Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Positive and Negative Reinforcement †Management Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Positive and Negative Reinforcement – Management Essay Free Online Research Papers Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Positive and Negative Reinforcement Management Essay I will be discussing the two types of operant conditioning which are positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. I will attempt to list the advantages and disadvantages of using either and briefly touch on extinction which is the lack of use of either positive or negative reinforcement. There are four types of operant conditioning namely positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment and extinction. According to Skinner’s terminology, any form of incentives such as goals and rewards may be referred to as positive reinforcers and the receiving of the reward or achieving the goal is termed as positive reinforcement (Skinner B.F., 1969). In positive reinforcement, a particular behaviour is strengthened by the consequence of experiencing a positive condition (mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/proj/nru/opcond.html). Positive reinforcement is effective and largely used for two separate reasons. Firstly, it is one of the most powerful techniques available for the direction or motivation of the actions of other people. The second reason which is more philosophical is the versatility of the concept of reinforcement as an explanation of behaviour (Walker. S, 1975). In other words, the question is why do people behave the way they do? The answer will be that it is because they (people) are reinforced for it (Walker. S, 1975). Many companies employ the use of positive reinforcements to increase productivity, decrease absenteeism and workplace accidents. One company tried holding lottery draws ever month and they noticed a significant consistency in attendance. A construction company offered incentives such as a buffet end of each month if the workers maintained an accident free record. True enough, the accident free record was maintained for a good number of months (Mazur J.E.,1986). When positive rein forcements are used, the desired outcome is that the behaviour is reinforced. Subjects understand that the behaviour is desirable and will tend to repeat it for the rewards. In the negative outcome, subjects may take the rewarding for granted. They may repeat the behaviour with the intention of receiving more of the rewards and not understanding that that behaviour is desirable or they may deem the rewards as part and parcel of things. That is that the education part has failed. Some examples of these negative outcomes may be employees who get verbal praises for everything they do, think that it is all lip service. There is no real intention to compliment them for their good work. Another would be a young child plainly doing things to curry praises (Strain P.S., Joseph G.E.). In a similar fashion, a negative reinforcer is a stimulus one would desire to avoid. The act of escaping or avoiding a negative reinforcer is termed as negative reinforcement. Disincentives are punishers. There is a natural tendency to put punishments under the wing of negative reinforcement. However under the definitions of operant conditioning, negative reinforcement is the strengthening of a particular behaviour by the consequence of experiencing a negative condition (mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/proj/nru/opcond.html). Punishment in the operant conditioning sense is to weaken a particular behaviour as a consequence of experiencing a negative condition. Negative reinforcement is used commonly for education or reform. The use of fines, imprisonment is one such example of the use of negative reinforcement to warn of the negative consequences of associating with social ills. Skinner (Skinner,1953) and many others prefers the use of positive reinforcement to encourage good behaviours and do away with the social use of punishment altogether. Advantages of the use of negative reinforcement would be of course ideally the cultivation or strengthening of a desired behaviour after receiving the negative reinforcer. An example would be that an employer informs his or her employee that their work requires some polishing up to meet the customer standards. The employer may go on further to explain that the customer is rather demanding and any negative feedback will tarnish the credibility of the employee. The desired response would be that the employee strives to perform better. Disadvantages of using negative reinforcement would be when the desired behaviour is not achieved. For instance a child was punished for strewing his toys on the floor by facing the wall and repeatedly saying he will not throw his things on the floor. He kept repeating the act and undergoing the punishment but he never understood why he should not leave his things on the floor. That is a negative outcome . Different organisations may choose to employ different styles of reinforcements or non at all. Commercial and non-commercial organisations may also use different approaches. One may use positive reinforcements to encourage repetition of the desired behaviours. Others may use negative reinforcements to discourage behaviours that are not in line with their policies. There are slight differences in how public and private schools educate their students. In general, schools tend to use negative reinforcements on rule breaking students as a method to educate them. The typical examples are verbal reprimands, being sent out of the classrooms, detentions, etc. There is an element of shame within these punishments which is intended to allow the students to discover how to behave well. Critics oppose to the use of negative reinforcements in schools and largely recommend the use of positive reinforcements. Negative reinforcements are used and positive reinforcements are easily ignored due to the strong cultural ethos that encourages the use of punishments. The use of punishments is effective ninety-five percent of the time. The remaining students are those with challenging behaviours who do not respond to traditional forms of punishments. So unless figures show otherwise, Skinner’s hope that positive reinforcement be used totally cannot be easily realized and punishments will still be the tool employed by schools to educate and to deter wayward behaviours. The proverb â€Å"spare the rod and spoil the child† explains the continued use of such traditional methods of educating (Maag J.W., 01-01-2001). It is a good point to emphasise that the discussion is on the use of negative reinforcements on students to shape a desired behaviour and not on punishments. Punishments here are merely the reinforcers or the tools of reinforcement. Maag suggests using new approaches to handle challenging students which are effective reinforcers which are ideally negative but wi thout the use of punishments (Maag J.W., 05-01-2001). Commercial organizations depending on situations, use positive and negative reinforcements. Although there is no premeditated use of scheduled reinforcements on encouraging desired behaviours and discouraging undesired behaviours, some managers do enforce them. As more managers understand the needs for better and efficient management styles, they also understand that subordinates seek job satisfaction. Job satisfaction can be achieved in many ways such as pay rises, day offs, or even simple words of encouragement, praises and recognition (Zielinski D., 05-01-2001). More than often the occasional verbal praises for a job well done does a lot to make an employee feel appreciated. Researches have shown that positive reinforcements increase the attendance of workers, improve their performances and also increase safety awareness. Negative reinforcements are sometimes used on the occasional lackadaisical employees. Romero and Kleiner believes that the use of positive reinforcements is a management concept, and that it should be used in the workplace both domestic and international (Romero J., Kleiner B.H.). Research was done on people in several countries on the relation between personality and motivational traits and work related attitudes. It is found that the use of positive reinforcements greatly motivated workers and the whole economy of the country gained greater growths. In bad management styles, employees are swiftly reprimanded for failing to attain their employers’ standards and are often not complimented for completing their tasks excellently. Many are so accustomed to these practices that they begin to become complacent due to the lack of recognition and rewards. The failure to positively reinforce an employees’ good performance which is a form of extinction may discourage them from giving more than they should since no recognition or rewards will be given for it. Much research has been done on operant conditioners. More people are aware of the existence of positive and negative reinforcements. More are championing the use of positive reinforcements to increase productivity, attendances, safety awareness, job satisfaction and to reduce absenteeism and accidents. Depending on the situations, positive and negative reinforcements when applied strategically can be effective in strengthening a desired behaviour. Strategic application of reinforcements would mean the use of reinforcements at intermittent schedules such as at fixed ratios or variable ratios combined with the understanding of what motivates their subjects of interest. Doing away with punishments may be the ideal case for Skinner, I believe that it is not possible to do away. However we can reduce the use of punishments when positive reinforcements are adequately and effectively employed. The advantages of the use of positive reinforcements are highly explanatory of itself. References: mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/proj/nru/opcond.html, Operant Conditioning Basics, Accessed 28/08/05 Maag J.W., 01-01-2001, Rewarded by punishment: Reflections on the disuse of positive reinforcements in schools [elibrary], http://elibrary.bigchalk.com.proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/ libweb/australia/do/document?set=searchgroupid=1requestid= lib_australiaresultid=1edition= ts=B4E4C92E89D05327EF55EBECBC8E285F_1128427488378urn=urn%3 Abigchalk%3AUS%3BBCLib%3Bdocument%3B40887961, 2001 The Council for Exceptional Children, Accessed 28/08/05 Maag J.W., 05-01-2001, Management of surface behavior: A new look at an old approach[elibrary], Counseling and Human Development, http://elibrary.bigchalk.com. proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/libweb/australia/do/document ?set=searchgroupid=1requestid=lib_australiaresultid=107 edition=ts=36D65314D08785A2310AB40D5723A400_112843611954 5urn=urn%3Abigchalk%3AUS%3BBCLib%3Bdocument%3B45689102, Accessd 04/09/2005 Mazur J.E.,1986, Learning and Behavior (Third Edition), Prentice Hall Romero J., Kleiner B.H., Global Trends in Motivating Employees [Emerald FullText], Management Research News, emeraldinsight.com.proxy.library.adelaide. edu.au/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType= ArticlehdAction=lnkpdfcontentId=866695, Accessed 28/08/05 Skinner B.F., 1953, Science and Human Behaviour, New York: Macmillan Skinner B.F., 1969, Contingencies of Reinforcement: A Theoretical Analysis, New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts Strain P.S., Joseph G.E., 01-01-2004, A Not So Good Job with Good Job: A Response to Kohn 2001 [elibrary], Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, http://elibrary.bigchalk.com.proxy.library.adelaide. edu.au/libweb/australia/do/document?set=searchgroupid= 1requestid=lib_australiaresultid= 19edition=ts=B4E4C92E89D05327EF55EBECBC8E285F_1128 427488378urn=urn%3Abigchalk%3AUS%3BBCLib%3Bdocument% 3B89268459, Accessed 02/09/2005 Walker S., 1975, Learning and Reinforcement, Mathuen Co Ltd Zielinski D., 05-01-2001, Motivating the masses [elibrary], Presentations, http://elibrary.bigchalk. com.proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/libweb/australia/do/ document?set=searchgroupid=1requestid=lib_australiaresultid= 198edition=ts=36D65314D08785A2310AB40D5723A400_11284 37775279urn=urn%3Abigchalk%3AUS%3BBCLib%3Bdocument% 3B78062471, Accessed 10/09/2005 Research Papers on Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Positive and Negative Reinforcement - Management EssayThree Concepts of PsychodynamicIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfResearch Process Part OneCapital Punishment

November Calendar of Famous Inventions and Birthdays

November Calendar of Famous Inventions and Birthdays November is the month of Thanksgiving and some of the best inventions that made their official public debut with the registration of their patents, trademarks, or copyrights. Literary works, new methods of manufacturing, and new products all made their appearance for the first time in November. Throughout history, the 11th month of the year has also been when many great  inventors and scientists were born, and you can find out which famous figures and inventions share your November birthday below. Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights From the birth of Apple Jacks cereal  to several special  Thanksgiving  Day inventions, there are many great creations that got their official start with the registration of their patents, trademarks, and copyrights in the month of November. November 1 1966: Apple Jacks cereal was trademark registered. November 2 1955: Jim Hensons Kermit the Frog, the first Muppet, was copyright registered. November 3 1903: Listerine was trademark registered. November 4 1862: Richard Gatling received a patent for the machine gun. November 5 1901:  Henry Ford received a patent for a motor carriage. November 6 1928: Colonel Jacob Schick patented the first electric razor. November 7 1955: The movie Guys and Dolls, based on stories by Damon Runyon,  was copyright registered. November 8 1956: Cecile B Demilles The Ten Commandments was copyright registered. November 9 1842: George Bruce received the first design patent for printing typefaces. November 10 1981: The board game Trivial Pursuit was registered. November 11 1901:  NABISCO, the snack food manufacturer, was trademark registered. November 12 1940: Batman, the original comic strip, was trademark registered. November 13 1979:  Robert Jarvik was granted a patent for an artificial heart. November 14 1973: Patsy Sherman and Samuel Smith obtained a patent for a method for treating carpets known as Scotchguard. November 15 1904: Patent Number 775,134 was granted to King C. Gillette for a safety razor. November 16 1977: Stephen Spielbergs Close Encounters of the Third Kind was copyright registered. November 17 1891:  Emile Berliner was issued a patent for a combined telegraph and telephone. November 18 1952:  ELMERS glue was trademark registered. November 19 1901:  Granville Woods was issued a patent for a third rail to operate electrified railways. November 20 1923: Patent Number 1,475,024 was granted to Garrett Morgan for a traffic signal. November 21 1854: Issac Von Bunschoten patented a rosin-oil lamp. November 22 1904: Design patent for the Congressional Medal of Honor was granted to George Gillespie. November 23 1898:  Andrew Beard was granted a patent for a railway car coupler. November 24 1874: Patent Number 157,124 was granted to Joseph Glidden for barbed wire fencing. November 25 1975: Robert S. Ledley was granted patent Number 3,922,522 for diagnostic X-ray systems known as the CAT-Scan. November 26 1895: Russell Penniman received a patent for a transparent photographic film. November 27 1894: Mildred Lord was granted a patent for a washing machine. November 28 1905: ARM HAMMER baking soda was trademark registered. November 29 1881: Francis Blake was granted a patent for the speaking phone. November 30 1858: John Mason patented the screw neck bottle called the Mason Jar. November Birthdays From Marie Curie, who discovered radium, to the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, who invented the sandwich, November has given birth to a number of influential scientists and inventors throughout history. Listed by date and year they were born, the following famous figures changed the world with the accomplishments they made in their lifetimes. November 1 1950: Robert B. Laughlin  was an American physicist who won the 1998 Nobel Prize in physics for producing  body wave function in the  fractional quantum Hall effect.1880: Alfred L Wegener was a German meteorologist that revealed the continental shift.1878: Carlos Saavedra Lamas was an Argentinian who was the first to be awarded the Latin American Nobel Peace Prize in 1936. November 2 1929: Amar Bose was an electrical engineer with a Ph.D. from MIT and the founder and chairman of Bose Corporation, which patented advanced speakers that mimic being inside a concert hall.1942: Shere Hite is an author and sex therapist, who wrote the Hite Report. November 3 1718: John Montague was the Fourth Earl of Sandwich and the inventor of the  sandwich. November 4 1912: Pauline Trigere was the fashion designer that created bell-bottom pants.1923: Alfred Heineken was a beer brewer that founded Heineken  beer. November 5 1534: Carlos Saavedra Lamas was a German botanist and physician who wrote the first horticulture catalog.1855: Leon P Teisserenc de Bort was a French meteorologist who discovered the existence of Earths stratosphere.1893: Raymond Loewy was an American industrial designer that designed everything from Coca-Cola vending machines to  Pennsylvania Railroads S1 steam locomotive.1930: Frank Adams was a British mathematician, who greatly advanced concepts of  homotopy theory.1946:  Patricia K Kuhl is a speech and hearing scientist and a major contributor to the neuroscience, language acquisition, and speech recognition communities. November 6 1771: Alois Senefelder invented  lithography.1814: Adolphe Sax was the Belgium musician who invented the saxophone.1861:  James Naismith  invented the rules of basketball. November 7 1855: Edwin H. Hall was an American physicist who discovered the Hall effect.1867: Marie Curie  was the French scientist who discovered radium and won the Nobel Prize in 1903 and 1911.1878: Lise Meitner was the Austrian-Swedish physicist who discovered protactinium.1888: Chandrasekhara Raman was the Indian physicist who won the Nobel Prize for Physics for his advancements in the study of light scattering in 1930.1910: Edmund Leach was a British social anthropologist who greatly influenced the field of British structural-functionalism.1950: Alexa Canady was the first black woman to become a neurosurgeon. November 8 1656: English astronomer Edmund Halley discovered the Halley comet.1922: Christiaan Barnard was a South African surgeon who performed the first heart transplant.1923:  Jack Kilby  was an American scientist who  invented the integrated circuit (the microchip).1930: Edmund Happold was the structural engineer who founded engineering constituency. November 9 1850: Lewis Lewin was a German toxicologist who is considered the father of psychopharmacologist.1897: Ronald G. W. Norrish was a British chemist who won the Nobel Prize in 1967 for the development of flash photolysis.1906: Arthur Rudolph was a German rocket engineer who helped develop the American space program. November 10 1819: Cyrus West Field financed the first transatlantic cable.1895: John Knudsen Northrop was an aircraft designer who founded Northrop Air.1918: Ernst Fischer is the German chemist who won the Nobel Prize in 1973 for pioneering the field of organometallic chemistry. November 11 1493: Paracelsus was the  Swiss scientist who is known as the father of toxicology. November 12 1841: John W. Rayleigh was the English physicist won the Nobel prize in 1904 for discovering argon. November 13 1893: Edward A. Doisy Sr. was an American biochemist who invented a way to manufacture Vitamin K1 and won the Nobel prize in 1943.1902: Gustav von Koenigswald was a paleontologist who found Pithecanthropus erectus. November 14 1765:  Robert Fulton  built the first steamboat.1776: Henri Dutrochet discovered and named the process of osmosis.1797: Charles Lyell was  a Scottish geologist who wrote The Principles of Geology.1863:  Leo Baekeland  was a Belgian-American chemist who invented the  bakelite. November 15 1793: Michel Chasles was a  French mathematician who  specialized in geometry. November 16 1857: Henry Potonie was a German geologist who studied coal formation. November 17 1906: Soichiro Honda was the founder and first CEO of the Honda Motor Company.1902: Eugene Paul Wigner was a  Mathematician and physicist and the co-inventor of the A-Bomb who won the Nobel Prize in 1963. November 18 1839: August A. Kundt was a  German physicist who researched sound vibration and invented the test of Kundt.1897: British physicist, Patrick M. S. Blackett invented a nuclear reaction won the Nobel Prize in 1948.1906: American physiologist/biologist, George Wald won the Nobel prize in 1967. November 19 1912: George E Palade is cell biologist who discovered ribosomes and won the Nobel Prize in 1974.1936: Yuan T. Lee is a Taiwanese chemist who was the first from the country to win a Nobel Prize for his work on the dynamics of chemical elementary processes. November 20 1602: Otto von Guericke invented the air pump.1886: Karl von Frisch was a zoologist and bee expert who won the Nobel Prize in 1973.1914: Emilio Pucci is an Italian fashion designer known for his prints.1916: Robert A. Bruce was a pioneer in exercise cardiology. November 21 1785: William Beaumont was a surgeon who was first to research digestion.1867: Vladimir N. Ipatiev was a  Russian petroleum chemist who made huge advancements in the field. November 22 1511: Erasmus Reinhold was the German mathematician who calculated planetary table.1891: Erik Lindahl was a  Swedish economist who wrote The Theory of Money and Capital.1919: Wilfred Norman Aldridge was a biochemist and toxicologist. November 23 1924: Colin Turnbull was an anthropologist and one of the first ethnomusicologist who wrote The Forest People and The Mountain People.1934: Rita Rossi Colwell is an  environmental microbiologist  whos known around the world for her research. November 24 1953: Tod Machover is an  American composer who invented the use of new technology in music. November 25 1893: Joseph Wood Krutch was an American environmentalist and writer whose nature books on the American Southwest and critiques of reductionistic science made him famous.1814: Julius Robert Mayer was a  German scientist who was one of the founders of thermodynamics.1835: Andrew Carnegie was an industrialist and a noted philanthropist. November 26 1607: John Harvard was a clergyman and scholar who founded Harvard University.1876:  Willis Haviland Carrier  invented air-conditioning equipment.1894: Norbert Wiener was the American mathematicians who invented cybernetics.1913: Joshua William Steward invented polymath. November 27 1701: Anders Celsius was a Swedish scientist who invented the centigrade temperature scale.1894: Forrest Shaklee founded Shaklee Products.1913: Frances Swem Anderson was a technologist who researched nuclear medicine.1955: Scientist actor, Bill Nye is a scientist and actor who hosts a show on Netflix about science based on his original Bill Nye the Science Guy show from the 80s and 90s. November 28 1810: William Froude was an English engineer and a naval architect.1837:  John Wesley Hyatt  invented celluloid.1854: Gottlieb J. Haberlandt was a German botanist who discovered plant tissue cultures. November 29 1803: Christian Doppler was an Austrian physicist who invented Doppler effect radar.1849:  John Ambrose Fleming  invented the first practical electron tube called the Fleming Valve and the vacuum tube diode.1911: Klaus Fuchs was a British atomic physicist who was arrested for being a spy.1915: Earl W. Sutherland was the American pharmacologist who won the Nobel Prize in 1971 for discoveries concerning the mechanisms of the actions of hormones. November 30 1827: Ernest H. Baillon was a French botanist who wrote The History of Plants.1889: Edgar D. Adrian was an  English physiologist who won the Nobel Prize in 1932 for his work on neurons.1915: Henry Taube was a chemist who won the Nobel prize in 1983 for his work  in the mechanisms of electron-transfer reactions, especially in metal complexes.

Business ethic homework 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business ethic homework 2 - Essay Example hical principle of deontology which states that actions as well as decisions can be regarded as ethical or morally correct if the maxim which refers to the intention as well as the reason of that particular act or decision is based on doing well to the society (Shaw 66). One of the critics of Kant’s ethical theory is that not all actions are considered ethical or legal in all regions, actions are considered as ethical or unethical depending on where they occur. 3. The two ways through which Kant believes that categorical imperative can be formulated is that while an individual takes an action, the reason behind that particular action should be that he/she is ready to face the same action when it is carried out against him in same or any other situation (Hayden 18). The second way of formulating the categorical imperative is that people should take actions while considering other individuals as ends and not simply considering them as means to achieve

Risks in Becoming Oneself in Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Risks in Becoming Oneself in Society - Essay Example The first risk that is related to becoming oneself is related to the culture and the surrounding pressures that are in each environment. This comes from the pressures that others place on you, specifically which can cause one to lose their true self. In my instance, I find that there is a lot of pressure that comes from different social groups. The first social group that tries to define my personal identity is the peer group that I am surrounded by. Going to college is one that automatically changes this peer identity and leads into a definition from the old group to the newer groups that are into different activities and concepts. However, neither of these groups can truly identify the personality and the true self. Understanding which parts of my identity fit into this group, as well as which I have to overcome, both create a different risk. Some of the risks is one that is established with my choices of identity and what will be accepted, while others relate to what doesn’ t fit into groups and how to approach this within different groups. The second concept that applies to my identity and the way that it is redefined by different social groups is with the family and surrounding friends in different age groups. Most of the relations that I have outside of school and from the college environment are older than I am. This is related to the identity that most expect me to have at the age of 17, as well as how this relates to the expectations of the age, culture, and understanding at this age. Family and older acquaintances often assume that I will act or be a specific way, which causes a loss of respect. This identity is one that continuously has to be battled and approached with changed attitudes so the idea of my age doesn’t interfere with the inner belief of who I am.

The company aims and objectives

The company aims and objectives 1 Introduction Strategic management is the way a business will formulate, implement and evaluate its decisions across the departments in order to help the company to achieve its objectives. It means using the company aims and objectives to develop policies and plans, allocate resources in order to implement the plans and then evaluate whether this has been successful. Strategic Planning ensures that an organisation is doing the right things. If a business needs to change the way it runs its business operations then a strategic plan explains what the organisation is changing to. Once it has determined the right things to do, it devolves accountability for doing them right to one or more business plans (Guest 1989). Every organisation has a mission statement setting out its aims and objectives and strategy can be defined as â€Å"The determination of the basic long-term goals and objective of an enterprise and the adoption of courses of action and the allocation of resources necessary for carrying out these goals† (Alfred Chandler, 1963). Johnson and Scholes (2002 p13) suggested that a company needs a mission and mission statements; a vision or strategic intent; goals; objectives; unique resources and core competences, strategies and control. Strategy was ‘the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term: ideally which mat ches its resources to its changing environment, and in particular to its markets, customers or clients, so as to meet stakeholder expectations. To continue in business and be profitable every business needs a strategy and according to McGee et al (2005)strategy is the ability of a company to thrive and survive. The report will outline the stages, steps and procedures that should be implemented to carryout a strategic analysis as part of the strategic management process. The New Vintage Car Company is a specialist organisation which has a small niche in the specialist car market and a mission statement, objectives and strategic intent. 1.1 Aims and Objectives of the report The aim of the report is write a report about a chosen firm within the automotive industry (real or invented) indicating the stages, steps and processes involved in the planning and analysis, formulation and implementation and evaluation of the strategic management process. 1.2 Objectives To understand the importance and characteristics of strategic management to all forms of organisation To investigate a range of strategic management models and their strengths and weaknesses To consider the relevance for strategic management of organisational culture and ethics To analyse and evaluate a range of strategic management models To apply and to tailor models of strategic management as appropriate 2 Stage One Strategic analysis Generally there are two main approaches to strategic management the organisational approach dealing with competitive advantage, resource allocation and economies or scale and the the human approach. According to Arieu (2007), ‘there is strategic consistency when the actions of an organization are consistent with the expectations of management, and these in turn are with the market and the context. Strategic management can be bottom-up, top-down, or collaborative processes which means that in the bottom up approach employees send in proposals to their managers who choose the best ideas which are assessed through capital budgeting processes such as return on investment or cost benefit whilst the top-down approach is where the CEO and the planning team make the decisions. Johnson (1999 p154) advised that strategic planning was the ‘process of drawing up long-term, wide ranging plans in accordance with the organisations main aims and will involve analysing customer expectations, competitive pressures and overall changes in the market. Operational planning on the other hand was the development of plans for a specific operation within the organisation whether it was for a product or a service. He added that although organisations used information from analysis, quantified objectives which became the organisations targets for a planned period of time, could be based on ‘ guesswork. Strategic management is an ongoing process that evaluates and controls the business and the industries in which the company is involved; assesses its competitors and sets goals and strategies to meet all existing and potential competitors; and then reassesses each strategy annually or quarterly [i.e. regularly] to determine how it has been implemented and whether it has succeeded or needs replacement by a new strategy to meet changed circumstances, new technology, new competitors, a new economic environment., or a new social, financial, or political environment. (Lamb, 1984:ix). As the New Vintage Car Company is a small specialist business it is very much a very collaborative style of strategic management with the 10 main employees taking part in management decisions. 2.1 Strategic management theories Strategic management was a concept which was developed in the 1950s and 1960s which theorised that gathering all the functions under one strategy and coordinating the different departments. Chandler (1962) showed that a long-term coordinated strategy was necessary to give a company structure, direction, and focus stating that ‘structure follows strategy. Selznick theorised that an organisations internal functions should be matched to any external environmental circumstances through SWOT analysis which was developed by the Harvard Business School General Management Group. Anscoff developed a strategy grid to compare market penetration strategies, product development strategies, market development strategies, horizontal and vertical integration and diversification strategies and a gap analysis. Druckers (1969) management by objectives (MBO) meant that companies set objectives and then monitored if they had been achieved and suggested the use of team work. Function strategies incl ude marketing strategies such as new product development strategies, human resource strategies, financial strategies, legal strategies, supply-chain strategies, and information technology management strategies dealing with short and medium term plans. However, Mintzberg (1988) thought of strategy as a process or pattern of behaviour which has evolved over time and necessitated fluidity and the realization that there were unpredictable issues which could arise. 2.2 Analysis Part of the planning process for a company would be to analyse the current market place and the companys position in it. This could be done through various analysis techniques such as PEST, SWOT, Gap analysis, Porters generic strategy analysis. 2.2.1 PEST analysis The PEST analysis could be used by the organisation to look into market growth or decline whilst investigating the position of the company, its potential for future growth and the direction the business should take. PEST stands for Political, Economic, Social and Technological factors, and can be used in conjunction with SWOT which are the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis. PEST can be extended to PESTLE by adding Environmental and Legal or even adding any Political and demographic issues as STEEPLED (Grundy 2006). 2.2.2 SWOT analysis In order to see where the company is in the market place, a SWOT analysis will need to be undertaken. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Strengths would be the type of business and whether is has been well established in the area and has a loyal customer base Weaknesses are anything which may hinder the company in achieving its objectives and which may need to be changed such as financial constraints. Opportunities are the things a companies can use to progress Threats are the issues which affect a company and could potentially threaten the companys futuresuch as thecredit crunch with suppliers closing down, transport costs rising and banks not lending money (Armstrong 1982 p198 Hill Westbrook 1997). 2.2.3 Gap analysis The company will need to judge where there is a gap in the market, either a place for their product or where the company is at the moment and where they would like to be and so the difference is the gap. After this analyis the company needs to decide how to bridge the gap either through a strategic approach or a tactical/operational approach. The tactical operational approach would make use of the Marketing Mix Product, Place, Price, Promotion 2.2.4 The value chain Porter (1998) also theorized that a company could be successful if it contributed to the industry it was in via a value chain which meant that everything a company does should be questioned in terms of what value it adds in the eyes of the final customer. In 1993,John Kay stated that ‘adding value is the central purpose of business activity. 2.3 Competitor analysis A company needs to analyse what its competitors are doing, how well they are doing it and whether they are a real threat. 2.3.1 Competitive advantage and Porters 5 Forces theory Porters 5 Forces Model New entrants, Industry competitors, Suppliers, buyers and substitutes is a useful theory can help for an organisation to formulate the appropriate strategies to be successful in their market (Thurlby, 1998). Porters theory takes 5 elements which can influence a business such as New Entrants to the market and Industry competitors are there any new or similar companies setting up in business which could be a threat and which customers will choose instead of the original company; Suppliers who may be powerful enough to put up prices which the company has to pay or even refusing to do business with the company; Buyers how customers can put pressure on the company to lower prices or alter product lines; Substitutes customers changing to alternative products from another company if there is a product price increase; the use of price cutting and aggressive marketing by other similar rival companies; (Porter 1998). 2.4 The Competitive-positioning approach Companies need to be aware of the competitions own strategies at all times. A competitive advantage can be attained by organisations if the current strategy is value-creating, and not currently being used or activated by competitors or future competitors (Barney, 1991, p102). Choosing the correct market level is important as too high will lose customers and too low may see to many competitors. Porter (1995) thought that there were three routes to competitive advantage. A firm either (1) focused on a particular customer group (2) Specialised in skills competitors cannot match or (3) became the lowest cost producer. Having the competitive advantage means that a company must outperform its competitors by delivering superior value to customers and, in doing so, earn an above average financial return for the company and its stakeholders. Doing this successfully over a long period is sustainable competitive advantage which requires that they outperform their competitors for a long period in a way that customers are prepared to purchase at a sufficiently high price. Campbell et al (2007) argued that there were 8 areas which need to be considered for competitive and sustainable competitive advantage to continue for a company. They need to have a strategic intent to stretch the organisation in the future and be willing to work at continuous improvement which includes inputs, processes and outputs of products and services. They would need to work in a different way to their competitors and importantly they need to be perceived to be better by their customers who need to believe that they are the main r eason for the company being in business to serve their customers. The company must build on their core competences by continuous internal review and keep communication channels open both internally and externally. Its core competency is the restoring of classic cars and all the skills which go with this. The management must be aware that the business environment is constantly changing and they must be prepared to change with it especially during the current recession They need to be aware of their competitors but also know when collaboration and co-operation with competitors through strategic alliances is a necessity. 3 Stage Two Strategic formulation The New Vintage Car Company has formulated a strategy through the planning and analysis of companys SWOT and the gap analysis as well as having looked at the competition which is a few other similar small businesses. Strategy formulation is the process of determining appropriate courses of action for achieving organizational objectives and staying a profitable business. Johnson and Scholes (2002 p11) theorised that there were different levels of strategy: (1) corporate dealing with the ‘overall purpose and scope of an organisation and how value can be added to the business areas of the company and when a company has decided on its products and the market it should compete in (2) business unit strategy deals with how a company can achieve an advantage over its competitors and what opportunities can be identified or created and competitive strategy which is when the company sets out the framework for success in the market it has chosen with goal setting, commitment of resources a nd the monitoring or strategies and (3) operational strategy is how the different areas of a company deliver the corporate strategies with reference to resources, people and processes. Once the strategy has been formulated, the company needs a mission statement, set the aims and objectives and conduct the internal and external analyis of the niche in the market. The company would then implement the strategy by undertaking certain steps such as entering into a partnership or expanding distribution outlets. The strategy will then need to be reviewed. The strategy formulated by a company should reflect an environmental analysis as well as the organisaitonal vision, mission statement and organisational objectives. The way to formulate strategic plans is to use three steps which find out where the company is now, determine where the company wants to go, and then determines how to get there. This may require to take certain precautionary measures or even to change the entire strategy. Johnson and Scholes (2002) strategic model looks at three criteria suitability and whether it will work; feasibility and whether it is possible to make it work and acceptability and whether the strategies will be successful. 3.1 Suitability The strategies for the company need to be suitable for that company and its current and future position in the market. The question to ask is is it economical to pursue the strategies and would there be any cost advantages for the business due expansion (economies of scale) referring to efficiencies associated with supply-side changes, such as increasing or decreasing the scale of production, of a single product type? The company needs to also address the question of economies of scope which means efficiencies primarily associated with demand-side changes, such as increasing or decreasing the scope of marketing or distribution. A company which sells many product lines, sells the same product in many countries, or sells many product lines in many countries will benefit from reduced risk levels as a result of its economies of scope. If one of its product lines falls out of fashion or one country has an economic slowdown, the company will, most likely, be able to continue trading. Thin king of its customers the company needs to look at the experience economy and what their customers will get and how they will feel they receive not only value for money but are getting something extra and feel part of the company experience. This encourages company loyalty. The New Vintage Car Company has a loyal customer base in the UK and has overseas customers in countries where the current financial downturn has not had such as great impact. The company would make use of decision tree analysis and what if analysis. 3.2 Feasibility Feasibility is concerned with the resources required to implement the strategy and whether they are available now or need to be developed or obtained. The resources which would need to be looked at would be (1) finance and funding and whether the company would have enough capital without taking on a loan or issuing more shares; (2) people and whether there would need to be a recruitment drive to employ more skilled craftspeople or even take on apprentices; (3) time and whether the length of time it would take would be prohibitive or whether the time scales involved would be acceptable and (4) information and whether the company has enough expertise and knowledge to expand using the strategies. For this the New Vintage Car Company would need to undertake a cash flow analysis and forecast as well as a break even analysis and a deployment analysis. 3.3 Acceptability Acceptability deals with how the main stakeholders of a company will accept any new strategies. The stakeholders in a company are the shareholders, employees and customers. They will need to know the expected performance outcomes and whether there are risks and what the consequences of a failed strategy would be for the company. The shareholders would want to know that there would be returns on their investments either financial or non financial and the employees would expect improved pay or career prospects and customers would be concerned that they would still get the quality they were used to. An ideal tool for this would be stakeholder mapping. Therefore the formulation of a good workable strategy for the New Vintage Car Company is essential. Strategic formulation allows the company to plan its capital budgeting especially where there are limited funds and capital funds need to be invested where they can be most effective for all the stakeholders. The next stage is implementation. Implementing any strategies will mean a change of some kind. Strategic Planning ensures that an organisation is doing the right things and then doing them right but the strategic plan explains what the organisation is changing to. The Corporate plan would be at the head of the strategic planning with departmental strategic plans and functional strategic plans for other parts of management. What goes into a strategic plan must take into account the needs of the stakeholders, any environmental risks and threats plus the competencies, resources and values that the company has. (http://www.changeperform.com.au/strategic_plan_process.html) 4 Stage Three Strategic implementation and evaluation In order to implement the plans made, there will need to be an allocation of resources including money, people, time and computer support and establishing a chain of command with specific responsibilities given to individuals or groups. This also includes the right training for employees. Strategic management can often be planned or unplanned in that there are unpredictable circumstances as well as those which can be planned for. Once the strategy has been implemented, it will need to be evaluated as to its success or failure once again through SWOT analysis for company strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats both internal and external. The changes that could affect an organisation are any Political Changes such as a change in government, legislation, taxation,; any Economic Changes such as inflation, interest rates, unemployment; Social Changes such as population trends Technological Changes such as breakthroughs, new products and technologies, Implementing any strategies will need time and effort but they should not be imposed. The management of change is an important part of strategic implementation. Change cannot be forced on employees or implemented too quickly or there will be industrial problems. The idea of change is opposed for many reasons including job insecurity; fear of loss of status; pay cuts and job losses; breaks in routine; learning new skills and methods; change of work site and work colleagues. As the New Vintage Car Company is a small business it may be able to weather any of the changes which could affect the business. As the business uses a collaborative approach to management, the employees are part of the decision making process and the strategies which would affect them would be discussed collectively The Paton-Johnson model (2007 p109) can be used, as it suggests sequential stages for the management of change through initial conversations about change; diagnosis of what needs to be changes, how and why; the development of a new vision for the organisation and its employees which is shared and a plan to implement the changes. A useful addition to strategic strategies is Warrs Vitamin Model (1987) which considers the well being of company staff and the changes made in the organisation as vitamins to help the health of the company. Healthy minded employees work well and increase production which benefits the company. Employees need to know they are valued and respected within an organisation and if they do not feel this way they are discontent. 5 Conclusions There are many reasons why strategies fail and companies fail with them. Companies need to understand their market and their competition both now and in the future, know their own strengths and weaknesses and be aware of any opportunities which may come and any threats which are looming. The New Vintage Car Company will need to be confident of their employees competence in handling the new strategy and to introduce the changes gradually and with communication, cooperation and participation. Although strategic management is a complex process it can be handled efficiently although too much constraint may be limiting any future visions for the company. As a collaborative company there are just as many pitfalls as for those with top-down management style ‘too many cooks as well as ‘dictatorships. Strategic management consists of interpreting, and continuously reinterpreting, the possibilities presented by changing circumstances for achieving an organizations objectives. Strategic management processes are essential for an organisations success but they need to be paced and not rushed as this is where mistakes are made. The aim of the report was write a report about a chosen firm within the automotive industry (real or invented) indicating the stages, steps and processes involved in the planning and analysis, formulation and implementation and evaluation of the strategic management process. This was achieved through a brief investigation into the strategic levels associated with the New Vintage Car Company. The objectives of the report were o understand the importance and characteristics of strategic management to all forms of organisation and this was achieved through a review of the levels of the strategic management process and the theories and models with strengths and weaknesses. References Ansoff, I (1965) Corporate Strategy New York: McGraw Hill, Argyle, M. (1972, p.201) The Social Psychology of work, Penguin UK Armstrong J S (1982). The Value of Formal Planning for Strategic Decisions Strategic Management Journal 3: 197-211. Axelrod, R. and Cohen, M. (1999) Harnessing Complexity: Organizational implications of a scientific frontier New York: The Free Press, Chandler A (1962) Strategy and Structure: Chapters in the history of industrial enterprise, New York: Doubleday, Chartered Institute Of Personnel And Development. (2005) Managing change: the role of the psychological contract. Change agenda. London: CIPD. David, F (1989) Strategic Management, Columbus: Merrill Publishing Company, Drucker, Peter (1954) The Practice of Management, New York: Harper and Row, Grundy , T. (2006) Rethinking and reinventing Michael Porters five forces model. Strategic Change. Vol 15, No 5, August. pp213-229 Henry A. (2008) Understanding Strategic Management Oxford University Press Hughes, M. (2006) Change Management: A Critical Perspective. London: Chartered Institute Of Personnel And Development. Johnson B (1999) Introducing Management : a development guide for new managers Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann Johnson A Paton K (2007) Health Promotion and Health Services: Management for Change Oxford: Oxford University Press pp107-128 Johnson G Scholes K (2002) Exploring Corporate Strategy London: Pearson Education Ltd Lamb, R B (1984) Competitive strategic management, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, McGee et al (2005) Strategy: Analysis and Practice UK: McGraw Hill Moncrieff, J. Is strategy making a difference? Long Range Planning Review, vol 32, no2, pp273-276. Michaud C Thoenig J C (2003) Making strategy and organization compatible. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Mink/Esterhuysen/Mink/Owen, (1993) Change at Work Action Science Approach cited in Schumacher W D, (1997) Managing Barriers to Business Reengineering Success (Business Process Management Group) (www.bpmg.org) Pettigrew A. and Whipp R. 1993 p.5 Managing for Competitive Success Oxford: Blackwell Porter, M. (1980a) How Competition Forces Shape Strategy, Harvard Business Review, September-October, pp.137-145. Porter, M. (1980b) Competitive Strategy, New York: Free Press. Porter, M. (1998) Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors, New York: Free Press. Turner S. (2002) Tools for success: a managers guide. London: McGraw Hill. Warr P (1987) Work, Unemployment and Mental Health Oxford: Oxford Unviersity Press http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/ corpstrtgy/changemmt/chngmgmt.htm accessed 10 May 09 Harvard Business School (2002) Toward Continuous Change: Staying Competitive Through Change Harvard Business School Press (http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?referral=3035id=7188BC) accessed 12 May 09 Appendix A The New Vintage Car Company is a small specialist car making company which restores old classic cars but it looking to branch out into making new build cars based on the classic models of previous decades through a partnership with another small car company which produces self build car building kits for classic cars such as the MG. The company employs a skilled team of classic car body builders, wheelers, panel beaters, wing makers, and fender manufacturers who are skilled in working aluminium, steel, stainless steel, copper, brass and magnesium alloy as well as restoring ash frames from old cars or fabricating new wooden frames. The company has experience as vintage car coachbuilders has helped with classic car projects, from manufacturers including: Alvis; Amilcar; Auto Union; AC; Alfa Romeo; Aston Martin; Allard; Austro Daimler; Bentley; Bugatti; Bristol; BMW; Cadillac; Cisitalia; Cooper; Daimler; Delahaye; Delage; Invicta; Jaguar; Lotus; Lancia; Lagonda; Lamborghini; Maserati; Mercedes; Morgan; Porcshe; Riley; Rolls-Royce; Railton; Sunbeam; Tojeiro; Vauxhall; Veritas. The company has successfully completed a wide range of car commissions, from simple body repairs on existing bodywork to complete restorations and new bodies, sometimes from the most basic of plans. Commissions are from the whole of world motoring history, from fantastic exotica such as the 1938 Alfa Romeo Bimotore and two 1930s Grand Prix Auto-Unions, to a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Gull-Wing Magnesium Coupà ©. (adapted from http://www.rodjolley.com/flash/flashed.html)

Interpretive Essay Essay

Section 1 The child that I am working with is a four year old female named Briniyah. She is in preschool and learning new letters each day. Briniyah is my daughter and I am worried about her not learning phonics as she learns new letters. One day over Christmas break we were reviewing her letter and I asked her â€Å"what sound does the letter B make? † and she said â€Å"Mommy, I don’t know. † This situation concerned me because I am an educator and my child does not know phonics. I became worried and began to panic. I soon discussed the situation with her teacher that I had a concern and we created a plan of action to help Briniyah learn phonics more efficiently. My plan consisted of teaching my daughter phonics. I felt like a failure; how can I be an educator and my child not know phonics? I guess I felt bad because my students knew phonics and are the same age as my daughter. My daughter and I went shopping and purchased two Hooked on Phonics booklets. She already has Leap Frog products at home (CD with songs to learn letters and sounds and the fridge phonics kit). We began practicing the letters along with their sounds. I am going to keep her teacher in the loop so we can work together with Briniyah’s development. I believe that learning phonics is a very important part of learning to read. Children cannot learn site words correctly without learning phonics. I am not saying that it is not possible to learn site words without phonics but I believe that the site words will become a part of rote memory instead of learning how to sound words out. Teaching my daughter phonics is going to be a long process that is going to take patience and persistence. I am very focused on my daughter learning phonics and I determined to be her first and best educator. In the end I will be able to measure her success when we review the letters along with their sounds and she can confidently give me the sounds and begin to make words when she puts the sounds together. Section 2 Teaching phonics is going to be a challenge as I stated before. I plan on working with my daughter one-on-one very diligently so she could be successful with learning phonics and learning how to read eventually. My plan of action is for us to sit down each day begin our phonics lesson. We will begin with the letter B of course since it’s the first letter of her name. I will choose the next letter according to the letter she is working on in school. We will go over the letter and its sound. I will use picture cards to help with the phonics lesson; these cards will give her more words and help build her vocabulary as well. Continued communication between her teacher and I is very important. We need to be on the same page to make sure Briniyah is successful with this phonics assignment

Study Abroad Essay Samples - Overview

Study Abroad Essay Samples - Overview Study Abroad Essay Samples - What Is It? Studying abroad gives you the ability to develop into part of the culture of the nation you select. Living abroad is expensive and the education. Study abroad challenged students to reside among different varieties of peoples in various condition. Studying abroad includes challenges, and whether the university receives a sense you're prepared for them, you will move to the peak of the list. Learning new cultures and attempting to get integrated in new societies provides the student a special skill that can't be reached without going abroad, Language skills will surely improve in foreign nations. What's more, studying in a different language may be daunting obstacle that lots of students won't be in a position to overcome. Students from an entirely different culture may also encounter homesickness for a lengthier time period. Of course living abroad will enable you to understand the language better, but should you not talk, you aren't going to improve. The Upside to Study Abroad Essay Samples Before you begin writing, consider what the scholarship committee is searching for in an applicant. Professors are utilised to writing recommendation letters, and will most likely have a generic letter they can utilize. For example, students may experience four seasons in abroad wherever they choose the nation that have four seasons, where it's going to be the absolute most c herish moments for students which never go through the seasons. Properly preparing for a semester abroad is extremely important and can help you make the the majority of your time overseas. Definitions of Study Abroad Essay Samples There are a few essays which are made specifically for UG and MBA applications. The range of Chinese students has increased lately. The analysis abroad application will appear almost like a normal college application. Moreover, students will discover that it is challenging to discover a job, even part-time since most exchange visas don't allow students to work and it's hard to obtain one that does. It is a good idea to look for the one which has an excellent reputation and offers high-quality papers at very affordable prices. There are unlimited explanations for why you should study abroad while you're a student at GW! Studying abroad might be one of the most helpful experiences for a college student. It's still true that you have to be selective in what you compose the study abroad admissions office will want to find that you're mature enough to reside in another nation, but don't be scared to go beyond academics. Studying abroad supplies a global exposure that is quite imperative for one's career building approach. Finally, it abroad enhances employment opportunities that are by the value of education and reputed institutions to broaden the chances to get a good job. To conclude, study abroad has many advantages. Second, it provides the opportunity to travel. For instance, here is among the perfect place to purchase essays on the internet you can go to. If you are happy to earn a memorable impact by means of your essay, it is going to need approaches which are a mixture of the tried-and-tested and the out-of-the-box. The very first part included secondary data collection from various sources associated with the topic of research. Each story is unique and you may make an excellent essay with the gist of reality. Therefore, many students and employees decide to acquire low-cost essay rather than writing it themselves. Because the introduction is so vital, you might want to write it last. Your introduction should grab the reader's interest. By joining a study abroad program, you are going to have the opportunity to find a side of your major that you might not have been exposed to at home. First of all, it's a significant growth experience. Sadly, you are never going to have sufficient time to experience all of them, but using a study abroad program, you can get the opportunity to learn with and about a distinctive culture by diving in and getting hands-on. One reason why studying abroad is getting more important nowadays considering the consequences of globalization, is the worldwide job industry. The New Angle On Study Abroad Essay Samples Just Released If you're still questioning why to study abroad, you should be aware that studying in a different country provides several new pursuit s and interests that you can not have discovered if you'd stayed at home. Whether you have started out in the USA and looking into Study Abroad Programs in Europe, or you're in France and you would like to study fashion in nyc, you may use location as your motivator. Some exchange programs also offer you academic credit. Students are permitted to pick a nation, but might live at any spot within that nation. Naturally, the very first question you ought to be well prepared to explain is the reason that you need to study abroad and not in your house country. Frequently, after visiting a place, individuals say they would love to return. What's more, there are a lot of interesting places to be visited. Even should a student knows a great deal about a country where he will live, there's a probability that he is going to be treated with a few differences. Top Choices of Study Abroad Essay Samples Possessing a study program is one significant component that aids in an outstanding or ganization together with creating a feeling of accountability. The point is to link your distinctive qualities (strong or weak) with real-life experiences in a manner which aids the reader remember you better. Put the exact same amount of effort in your study abroad application. While study abroad student can secure the lifetime experience in every area of life.