal. Though there are other forensic experts, the quality of services they offer is low. I would recommend any organization which needs to hire a forensic expert with experience. In addition, they should be registered with HTCIA. There was a case in the court which involved

Btec Business Essay Example for Free

Btec Business Essay Im not sure about this figure, with th0d Returned on capital employed Net profit (after appropriations) X 100 = 44160 = 29. 61% Capital employed 149160 This figure shows you how much money will be returned back into the business depending on how much they have invested. Not investing money into the business means you will not be making profit. I am not sure if 29. 61% is a good figure but it must be a good figure if the capital employed is ? 149,160. Maybe if the percentage is higher they employ more capital and they can re-invest more. Liquidity ratios-Current ratio Current assets: 1 = 70160 = 4. 53:1 Current liabilities 15500 Every ? 1 that they owe they own ? 4. 53 worth of assets. For SIGNature ltd the ratio is good, meaning not too much stock or owing too much to debtors. Acid test ratio Current assets assets: 1 = 70160 1200 = 4. 4:1 Current liabilities 15500 Every ? 1 they owe to suppliers or banks they will have ? 4. 41 of current assets. This means they have enough money to pay for costs like heating, lighting, telephone, courier charges and insurance. Average stock Kept over the year X 365 = 6000 = 9. 3 days Cost of goods sold 521700 Efficiency Ratios-Rate of stock turnover Every 9 to8 days they make a sale; this figure is not good because when running a business like SIGNature ltd you would like to be making sales more often. Debtors X 365 = 41000 = 28. 69 days Credit sales 521700 Debtor’s payment period A debtor’s payment is just about monthly meaning credit customers pay them every 28. 69 days, SIGNature should monitor their debtors and check how much they buy, when they pay back the full amount and which debtors are not paying in the 30 day period. Creditors X 365 = 15500 = 24. 11 days Credit purchases 234675 Creditor’s payment period 24 days is how long SIGNature takes to pay for credit purchases and they do pay their credit in good time. If you dont to your credit suppliers respond you may be charged additional interest, penalties and surcharges. Your debt may be referred to a private debt collection agency. Conclusion In this task I have performed ratio analysis and measured the profitability and efficiency of SIGNature and analysed the performance of a business using suitable ratios.

A Sociological Perspective on the Drug War

A Sociological Perspective on the Drug War Kelli Piperata Introduction The War on Drugs has been going on for many years. Drugs were never the target of this war, but racism was. Today, in the modern era of the drug war, it is not just a war on race, but also a war on the lower-social class societies. This essay will briefly give examples of the history in which some of the first laws against drugs were enacted and show the conflicting racial and social class issues that are raised as well as a sociological functional perspective. Class Conflict and Racial Conflict The modern era of the War on Drugs seems to target not only minorities, but also white lower-class citizens as well. The gap between the rich and poor is not getting smaller, but rather becoming larger. Many lower-class individuals want to gain upward mobility within society, but have limited resources to accomplish these means. These individuals may suffer from what sociologists call relative deprivation, the social or economic inequality for individuals that cannot achieve legitimate ways of success. These individuals seek out a means to achieve this social mobility by selling drugs, or cultivating drugs to make financial gain. Others may be a product of their environment and may be shaped in a certain fashion that leads them to crime. These lower-class societies are oppressed by capitalism. Most individuals seek out a better life and have the American Dream, but that dream is only a reality for very few within poorer communities. From a historical view, looking at the War on Drugs, it has always been a racial divide. The War on Drugs has almost always been a war on race, not drugs. From the beginning of written drug laws that have been enforced, they have always targeted a race. For example, first the target was towards the Chinese immigrants in California with the opium ban in San Francisco in 1875. Moreover, after that the Hispanics from Mexico were targeted and blamed, hence came the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937. When the opium ban was enacted, white middle-class and upper-class men felt that white women belonging in these classes were being seduced by the opium dens. However, these opium dens were used by a small percentage of Oriental immigrants and white women of the upper-class did not frequent these establishments. White men created an outrage in the public eye and the first anti-opium legislation was passed. The opium legislation that was passed in 1937 can be directly attributed to racism, white conser vative men were scared and felt threatened by the Chinese cultures and ways so they moved to alienate them as well as have them moved out of the United States territories. Racism is still a key contributor to the War on Drugs, individuals such as Donald Trump made racism the backbone of his campaign. Trump focused on Mexico, claiming that they are rapists and drug dealers, calling them bad hombres. Additionally, the political platform was used to divide the United States and create a myth that minority immigrants, mostly consist of drug dealers and law breaking offenders. Statistical data shows differently, according to Philip Bump from the Washington Post: [D]ata from the census and a wide range of other empirical studies show that for every ethnic group without exception, incarceration rates among young men are lowest for immigrants, even those who are the least educated. This holds true especially for the Mexicans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans, who make up the bulk of the undocumented population. (Ruben Rumbaut, University of California, 2008. Published by the Police Foundation.) Donald Trumps campaign directly targeted, discriminated, alienated, and generalized a whole group of individuals. A Functional Perspective The question needs to be asked, why does the United States continue the War on Drugs? Drugs contribute to the economy in numerous ways. Prisoners within the correction departments help the private institutions with financial gain by producing products for around twenty-five cents an hour. These prisoners are capitalist slaves; they do rigorous work at minimum costs for companies that make immense profits off of these products. In addition, another contributing factor of the drug war is the jobs it creates: police officers, judges, correctional officers, drug testing companies, etc. Robert Mertons theory of structural function is seen within these institutions, the institutions serve a purpose of keeping offenders out of the public and in return the offenders do labor for business and are paid a subsistent wage. The institutional workers (the quasi group) all fulfill their roles in society by performing the tasks and maintenance required within these institutions. The main purpose for the continuance of the drug war is the economic gain within society. Conclusion The War on Drugs has been going on for years, it may have started out racially directed but in the modern era it has shifted to target both racial minorities and the lower-class in society. This war has created social class conflict as well as racial conflict and these conflicts will continue well into the future, unless institutions are stopped from making a financial gain. References Bump, Philip. Surprise! Donald Trump is Wrong about Immigrants and Crime. 2 July 2015. The Washington Post. Print. 2 February 2017. George Ritzer, Jeffery Stepnisky. Classical Theories, Emile Durkheim: From Mechanical to Organic Solidarity. George Ritzer, Jeffery Stepnisky. Contemporary Sociolgical Theory and Its Classical Roots. New York, Ny: McGraw-Hill, 2013. 15-19. Print. George Ritzer, Jeffery Stepnisky. Classical Theories: Karl Marx, From Capitalsim to Communism. George Ritzer, Jeffery Stepnisky. Contemporary Sociolgical Theories and Its Classical Roots. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2013. 21-30. Print. George Ritzer, Jeffery Stepnisky. Contemporary Grand Theories, Structural Functionalism. George Ritzer, Jeffery Stepnisky. Contemporary Sociolgical Theories and Its Classical Roots. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2013. 72-88. Print. Goode, Erich. A History of Drug Control. Goode, Erich. Drugs In American Society. New York, Ny: McGraw-Hill, 2015. 40-47. Print.

Strategic Management: An Introduction

Strategic Management: An Introduction Strategic management is the art and science of formulating, implementing and evaluating cross-functional decisions that will enable an organization to achieve its objectives. It involves the systematic identification of specifying the firms objectives, nurturing policies and strategies to achieve these objectives, and acquiring and making available these resources to implement the policies and strategies to achieve the firms objectives. Strategic management also integrates the activities of the various functional sectors of a business, such as marketing, sales, production to achieve organizational goals. It is generally the highest level of managerial activity, usually imitated by the board of directors and executive team. Strategic management hopes to provide overall direction to the company has ties to the field of organization studies. Strategic planning is a management tool, period. In short, strategic planning is a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, what it does, and why it does it, with a focus on the future. Strategic management also allocates the right amount of resources to the different parts of your business so that those assigned to particular goals have what they need to meet their objectives. This ranges from providing your workers with the right supplies to enacting systems by which employees receive the necessary training, all work processes are tested, and all information and data generated is documented. To effectively manage your business strategically, every inch of your company must have its needs met in these ways. Furthermore, one must know that two businesses cannot be same and there should be some basic differences between them. Because of this, the goals and the plans of action are different for each business. Plus, the strategies for long term and short term development should be different and these need to be applied separately. QUESTION 1: Explain how someone can be a manager but not a leader, a leader but not a manager, and both a manager and a leader. A manager is a person with a job of overseeing one or more employees or department to ensure these employees or departments do their job or assigned duties as required. A manager helps others to get more done by motivating the employees, providing directions , making sure the employees working together towards a common goal, and providing feedback. A new manager may be responsible for a small team or a small project. Usually a senior manager will watch over his or her work. The manager will have to learn the strengths and weaknesses of the team members, instruct a work to the team members, guiding team members to reach goals, provide the tools needed by the team and motivate them to do their task. Usually , a new manager has limited responsibility for money issues and little chances to approve or make an expenditures. They have to review and approve timesheets for their employees and may have the chances to approve expense accounts. The term of manager is not the same for leader since the two terms are not the same. A manager must ensure the appropriate delivery of human resources and funding to meet the routine daily productivity objectives. The manager is known as detailed oriented. Mangers don not see the overall picture and are less interested regarding the long-term corporate goals and mission. They are worried about details; as a result, they do not make them a good leader. Some managers may have certain leadership qualities but they remain too focused on their daily operations and are unable to provide direction and vision to the organization. A manager plans, organizes, leads, and controls whereas a leader influence others through communication, motivation, discipline, direction and dynamics Typically, the goals are set for a beginning manager by someone higher ranking in an organization. Here , the manager have to develop a plan to achieve the goal set. They have to provide feedbacks to their employees as they work with those plans. To be a manager , developing skills at all level is important . At a beginning level , examples of two area where a manager need to focus their skill development are the ability to manage their meetings and developing their own planning tools such as to do a list. A leader is different from manager. A leader is a person who has vision, a drive and a commitment to achieve that vision, and the skills to make it happen. A leader see a problem that needs to be fixed or a goal that needs to be achieved. A leader is also a person who guides others towards a common goal, showing the employees by example and creating an environment in which other team members feel active and involved in any process or task. A leader is a good listener. Leaders have to keep their mind open to others ideas. They can come up with new ways to accomplish the goal set. It is the leaders job to make sure that everyone in the group is being heard. Leaders have to listen to the team members ideas and listen their criticism for improvements. Leaders have to be focus all the time. They have to keep on remind themselves and the team members of the goals and mission. Staying on track and keep the team members on track ,the team will stay motivated and more productive. As leader of the group, it is important that you schedule time to meet with your team to establish and check-in about the goals you hope to achieve. Leaders also have to be organized. Leaders are responsible in a lot of things and might be very busy sometimes. A leader can set the tone for the team. A leader who is organized helps motivate team members to be organized as well. As a leader, youre responsible for a lot and youre probably going to be very busy at times. However, you still need to find time to talk with your team. A good way to do this is to set frequent group meetings, so that no question or concern goes too long without attention. Leaders also have to be decisive. Although an important part of being a leader involves listening to the people surrounding, they have to remember that they are not always going to be able to reach a compromise. When this happens, dont be afraid to make the final decision, even if some team members disagree with the plans. Confident is the most important characteristics of a leader, leaders have to believe themselves and the success of the team members. Show others that you are dedicated, intelligent, and proud of what you are doing. A manager basically directs resources to complete predetermined goals or projects. For example, a manager may engage in hiring, training, and scheduling employees in order to accomplish work in the most efficient and cost effective manner possible. A manager is considered a failure if they are not able to complete the project or goals with efficiency. . On the other hand, a leader within a company develops individuals in order to complete predetermined goals and projects. A leader develops relationships with their employees by building communication, exampling images of success, and by showing loyalty. As an example of a manager, A company CEO directs Wong, one of the companies up and coming managers, to hire enough new employees to provide the company with a customer service department. Wong undertakes his project with enthusiasm. He hires only those employees who can work the assigned hours, will accept the modest pay, and have experience working in customer service. He trains his new employees to perform the job to his expectations and assigns the employees to their new positions. Wong measures his success in terms of efficiency, calls handled per hour, and cost effectiveness, for example did he meet his budget?. However, Wong did not anticipate that of the employees he hired, only a handful would remain working six months later. Moreover, as an example of a leader, Ahmed obtains the same assignment as Wong. Ahmed hires employees that he believes he can develop a working relationship with, versus just those employees who will worked the assigned hours and take the modest pay. Ahmeds goal is to hire a diverse group of employees, some of who do not have any customer service experience, who he feels he can develop a personal connection. A large part of Ahmeds training involves team building, telling successful stories, and listening to each employees own desires for what constitutes a fulfilling job. Ahmed still assigns his employees their job duties and schedules at the end of training, and he also measures success in terms of efficient and cost effectiveness, but he also measures success in terms of low employee turnover, employee morale, and employee development. Ahmed feels proud when one of his employees obtains an advance level position a year or two after being hired. The skills to be a leader or a manager are not exclusive in nature. A leader who only displays leadership skills will be ineffective when it comes to checking time cards, completing employee reviews, and scheduling employee vacation time; things that employers require their managers to do on timely bases. Similarly, a manager who spends all his/her time completing paperwork and reading reports; only creates more problems for him or her because they lack a developing relationship with their employees. Many companies, one person may play the role of both leader and manager. In others, these roles are carried out by different people. And in many cases, the roles overlap and leaders need to manage and managers need to lead. However, it is critical that both roles are performed effectively for a company to succeed, especially a company with employees. Without a vision for the future, a company has no direction and no goals for which to strive. Good leaders are made not born. If you have the desire and willpower, you can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience. As a manager who would like to become a better leader to inspire your employees into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things you must be, know, and, do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study. Good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their leadership skills. Leaders an d managers also have much different conceptions of work itself. Leaders develop new approaches to long-standing problems. Leaders work in high-risk positions because of a strong aversion to mundane work. Conversely, managers view work as an enabling process. Managers tolerate practical, mundane work because of a strong survival instinct that makes them risk-averse. They are good at reaching compromises and mediating conflicts between opposing perspectives, but lack the influence to avoid future conflicts. QUESTION 2: Identify two very different organizations that compete on a cost leadership strategy and explain how they do this, i.e. find out what they do that enables them to keep their prices low. The cost leadership strategic is to gain a competitive advantage. Make it into a simple word, cost leadership is reduce the cost to fight with their competitor in same industry. The organization who need to earn more profit, must reduce the cost to ensure they are not waste any resource. The cost who has reduce more, the company will gain more profit and easy to survive in the market share. Anakku Anakku as famous is selling the baby product. The company is celebrated 38th anniversary in Malaysia in 2011. Therefore, the company has their advantage to survive in this market. Anakku produce the baby products get it the mission is built on a strong, solid foundation of premium quality, safety and reliability. The product have been sell by Anakku are fashion-wear for babies and toddlers, feeding equipment, toiletries, diapers, accessories, strollers, playpens and more. Baby Kiko Creating style glamour, fun comfort for the little ones. Is the brand name of Baby Kiko. Baby Kiko is a brand extention from KIKO. Baby Kiko is establishing in Malaysia for over 20 years. Baby Kiko is one of the most widely recognized baby brand in Malaysia, known for quality, trendy style, and marketing creativity. The product that have been sell are toddler clothing, feeding accessories to weaning products, baby cleansing to baby skincare products. Cost Leadership Strategic Both companies have completed their cost leadership strategic, therefore, both company can survive in the market taking a long period time. Each of them has the plan to reduce the cost and increase their profit. Not even thought, both companies also using the Michael Portal 5 force to operate the companies. And they no using too much of advertising to promote their product, so that, the cost will follow decrease. Next, most of the products like cloth or accessories are make by them. The pattern and the design had been created, so, the companies will produce it with their own manufactory. Follow by this, both companies will try to reduce the damage of the product. They will make sure the product is good. The after-sales service is one of the parts they can do, and get the feedback from the customers, and get to improve better to the customers need. Within the Michael Portal 5 forces, First of all, the bargaining power of supplier. For the Baby Kiko Company, all the product are make by own, so that, the raw material of they used is direct from the manufactory, so the price of the product can easy to under control. An opposite, about the Anakku Company, some if the products like car seat or toys are manufacture from the supplies. Mostly, the Anakku Company will control by the supplier. But, for the Anakku Company, the main product for sell is clothing and the accessories like bottles, teethers, feeding accessories and etc. If the supplies increase the price, so they will change the supplier to get the raw material and try to product good product for their customers. Next, the bargaining power of customer or buyer is one of the forces that both companies used. The price had been set and the customers no have too much or no have power to argue to reduce the price. The entire product had been fix price, unless the company does the promotion like discount, so the customer will get the lower price of the product. Both companies have provided onsite service and after-sale service. And some of the product will give about 1 week to 1 year of warranty depend on the product. The threats of the entry of new competitor will also influence the cost. If got new competitor join into this industry, the company will spend more money to do promotion as like discount or adverting to attract people. This kind of money will increase the cost, so the profit will been decrease. Otherwise, both company had been survive in Malaysia taking a long period time, they have their own popularity in this country. For the Anakku Company, they mostly are produce the safety and useful product. The product no easy to damage and some of the product have the warranty to attract the customer to buy it. This is the advantage for them and no need scare about the new competitor to try to attack them. Besides that, the Baby Kiko Company more is based on the creative and innovative product to attract customers. The design and the fashion are new and look nicely. Based on the customers, they will take feedback and get the new the information to produce the product. Those are the advantage of the both companies; the new competitor does not have too much power and cost to survive. Other than that, the intensity of competitor rivalry it may also influence the cost. Take a basic word, who can get the lower cost, who will win in the market. Therefore, the company must have the power and the capacity to run the business. For Anakku Company, they have many branches in the Malaysia. It will easy to target market and the customers. Anakku Company as a wholesaler otherwise as a retailer. They retail the product directly to the customer, so that, the cost will not be too high to be taken. The technology of Anakku Company use is high-tech machine. According the above statement, the Anakku Company does not have too much of advertising. Running the business around 30 years, the popularity has the value on their customers. For Baby Kiko, they usually are wholesale to the stores that are really preferred to sales. Some hypermarket like Partson or The Store, we can see Baby Kiko product. Wholesale to other store, it can deduct the cost of employee and no need searching the place to run over the business. The customers who are prefer to sell the product, they will delivery it. It may reduce the cost with it. Not even that, Baby Kiko Company also though the internet to promote the product. One of the major website is Facebook to promote. It is free of charge and also can attract more people to know the new product. Other than that, the labour force it may influence the cost available. Anakku Company is more focus on the retail sale, so that, the employee will taking more and more, so the cost relative will increase. From the manufactory to the store, they are too many employees to work. But, the Baby Kiko no taking too much of employee, because they have using the technology like machine or wholesale to other seller. The cost taking is the transportation fee. At last, which companies keep the lower cost; it may easy and expand the business. Besides that, properly using the raw material and do not simply waste too much. Because the waste will direct influence the cost. Have a good plan of cost leadership, the company more easy to survive in the market share. Nursing Case Study: Osteoarthritis (OA) Management Nursing Case Study: Osteoarthritis (OA) Management Introduction Over 60% of adults in England suffer from a chronic health problem (Department of Health 2004). Osteoarthritis (OA) is among the most common chronic conditions, particularly among older adults, and is a cause of considerable pain and disability among affected individuals. The prevalence of OA has been estimated at 2.5% in the overall population, increasing to 12% among those aged 65 years and over (Wood 1999). OA is a complex condition with multiple risk factors of age, sex, overweight or obesity, genetics, and biomechanical factors (e.g. joint injury or occupational or recreational use). It is possible for OA to develop in any synovial joint but the spine, hip, knee, hands most commonly affected, either in isolation or in combination (Steven and Finlayson 2005). Typical symptoms of OA include joint pain, stiffness, limited movement, crepitus and swelling, and symptoms may be static, relapsing or progressive (Steven and Finlayson 2005). Structural changes within the joint may also oc cur in the absence of any symptoms. OA places a considerable burden on healthcare resources, with data published in 2002 showing this condition to be responsible for over 11 million GP visits and more than 114,500 hospital admissions (Arthritis Research campaign 2002). OA also impacts significantly on the economy. In 1999–2000, it was estimated that a total of 36 million working days were lost due to OA alone, resulting in  £3.2 billion in lost productivity (Arthritis Research campaign 2002). It is therefore important that OA is managed effectively in affected individuals. This paper discusses a patient that I have nursed with osteoarthritis and examines the effectiveness of their care in the management of this condition. Patient case history Mrs Smith is aged 78 years and lives independently in a two-storey house with her husband, aged 82 years, who is her main carer. She has osteoarthritis of the knees, hips and hands and also has hypertension and diabetes. She is taking four medications for these conditions. Eighteen months ago, she underwent emergency hospital admission for a urine infection. After being discharged from hospital, assessment showed her to be at an increased risk of repeated admissions due to her multiple pathology, polypharmacy and previous hospital admission. The care she had received prior to hospital admission was below standard and self-management of her condition was poor. Her GP referred her case management to a community matron who worked alongside a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals (I was a member of this team) and her husband to co-ordinate her care and help Mrs Smith reduce her risk of future hospital admissions. The community matron was involved in Mrs Smith’s progra mme of care for a total of two months, after which time co-ordination of her care was handed back to her GP. At the initial assessment, Mrs Smith was found to be experiencing high levels of pain which affected her sleep patterns and showed symptoms of depression. She also reported relationship problems. At present, her pain is being managed effectively through a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions which include self-management; she reports normal sleeping patterns and shows no signs of depression. Her relationship with her husband has also improved and Mrs Smith is now no longer at increased risk of future hospital admissions. Managing individuals with chronic conditions The care and management of chronic conditions should address individual needs and expectations. The government has set Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets for improving outcomes for people with chronic conditions. These include reducing emergency bed days by 5% and increasing the number of older adults who are supported to live at home by 1% by 2008, from the 2003/4 baseline (Department of Health 2005). With the aim of meeting these targets, the NHS and Social Care Model was developed to help Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and social care organisations improve care for individuals with chronic conditions (Department and Health 2005). From 2005, all PCTs are required to provide personalised care plans for those individuals who are most at risk. Initiatives such as the Expert Patient Programme are included in this model and will be discussed later. Providing high-quality care for older adults The NHS Plan set out a programme of reforms for the NHS (Department of Health 2000). Based on the underpinning principles of this plan, the National Service Framework for Older People was implemented to ensure that the needs of older adults are adequately addressed in these reforms (Department of Health 2001). This will be achieved by ensuring high standards of care are provided for all patients, improving access to care, and developing services which promote independence. The Essence of Care, published in 2001, sets out benchmarks for clinical governance covering eight areas of care which identify required standards for high-quality care and indicators for best practice (NHS Modernisation Agency 2003). NHS reforms have led to changes in the role of nurses, providing new opportunities for nurses to extend their existing roles, together with the introduction of new roles such as the community matron in the community setting and modern matrons in the hospital setting (Department of Health 2001). [Client: since we don’t discuss care in the hospital setting elsewhere, I haven’t discussed the role of the modern matron any further] This paper will examine the role of the nurse as part of a multidisciplinary care team in the care of Mrs Smith. Care and management of osteoarthritis in older adults The management of OA in adults becomes increasingly complex with advancing age (Holman and Lorig 1997). Since there is no cure for OA, the main therapeutic goals are to minimise the effects of the disease and over time. Effective care involves building long-term interpersonal relationships between healthcare providers and patients, carers, family members, other care providers, and those organisations involved in providing care and support. A holistic approach to assessment and treatment is required that considers the physiological, psychological and social needs of the individual in relation to their quality of life and daily activities (Salaffi et al. 1991). Both the National Institute of Clinical Excellence and the Royal College of Physicians have recently published guidelines for the care and management of osteoarthritis in adults (National Collaborating Centre for Chronic Conditions 2008; NICE 2008). The care of Mrs Smith will be discussed in the context of the recommendations ma de in these guidelines. Assessment The single assessment process for older adults was introduced in 2000 as part of the NHS Plan (Department of Health 2000). This requires an assessment of the individual’s health and social care needs to take place in a single assessment and was designed to standardise the assessment process and raise standards of assessment practice. During Mrs Smith’s assessment, her concerns, expectations and level of knowledge about her condition were discussed, together with the effect that her osteoarthritis had on daily activities including personal hygiene, climbing stairs, getting up from chairs, etc, and on her sleep patterns. Her levels of pain and mood were also assessed. Mr Smith also participated in the assessment, in order to gain his perspective on his wife’s condition and to establish how well he was coping as her carer, and also to identify any specific health need he might have. Further specialist assessment of Mrs Smith and her ability to undertake daily activi ties, together with an environment assessment, were undertaken by an occupational therapist. Mrs Smith’s level of knowledge about her condition was poor. Three other key issues were also identified during the assessment, namely pain management, depression/anxiety and relationship problems. Mrs Smith reported increasing pain in her joints, particularly her knees and hips prior to her admission to hospital which was so bad she was unable to sleep at night. The care she had been receiving prior to this had not effectively addressed this increasing pain. Screening and assessment showed Mrs Smith was suffering from mild depression. She reported feeling distress that she was no longer able to undertake many household tasks that she used to be able to do or participate in recreational activities with her husband that she used to enjoy. The increasing pain she had been experiencing prior to her hospital admission also contributed to her feelings of depression. She reported feelings of anxiety over fears that she may be made to leave her home as she could no longer manage to c limb the stairs. Mrs Smith showed negative feelings regarding her past care and was initially pessimistic about the likely effectiveness of the proposed treatment in the current care plan. Mrs Smith expressed concern that her relationship with her husband was suffering because her pain and lack of sleep made her irritable and short tempered. An additional factor compounding these problems was her husband’s poor hearing which served to make her more irritable. All of these issues are common among adults suffering from OA (Farmer et al. 2008), and is important that their care plans effectively address these needs. The nurse plays a pivotal role in the assessment of individuals with chronic conditions and it is important for the nurse to establish a successful therapeutic relationship with the patient and their carer(s) as early as possible in the process. Effective communication and building trust is central to this relationship and it is necessary to gain the perspective of both the patient and carer to develop a thorough understanding of individual needs. Development and implementation of a personalised care plan Empowering patients to take part in decisions regarding their care is central to the government’s health service policy agenda (Department of Health 2000). The empowerment of older adults is also addressed in the NSF for Older People (Department of Health 2001). Research suggests that patient empowerment may help to strengthen patient’s ability to self-manage their condition (Corben and Rosen 2005). It is also beneficial to involve families and carers in the decision-making process, with the consent of the patient. A personalised care plan was developed for Mrs Smith with the involvement of both her and her husband, which was tailored to meet her individual goals. This plan enabled high-quality, patient-centred care to be delivered via a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals which included her GP, nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist and community matron. Social services were also involved in providing additional support for both members of the co uple. Taking account of Mrs Smith’s multiple pathology and polypharmacy and the use of research-based evidence were both of major importance when developing this care plan. Interventions within the care plan and the individual roles of healthcare providers Non-pharmacological interventions The provision of education and advice and muscle strengthening exercises were the two core interventions in Mrs Smith’s care programme. Research has shown that patients frequently report better outcomes when they receive education and advice as this empowers them to become more involved in their own care and equips them with the knowledge and skills required for self-management (Holman and Lorig 1997). Educating both Mrs Smith and her husband about her condition and methods of self-management formed a key component of her care plan and discussions were primarily nurse-led. Encouraging self-management is essential for all chronic conditions and providing a framework for self-management is an integral aspect of care (National Collaborating Centre for Chronic Conditions 2008). The Expert Patients Programme (EPP) was introduced in 2003 following the success of the Stanford Self-management Programme in the United States (Department of Health 2006). Research which provides the rationale for this programme suggests that patients who have trained in self-management have greater confidence and use their skills and knowledge to improve their overall quality of life. These individuals subsequently require fewer healthcare resources, leading to long-term cost savings. Self-management courses are run trained by lay leaders rather than healthcare professionals. To date, the success of EPP in the UK has been limited compared with that of other rehabilitation programmes for chronic conditions (Bethell et al. 2007). A physiotherapist taught Mrs Smith to perform a series of gentle exercises to strengthen the supporting muscles around her knee which she was then able to perform on a daily basis by herself at home. An occupational therapist recommended a number of modifications to Mrs Smith’s home to make performing daily tasks easier. These included the installation of a raised toilet seat and wall bars in the bathroom. The occupational therapist also arranged the provision of shock- absorbing shoes to help reduce the pain in Mrs Smith’s knees and hips. Due to Mrs Smith’s limited mobility, opportunities for visits outside the home were restricted. However, social services arranged for both members of the couple to attend weekly bingo sessions at their local community centre which provided the opportunity for social interaction with other older adults which both members of the couple found beneficial. Pharmacological interventions Oral paracetamol and the use of topical NSAIDs for the knee were prescribed for Mrs Smith. Paracetamol and topical use of NSAIDs are the currently recommended first-line treatments for knee OA (NICE 2008). Paracetamol alone was not sufficient to control Mrs Smith’s high levels of pain in her knees. Since her antihypertensive medication was a calcium channel blocker, the use of NSAIDs were not thought to be contra-indicated and were unlikely to show drug interaction with her other medications (Luque et al. 2006). Following discussions with Mrs Smith, a decision was taken not to prescribe anti-depressants initially but to monitor her symptoms of depression and revise her care plan if necessary. Throughout Mrs Smith’s programme of care, the role of the nurse involved making regular home visits to assess Mrs Smith and her husband. Monitoring the effectiveness of the interventions implemented is essential if the goals identified within the care plan are to be achieved. Regular reviews of the care plan should be made and changes made as required based on the outcome of ongoing assessments. Prior to the involvement of the community matron, Mrs Smith’s GP practice was responsible for co-ordinating her care. The community matron is a relatively new clinical specialist position within the NHS, introduced specifically to provide support for people with long-term complex conditions (Department of Health 2004). Working alongside GPs, community matrons perform various roles which enable patient’s need to be met within the community rather than in hospital (Bassett 2005). The role of the community matron in this instance was in short-term case management. Addressing the carer’s needs Evidence suggests that the health needs of carers are frequently overlooked (Hare 2004). It is also important that carers receive adequate support as feelings of isolation and being unable to cope are common (Department of Health 2004b). Mr Smith’s health needs were assessed during the initial assessment and addressed accordingly. Mr Smith suffered from angina for which he was already taking medication, and poor hearing. A follow-up specialist assessment of his hearing identified the need for a hearing aid which he received. The health of both patient and carer was then assessed by the nurse during subsequent home visits. Success of the care programme Mrs Smith’s care programme had a successful outcome. Her symptoms of depression reduced and her relationship improved once her pain was being managed more effectively and she was able to sleep better. Her mobility improved and confidence increased such that she was able to start taking short walks outside her home with her husband. She was also able to undertake more tasks within the home. Education about her condition led her to realise that OA is ‘not the end of the world’ and that life can still be enjoyable, provided her condition continues to managed effectively. Mr Smith also received support from the healthcare team which helped to re-enforce his role as her main carer and extend his knowledge about his wife’s condition, which better equipped him to care for her effectively. Mrs Smith’s care was delivered using the appropriate frameworks for older adults and those with chronic conditions and was in line with current management guidelines. Osteoarthritis and ageing OA is more common among older adults and will therefore frequently co-exist with other age-related comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension, as demonstrated in the case of Mrs Smith. Because of this multiple pathology, polypharmacy is common and drug regimens are often complex (Gorard 2006). Polypharmacy may increase the risk of drug-drug interactions and drug-related adverse events. In some cases, drug-drug interactions may counteract the effect of a particular drug (Cotter and Martin 2007). For example, if beta-blocker or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor antihypertensives are co-administered with non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), the hypotensive effect of these drugs may be reduced due to sodium retention by the NSAID (Luque et al. 2006). Furthermore, older adults may also consume over-the-counter preparations (e.g. vitamins and analgesics) which also have the potential to interact with prescription drugs. Age-related changes in both drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics may be observed, and increased drug sensitivity may increase the risk of drug accumulation and toxicity in older adults (McGavock 2006). Other factors which should also be considered when prescribing drugs for older adults are (1) cognition – whether the patient is able to understand and follow their treatment regimen; (2) vision visual impairment may prevent them from being able to identify their tablets correctly; (2) ability to swallow or fear of swallowing – some patients may be unable to swallow large tablets or may be afraid to do so for fear of choking. It is therefore very important to ensure that a full drug history is taken for every patient and other relevant factors are also taken into account. Ethical and legal issues in the management of chronic illness NHS funding for individuals with chronic illness has been the subject of considerable controversy in recent years. Advances in medical technology have allowed healthcare providers to considerably prolong the life of many individuals with chronic conditions and this ability, coupled with the increasingly ageing population, have presented an unsolved dilemma of how to provide comprehensive care with limited resources (Waldron 2006). Until recently, some patients have been caught up in a so-called ‘postcode lottery’ whereby drugs and services may be available to individuals living in one region of the UK, but not another. This is considered by many to be against the founding principles of the NHS which was introduced with the vision of providing free medical care for all (Donnelly 2008). While it must be acknowledged that at the time of its conception sixty years ago, no one could have predicted the extent of future increases in population size within the UK, or the shift t owards an increasingly ageing population which have placed an ever increasing burden on services ill-equipped to meet demand. Nonetheless, regardless of the extent of available resources, these should be distributed fairly to all within the population regardless of location or any other factors. Living wills are an issue which may concern individuals with chronic conditions, particularly those receiving end of life care. There may be circumstances in which some individuals may not wish to receive life-prolonging treatment and it is important that decisions and choices regarding their care can be communicated to care providers if they themselves are unable to do so. Allowing individuals to refuse life-prolonging treatment may be viewed by some as a step towards euthanasia which considers the right of an individual to choose when and how to die and which has been the subject of intense debate for a number of years. The NSF for Older People (Department of Health 2001) addresses some of the ethical issues surrounding the care of older adults, in particular infringement of their dignity and unfair discrimination in access to care. This framework includes standards for (1) reducing age discrimination, ensuring that NHS services are provided on the basis of clinical need and that social services do not use age as a barrier to restrict access to services; and (2) treating older adults as individuals and allowing them to become involved in decisions regarding their care (i.e. promoting patient empowerment, as discussed previously). The Evercare programme also addresses the right of older adults to receive high-quality patient-centred care. This programme was introduced in the UK in 2003 after demonstrating success in the United States. It is designed to improve care for older adults who frequently have multiple pathologies and social problems, who may be receiving poor care, and who are often admitted to hospital as emergency admissions for reasons that may have been preventable with higher standards of care. Those patients at highest risk of future hospital admission are identified for enrollment in the programme. A role of the community matron would be in identification of those individuals who may be benefit from this programme and in their case management. The principles of the programme include the provision of personalised, holistic care aimed at promoting independence, comfort and improved quality of life, and avoiding adverse effects of polypharmacy. Conclusions The management of chronic conditions such as OA presents a greater challenge in older adults with multiple pathologies, where successful outcomes may be dependent on a number of co-morbidities. The need for a full understanding of drug-drug interactions and age-related physiological changes is essential for accurate drug prescribing in this group of patients where polypharmacy is common. Effective management of Mrs Smith’s condition was achieved through a combination of self-management and health and social care. Effective care involved a holistic approach to assessment and treatment from a multidisciplinary team of health and social care providers. Within this team, nurses played a pivotal role in the community setting (and were also involved in providing care in hospital setting during her hospital admission). There are a number of ethical and legal issues surrounding the care and management of chronic conditions, particularly in older adults where age discrimination and infringement of dignity have been highlighted as widespread problems. 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