New Venture Development Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

New Venture Development Business Plan - Essay Example It is a private company incorporated in Hong Kong. There is a shift towards consumption of organic foods in China, especially in Hong Kong city because of extensive campaigns urging people to embrace organic products. Increasing population, high number of food poisoning scares as well as need for healthy eating is driving demand of organic vegetables and fruits to the roof in Hong Kong. Therefore, organic products markets is growing rapidly and is promising higher returns to investors. The business is a limited private company owned by a single person. The owner of the company contributed HK$106,000 and borrowed HK$60,000 to finance start-up and part of the working capital. Table of Contents 4.4 Regulatory requirements 8 4.5 Industry challengers 9 5.0 Customer 9 5.1 Understanding the customer 9 5.2 Target customer profile 10 6.0 Competition 10 6.1 Competitor Analysis 10 6.1.1 Direct Competitors 11 6.1.2 Indirect Competitors 11 6.2 Competitive analysis 11 6.2.1 Competitive Advantages 11 6.3 Entry and Growth Strategy 12 7.1 Objectives 13 7.5 The Product 14 8.1 Overview 15 8.2 Pricing strategy 15 8.3 Sales Tactics 16 8.4 Advertising and Promotion 16 8.5 Marketing Communications Strategy 16 9.0 Operations Plan 17 10.2 Personnel Plan 19 11.1 Start-up Summary 20 11.3 Breakeven analysis 21 11.4 Balance Sheet 21 11.5 Income Statement 21 11.6 Cash Flows 21 13.0 References 23 14.0 Appendixes 24 1.0 Introduction The organic vegetable and fruit market has been growing steadily in Hong Kong. This is because disposable income of people in China, especially Hong Kong is steadily increasing. In addition, in recent years, there have been incidences of food poisoning caused by chemical components in food and more people are shying away from chemically processed food. They are becoming more health conscious and are spending thousands of dollars to purchase organic products, especially food. Therefore, the market segment for organic vegetables and fruits is promising. 2.0 The orga nic vegetable concept After working in a grocery shop for over one year, Tim Chan discovered that most consumers in Hong Kong were turning to organic foods especially vegetables and fruits because they were consumed on daily basis. This is because of rising concerns of food poisoning and danger posed by processed and non-organic food to people’s health as informed by the media and health care practitioners. Four in every eighty consumers who visited the food store where Tim Chan worked asked for organic fruits and vegetables. Therefore, Tim Chan identified a growing opportunity to run an organic food store that specialized in vegetables and fruits sourced locally and from western countries. 3.0 Opportunity Rational China is one of the fast growing and lucrative markets in the world with a huge business promise to thirsty entrepreneurs and business persons. As disposable income increases in urban China, people are more preoccupied with higher standard of living and are turning to organic products, especially food to achieve better health status. China’s Urban and rural population spent between 37.9% and 43.7% of their disposable income on food (Lu ,2010). The market for organic food is big and unquenchable. According to (NTZE 2010), the supply of organic foods in China, especially Hong Kong is very low and there is need to increase supply. In addition, food and grocery market segment is expected to grow by 6.6% and 6.1% in 2011 and 2012 respectively. High demand for organic frui

Personality Assessment Instruments Essay Example for Free

Personality Assessment Instruments Essay Personality Assessment instruments are comprised of theories and techniques to measure an individual’s personality traits. The traditional psychoanalytical theories provide a framework for understanding negative behavior as well as concepts that predict future behavioral outcomes. Because of the possibility of predictive personality traits, career counselors and organizations have used personality assessment instruments to screen possible employers for qualification. In addition, personality assessment instrument have also been used to detect disordered personalities or other unresolved issues that cause negative behavior patterns in an individual. In this paper I will discuss three Personality Assessment Instruments widely used in measuring an individual’s personality; Myer-Briggs Type Indicator, Rorschach Inkblot Test and self help books. I will discuss the validity, comprehensiveness, applicability and cultural utility of these personality assessments in also examine the strengths and weaknesses of why some work and some do not. The strength and weaknesses of each personality assessment instrument is key in understanding which instrument is â€Å"appropriate† to use. Myer-Briggs Type Indicator Largely based on Carl Jung’s Theory of Personality, The Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was created by Katherine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myer, during WWII to evaluate personality types to know where to place women entering the industrial workforce. The MBTI would assess women for jobs they were best qualified for. Seeing how successful the MBTI was in placing women in the workforce, today it is still used as an assessment instrument by career counselors and organizations for team building (McCaulley, 2000). The MBTI is a self-report, forced-choice questionnaire. The letters represent the respective personality types which have 16 unique possible outcomes. The test has about 100 questions with only two choices to pick from. MBTI divides an individual’s personality into four areas (McCaulley, 2000); 1. Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I) . Sensing (S) or intuition (N) 3. Thinking (T) or feeling (F) 4. Judging (J) or perceiving (P) This scale is an important factor in determining the dominant, auxiliary, tertiary and inferior behaviors of the individual (McCaulley, 2000). Each individual is measured by the four-letter type formula. Each group of letters reveals the dominant function of the individual and followed by the auxiliary. Each of the 16 combination of letters explains the person’s personality and what area they best function in. Rorschach Inkblot Test Hermann Rorschach, Swiss psychiatrist, created ill-defined designs on paper using ink. After much trial and error, Rorschach settled on 10 inkblot cards used to show to patients and illicit a response. It was determined that different patients in a particular psychiatric group gave different responses. The test was created to understand the mind of an individual. During the assessment, the patient is shown a card and is expected to explain the thoughts that come to mind when analyzing the card (Cervone, 2010). The test-giver waits to see the type of response that comes from the patient. And the question of how the patient responds or perceives the inkblot determines the type of personality the patient may have. If the patient’s response matches the inkblot structure’s intended meaning, then the patient’s thoughts are geared towards their reality. If the patient’s response does not correspond with the inkblot then the patient is perceived to have a dysfunctional personality. Self-Help Books Widely popular, Self-help books are a great way for a person to understand psychological disorders and possible treatments. There are a variety of books written by scholars and psychologist who have done extensive work in their area of expertise. Many people who are skeptical about going to therapy choose self-help books as a way to self-administer treatment (Redding et. al, 2008). The problem people face when relying on these books for help is that there is no discussion to make sure that the person understands what they are reading. Also, the books cannot assess the person to see if they can help the person like the MBTI and Rorschach Inkblot do. There is no way to measure if the specific book can help the person. Personality Assessments: from Theory to Practice In this next section I will examine the validity, comprehensiveness, applicability and cultural utility. Throughout my research I have discovered that some critics have argued that each of these personality assessment instruments have weaknesses that do not support what it claims to produce. Others critics have shown the strengths’ in these widely used personality assessment to be applied in various cultures that have shown consistent scoring. Validity One of the most widely used personality assessment instruments is self-help books. They are easily accessible by most people seeking to resolve psychological issues. However, it is difficult to say if what the writer proposes to be a solution works effectively for the reader (Redding et. al. , 2008). The problem with the validity of self-help books is that not all are written by professional psychologist. Often people are faced with serious psychological disorders that they wish to resolve on their own as opposed to therapy (Redding et. l, 2008). Another issue with self-help books is that they do not test people to see if they have applied the information coming from the book to the area in their life where they face challenges nor can it pinpoint the exact disorder a person is dealing with. I would have to say that the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator holds the most validity out of the three personality assessment instruments and is the most favored. The MBTI has been tested and based on the 16 different possible personality types most people have fallen under one of the combinations. The MBTI follows the theory of personality traits by Carl Jung. Jung’s theory distinguishes two dichotomous pairs of cognitive behavior: extraversion and introversion (McCaulley, 2008). The MBTI has been shown to be successful in determining an individual’s personality that fits a specific career or in organizing groups for team building. On the other hand, when a person has been assessed using the Rorschach inkblot test, disordered personality can be revealed thru extensive testing. The validity of the Rorschach inkblot test as but argued that there is a bias in the testing because Hermann Rorschach’s training was in psychoanalytical theories. Another problem that arises with the Rorschach in examining its validity is the scoring of the test. Many of the scorers give a higher score to the test taker if their response matches those of previous scorers (Sendin, 2010). Comprehensiveness Self-help books focus on an areas in an individual’s life such as alcohol addictions, Attention Deficit Disorder, How to deal with a Break-Up. And while the books can be informative the theory behind the solution must be examined. Most self-help books are written in the opinion of the author writing the book. Some of these opinions may not be in accord with the reader’s background so it is difficult to say if the reader is able to comprehend what the author is conveying (Redding et. al, 2008). It also depends only what the reader is looking for. If the reader is open to alternative solutions as opposed to traditional one then the book will help but because a person is not tested on the self-help books they are reading it is hard to determine how comprehensive the book is. MBTI has 16 possible personality types that this world-wide instrument uses to address issues faced by individuals, groups and family counseling that are challenged with communication, career planning, learning and life -long development (McCaulley, 2000). When assessing an individual’s personality not only is this helpful in career counseling but also when determining why individuals or family members are having communication problems. Applicability Self-help books can be easy to understand. Some of the methods are broken down in simple steps that anyone can apply. However, if one wants to assess the type of personality that can handle a certain job the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator is more appropriate to use. This assessment instrument has been used by career counselors and employers to match individuals to specific studies or industries (McCaulley, 2008). I would not recommend using the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator when assessing an individual’s personality for disorders. The Rorschach Inkblot has been a successful instrument in examining the mind of a person (Cervone, 2010). However, the Rorschach inkblot was constructed according to Hermann Rorschach’s training in psychoanalytical theory. Cultural Utility Each culture is made of its own belief system and traditions. What applies in one culture may not necessarily apply in another. Some assessments can be used in most cultures and give the same results across the board. However, not all cultures will accept the theories behind the assessment. The issues that I have noticed in researching the MBTI and Rorschach Inkblot test is that in applying to different cultures there has been challenges faced by psychologist. For one, psychologists have not had extensive training in cultural diversity. Nor have they had training in language. Most ethnic low income groups have had poor health service in which there has been a misdiagnosis due to language barrier (Dana, 2000). Also to consider are groups who come from another country and have different views on the mental health system. For example, in administering the MBTI and Rorschach Inkblot test to Russian Jews challenges are faced because of their cultural belief. Russian Jews are highly suspicious of mental health professionals and find it difficult to believe that community health agencies do not have ties to the government (Dana, 200). As a result, they deny any mental health issues. The fear that exists with Russian Jews is because of the way they saw the Soviet Government force people to commit to a mental health institute (Dana, 2000). Consequently, self help books have been successful in reaching a mass audience because books have been published in various languages. Conclusion As you can see Personality Assessment Instruments have been very useful in helping to examine an individual’s personality for career choices, in team building and examining a disorder. However, specialist have has revealed their weaknesses and show that these instruments cannot be applied in any situation without further investigation. Each personality assessment instrument is unique with it’s own characters. In order to be able to better serve the mental health industry only a particular assessment can be used for a specific analysis.

College Campus Diversity and Student Development

College Campus Diversity and Student Development We should all be having a conversation about diversity. The subject has been important to me since I was a child, perhaps due to personal experience or simply because I find diversity fascinating and beneficial to our growth in this global society. College campus diversity and its effect on students social development is what I want to research for the purpose of this course. When asked to present an implicit theory related to the Higher Education field, cultural diversity was the first thing that came to mind. The United States is a racially and ethnically diverse country; most countries have international students on their campuses, however the vast majority of students are of the same ethnicity. Due to the diversity of the United States, student bodies across the countrys colleges and universities are made up of students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, which is why I started thinking how diverse campuses might have a positive effect on the students social development . Initially, the implicit theory I developed was Does a culturally diverse college campus help students become more well-rounded individuals? opinions will vary, that is the purpose of doing research, to understand what information is available on the topic and draw our conclusions; However, before the Naked Presentation we were not allowed to perform any type of research. Not researching the topic beforehand allowed my thinking to flow freely. I came into class with all the reasons why I think a culturally diverse college campus enhances students development. In my opinion, diverse college campuses increase self-awareness and expand our capacity for viewing issues in a different way. For most students, college is the first time they are living without their family and interacting with all kinds of people, which is essential for the understanding of my theory. Engaging in campus activities where diversity is promoted is opening doors to the world, the real world. While I do show my hand with this topic, there are many people who may differ from my idea of personal growth being enhanced by diversity, and this is something I want to explore as well. Does campus diversity prepare students for future career success? My initial question brought up more questions, this was one of them. As I mentioned before, we live in a global society, which means we have to interact with people from different backgrounds, not only in events that promote cultural diversity, but in our day to day lives. Todays workforce is rapidly growing more culturally diverse as more minorities and international students obtain their college degrees. College students graduate and enter the workforce with little to no experience, understanding how to interact with other adults, from any social or cultural background is a skill they want to develop while in college. Gaining the capacity of viewing issues from different perspectives, not just your own, will go a long way not only in their personal lives but also in their professional careers. These were the main ideas I had when I chose this topic and developed my theory. Once in class, I began to notice how my colleagues approached each others questions from different angles. The question I ended up with, once everyone shared their input, was Does a diverse college campus influence students development? and I am comfortable working with this question for my project. What do we view as development? And what aspect of development am I going to explore to further develop my theory? These were questions I asked myself when I sat down and expanded my implicit theory. I also considered whether the campus location made a difference in the students development, the effects of attending a campus located in a city might have, over attending college in a rural area. By going to college in a city, students are more prone to interact with people of all backgrounds; bigger cities, such as New York or San Francisco, tend to be more culturally diverse. Whereas, Students who attend college in a rural setting may not have as much, if any exposure to people of different backgrounds due to the makeup of the population. My theory is still a work in progress as I type this, every time I think of the topic, I come up with more questions and ideas relevant to the theory. However, my main focus will remain the same, campus diversity and its influence on students social development. My implicit theory will be evaluated from different perspectives because when we talk about diversity the subject should be studied from many angles, its the essence of diversity after all. Once I read the scholarly articles and papers written about the topic, I know I will have more information to think about my theory more critically, this will subsequently show me different sides of the spectrum.

Human Control Over Nature: The Computer Revolution and Medical Research :: Essays Papers

Human Control Over Nature: The Computer Revolution and Medical Research Throughout history, human beings have struggled to achieve control over nature. Now, in the twentieth century, with all of the scientific advances in computers and medicine, humans have come closer than ever to reaching this ultimate goal. However, along with the benefits of these new and rapidly increasing scientific advancements come moral, ethical and social issues that need to be given consideration. The Computer Revolution has not only vastly improved communication and produced amazing amounts of information, but has raised questions of human rights, privacy and social implications. While medical research has achieved medical benefits not even conceivable in the past, it has also raised major ethical and moral issues. Humans must consider all of these things when making decisions or judgments about human control over nature. Computer technology is advancing at rapid rates. More and more information is found and processed every day. According to Linowes, à ¬More information has been produced in the last thirty years than in the previous five thousand.à ®1 This information that is rapidly becoming available has produced many benefits to the human race. It has given humans more and more control over nature. It has been stated that à ¬the computer has opened up new dimensions in communication, architectural design, engineering, medical analysis, and even artistic expression.à ®2 People thousands of miles away can do more than simply talk over the phone, but see each other while talking on their computer screens. Architectural structures are planned three dimensionally on the computer. This is much faster and easier than using blueprints. Humans are even considering education through computers. Students would not have to leave the comfort of their own home to go to school. Linowes sta tes that à ¬instead of confining formal learning to the classroom, students would be taught wherever they might beÃâ€"by giving them access to centralized information networks.à ®3 This would open up new doors for schooling and revolutionize the education system. Tasks for almost every profession and area of interest are done faster, more efficiently, and with less effort on computers. New advancements make it possible to not only program computers to do what people tell them to, but to think for themselves.

Wuthering Heights-the Structure and Style Transcend the Time

Wuthering Heights —— The Structure and Style Transcend the Time Emily Bronte describes the principal human conflict as one between the individual and the dark, questioning universe, a universe symbolized, in Wuthering Heights, both by man’s threatening and inner nature, and by nature in its more impersonal sense, the wild lonesome mystery of the moors. The structure and narrative style of Wuthering Heights transcend her time. Emily didn’t follow the regular and secular romantic writing techniques at that time, in contrast, she surpassed and created some new skills which modern readers are apt to understand and love. In this article, you will find the following six aspects of the writing style, including the approach of the story’s center step by step with spiral circle, the end echoes the beginning, symbolism of the two generations, the love which makes the negative turn to be positive, the dark satanic hero, and the alternant emotion with contradiction throughout the whole story. Emily has written a novel which seeks to move ever closer to the center of a unique and remarkable human relationship, and the very structure of her book emphasizes this movement. In Chapter One, for example, readers are as far as possible from the heart of the story’s experience due to the innocent guesses of Lockwood (the narrator or diarist). However, later chapters move progressively closer to the heart of the story, and the beginning, with its subtle suggestions of an old tragedy and with Lockwood’s naive judgments of Heathcliff, will come to be prophetic. Therefore, the plot of Wuthering Heights is not sequential and linear, but described as a spiral circle compared with other coetaneous novels. That is to say, readers have been always following Lockwood to circle around the center of the story step by step, until the origin of the tragedy vividly comes in front of their eyes. In spite of the spiral circle, the end echoes the beginning, which is another exquisite narrative technique, capture readers’ hearts. The last chapter tells of Heathcliff’s slow disintegration and death. The death itself is preceded by a fasting, reminiscent of the fasting which precipitated Catherine’s final illness. Because Heathcliff is described as robust and healthy shortly before his sudden decline, we suppose that it is his overwhelming desire or will to die and to return to his beloved Catherine, the thought of which â€Å"lights his face with a strange joy†(Wuthering Heights 137) for days, that really kills him, and not the mere abstinence from food. The structure of the book achieves an almost perfect symmetry in the death of Heathcliff. And the end of the novel as at the beginning, the master spirit is staring out into a storm, searching for Catherine. Emily Bronte features similar destiny about the two generations, but different endings of them. She describes this kind of symbolism by giving the names Catherine and Linton. Both Catherine (Catherine Earnshaw and Catherine Linton) marries Linton (Edgar Linton and Linton Heathcliff), who they don’t love most. The mother Catherine dies before the book is half over, but her spirit continues to rage in the turbulent air of Wuthering Heights, haunting Heathcliff, and also returns, healthily subdued, in her daughter Cathy. The daughter finally gains happiness which stretches over two generations. And we may say that these two Catherine can be considered as one person who is also the heroine throughout the whole story. The other is about Linton. Linton Heathcliff, who is â€Å"a nervous, sickly, effeminate child, weak-willed and petulant like his mother, and, like her, the pitiful victim and tool of his father† (Wuthering Heights 112)inherits disadvantages from both sides of his parents——the peevishness and self-pity of the mother and the bad temper of the father. It is ironic but the symbolism is clear. Hate is barren. Contrast to hatred, the love in this novel is also particular. Heathcliff and Catherine suffer from the separation for many years even after the heroine’s death. Only death can bring them together because of those insurmountable social and conceptual gaps even though Catherine’s nature is â€Å"a nature that is one with Heathcliff’s† (Wuthering Heights 58). Heathcliff's whole life is an embodiment of the force of evil. Contemplating his history is like peering at a beloved film of a picture: everything that should be dark is fading and everything that should be light is covered with darkness. Heathcliff and Catherine love each other by inflicting pain on one another instead of permitting pleasure. They did not live together when they were alive; they could love together after they died. They sustained themselves not by eating but by refusing to eat. It is Emily Bronte’s triumph as novelist that as her book proceeds, the negative becomes positive. Even in the end, through the rumors, â€Å"Catherine and Heathcliff walk the moors at night and even appear within the house at Wuthering Heights. (Wuthering Heights 140) They finally get together after they died and the negative death turns to a positive and extricable ending. And about the typical hero of the novel, Heathcliff is one of the most attractive characters in the history. To answer the question why he is so popular, it should be attributed to the black description of this â€Å"dark Satanic† hero. â€Å"Heathcliff, of course, is frequently compared to a demon by the other characters in the book. † (Sparknotes: Literature Study Guides: Wuthering Heights: Analysis of Major Characters) At first glance he may seem entirely wicked, even a criminal. The vicious way in which he destroys Hindley and brutalizes Isabella suggests that he is a man for whom sympathy ought to be impossible. Yet Emily Bronte manages her dark hero a sympathetic figure. When he has gone so far as to drive Lockwood out into the storm alone, there comes one of the overwhelmingly lyric moments in the novel as Heathcliff leans far out of the window and implores the spirit of Catherine to come in. The depth of feeling, the compassion of which Heathcliff is plainly capable in this scene, forces us to reconsider our judgment of the man. Without question he is brutal, but just as plainly he has within him the potential for great tenderness and love. Obviously, this potential has been destroyed somewhere along the line, and those readers, their interest aroused in how this could have happened, read on. Besides the hero, Heathcliff, who we love to hate, the fluctuation of alternant emotion is also a point of contradiction throughout the novel — — violent but dreamlike, brutal but romantic, fanatical but gloomy, all of these consist of a piece of deserted wilderness with mysterious beauty. Readers easily feel lost into the anxiety and disturbance that Emily delivered to them, as well as the desire to explore the ins and outs of the whole story under an intangible force. And the last paragraph that Lockwood said to himself in the end of the novel gives readers a peaceful and harmonious aftertaste despite of all the thrilling revenge and love. â€Å"Under that benign sky; watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells; listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; and wondered how anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth. The metaphor here is about the hard â€Å"heath†, which is a part of Heathcliff, comparing with soft wind, in order to leave hope for readers. The six aspects above can be divided into two parts: the structure and the characters which of both have been created surpassing the time of Emily Bronte. On one hand, the spiral circle and the correlation between the end and the beginning, is th e key to the structure of the novel. The book begins in 1801, on the very rim of the tale, long after the principal incidents of the story have taken place. Readers are far from the heart of the novel in the first pages, however, blundering along with the guide Lockwood later. Gradually we spiral in toward the center. But neither Lockwood nor Dean is unperceptive and we must struggle hard before we can actually achieve the true center of the novel, the passionate last meeting of Heathcliff and Cathy in which, for a moment, we are permitted to stare into the heart of the fiery furnace. On the other hand, about the most powerful character in the novel, the darkness and violence that was in Heathcliff from the beginning, is in every man. And because this darkness is so primal and so universal, it can never be overcome. It persists, implacable and unchangeable, a comment not just on one man’s special sorrow but on every man’s dark heritage. That is why a dark Satan is more attractive than a pure Angel in readers’ hearts. And Heathcliff is a powerful figure not only because he is rooted in the traditions of his own time, from which he draws strength, but also because he makes a universal statement about man’s nature, which continues to strike readers today as remarkably fresh and modern. Therefore, no matter the structure or the character that attracts lots of readers in history, the remarkable sense of the privacy of human experience, is clearly the central vision of Wuthering Heights and it is always being transcending the time. Works Cited Bronte, Emily, Wuthering Heights, Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2005 Gui Tuoqing, Selected Readings in English and American Literature, Beijing: China Foreign language Translation Press, 1985 Wuthering Heights, http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/wuthering/canalysis. html , , : ,1994 , , : ,2000

Implementing Change

Implementing Change Free Online Research Papers Change is very important for the future growth of a successful business. Leaders of organizations must analyze whether are not their organization will be able to change with the times, due to the organizational demands, society, and economic shifts. Former Chief Executive Officer of Gene One, the late Don Ruiz, was developing an effective plan to implement positive organizational change. Mr. Ruiz wanted to establish the company as a strong competitor. Therefore, Ruiz decided to go public by turning Gene one into an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 3 years. Due to Mr. Ruiz’s untimely death, the plan was never introduced or implemented throughout the organization. As one Of Don‘s siblings, my family and I have come up with a strategy so that Don’s dream could come a reality. The purpose of this body of work is to introduce strategies that may be used to bring effective change to the structure of leadership so Gene One can experience change successfully. A seven st ep proposal will be introduced so that change can be initiated. My family has illustrated our plan below in Table 1: Table 1: 7-Steps Used to Initiate the Change Strategy: The Present state or condition of Gene One The change strategy will discuss the current state or condition of Gene One as well as provide a brief synopsis of the company and the challenges it faces in the first step. Gene Created in 1996, Gene One, became the first biotech company of its kind to eliminate disease in tomatoes and potatoes through gene technology. Gene One’s development eradicated the use of pesticides that are used when growing these plants. In eight years Gene One grew to a $400 million dollar company. Recently, biotechnology has seen significant growth on Wall Street. Therefore Gene One, is considering beginning an IPO under the direction of the Board and Don Ruiz. Under the IPO Gene One is hoping the company will grown 40% annually. Ruiz wanted to initiate his plan in 3 years. Gene One must evaluate the structure of the leadership so that it may succeed as a public entity. An IPO must adhere to the requirements of the federal mandated Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOA). There must be one member of the board that has financial experience according to SOA. The board must be comprised of three committees: compensation, auditing and nominating. Gene One must also shift from equity to cash. The company currently lacks the leadership experience with IPO which calls for a need to hire someone with the necessary knowledge and experience. The company is currently not in compliance with the SOA requirements. Due to the untimely death of Don Ruiz, the company is without a Chief Executive Officer. As the plan is implemented it is also critical to consider those individuals resistance to change. All of the aforementioned factors beg for a change in leadership. Explanation of Gene One’s Proposed Process Change Step 2 of our plan will discuss the proposed process and organizational structure change that will be implemented throughout Gene One. The current contract of each board member will undergo a revision. The new contracts will indicate that the board’s compensation will transition to cash. The Executive Board will consists of 7 seven members. At least one of the members must be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), with IPO experience and a Certified Auditor with experience in the bio-technology industry. Additionally, the board will establish the auditing, compensation, and nomination committee. Each potential board member and member of the executive team will be subjected to a thorough nationwide educational, employment, credit, and criminal background check prior to acceptance of the position. In addition all individuals in a leadership role throughout the company will undergo intense IPO training. Moreover, the current leadership will began a nationwide search for chang e agents that may replace current leaders or add to the organization. The vision of Gene One will be broadened to include the IPO. Furthermore, the leadership team will develop new process that provide for more accountability and transparency throughout the company. Competencies of Gene One’s Leadership Gene One is grateful to the current leaders for their dedication and hard work that has brought the company to where it is today. However, it is imperative that the competencies of the leaders be addressed and evaluated in this change strategy. Due to the overwhelming successful leadership of one of Gene One’s founders, Michelle Houghton, it has been decided that Mrs. Houghton will be named acting Chief Executive Officer. Mrs. Houghton will bring to the executive team her task oriented leadership style and her proven success rate in securing funding from government and private investors. It is further decided that Charles Jones will no longer serve the organization in his current role as Marketing Officer. Mr. Jones succeeded in branding Gene One but failed to design and implement a marketing structure. It is imperative that Mr. Jones be transferred to a non-supervisory position whereas he can focus on branding Gene One as an IPO utilizing hisgreat ideas, smart risk takin g, and biotechnology connections. He will be replaced by a marketing officer with a proven track record of initiating a successful IPO marketing campaign. Teri Robertson will remain in her current role as Chief Technology Officer. She has effectively mastered her position and it is the nation’s leader in the industry. Greg Thoman, the current Chief Human Resources Officer, will remain in his position; however, his job description will be reevaluated. Mr. Thoman’s responsibility will focus on staffing, recruiting, and Employee relations issues. Because he lacks the necessary experience to provide cultural change, we will immediately begin the search for a change agent. The change agent’s responsibility will be to effectively carry out the change strategy, and to ensure that the attitudes and behavior of all personnel remain beneficial to the company’s success. After the plan is effectively implemented, the change agent will be responsible for continually evaluating the change and preparing for future cultural growth. Capacity for Change within Gene One Step 4 calls for a discussion of the capacity for change within Gene One. According to Judge Robbins (2007), â€Å"Initial Public Option usually means when a company issues common stock or shares to the public for the first time.† Therefore one can assume that Wall Street may begin to drive the way Gene One does business. This is a dramatic change for the organization and will require a positive message being sent throughout the organization that lessens the fears that an individual may feel that their creativity and research ability will become controlled by investors. For eight years, Gene One has been conducting business as usual with a good level of success. In order to go form good to great the capacity for change is essential to the future growth of Gene One. The key in this step is to remain positive and create positive messaging. There is a strong capacity for change however, the leadership team must be on the same page and elicit support/buy-in from stakeholders, cust omers and employees. Capacity for Leadership Structure Teri Robertson as CTO, is one of Gene One’s most influential leaders. Recently she has expressed her discontentment of the change. As acting CEO, Michelle and the current board must have a one on one discussion with Ms. Robertson whereas she is reassured that the new change will not affect her autonomy to offer research in additional areas of study. Furthermore, a plan must be devised to assure that Gene One remains innovative and continues to birth the leading trends of the industry. Furthermore the change agent along with the executive team must keep all of their internal and external relationships intact. Rumors must be dispelled as soon as they are discovered and it is that a phenomenal marking plan is implemented to proactively counter negativity. Resources Necessary to Implement Change There are multiple resources and/or tools needed to implement the change strategy at Gene One. In order to ensure success of the IPO formation, the leadership team must conduct ample research on the types of investors Gene One seeks and secure at least 2-3 investment firms or underwriters willing to make the initial offer. Additionally, a signed certified financial statement must be developed and submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission and all SOA requirements must be met. In order to ensure success within the leadership structure, all leaders must receive IPO educational training along with literature explaining the process. Secure additional funding to introduce new products. A financial strategy must also be developed to maintain and stay within the budget restraints. In addition, new technologies will need to be ordered and a plan for marketing must be created. Temporary Goals The final step of this change strategy calls for setting temporary goals. The following goals must be completed within one year of this strategy: (1) Hire additional leadership personnel, (2) Create A New Business Model (3) Acquire capital needed for growth by identifying investors, (4) Provide a path to growing Profitability, (5) Significantly Improve Marketing structure, and (6) meet all state and federal mandates. Gene one is an extraordinary company. With the indispensable talents, leadership style, dedication, and knowledge base of its leadership team, our family is more than confident that the change strategy for the Initial public offering will be implemented successfully. Don Ruiz started this company with $2 million dollars and a dream, 8 years later it’s worth $400 million. This change strategy will allow for Gene One to increase its annual growth by 40%. As a team, let’s make it happen in the memory of Don Ruiz. References Robbins, S. P., Judge, T. A. (2007). Organizational behavior (12th ed.). Chapter 19: Organizational Change and Stress Management: Prentice Hall University of Phoenix. (2009). Gene One scenario. Retrieved March 25, 2010 from University of Phoenix, Week Five, LDR/531 Organizational Leadership Course, Class Materials web site. Yukl, G. (2006). Leadership in organizations (6th ed.). Chapter 10: Leading Change in Organizations: Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Research Papers on Implementing ChangeAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaGenetic EngineeringThe Project Managment Office SystemUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresPETSTEL analysis of IndiaOpen Architechture a white paperTwilight of the UAWIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

A Diploma is not a Degree

A Diploma is not a Degree A Diploma is not a Degree A Diploma is not a Degree By Maeve Maddox The word degree has many meanings, but in academic terms, it refers to a certification awarded at the university level. The B.A. degree (Bachelor of Arts), for example, is awarded upon completion of a four-year program of study requiring a specified minimum of credits. An M.A. degree (Master of Arts) requires two or more years of study beyond the B.A. and carries with it the passing of certain examinations and, usually, the completion of a thesis or other research project. The Ph.D. degree (Doctor of Philosophy) requires several more years of study, examinations, and research projects beyond the M.A. In addition to the degrees awarded by four-year institutions of higher learning, community colleges offer the Associate Degree upon completion of two years of study beyond high school. A diploma, on the other hand, is a document testifying to the completion of a course of study. Any graduate, whether of a university, a high school, or a six-week course in Spanish, will receive a diploma. High schools issue diplomas and certificates of attendance, but they do not award degrees. To describe a person as having a high school degree is an error of fact as well as one of diction. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings)Top 11 Writing Apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad)50 Plain-Language Substitutions for Wordy Phrases

Skepticism in Mama Day Essay

Skepticism in Mama Day Essay Skepticism in Mama Day Essay Andrew Ellison ENGL 2400 Weaver February 19, 2015 Skepticism in Mama Day In Mama Day by Gloria Naylor, George has trouble believing in Willow Springs’ magical powers and all that happens on the island. George is very doubtful of believing in superstitions. He thinks that you need to first understand the belief of having a future, in order to have forces that are able to transform it. You begin to understand how George feels about superstitions when he finally goes with Cocoa on her yearly trip to Willow Springs, which is filled with different mythical souls. George gets to experience first hand what the mysterious island is really like and all that it encompasses. In Mama Day, George is unable to see the supernatural occurrences that happen on the island of Willow Springs, resulting in severe frustration and arrogance that lasts throughout the novel. One instance where George shows his ignorance towards superstition is when he exclaims, â€Å"I may have knocked my head against the walls, figuring out how to buy food, supplies, and books, but I never knocked on wood. No rabbit's foot, no crucifixes- not even a lottery ticket† (Naylor 27). This is a very good example of how George feels towards things that are either based on luck, or just superstition. He is basically saying that he doesn’t need any kind of luck to get through life. He can focus on what he wants to do in life and get through it on his own while working very hard to do so. In a way it is understandable for him to not understand what is going on. George is an engineer who is used to working with numbers and getting outcomes that can be explained and understood. He can’t explain what’s going on on the island with science or math so it is difficult for him to get the full meaning of the mysterious things that are happening on the island. Ge orge is just not used to the things that he has experienced from the trip to Willow Springs, from New York. The combination of the trip along with the magical island, if you will, is too much for him to handle, so he got stressed out and couldn’t figure out what was going on. A second example of how George can’t handle the idea of superstitious activity and also a change in location is that he did not know what to expect and he could not plan ahead what he was going to wear on the island, because of the fact that there was not an actual location. â€Å"It’s hard to know what to expect from a place when you can’t find it on the map. Preparing for Willow Springs upset my normal agenda: a few minutes with an atlas always helped me to decide what clothes to pack, whether a raincoat would be in order or not, a light pullover for the evenings† (Naylor 174). In this quote, George is confused as to why there is not an actual location name for the island of Willow Springs. He does not understand how it is not a part of Georgia or South Carolina, and how it can be a location all by itself. Cocoa tries to explain to him that it does not belong to either place, but he does not understand. George is used to being able to calculate what he w as doing based just off of the facts and information that are given to him. But, in this situation George does not have any facts to be able to break down what he is about to do so he is panicked and very anxious about what lies ahead. After he arrives at Willow Springs, he begins to loosen up on the fact that just because the island is mysterious, does not mean that it will be unbearable to stay there, and that it is actually somewhat of a paradise. Another example of how George is unable to handle all that the island holds is when Miranda and Abigail are talking about how George would not be able to survive. They say worrisomely, â€Å"George ain’t never gonna believe this, Miranda. Go to him with some mess like this, and he’d be sure we were senile. 'That’s right. So we gotta wait for him to feel the need to come to us. I’ll have to stay out at the other place. And when he’s ready, head him in my direction. 'That

Point of View 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Point of View 1 - Essay Example Every night we were to pay tribute to the Seth in the price of blood and sweat. We receive our rest during the day, since we cannot work under the extreme heat. Sometimes they would call us into the Hall to punish us or reward us but that all depends on how well our work is done. We thought that Seth would set us free from bondage, but that was just a lie. Seth had various markings on his skin – all of it are numbers that seem cryptic to understand. One time, I happen to walk in a dark area and saw Seth approaching me. He was wearing a cloak and a long dress but that did not prevent me from seeing his sharp claws. The next thing I knew, my face was bloodied as I ran away. Seth is an evil force that hates mortal beings. I should have been warned by my friend Sebastian. Before the great inferno thousands of years ago, the world lived among millions working together; to provide a general well-being for all of its inhabitants. That is what the north is trying to accomplish, and ye t they are doing it dreadfully wrong. My friend, Sebastian, told me he had found some relics that could reveal the truth about the past. We did not understand the scriptures but their message was clear. It showed us how we could create a new paradise much like that one of the past.

Fmcg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fmcg - Essay Example Avon as a band in general has seen its brand value collapse as its market performance has tanked in recent years, leading to a corrosion in the overall prestige and desirability of the company and its products (Kowitt 2012). There are many things that contributed to the failure of the brand and many of its products, among them failure in strategy and in marketing, and in terms of being able to adopt and execute on a comprehensive social media strategy. As late as 2012 it did not have an effective strategy to leverage the strengths of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as other online media tools such as blogs. This is part of a bigger problem with regard to making the Avon brand relevant to consumers in general. This is true in the United Kingdom and in many other key markets in the West as well. With Avon’s product, the key sales channel had been direct sales, and in the age of the Internet and social media, the company has failed to make its direct selling model relevant. While there are no breakdowns of sales for the Goddess Eau de Parfum sales, it is clear that its many negative reviews puts it at the bottom in terms of sales performance for individual products (Glazer 2012; Carrillo 2014). Botanicals (2014). Natural Moisturizers: nourishing face moisturizer: rose and camella. Botanicals.co.uk. [online]. Available at: http://www.botanicals.co.uk/natural-moisturisers/ [accessed 10/12/2014]. Carrillo, S. (2014). 11 Best Avon Products- and the 4 Worst: No. 4: Avon Goddess Eau de Parfum Spray, $22.50. TotalBeauty.com [online]. Available at: http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/p-best-worst-avon/p33782/page2 [accessed 10/12/2014]. Glazer, E. (2012). Avon is Late to the Social Media’s Party. Wall Street Journal [online]. Available at: http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303978104577360182622655056 [accessed 10/12/2014]. Procter & Gamble (2014). BB & C Cream: Regenerist CC Cream Light. Olay.co.uk

Tbd Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Tbd - Essay Example In addition, Frank (with a large commercial law firm In Brussels) has helped negotiate a suitable site on the edge of the industrial area, just in a strategic position- industrial park of the town-which could most likely be a suitable location for the business. This will make it possible for the commissioning and construction of new factories for the company. It is possible to built friendships and customer base in Belgium as it has been the case in Holland. Business experts say that every business must grow slowly and it should be given enough time to do so. A good customer relationship is developed when the company (ESC Electronica) provides better services for the people in the new country. In doing so, the company will be able to form a strong customer base just as it has been the case in the native country. In addition, Jan is not leaving his business entirely but it will be possible for him to conquer other international markets for the betterment of the company. As for the case of family matters, it will be prudent for Marguereet to combine her family life and the business which will keep the whole family financially stable. The best approach you (Jan) can use is to call family meeting and discuss the broad aspects of the business starting with the business plan, goals and objectives, family issues (togetherness, retirement and ot her external factors that need to be addressed affecting the family) and more pressing challenges and opportunities for the businesses in context of increased competition. The strategy of bringing the whole family on board is considered a best option in a case where the family is undergoing any kind of turmoil. Failure to convince the children for example Frank need to put his priorities right for further future prospects. Marguereet is already a graduate with enough knowledge on

Pandoras Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pandoras Business - Essay Example As the paper outlines, it also offers advertising and premium subscription where companies can put advertisements to target certain people. Customers can also buy subscriptions for a few dollars a month to omit the ads. High cost of operating and other costs such as inconsistency costs means that Pandora does not have full market control. In time, Pandora will not enjoy market advantages since it will have less control of the market due to the evolution of the mobile era. More of the music downloaded is normally done illegally without the knowledge of the artists or the music labels. This has turned into a normal type of crime. Most people download songs for free and see no harm caused to the artists and record labels who normally incur losses for their work. With time, mobile revenues will improve since the world is moving to a more digitalized era. This means that the company should sell it premiums directly rather than relying on 3rd parties who are normally associated with other costs. The copyright law which is the body protecting artist’s work from being copied without their authorization should intensify and rise with good legislation which would see the reduction in piracy. The legislation is good for the music industry since Pandora is able to pay the artists and record companies. Pandora pays hundreds of millions to artists and labels. At least of the royalty rate is fair and reasonable of which both parties do benefit. Pandora can make a profit, and the artists and music labels also generate some income. Record labels are things of the past. Music labels and online stores should be able to pay artist much more fairly. They should not rely on producing CDs since they are things of the past and the world is changing. Hopefully more and more artists will bypass getting record contracts.

Food Allergy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Food Allergy - Essay Example It is estimated that one child in every 14 children has at least one form of food allergy. The most common forms of food that most children are allergic to include: milk, eggs, soya, and wheat. Many children, however, outgrow this forms of allergy and by the time they go to school they go to school they are not allergic to foods that they were allergic to before. Skin-prick tests: this form of food allergy test provides results in about 20 minutes. This form of food allergy test involves placing of a liquid containing a small amount of the food allergen on the skin of one’s arm or back. The skin is then pricked, allowing the allergen to seep under the skin. The test is considered positive if a wheel (resembling a bump from a mosquito bite) develops where the allergen was placed. Blood tests: this form of testing of food allergy aims to measure the presence of IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies to specific foods. IgE is the antibody that triggers food allergy symptoms. Blood tests aims at detecting the food-specific IgE. The blood tests take several days to yield results. Oral Food Challenge. This form of food allergy test is considered highly accurate. The oral food challenge test consist of the allergist feeding the patient with the suspect food in measured doses so as to find out whether or not the patient will develop symptoms for food allergy. If the patient shows symptoms after the test, the test will be positive, and if the patient shows no symptoms the test will be considered negative. Food Elimination Diet: in this form of food testing, the doctor asks the patient to temporarily abstain from suspect foods for a period of two to four weeks. If the suspect foods were the ones causing the allergy, the patient will exhibit no symptoms, but if the eliminated, suspect foods, were not the ones responsible for the allergy the patient will still exhibit symptoms of food allergy. Treatments of Food

The Good and Bad of Audi Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Good and Bad of Audi - Case Study Example The founders then moved to Ingolstadt in Bavaria and formed the Auto Union in 1949, with loans from the Bavarian state government and Marshall Plan aid. In 1969 Audi Union merged with the world's largest motorcycle producer, NSU - the company was now known as Audi NSU Auto Union AG. Audi emerged as a separate brand. Then Volkswagen introduced Audi 1970 models to the United States. Nowadays Audi is a global developer and producer of high quality cars with production sites in Germany, Hungary, China, Belgium and India. In 2008, Audi sold a total of 1,003,000 cars, setting up a record for the thirteenth consecutive year. Audi is a premium member of the Volkswagen Group and it is interesting to note that technologies are first introduced into the mass market in Audi vehicles. Thereafter they conveyed to the more value oriented brands such as Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda. Audi is aware of the fact that consumers do not buy cars for rational reasons. Therefore, Audi moved ahead as a serious competitor in the global luxury segment in the early 1990s and now offers a wide variety of premium vehicles, the most famous of which is the Audi TT, launched in 1999. This car was designed for people with passion. There were other Audi models that appealed to the emotions, like the Audi A8, which was launched in 2003. In 2004 Audi launched the S4 convertible with a soft top and a 4.2 litre V8 engine for outstanding performance. The Audi A6 was also launched in 2004 and was extremely competitive in the executive segment. A more recent technology introduced by Audi is that of the Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) engines and the quick shifting dual-clutch gearbox (DSG). Currently, Audi is launching the most efficient standard sized sedan, the A4 2.0 TDT e with fuel consumption of 4.6 litres per 100 km and a carbon dioxide exhaust emission of 119 grams per hundred kilometers. This sedan features stop/start technology and a brake recovery energy system and comes with low resistance tires. QUALITY PROBLEMS In 2003 and 2004 the Volkswagen group ordered massive recalls involving various brands. One of these cases was a recall of 850,000 vehicles of VW, Audi, Skoda and Seat with 1.8 litre turbo engines, V5, V6 and V8

Pandoras Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pandoras Business - Essay Example As the paper outlines, it also offers advertising and premium subscription where companies can put advertisements to target certain people. Customers can also buy subscriptions for a few dollars a month to omit the ads. High cost of operating and other costs such as inconsistency costs means that Pandora does not have full market control. In time, Pandora will not enjoy market advantages since it will have less control of the market due to the evolution of the mobile era. More of the music downloaded is normally done illegally without the knowledge of the artists or the music labels. This has turned into a normal type of crime. Most people download songs for free and see no harm caused to the artists and record labels who normally incur losses for their work. With time, mobile revenues will improve since the world is moving to a more digitalized era. This means that the company should sell it premiums directly rather than relying on 3rd parties who are normally associated with other costs. The copyright law which is the body protecting artist’s work from being copied without their authorization should intensify and rise with good legislation which would see the reduction in piracy. The legislation is good for the music industry since Pandora is able to pay the artists and record companies. Pandora pays hundreds of millions to artists and labels. At least of the royalty rate is fair and reasonable of which both parties do benefit. Pandora can make a profit, and the artists and music labels also generate some income. Record labels are things of the past. Music labels and online stores should be able to pay artist much more fairly. They should not rely on producing CDs since they are things of the past and the world is changing. Hopefully more and more artists will bypass getting record contracts.

The Good and Bad of Audi Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Good and Bad of Audi - Case Study Example The founders then moved to Ingolstadt in Bavaria and formed the Auto Union in 1949, with loans from the Bavarian state government and Marshall Plan aid. In 1969 Audi Union merged with the world's largest motorcycle producer, NSU - the company was now known as Audi NSU Auto Union AG. Audi emerged as a separate brand. Then Volkswagen introduced Audi 1970 models to the United States. Nowadays Audi is a global developer and producer of high quality cars with production sites in Germany, Hungary, China, Belgium and India. In 2008, Audi sold a total of 1,003,000 cars, setting up a record for the thirteenth consecutive year. Audi is a premium member of the Volkswagen Group and it is interesting to note that technologies are first introduced into the mass market in Audi vehicles. Thereafter they conveyed to the more value oriented brands such as Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda. Audi is aware of the fact that consumers do not buy cars for rational reasons. Therefore, Audi moved ahead as a serious competitor in the global luxury segment in the early 1990s and now offers a wide variety of premium vehicles, the most famous of which is the Audi TT, launched in 1999. This car was designed for people with passion. There were other Audi models that appealed to the emotions, like the Audi A8, which was launched in 2003. In 2004 Audi launched the S4 convertible with a soft top and a 4.2 litre V8 engine for outstanding performance. The Audi A6 was also launched in 2004 and was extremely competitive in the executive segment. A more recent technology introduced by Audi is that of the Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) engines and the quick shifting dual-clutch gearbox (DSG). Currently, Audi is launching the most efficient standard sized sedan, the A4 2.0 TDT e with fuel consumption of 4.6 litres per 100 km and a carbon dioxide exhaust emission of 119 grams per hundred kilometers. This sedan features stop/start technology and a brake recovery energy system and comes with low resistance tires. QUALITY PROBLEMS In 2003 and 2004 the Volkswagen group ordered massive recalls involving various brands. One of these cases was a recall of 850,000 vehicles of VW, Audi, Skoda and Seat with 1.8 litre turbo engines, V5, V6 and V8

Philosophy of Life Essay Example for Free

Philosophy of Life Essay The hardest part of any journey is the first step. Human life would be so much easier if we were born into it with a roadmap and a flashlight some say we actually were, but we forgot where we put them. Nonetheless, part of life is clearing your own path, making your own map, finding lifes meanings, and defining your philosophy or world view, the next hardest part of the journey, once youve found your truth, is living it every day walking your talk. I believe we are each here for a purpose and everything happens for a reason. We chose who we are physically, when and where we were born, and the life circumstances presented to us. Why nobody really knows. There are many possibilities. To learn lessons, like a school to be part of the overall evolution of human consciousness , to atone for karma, make up for errors and omissions in past lives, to play a role in a universal game or dramatic production, to satisfy spiritual cravings for the sensual, tactile pleasures of human life. I even read/heard someplace that Earth is the penal colony of the Universe . Hell on Earth, the place where sinners do badders have to work out their sentences for their evil deeds. I also heard recently that human life on earth is like a vacation: leave home, travel to wonderful new places, experience the joy and awe, then return home. I must admit that at times it feels like the vacation from hell car gets a flat tire or two it pours rain every day at the beach or worse, while camping intestinal illness on a cruise ship. Could be any of these things, could be all. I tend to lean toward the evolving karmic classroom approach. But the ultimate truth is that we are born to die. Our physical human lives are temporary, blips on the screen, a dash between the date of birth and the date of death on your tombstone. But while we are here, anything can occur, there are no accidents, nothing is impossible, miracles happen.

Unilever Business Strategy

Unilever Business Strategy Jump to: SWOT Analysis of Unilever | Unilever BCG Matrix  |  Unilever PESTEL  | Unilever Financial Analysis | Unilever Competitors This is a case study on Unilever business strategy. It would seek to analyze the strategic position of the group with the help of SWOT, PEST and BCG Matrix models. The paper would critically assess the competitive situation of the company in relation to other major product based companies in the market and companys financial performance and key issues. In the end it would submit few recommendations. The case study is my first effort towards analyzing the business strategy of Unilever and its success in the market. Since Unilever is so famous and its products so widely used all over the world, it is of great interest for me to carry out a case study on its business strategy. The paper would greatly help me and the readers to understand some key issues concerning Unilever in todays business world. Introduction 2.1. About Unilever Unilever is a multi-national corporation, formed of Anglo-Dutch parentage that owns many of the worlds consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. Unilever employs nearly 180,000 people and had worldwide revenue of almost à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬40 billion in 2005. Unilever is a dual-listed company consisting of Unilever NV in Rotterdam, Netherlands and Unilever PLC in London, England. This arrangement is similar to that of Reed Elsevier and that of Royal Dutch Shell prior to their unified structure. Both Unilever companies have the same directors and effectively operate as a single business. The current non-executive Chairman of Unilever N.V. and PLC is Michael Treschow while P Mr Paul Polman is the Group Chief Executive. The company is widely listed on the worlds stock exchanges (About Unilever: 2008). 2.2. History Unilever was founded in 1930 through merger by the British, Lever Brother; and the Dutch, Margarine Unie; now Unilever PLC in London, U.K and Unilever N.V in Rotterdam, Netherlands respectively. In 1872 before the merger, Jurgens and Van den Bergh, the Dutch, built factory in Netherlands for the production of Margarine made from milk and fact. In 1927, they formed Margarine Unie (margarine Union) together with two European Businesses, Centre and Schicht. Lever Co on the other hand was founded in 1884 by British William Hesketh Lever and his brother, James, and was producing soap Sunlight soap for people in England especially for women. William Lever wrote: to make cleanliness commonplace; to lessen work for women; to foster health and contribute to personal attractiveness, that life may be more enjoyable and rewarding for the people who use our products. In 1890, Lever Co become limited company known as Lever Brothers (Uhomhoabhi, Fredrick Albert: 2008) Unilever, Unilever N.V and Unilever PLC comprise Unilever group. Both companies have the same directors. Its annual turnover in 2005 was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬39.672 billion and employs206, 000 employees around the world.1 Unilever brands consist of Food, Beverage, and Home and Personal Care. Some of these products are Knorr, Breyers and Magnum, Lipton, Omo (detergent) etc. Knorr has the biggest sales of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.3 billon in 2005.In May 2007 it became the first tea company to commit to sourcing all its tea in a sustainable manner, asking the Rainforest Alliance, an international environmental NGO, to start certifying its tea estates in East Africa. It declared its aim to have all Lipton Yellow Label and PG Tips tea bags sold in Western Europe certified by 2010, followed by all Lipton tea bags globally by 2015. Covalence, an ethical reputation ranking agency, placed Unilever at the top of its ranking based on positive versus negative news coverage for 2007. In 2008 Unilever was honor ed at the 59th Annual Technology Engineering Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for Creation and Distribution of Interactive Commercial Advertising Delivered through Digital Set Top Boxes for its program Axe. Strategic position of the company The strategic position of the company shall be analyzed through following techniques: 3.1. S.W.O.T Analysis The overall evaluation of a companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is called SWOT analysis. In general, a business unit has to monitor key macro environment forces (demographic-economic, technological, political-legal, and social-cultural) and significant microenvironment actors (customers, competitors, distributors, suppliers) that affect its ability to earn profits. The business unit should set up a marketing intelligence system to track tends and important developments. For each trend or development, management needs to identify the associated opportunities and threats. (S)trengths Recognized as a global company. Strong brand portfolio. Strong relationship with retailers Economies of scale. Corporate social behavior Variety of products (W)eaknesses Dual leadership Limited costumer connection Inefficient management of brands Inability to maximize acquisitions Lack of control in the market Reduced spending on RD (O)pportunities Changing consumer preferences Increasing need for healthy products Low income consumers Rapid increase in population (T)hreats Decrease in revenue Strong competition(PG) Tougher business climate Exchange rates Economic crisis Increase in production and labor cost 3.2. BCG Matrix Stars(High market growth share) Lux Sunsilk Walls ice cream Fair lovely Rafhan Energile AXE Vasline PG tips Dogs(Low market growth share) Wheel detergent Supreme tea Lifebuoy shampoo Cash cows(Low growth High share) Surf excel Ponds Lipton Close up Blue band Dove soap Rexona Knorr Question marks(High growth low share) Clear shampoo Rin Comfort Ben Jerrys Persil 3.3. PESTEL Analysis 3.3.1. (P)olitical/Legal environment Unilever, as a matter of policy, set a standard as to the way of tackling political issues. Unilever has its tactical way of handling political issues. First, in the 1960s, many countries began to nationalize foreign firms which also affected Unilever. This was a call for local equity participation in foreign firms. Thus, so many companies were subject to local control on prices, imports, employment of expatriates and so on. As a result of the adverse effect of nationalization policy, in the 1970, many US companies e.g. IBM and coca cola left India. There was fear by foreign companies uncertain issues such as knowledge leakage, loss of trademark etc. this was also hazardous for Unilever as its control over operation in the market was reduced. For example UAC, a subsidiary of Unilever, whose operation was in many African countries (Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, etc.), was focused on as its profit margin and rate of easy remittance of profit to its Anglo-Dutch parent was enorm ous. Nationalizing UA Chambered Unilevers control over the market where UAC operates. However, Unilever uses its experience and goodwill to make contacts in many countries to bargain with government so as to modify their regulations. In central and south America, Unilever only engaged in lobbying rather than active politicking. In other words, Unilever never get involved in sponsoring political parties. Today, Unilever has gained political ground using its tactical strategy and experience. Unilever is a member of many organizations all over the world. The aim is to create favorable business environment, and also facilitate corporate reputation management. 3.3.2. (E)conomic environment Unilever market environment is becoming highly competitive especially in the Western Europe. Procter Gamble (PG) is one of the major competitors in the European market. More so, there are so many discounters in the European market resulting from EU free trade policy. This has had adverse effect on Unilevers profit potentials. Retailers are pressurizing FMCG producers to reduce prices of their products. Consumers on the other hand would not want to buy expensive product or brands due to current economic tide. Competition in EU has grown so strong that Unilever is facing difficulties in places like France, Netherlands. In the developing countries and the emerging economies (Asia and Africa), where there are political instability, Unilever has adopted its company strategy to ensure that its profitability drive is sustained. Some Products are packaged in small size for low or regular income earner, for affordability. In some developing countries, Nigeria to be precise, there was uncertainty about duties to be paid by companies due to inflation and fluctuation of currency. The effect on Unilever was a decrease in profit in 2005 compared to 2004, though there was increase in turnover. 3.3.3. (S)ocio-cultural environment Unilever has continued to maintain momentum in its socio-cultural environment in line with its sustainability drive. The company is working relentlessly to bring improve hygiene and better nutrition to people in Asia, Africa and Latin America, especially the poor and obesity. Over 30% of Africa population lives on less than $1 per day. By this, Unilever strengthens it goodwill. However, the low literacy of consumers affects marketing vehicles such as advertisement in print media. This therefore requires employment of more resources, for instance to enhance face-to-face communication. Besides, Unilever employs about 100 nationalities. It ensures that diversity works for everybody both employees and consumer alike. In order to achieve and ensure that diversity works amongst employees, Unilever employed the strategy of so as to manage and leverage diversity. Unilever is focused on building an exclusive culture and embracing difference, which resulted in high demand of its products in th e developing and emerging markets. 3.3.4. (T)echnological environment Right in the 1930s, Unilever continue to diversify. Business continue to boom in the1950s with new technology being invented to boast production and enhance quality products for consumer, competitors improving their products using new inventions. Unilever did not give up its effort in RD. Since 2000, Unilever has been spending on IT to improve its business especially in the area of e-business so as to improve brands communication and market through internet, making transaction simple along chain. Today, Unilever is trying to minimize cost through IT efficiencies at global level. In addition, Unilever Technology Venture works in collaboration with Unilever RD group to help Unilever meet consumers needs. Area of concern is genomics, advanced bioscience, advanced materials science and nanotechnology. In 2003, Unilever installed and commissioned pallet live storage system from Bitto Storage System Ltd. This was meant to store its frozen products. The facilities include: pallet live storage systems, carton live storage systems, pallet racking, boltless shelving, plastic bins and containers, wide span and heavy load shelving, cantilever racking, and multi-tier shelving systems. 3.3.5. (E)nvironment In recognition of local legislation and to keep its corporate responsibilities, Unilever designed management system. Unilever has respect for consumer health and safety. This policy is to ensure all Unilever operators establish a formal environmental management system. Training programs are being arranged in various regions/business groups to ensure compliance with the company Standard for Occupational Health and Safety Environmental Care (SHE). This framework is based on the ISO 14001 management standard. Unilever had also worked in conjunction with government of countries of its operation as regards waste management. For instance in Ghana, 2004, over 21 tones of wastes were supplied to small and medium size recycling businesses in Accra, Ghana, by Unilever to reduce the amount of plastic waste sent to landfill. Financial performance Underlying sales growth of 7.4% was partly offset by movements in exchange rates (4.8%) and the net impact of disposals and acquisitions (1.4%). Including these effects, turnover was 40,523 million for the full year, increasing by 0.8%. Operating profit increased by 1,922 million to 7,167 million, including a higher level of profits on business disposals. These generated a pre-tax profit of 2,190 million in 2008, compared  with 297 million in 2007. Net profit was 28% higher than last year, boosted by the profits on disposals. Earnings per share were à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.79, including a net gain of 0.36 from  RDIs. This compared with 1.35 last year, which included a net loss of 0.07 from RDIs. Net cash flow from operations at 3.9 billion was in line with last year. Total cash returns to shareholders in the year were 3.6 billion, made up of 2.1 billion of dividends and 1.5 billion of share buy-backs. 4.4. Financial Objectives Unilevers ambition is to top Third Total Shareholder Return, over a 3 year rolling period out of peer group of 20 other companies. Its outlook for year 2010 is: Un-geared free cash flow in the period 2005-2010 to be 25-30bn. Improvement in Return on Invested Capital. Underlying sales growth of 3-5% p.a. Operating margin of over 15% by 2010 after normal restructuring. Improved capital and tax efficiency. Market share and competition 5.3. Category position in the market Strategic Issues Following are some of the key strategic issues which Unilever faces today: 6.1. Leadership Unilever maintains two business entities i.e. Unilever PLC and Unilever N.V. Due to dual chairperson approach; it faces following problems in their business strategy: List stock separately Shared board of directors Typical management; wear two, three hats Conflict in Board and Business responsibilities Company remains fragmented Reduced effectiveness Slow decision making process( Bureaucracy) Unilever believer (believe in Unilever) Unilever should create a sense of belief amongst its consumers. It should try and focus on program that focuses on brand initiative to the consumers. Use advertising that connects with consumer needs: Consumers demand high quality products that are both convenient and delicious Consumers look for new ways to use the product Large population of single parent house hold More females are working full-time jobs Increase consumer focus on health and nutrition Strategy Justification 7.1. Recommendation 1 Make an initiative to create an overall umbrella brand across all Unilevers brands that will eventually consolidate various businesses under one name. Unilever Plc Unilever NV One Unilever Provides a greater clarity of leadership, responsibility, and accountability Allows Unilever to focus on the needs of their customers and consumers thus reigniting growth and increasing sales potential Provides the ability to leverage scale of operations Create a strategic platform for brand management Recommendation 2 It should implement Unilever Believer product and brand extensions. The related example in this case is of Lipton tea. It should try and create an extension to this famous brand by focusing on energy drinks. Justifications are: Energy drinks jumped 56% in sales last year Market has exceed $100 million in the recent years Main Competitor: Red Bull Positioning Statement: A Healthier Alternative to Energy Drinks Unilever should cash in this opportunity by: Target Market: Young adults 18-32 Uses: stay up all night and/or start a night out Main Ingredients: Caffeine, Vitamin B, Guarana Advertisements: Highlight healthier ingredients of the product while showcasing its ability to give energy and revitalize body

lesson plan for saxophone first lesson :: essays research papers

Saxophone First Lesson Plan:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Introduce yourself to the student, and learn their name. „P  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First, show the student how to put the saxophone together: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attach neck to the saxophone body 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Then, attach mouthpiece to neck 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Finally, attach the neck strap to saxophone 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tell them that it is a good idea to put the reed in their mouth while they put their instruments together, so it will be moist and ready for play by the time the clarinet is assembled. „P  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next, you show them the correct posture: 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Get them to sit straight up in their chair 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Get their backs off of the back of the chair. (You can tell them to sit up as straight as they can in the chair. 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tell them to put their feet flat on the floor. 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Finally, get them to relax their shoulders. „P  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Second, you should show them how to breathe properly: „P  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Do breathing exercises with the student. (Have the student take deep breaths, with the whole torso.) 9.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Belt Test: If the student ¡Ã‚ ¦s belt of waistline moves when they take a breath, then they are breathing properly. 10.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Straw Exercise: Give the student a straw. Tape a piece of paper to the bottom of a music stand. The student should blow through the straw onto the piece of paper, thus moving the paper. This exercise allows the student to develop breathing skills. 11.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Yawn Exercise: Have the student yawn, so they can see what it truly feels like to have a torso full of air. „P  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next, you should do some mouthpiece exercises. Get the student to produce a nice steady sound without squeaking. 12.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Work on dynamics with the mouthpiece, get the student to produce a clean loud sound, followed with a clean soft sound. „P  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Finally, you should explain proper instrument care to the student. 13.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An instrument is not safe unless it is in the hands or in the case. 14.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Make sure that you put your reeds back in the reed holder when you are finished using them, so you are sure to avoid breakage.

Sir Francis Bacons Advancement of Learning and Information on the Internet :: Internet Net World Wide Web Media

Sir Francis Bacon's Advancement of Learning and Information on the Internet In the book of Ecclesiastes we are told, "Of making many books there is no end; and much study is weariness to the flesh." (Eccles. 12:12) If we compare web sites to books, then it follows that there is no end to the amount of information put onto the Internet, and that studying, or, browsing the Internet is tiring. Additionally, we read, "For in much wisdom is much grief: and he who increases knowledge increases anxiety." (Eccles. 1:18) The sheer quantity of information found on the Internet must increase our knowledge and this we read - that anxiety follows. Bacon's tells us that what we need is not quantity, but quality of information plus a corrective spice. Bacon reasons that the biblical writers were not thinking of "pure knowledge" of nature and universality. He suggests that they were referring to people's attempts to rule themselves using knowledge of good and evil, in which case depending no more on God. Therefore, there is no grief in learning. How large a quantity of knowledge can completely fill the mind? Nay, the mind can never be satisfied with a quantity of knowledge states Bacon. He quotes the Scripture, "the eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing." (Eccles. 1:8) There is nothing in this world that isn't reached by people's inquiry and invention. If this is the capacity of the mind, then it is clear that there is no problem with having too much knowledge. The problem is the quality of knowledge therein. The fact that the Internet is bristling full of information, too much information for a single human being to comprehend, is not the problem, but the real issue is in the quality of the information therein. The old lesson on Internet searching is when you enter for example, "computers," and the search engine returns 10 of an abominable 8,102,365 matches. You would exclaim, "Wow! There is a lot of information in there." Then you would ask, "How do you know what is good?" Where is the quality? Portals (who run search engines) these days are adding value to their searched information thereby returning higher quality results, often grouped by appropriate categories, thus pinpointing useful information for the learning public. Yes, the quality of information needs to increase, but Bacon tells us that we need a corrective spice. The reason we need this spice is that the information may be of high quality but be "venomous" or malign in nature.

Two stories that show divisions or conflicts within communities

Both of the stories ‘The train from Rhodesia' and ‘Leela's Friend' illustrate divisions of classes and some of them result in conflicts. ‘The train from Rhodesia' is in an allegory form to convey the deep hatred of the author towards her racially divided home country – apartheid. ‘Leela's Friend' shows the class division by demonstrating the prejudice that people have on those who are low in hierarchy. ‘The train from Rhodesia' is about a train from Rhodesia ‘calling' into the station with all the white passengers on it and there are the vendors who crowd round the train trying to sell their wares. The train is personified by using verbs such as ‘creaking, jerking, jostling, gasping' and saying it has ‘a dwindling body behind it'. This emphasizes the classes divisions between the rich passengers on the train and the poor sellers in the station. The poverty of black people seems to be the reason for division. The ‘creases' in stationmaster's uniform and his ‘barefoot children' all give the impression of scarcity in the people inside the station. However, the girl on the train was ‘throwing' a ‘hard kind' chocolate to the dogs. This use of antithesis here accentuates the division – not only in class – but also in poverty. There is also contrast of the attitudes and feelings of the young man and the young woman. The twist of story at the end is that the young woman's rejection of the lion carving which her husband has bought for her and which she obviously admires. The man is ‘arguing with him for fun' while the woman's face is ‘drawn up, wryly, like the face of a discomforted child'. The use of oxymoron in the epiphany of the woman and the shocked man here show another division due to the different views and opinions upon the way of treating poor black people. Gordimer describes the people and the setting in the third-person but does show us the young woman's point of view on several occasions. For instance, in line 168-169 there is no subject ‘she' in the description of shame upon her. This emphasizes the guilty among some white people about the exploitation of the country and also made the reader feel empathetic towards the young woman. The ‘majestic' and ‘heraldic' lion was ‘fallen on its side in the corner' lead the main theme of the story – the richer and privileged white European arrive and exploit South Africa's labour and move on, they are never really part of the country as the train symbolizes. The central narrative question in ‘Leela's Friend' is ‘Did Sidda steal the gold chain? ‘ He is been prejudiced by Mr. and Mrs. Sivasanker for the missing chain of Leela just because he is the only one servant of the house. The story circles around the sense of hierarchy and honesty and directness of children. The sense of level is shown in the beginning of the story while ‘Mr Sivsanker was standing in the front veranda of his house. ‘ Also, verbs such as ‘send' and ‘keep' imply a pet imagery of Sidda and this highlights the class divisions among the servant and his master. Narayan use an irony in positioning him in the house: ‘she made him squat on the floor'. Even a 5-year-old child can decide to have Sidda stay and ‘command' him to do whatever you want. This imagery is more symbolized in line 79 and 80 where Leela is represented as ‘little princess' while Sidda is described as her ‘pet'. ‘He looked at her mutely, like an animal. ‘ This pet imagery is used by Narayan throughout the story. The golden chain, the running away, not permitting to sleep in the house all accentuate his level and hierarchy comparing to the owner of the house. He is prejudged as he is ‘already looked queer' when Mrs Sivasanker knows that the chain is missing. Even he has been proved that he has not taken the chain; Mr Sivasanker still calls him a ‘criminal'. All these ironies of prejudice show that the class division within this community and all the cause of this is that Sidda is in a position of servant and therefore loses his right. Both of the stories accentuate the unfairness and injustice upon the weak class as the result of class division and their poverty. ‘The train from Rhodesia' uses the woman's point of view and her epiphany to make the reader feel sympathetic towards the vendor. ‘Leela's Friend' uses the pet imagery to emphasize the idea of classes and prejudice on poors.

Mobile Technology in Learning Essay

Researchers are in a dilemma about whether mobile learning should be introduced in higher learning institutions as a form of educating students. Criticism of M-learning includes lack of proper knowledge in using mobile devices, lack of evidence that M-learning works and skepticism about M-learning. However various new articles about M-learning address these criticism and strongly support the use of M-learning in higher learning institutions they include, Mobile learning as an evolution of E-learning, Clarification of mobile learning, Clarification of mobile learning and Mobile learning in higher education as a new educational tool. A new form of learning should be adopted by teachers for use with their students. Defining Mobile Education Educational technology has generated new tools and approaches to learning in the classroom. One new concept that is relatively new in education is mobile learning. Mobile learning can be described as any learning that occurs when facilitated through a mobile device (Harrington et al., 2009). Examples of portable devices include mobile phones, i-Touch or i-Pads, mp3 players, tablets, or portable computers. There are different characteristics of mobile devices that should be stated in order to learn more about mobile learning. Mobile devices have become universal and pervasive in our society that it has made an impact on obtaining knowledge. For instance, mobile devices have begun the trend of learning by finding information at a specific time instead of obtaining information for long-term memory (Traxler, 2007). An example would be a fifth-grade student wanting to know who the second President of the United States was. The fifth-grade student can use an i-Touch to find the answer by searching the internet. While the fifth-grade student may forget that John Adams was the second President of the United States, he can use the tool as a way to obtain the answer at any given time. Another characteristic of the mobile device is that it can alter the nature of work (Traxler, 2007). Instead of showing to an orientation for jury duty, people can now watch the orientation on any mobile device as long as it has internet. This saves the time of having to participate in an earlier orientation and makes the work easier for the person. Lastly, mobile devices can create new forms of knowledge as well as new ways of accessing it (Traxler, 2007). For example, instead of having to purchase a textbook for a college class, the student can download the eBook and use his eReader to read his book and study at any location. Clarification of mobile learning The research paper by El-Hussein, M. O. M. And Cronje, J. C. Seeks to clarify the meaning of mobile learning. The authors approach was to critically examine a selection of documents that relate to mobile learning. The authors argue that to comprehensively understand and define mobile learning their outset should be formed and its key components separated and arranged under three different concepts: A conceptualization of mobile learning, the first step of research involved exploring the wider context of mobile learning. Mobile learning in higher education, the second step involved identifying the technology, learner (who are nomadic and able to interpret learning materials) and learning material as well as mobile technology such as portable devices. The third concept involves examining the mobility and dynamism of the learning process and the flow of information. The authors’ definition of mobile learning is any type of learning that takes place in learning environments and spaces that take into account the mobility of learners, learning and technology. Research should be done to examine the implications of these devices for the design of teaching and learning. Mobile learning as an evolution of E-learning. The research paper by Grane et al claims that mobile learning can be termed as an evolution of E-learning. Research has been done on both M-learning and E-learning looking at how they have evolved and a comparison and contrast on the two has been drawn. Learning has always had a mobile character in it, and hence the authors seek to establish a difference between what is termed as mobile learning today and what was regarded as mobile learning traditionally. The aim of the research is to identify context and interaction as being essential to understand how mobile learning can be integrated to conventional education. The research involved introducing E-learning through mobile devices; this was achieved by giving an iPad to 97 students. The students were to use these mobile devices as part of a traditional E-learning environment. To learn how the devices were used three approaches were used: Pre/Post-test questionnaire, before the course and after the course an online survey was used to collect data. A discussion forum, an interactive and dynamic forum was used as part of the study. The interview, an in-depth interview was carried out to obtain precise information of the student’s experiences using the mobile devices. The results indicate that most students rely heavily on E-learning. Mobile devices were characterized as a useful tool for searching for information, their main advantage being location is of no importance. Evaluating Mobile Education Following the widespread reception of mobile technologies in learning, it is paramount to evaluate mobile education to see if it does benefit teachers as well as students when it comes to learning. However, it is difficult to create a perfect evaluation because it depends on how we define a good evaluation. Some guidelines that Traxler (2007), recommend are an efficient, ethical, and authentic. He believes the evaluation should access what learners really experience from using mobile devices. In addition, the evaluation should be economical in terms of cost and time. These guidelines can help execute more evaluations and studies on mobile devices in the future. While there are limited studies on this topic, we will discuss what is known about mobile education in elementary school and higher education. If teachers are now surrounded with mobile devices and technology, why do some teachers not utilize these materials or opportunities? While some teachers refuse to acknowledge technolog y or refuse to change their teaching styles, other teachers have begun to discuss the use of technology. The problem is that teachers usually concentrate on teaching about the technologies to students instead of having the students use the technologies to learn with (Salomon, 1991). Therefore, the student never really learns how to utilize the technology first-hand. It can be related to teaching a child how to ride a bicycle. You can lecture a child about everything there is to know about a bicycle and how to ride it. However, the child will never learn how to ride a bicycle unless the child is given the opportunity to actually test the skills by riding a real bicycle. If not, the child certainly does not know how to ride a bicycle. One good way of understanding if a student can use mobile device is by analyzing a study of how the student is taught. The project was to implement mp3 players as cognitive tools to create a digital book of pictures and sounds for children (Herrington, et al., 2009). Students were asked to write a story intended for young children and use the technology on iPods to recreate a digital version of that story. Students were placed into groups where they learned about the iPod and used learned practical usages that would help when creating a digital story. Then each group was given an iPod along with other resources like a computer to begin the process of creating the digital story. The researchers interviewed the teacher to gain insight on certain questions. The teacher believed the students responded positively to using iPods for the project. Overall, they enjoyed and had positive experiences using the iPod for creating the digital story. Even though teachers know iPods are too sophisticated for younger children, they gave several examples of how they would utilize an iPod to teach young children. Some examples included singing songs, listening to a narrative of a story, and recording children while they read. Overall, students learned a lot from this experience. Not only did they learn how to use an iPod but also utilized other software such as PowerPoint, Photoshop, and iMovie. Mobile learning in higher education as a new educational tool The authors Mcconatha D, Praul M, and Lynch M illustrate that mobile learning or M-learning as it has come to be known is a new tool in the academic store to assist students and teachers in the learning world. The authors assess the challenges, possible methods and potential of using M-learning in a college classroom. The article further discusses an empirical evaluation on the effectiveness of M-learning in a college classroom. From the research carried out those students who used M-learning tool demonstrated higher levels of knowledge on the subject covered as compared to students who did not use the tool. This results support the notion that use of mobile learning makes a positive and significant difference in the outcome performance of students. The main obstacle of M-learning is that it heavily relies on students owning the necessary hardware. Studies show evidence of different ways in which teachers utilize mobile devices for learning. At Osaka Jogakuin College, a college in Japan, first year students were given iPod for English class so students can download podcasts of English news broadcasts (McCarty, 2005). These English language news broadcasts were portable for students and were used to complete homework assignments. It seemed beneficial for Japanese students since they can learn the English language and how English is spoken on a news broadcast. The use of mobile technologies to support learning in large campus university classes The research paper by Oliver, R. seeks to show the advantages of using mobile and wireless technologies in large classes. The authors approach is; technology facilitated learning: technology is an affordable way of providing meaningful learning for learners and it provides appropriate learning support. The focus is on mobile learning and how it distinguishes itself from the conventional forms of E-learning. There being a growing number of devices that can be used for mobile learning, the authors aim is to show how these devices can provide opportunities to enhance learning. This research paper provides descriptions of applications of mobile technology that can be used to provide opportunities and reduce the limitations within large classes. Research should be done to examine how cultural changes can affect the integration of mobile technology in learning and the cultural issues that need to be addressed. Examples of Types of Learning that Involve Devices Mobile devices can be employed into E-learning through numerous ways. While different teachers have different styles and conceptions of teaching, they can also have diverse ways of utilizing mobile devices. Mobile devices can be used in education to support the transmission and delivery of strong multimedia material (Traxler, 2007). A teacher can post a video for the students to watch on their own time for homework on their mobile device. Other teachers may use mobile devices as a way of discussion via text or possibly real-time dialogue. Web 2.0 has also been used to improve learning. For example, students may text their reaction and opinion to an online article that the teacher chose for discussion. The type of learning a teacher uses can also have an impact on how the teacher uses the mobile device in the classroom. Personalized learning is defined as learning that acknowledges diversity, difference and individuality (Traxler, 2007). These different learning styles and approaches implement social, cultural, and diverse aspects into learning. A teacher may implement a language program like Roseta Stone for teaching Spanish in the classroom. By installing the program to the mobile device, each student has access to the activities and lessons related to learning Spanish. Situated learning is another type of learning that can utilize mobile devices. Another learning style, authentic learning, involves learning real-life problems and everyday scenarios that occur today (Traxler, 2007). A good example would be using authentic learning in a nursing class. Students would be participating in an activity that would simulate a role-playing scenario. With technology, some mobile devices may already have role-playing applications where nursing students can practice giving a shot or taking blood out of a patient. Something as sophisticated as this would be a great learning tool for nursing students. In conclusion, technology affects our lives in more than one way. Technological advancement is known to bring in changes that maybe positive or negative, but many are the times that technology has resulted in positive change. As illustrated in this paper the adoption of M-learning is set to bring in positive change in the delivery of education. Either from the various researches that have been carried out, those who adopt M learning have performed better or had an easy time teaching or learning. The negativity surrounding mobile learning has been brought about by the lack of appropriate knowledge concerning the benefits of mobile learning. Education on the benefits of mobile learning is highly recommended as majority of those opposed to mobile learning lack proper information and are still tied down to their traditional knowledge of mobile learning. Mobile learning in institutions of higher learning is highly recommended as it is a cheaper way of providing education for large classes and the students tend to understand more easily where M-learning is employed. References El-Hussein, M. O. M. & Cronje, J. C. (2010). Defining mobile learning in the higher education landscape. Educational technology and society, 13(3), 12-21. Grane, M., Olmedo, K., Crescenzi, L., & Suarez, R. (2010). Using mobile devices in E- learning programs. Herrington, J., Herrington, A., Mantei, A., Olney, I.W., & Ferry, B. (2009). New technologies, new pedagogies: Mobile learning in higher education. Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong. McCarty, S. (2005) Spoken Internet to Go: Popularization through Podcasting. Jalt Call Journal, 1(2): 67-74. Mcconatha, D., Praul, M., & Lynch, M. (2008). Mobile learning in higher education: an empirical assessment of a new educational tool. The Turkish online journal of educational technology, 7(3). Salomon, G. (1991). Partners in cognition: Extending human intelligence with intelligent technologies. Educational Researcher, 20(3), 2-9. Traxler, J. (2007). Current state of mobile learning. International Review on Research in Open and Distance Learning, 8(2). Oliver, R. (2007).Using mobile technologies to support learning in large campus university classes. In ICT: providing choices for learners and learning: Proceedings of ASCILITE Singapore. 788-798. Retrieved December 1, 2012 from Research Online