Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Precision Pricing for Profit in the New World Order Essay
Precision Pricing for Profit in the New World Order - Essay Example This report discusses the concept of sprint selling by illustrating its basic elements and ways companies can implement this innovative sales approach. Sprint selling is a business technique that focuses on speeding up the time to close in order to increase efficiency and achieve better results for a company. To understand speed selling one must comprehend the consequences of going the opposite direction. All companies depend on having a cash flow in order to keep a business going. If it takes a company more than a year to close out its sales leads the firm is operating in a risky environment because overhead and operating expenses may eat up a company budget prior to achieving the sale. In the process of going for a home run customer that can bring high amounts of the revenue the company, basic necessities must be met, thus this is where sprint selling comes to the rescue. Sprint selling is a process that increases the chances of longevity because it ensures a quick sales turnover where a company obtains many closed sales in short periods of time. Spring selling works best a part of the integrated plan in which sprint selling is ut ilized as a combined strategy that involves the creation of a diversified customer portfolio. The responsibility of obtaining sales for a company is shared by the marketing and sales team. The marketing team concentrates on attracting new customers and sales leads, while the sales team has to follow up on those sales leads and are the ones that must close the sale. This means that the salespeople are the ones that have a greater influence on the total elapsed time of a sale cycle. The sales team has to incorporate a selection strategy of customer prospects that reduce risks associated with both extremes. Sprint selling works best for smaller accounts that require less hassle implying that a company can not solely survive with these accounts in the long term. Bigger accounts require more time and a sprint selling approach realizes the need of having a balance between smaller and larger customer. The approach does encourage to find ways to shorten the overall closing time for big accounts as part of the company overall strategy. Â
Monday, October 28, 2019
Organizational Conflict Essay Example for Free
Organizational Conflict Essay Often when we come across the word conflict, we usually think of more than a simple disagreement. We think of individuals or groups in sharp disagreement over issues, ideas, or interests. This results in an emotional disturbance between the involved parties, with stress developing undesirable behaviors being exhibited. [1] The present diverse workforce characterized by organizational change, competition, and complex communications are drawing attention to interpersonal conflicts among workers. 2] Organizational change for example, alters the status quo and requires members of an organization to work together in new ways and under new rules. Competition compounds issues of power and escalates conflicts of personalities and behavior. The complexities of communication make it more difficult for culturally, economically and socially diverse workers to resolve the issues and problems they encounter on the job. While conflict is inevitable in groups and organizations due to the complexity and interdependence of organizational life, theorists have differed about whether it is harmful or beneficial to organizations. Early organizational theorists suggested that conflict is detrimental to Organizational functioning (Pondy, 1967; Brow, 1983) and focused much of their attention on the causes and resolution of conflict (Schimidt Kochan, 1972; Brett, 1984). More recently, researchers have theorized that conflict is beneficial under some circumstances (Tjosvold, 1991; Van de Vliert De Dreu, 1994). [3] Thus, this paper attempts to present the losses and benefits from conflicts in organizations. I. CONFLICT IN GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS A. Definition Generally, conflict is defined as a contest of opposing forces or power. 4] it is a perceived difference between a two or more parties that results in mutual opposition. [5] Looking at conflict in the context of groups, there is what we call an Intergroup Conflict, which can be defined as the behavior that occurs among organizational groups when participants identify with one group and perceive that other groups may block their group’s goal achievement or expectations. [6] Intergroup conflict with in organizations can occur in both horizontal vertical directions. A. 1 Horizontal Conflict. This type of conflict occurs among groups or departments at the same level in the hierarchy, such as between line staff. 7] This is commonly observed between Production Quality Control Departments, Sales Finance Departments, or RD Marketing Departments. A. 2 Vertical Conflict. This arises over issues of control, power, goals, and wages and benefits. [8] A typical source of vertical conflict is between head quarters executives and regional plants or franchises. Status and power differences among groups are often greater for vertical conflict. Part of the reason vertical conflict occurs is to equalize power differences; for example, unions try to give workers more power over wages or working conditions. [9] B. The Nature of Conflict Conflict as related to competition is illustrated by the following figure: The illustration shows how conflict and competition are related. Competition occurs when groups strive for the same goal, have little or no antagonism toward one another, and behave according to rules and procedures. In conflict, on the other hand, one group’s goals jeopardize the others; there is open antagonism among the groups; and few rules and procedures regulate behavior. When this happens, the goals become extremely important, the antagonism increases, rules and procedures are violated, and conflict occurs. 10] C. Causes of Conflict A number of factors contribute to conflict. Several of the most important causes are discussed below. C. 1 Task Interdependence. Task interdependence refers to the dependence of one unit on another for materials, resources, or information. [11] Two types of task interdependence are particularly prone to conflict. One is sequential interdependenc e, in which one individual or work unit is heavily dependent on another. For example, waiters generally are more reliant on cooks than the reverse because waiters must depend on cooks to furnish good meals in timely manner. Line and staff conflicts often arise because staff members frequently are dependent upon the line to implement their ideas. The second form of task interdependence is reciprocal interdependence, in which individuals or work units are mutually interdependent. For instance, purchasing agents want engineers to provide detailed generic specifications so that they can negotiate lower costs from suppliers. At the same time, engineers need to obtain materials of the proper quality on a timely basis, so they may find it more convenient to specify a brand name. 12] Generally, as interdependence increases, the potential for conflict increases. [13] Sequential reciprocal interdependence require employees to spend time coordinating and sharing information. Employees must communicate frequently, and differences in goals or attitudes will surface. Conflict is especially likely to occur when agreement is not reached about the coordination of services to each other. Greater interderdependence means departments often exert pressure for a fast response because departmental work has to wait on other departments. C. 2 Scarce Resources. Another major source of conflict involves competition between groups for what members perceive as limited resources. [14] Possibilities for conflict expand when there are limited resources, such as office space, equipment, training, human resources, operating funds, and pay allocations. In their desire to achieve goals, groups want to increase their resources. This becomes another cause for conflict in groups. C. 3 Goal Incompatibility. Goal incompatibility is probably the greatest cause of intergroup conflict in organizations. The overall goals of an organization are broken down into operative goals that guide each department. The accomplishment of operative goals by one department may block goal accomplishment by other departments and hence, cause conflict. [15] Out of necessity, organization members frequently pursue goals that are somewhat different from one another, setting the stage for potential conflicts. [16] For example, sales personnel may find it easier to battle the competition by promising very quick deliveries, while people in manufacturing may find that small production runs on short notice interfere with their cost cutting efforts. C. 4 Communication Failures. Breakdown in communication due to distortions or lack of communication often lead to conflicts. [17] Conflict in an organization is an indication of the most basic communication failure. Failure to talk with someone. Failure to notify someone of something before it becomes public. Failure to involve someone in a problem-solving process. [18] C. 5 Individual Differences. Differences in personality, experience, and values make frequent conflicts likely. [19] Functional specialization requires people with specific education, skills, attitudes, and time horizons. When an individual who have ability and aptitude in marketing joins the marketing department. Eventually, that individual will be influenced by departmental norms and values, attitudes, and standards of behavior, differ across departments, which is often a source of horizontal conflicts. Cultural differences can be particularly acute in the case of mergers or acquisitions. Employees in the acquired company may have completely different work styles and attitudes, and a â€Å"we against them†attitude can develop. [20] C. 6 Poorly Designed Reward System.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Introductory speech Change in Thinking :: essays research papers
Change in thinking This is very long ago I worked as a part time teacher for 3 months back home in India. When I was doing my undergrad .This was part of a project work in the course work. There were 20 odd students in the class. But they are not at all good at studies. They used to skip the classes, use fowl language, never showed any kind of interest in listening to teachers or respecting them and what not. The principal of the school is fed up with their behavior and decided he is going to fail all the students. Here I was appointed as a mathematics teacher. I went as extra mile and requested the principal to give me a month, to see if I can bring any change in the students. The principal did accept my request. To start with it was very tough and challenging assignment. I did plan well and here how I executed the plan †¦ It starts this way I went to the class and spoke to the students Here is the deal I will help you out in passing your exams but you have to do what I will tell you guys to do. First week: You have to attend all the classes I am going to give D grade if you just attend the classes. Students felt good about the deal and started attending the classes. Second week: Now you can copy in the exams and I am going to give C grade. Students liked the deal. They did that. Third week: I said now I am going to give B grade if you do not copy from others, just write what you know. This time students liked it better. It motivated the students to participate in the class and started involving and showed lot of interest. Slowly but steadily they started doing well. After a month the principle decided to come to the class and check the performance of the students. Now we had one more deal, whenever I ask you a question (tables) whoever knows the answer raises your right hand. Whoever don’t know raise your left hand. And I am going to ask the person who has raised his right hand. The day has come, the principle came.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Long term objectives
Unfortunately in management, it is difficult to find standard definitions for many commonly used terms, yet a common vocabulary and a common understanding are vital to successful communication. The key terms for management are working with and through other people to accomplish the objectives of both the organization and its members. Management activities include planning, organizing, coordinating, motivating, leading and controlling; getting results effectively through other people by process of delegation. Management system refers to the organization's structure for managing its processes – or activities – that transform inputs of resources into a product or service which meet the organization's objectives, such as satisfying the customer's quality requirements, complying to regulations, or meeting environmental objectives. In strategic analysis for long term objectives, the framework can be used for examining the â€Å"fits†with managerial strategy. These fits fall into seven broad areas: (1) strategy; (2) structure; (3) shared values, attitudes, and philosophy; (4) approach to staffing the organization and its overall â€Å"people orientation†; (5) administrative systems, practices, and procedures used to run the organization on a day-to-day basis, including the reward structure, formal and informal policies, budgeting and programs, training and financial control; (6) the organization’s skills, capabilities, and core competencies; and (7) style of management (how they allocate their time and attention), symbolic actions, their leadership skills, the way the top management team comes across to the rest of organization. Managers should strive to develop and attain a variety of objectives in all areas where activity is critical to the operation and success of the management system. Now taking example of PetsMart case, and by going through the all available resources of market information, feedbacks and opinions of general public, if we analyze their management, their rating should be as follows. (1) Strategy                                                              Strong. (2) Structure                                                             Average. (3) Shared values                                                      Average. (4) Approach to staffing the organization                Strong. (5) Administrative system                                        Weak. (6) Core competences                                               Average. (7) Style of management                                          Average. Resource: â€Å"Management†By Patrick J. Montana, Bruce H. Charnov, Published 2000 Barron's Educational Series
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Macbeth: Hero or Villain? Essay
The first time in the play we hear about Macbeth is in the very first scene. The witches are discussing when they shall next meet again, and one of the witches says ‘There to meet with Macbeth’. We are yet to read about Macbeth to discover his character but because of this scene we know somehow he is or will be associated with some kind of evil. Although when we read this nowadays we do not get frightened by this fact but in the sixteenth century when this play was written the audience would have been as they believed in witchcraft. The second time we hear about Macbeth is in scene two. In this scene he is described by a Captain, he describes him ‘brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name’. The captain says this as Macbeth has defended the rebellion of Highlanders and Islanders. We still haven’t heard Macbeth himself but we have two conflicting opinions of him. The first time we hear from Macbeth is in scene three. As the witches said, he met them on the heath. He is with Banquo, his best friend. He is greeted by the witches and they greeted him ‘All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis’ they also say Thane of Cawdor and then the third witch says ‘All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter’. They then tell Banquo his future and how his son will be King. I think that this is the very first stage of the change in Macbeth’s future. Their predictions make him fell more and more confident, then when he is made Thane of Glamis he feels superior as he has a strong feeling that he will one day be King. I think if Macbeth had not have been superstitious so he believed the witches he wouldn’t think he was so indestructible and then would not have been do evil. When Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor after the Thane before was killed for treason, he writes a letter to his wife, he tells her about the witches’ predictions. I think this letter is the spark that starts Lady Macbeth’s own evil, as she is pleased with what the letter says, however she knows that although Macbeth has ambition he ‘is too full o’ the milk of human kindness’ to act upon the prediction. When Duncan stays with Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth plans to kill him, she calls on evil spirits to ‘unsex’ her, so she is not feminine as women were seen as meek and feeble so she could carry out the murder of Duncan. She tells Macbeth to leave killing up to her. When Duncan arrives, Lady Macbeth greets him warmly; she doesn’t seem to show any emotions of remorse at this point. When the banquet is taking place Macbeth thinks over the decision to kill Duncan, finally he decides the murder will not go ahead – this decision shows that Macbeth is not truly evil. However when he tells his wife he doesn’t want to go ahead with the murder she talks him around by saying things such as if he were a real man he wouldn’t back out and how if she had promised something to him she wouldn’t break her promise. The way she says this is very powerful and underlines just how evil she could be, as she says ‘I have given suck, and know how tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me – I would while it was smiling in my face have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this’. I think the baby she describes is maybe a child that they lost, as we do not hear of this child apart from this in the play. I think she used the child as an example in her promise as it is something that they both feel strongly for and it brings them closely together. Before Lady Macbeth talks Macbeth into backing out of killing, in his soliloquy in Act one scene seven, Macbeth shows his conscience, he feels he doesn’t want to go ahead with the murder, although when he talks about killing Duncan he never mentions the word ‘murder’. At this point we still don’t really know if Macbeth is a villain or hero yet. Lady Macbeth was suppose to carry out the murder but she saw Duncan sleeping and said that she could not do it as he looked like his father, this shows that she in not totally evil either. Macbeth hallucinates a dagger pointing towards Duncan’s chamber before his murder showing he is unstable mentally and maybe nervous. These nerves make him kill the two guards that slept with Duncan and over react when the murder is revealed. After the murder Macbeth is made King as the Kings two sons had fled from Scotland. Now all of his predictions from the witches have come true, he feels threatened as the witches also predicted that Banquo’s son would be king. Now as he has already killed three people he sets out to kill Banquo and his son, Felance. Banquo is his best friend, so this really shows how Macbeth’s character is really changing for the worst. This time he doesn’t do it himself, he sends two murders that he persuades in such a way we’ve heard before. He tells them that if they were real men they would carry out the murders, this sounds like the type of persuasion that Lady Macbeth used on her husband so he would commit the murder of th e King. At the banquet he pretends he does not know when Banquo is and is upset that he isn’t there, but then he sees Banquo’s ghost. He is uneasy and he nearly says too much about all the murders when he gets upset and confused after he sees the ghost, but Lady Macbeth stops him in time and makes up a story of how he is ill so the guests do not suspect a thing. In Act four he goes back to see the witches. They tell him he is safe until Birnam wood comes to Dunsianane, and never by a man of woman born shall he be harmed. Macbeth can now relax, he thinks, as everyone is born of a woman and the wood will never move. They also tell him another prediction of Banquo’s children on the throne, this is still possible as the two murderers failed to kill Banquo’s son, Felance. Macbeth’s next actions, I think show just how much his mind is evil and he seems not to care or have any conscience left, and he sends an army to kill Macduff’s family! The first description we hear of Macbeth is ‘brave Macbeth’, but in Act four scene three Macduff describes him as a ‘tyrant’, his personality seems have to changed. In Act five scene four Lady Macbeth kills herself. At the start of the play Macbeth and his wife seem very close, but when she dies Macbeth is not moved in any way he shows no emotion at all, he is cold as if he has hardened to people dying. He says ‘she should have died hereafter’. His life seems meaningless; he doesn’t care for anything or anyone anymore, not even his wife. The army that are attacking his castle carry bits of trees from Birnam wood – Birnam wood seems to be moving. Now I thing this shows that his superstition has really ruined him. He seems to know he is going to die, he says ‘At least we will die with harness on our backs’, he wants to die a solider – but as the witches said no man of woman born can kill him. When the army attacks the castle he fights Macduff – it is then Macbeth finds out that Macduff was born of caesarean – I think now Macbeth is puzzled; should he carry on fighting or just give up? Macbeth’s last words are ‘Hold, enough!’ He almost seems childlike and in a last grasp for breath he shouts this. Ultimately Macbeth is a villain, but factors that helped to bring out these feelings are his wife, his own ambition and the fact that he was too quick to believe to witches and too trusting. Macbeth may have been a hero but he died a villain.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Integrated Pest Management essays
Integrated Pest Management essays As stated in Controlling Turfgrass Pests, Integrated pest management (IPM) is both a concept and a philosophy. It is a broad, multidisciplinary, systematic approach to controlling all pests. All types of control methods (biological, cultural, regulatory, physical, and chemical) are utilized. Use of IPM strategies should result in effective and economical suppression of pests with a minimum effect on nontarget organisms and the environment. IPM is based on understanding the biology and ecology of the turfgrass plant or community to be protected and the pests to be controlled (Shurtleff et al. 361). Now you have a definition for integrated pest management. How would you go about setting up this program? The truth is, you wouldnt be able to. If you didnt already know what IPM is, you would not have the knowledge in this field to succeed. Most people believe that all you do is put some grass down, add fertilizer, water, spray a little pesticide, and then mow once every other week. This is not the case. While all of these have their own role when used properly, the primary objective is to reduce pesticide use, states Robert Emmons in the second edition of Turfgrass Science and Management (339). Education is the key to a successful IPM program. Not only education about the program, but every facet of turfgrass management. For example, poor fertilization and water practices can lead to perfect conditions for a host of turfgrass pests. ...
Monday, October 21, 2019
Examples and Characteristics of Effective Analogies
Examples and Characteristics of Effective Analogies An analogy is a type of composition (or, more commonly, a part of an essay or speech) in which one idea, process, or thing is explained by comparing it to something else. Extended analogies are commonly used to make a complex process or idea easier to understand. One good analogy, said American attorney Dudley Field Malone, is worth three hours discussion. Analogies prove nothing, that is true, wrote Sigmund Freud, but they can make one feel more at home. In this article, we examine the characteristics of effective analogies and consider the value of using analogies in our writing. An analogy is reasoning or explaining from parallel cases. Put another way, an analogy is a comparison between two different things in order to highlight some point of similarity. As Freud suggested, an analogy wont settle an argument, but a good one may help to clarify the issues. In the following example of an effective analogy, science writer Claudia Kalb relies on the computer to explain how our brains process memories: Some basic facts about memory are clear. Your short-term memory is like the RAM on a computer: it records the information in front of you right now. Some of what you experience seems to evaporatelike words that go missing when you turn off your computer without hitting SAVE. But other short-term memories go through a molecular process called consolidation: theyre downloaded onto the hard drive. These long-term memories, filled with past loves and losses and fears, stay dormant until you call them up.(To Pluck a Rooted Sorrow, Newsweek, April 27, 2009) Does this mean that human memory functions exactly like a computer in all ways? Certainly not. By its nature, an analogy offers a simplified view of an idea or process- an illustration rather than a detailed examination. Analogy and Metaphor Despite certain similarities, an analogy is not the same as a metaphor. As Bradford Stull observes in The Elements of Figurative Language (Longman, 2002), the analogy is a figure of language that expresses a set of like relationships among two sets of terms. In essence, the analogy does not claim total identification, which is the property of the metaphor. It claims a similarity of relationships. Comparison Contrast An analogy is not quite the same as comparison and contrast either, although both are methods of explanation that set things side by side. Writing in The Bedford Reader (Bedford/St. Martins, 2008), X.J. and Dorothy Kennedy explain the difference: You might show, in writing a comparison and contrast, how San Francisco is quite unlike Boston in history, climate, and predominant lifestyles, but like it in being a seaport and a city proud of its own (and neighboring) colleges. That isnt the way an analogy works. In an analogy, you yoke together two unlike things (eye and camera, the task of navigating a spacecraft and the task of sinking a putt), and all you care about is their major similarities. The most effective analogies are usually brief and to the point- developed in just a few sentences. That said, in the hands of a talented writer, an extended analogy can be illuminating. See, for example, Robert Benchleys comic analogy involving writing and ice skating in Advice to Writers. Argument From Analogy Whether it takes a few sentences or an entire essay to develop an analogy, we should be careful not to push it too far. As weve seen, just because two subjects have one or two points in common doesnt mean that they are the same in other respects as well. When Homer Simpson says to Bart, Son, a woman is a lot like a refrigerator, we can be fairly certain that a breakdown in logic will follow. And sure enough: Theyre about six feet tall, 300 pounds. They make ice, and . . . um . . . Oh, wait a minute. Actually, a woman is more like a beer. This sort of logical fallacy is called the argument from analogy or false analogy. Examples of Analogies Judge for yourself the effectiveness of each of these three analogies. Pupils are more like oysters than sausages. The job of teaching is not to stuff them and then seal them up, but to help them open and reveal the riches within. There are pearls in each of us, if only we knew how to cultivate them with ardor and persistence.( Sydney J. Harris, What True Education Should Do, 1964) Think of Wikipedias community of volunteer editors as a family of bunnies left to roam freely over an abundant green prairie. In early, fat times, their numbers grow geometrically. More bunnies consume more resources, though, and at some point, the prairie becomes depleted, and the population crashes.Instead of prairie grasses, Wikipedias natural resource is an emotion. Theres the rush of joy that you get the first time you make an edit to Wikipedia, and you realize that 330 million people are seeing it live, says Sue Gardner, Wikimedia Foundations executive director. In Wikipedias early days, every new addition to the site had a roughly equal chance of surviving editors scrutiny. Over time, though, a class system emerged; now revisions made by infrequent contributors are much likelier to be undone by à ©lite Wikipedians. Chi also notes the rise of wiki-lawyering: for your edits to stick, youve got to learn to cite the complex laws of Wikipedia in arguments with other editors. Toget her, these changes have created a community not very hospitable to newcomers. Chi says, People begin to wonder, Why should I contribute anymore?and suddenly, like rabbits out of food, Wikipedias population stops growing.(Farhad Manjoo, Where Wikipedia Ends. Time, Sep. 28, 2009) The great Argentine footballer, Diego Maradona, is not usually associated with the theory of monetary policy, Mervyn King explained to an audience in the City of London two years ago. But the players performance for Argentina against England in the 1986 World Cup perfectly summarized modern central banking, the Bank of Englands sport-loving governor added. Maradonas infamous hand of God goal, which should have been disallowed, reflected old-fashioned central banking, Mr. King said. It was full of mystique and he was lucky to get away with it. But the second goal, where Maradona beat five players before scoring, even though he ran in a straight line, was an example of the modern practice. How can you beat five players by running in a straight line? The answer is that the English defenders reacted to what they expected Maradona to do. . . . Monetary policy works in a similar way. Market interest rates react to what the central bank is expected to do.(Chris Giles, Alone Among Governors. Financial Times. Sep. 8-9, 2007) Finally, keep in mind Mark Nichters analogical observation: A good analogy is like a plow which can prepare a populations field of associations for the planting of a new idea (Anthropology and International Health, 1989).
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