Brigham Young

Do you know that individuals like the ‘American Jesus’ are historically rare to find in the world? Brigham Young is a man who led many into proclaiming the ‘good news’ of the Lord God of Israel. He led a band of men stripped of their worldly possessions into territories unknown. He had neither financial nor political backing but he was successful in establishing an industrious as well as an organized society. The only authority that he had was priesthood and of course his spiritual power.He gathered his people like a hen would to its chicks and gave them the sweet bread of life; the Gospel; the word of God (Arrington, L.  & Nibley H. nd). Brigham Young is one of the leading historical figures as far as the Mormon Religion is concerned.His life patterns well with that of Jesus Christ of Nazareth in the Bible in his mission to spread the word of God to every corner of the World. This essay therefore looks at Brigham Young’s life in relation to that of Jesus of Nazareth. Background To get a clear picture of the life patterns of Brigham, it is important to first get an insight of his background.Brigham Young was born on 1st June of the year 1801 in Whitingham in Vermont. He was the 9th born out of the eleven children that John Young with his wife Abigail Howe were blessed with. The family moved to New York when Brigham was only three years of age. He grew up helping his parents in their daily chores. His caring heart was revealed early when he took care of his ailing mother who had been suffering from tuberculosis. He was perhaps being prepared for his future role to take care of a larger flock. At the age of fourteen, his mother died and his father remarried.Brigham left from home to stay for sometime with a sister in Auburn. There he became a successful apprentice carpenter, glazier and a painter (Arrington, L. & Nibley H. nd). Later in 1823 he moved to New York where he worked as a carpenter and a painter in Port Byron. At twen ty three, he married Miriam Works (though he would later marry multiple wives after her death) and joined the Church of Methodist. After the birth of their first child, they moved to Oswego where he joined a religious seekers group. H e then moved his family near his father at Mendon.Joseph Smith the then leader of Mormon in his church mission passed by Mendon and left a copy of the Book of Mormons with a brother to Brigham. Brigham got access of the book and after going through it was greatly impressed. Two years later, he was baptized and became a believer of Mormon (Arrington, L. & Nibley H. nd). Following in the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth Like Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Brigham had a burning desire to make known the gospel across the world.During his first summon just one week after he was baptized, Brigham declared that after baptism â€Å"I wanted to thunder and roar out the Gospel to the nations. It burned in my bones like fire pent up, so I commenced to preach†¦. No thing would satisfy me but to cry abroad in the world, what the Lord was doing in the latter days† Putting into practice his words, thundering and roaring of the gospel he did. Like Jesus leaving his father, Brigham left his family to go ‘abroad’ and establish God’s kingdom (Arrington, L. & Nibley H. nd). Like Jesus, his work in the service of God started in his home town and then spread abroad.His preaching missions carried him to every corner of Mendon. His dedication as well as his potential qualified him to join the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Mormon Church of Joseph Smith. The Twelve’s duty was to travel far and wide to spread the gospel. They preached to all nations and to people of different kinds. Their stay was not at home but away where the gospel had not reached. Afterwards, The Twelve moved to Great Britain to act as missionaries of the word of God. Brigham had left his family in dire poverty and was determined to reach England o r better die in his trying to.He was ready to die Jesus’ way for a cause which he believed in; spread the Gospel. In Britain, Brigham out of his prowess directed all the works of The Twelve. In the same footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth, he had greatly inspired The Twelve and no wonder they made him their leader and overseer (Arrington, L. & Nibley H. nd). When the Twelve Apostles came back to Nauvoo, Brigham was assigned the role of directing the apostles by Joseph Smith in their missionary work as well as other activities like land purchasing and construction projects.Playing Jesus, Brigham was now the leader of the Twelve Disciples. He was the assistant of Joseph Smith who was the First president as far as authority and responsibility was concerned. It is thus clear that he took the second position after Joseph Smith which placed him in a similar position with that of Jesus; Jesus was also the second after God. This position made him more influential to not only his disciples but also in the whole of Nauvoo and abroad in general. Even after the death of his Spiritual Father, Joseph died; he remained the leader of the Twelve until his own death in 1877.They travelled far and wide preaching the Gospel, the work that they had been called to do. Long afterwards, the work that Brigham had started continued. Before he had died, he had organized the leadership of the church of Mormon. He had lived a life by the example of Jesus Christ and fitted perfectly in the footsteps of The Son of God (Arrington, L. & Nibley H. nd). Despite his good work, just like many other Mormonism men, Brigham used his status to take in plural wives. He used his missionary work as a tool to take advantage of vulnerable women.For instance, his second wife Mary was a window. Just like in Jesus’ time, when many, claiming to be the Son of God and savior took advantage of the poor and sinful, Brigham is not an exception of those who took advantage of the doctrine (Mormon Heteric, 2 009). Was Brigham true or a False Prophet? Could Brigham have been a prophet of darkness? The words in the Bible in the book of Deuteronomy 13: 1-5 can help clear the confusion between a true and a false prophet. It says that a prophet may foretell things to happen in the future and they shall come to pass.However, a man may have miraculous powers but not actually a prophet of the Lord. Any of the prophets who encourage the worshiping of other gods apart from the God of Israel is false. Jesus himself in the gospels is quoted warning that â€Å"many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah’ and they will lead many astray† according to the works of Brigham and in the limelight of these statements, does Brigham qualify as a prophet of God? (Ulachos, 1979). In history, a few poses the character of Young. For a period of thirty years, he gave himself wholly to the service of the Lord.He claimed to be a prophet in the Church of Mormon. Though he was the chair of the of the Mormon Church who presided the longest, he in fact taught false doctrine that directed its worship to a god who is not the Lord God of Israel. He had given a sermon that God and Jesus had physical bodies made of bone as well as flesh. He concluded that Adam was in fact the God of Israel who should be worshipped. The claim by Brigham that Adam was God makes it clear that he was not a true prophet of the Lord; he was false and uninspired.Because of his belief, Brigham fell out with his disciples and still many opposed him (Ulachos, 1979). More so, he put it that Jesus Christ was begotten of the father who was their God. Adam was God and therefore, Jesus was his son. Many people did not like his interpretation of the New Testament and they opposed him. However, he managed to draw a group of them to believe that Adam was their God and Jesus his son. They defended him saying that people had misunderstood Young.If he had made a mistake, he would have corrected himself which he never did. This meant that his mind was right. His preaching of his own interpretation of the gospel from what was written down in the New Testament makes him no exception of a false prophet (Ulachos, 1979). Conclusion Brigham Young’s work in spreading the Gospel of the Lord God of Israel pictures well with that of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.He set out to do what many at the time could not have done and that is why to the present day, he is remembered in the Mormon Doctrine as one who made a great impact to the Church. Through the Gospel works, he rose from a humble background to a man who could sustain and give his twenty families a good life. Some of his teachings leave people wondering whether he was a true prophet of the Lord God as he claimed to be. However over the centuries, it has been an almost impossible task to identify who a false prophet is.References Arrington, L. & Nibley H. (nd). Brigham Young. Retrieved from http://www. lightplanet. com/mormons/people/brigham_ young. html Mormon Heteric. (2009). Economics of polygamy, divorce, and happiness. Retrieved http://www. mormonheretic. org/2009/11/15/economics-of-polygamy-divorce-and-happiness-daynes-part-4/- Ulanchos, C. (1979). Brigham Young’s False Teaching: Adam is God. Retrieved http://www. beyondweird. com/occult/adam. html

A Critique on Rawls

Wealthy nations are morally obliged to assist poorer nations, with regards to assisting their economic development. I have come to this conclusion based on the ideals of American philosopher John Rawls. Distributive justice is Rawls’ theory that basically augments the equal distribution of goods throughout society.This philosophy relies on fluent interaction between nations, which is often complicated by the bias inherent in many national cultures.   Rawls argues that his Law of Peoples is the perfect solution for this gap in communication between nations.   I agree that his constitution is a start, but it lacks a clear understanding of how deeply intertwined terrorism is within the political structure of society.Skin color and religion should not be influential on the distribution of goods throughout the world, but the reality is that they are a major cause for social unrest.   This coincides with the theory of relative deprivation which acknowledges that there is a sen se of injustice aroused when individuals grow to believe that the conditions of their lives is not compatible with those of the people like them in similar situations.This feeling of disadvantage is thought to be the cause of social dissent and challenges posed to the status quo.   The most immediate circumstance that would drive a person or group to challenge their ruling system would be if their fundamental needs were not being met.   This is why distributive Justice is such an important, and much needed concept within society.The universal equality that can result from Rawls method and the statement it makes on political standards is credited by Michael Walzer as a Communitarian Critique on Liberalism.   Through what Walzer refers to as Spheres of Justice, he bridges many disagreements between liberals and communists, pointing out that the communist critique on liberal society will forever resurge throughout history.The core drive behind both Walzer and Rawls’ theori es is the immorality that stems from unequal and unjust disbursement of goods.   Though, their pursuit of equality is very valiant, there are some valid hurdles that threaten the adoption of Rawl’s theories into societyThere are many arguments that can be made for and against Rawls theory.   According to one of his positions, people have the right of self-defense but no right to instigate war for reasons other than self-defense (Rawl).   This can be seen as the specific policy applied to the U.S.’s initial declaration of war on Iraq.   After the attack in 9/11, The Law of Peoples enforces the grounds that the U.S. was morally ethical in their attempt for retaliation.But, now that this war has ended, many critics find it hard to justify the United State’s continual deployment overseas.   Rawl also states that, People have a duty to assist other peoples living under unfavorable conditions that prevent their having a just or decent political and social re gime.   This concept is easily contrasted by political theorists who argue that funding to uplift the dire conditions in Iraq are inadvertently funding further terrorism.The concept of the U.S. funding a country’s economic stability and then having it turn around and use that contribution against them is a tradition with international interactions.   It can be seen in the gradual change in Germany’s relationship with the United States.   This is just one of the major hurdles for Distributive justice and poses a political threat to the affectivity of what Rawls proclaims as the solution to injustice between nations.In sum, though more affluent nations are morally responsible for the wellbeing of other neighboring and distant struggling countries, they should still be wary of potential terrorist attacks that might result from their generosity.   There are moral implications at stake, but sacrificing the affluence of a country’s economy should not result in the sacrificing of that country’s safety as well.   This fault in Rawl’s theory will have to be assessed before it can work as a valid solution to inequality.   

How after school programs benefit children and their educational experience

As societies continue to modernize and become more complicated, the pressure to work harder and to succeed also increases especially so with stiffer competition brought about globalization.Because of this, most families have both parents working to support their financial needs.   With both parents busy working, many of the studying children become susceptible to engage in unpleasant activities without adults attending or monitoring them after school.Because they often return to an empty house, they can freely engage into any activities regardless of whether they are beneficial or dangerous to them.And true enough, the prime time for juvenile crime during school days, where children were either the perpetrators or victims, is at its peak between from 3 PM to 6 PM. â€Å"The crimes that occur then are serious and violent, including murders, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults.† (Newman, et al, 2000, p2)In response to this pressing concern and relieve parents of their wo rries about their children’s safety and proneness to commit crime, after school programs were designed to prevent the children away from trouble and instead engage them into more productive activities that are beneficial to their overall growth and development.After School ProgramsAfter-school programs are special activities conducted regularly in the hours after school designed for children to learn new skills and contribute for their development as responsible people or adults.According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, after school programs can be classified under four broad categories namely: Academics & Enrichment, Community Service Projects, Field Trips and Physical Activity & Nutrition.Academics & Enrichment refers to extra-curricular activities that are incorporated in the students’ academic programs such as arts, Civics & Government, Health & Safety, Math, Science and History among others. An after school program in science for instance engages the students to television viewing of the Space program of NASA.Community Service Projects pertains to activities that are directly linked to community service.   A popular after school program under this category is Peace Corpse, an independent US federal agency that sends students and other volunteer workers abroad to work in organizational entities i.e. governments, NGO’s and schools in the areas of education, business, technology, environment among others.Field Trips are excursions for students that permit them to have a first hand experience of what they learn in school. This includes a visit to Zoos, museums and parks. It affords students first hand experience of concepts, ideas and other things that helps enhance the learning experience.   For one, seeing a picture of lion in the book is different from seeing a real life lion in Zoo.Finally, Physical Activity & Nutrition refers to programs that are related to sports i.e. bas ketball, athletics, exercise nutrition i.e. culinary arts and cooking and health. A category in health is made to give emphasis to its importance. Human life is our highest value and the concept of health is fundamental to life. And this must start in the basic education of the youth.Benefits of After School ProgramsIt keeps children on the Right Track.   The children’s engagement or involvement in after school programs dissuades children from antisocial or delinquent activities and becoming victims of crime and violence, which predominantly occurs approximately during after school hours. â€Å"Latchkey† children or those who are expected to stay at home alone after school are at high risk of health hazardous behavior such as substance abuse i.e. drugs, smoking and alcoholism, because there are no adults to guide them appropriately.   (Chung, 2000)   Ã¢â‚¬Å"An idle mind is the devil's playground†.Children without adult guidance tend to experiment on things out of curiosity such as smoking or taking drugs which can eventually lead to vice or addiction. Being busy helps children to stay out of trouble. (Kessler, 2000, pp40-42)After-school programs can shift the attention of children from such vices to positive and healthy alternatives.   Finally, it helps in decreasing television watching thus preventing sedentary predilection that leads to obesity, or the absorption of violence that is freely accessible in the media.It enhances Academic Achievement. After school programs serve to supplement and complement the formal learning that academic institutions provide in school. Seeing things in real life or concepts in their actual applications allow children to see the value of education thereby fostering interest of studies.After school activities also are directly involve in skills building and developing such as reading. â€Å"Some program is intended to enhance work-study habits, social skills, social consciousness, working with peers, following instructions, and problem solving†. (Fashola 2001, p28).   Ã‚  The more enthusiastic children are on their studies and the more they are given the right skills for learning improves the quality of their academic learning and achievementIt promotes social development.   The social exposure provided by after school programs help children to deal with people more appropriately.   This includes improving how they conduct themselves as a person and in relation to others, which in turn boosts their self confidence.

Transfer Pricing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Transfer Pricing - Essay Example It is usually applied when bodies are separate entities and are individually responsible for their profitability and divisions are accountable for their own profits (Jensen and Meckling, 1976, 315). Since transfer pricing is an agreement between two divisions of same group there is greater chance of conflict of interest as both buying and selling side try to transfer to counter party resulting increased benefit to its division (Chan, Landry, and Jalbert , 2004, 39). This report will also analyze a case between Millwall Company and Reading Company as both these companies are interested in buying and selling with each other and both of these companies belong to the same group of companies. EFEFCTOF EACH PROPOSED PRICE ON MANAGEMENT OF READING The transfer price mechanism is the source of revenue for selling division which in this case is Reading Company and cost for buying division which in mentioned case is Millwall Company. Former aims to get it maximum revenue from deal and latter t ries to get supply at minimum cost. The best option can, therefore, be negotiated at point where both firms are given autonomy as finally they will be held responsible for the profitability of the respective divisions (Grubert and Joel Slemrod , 1998, 368). Considering the fact that Reading Company is already performing under capacity, therefore, it can serve Millwall Company without reducing its supply to other external suppliers and so no opportunity cost would be involved in this scenario. With these assumptions, standard variable cost and opportunity cost would be the total cost that it has to incur. Since opportunity cost is nil in this case then standard variable cost constitutes main component of cost and any point above this would be the profit. Using its spare capacity, selling at any price over and above the average variable price would increase the profit for Reading Company by same amount. For instance, Profit for Reading company = (selling price – average variabl e price) * quantity In the given case price demanded by Reading Company is inclusive of fixed cost as well and only selling and distribution cost is foregone. It is in due alignment with the need of Reading Company as it has to keep profitability improved with its operation under capacity. Offer from Millwall Company is true on its part as it is well calculated from buyer’s current condition of operating under capacity and it would like to pay minimum or at least less than what it would pay to an external supplier to improve its profitability. But management of Reading Company would surely not like this scenario as it would not benefit the profitability of the company as selling the same product to an external buyer give the company revenue of $ 13per unit. Supplying on the price given by Millwall Company would only then improve the profitability of Millwall Company and this can raise an intra-company conflict of interest and reduction in its revenue will reduce its profit. T he best Reading Company is ready to forego its profit by $1.20, which is the market selling price less price offered to Millwall Company. For the price offered by management is less than the one asked by Reading company. This price has already covered the cost and the margin that is suggested to be foregone and it is higher than the Reading’s acceptable price. This price is also not considered suitable for overall profitability of group as it would yield a profit of $ 3 per unit (price: $13 – cost $10) if sold to outsider and this management’s suggested price would reduce the profit of overall group by $2.88 (13- 10.12) and loss in profit is $1.68 (11.80- 10.12) above than profit Reading company is ready to forego. In point of ROI comparison Reading company would finally be held for less profitability overall.

Music in The Heart is a lonely hunter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Music in The Heart is a lonely hunter - Essay Example Virginia (2005) rightly enlists the character of Mick Kelly when she remarks â€Å"Mick Kelly, a tomboyish adolescent who shuts out the real world with music and dreams of fame and distant lands† (Virginia Spencer Carr, 2005). Reading through the novel, one can realize that McCuller has portrayed her characters as appealing sympathy of the readers and they are really the prototype figures representing the author herself. Especially, the character of Mick has a clear connotation with the author’ personal life where she herself was much interested and wished to be proficient in playing piano. To an extent, one can infer that Mick is the true representative of McCuller who had to leave the greatest desire of her life half way. As McCuller started her musical lessons at the age of six, she makes her character Mick also to begin her musical lessons at an early stage of life. While analyzing the personal life of the author, it is understandable that some fatal diseases drove her away from fulfilling her driving passion to become a concert pianist. But regarding Mick, it is the poor state of her family that stands on her way from leading her to the vast and impassioned realms of music. Being haunted with diseases, McCuller was forced to seek other fields, such as writing dramas, casting, directing and producing them. Actually, it was a submission to her fate and the same submissive nature is expressive in Mick’s character and she could not really bear up the prospect of losing her musical lessons.

Intimate Correlation of Media Art and Manufacturing Industry Dissertation - 1

Intimate Correlation of Media Art and Manufacturing Industry - Dissertation Example Manufacturers need to cater to the changing needs of their consumers in order for them to continue with their operations. They need to think of new innovations for their products for them to be globally competitive and for others not to outweigh what they have. It should not be a wonder why manufacturers with this line of thinking have owned the top positions for the best manufacturers in the world. Apple’s Legacy Apple for instance, has come a very long way in producing items that were really suitable for the different tastes of people. As their products continue to innovate, their ability to capture the hearts of the consumers also continue. With this, manufacturers within the same line of business such as Samsung are also following Apple’s steps in innovating their products and giving in to what the customers want. They always come up with ideas that would attend to the latest craze regarding the different gadgets, always leaving their consumers thirsty for more. Whi le it is enough to credit these manufacturers for their ability to innovate and think of new ways to sell their products, it cannot be denied that media art has also affected the success of these manufacturers very effectively. Anyone would be positive in saying that media art can really push consumers to purchase the products that they contain. Advertisements always make a huge impact to customers and it’s the easiest form of influence so that consumers can be attracted to the products. Apple has been in the top of Wall Street for the past years now, since its introduction of the Macintosh personal computers and the portable music players known as iPod. Nowhere in the world can you see anyone who owns any of these gadgets. The way on how these products attained success is a great illustration on how media art and innovation can really be a factor to the manufacturer’s success. Even the littlest image on a magazine, or a small advertisement in a billboards and everythi ng else, if it contains the most important feature that a product has, that would be a plus factor to the manufacturer’s ability to sell. Even as Apple continue to succeed, its owner, Steve Jobs overlooked the fact that he has competitors around. Koontz and Weihrich (2008, pp.331-333) shared what happened between Apple and Windows. Gates has offered Jobs to make the personalized software that he wants, but as soon as Gates took a hold of the Apple’s software, he took advantage of it, and thus, the birth of Microsoft Windows. This only proves that having the most efficient software and resources is not the only key to success in every company. There will always be those who will compete in order to get to the highest position. Microsoft was then successful in pirating Apple’s idea, but the success that the latter has made can still be apprehended for. According to Lussier and Achua (2010, pp.24-25), Apple’s success comes from trying to make things that wou ld be loved by everyone. There is no doubt at this point that everyone loves their products. Together with their brilliant minds, innovation and resourcefulness, media art can always be behind everything that they make. As stated earlier, the easiest way to reach people nowadays and to sell products is through advertising. Media art is a very effective tool in exposing your products in a very simple way. For as long as you know the details to include in the

Discuss The Role Of Procedure In Managing Both Individual And Essay

Discuss The Role Of Procedure In Managing Both Individual And Collective Conflict In Organisations - Essay Example The word discipline is ingrained in the word disciple and is consequently best understood as a procedure free of threats, mortification, and embarrassment. The objective of the employee discipline is twofold: A review of the literature on discipline procedure discloses an abundance of different discipline procedures, some advising that immediate, consistent consequences for "misbehaviour" are warranted, some recommending the importance of positive discipline, some warning against punishments and praise, and still others recommending the importance of making employees aware of the consequences for rule violations. (Tobin, 2000) Most of the discipline procedures can be grouped into two categories: systems-centred and principle-centred. In the systems discipline procedure, the organisation has a preset list of rules, and senior officials of management are expected to take action when the rules are violated. Consequences are prescribed and are to be administered in the same manner to all violators, without regard to the situation or the person or whether they produce a change in behaviour. An example of this discipline procedure is the zero tolerance discipline procedure enforced in many conflict systems across the nation. Organizations using this discipline procedure to operate on a set of principles or values, which are disseminated to members of management, and rules based on these principles, are developed. Senior officials of management are expected to respond when any of the rules are violated. Discipline, on the other hand, is individualized and supported by the situation and the individual(s) involved. Advantages and Disadvantages of Disciplinary Procedures There are number of advantages and disadvantages of disciplinary procedures. Some of them are disciplinary procedure takes employees away from 1) solemn dishonesty, such as burglary of property, deliberate misrepresentation of salary or expenses claims for pecuniary advantage, misrepresentation of any in sequence given in applying for a post and failure to disclose criminal convictions where required to do so; 2) thought-out refusal to carry out a reasonable, lawful and safe instruction; 3) Wilfully pay no attention to responsibilities or instruction thereby placing other members of staff in danger; 4) Gross carelessness in failing to attend or carry out the duties of the post; thereby causing intolerable loss, damage or injury; 5) Being out of shape to carry out duties associated with the post as a result of taking alcohol or other drugs; 6) Acts of violent behaviour or vandalism in the itinerary of employment; g) Sexual misbehaviour at work. Advantages and Disadvantages of Bargaining and Negotiating Procedures The effective-negotiation system complements the management process in other ways, which suggest that it could be the operational vehicle for intraorganisational bargaining. For instance, organizational staffing and

International Financial Markets and Institutions 2 Essay

International Financial Markets and Institutions 2 - Essay Example The price at which the asset or a bond may be traded at expiration is called an exercise price or strike price. A call option is an option granting the right to buy an underlying asset. A call option on a bond would mean that the bond issuer has the option to buy back the bond at a certain price after the expiration of a certain time period. A put option is an option granting the right to sell an underlying asset. In this case, a bond investor has the right to sell back the bond at a certain price after the expiration of a certain time period. (Chance, 2009) An option is generally considered to be in-the-money when exercising the option would result in a positive cash inflow. Therefore, call options are considered to be in-the-money for the bond investor when the value of the underlying asset exceeds the exercise price. This way, if the underlying bond is bought at the exercise price, it can be sold at the market value to make positive cash inflow if delivery is term of contract and be simply a positive settlement in case cash settlement is the term of contract. A put option is considered to be in-the-money for the bond issuer when the value of the bond is lower than the exercise price. (Chance, 2009) There are three measures to calculate the yield of any bond with an attached option: yield to maturity, yield to call and yield to put. Yield to maturity measure assumes that the bond will be held to maturity and that any option on the bond will not be exercised. This means that the yield to maturity measure on a callable or putable bond is the same as the yield to maturity on a simple bond with no options. The yield to maturity is, therefore, the ‘interest rate that will make the present value of a bond’s cash flows equal to its market price plus accrued interest’. Hence, the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is calculated for all the expected positive cash flows (including interest and the face value of the bond receivable at maturity) and the ne gative cash flow (purchase price of the bond). This gives us the yield to maturity. ‘A callable bond may have a call schedule. The yield to call assumes that the issuer will call a bond on some assumed call date and that the call price is the price specified in the call schedule’ (Fabozzi, 2009). You can use the yield to call concept to calculate the yield to first call or yield to next call or yield to first par call or a yield to refunding. The yield to call is calculated in the same way as any other yield. In this case we assume the call date to be the maturity date and then use the cash inflows and outflows to get the IRR and define the yield to call. The yield to put is the ‘interest rate that will make the present value of the cash flows to the first put date equal to the price plus accrued interest’ (Fabozzi, 2009). Once again, this measure assumes that the bond will be put at the first put date. Therefore, the schedule is used to identify the value of bond at the put date and calculate cash inflows and outflows. These are then used to obtain the IRR or the yield measure. Question2 You have been appointed as the Business analyst at an international fund management firm. As part of your role, you are required to prepare a report covering the following areas: a. How the Internet, and technological advances in computing power and communications affects: I. The provision of domestic and global banking products and services II. The degree of competition in the world’

Project valuation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project valuation - Assignment Example whereby a the valuator makes use of the Net Current Value (NCV) and then compounding it at a rate considering various factors and then seeing the possible future value of the company (Ruth and Halperin, 2000). Leverage Buyout/â€Å"Ability to Pay† Analysis (LBO): in this case, the company is valued based on assumptions of company purchase through leveraged buyout. This again utilises the money that were borrowed during the acquisition of the company as well as considering the rates of return (Michael, 2012). Comparable Company Analysis (Public Comps): this is the estimation of the metrics or the terms that the other companies are using I valuing products. This requires a lot of market skimming to be as accurate as possible. In this, the various pricing mechanisms are key in coming up with the right techniques to establish a competitive advantage of the similar companies (Kiplingers Personal Finance, 2006). Precedent Transaction Analysis (M & A Comps): this is the reviewing of the past values and prices that were done by the previous similar companies. This gives room for a company to come up with several value multiples. 1. The paper has therefore chosen to discuss on the 3 companies: A & K Company, Toyland Company and Ramatex Company. One factor that is worth noting in each company is that A & K is the company that negative earnings Toyland company whose earnings or revenues are expected to grow more than 50% over the near future while Ramatex is the non-U.S. company. The factors below can therefore be used for the explanations on the possible reasons why a company can have negative earnings in a financial year or accounting period. They could be temporary or long-term problems (Ruth and Halperin, 2000). The temporary or short term problems in a firm can be as discussed. These could be problems that are either internal or triggered by external forces too. In this context, some of the factors can be strikes that are done by the employees in a firm thereby

Rate Relief in Tort-Reform States Essay Example for Free

Rate Relief in Tort-Reform States Essay Any act that is illegal, and not criminal, which may also be called a civil crime is a Tort. The attempt to, change court cases so as to avoid false verdicts that run into thousands of dollars is called Tort reform. A vehicle accident is one of the common types of tort; legal suits regarding malpractices in the medical fields are also torts. Tort reforms usually include awarding a limited amount of money for any type of damages like accidents, pain, distress and mental agony. For example in a car accident, the damage done to the car is $ 4,000 and the amount you need for medical treatment is 4,000. You have a total of $ 8,000 as economic damages. If you receive like say $ 5,000 for the pain and agony you have to undergo, it would come under non-economic damages. According to studies non-economic caps resulted in reduction in losses for general and medical malpractice cover, a decreased premium and greater profit for insurers, for medical malpractice legal responsibility  Ã‚   insurers. Which further resulted in a greater decline in the number of cases filed. On the other hand, physicians all over the country were looking for extra tort reform from the state officials in the 2005 legislative meeting. The stability of the insurance premium towards medical liability is the main goal of the physicians. In Connecticut physicians were looking for a cap on non-economic damages and a relief in insurance premium. In South Carolina, doctors pressed for a cap of $250,000 on non-economic damages and asked for removal of the ban against compulsory negotiations among patients and doctor. Rate Relief in Tort-Reform States   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to some doctors and lawmakers, there is still a long way to go before they recover from the medical liability crisis. Texas is one of the crisis states among the19 states according to the American Medical Association, in which doctors are resigning, restraining high-risk procedures and retiring early on because they cant find or afford the money for insurance. The passage   of Proposition 12, which restricted non-economic damages in liability awards and payments at $250,000 per physician. After the passing of Proposition 12, which guaranteed the introduction of caps accepted previously by the Texas legislature, some physicians in Texas already reported genuine premium savings. Neal Sklaver, FACP, who was a general internist with Medical Specialists Associated in Dallas, is incredibly satisfied that his premium payments have plummeted roughly $5,000 since the Proposition 12 was passed in September 2003. According to some physicians the Proposition 12 helped the doctors, but they can be still be sued for anything. Until all liability carriers bring down their rates, the advantages of Proposition 12 might continue to elude some doctors, particularly those who are not specialized where previous rates were very high. What seems to be more disturbing is that, even doctors whose payments have reduced said that they have got used to practicing protective medicine, after so many years of working in a malpractice setting. Whatever the outcome, but the tort reform is a very important measure by the Government, which should be handled carefully. One in fifty operations might go wrong by a doctor. Accidents happen by everyone, it is human nature to err, and we as humans should   try   to forgive   the   doctors, and see   to   it   that they are not   burdened by huge premiums, Rate Relief in Tort-Reform States which will be an obstacle in their career. The medical profession is one of the important and much needed profession. References   What Is Tort Reform And Why Is It Bad For The Public, Corpreform.com.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved 23 May 2007, http://www.corpreform.com/corpreform/2003/10/what_is_tort_re.html   Bonnie Darves, Texas tort reform, American College of Physicians, Retrieved 23 May 2007, http://www.acponline.org/journals/news/jan05/tortreform.htm Tanya Albert, Tort reform gives Texas doctors some relief, American Medical News,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved 23 May 2007, http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/05/17/prsc0517.htm Kathy Gill, Tort Reform – State Recap, About.com, Retrieved 23 May 2007,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://uspolitics.about.com/od/healthcare/a/01_tort_reform.htm The Issues – Tort Reform, CBS Evening News, Retrieved 23 May 2007,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/01/eveningnews/main652747.shtml   Charles Kolodkin, Tort Reform and Its Impact on Medical Malpractice Insurance, IRMI.com,  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved 23 May 2007, http://www.irmi.com/Expert/Articles/2003/Kolodkin03.aspx

Concepts of Age and Ageing

Concepts of Age and Ageing The ageing process is of course a biological reality which has its own dynamic, largely beyond human control. However, it is also subject to the constructions by which each society makes sense of old age. In the developed world, chronological time plays a paramount role. The age of 60 or 65, roughly equivalent to retirement ages in most developed countries, is said to be the beginning of old age. In many parts of the developing world, chronological time has little or no importance in the meaning of old age. Other socially constructed meanings of age are more significant such as the roles assigned to older people; in some cases it is the loss of roles accompanying physical decline which is significant in defining old age. Thus, in contrast to the chronological milestones which mark life stages in the developed world, old age in many developing countries is seen to begin at the point when active contribution is no longer possible. (Gorman, 2000). Age classification varied between countries and over time, reflecting in many instances the social class differences or functional ability related to the workforce, but more often than not was a reflection of the current political and economic situation. Many times the definition is linked to the retirement age, which in some instances, was lower for women than men. This transition in livelihood became the basis for the definition of old age which occurred between the ages of 45 and 55 years for women and between the ages of 55 and 75 years for men. (Thane, 1978). When elders are replaced with â€Å"the elderly† the world loses veneration. The word elders in Hebrew meant â€Å"beard†. In the Old Testament the elders were head of the households, prominent men of the tribes, and leaders or rulers in the community. The biblical requirements of an elder are described in these passages 1 Timothy 3:1-7 states If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position. So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of Gods church? An elder must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and th e devil would cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devils trap. Titus 1:6-9 states â€Å"An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who dont have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. An elder is a manager of Gods household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.† Long ago older people meant something, they were cherished and loved and respected. Since they were older they to the people around them were seen to be wiser. Now elders are no longer they are now referred to as the elderly, individuals who are no longer valuable to society, individuals who have become a burden to people, who no longer contributed to society. In Erickson (1982) theory Integrity versus Despair, which occurs in the later adulthood in ages 60 years and older, he stated aging as being a state of an individual’s development. In this stage the crisis, integrity versus despair, Erikson (1982) suggest that during the beginning of the stage the individual will experience a sense of mortality. This emotion maybe a reaction towards the individual who is going through retirement, the death of a spouse or close friend, or it may be simply a consequence from the constant changing of social roles. Erickson (1982) states this sense of mortality precipitates the final life crisis. In this final life crisis it manifest itself as a review of the individual’s life career. This is similar to Butler’s (1963) life review, individuals review their life career to determine if it was a success or if it was a failure. During the integrity phase the individual value their whole life as satisfactory and gratification. On the cont rary, with despair the result is negative. This negative resolution marked itself as a fear of death a sense that life is too short and depressing. The roles of the elderly actions their relations and interactions with older individuals. Sociologist uses three different perspective to explain this functionalist, symbolic and interactionism. The first functionalist analyze the ways in which the parts of society work together to keep society running effortlessly. Functionalist found that people with better resources who stay active who stay active in other roles adjust better to old age (Crosnoe and Elder 2002). Within the functional perspective there are three social theories that explains the way in which older people might deal with the later life experience. The first is the disengagement theory. The disengagement theory states that withdrawing from the society and social relationships is an ordinary part of the growing old phase. Because men focus on work and women focus on marriage and family, when they withdraw they will be unhappy and directionless until they adopt a role to replace their accustom role that is compatible w ith the disengaged state (Cummings and Henry 1961). The second theory under the functional perspective is called the activity theory. According to this theory, activity level and social involvement are key to this process and key to happiness (Havinghurst 1961; Neugarten 1964; Havinghurst, Neugarten and Tobin 1968). In the activity theory it states that the more active and involved the elderly is the happier he/she will be. Reformulations of this theory suggest that particular informal activities, such as hobbies are what most effect later life satisfaction (Lemon, Bengtson, Peterson 1972). The third is the continuity theory. In this theory the elderly makes certain choices so that they can uphold stability in personality, structure and belief and also the external structuring which includes relationships, active and involvement throughout the elder years. This is an attempt to maintain social equilibrium and stability by making future decisions on the basis of already developed social roles (Atchley 1971, Atchley 1989). The conflict perspective is guided by the opinion that social groups compete with other groups for power and resources, within the conflict perspective there are three theories of aging within this perspective, the first being modernization theory (Cowgill and Holmes) support that the primary cause of the elderly losing power and influence in society are the parallel forces of industrialization and modernization.. Modernization is the transformation of a total society from a relatively rural way of life based on animate power, limited technology, relati vely undifferentiated institutions, parochial and traditional outlook and values, toward a predominantly urban way of life based on inanimate sources of power, highly developed scientific technology, highly differentiated institutions matched by segmented individual roles, and a cosmopolitan outlook which emphasizes efficiency and progress. (Cowgill 1974: 127). As society modernize the status of the elderly becomes less and they are more likely now to be involved in social rejection. The second part of the perspective is age stratification theory (Riley; Johnson and Foner 1972). This theory states that the society might be stratified by age, just as there are stratification in terms of race, gender and class. Same age provides a foundation of social control, while different aged groups will have a fluctuating access to social resources for example political and economic power. The final part of this perspective is the exchange theory (Dowd 1975), a rational choice approach suggest that we experience increased dependence as we age and must increasingly submit to the will of us. In relationships most are built on a mutual exchange, as the elderly become less able to exchange resources they will see their social diminish. The third perspective is social interaction, which focuses on how society is made through the day to day contact of individuals furthermore the way people recognize themselves and others based on cultural symbol. Rose (1962) subculture of aging theory focuses on the community created by the elderly when they are excluded due to their age voluntarily or involuntarily from participating in other groups. In this theory it proposes that the elderly will disengage from society and develop new pattern of relations with other peers who share mutual backgrounds and interest. Another theory within the symbolic interaction perspective is selective optimization with compensation theory. (Baltes and Baltes 1990) based their theory on the idea that successful personal development throughout the life course and subsequent mastery of the challenges associated with everyday life are based on the components of selection, optimization and compensation. According to this theory, our energy diminishes a s we age, and we select (selection) personal goals to get the most (optimize) for the effort we put into activities, in this way making up for (compensation) the loss of a wider range of goals and activities.

Diaper Market in India

Diaper Market in India Birth rates have declined in the developed world and that has become unfavorable for the diaper manufacturers to expand their businesses. Internationally, birth rates in the developed nations have declined by 20% during the last 30 years and are now only half the global average. The global market for diapers was worth $22.2 billion, a 2.9% increase Year on Year. But the major markets of Western Europe, the U.S. and Japan reported decline. As a result, companies like Procter Gamble and Kimberly Clark are banking more on innovation to their rescue. This has been a major contributor of success for PG in the past few years. There is newly developed focus on developing country markets, which derives 40% of global diaper revenue. Markets such as Russia and China are providing brands with excellent opportunities for longer term growth. It is also remarkable to see the trend in the developed markets towards greener products as shown in the chart below Diaper Market in Developing Country There is huge growth potential for diaper products in emerging markets such as China, Brazil and India, as these markets are still quite underdeveloped and in the nascent stage. While it has taken advanced Western economies some time to realize the environmental price of their development this is not the case for todays emerging nations. In this case even the global recession will enable China to have more time to better make arrangements for considering more sustainable and greener options for its growth. Middle-class is at the forefront of environmental awareness as the environmental consequences of rapid industrialization and urbanization in countries such as China and India are becoming increasingly apparent Also in countries such as India, the Philippines and Malaysia, levels of consumer awareness regarding hygiene products are very still very low. Indian Diaper Market In 2009, manufacturers have been now more focused on more categories such as disposable diapers. With the increasing buying power of Indian consumers, companies are looking for options which are more convenient and safe to use for the children. Increase in awareness about hygiene is a big factor for thus development. Some of the major development last year is as follows: Procter Gamble Hygiene Health Care Ltd introduced Pampers Magic Nickers Kimberly-Clark Lever Ltd introduced Huggies New Born, a product specifically targeting the mothers of new born babies. With increasing awareness regarding the advantages of using the use of disposable diapers over cloth substitutes, Indian parents are now spending more on purchasing such products which in turn led to an increase in sales value for the manufacturers. Convenience has been one of the driving factors in this change. Even in tier 2 towns and cities, parents are willing to spend money on disposable diapers to use when the baby is taken out of the home, for added convenience. Also as babies get older, some young mothers look to go back to work. This encouraged the use of diapers, as they are more convenient, and they do not need to spend time washing cloth nappies. Also, as babies become more active, and nappies are a more comfortable and hygienic alternative to cloth nappies. However currently the majority of the sales is restricted to customers in urban India. So the penetration rate of disposable diapers has been increasing, as more young parents are finding it convenient to switch from cloth nappies to disposable nappies. Sales of disposable pants remained negligible in India in 2009. Procter Gamble Hygiene Health Care Ltd introduced Pampers Magic Nickers and Uni-Charm Corp entered India with its brand of Mamy Poko Pants. Disposable pants have seen an increase in activity from the leading brands, but sales have still not become significant. The main factors that inhibit the growth of this category are as follows: Cultural factors: Diapers are a relatively new concept in India. Indian parents use Diaper only for the sake of convenience during travel. Price: When launched, diapers were priced at around Rs. 15 per piece which is high priced. The average prices in last few years have dropped to Rs 10 per piece but its still very costly for everyday usage. Other Trends: Potty training in India is at around two to two and a half years average. With that taking place at such a young age, the use of diapers is even lower for Indian babies. Also with the easy availability of cheap domestic help in India, it is convenient for Indian mothers to wash and reuse cloth nappies. Some of the important facts and figures are shown as follows: Marketing Objective The penetration of disposable diapers has been increasing, as parents are finding it suitable to switch from cloth nappies to disposable nappies. With the market offering a variety of products across several price ranges, use of disposable diapers is expected to grow. Today young mothers are more sensitive about hygiene and health. They will readily utilize disposable nappies from an earlier age. Also, many young working mothers will want to habituate their children to wearing disposable diapers, and thus will start using them early. The forecast of retail sales of Diapers shows strong growth figures, in two digits. And with more consumers shifting from traditional cloth nappies to disposable diapers, the category is expected to burgeon in the coming years. Godrej Consumer Products Limiteds main brand under Tissues and Hygiene category, Snuggy Dry has witnessed several changes in ownership in the Indian market. The joint venture between Godrej Consumer Products limited and SCA Hygiene Products which manufactured and distributed Snuggy Dry discontinued. This led to SCA Hygienes exit from India. The brand Snuggy Dry, which was the third largest disposable diapers brand in 2009, is now being marketed and distributed by Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. Over the years, the diaper market in India has been dominated by existing players Kimberley Clark and Procter and Gamble as can been seen in the graph below. Godrej is moving strong in FMCG sector currently standing second to HUL and being fiercely competitive to HUL. Although Hindustan Unilever enjoys market leadership in several segments in India, it is slowly losing its ground to Godrej, which has relatively competitively priced products. Moreover, profit margins of Godrej products are significantly higher than those of HULs. Based on this background, the marketing objective is to capitalize on the above mentioned conditions and increase the market share of Snuggy Dry diapers from the current 8% level to 10% in short term and substantially continue gaining higher market share. 5Cs Situation Analysis Godrej Company Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL) is deals in manufacturing, marketing, and distributing fast moving consumer goods. The company offers various products such as soaps, toiletries, cosmetics, hair care, household care, fabric care and baby care products. It also markets products under Cinthol, Fairglow, Godrej No 1, Nupur and Ezee brand names. The company primarily operates in India and some overseas market. It is headquartered in Mumbai, India. The company recorded revenues of INR13,929.7 million ($303.9 million) in the financial year ended March 2009 (FY2009), an increase of 26.3% over FY2008. The companys operating profit was INR1,881.6 million ($41.1 million) in FY2009, a decrease of 4.8% compared to FY2008. Its net profit was INR1,732.5 million ($37.8 million) in FY2009, an increase of 8.8% over FY2008. (Source :EuroMoniter) In Diaper segment, Godrej Products Ltd offers Snuggy Dry. This has around 10% market share accounting for the third position in Indian Diaper market. Godrej Consumer Products Ltd regained share in 2009, as the joint venture between Godrej Sara Lee and SCA Hygiene (Godrej SCA Hygiene Ltd) was discontinued. The brand Snuggy Dry is now being marketed and distributed by Godrej Consumer Products Ltd exclusively. The company has five factories in India, at Baddi, Guwahati, Katha, Malanpur and Sikkim. Apart from Snuggy Dry, all the other products of GCPL are produced in-country. Snuggy Dry was part of the Godrej SCA Hygiene Ltd joint venture, which was imported into India, and after the discontinuation of the joint venture, the brand was distributed by GCPL. Competition Huggies (by Kimberly-Clark) is the leader in the Indian market with a value share if 60 % share.Pampers from Procter and Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd. is at number 2 spot followed by Snuggy from Godrej Consumer products Ltd. Wipro Ltd and BellePremier Happy HygieneCare Pvt. Ltd. also have their own brands competing for the market share. Huggies and Pampers controlled 84% of the market in 2009 according to a Euro monitor International report. These brands have invested heavily in advertising and hence have a dominating market share. Kimberly Clark launched a new product called Huggies New Born in 2009, which was diaper targeted towards new mothers. The product has been a moderate success as penetration of disposable diapers remains low in India, with mothers often using cloth nappies for young boys. New brand Mamy Poko Pants has been using extensive television advertising, with its advertisements highlighting the comfort of the products and the ease with which they can be put on a child. In a market in which the leading players advertise a great deal through television, these advertisements will help it to increase its brand presence. It can be said that the products compete against each other based on the price. Teddy and Wipro are considered as economy brands. Pampers, Huggies and Snuggy have price points in all three price segments. Disposable pants have a more premium price point within diapersPantaloon Retail India Ltd entered this category with the launch of its brand Caremate in 2009. Other private labels have not yet emerged in India. Diapers/Pants Retail Company Shares 2005-2009 Customers With the increasing income levels in India, parents are spending more on purchasing disposable diapers instead of reusing cloth nappies at home. In addition, awareness is increasing through the media about the different brands and the benefits of using disposable diapers over cloth versions, manufacturers saw an increase in value sales. Even in smaller towns and cities, parents are willing to spend money on disposable diapers to use when the baby is taken out of the home, for added convenience. This has made Indias nascent baby care market transforming into worlds fastest growing baby market. A vast population of population in age group 0-4 years is a boon to the market. Aggressive marketing strategies and consumer acceptance of branded premium baby care products (especially in baby food and skin care segments) will enable the industry to register a CAGR of more than 11% during 2010-2013. The major market players have used television based advertising to their full advantage and have raised the awareness of Baby care. With the increased awareness and increasing purchasing power, customers are fast shifting from cloth nappies to baby diapers. The Decision makers in this market are parents with mother being the dominant decision maker. The market has used extensive retail channels with super markets, traditional grocery stores etc. This use of extensive channels has also resulted in the increasing demand. The rapid development of modern retail infrastructure is luring consumers for convenient shopping experience and transforming into high retail spending. Baby care companies are optimally utilizing this trend and executing strong product positioning strategies to maximize their market returns According to recent research, the Indian baby care market has grown substantially over the past few years and caught the attention of international players. However, there is still a relatively large and untapped market in the rural sector. This market is anticipated to witness concrete market developments which will also give impetus to the baby care market. Collaborators Most diaper brands in India are imported and so is the case with Snuggy. The production for Snuggy is carried out by a Chinese manufacturer. BroadVision, Inc. announced that Godrej Group of India has successfully implemented two new sales portals for its business and consumer channels. The new portals, built using BroadVisions multi-channel sales portal and content solution, have streamlined and enhanced customer service for two Godrej Group subsidiaries-Godrej Industries Limited (GIL), which provides industrial supplies to businesses, and Godrej Consumer Products Limited, a manufacturer of consumer products According to the companys analyst and investor meet report, rural distribution is essential for a sound growth. In 2009, reach in rural areas has increased by 40-50% in terms of small towns and villages. Rural now measures about quarter of GCPLs sales. It accounts for 45% of the growth. Going forward it is expected to be a continuous growth driver. Context Social/Cultural: In general, in India the diaper is met with resistance. And diapers are perceived as status symbols. One of the major concerns of diapers is rash it causes. Indians are not tolerant of rash and insist that the baby move around bare bottomed. Technology: Companies are heavily investing for bringing about innovations in this field. They are offering new products to boost consumer confidence and increase their market shares. Huggies Dry Diaper currently available in India is particularly designed for new users in new markets. The product employs high technology super absorbent materials (SAM) to deliver super dryness to the user which results in dry and healthy skin. SAM can absorb up to 100 times its weight. Also high leg cut design is one more innovation for hot climate from Kimberly- Clarke. It is a capital intensive industry and is associated with high costs. This is one of the major reasons why Godrej diapers are not manufactured in India but imported from China. SWOT Analysis (S)trengths: Godrej brand name is an asset, well known to Indian consumer Leveraging on the distribution channel by using Operation Big C. Cost benefit obtained by product import from china (W)eaknesses: Lack of marketing focus coupled with moderate success of Snuggy Happy Baby contest. Unavailability of RD facilities (O)pportunities: Strong Market Growth expected at 16% Growing disposable income of Indian parents ( both parents working) Increasing hygiene and health awareness of preferring diapers over clothes. (T)hreats: Presence of many competitors in the market Newer indigenous brand targeting the economic segment of the market Marketing Strategies The below graph shows the number of new born babies born per inhabitants, though the number of new-born babies are decreasing but still the market is huge. Diaper is competing with the traditional way of using Clothes which has the advantages of reuse, inexpensive and to a certain extent healthier for the babies. Healthier in the sense, diapers used to cause rashes while clothes didnt. Diapers have the advantage of convenience and cleanliness. In order to increase the market share for Godrej diapers we intend to implement a progressive marketing strategy. In terms of marketing we intend that our name and products are marketed on an extensive basis to ensure that customers are aware of our existence. In price, we intend to offer reasonable and competitive prices in comparison to other competitors and we need to be able to sustain that. Segmentation Profiles Dividing a market in to distinct groups of buyers with different needs, characteristics, or behaviour who might require separate product or marketing mixes. We can segment the market for the diaper market based on the disposable income of the parents. Regular use of disposable diapers remains more restricted to parents in urban India. Based on the stage of the new-born baby , the number of diaper to be used per month can be found Godrej should launch the diaper in three segments Premature when the baby is less than 6 months , New born when the baby is less than 2 year and Mini pack when the baby is 2-4 year. We can segment the market based on the Tier-1, Tier-2 cities. The disposable income of the parents has been increasing not just in Metro cities but also in tier-1 and tier-2 cities as well. But we find that number of working mother is less in these cities when compared to metropolitan cities. So the diaper usage will be less when compared to metropolitan cities. So we need to use a push marketing strategy for this segment of population without altering the pricing mix. Target Segment Demographic Distribution AGE GROUPS PERSONS MALES FEMALES 6 years and Below 163,819,614 84,999,203 78,820,411 RURAL-URBAN POPULATION DISTRIBUTION POPULATION PERCENTAGE RURAL 742,490,639 72.2 URBAN 286,119,689 27.8 Percentage of Children below 6yrs to total rural/urban population RURAL URBAN Number of children(0-6 yrs) 117,950,122 45869491 Percentage of Population 15.8 16 The target market will obviously be mothers to be and current mothers. Indians are not used to this product. This category is concentrated on urban market. The Indian mother is a cost-conscious woman and would like to recycle most of the products used for her household. The same applies to the products used for her baby too. Moreover, large population base in 0-4 years and parents increasing preference to spend more on baby products will drive the market to new horizons in near future. Apart from penetrating deep into urban market, rural market will also provide growth opportunities to companies. Indian demographic distribution shows that 72 percent of the population live in rural areas while the rest 28 percent live in urban or semi-urban areas. Out of the total population mix both in rural and urban areas approximately 15 -16% population is below 6 years which form the potential market share for the diaper market. With the average purchasing power of the Indian population increasing and the with increased hygiene awareness the rural market is the market of the future. When the purchasing power parity reaches threshold, India will be the largest customer of diapers within the next 15 years which and is expected to explode in next 3 to 5 years. It has been found that with the present birth rate 24 million babies are born in India every year. If we typically calculate 25% of these infants in the period birth and 24 months use at least 28 diapers a week, theoretically the available market is 8.7 billion pieces per year. It is estimated that the diaper market would grow at a rate of around 5-10%. This proposed market segmentation will help building strong position in specialized diaper market segments. It will allows Godrej to focus on target customer specific needs. It will help them to understand the customer need and make improvement in marketing mix for each segment. It will help Godrej to compete with Huggies and Pamper brand diapers. The TV and print media can reach the diaper buyers. These two media forms the potential to create the brand awareness among the buyers through various advertisements and promotional campaigns. Positioning The Godrej diaper should be positioned as a value-for-money brand, one that Reasonably priced Softness Ease of use Comfortable, good fit Manufactured with bacteria resistant technology, with clean and highly absorbent cotton lap Environment friendly No irritation to the skin Quicker Absorption Super Absorbent core keeping the baby dry for long hours It should be positioned as a product which is a Small package of joy Marketing Mix Product Design Disposable diaper is made of an absorbent pad sandwiched between two sheets of fabric. The diapers are made by a multi-step process, viz. The absorbent pad is made and attached to a permeable top sheet and impermeable bottom sheet The other accessories are then sealed together by application of heat or ultrasonic vibrations.ÂÂ   Features The function of the pad is to absorb and retain body fluids, and the non-woven fabric gives the diaper a comfortable shape and prevents leakage. The main features of diapers would include: Absorb body fluid. Retain body fluid inside the absorbent core. Isolate wetness from the babys skin. Isolate other excretion from babys environment (clothes, bed, etc). Varieties The following major varieties of diapers and tissue hygiene products are predominantly present in the Indian market Regular diapers New born nappies Disposable pants Adult diapers Junior diapers Godrej primarily focuses on regular diapers, junior diapers and new born nappies. The company markets a narrow portfolio of products within retail tissue and hygiene. It has only two brands, Snuggy Dry and Protekt, but there are some variations in terms of fragrances under the Protekt brand umbrella. Most of the diaper brands continue to be imported, including Snuggy. Godrej is currently outsourcing its diapers from a Chinese company and will continue to do so until the volumes pick up. Price Godrej has positioned its brands Snuggy Dry and Protekt in the standard price segment in the market. A regular Godrej diaper pack of 6 costs Rs. 50. Currently, the Snuggy brand of diapers has a retail price of Rs 85 for a pack of 10. Smaller pack sizes have also been introduced and there are more product innovations being considered within the diaper category in the area of nappy pads much along the same lines of its competitor Huggies from Kimberly Clark, which has also introduced nappy pads. However, the current prices are a result of 2% price hike in March 2010, by Godrej. In the retail tissue and hygiene market in India, Godrej diapers held just above 2% value share and were ranked 6 in 2009. Within diapers/pants, the company held a share of 8%, and was in third position after Procter Gamble Hygiene Health Care Ltd and Kimberly-Clark Lever Ltd. Promotion Being the first brand of diapers in the country, Snuggy enjoys high-brand loyalty as one of the three leading players in the Indian baby diaper market. Godrej benefits from the brand loyalty which Snuggy commands in the consumers mind. The following table shows the ranking of nappies and hygiene products in the sales of Godrej in 2009. Advertising Diaper ads typically are earnest, fawning over babies and remaining steadfastly euphemistic about function, typically pouring blue liquid into diapers to demonstrate absorbency. The major two brands focus on heavy marketing and advertisement in mass media and television. This has led them to capture around 90% of the market share. A commercial titled SNUGGY HAPPY BABY CONTEST was done by Madison Media advertising agency for GODREJ diapers. The campaign was moderately successful and helped Godrej to keep its 10% market share. Place The company has national coverage through wide marketing and distribution channels. Supermarkets and malls, especially BIG BAZAR and Reliance Fresh have considerable self coverage of Godrej Diapers, though majority of the hygiene shelf space is still taken up by the two major players. Channels OTC Sales: Godrej intends to push various OTC (over-the-counter) products and brands and the primary inclusion in this category is Snuggy diapers. It feels that coupled with a consumer pull strategy through the marketing campaign SNUGGY HAPPY BABY CONTEST, this aggressive dealer push strategy will help it to gain sales. Operation BIG C: Godrej looks at revamping distribution network and re-staging of brands. As a part of Operation BIG C, it intends to use the Chemist network in the country as a retail outlet for Snuggy diapers. The chemist margin for Godrej Diaper sales has consequently been kept higher. Following the success of Operation B, which involved the saloons of the country for Godrej Beauty product outlets, Godrej hopes to achieve as high as 20% market share through Operation BIG C. Financial Projections The baby diaper market in India is fairly underdeveloped and is approximately Rs 4479.8 million. Source: Official statistics, Euromonitor International estimates, trade associations, trade press, company research etc. The overall growth of the market is projected to be around 15% per annum. Source: Official statistics, Euromonitor International estimates, trade associations, trade press, company research etc. The current share of Godrej diapers under the brand name of Snuggy diaper is approx 8% of the overall share. That means the market share of Snuggy diaper is approximately Rs 371 million. Source: Official statistics, Euromonitor International estimates, trade associations, trade press, company research etc. Diapers/Pants Retail Company Shares 2005-2009ÂÂ   Financial projections of Snuggy diaper Selling 7.5 million units of diaper at Rs 6 each will achieve the marketing objective of godrej Snuggy diaper. To achieve targeted revenue, Godrej diaper needs to generate revenue of INR 126 million (as given in above table, point 15). With the potential price and sale of the diapers in a quarter Godrej can expect to generate revenue of Rs 135 million (point 9 mentioned in given table above). As per the financial projections annual revenue of Snuggy diaper is Rs 371 million in 2009 which will grow to approx Rs 504 million in 2010 which comes to around 35 % growth in revenue. Budget Analysis and Implementation In view with the financial projections, please find the below budget analysis Particulars Cost Comments Gross Profit 1.2 INR per diaper Profit from sale of one diaper Quarterly sales targets 23 Million Quarterly sales expected Quarterly profit 27 Million INR Overall profit Budget Allocation Advertisement 10 million INR Budget allocation from advertisement and awareness spreading Collaborators margin 7 Million INR Retailers need to be given additional margins to promote Snuggy Diaper Implementation As the sales volume starts increasing, Godrej can open up the manufacturing unit at one of its already existing factory unit locations. Below is the approximate cost of building up the net manufacturing unit. Particulars Cost (INR in crore) Comments Land Required(1200 sq mt) 0.6 Rs 5000 per sq/mt Building 0.5 Rs 5000 per sq/mt Total Plant and Machinery for diapers 3.5 Industry average Installation of Electricity 0.015 130 KVA transformer Other preliminary expenses 0.05 Total Expenditure 5 approximately The brand Snuggy is distributed by GCPL and currently not manufactured locally. The company is well positioned in diapers/pants in India, which is seeing an increase due to more Indian parents using diapers for their babies. Experts believe that since Snuggy is imported into India after the discontinuation of the joint venture with SCA Hygiene Ltd, there is a strong case to save costs by manufacturing the product locally. Available in pack sizes of 2s, 5s and 10s, for all age groups including new born, standard and junior, the brand can be affordably priced alongside mainstream brands, and supported by aggressive advertising. GCPL requires not just building distribution and trade relations in the fragmented retail landscape, but also investment in terms of advertising and promotions. The revenue model will be on the lines of Operation Big B, with chemist shops being offered higher margins.

Culture Clash: The Puritans and the Native Americans :: American America History

In 1608, a group of Christian separatists from the Church of England fled to the Netherlands and then to the "New World" in search of the freedom to practice their fundamentalist form of Christianity (dubbed Puritanism). The group of people known as the Native Americans (or American Indians) are the aboriginal inhabitants of the Northern and Southern American continents who are believed to have migrated across the Bering land bridge from Asia around 30,000 years ago. When these two societies collided, years of enforced ideology, oppression and guerrilla warfare were begun. The great barriers of religion, ethics and world-views are the three largest factors which lead to the culture clash between the Puritans and the Native Americans. Religion played a very important role in both Puritan and Native American society, though their ideologies differed greatly. According to Puritan beliefs, God had chosen a select number of people to join him in heaven as his elect. The Native Americans, on the other hand, believed that everyone was the same; no one was better than anyone else. As Sitting Bull once said, "Each man is good in [the Great Spirit's] sight. (Quotes from our Native Past). This theory was in direct conflict with the Puritan's view. The means through which the beliefs of these two groups were carried on also differed greatly. The Puritans had their Bible which detailed their entire religion and held the answers to all possible questions. The Native Americans on the other hand relied on oral transmission of their theology. Thus, while the Puritans had a constant place to turn to when they wanted to figure out what they believed, Native Americans were forced to fill in the blanks between stories they had heard when it came to their basic ideals. This aspect made them both unable to relate to one another. The most prominent difference between the two religions were their gods. The Puritans believed in one God and one God only. The Native Americans, though also worshipping their own almighty "Great Spirit," took further reverence for all living (and once living) things, worshipping the trees and their ancestors as well as their omnipotent Tirawa (or Wakan Tanka). The Puritans, holding all aspects of the Bible literal and as divine mandate, saw this worship of beings other than their God as idolatry (which was in clear violation of the first commandment). Therefore, the Puritans held the Native American society as a society wallowing in sin. Culture Clash: The Puritans and the Native Americans :: American America History In 1608, a group of Christian separatists from the Church of England fled to the Netherlands and then to the "New World" in search of the freedom to practice their fundamentalist form of Christianity (dubbed Puritanism). The group of people known as the Native Americans (or American Indians) are the aboriginal inhabitants of the Northern and Southern American continents who are believed to have migrated across the Bering land bridge from Asia around 30,000 years ago. When these two societies collided, years of enforced ideology, oppression and guerrilla warfare were begun. The great barriers of religion, ethics and world-views are the three largest factors which lead to the culture clash between the Puritans and the Native Americans. Religion played a very important role in both Puritan and Native American society, though their ideologies differed greatly. According to Puritan beliefs, God had chosen a select number of people to join him in heaven as his elect. The Native Americans, on the other hand, believed that everyone was the same; no one was better than anyone else. As Sitting Bull once said, "Each man is good in [the Great Spirit's] sight. (Quotes from our Native Past). This theory was in direct conflict with the Puritan's view. The means through which the beliefs of these two groups were carried on also differed greatly. The Puritans had their Bible which detailed their entire religion and held the answers to all possible questions. The Native Americans on the other hand relied on oral transmission of their theology. Thus, while the Puritans had a constant place to turn to when they wanted to figure out what they believed, Native Americans were forced to fill in the blanks between stories they had heard when it came to their basic ideals. This aspect made them both unable to relate to one another. The most prominent difference between the two religions were their gods. The Puritans believed in one God and one God only. The Native Americans, though also worshipping their own almighty "Great Spirit," took further reverence for all living (and once living) things, worshipping the trees and their ancestors as well as their omnipotent Tirawa (or Wakan Tanka). The Puritans, holding all aspects of the Bible literal and as divine mandate, saw this worship of beings other than their God as idolatry (which was in clear violation of the first commandment). Therefore, the Puritans held the Native American society as a society wallowing in sin.

The Island Of Dr. Moreau Essay -- essays research papers

In 1896 H. G. Wells had the first edition of ' The Island of Dr. Moreau'; published. The book took place primarily on an island in the Pacific Ocean. On this island Dr. Moreau and his assistant ( Montgomery) performed dangerous, secret experiments on humans and animals. When Wells wrote this he knew nothing about DNA, cloning, or chromosomes but he did use his scientific imagination. Wells realized that society was beginning to rely on science too much in the late nineteenth century. He wrote this book to issue a stern warning for future societies against their own scientific advancements. He knew that just like his society others will want to quench their appetite for this tasty treat called vivisection or cloning. He knew that eventually the progress of society would lead to the all or nothing control of the evolutionary processes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This brings me to one of Wells' most important ideas that he wanted to tell his readers. That was the idea of vivisection or cloning of humans and animals. In todays world we are trying to control evolution by furthering our studies into cloning. He was right about his expectations of future societies and his ideas about how scientific advancements would affect our world. It was different because when this book was published it got horrific reviews for being too outlandish with its views on society. I think that if the book was published today it would be raved as a good warning for all the cloning scientists. Tod...

Factors of Planning and Other Functions of Management Essay

With over 300,000 people world wide, AT&T is truly a global Fortune 500 company with a significant presence in the communication industry. With impressive growth, executives and managers need to develop a strategy that allows AT&T to connect with their customers and manage the contributing factors to their success. As stated in the AT&T Annual Report (2007), â€Å"AT&T was able to increase their annual income by 98.3%.† This amazing growth occurred in all sectors of their revenue stream and made 2007 a historic year financially for AT&T. AT&T Chairman, CEO and President, Mr. Randall Stephenson also states in the annual report (2007, p. 8) â€Å"there is one word that best describes what AT&T does and it is connected.† A simple vision that clearly describes what AT&T does for their customers to drive growth in their organization. In order for a company to succeed in today’s market, the product appeal to a global audience is imperative. Although AT&T did not begin as a business that offered products and services globally, AT&T’s network now includes 38 internet data centers on four continents across the globe (AT&T, 2008). AT&T offers a variety of communication products and services that appeal to individuals and companies. The demand for these types of products and services is on the rise, especially within major corporations. Given this demand, AT&T has developed and maintained an advanced and powerful communications network. AT&T is an industry leader of communication services, which serves millions of individuals and businesses on six continents (AT&T, 2008). The economy is an external factor that influences how AT&T manages rapid change. For example, with home foreclosures at a record high, the demand for landline telephone service is decreasing. Meanwhile the demand for wireless service is increasing. AT&T continues to focus on advancing wireless products (AT&T, Vonage, 2008). AT&T has acquired many smaller wireless providers, which allows them to become the top provider of wireless services in the United States. Cingular wireless is one of the wireless companies that AT&T bought out. After the purchase of Cingular wireless, AT&T began, promoting the â€Å"new† AT&T, the one-stop shop for all kinds of communications  and entertainment services (Goodbye Cingular, 2007). As early as 1885, AT&T began providing telephone service in the United States. To see the vast growth in their technology over the past 100 years is amazing. The service initially started with one-line calls or the ability for only one person to make a telephone call at a time and it now services over 70 million customers. The costs have decreased significantly over the decades as well. In 1892, a long distance phone call from New York to Chicago would cost about $9 for the first five minutes; rather expensive for that period in time. Today, AT&T has grown to be the world’s largest communications carrier and provides services for a broad spectrum of customers from residential to commercial, like the Fortune 1000 companies. Other than the typical local and long distance voice services for the residential customer, AT&T also provides high speed internet access, home networking, Wi-Fi, and wireless voice and data services. According to AT&T’s website (2008), they provide businesses with â€Å"access to one of the world’s most advanced IP networks.† AT&T provides the corporate community with technologies, such as, Voice over IP (VoIP), enterprise mobility solutions and Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections. To keep up with today’s vastly growing field of technology, AT&T (2008) â€Å"†¦recently switched on the nation’s first coast-to-coast IP/MPLS network†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In the United States alone, AT&T’s wired network encompasses 61.6 million access lines and has 14.2 million high speed internet subscribers. In 2008, AT&T plans to expand their current 64,000 Wi-Fi hot spots to more than 70,000 locations also launch more of their multi-screen services. AT&T embraces technological innovation to convert ideas rapidly into useful products and services. AT&T’s management and planning functions focus on the company and its customers while applying principles of sound, responsible and forward-looking stewardship to the needs of society. Today, AT&T is rethinking management functions and planning in terms of the Internet and new culture and capabilities. E-business (electronic business), derived from  such terms as â€Å"e-mail† and â€Å"e-commerce,† is the conduct of business on the Internet, not only buying and selling but also servicing customers and collaborating with business partners. E-business allows AT&T and other companies to use the Web to buy parts and supplies from other companies, to collaborate on sales promotions, and to participate in joint research. AT&T’s involvement with technology innovation such as e-business influences a range of criteria, including customer relationship performance, sales-based outcomes, and a general measure of organizational performance. The moderating role of AT&T’s management team’s involvement suggests that management â€Å"championing† the initiatives is crucial for successful results of the e-business market tendencies and new business development possibilities (AT&T, 2008). Alexander Graham Bell made the first telephone call to Watson about 150 years ago. One century ago, there were 10,000 telephone companies battling for their share in the voice communication market. AT&T battling in the communications market, realized in order to continue innovation, a sustained research and development component was needed. Early in 1925, AT&T determined they could not do this alone and made a series of strategic acquisitions and uniform standards. In the late 20th century, AT&T acquired Bell Labs that focused on computers, information and communications science. According to AT&T (2008), â€Å"Recognized as a pioneer in the IT revolution of the late 1990s, direction of innovation at AT&T Labs influences not only the ways we live and work today but our lives and the workplace of the future. With these guiding principles, our work in development, creativity and innovation lead to improved social, economic and environmental opportunities for AT&T communities.† ( ¶13)AT&T has made significant innovative contributions to the history of American business and global technology. Listed are a few of these accomplishments including:High-fidelity recording (1925), First TV transmission (1927), Trans-Atlantic radiotelephone (1929), Radio astronomy (1933), The transistor (1937), The first computer (1939), The laser (1960), Optical fiber communication (1977), Cellular technology (1983), Speech recognition and synthesis (1992), Voice over IP technology (1995), Quantum computing (1999), Internet Project predictive and proactive  network security (2005) (AT&T, 2008). AT&T noted on their website (2008), â€Å"Despite its pioneering efforts in other areas of the company, including diversity, customer service and human resources, AT&T’s reputation for innovation remains closely tethered to AT&T Labs.†( ¶ 4)AT&T realizes that diverse, talented and dedicated people is key to the company’s success. In fostering diversity and inclusion, AT&T has created a better business environment, one that makes the company an employer of choice, a preferred business partner and important contributor to the community. The company’s philosophy is to provide employees with continued opportunities to grow and develop their careers. Management is charged with successful implementation of various diversity initiatives as part of this philosophy. AT&T leaders are expected to understand the importance of cultural competency. To support this principle, AT&T provides career development initiatives. AT&T’s commitment to diversity remains a top priority for the company. AT&T’s diverse workforce is an asset to the company and a result of its commitment to recruit and hire the very best talent. AT&T currently conducts business in more than 150 languages and advertises in top languages in selected states. AT&T leaders and employees practice respect for differences in their daily interactions. By understanding the various regions served, AT&T management is better positioned to plan for and meet the unique needs of customer’s wherever it does business (AT&T, 2008). With over 300,000 working for AT&T ensuring ethical behavior is very important. Ethics and Governance are the standards in which the company, including all employees, must adhere to in all aspects of conducting business internally and externally. AT&T has adopted a simple statement â€Å"Do what is right† as their motto for ethical conduct by all employees and directors. (Governance, 2003-2008)AT&T has four guiding principles stated in their Code of Ethics and Guiding Principles manual on how to treat customers, investors and employees. Those principles are; Talk straight and Follow Through, Lead by Example, Work Together, and Deliver our Future. These four statements are the fabric to AT&T’s principles and make it clear as to what is expected when working for or dealing with AT&T. In today’s  environment, ethics have become a serious issue. Directors and managers, as well as employees, are becoming more liable with respect to moral decisions they make at work. Enron is an example of how deceit by a few individuals caused such a ripple effect on the finances of many. Companies like AT&T need to touch the moral being of each employee to ensure its customers, shareholders and all parties vested in them are not affected by one’s poor judgment. In concluding, with this impressive growth, executives and managers needed to develop a strategy that allowed AT&T to connect with their customers and manage the contributing factors to their success. Through innovation and diversity, AT&T has grown from a company that started with one-line calling to a multi-million conglomerate, servicing millions of customers around the globe. In keeping up with technology and continuing to implement new corporate strategies, AT&T will continue to grow both financially and globally. AT&T will continue to be a leader in their field for many years to come. References AT&T Inc., (2008), All about AT&T Company, Retrieved April 8, 2008, from att.comAT&T Inc. (2007) Annual Report, p. 8, 29. AT&T, Inc. (2008), retrieved April 8, 2008, from att.com/gen/investor-relationsAT&T. (2008). Enterprise Services. Retrieved April 6, 2008, from att.com/gen/general/AT&T Governance, Corporate Social Responsibility (2003-2008). AT&T Knowledge Venture, Retrieved April 10, 2008, from att.com/corporate/citizenship/htmlAT&T, Vonage, Comcast spool the economy. (2008, January). TelecomWeb News Break. Retrieved April 6, 2008, ProQuest database, University Library. Goodbye Cingular, hello again AT&T; AT&T’s acquisition of Bell South began process. (2007, May 21). The New York Times, Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids, MI, Retrieved April 9, 2008, from ProQuest database, University Library,

Leadership Interview Paper Essay

I interviewed Becky Hendrix, Executive Director for Professional Care Services. I recently had the honor of interviewing someone in our community who has had more than twenty years of leadership experience in our community. The interview ended up taking much longer than I expected because I was so influenced by what she had to say, I did not want to miss anything. Mrs. Becky Hendrix started her career as a CPA back in the 80’s for the World Color Press. Her leadership abilities were quickly realized, and she was promoted to head CPA. From there she moved on to the Professional Care Service where she remained for fifteen years serving as a CPA, and finally working her way up to the Executive Director. Becky was in charge of over 187 employees. My conversation with Becky took a direction that I did not expect. She attributes her success to the leadership traits that she has learned over the years, and quoted many of the very ideas and theories almost verbatim from our class lect ure. That was an incredible experience to witness firsthand how these traits become behaviors and practices. Throughout the course of our interview, Becky laid out the history of her leadership experience, and pointed out how she has learned many of her characteristics from watching other people. Becky heavily noted how leadership and management styles have made a drastic change over the last 30 years from the â€Å"my way, or the highway† (Hendrix) approach, to a servant leadership approach. Mrs. Hendrix recalled a plaque that use to hang in her bosses office in the 80’s that read â€Å"Beatings and hangings will continue until morale improves!† That was the strategy that was used back then, but disregarded the lingering question of â€Å"Why† in the eyes of the employees. Becky provided me with a great analogy that explained the concept of putting a screw into a board with a hammer. â€Å"You can drive a Screw into a board with a hammer, and it will go in; however, both she screw and the board will end up forever damaged and the board will eventually wiggle loose.† (Hendrix) Short term results can be achieved through toxic leadership, but long term goals will almost always fail. Throughout her experience with Professional Care Services, Becky noticed that approach being used, and vowed to change it within her area of leadership. She attributes her success to that very idea. Strong interpersonal skills are one of the most important characteristics she outlined for me. By that, she means â€Å"take time to be kind† (Hendrix). To achieve positive results out of the people in which she works with, Becky â€Å"turned her division upside down† (Hendrix) or transitioned to a servant leadership philosophy. She wanted her employees to feel like the president of the company was someone who not only cared about them and their concerns, but wanted to be someone who they could come to with any problems or ideas they have. â€Å"Seek first to understand before you try to be understood.† (Hendrix) By taking time through charismatic leadership to be kind to her employees, and being empathetic toward their work and personal lives, Becky was able to achieve above average results out of average people. The ability to â€Å"shut up and listen† is a key trait one must have to be a good leader. I asked her if she thought that by being friendly to her employees, and getting to know them personally interfered with her ability to delegate. Becky responded by stating that if you are firm but fair, honest and straight forward with people at all times, you will in turn commandeer respect from your employees which will provide both parties the necessary tools to excel in their respective positions. One must beware, however, of being insincere, because everyone will see right through you and lose all respect. One must lead by example and be constantly and actively aware on a daily basis that everyone is watching the leaders and modeling their actions after yours. â€Å"People don’t care what you know until they know that you care† (Hendrix). Another key trait that Becky noted was that leaders are the ones who are willing to â€Å"get up and try it.† When she was in her infant stage of leadership, she volunteered to run the store, for one of the managers. â€Å"She just threw me the keys and walked out the door! I was scared to death, but willing to give it a shot! Yeah, I made some mistakes but I also learned how to keep from making them again.† (Hendrix) Leadership is a series of conquering fears and taking on challenges regardless if you have all of the answers. Your mindset must be one of â€Å"I think I can fix that† (Hendrix). She closed the discussion on leadership traits and skills with a quote from one of her favorite authors, Zig Ziglar. â€Å"If you want to get all you can out of  life, you must first help others to get all they can out of life† (Hendrix). I told Mrs. Hendrix that she had given me some great insight as to what traits and skills were necessary to being a leader among women, but wanted to know more. For me really get an idea of how these ideas and theories can be put into practice, I needed to know how one goes about actually doing these things while being in a high workload-high stress position on a daily basis. Becky stated that it all starts with the golden rule of treating others the way you want to be treated. Take time to stop and think about each comment that you make. People will remember the things that you say and the way they perceive you. Always make a conscious effort wear a smile on your face (even if you don’t feel like it) when dealing with others. When you are in a position of authority, people will naturally fear you, and model your emotions. If you want to employees to be happy, simply act happy around them. Secondly, one must make it a point to address others by name at least twice in every conversation. Becky requires every one of the part time employees in her organization to wear a name tag so that she can remember their names and something about them. This is very difficult to do however when you have over 187 people working on your team. For that reason one must use their resources. Becky required her managers to know some personal details about each employee that worked in their store. They would hold special team building events outside of work such as an evening out on the town. When Becky makes a visit to a store, she would first brief herself with the manager about the employees who worked there. She would want to know who was doing well, and a little about their personal lives. She would then go to those people and praise them in front of their co-workers. A good strategy to use is to always praise in groups, and criticize in private. (Hendrix) When dealing with problematic employees, many managers unknowingly work around them for fear of having to deal with their complaints. When this occurs, the leader is actually rewarding the bad employee, and punishing the good employees by making them do the other persons work. This causes the good employees to slack off and learn to complain in order to get what they want. â€Å"If you don’t like what is being done, you better check what is being rewarded† (Hendrix). Another Key practice Becky discussed was the power of questioning. During our interview, Becky performed a card trick to prove a point. She had selected the 6 of diamonds and laid it face down on the desk without my knowledge. She then told me that I was going to figure out what the solution to the problem was (what card was on the desk). She began to ask me a series of questions that caused me to rule out various suites and numbers of cards. I was astonished to find out that after only a few questions, I had figured out what card was on the desk. It made me feel like I had rationally come up with the solution on my own, thus making me feel important about my accomplishment. Rather than criticize others, ask them questions to make them realize on their own what mistakes they are making and how to improve upon them (Hendrix). Finally, I wanted to know how she got to the level of understanding that she has achieved as a leader. From the standpoint of a student interested in becoming a leader, how do you get from point A to Point B? Mrs. Hendrix pointed out that you must take time to develop a clearly defined and concise personal mission statement. Furthermore, you must look at it each and every day and think about how you can utilize it in every situation. â€Å"You must learn to become a student of people, and be able to effectively communicate your visions and goals to others† (Hendrix). One can begin by taking initiative in their own environment may it be work, school, social groups or any other situation you have the opportunity to stand up and be a leader. Be willing to accept the fact that you will fail at times. â€Å"One who is willing to attempt leadership and fails is better than one who never tried at all.† (Hendrix). Listen to what others have to say, and encourage them to provide their input. Never criticize their ideas no matter how bad they may sound to you. This will prevent others from providing feedback that is crucial to your personal development as a leader. Most of all, Becky left me with the idea that leaders must have character and honesty. Leaders are born from the heart, not created or placed into their roles. Always act as a servant to others and listen to what they have to say. Toxic and Tyrannical leadership will spread like wildfire and destroy everything in its path. â€Å"You have to make people want to do their part in striving for the common good, but be able and willing to do it yourself† (Hendrix). References Hendrix, Becky. Executive Director Ashley Vance. 17 October 2014.