Resource-Based View of the Firm to Strategic Management Essay

Resource-Based View of the Firm to Strategic Management - Essay Example The Resource-based strategy can develop strategic capability. The strategic goal will be to "create firms which are more intelligent and flexible than their competitors" (Grant 116) by hiring and developing more talented staff and by extending their skills base. Using this approach to strategic management, international companies gain competitive advantage by conceiving new ways of conducting activities, introducing new methods, technologies, inputs or channels of distribution. A convincing rationale for resource-based strategy for the global environment has been produced by Grant: "When the external environment is in a state of flux, the firm's own resources and capabilities may be a much more stable basis on which to define its identity" (Grant, 115). In line with intellectual capital theory, resource-based theory emphasizes that investment in people adds to their value to the companies of any sector. According to Campbell (1997) the goals of the resource-based view is to improve resource capability - achieving st

Sales Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 8

Sales Management - Essay Example Sales force automation not only involves automation of various activities related to sales department of a company but also assists the management in carrying out sales analysis, market analysis, and employee performance analysis. Implementation of sales forces automation system in any company or organization is considered an important managerial decision but where it brings various advantages for the companies, it also leads to some disadvantages. Sales Force Automation helps the management of a company update the sales management processes in order to enjoy sheer sales success (Anderson 1996). The key activities carried out by the Sales Force Automation system include lead management, opportunity management, account management, contact management, activity management, and sales forecast analysis (Wilkinson 2010). Sales Force automation helps the companies automate different sales activities, which results in making the sales related processes more accurate and reliable as compared to traditional sales management. Sales Force Automation also helps the companies achieve market domination in any competitive market by increasing the productivity through automated sales processes. Some of the key advantages of implementing Sales Force Automation system in a company include identification of risks, elimination of wastes, decreased administrative costs, improved contract management, better order tracking system, and increased profits for the company. SFA system automates various sales processes such as order placement system, order processing system, and order tracking system. These automated systems result in making the sales department staff of a company more efficient. De Sousa (2010) asserts, â€Å"Sales management software enables sales teams to concentrate more on their sales activities as opposed to administrative tasks†. Companies should implement appropriate techniques such as supervisory feedback and

Thesis Proposal business plan for a Sneaker Store

Business plan for a Sneaker Store - Thesis Proposal Example The business would be insured through proper risk assessment. The initial cost f start-u would be met through local development agency, bank loan and personal contribution. The businesses provide goods and services that meet the demands of the customers. The current business plan for The Sneaker Store would primarily focus on the sale and marketing of Chinese shoes which have huge market demand due to their relative low cost and meeting latest trend. The sneaker store would cater to the footwear demand for men, women and children and would have rugged and casual footwear for young men and boys, trendy shoes for women and exciting collection of footwear for children and small kids. The store would have pleasant ambience where customers can comfortably try shoes. Located at a prime location in Washington district, the store’s main attraction would be its show window which would be tastefully decorated with mannequins resembling Bollywood beauties and macho men. Sjostrand and Tyrstrup (2001) assert that leadership is about managing creatively. Thus, The Sneaker Store would constantly strive to evolve innovative mechanisms of marketing footwear for different demographic segment. The vision statement, mission and value system of the business highlight the scope and the ambitious plan for its future expansion. Become the best service provider in the field of footwear and deliver services in the hi-tech ambience that is designed to relax customers and heighten his experience of buying footwear that meets their demands including cost and style. The Sneaker Store would be an equal opportunity store that would give preferences to the people with disability and employees from marginalized population. Exemplary customer services and striving to meet the demands and customer satisfaction of people cutting across race, color, culture and nationality

An Introduction to Reading and Writing Essay Example for Free

An Introduction to Reading and Writing Essay Rounded = lifelike, full, dynamic, reader can predict future behavior because of an understanding of the personality – Protagonist = the hero or heroine, main person in the story, person on the quest, etc. – Antagonist = the person causing the conflict, in opposition to the protagonist, the obstacle, etc. – Flat = no growth, static – Stock = representative of a group or class (stereotypical) – Characters disclosed through †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Actions Descriptions, both personal and environmental Dramatic statements and thoughts Statements by other characters Statements by the author speaking as storyteller, or observer – Characters need to have verisimilitude, be probable or plausible Point of View †¢ Refers to speaker, narrator, persona or voice created by the author to tell the story †¢ Point of view depends on two factors: – Physical situation of the narrator as an observer – Speaker’s intellectual and emotional position †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ First person = I, we Second person = You (uncommon) Third person = He, she, they (most common) Point of view may be: – Dramatic/objective = strictly reporting – Omniscient = all-knowing – Limited omniscient = some insight Setting †¢ Setting = a work’s natural, manufactured, political, cultural and temporal environment, including everything that characters know and own (place, time, objects) †¢ Major purpose = to establish realism or verisimilitude, and to organize a story †¢ Setting helps create atmosphere or mood †¢ Setting may reinforce characters and theme, in order to establish expectations that are the opposite of what occurs = irony Tone and Style †¢ Tone = methods by which writers and speakers reveal attitudes or feelings †¢ Style = ways in which writers assemble words to tell the story, to develop an argument, dramatize the play, compose the poem – Choice of words in the service of content †¢ Essential aspect of style is diction – Formal = standard or elegant words – Neutral = everyday standard vocabulary – Informal = colloquial, substandard language, slang Tone and Style (cont’d) †¢ Language may be: – – – – Specific = images General = broad classes Concrete = qualities of immediate perception Abstract = broader, less palpable qualities †¢ Denotation = word meanings †¢ Connotation = word suggestions †¢ Verbal irony = contradictory statements – One thing said, opposite is meant – Irony = satire, parody, sarcasm, double entendre †¢ Understatement = does not fully describe the importance of a situation – deliberately †¢ Hyperbole (overstatement) = words far in excess of the situation Symbolism and Allegory †¢ Symbolism and allegory are modes that expand meaning †¢ Symbol creates a direct, meaningful equation between: – A specific object, scene, character, or action – Ideas, values, persons or ways of life †¢ Symbols may be: – Cultural (universal) = known by most literate people (e. g. , white dove, color black) – Contextual (authorial) = private, created by the author Symbolism and Allegory (cont’d) †¢ Allegory is a symbol = complete and self-sufficient narrative (e. g. , â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†) †¢ Fable = stories about animals that possess human traits (e. g. , Aesop’s Fables) †¢ Parable = allegory with moral or religious bent (e. g. , Biblical stories) †¢ Myth = story that embodies and codifies religious, philosophical and cultural values of the civilization in which it is composed (e. g. , George Washington chopping down the cherry tree) †¢ Allusion = the use of other culturally well=known works from the Bible, Greek and Roman mythology, famous art, etc. Idea or Theme †¢ Idea = results of general and abstract thinking †¢ Literature embodies values along with ideas – In literature, ideas relate to meaning, interpretation, explanation and significance – Ideas are vital to an understanding and appreciation of literature †¢ Ideas are not as obvious as character or setting. It is important to consider the meaning of what you’ve read and then develop an explanatory and comprehensive assertion. †¢ Theme can be found in any of these: – – – – – Direct statements by the authorial voice Direct statements by a first-person speaker Dramatic statements by characters Figurative language, characters who stand for ideas The work itself.

West Nile Virus Essay example -- Biology

West Nile Virus has emerged in recent years throughout the temporate zones of Europe and North America. Causing a variety of conditions in its hosts, the most serious manifestation of WN virus infection is fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in humans and horses, and many birds. History While many forms of encephalitis exist, West Nile Virus was first isolated and identified in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937. The virus, which was seemingly isolated to North Eastern Africa, became recognized as a cause of severe human meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the spinal cord and brain) in elderly patients during an outbreak in Israel in 1957. In addition to the human victims of this disease, the virus was found Egypt and France during 1960s to have fatal effects within horses. While this disease spread through Northern African and Southern Europe, 1999 marked the first appearance of West Nile Virus in North America, with encephalitis reported in both humans and horses. West Nile in the United States The West Nile Virus first came to the U.S. public's attention following an outbreak in New York in August 1999 where eight patients has contracted ecephalitis from the virus. In the following four years the virus spread to almost all 48 contiguous states. In the United States cases were initially infrequent until 2002, when a massive outbreak occurred in the Mississippi River basin during August and September. As it has spread through the country, nearly 8,500 people have been diagnosed with the virus, which has lead to 189 deaths. The emergence of the new disease has been followed closely by the media and the government. Many areas that have experienced significant outbreaks of the Virus have occured have implem... ...e a much better chance of even avoiding the itch of a mosquito bite. Make sure that you drain standing water around your yard and repair the screens on your windows and doors to keep the bugs from coming in. * Step Three:Help Your Community Control the Disease. While it is relatively easy to control what happens around your home, it takes community effort to help curb West Nile on a city wide level. Help authories by reporting any dead birds that you see, see if your city/town has a mosquito control program that you can help with, or even get together with your neighborhood to clean the local park and remove mosquito breeding areas in public spaces. West Nile Virus is nothing to be afraid of, but it must be taken seriously. The process by which these goals are met are simple, but require you to take proactive measures in your day to day life.

Martyrs Day

MARTYRS DAY The Nation pays homage to the martyrs who suffered and died for the freedom, welfare, and progress of the country, on January 30 every year. It was on January 30, 1948 that Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated a little before the sunset when he was going to attend his evening prayers. Gandhiji was the greatest among the lakhs and lakhs of martyrs and freedom fighters who sacrificed everything for the country’s Independence, welfare andprogress. Since Gandhiji’s martyrdom on January 30, 1948 this day was declared as the Martyrs’ Day. Since then every year the Nation pays homage to the Mahatma and other martyrs on this day.On Martyr’s Day, the President, the Vice President, the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, and the three service Chiefs gather at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and lay wreaths on the Samadhi decorated with multi-colour flowers. The armed forces personnel blow the bugles sounding the Last Post. The inter-services contin gent reverse arms as a mark of respect to the martyrs. A two-minutes silence in memory of the Father of the Nation and other martyrs is observed throughout the country at 11 a. m. At Rajghat, in front of the Samadhi of Gandhiji, all-religion prayers are held and bhajans dear to him sung.January 30, 1948 is the saddest and most poignant day in our history. For on this day, 78-year old Mahatma Gandhi was killed in Birla House (now known as Gandhi Smriti) when he was going to join his evening prayers. This was the biggest tragedy that the Nation faced after we achieved our hard-won Independence under the leadership of Gandhiji. I was a few yards away when this tragedy occurred. Like other days, I was slowly walking behind the Mahatma towards the prayer ground. I saw a well-built, tall young man, clad in khaki, rushing from the peaceful crowd of men, women and children, who came to attend the prayers, towards Gandhiji.Gandhiji was then ascending the steps to the prayer ground. The restl ess young man tried to touch Gandhiji’s feet. Gandhiji’s grand daughters, Manu and Ava, told him that Gandhiji did not like people touching his feet. They both tried to stop the man and told him not to delay the Mahatma who was already late for the prayers. But the man pushed them aside and the prayer books and other things which they were carrying fell on the ground. The young man, who had a pistol, suddenly fired three shots from close range at Gandhiji. The Mahatma fell on the ground, his white khadi dress soaked in blood.A man of prayer, Gandhiji remembered God and said, â€Å"Hey Ram : Hey Ram. † It was 5. 17 p. m. Men, women and children, who came to join the prayers, were shocked and wept aloud to see the Father of the Nation being killed in front of their eyes. A bleeding Gandhiji was rushed to the room where he was staying. The news of his assassination spread like a fire. Despite one of the coldest nights in India’s capital, thousands of people crowded in front of Birla House and wanted to have Gandhiji’s darshan. Inside the room there were tragic scenes. Pandit Nehru, our first Prime Minister, wept like a child.Sardar Patel was seen consoling him. Doctors rushed into the room. They examined Gandhiji. They remained dumb. Slowly, they signified that the Mahatma was dead. This was my worst and saddest reporting of the Mahatma after about four years’ tour as the United Press of India correspondent with him in various parts of the country. I wept but I had to do my duty. After flashing the news to my office, I rushed to the room where Gandhiji’s body was lying. Recitations from the Gita and other scriptures were going on. I remained whole night in that room. Lights in the room were switched off. An oil lamp was lit.There was darkness everywhere. Sitting in the room, I wrote an article titled â€Å"That Darkest Night† which was well published. Outside the room, there was a huge waiting and weeping cr owd. The people were shouting in choked voice â€Å"Allow us to have last darshan of our beloved Bapuji†. The entire area rent with repeated cries of â€Å"Mahatma Gandhi ki Jai†. In order to allow the people to have darshan of the Mahatma, his body was placed on the high table in the adjacent room. A powerful lamp was lit so that the people could have an easy darshan. As the doors of the room were opened, there was a huge rush.Everybody wanted to touch Gandhiji’s feet. An old woman fell down in the rush and fainted. There was so much confusion that the doors of the room had to be closed. Then Gandhiji’s body was taken to the roof of the house and placed under powerful light to enable the vast multitude of people have a last glimpse of him. In bitter cold, Gandhiji was given a bath at 1 a. m. The blood-soaked clothes were then removed from his body. I then saw three bullet wounds on his body. Two bullets had pierced through his body. The third bullet rema ined in his body. The wounds were still bleeding. The scene was tragic.After the bath, Gandhiji was dressed in khaddar loin cloth presented to him on his last birthday. He was garlanded with a hank of hand-spun thread. He was decorated with flowers and garlands. Gandhiji’s favourite Ram Dhun and bhajans were recited. Gandhiji’s watch then struck 3. 30 a. m. Everyday, he was used to hold his morning prayers at that time. All-religion prayers were held that day as well. His grand daughters, Ava and Manu, sang a Hindi bhajan befitting the occasion. This bhajan is as follows: â€Å"Karle Sringar, Chatur Albele, (Tujhe) Sajan ke Ghar Jana Hoga, Miitti Orhawan, Mitti Bichawan, Mitti me hi Mil Jana Hoga. Karle Sringar†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Nahale Dhole Shish Gothale Phir Wahan-se Nahi Ana Hoga Karle Sringar †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  As the prayers were going on, the first rays of the sun entered the room. That dreadful night, which the whole nation passed in anguish and tears, came to an end. Preparations for Gandhiji’s last journey to Rajghat were being made. A mass of humanity had crowded in Delhi on that occasion. The cremation at Rajghat was attended by world dignitaries. Gandhiji, alongwith lakhs of men and women who sacrified for the country’s cause, became a martyr. The cellular dark jails of the Andaman Islands, where the freedom fighters were kept, are full of stories of the martyrs.The stone walls of the jail echoe the sufferings and torture of the freedom fighters, many of whom were killed inside the jail. The Martyrs’ Day is an occasion to remember all our martyrs and work for the country’s peace, unity, progress and welfare. During the last eventful phase of his life, Gandhiji worked for establishing peace, amity and brotherhood among people and died while working for this mission. Let us remember his work for peace, amity and brotherhood. (PIB) *Journalist and freedom fighter who was eye witness to Gandhiji’s assassination

Peloponnesian War Essay

Nearly during fifty years that preceded Peloponnesian War, the Greek history was characterized by development of the city of Athens as the main power in the Mediterranean world. The ancient Greece is a term used to describe the Greek speaking world in the ancient times which included the Hellenic culture that were settled in Greek during the ancient times. The ancient times in Greece was influenced by frequent migration as several people were forced to leave their land due to pressure from superior tribes. People were not free to cultivate their land since they could not predict when the invaders would come. Most of these people sort refuge in the city of Athens as a safe retreat. No form of communication, no freedom of trade and the richest soil were frequently invaded thus changed master. Such fertile district included most parts of Peloponnese, Boeotia, and Thessaly (Hanson, V, 2005). The city of Athens in Europe was the birthplace of democracy and became the most powerful and the leading city in the Ancient Greece during the first millennium BC. Classical democracy which was also called Athenian democracy was the democratic system that greatly developed in the Ancient Greek city state Athens and it’s surrounding such the Attica. Many states in Greek also had democracies but not in the Athenian model nor were they as powerful and stable as the Athenian democracy. It started as a small group of city states who merged in order to bring to an end the then intense Persian war. It had several cultural achievements that laid the foundation for the western civilization. Just before the commencement of the Peloponnesian war, the city of Athens had grown in power and wealth and was the strongest city state in Greece. After a short while the city of Athens started dominated and invading other city-states. They succeeded in dominating all the Greece except the Sparta and its allies thus making the Athens Empire with which they were able to defeat the Persians and thereafter formed a coalition of Greek city-states. Just after the departure of the Persians friction began between the Athens and the Peloponnese states including Sparta who were trying to hinder the Athenians from building the walls of Athens but their hindrances were thwarted (Cawkwell, G, 1997). The Peloponnesians believed that without the walls the Athenians would defenseless against land attack and thus would be easily subjects to Sparta since they (the Spartans) overpowered the Athenians in land war. Since they did not succeed in their bid, they felt secretly grieved. All this events marked the birthpangs of Peloponnesian war. Other events that fueled the war involved the Athens and the Corinth. After Corinth faced defeated from Corcyra which happened to be one of their colony, they started building naval power but the Corcyra formed an ally with the Athens so as to gain defense against any farther attack from the Corinth. Peloponnesian war which is also known as Athenian war commenced in 431BC between the Athenians and the Spartans who were leading the Peloponnesian league at that time. Many were the underlying factors behind this war which lasted up to 404BC. These two countries had made a peace treaty which had lasted for thirty years at that time. However, the Spartans felt threatened by the increasing power and wealth of the Athenians since they (the Athenians) being power hungry had began to reassert their control on the mainland of Greece. The other factor that triggered the war was the trade sanctions that the Athenians gave to the Megarans who were Spartans allies. As a result of this, Spartans and the Athenians fell into another war which was named Peloponnesian war after the Peloponnesian league which was led by the Spartans. This war lasted for over twenty seven years and it occurred in three different phases namely: Archidamian War, the attack of the Syracuse in Sicily and the Decelean war or the Lonian war. First phase of the war named Archidamian war, after the king of Sparta called Archidamus II, took place between 431BC and 421 BC. At the outbreak of the war the Spartans attacked Attica and burned all their crops with an aim to starve the Athenians forcing many of the citizens in Attica to leave their farms and seek refuge inside the long walls that joined Athens and its port known Piraeus. The general of the Spartan army during this period was Brasidas while the general of the Athenian army was Cleon. They highly wished to fight the land war which they were good at to the disadvantage of the Athenians who anchored on the powerful navy they had. A good number of the population of the Athenians died during this period not only as a result of the war but also an outbreak of plague which consumed almost two thirds of entire Athens population. Each of the sides believed that it would over power the other and therefore force a surrender which was not the case (Kallet, L, 2001). After ten years of struggles and fighting, both the two nations were worn down and thus they agreed and signed a fifty-year peace treaty which was called the Peace of Nicias. The peace treaty was named Nicia after an Athenian politician and general leader of the Athens at that time. However, the treaty lasted for only six years after the death of Brasidas and Cleon thereafter there was an outbreak of another war which ushered the second phase of the war. During these six years there were constant skirmishes and even though the Spartans kept themselves from war their allies constantly conversed on the possibility of revolt. As a result of these talks the allies got good support from Argos one of the cities within Peloponnesus which was quite independent from Lacedaemon (another Greek name for Sparta). They managed to form a coalition with other democratic states within the Peloponnese such as Elis and Mantinea and the Spartans were unable to break this coalition despite all their efforts. A small portion of Athenians including Alcibiades backed this coalition too. History has it that the war which occurred in Mantinea was the fiercest war that was ever fought during Peloponnesian war. The Lacedaemonians together with their neighbors Tegean faced a tough opposition from the combined forces of the Mantinea, Argos, Arcadia and the Athens. The Spartans who were also known as Lacedaemonians were able to put down this coalition forcing the democratic alliance to break. Finally, the members of this coalition joined the Peloponnesian league. The second phase of this war was characterized by the attack in Sicily from Syracuse. The people of Syracuse were Dorians as the Spartans whereas the Sicilians were Ionians as the Athenians. The colonization of the Sicily would have been a great door for getting immense wealth by the Athenians. During this time the Athenian religious statute was destroyed by an anonymous figure but the charges were placed upon Alcibiades who demanded trial immediately so that he could defend himself. Instead, the Athenians allowed him to go for expedition. He was then summoned back to Athens when he was in Sicily but he fearing that he could possibly be condemned unjustly, he opted not to return to Athens and instead defected to the side of Spartans (Krentz, P, 1982). He became a resourceful person to the Spartans by revealing to the Spartans the underlying plans of the Athenians as pertained to the city of Sicily including the Athenian plan to use Sicily as a springboard to conquer Italy and use the resources plus the soldiers in these new conquests to conquer all the Peloponnese. In order to counteract this move, Nicia was taken to replace Alcibiades as mission who then was commissioned to mount an attack on the Syracuse. But with the help from Spartans, the Athenians were all defeated miserably thus they were unable to invade the city. The joint reinforcement of the Spartans, Corinth and Peloponnese league to Syracuse were able to entirely destroy the Athenian fleet and consequently all their army was sold off into slavery The Sicily attack almost left the Athenians powerless since their power was more vested in the naval power and any of their troops that remained were killed and enslaved by the Syracusans. This war had detrimental effect on the Athenian empire as their treasury was reading empty and their strong youths were held prisoners in a strange land. Through the advice of Alcibiades, the Spartans were able to fortify Decelea, a city near Athens, thus preventing the shipment of supplies to Athens and also hindering them from using their land in a full year. This move disrupted the sliver mines that were nearby and thus forced the supplies to be taken by sea at an increased cost. Worst of all, the Spartans freed most of the Athenian slaves at Decelea forcing the Athenians to seek tribute from their subject allies which farther caused tension and a threat of rebellion within the Athenian empire (Robert B, 1996). Despite all these humiliating defeat in the Sicily the Athenians never gave up on their fight but they managed to escape. For instance, the slow with which the Spartans furnished their troops and ship. The Syracuse and the Corinth were also not speedy enough in letting their fleet in Aegean thus giving the Athenians an opportunity to survive. The Spartan officers lacked necessary skills and these accounted for their slowness in furnishing the troops. During the last phase of the war, the Spartans received reinforcement from the Persians who offered assistance in form of money and ship. The Persians allied with the bid to revenge on the Athenians for the war they had prosecuted in the earlier century. Whenever war was shifted to the sea the Athenians could enjoy victory. Under the leadership of General Lysander, the Spartans got an overall victory over the Athenians. As a result of this Alcibiades exiled himself from Athens because he was not re-elected as the general of the Athenians. Unfortunately their fleets were completely destroyed due to a surprise attack which then left them very hopeless and consequently they surrendered to the Spartans who broke the walls of their cities and barred them from possessing a navy. The aftermaths of the Peloponnesian included the overthrowing of oligarchs and restoration of democracy. This war reshaped the ancient Greek world. Sparta was established as the leading power in Greece whereas Athens which was the powerful state was lowered into subjection. Poverty was greatly experienced in Peloponnesus due to the economic costs of the war across the entire Greece. Reference: Cawkwell, G. L. (1997). Thucydides and the Peloponnesian War. London: Routledge. Hanson, V. (2005). How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War. New York: Random House. Kallet, L. (2001). The Sicilia Expedition and its Aftermath. Berkeley: University of California Press, Krentz, P. (1982). The Thirty at Athens. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, Robert B. (1996). A Guide to the Peloponnesian War. New York: The Free Press.