Knowledge Management Practices as Found in Contemporary American Business and Management

Knowledge Management Practices as Found in Contemporary American Business and Management Introduction: Contemporary U.S. Management and Its Specifics The world of entrepreneurship is facing a new era, i.e., the epoch when the informational civilization is being born, with information quickly becoming the main and the most valuable article of trade, the necessity of being able to use this commodity the right way appears.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Knowledge Management: Practices as Found in Contemporary American Business and Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The vast amounts of information and the need to process them quickly have spawned the creation of a new type of management – knowledge management, with an appropriate theory to support it. However, even more striking changes have come, contributing to shaping the process of knowledge management. Because of the numerous factors that contribute to shaping the knowledge management system, as well as the availability of info rmation combined with the need to distribute it fast and evenly, the modern knowledge management is currently facing a number of challenges that an efficient system of knowledge sharing can possibly help deal with. Knowledge Management Definitions: What Lurks Behind the Term Knowledge management might seem a very straightforward process that cannot be possibly misinterpreted. Since the KM process involves dealing with knowledge, it must presuppose the strategy of information disposal. The latter, however, involves a plethora of elements and factors, which shape the knowledge management strategy, dictating specific steps to be undertaken. Hence, knowledge management as a phenomenon can be considered from different points of view. Depending on what the focus is, the definition of knowledge management may vary. When the Focus Is on Knowledge Putting the emphasis on the significance of knowledge acquisition, the first and the most comprehensive definition of knowledge management states the purpose of KM as the means to obtain information. However, the given approach towards understanding the principles of KM puts every single agent of the given process in its place, distributing responsibilities among the supposed staff of the supposed organization. KM can be defined as the process of organization management that is aimed at revealing the knowledge base of the given organization (Snyder Wilson, 2000, 527). Therefore, knowledge management can be considered as a means to promote a more efficient knowledge sharing system.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When People Are in the Spotlight Weirdly enough, the definition of knowledge management does not necessarily put information into the spotlight. In some of the definitions, not knowledge, but the knowledge sender and receiver are focused on, which is rather reasonable. Thus, the key functio n of knowledge management, which is the transfer of information, is stressed. With the help of such a definition, one can shed some light on the function of knowledge management as a means to establish trustworthy relationships between the employees instead of stating the obvious: â€Å"Knowledge management is about choosing the right practices or tools to efficiently enhance communications among the staff† (Batten, 2008, 86). Therefore, knowledge management can be understood as the set of rules on information sharing that will at the same time reflect the company hierarchy, organization ethics, and culture. Performing several additional functions, such as coordinating the relationships between employees, KM can also serve as a means to change the company’s climate. When the Process Is Important Apart from knowledge functions, the existing definitions of knowledge management also describe the specifics of the process itself. Therefore, KM can be viewed as a series of s teps that have to be undertaken in order to achieve the goal and distribute information efficiently. Therefore, the following definition can be provided: knowledge management is a process that consists of a set of activities that lead to discovering, capturing, sharing and applying knowledge, so that the goal achievement of the organization could be enhanced in the most efficient way possible (Becerra-Fernandez Gabherval, 2009, 56). That being said, knowledge management could be viewed as a range of actions that must be performed in order to reach a specific goal. When the Goals Are Addressed As it has been shown in the example above, another way to interpret KM is to view it as a tool for achieving specific goals, as well as establishing them. On a basic level, knowledge management serves a purpose of improving the information distribution across the company; therefore, it can be defined as the means to hit a specific target.Advertising We will write a custom research pape r sample on Knowledge Management: Practices as Found in Contemporary American Business and Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Though the definition provided by Fernandez and Gabherval does mention the existence of the target in question, they still stress that learning the succession of actions is the key to understanding the principles of knowledge management. Thierauf, however, offers a slightly different approach that shifts the emphasis precisely on the goal of the organization. As Thierauf (1999) explains, knowledge management is not a process, but a system that allows to â€Å"provide competitive advantage by giving decision makers (from the highest level to the lowest level) the necessary insights into patterns and trends that affect their domain† (Thierauf, 1999, 5). In fact, the given statement also correlates with the idea that KM can be used as a means to regulate the relationships between the staff members. To be more exact, the given definition suggests that KM can be used as a tool that introduces a specific hierarchy into the organization. Knowledge Management and Competitive Advantage Finally, the effects of efficient knowledge management should be considered as the basis for knowledge management definition. Thus, one will be able to obtain an objective definition of what knowledge management actually is. That being said, knowledge management could be viewed as not only a process, but also a practice and even a culture of creating or gathering, analyzing, distributing and sharing organizational knowledge. In other words, KM can be viewed as a means to enhance the company’s competitive advantage by using the provided information efficiently. According to what Wallace (2007) says, knowledge management can be identified as the process that allows to capture, process and transfer knowledge so that the organization could achieve a greater competitive advantage (Wallace, 2007, 3). There fore, it is clear that the definition of knowledge management in a particular case depends on the priorities that a company sets and the goals that it wants to achieve. Modern U.S. Business Sphere and Knowledge Management Practices: An Overview Grown into a massive set of theories with an even greater number of ideas concerning its practical applications, knowledge management seems to have become a cult principle in the present-day business world. Hence a plethora of various types of knowledge management practices, as well as the interpretation of their effects and the discussion of their impact on the organizational ensued.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Taking a closer look at how knowledge management practices are implemented nowadays, one can possibly evaluate their effect, consider their limitations and come up with the suggestions for their possible improvement. Types of Knowledge Management Practices Knowledge management comes in different variations depending on the type of an organization, the specifics of the chosen leadership strategy, the organizational culture, etc. Therefore, one can distinguish a large variety of knowledge management types. However, it is worth noting that of all the possible types, five key knowledge management practices for organizations can be distinguished. According to Gray and Chan, there are typically four types of knowledge management practices distinguished. It is worth noting, however, that the classification below is based on considering a knowledge management practice as a tool for a problem-solving process. Encouraging Serendipity Though the given practice should be viewed as a means of wo rking with individual employees instead of a tool for shaping the knowledge processing stage within the entire team, encouraging serendipity is a crucial element of the knowledge management process nowadays. While it is important to provide a solid basis for the assumptions so that the company could make the right step, it is also necessary to encourage serendipity among the organization members. Often based on a small detail that passed unnoticed yet left an impact on a person, serendipity allows to consider all the existing options and sometimes even provide the option that has never been noticed before. Creating Knowledge Opposed to the process of informing the members of an organization on a specific issue, the process of knowledge creation can also be considered one of the most popular modern business practices. Another important knowledge management practice, creating knowledge is often confused with acquiring knowledge, mostly due to the meaning of the word â€Å"creatingâ⠂¬  as a synonym to â€Å"making.† Knowledge creation, however, does not mean that knowledge is somehow produced; in fact, knowledge creation is the process of transforming tacit knowledge into explicit one, as Nakamori (2012) explains, the entire process presupposes the transformation of individual tacit knowledge into group tacit knowledge, which is then shaped into an individual explicit knowledge and finally becomes an individual tacit knowledge. Raising Awareness The given type of knowledge management practice can also be considered the approach suitable for individuals rather than for shaping the relationships among the entire staff. Aimed at helping every single member of the team recognize a specific problem, the given practice aims at capturing and retaining knowledge rather than sharing and distributing it. At present, such types of knowledge management practices include the creation of databases, analysis of reviews and the lessons learned, etc. Therefore, the giv en approach can be considered as the means to improve the organization memory rather than the method to share a specific bit of information with the rest of the company members. Quiet an efficient tool, though, it should be used along with the rest of the practices mentioned in the given paper. Along, however, the given approach is unlikely to lead a company anywhere. Acquiring Knowledge In contrast to the previous two practices, knowledge creation concerns every single member of the company staff. It is crucial to realize that knowledge must be accessible for every single member of an organization; otherwise, the lack of information will inevitably lead an organization to failure. Therefore, the most important stage in the given process is to provide the access to the information since the very moment the knowledge was acquired. Consequently, it is required that every member of an organization should participate in the process of knowledge acquisition. The given practice is usually used to make the members of an organization closer, as well as increase their awareness of a specific issue. As it has already been mentioned, it would be worn to assume that the types of knowledge management listed above are the only possible options. The choice of a particular type of knowledge management or a combination of types is predetermined by a large number of factors, both interior and exterior ones, which means that, at the end of the day, the right choice of knowledge management strategy depends on a careful evaluation of these factors, as well as the organization’s current goals. Effects of Knowledge Management Practices Knowledge management practices are nowadays considered the key to an organization’s success – or, on the contrary, its complete failure, depending on whether the choice of a specific knowledge management practice was justified by the organization’s goals and assets or not. Apart from the direct influence on the company†™s performance, knowledge management practice also affects the relationships between the members of the staff, shapes the company’s strategy and has a tangible impact on the corporate values. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the extent to which knowledge management influences an organization. KM Practices and Organizational Culture As it has been mentioned above, knowledge management practice is related directly to the organizational culture; moreover, these two elements seem to have an effect on each other, becoming, therefore, mutually dependent. A specific KM practice can affect the organizational culture; in its turn, organizational culture predetermines the choice of a knowledge management practice. KM Nomenclature in Modern U.S. Business Needless to say, since the idea of knowledge management was introduced into the U.S. business, much has been changed, including the manner of classifying the existing types of knowledge management. At present, the following type s of knowledge management can be found in contemporary American business: Internal Knowledge Management Used to improve the organizational performance of the staff, internal knowledge management presupposes the efficient distribution of the information concerning the organization among its members. Knowledge Dissemination Knowledge dissemination involves creating knowledge in order to represent an organization and make it competitive. With the help of the transformations described above, tacit knowledge possessed by a group of people is turned into a tacit knowledge that an individual has concerning a specific issue. As Dalkir (2005) says, â€Å"Dissemination works best when it is an organized activity† (93). Knowledge Brokering Knowledge brokering demands tracking the source of information, evaluating its veracity and value. Hence, the idea of knowledge brokering can be summarized by saying that it means tracing the origin and source of specific information. Thus, an organiz ation can have a better control over the available information, which is another upgrade in the knowledge management practice development. Building Knowledge Capacity Building knowledge capacity means raising the members’ ability to operate the information that is currently at their disposal. Indeed, sometimes searching for the necessary information and the ability to process it fast and efficiently is not enough. It is also required to use the knowledge appropriately, which building knowledge capacity teaches. Knowledge Management in the Global Environment: An Analysis When analyzing the process of knowledge management in an organization, one must keep in mind that modern companies work in the environment on which globalization has taken its toll and, therefore, shapes the process of knowledge management greatly. On the one hand, the fact that information can be accessed much faster and in a much easier way is doubtlessly a benefit. On the other hand, such openness leaves an organization extremely vulnerable towards the external factors, competitors and hackers. Hence, the entire palette of opportunities and threats must be viewed. Capturing Organizational Knowledge: The Threats There is no doubt that the key stage in gathering information is the very start. At this point, such crucial questions as what sources are the most trustworthy, what kind of information is necessary for the given project, where exactly the given information can be found, etc. are solved. Since globalization has shaped the existing information sources considerably, the process of capturing information has become both easier and at the same time more challenging. Retaining Organizational Knowledge: The Challenges What might seem the easiest task often presupposes dealing with the greatest amount of issues, a case in point being the task of retaining information. While keeping organizational knowledge does not presuppose carrying out any specific actions compared to the process of getting information, it is still very painstaking, mostly because of the necessity to have clear links between every bit of information. Accessing Organizational Knowledge: The Methods As soon as the necessary information has been located, obtained and arranged, it is essential to thin through the methods of accessing the given data sets. While in the global environment, accessibility has become the key asset of most information, it is still important to keep in mind that the required data must be secured properly. Using Organizational Knowledge: Winning the Competition The last, but definitely not the least, the stage of putting the stored information to practice has become quite complicated in the realm of global economics and business. Because of high competition rates, it is important to know exactly how, when and where to use the information in question appropriately. The Future of Knowledge Management Though at present, theory of knowledge management seems rather innovative a nd offering brand-new approach, it is quite predictable that the Theory of Knowledge as people know it today is going to be very dated in the next few years. According to the latest information concerning the possible changes that the knowledge management is going to face in the future, it can be assumed that three major innovations are going to be implemented. Anticipatory Delivery of Knowledge Globalization has set the entire world to a completely different pace. Every single process has become times faster, therefore, demanding that organizational operations should also consume as little time as possible. Therefore, it is essential that the members of an organization should be able to develop their anticipatory skills. Anticipating the on-coming information is especially important because of its availability. With the progress of the Internet, information can be obtained within milliseconds, which means that the perceptual speed becomes the decisive point in the competition. Conn ection between People In the world where globalization has taken its toll on the realm of business, it is necessary to understand that members of a specific organization can be miles apart from each other. Therefore, the need to introduce efficient connection between people arises. With the help of the latest technological innovations, the given goal becomes quite attainable. In the light of stiff competition, which most companies face nowadays, the ability to transfer information quickly is worth its weight in gold. Connected Knowledge Being able to gather information and process it quickly is important, yet there is one more crucial element of the process, i.e., putting the pieces of the information together. Facts rarely come in a full package – often one has to search for scraps of data and only then collect them into a whole. Hence the new trend in knowledge management, connected knowledge, comes. Aimed at keeping all the available bits of information so that they could be easily re-arranged if one more bit reinvents the entire perception of the issue in question, the principle of connected knowledge is definitely worth developing further on as a guiding principle of knowledge management in modern U.S. business. Research Findings Summary and Interpretation Judging by the above-mentioned evidence, the key problem of modern knowledge management stems from the total availability of information, which leads to complexities of filtering and evaluating it. In addition, the research has shown that knowledge management practice must be considered in the context of the factors surrounding it. While the modern idea of knowledge management practice can be referred to as a people-focused, it still revolves around a number of other aspects, such as the type of organization, the specifics of the organizational culture, the leadership style of the head of the company, the size of the organization, etc. However, the focus of the knowledge management practice still seems to be on people rather than on anything else. Because of the influence that globalization has on organizations nowadays, it is important to make sure that every single member of the organization or its affiliate, no matter in what remote corner of the Earth it might be located, should know about the latest changes in the company information to deliver adequate performance. Therefore, the focus on people, which most present-day organizations prefer to the rest of the approaches, seems more than reasonable. It is noteworthy, however, that the current knowledge management practices display two diametrically opposite tendencies, i.e., the tendency to focus on an individual as opposed to the focus on the team. Logically, for the successful implementation of the company goals, both techniques must be applied; the priority, however, depends on the specifics of information distribution within a company. Conclusion: Paving the Road to Better Knowledge Management Although the theory of knowledge management is relatively new, it has already grown into a huge set of concepts, building up to the introduction of the KM concept in the globalized environment and providing the foil for the development of new theories. Incorporating the previous experience with the new ideas, one can possibly come up with a perfect strategy for knowledge management; however, the problem is that the given suggestion will only last for as long as the environment in which it was created will. Therefore, the basic goal for the knowledge management theorists at present is not to suggest a perfect knowledge management strategy, but to make sure that the current strategy is being constantly updated according to the latest changes in the data. Thus, one can rest assured that the organization will keep running for quite a while. Reference List Becerra-Fernandez, I. Gabherval, R. (2009). Knowledge management: Systems and processes. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe. Dalkir, K. (2005). Knowledge management in theory and practice. Burlington, MA: Elsevier Butterworth–Heinemann. Nakamori, Y. (2012). Knowledge science: Modeling the knowledge creation process. Broken Sound Parkway, NW: CRC Press. Snyder, C. A. Wilson, L. T. (2000). Implementing knowledge management: Issues for managers. In Information Resources Management Association International Conference (Ed.), Challenges of information technology management in the 21st century: [Proceedings of The] 2000 Information Resources Management Association – International Conference, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, May 21-24, 2000. Hershey, PA: Idea Group Publishing. Thierauf, R. J. (1999). Knowledge management systems for business. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group. Wallace, D. P. (2007). Knowledge management: Historical and cross-disciplinary themes. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Death of a Salesman Literary Analysis Essays

Death of a Salesman Literary Analysis Essays Death of a Salesman Literary Analysis Paper Death of a Salesman Literary Analysis Paper Essay Topic: Death Of a Salesman Trent Beebe Beebe 1 Mr. Arena 4th hour AP Lang Comp 12/17/09 Death of a Salesman Essay The story, Death of a Salesman, is a story that has many literary devices that help to make it the deep and riveting story that has become an American classic. The use of symbols in the story adds to the overall effect and theme and also creates a different mood that the reader must infer from it. The symbols not only represent something in the story as literally a symbol, but of much importance because of the numerous times they appear in the work. There are countless symbols in the story that help to give the reader a different feeling for it but there are a select few that really represent the most important themes and ideas from the book. The use of seeds in the story as a metaphor for Willy Loman’s life gives the reader a short and simple thought of Willy’s thought on life. Willy believed that if he worked hard and set a good example for his kids that he would in turn be successful and they would eventually be successful. His thought was the same as that for the seeds; you plant them, put some effort into trying to grow them, and they will grow to be big and strong. His boys would be like the plants in a way that they would grow to be big and strong and successful and provide for the family but that never ended up happening and Willy was disappointed about this. Willy was mainly disappointed because he felt like a failure as a father to Biff. Biff had everything going for him, All-American football player, ladies man, anything he wanted he could get. Willy thought the highest of Biff and eventually Biff never really made anything of himself and was basically a bum. All of what had happened to Biff reflected back onto Willy and Willy felt that it was his fault and felt he failed as a father. Another use of symbols is almost a minor one because of its little insignificance to the play, but its broad idea can be easily understood when fully examined. For all of Willy’s life, his son Biff, was the ultimate athlete. He was college bound to play football and had everything going for him. He was missing just one thing; His academics. He flunked math and was not able to graduate, meaning he could not play college football unless he passed. Biff’s friend and â€Å"study buddy†, Bernard, assured Biff that if he didn’t study he would flunk math and not graduate. Biff ignored this idea and instead went to practice to become a better football player. This event comes full circle when Biff eventually becomes a bum all due to the fact that he never passed math and Bernard is a big successful lawyer. A decade after this whole ordeal went down, Willy goes to visit his neighbor Charley, at his office. Willy is surprised to see Bernard there and has a quick chat with him about how he became so successful. Through this process, Willy noticed that Bernard had a tennis racket, and asked Bernard what he needed it for to go on this trip. Bernard eventually told him that it was to play tennis at one of his friend’s house in Washington D. C. Willy is surprised by this and feels happy for Bernard. The whole point to that part of the story was to use the tennis racket as a symbol showing the significance that hard work has on people. The old saying goes, â€Å"you work hard, you play hard†, and Bernard worked hard and is now getting to play hard and Biff never worked hard and now his life is dull, boring, and he has become a bum mooching off of his parents. A third symbol used in the story as a literary device was the thought of getting rich and making it to the top, and that meant going to Africa with Willy’s brother Ben to find diamonds, the main source of becoming rich. Years back, Willy’s brother Ben, asked Willy if he would want to travel to Alaska during the gold rush to try and hit it big. Willy refused because he wanted to make it big by way of the American Dream. Willy did not know it then, but he was making a huge mistake. Ben went the wrong way to Alaska and ended up in Africa, only to become very rich by hitting it big with diamonds that he found in a mine there. The diamonds he find make him rich and he one day comes back to Willy to tell him off his intangible wealth. Willy is quite surprised and ponders at the decision he made. The diamond and the thought of being rich were Willy’s ambitions in life and what he strived for to achieve for his family. Towards the end of the story, Willy thinks about his way to find the diamonds and realizes the only way he could get it would to be by killing himself and having his life insurancego to his family so they could finally have what Willy worked for all those years. Willy did follow through in his plan and he felt that killing himself was meaningful toward the betterment toward the family and he found his diamond that he had been searching for his whole life. The story, Death of a Salesman, used these and other symbols to add the theme of the book and allowed for the story to be a literature dream. The symbols not only represented broad topics of it, but also the significance of minor details that add to the story and make it that much better for the reader. Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York: Penguin Books, 1998.

Week 3 Conference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Week 3 Conference - Essay Example This order was issued on 13 November 2001. I do not agree that the military tribunal provide constitutional right fully because they do not provide tor the right of the due process of law that has been accorded to all accused persons in the United States. In that, any evidence or testimony from previous trials can be admissible during the trial, which I not the case in the criminal civil courts that means that the tried person is not accorded the right to due process. According to the constitution adopted in 1787 gave the president who is the command in chief of the armed forces power to determine and punish war crimes committed by the offenders and the terrorist. (Article 1, section 8, clause10). In the case of Exparte Milligan (1866), the court illustrated that the constitution protects the law of the land. It also tried to justify the fact that every person should get a fair trial. Where upon Appeal it was held that Milligan should have been tried in a regular court, and not a military tribunal as the law protects every persons and they are equal. Korematsu had a right of fair treatment as any other American resident but since he was Japanese, the government felt that they had a right to protect their country during war times. Moreover, if they saw him as a threat then they had a right to send him away from his home where he had refused to come out of, as he believed it was his right. The court felt that it was impossible from them to separate the friend from the foe or the royal and the disloyal as Korematsu was from the imperial Japan. This was the same case as the Chinese where they were denied to open laundry places at this time. The exclusion order 9066 at that time that is the 1942 to 1944 was seen as constitution because the courts sided with the government as they were trying to protect the country during the time of war. It was also held that the individual right of Mr. Fred was not as important as the rights of

The International Aviation Policy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The International Aviation Policy - Term Paper Example Air transportation is one of the leading industries across the globe and it also wields significant influences on the larger social, political, and economic mechanisms. For instance, air transport can positively contribute to a region’s economic growth, but there has to be an underlying demand. This essay is divided into two parts. Part one discusses the social, political, economic, geographical, infrastructure, and demographic influences on air transportation. Part two addresses the impact of air transportation liberalization on market, traffic patterns, and fares; carrier’s financial performance; and future prospects of carriers based in a global environment. Part I: International Regulatory and Oversight The absence of air transport, just like with any other operations in the economy, can confound economic progress. Where there have been more or less complete stiffening of regulations that interfere with or oppose the liberalization of markets, have been ‘socia l regulation’ (Wald, Fay, & Gleich, 2010). This involves issues like labor and consumer security, defense, safety, and environment. These are domains that have been usually addressed at the global arena by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) together with a number of unusual international agreements like the Warsaw Convention (MacKenzie, 2010). Of late, national or regional programs have also acquired global importance such as the US’s launching of more rigid security strategies (e.g. passenger information requirements), and the expansion of carbon trading inside the European Union (EU) to include all air transport. International air transport is currently a leading partner of globalization and is persistently redesigning itself to deal with the pressures of the social and economic integration that the process of globalization brings about. In economic terms, globalization takes place to foster a deepened division of labor and helps economies take adva ntage of their comparative advantage more fully (Wensveen, 2011). Possibly, though, more essentially, globalization promotes workforce and technology transfers and facilitates the energy that goes with entrepreneurial ventures to encourage the growth of new technologies and mechanisms that boost international interests. Another group of factors to be taken into account in evaluating international aviation policy are political and economic settings. The five basic known catalysts of stable international air transport are trade expansion, developments in the quality of service, cost adjustments, political disorder, and GDP rate. Political disorder would involve terrorist activities and protectionism. Although protectionism weakens trade expansion it seems as well to reduce foreign direct investment (FDI) (Wensveen, 2011). These restrictions weaken trade and boost capital costs eventually. Political disorder also boosts costs through regulation and defense. Such costs put service provi ders and shippers into a more disadvantaged position and reduce air travel. Changes in costs, specifically the costs of fuel, are a continuing hazard; increases in the costs of actual fuel before was zero (Wald et al., 2010). In the coming years this will cease to be the case as actual fuel costs will escalate. This kind of changes severely affects international aviation policy. The third group of factors is geographical, infrastructural, and demographical. Geography affects international aviation policy because cargo airlines choose to carry out their operations from airport near to their target markets. Some researchers studied

Business continuity Essay Example for Free

Business continuity Essay Just in time concept is a lean operation concept applied in supply chain management where an enterprise strives to produce only what is needed, whenever it is needed and in the amount that is needed. It allows for efficient production of quality products through complete waste elimination, avoidance of inconsistencies and also elimination of non-value addition activities within the production line. (Lieb Miller 1988) According to (Stank Crum 1997) the wastes that are eliminated are related to labour, where over staffing is a waste, time, in this case idle time or use of extra time to accomplish a goal is considered waste. Just in time concept emphasizes on customer requests and avoids making decisions based on forecast. In this concept, inventory is considered as an additional cost to the process. Traditionally, it would be considered to be value adding in the system. In this case, businesses and organisations are advised to eliminate any form of inventory that does not impact any additional value to the product. The just in time concept has various benefits to a business firm or enterprise. The benefits include an improvement in the flow of goods into, within and from the warehouse. There is also better planning and consistency in the organisation. Manpower can be reduced when production process has stopped mainly due to planned shut downs for maintenance, stocktaking activities, or any other reason (Stank Crum 1997). This helps the enterprise to save on cost related to labour and other production overheads. When an organisation adopts the JIT concept and implements it, it helps in the production of better quality products and also increases the efficiency of production. All the aforementioned benefits are customer oriented. We therefore realise from the benefits customer satisfaction is enhanced. This in turn has an impact on customer loyalty and improved sales by the organisation. The net effect of this is improved profits by the organisation (Swamidass 2000). Despite having all the above benefits, the outcome of the terror attacks on September 11 has cast a lot of doubt on the just in time (JIT) concept deliveries in the supply chain. In a supply chain, each organisation along the chain depends upon a supplier and therefore in case of a hitch along the chain, the repercussions are felt along the whole chain. Before the September 11 attack the â€Å"JIT† was comfortably applicable and implemented to various businesses. Until this time, overstocking was avoided and components were delivered to the right place at the right time and in the right form with no hitch. Piling of inventory was avoided and production processes proceeded smoothly. However, the events of September 11 reversed all these, there were delays caused by grounding of aircrafts and also a longer time was required for border inspections. Transport on land was also highly affected. As an example, due to these interruptions, commodities destined for the Gap, Banana republic and the old navy stores ended up to a warehouse next to an airport. The business environment, both external and internal will always be fluctuating. External environment like the impact from natural calamities e. g. hurricanes, snow, storms, floods, earthquakes and internal environments like strikes, affect business operations. Therefore, for an organisation with a JIT system, in case of any fluctuation in the business environment, the supply chain will be disrupted and therefore flow of products downstream will not be realized (McClenahen Jusko 2001). For a sudden change in the business environment, the shocks will be felt throughout the supply chain. There will be a gap that will be created along the chain at the point where the fluctuation is highly felt. It is a noble idea for businesses to consider having some safety stock on hand at each link of supply chain, which will take care of the emergencies in case of any eventuality. Since a supply chain consists of a network/series of suppliers and consumers, a hitch on one supplier side will affect the consumer who is also a supplier to the next consumer. Therefore in a business that has adopted the JIT system, it might end up being grounded because of lack of inventory to process or sell to the next stage of the chains. It is therefore highly recommended for such businesses to develop a Just in case system, a system that allows for a safety supplies that will take care of any eventualities. Even though the JIT system has a number of shortcomings in case of shocks within the supply chain, it is important to note that organisations can still implement JIT and maintain an attractive supply chain with lean inventories even during emergencies. To achieve this, one of the moves that a firm can make is locate where there is stock piling of inventories (Lu Kyokai 1989). Firms can have most of its inventories stocked next to or near their locations. This will help overcome the problems due to shipment or air transport in case these modes of transport are affected. A firm can also consider having more than one supplier for a given commodity, this will be a second option during emergency situations. For an organisation to succeed in its implementation of the JIT system, major changes within the organisation need to be undertaken. The top management need to show commitment and offer full support. They are also required to lead from the front if the benefits of the JIT system are to be realised. The adoption and implementation of the JIT system will substantially affect the mode and criteria through which carriers and other logistics services providers will be recruited by the organisation. Organisations should be able to come up with service providers who are very efficient so as to pass on the efficiency downstream the supply chain. The just in time concept is highly dependent on the speed and efficiency with which products are moving at along the chain. It is therefore worthy to mention that the JIT system will highly affect the style of operations in the logistics industry. The number of logistics service providers to be recruited will also be determined by the success of the JIT system. According to (Ian 1988), constant and effective communication between business firms and their suppliers is another important factor that will affect the future of JIT in the global business environment. The quality of information that will be conveyed should also be put into consideration. The right information should be conveyed to the right place, at the right time and to the right person. A successful implementation of the JIT system in the future will highly depend on additional training of the implementing personnel (Abuhilal, Rabadi, Sousa-Poza 2006). A lot of emphasise should be on the training of the personnel that are directly involved in the implementation of the JIT concept. This should not be taken to mean that other employees in the organisation should not be trained. An elaborate training plan on this system should be unveiled and the concerned departments or functions for example, production, logistics, marketing should be given intense training. The major areas to be considered should include: policies on JIT system, communication skills and training on commitment to the principles of JIT. The future of the just in time (JIT) system in the global environment will highly depend on the level of technology that will be embraced by an organisation. This includes both in machinery and other office operations. Adoption of improved technology for material handling is a key area that firms need to look at. They should consider embracing cross docking or flowing inventory through a distribution centre. With an improved material handling facility, the businesses can absorb shocks easily in the event that there is disruption in the supply chain (Kreng Wang 2005) The use of information technology is in inventory management is particularly crucial if the growth and success of the JIT system is to be guaranteed. Business organisations should utilise information technology resources both in hardware and software so as to enhance the success of the JIT system. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) modules should be adopted for inventory management and controls within the organisation. Internet resources should be highly utilised for an effective JIT system. The most applicable resources include e-procurement, e- marketing. e-banking and e-mailing. When an organisation conducts procurement via internet, a variety of goods both in terms of quality and quantity may be obtained. The business deal is also conducted in an accelerated speed. Marketing via the internet allows for the organisation to reach many customers within a very short time and hence improve on the organisation’s sales. Internet banking allows for faster business transactions hence delays associated with payments are reduced and therefore the supply chain is protected from such delays (Hale 1997). To ensure that the intended results of the JIT concept are achieved, it is important for firms doing business together along a given supply chain be proactive in their operations. By being proactive, it means that a consumer should be involved directly in what their supplier is producing. The consumers should be involved in product design so as to have a product of their own making. On the hand it is very important for the suppliers to follow up and find out how their products are serving the customers. This will help in the elimination of ripples along the chain and hence easy implementation of the JIT system. The players in the supply chain should develop a culture of sharing problems when they occur at a particular point of the supply chain, this in a nutshell will reduce the overall effect that the problem would have on the entire supply chain (Titone 1996). The just in case system is another approach that will have an impact on the future of JIT system in the global environment. It is very important for firms to have a buffer stock that can bail it out when events in the supply chain don’t seem to be favourable. The idea of having safety stocks for emergency times should not be confused by firms holding inventories. It is a different concept from overstocking.

Whale Symbol Essay -- Literary Analysis, Moby Dick

There are many views on the symbolism of the white whale in Melville’s book, Moby Dick. Melville regarded the symbol as, what William Gleim describes, "a means of both revelation and concealment"(402). The symbol of the white whale lends itself easily to this concept. To Ahab, the whale represents the wickedness of nature. To Starbuck, it is a product. To Ishmael, however, it is "portentous and mysterious"(Melville, 6). It rouses his curiosity, but he recognizes it as a thing secluded. It is an "overwhelming idea"(Melville, 6): an idea which is larger than his consciousness. Its suggestions surpass his conscious understanding and cause him to feel significance even if he can’t know it. Moby Dick is literally an albino sperm whale. In his categorization of all whales, Melville regards the sperm whale as the primate: "He is, without a doubt, the largest inhabitant of the globe; the most formidable of all whales to encounter; and lastly, by far the most valuable in commerce"(Melville, 133). The whiteness of the whale enhances this communication in that it has regal associations, "a certain royal pre-eminence in this hue"(Melville, 184). The white whale, therefore, stands, primarily, as, what Gleim states, "the ideal representation of his species"(406). He is a sign of excellence to the order of nature. To Ishmael, however, the whiteness of the whale has not only dignified associations, but also terrible ones. The whiteness signifies a natural beauty, but it also signifies, "by its indefiniteness"(Melville, 192), the immensity of the universe. For all aboard the Pequod, their voyage is one of search for the ultimate truth of experience. What begins as a voyage in search of the product of whale oil, ends with the discovery of th... ...The white whale represents not only the excellence of creation but also the mystery of creation. William Sedgwick states, "He is significant of the massive inertia in things, and of the blind beauty and violence of nature--all that ignore or twists or betrays or otherwise does outrage to man's purpose"(98). As a significant form in nature, then, the shape of the white whale is the mask of "dumb blankness"(Melville, 192). It contains "the heartless voids† (Melville, 192). of the universe and conceals this abyss. Its mystery is its perplexing nature: its indifference to "kindly associations" and "joint stock"(Melville, 185) theories. Nature, however, is indifferent, and Moby Dick is the symbol of this indifference. Man can force perceptions of beauty upon nature and extract commodity from it, but the white whale represents the absolute negation of these efforts.

Is Jesus God

Is Jesus God? Have you ever met a man who is the center of attention wherever he goes? Some mysterious, indefinable characteristic sets him apart from all other men. Well, that's the way it was two thousand years ago with Jesus Christ. But it wasn't merely Jesus' personality that captivated those who heard him. Those who witnessed his words and life tell us that something about Jesus of Nazareth was different from all other men. Jesus' only credentials were himself. He never wrote a book, commanded an rmy, held a political office, or owned property.He mostly traveled within a hundred miles of his village, attracting crowds who were amazed at his provocative words and stunning deeds. Yet Jesus' greatness was obvious to all those who saw and heard him. And while most great people eventually fade into history books, Jesus is still the focus of thousands of books and unparalleled media controversy. And much of that controversy revolves around the radical claims Jesus made about himselfâ € claims that astounded both his followers and his adversaries.It was primarily Jesus' unique claims that caused him to be viewed as a threat by both the Roman authorities and the Jewish hierarchy. Although he was an outsider with no credentials or political powerbase, within three years, Jesus changed the world for the next 20 centuries. Other moral and religious leaders have left an impact †but nothing like that unknown carpenter's son from Nazareth. What was it about Jesus Christ that made the difference? Was he merely a great man, or something more? These questions get to the heart of who Jesus really was.Some believe he was merely a great moral teacher; others believe he was simply the leader of the world's greatest religion. But many believe something far more. Christians believe that God has actually visited us in human form. And they believe the evidence backs that up. After carefully examining Jesus' life and words, former Cambridge professor and skeptic, C. S. Lew is, came to a startling conclusion about him that altered the course of his life. So who is the real Jesus? Many will answer that Jesus was a great moral teacher.As we take a deeper look at the world's most controversial person, we begin by asking: could Jesus have been merely a great moral teacher? Great Moral Teacher? Even those from other religions acknowledge that Jesus was a great moral teacher. Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi, spoke highly of Jesus' righteous life and profound words. [l] Likewise, Jewish scholar Joseph Klausner wrote, â€Å"It is universally admitted that Christ taught the purest and sublimest ethics which throws the moral precepts and maxims of the wisest men of antiquity far into the shade. â€Å"[2] Jesus'Sermon on the Mount has been called the most superlative teaching of human ethics ever uttered by an individual. In fact, much of what we know today as â€Å"equal rights† actually is the result of Jesus' teaching. Historian Will Durant, a non-Chris tian, said of Jesus that â€Å"he lived and struggled unremittingly for ‘equal rights'; in modern times he would have been sent to Siberia. ‘He that is greatest among you, let him be your Gandhi, have tried to separate Jesus' teaching on ethics from his claims about himself, believing that he was simply a great man who taught lofty moral principles.This was the approach of one of America's Founding Fathers, President Thomas Jefferson, who cut and pasted a copy of the New Testament, removing sections he thought referred to Jesus' deity, while leaving in other passages regarding Jesus' ethical and moral teaching. [4] Jefferson carried around his cut and pasted New Testament with him, revering Jesus as perhaps the greatest moral teacher of all time. In fact, Jefferson's memorable words in the Declaration of Independence were rooted in Jesus' teaching that

Importance of Risk Management in the Adventure Leisure Industry

Critically illustrate the importance, and societal context of risk management within the adventure leisure industry In recent decades the emphasis on risks and risk management within the adventure leisure industry has been has been escalating and is now greater than ever. This emphasis is due to the introduction of more stringent legislation from the associated governing bodies, threatening more severe consequences if businesses do not practice within the regulated guidelines.The objective of this essay is to analyse risks within adventure activities and to determine the importance of the management of risk within this field of outdoor leisure. This will be achieved by researching past occurrences in the leisure industry that have resulted in accident or death, which could have been avoided had a thorough risk assessment been constructed. In addition, by exploring the motivation behind participating in such activities, this essay will uncover the degree to which risk is actually requ ired in order for an adventure activity to occur.As written by (Barton 2007:2) â€Å"We are exposed to risk from the moment of our conception to our death†. If this is the case, then undoubtedly there must be forces set into place in order to manage and assess these risks that we are subjected to in day to day life. If a risk is able to be assessed, the severity of it is able to be calculated. Consequently, the hazard that resulting from that risk is able to be determined and prevented. When planning a leisure activity, it is imperative that the organising party carries out an incredibly thorough and informative risk assessment.Hazards in adventure activities include falls from height, drowning, falling objects, lightning strikes, equipment failure, assault, cold injury, and many more (Barton 2007:12). The reason why a complete and logical risk assessment is necessary is so that leading personnel are able to provide proof that everything in their power has been done in order to prevent the activity resulting in any hazards or injuries to those participating.This will not only supply the organising body with a sense of comfort that the activity they are planning and instigating is safe so as to protect them from any potential legal involvement, but also the availability of a risk assessment is likely to be an appealing factor to prospective partakers‘. Risks are identified by reviewing historical information and industry standards; interviewing subject matter experts; conducting brainstorming sessions with the organising team, vendors, and key stakeholders; and some times through simulation and scenario forecasting (Silvers 2004:52).Wilks and Davis (cited in Swarbrooke, 2003) explain how all discovered risks are able to be rated in order to decide the way in which they should be tackled. This can be done by comparing the predicted frequency of a hazard, by its severity. Frequent incidents with slight consequences can, in most situations, be conside red an entirely tolerable risk, we might even say a trivial risk (Barton 2007:12). By rating a risk, it can be differentiated between a risk that has great potential to cause injury of death, and a risk that can easily be tackled and therefore will barely be influential in the construction of an activity.In March of 1993 four teenagers were killed in a canoeing accident in Lyme Regis whilst on a school trip. The deaths of the young students was widely put down to lack of supervision and negligence which consists in â€Å"the duty of care and consequent injury† (Scott 1993:45). When carrying out such potentially dangerous activities â€Å"One cannot overemphasize the importance of supervision† (Hronek et al 2002:255). The evidence that supported the Llyme Bay legal battle that followed was that ‘the coastguard owed the kayakers a duty of care and that they had conducted the search and rescue operation negligently’ (Fulbrook 2005:27-28).Being careful and pre pared are not only sensible attributes for activity co-ordination, it is ever more important for the organising personnel. This is progressively more significant as the management of risk is increasingly regulated into legislation and policy (Silvers 2004:170). The law is becoming much more focused upon the adventure leisure industry after such events as Lyme Bay illustrated above. Bradford (2000) explains that during the early 1990‘s, organisers of outdoor adventure activities were able to volunteer to abide by codes of practice set up by a variety of independent organisations.A company may have wished to have done so in order to improve their business. By stating that they were operating within an organisations health and safety regulations, they would have been able to project a sense of reassurance across to their customers. Following the tragedy in March 1993, the attitude of many changed dramatically and there was a wide spread belief that more needed to be done to encou rage safer organisations. This would help to prevent any further disasters and deaths. The first development of more enforced regulations being placed into practice was in 1993.The English Tourist Board brought together a group representing most of the voluntary approval bodies and other interested parties, who issued a code of practice for outdoor adventure leisure activities (Bradford 2000). Followed by the Activity Centres (Young Persons safety) Act 1995. The introduction of more intense and purposeful legislation has consequently placed evermore pressure upon the organisers of such activities. This has lead to leisure managers having to direct far more attention to the health and safety of those participating in the activities they are providing.As well as an activity organizing company wishing to protect their customers to the greatest extent for fear of the legal confrontation that may follow if accused of irresponsible and neglectful practice, there are other reasons why an o rganizing body may wish to carry out a thorough risk assessment. If an accident was to occur which involved a member of staff, the employer risks losing money through the provision of sick pay, as well as losing an employee for an undetermined period of time. Pro-active management helps to eliminate such an occurrence arising.In addition, the execution of the introduction of control measures helps to define areas of responsibility and communicates a standard for performance. Despite the owner of an organization having the most recognized power concerning any health and safety issues, authority is able to be un-officially segregated throughout the businesses personal hierarchy. This is determined by the position of power an individual is in within the organization: Manager, assistant manager, supervisor, and so on. The benefit of dividing up job roles and esponsibility in such a way is that every position of employment will experience a sense of responsibility; each to a different de gree, yet still the sensation of business involvement and therefore the motivation to excel in their field will be present. Pro-active management strategies can be the most effective strategies because they are implemented according to the planning of the organization, rather than because of a need to respond to outside pressure and expectations from the public or a governing body Smith (2005:82).Essentially this is the detection and managing of a problematic issue, before it has the opportunity to present itself within the business. Risk assessment therefore plays an intricate part of this process. Successful pro-active management within the organization will help to ensure that the customers along with the members of staff are constantly and consistently satisfied and comfortable. It is evident that the success of an activity regarding its safety and reliance is significantly related to the experience and awareness of the activities leader.Experienced leaders develop a sixth sense of when the odds are beginning to stack up against them and they will automatically see an activity in the wider context, Barton (2007:89). It is therefore imperative that that a leader of any nature of leisure activity is able to predict potential future hazards and subsequently learn from their previous mistakes. According to Barton (2007:89), leader of activities that are not so experienced are less likely to see the signals of an approaching risk, and tend to view minor set-backs as isolated incidents, rather than as bricks in a growing wall.Organisers’ must realise that these seemingly unimportant hindrances will gather pace and build up to a much larger scale problematic occurrence. Despite the increasing demand for safer and risk free activities, a balance must be established in order to keep within legislation created by the governing bodies, whilst still creating the same sense of adventure and possible danger that has lead to the success of an adventure activity. I f every risk in life was assessed and accounted for, and every hazard was liminated, the world would be an incredibly safe, organised, and trouble free place. However, risks cause excitement and adrenalin within one’s life. Without risk, there is no fear of risk, in which case there are no opportunities presented for one to take risks. As explained by Barton (2007:2) If we bring up children to believe that physical, emotional or intellectual risks are to be avoided, then we can hardly be surprised if the future does not bring great people; poets, artists, play writes, successors to Captain Cook, to Darwin, and to Shakespeare.Without some form of risk, engineers could never have designed the great bridges that span the widest rivers, homes would still be heated by fireplaces or parlour stoves, electric power utilities would not exist, polio would still be maiming children, no airplanes would fly, and space travel would just be a dream (Aven 2003:2) The word ‘Adventureâ⠂¬â„¢ implies that there is an element of risk involved in the activity that is to be undertaken.The reason why this is a positive attribute to the organising body is that many leisure seekers are in search of a sense of adventure, risk and an adrenaline rush. Despite the general consensus that every risk should be accounted for and every attempt should be made to ensure no hazards present themselves, without the lingering sensation in the very back of a participant mind that something may go wrong; a rope may break, a parachute may not open, the ‘Adventure’ is almost completely removed from the ‘Leisure Activity’.To conclude, when regarding the adventure leisure industry, the concept of risk management and assessment are fundamental aspects that must be constantly considered when running a business that provides such activities. The laws that have been introduced throughout recent years have placed increasing pressure on organizations to concentrate on the health and safety of their patrons to a much greater degree. Failure to do so, as has been seen in the past throughout such incidents as Lyme Bay, may well result in powerful legal consequences or even closure of their establishment.There is no doubt that risk and uncertainty are important concepts to address for supporting decision-making in many situations. The challenge is to know how to describe, measure, and communicate risk and uncertainty (Aven 2003:4). However, the popularity that adventure leisure activities hold derives from the exact concept of risk itself. Participants of such activities choose to take part in order to; gain a sense of personal accomplishment, face their fears, experience a surge of adrenalin, and ultimately test themselves to their physical and mental boundaries.A balance must be established within the process of managing risk. If this balance can be successfully determined, than the adventure leisure industry will be able to provide the same level of audacious activity, whilst staying within all governing guidelines’, and providing the highest degree of safety for all those that they accommodate for.

Ferdinand Foch - World War I - French Army

Ferdinand Foch - World War I - French Army Marshal Ferdinand Foch was a noted French commander during World War I. Having entered the French Army during the Franco-Prussian War, he remained in the service after the French defeat and was identified as one of the nations best military minds. With the beginning World War I, he played a key role in the First Battle of the Marne and soon rose to army command. Demonstrating an ability to work with the forces from other Allied nations, Foch proved an effective choice to serve as overall commander on the Western Front in March 1918. From this position he directed the defeat of the German Spring Offensives and the series of Allied offensives that ultimately led to the end of the conflict. Early Life Career Born October 2, 1851, at Tarbez, France, Ferdinand Foch was the son of a civil servant. After attending school locally, he entered the Jesuit College at St. Etienne. Resolving to seek a military career at an early age after being enthralled by stories of the Napoleonic Wars by his elder relatives, Foch enlisted in the French Army in 1870 during Franco-Prussian War. Following the French defeat the following year, he elected to remain in the service and began attending the Ècole Polytechnique. Completing his education three years later, he received a commission as a lieutenant in the 24th Artillery. Promoted to captain in 1885, Foch began taking classes at the Ècole Supà ©rieure de Guerre (War College). Graduating two years later, he proved to be one of the best military minds in his class. Fast Facts: Ferdinand Foch Rank: Marshal of FranceService: French ArmyBorn: October 2, 1851 in Tarbes, FranceDied: March 20, 1929 in Paris, FranceParents: Bertrand Jules Napolà ©on Foch and Sophie FochSpouse: Julie Anne Ursule Bienvenà ¼e (m. 1883)Children: Eugene Jules Germain Foch, Anne Marie Gabrielle Jeanne Fournier Foch, Marie Becourt, and Germain FochConflicts: Franco-Prussian War, World War IKnown For: Battle of the Frontiers, First Battle of the Marne, Battle of the Somme, Second Battle of the Marne, Meuse-Argonne Offensive Military Theorist After moving through various postings over the next decade, Foch was invited to return to the Ècole Supà ©rieure de Guerre as an instructor. In his lectures, he became one of the first to thoroughly analyze operations during the Napoleonic and Franco-Prussian Wars. Recognized as Frances most original military thinker of his generation, Foch was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1898. His lectures were later published as On the Principles of War (1903) and On the Conduct of War (1904). Though his teachings advocated for well-developed offensives and attacks, they were later misinterpreted and used to support those who believed in the cult of the offensive during the early days of World War I. Foch remained at the college until 1900, when political machinations saw him forced to return to a line regiment. Promoted to colonel in 1903, Foch became chief of staff for V Corps two years later. In 1907, Foch was elevated to brigadier general and, after brief service with the General Staff of the War Ministry, returned to the Ècole Supà ©rieure de Guerre as commandant. Remaining at the school for four years, he received a promotion to major general in 1911 and lieutenant general two years later. This last promotion brought him command of XX Corps which was stationed at Nancy. Foch was in this post when World War I began in August 1914. Part of General Vicomte de Curià ¨res de Castelnaus Second Army, XX Corps took part in the Battle of the Frontiers. Performing well despite the French defeat, Foch was selected by the French Commander-in-Chief, General Joseph Joffre, to lead the newly-formed Ninth Army. The Marne Race to the Sea Assuming command, Foch moved his men into a gap between the Fourth and Fifth Armies. Taking part in the First Battle of the Marne, Fochs troops halted several German attacks. During the fighting, he famously reported, Hard pressed on my right. My center is yielding. Impossible to maneuver. Situation excellent. I attack. Counterattacking, Foch pushed the Germans back across the Marne and liberated Chà ¢lons on September 12. With the Germans establishing a new position behind the Aisne River, both sides began the Race to the Sea with the hope of turning the others flank. To aid in coordinating French actions during this phase of the war, Joffre named Foch Assistant Commander-in-Chief on October 4 with responsibility for overseeing the northern French armies and working with the British. Northern Army Group In this role, Foch directed French forces during the First Battle of Ypres later that month. For his efforts, he received an honorary knighthood from King George V. As fighting continued into 1915, he oversaw French efforts during the Artois Offensive that fall. A failure, it gained little ground in exchange for a large number of casualties. In July 1916, Foch commanded French troops during the Battle of the Somme. Severely criticized for the heavy losses sustained by French forces during the course of the battle, Foch was removed from command in December. Sent to Senlis, he was charged with leading a planning group. With the ascent of General Philippe Pà ©tain to Commander-in-Chief in May 1917, Foch was recalled and made Chief of the General Staff. Supreme Commander of the Allied Armies In the fall of 1917, Foch received orders for Italy to aid in re-establishing their lines in the wake of the Battle of Caporetto. The following March, the Germans unleashed the first of their Spring Offensives. With their forces being driven back, Allied leaders met at Doullens on March 26, 1918, and appointed Foch to coordinate the Allied defense. A subsequent meeting at Beauvais in early April saw Foch receive the power to oversee the strategic direction of the war effort. Finally, on April 14, he was named Supreme Commander of the Allied Armies. Halting the Spring Offensives in bitter fighting, Foch was able to defeat the Germans last thrust at the Second Battle of the Marne that summer. For his efforts, he was made a Marshal of France on August 6. With the Germans checked, Foch began planning for a series offensives against the spent enemy. Coordinating with Allied commanders such as Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig and General John J. Pershing, he ordered as series of attacks which saw the Allies win clear victories at Amiens and St. Mihiel. In late September, Foch began operations against the Hindenburg Line as offensives began in Meuse-Argonne, Flanders, and Cambrai-St. Quentin. Forcing the Germans to retreat, these assaults ultimately shattered their resistance and led to Germany seeking an armistice. This was granted and the document was signed on Fochs train car in the Forest of Compià ¨gne on November 11. Postwar As peace negotiations moved forward at Versailles in early 1919, Foch argued extensively for the demilitarization and separation of the Rhineland from Germany, as he felt it offered an ideal springboard for future German attacks to the west. Angered by the final peace treaty, which he felt was a capitulation, he stated with great foresight that This is not peace. It is an armistice for 20 years. In the years immediately after the war, he offered assistance to the Poles during Great Poland Uprising and the 1920 Polish-Bolshevik War. In recognition, Foch was made a Marshal of Poland in 1923. As he had been made an honorary British Field Marshal in 1919, this distinction gave him the rank in three different countries. Fading in influence as the 1920s passed, Foch died on March 20, 1929 and was buried at Les Invalides in Paris.

Profile of Rachel Maddow, MSNBC Journalist

Profile of Rachel Maddow, MSNBC Journalist Rachel Maddow is the outspoken, energetic host of MSNBCs The Rachel Maddow Show, a political news and commentary weeknight program. The show first aired on September 8, 2008, urged by viewers impressed with Maddows frequent guest hosting of MSNBCs The Keith Olbermann Show. Ms. Maddow is an avowed liberal who enjoys the feisty thrust-and-parry of debate. A self-described national security liberal, Rachel Maddow is known for sharp intelligence, wit, work ethic, and reliance on well-researched facts, rather than party-line talking points, to inform her independent viewpoint. Before MSNBC 1999 - Won an open-casting call for a radio co-hosting job on WRNX in Massachusetts. Soon moved to WRSI, where she hosted a program for two years.2004 - Landed a co-hosting gig on new liberal radio network, Air America.2005 - Accepted Air Americas offer to host her own liberal politics radio show, The Rachel Maddow, which continues in late 2009. The program has changed time slots several times, and currently airs each weekday at 5 am EST.2006 - Regular contributor to CNN (Paula Zahn) and MSNBC (Tucker Carlson) programs.January 2008 - Signed exclusive TV contract with MSNBC. Educational Path A 1989 graduate of Castro Valley High School where she was a three-sport athlete, Rachel Maddow earned a B.A. in Public Policy from nearby Stanford University, where she won the John Gardner Fellowship for public service. After a year in San Francisco working for the AIDS Legal Referral Panel and with ACT-UP, an AIDS non-profit, Rachel Maddow was awarded a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to study political science at Oxford University. She completed an Oxford doctorate in politics in 2001 after several delays, including a stint at the AIDS Treatment Project in London and a 1999 move to Massachusetts. Personal Data Birth - April 1, 1973 in Castro Valley, California, near San Francisco, to Robert Maddow, an attorney and former Air Force captain, and Elaine Maddow, a school administrator.Family - Linked with partner Susan Mikula, an artist, since 1999. The couple reside quietly with their labrador retriever in a rural Massachusetts home built in 1865. Rachel Maddow came out as gay at age 17 when a Stanford freshman. She was the first openly gay American to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, and the first openly gay journalist to anchor a major U.S. news program. Accolades and Honors For her efforts as a political journalist, Rachel Maddow has been awarded: 2010 Walter Cronkite Faith Freedom award. Past recipients include Tom Brokaw, Larry King, and the late Peter Jennings.2009 - Nomination for Outstanding Achievement in News and Information by the Television Critics Association, the only cable news program accorded the honor2009 - Gracie Award by the American Women in Radio, TelevisionMarch 28, 2009 - Proclamation of Honor from the California State Senate Maddow has also been lauded for her work by myriad  gay and lesbian organizations, including GLAAD, AfterEllen, and Out magazine. Quotes On Being a Liberal I am a liberal. Im not a partisan, not a Democratic Party hack. Im not trying to advance anybodys agenda. Washington Post, August 27, 2008 On Her Appearance Im not that pretty. Women on television are over-the-top, beauty-pageant gorgeous. Thats not the grounds on which I am competing. Washington Post, August 27, 2008 Im not Anchorbabe, and Im never going to be. My goal is to do the physical appearance stuff in such a way that it is not comment-worthy. The Village Voice, June 23, 2009 On Fox News The one time Fox News ever asked me to be a guest was when Madonna made news by kissing another famous female, Britney Spears. They thought I had expertise, maybe. I said, No, duh. The Guardian UK, September 28, 2008 On Being a Political Commentator I do worry if being a pundit is a worthwhile thing to be. Yeah, I’m the unlikely cable news host. But before that I was the unlikely Rhodes scholar. And before that I was the unlikely kid who got into Stanford. And then I was the unlikely lifeguard. You can always cast yourself as unlikely when you’re fundamentally alienated in your worldview. It’s a healthy approach for a commentator. New York Magazine, November 2, 2008

Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 4

Marketing plan - Essay Example The collections include ancient vessels and artefacts. These vessels were mostly used in the period between 17th and 18th century. The pricing structure is such that individuals willing to subscribe as members pay $15 while household customers pay a fee of $20.The Museum is one of the leading museums in UK. Television, Magazine and radio advertisements are mostly used in promoting events. The strategy for implementing the market plan focuses on three main areas. These are product, promotion and pricing. The Museum intends to increase the quality of services it offers while at the same time employ a pricing technique that will attract more customers and the same be financially satisfying. Promotions and advertisements are crucial in any marketing plan and a strategic approach shall be used to ensure this is done correctly. Aberdeen Maritime Museum gives the story of Aberdeen city’s lengthy bond with the Sea (Lamb, 123). The award-winning museum is situated on the famous Shiprow and integrates Provost Rosss House. The Museum is home to a unique collection made up of fast sailing ships, port and fishing history. It is a unique site being the only place in Britain where one can see North Sea oil industry. A marketing plan is a document that helps managers in strategizing on how to improve the performance of that business in a given sector (Runyard, 105). A good marketing plan should be able to give solutions to performance issues relating to a business. A marketing plan contains various components that analyze the current scenario and design a strategy to improve the performance of a business (Burnett, 108). This marketing plan sets out a convincing and inclusive vision for Aberdeen Maritime Museum; a vision, which is firmly in line with mission of the biggest public art gallery in the north of Scotland. Aligned with Scotland’s national strategic and performance agendas, this plan and its

Globalization Effects upon Power and Responsibility of Firms Essay

Globalization Effects upon Power and Responsibility of Firms - Essay Example Globalization has drawn manifest impacts upon different aspect of businesses and many philosophies and phenomenon exists within the business world got new directions in the era of globalization. The emergence of globalization has also evolved the debate about the power and responsibilities of the companies in the globalized era. This debate is often concluded with the explanation of the phenomenon of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) .The notion of Corporate Social Responsibility has also changed significantly due to the emergence of globalization. (Collins, 2003, p143) The following essay aims to discuss the impact of globalization upon the power and responsibilities of the companies and businesses. The essay discusses the emergence of CSR in the context of globalization and discusses some important managerial and environmental issues that drastically need to be addressed through the CSR plans of the companies (Hutton and Giddens, 2001, p312). Globalization effects upon Power an d responsibilities of the firms Globalization has altered the traditional patterns of conducting businesses and the firms of the modern era have become significantly different from the firms of the past. In the wake of globalization the firms are provided with wide variety of opportunities for the development and expansion of their businesses however, at the same time their powers and responsibilities are also affected in the changing business scenario. The effects of globalization upon the power and responsibilities of the firms have appeared to be very important point of discourse for the social scientists, experts and theorists and there have been many approaches divulged by the researchers to identify the core benefits and setbacks of globalization in terms of determining the new dimensions of power and responsibilities of the firms in the era of globalization (Collins, 200, p395). The analysis of the emerging business scenario altered by globalization unfolds some important asp ects regarding the effects of globalization upon the powers of the firms. It appears that globalization has main added to the power of the firms by providing them opportunities to easily manage their operations all over the world. The business scenario has also changed a lot in the emergence of globalization that also strongly affects the power and responsibilities of the firms in the modern era. International trade is going through revolutionary changes in the modern world as the technological advancement has changes the traditional ways of doing trade and now the countries are adopting modern ways to conduct their trade operations. The advancement in technology has revolutionized the international trading activities as well. Computers and internet have drawn strong impacts on the trading, investment and other business related activities. For example the advancement in transportation has enabled the traders to transfer goods and services in short time of period to a far distant pla ce and the communication technology allows the traders of different countries to keep in instant contact with each other with the help of mobile phone and internet (Rodrik, 1997, p68). The firms operating at different scales are now able to easily get involved in the international trade operations because it has also become simple, less expensive and secure with the advancement in technology. The traditional trading system involves a multitude of complicated steps and documents but E-commerce has simplified the process of the international trade and offered a unique ability to reduce the complexities of the system. Now the