Regional Integration Essay - 1925 Words

Regional Integration / Geopolitics Assignment (SWOT Analysis) (Essay Sample) Content: Name:Course:Tutor:Date:Regional Integration / Geopolitics AssignmentSWOT AnalysisA SWOT analysis is critical in enabling a company to recognize the Advantages and disadvantages that exist within the companys organization (Strengths and Weakness) and outside of it, in the external environment (opportunities and Threats). The ability to develop a complete vigilance of the companys situation is critical to both decision-making and strategic planning. In essence, performing a SWOT analysis should be done before setting an objective for the corporate entity, this is mainly because it would allow achievable goals or objectives to be set for the organization (Miller, Vandome, McBrewster 23).Singapore Airline is one of the largest and highly recognized airlines in the world and it is one of the main East Asian has flights practicing across most of the well-known places of Asia like Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and China. In the following paragraphs, a SWOT analysis w ill be identified dentally.Strength of Singapore Airline:Enjoys a Robust Hub in SingaporeFirst airline to provide clients with hot and alcoholic mealsIt has the youngest fleet of aircraft of airline industry.Acknowledged for its top and excellent service and supreme customer service and hospitality.Through first-rate branding and marketing Singapore Airlines has evolved to become one of the top airlines in the world.One of the top airline brands in terms of market capitalization and number of passengers carried.Singapore Airlines flies to over 60 destinations in nearly 35 countries across the 6 regions (including two longest non-stop commercial flights).Satisfied Customer Base and Desired Airline of Passengers.Singapore Airline enjoys strong support from the Singapore GovernmentWeakness of Singapore AirlineThrough cutting of wages and minimum sizing in bad economic conditions, and in the effort of maintaining low expenditure, the companys relationship between labor union and managem ent has been destructed.Singapore Airline is considered as one of the most expensive airlines in the region hence unaffordable by many.The companys market share is significantly low owing to increased competition in the airline industry.The company heavily depends on international traffic.Turnover ratio has been reduced since Singapore Airline has been maintaining a good financial performance these few years.Singapore Airline suffers from an unbalanced portfolio.Opportunities of Singapore AirlineThe company has the opportunity to acquire state of the art fleet to improve customer confidenceCan inspire the outstanding hub which it has created in SingaporeMore international destinations to leverage on its high charge brand imageOffer the most inclusive and scrupulous training program to staffs to ensure brand experience and suitability.In order to create interest and awareness in the market, the company can plan and develop marketing strategies in its growth areas where it can attract new customers.Singapore Airlines has an enormous opportunity to increase its market base by expanding across Middle East, India and China.Threats to Singapore AirlineIntense competition arising from increase in the number of market players such as Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Thai Airline and China Southern Airline)Should go for low cost flights.High cost of the airline ticket prices as a result of the increasing operational costs.Fuel cost raised.Five Force AnalysesAirlines have struggled throughout 2008 amid a cocktail of soaring fuel prices, slowing consumer demand and the impact of the credit crisis on bank liquidity. More than 30 airlines have collapsed around the world, including business class-only airline Silverjet SILJ.L and travel giant XL in the UK. Although the oil prices dropped down in third quarter 2008, airline bankruptcies around the world are set to rise over the winter. The crisis has had severe impact on suppliers like B/E Aerospace, the world's biggest supplier of p lane seats due to a lack of demand. Nevertheless the airline industry in Singapore is characterized by strong supplier power; a consequence of the global duopoly of Boeing and Airbus that exists in the manufacture of aircraft globally and the fact that, as yet, no viable substitute for jet fuel has been discovered.The air industry in Singapore has been deregulated to a certain extent, which makes it more attractive for new entrants, although the bureaucracy and large financial outlay involved in setting up an airline serve as a deterrent to new companies. The desire for relatively fast international travel means that other forms of transport pose no more than a moderate threat to air travel.Impact of the regional economic and geopolitical issues on the companys performanceThe political tension that has gripped counties in this region has negatively impacted the economic performance of the regional based industries and in particular Singapore Airlines. in the year 2013, Singapore Air lines made a bid for a 24% stake on China Eastern Airlines as part of its expansion strategy. However, this bid was turned down by minority shareholders a move that was understood to be politically instigated. According to the International Herald Tribune, Air China blocked Singapore Airlines bid to buy Eastern China in a political manoeuvre that further led to a complete shake up in the CAAC. This characterized an extraordinary game of politics that impacted on the Chinese aviation industry that saw Air China successfully overturning Singapore Airlines bid to buy into China Eastern Airlines (Institute of Southeast Asian Studies 12). Furthermore, the the Association of South East Asian Nations Senior Transport OfficialsMeeting (ASEAN-STOM) entered into a memorandum of understanding on November 2009 that aims to endorse a multilateral agreement on the complete liberalization of air freight services. The greater plan is to create a unified transport network that traverses and links th e member states in addition to ensuring ensure competitive and efficient competitive international air freight services. This is believed to promote economic growth in the region. Singapore Airlines is known be a significant beneficiary to this and previous policies on the liberalization of air services making the company one of the largest as far as the transportation of international capacity and the promotion of Singapore as a transit hub for the ASEAN region is concerned. It is therefore plausible to state that although the geopolitics in the ASEAN region has posed challenges to the company especially in terms of successfully executing its growth strategy, the regional membership has in overall worked to positively impact the companys performance. This is as indicated by the financial performance of the company presented below (Siddique, and Kumar 24).ProfitabilityThere are three main ratios that are used to identify a companys profitability. These are: Sales growth, Profit marg ins, and Return on capital employed. The table below shows the ratios that are related to profitability:Profitability Ratios Year End 2012 2011 2010 2009 Ratio #1: Sales Growth Rate SIA 2.3% 14.3% -20.6% 0.15% Ind Av0.99% 9.9% 33.7% -22.63% Ratio #2: Profit Margins Operating margin SIA 1.9% 8.8% 0.5% 5.6% Ind Av1.8% 5.6% 15.7% 8.6% Net margin SIA 2.7% 7.9% 2.2% 7.2% Ind Av 1.1% 5.8% 15.9% 7.3% Ratio #3: Return on Capital Employed SIA 1.7% 6.9% 0.4% 4.8% Ind Av1.6% 5.9% 16.2% 7.3% Sales Growth Singapore Airlines has been able to achieve significant growth in sales. This is despite of suffering from slim of sales that characterized the entire airline industry and consequent decrease in growth rate. This is indicative of the effectiveness and suitability of the companys competitive strategies in terms of aligning with its current position. In addition, the companys revenue in the year 2012 remained lower in compa rison to that achieved in 2009. This was as a result of the overall rebounding in the airline industry since 2010. In essence, this indicates that the company was able to gain a remarkable net profit that amounted to 1.15 billion SGD from April 2008 (Y/E 2008) to March 2009 (Y/E 2009) whereby at this time, the airline industry was still facing losses to the tune of negative 1.15 billion SGD from April 2008 (Y/E 2008) to March 2009 (Y/E 2009). However, during this time, Singapore Airlines was undergoing a slowdown that indicated an increase by 34.5% from the financial year 2011 to financial year 2012 of net profit. Important to note is that during this time, the industry average was going up by 43.75% in 2011. This is therefore indicative that Singapore Airlines is minimally impacted by the industrial growth (Singapore Airlines, Ltd., 2010).Profit MarginsAlthough Singapore Airlines performed better in comparison to other major players within its industry, the companys margins have be en highly volatile for the past four financial years. This has been mainly caused by the companys significantly low turnover. As the price of fuel increased significantly from 2008 and 2009 and further aggravated by the harsh economic environment as a result of the 2007 global financial crisis, the company therefore faced an unavoidable operating expense thereby leading to load factor and consequently low turnover. This had the adverse impact of hurting the companys economies of scale and consequently providing the company with a cost...

Equality and diversity Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Like the ubiquitous Irish jokes, they are mostly gentle put-downs. In itself not seen as harmful, it can lead to more aggressive behaviour when it gets out of hand. Scale 2 is Avoidance where the majority group shuns the out group and refuses all contact socially. They practise ostracism. Scale 3 is Discrimination and the active component of prejudice where the majority group deny the out group opportunities and services which are deemed exclusive to the majority. The minority group is prevented from achieving equality through education, jobs and social ascendancy. They are suppressed and are not allowed to realise, what to them are legitimate aspirations. Scale 4 is Physical Attack where as an example, in the U. S.A. , a group calling themselves the Ku Klux Klan formed by the white majority randomly lynched members of the Negroid black community. Pogroms against Jews in Eastern Europe are another example of physical attack of the out group where they also happened to burn and vandalise property belonging to the out group. Scale 5 is Extermination where the majority group seeks to completely wipe out the minority group from the face of the earth. We will write a custom essay sample on Equality and diversity or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Examples are, the ‘Final Solution’ of Nazi Germany in attempting to exterminate the Jews in what came to be known as the Holocaust, and ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Armenia and Bosnia. Although not in any sense a minority group (indeed females are numerically greater than males in most countries), sexism involves prejudice and discrimination practised purely on the basis of sex. As an example, it may be cited that although women are as well qualified as men in most Western developed societies, less than 10 per cent of top managerial positions in industry are held by women. This has been dubbed the ‘glass ceiling’ effect, where although in theory senior positions are available to women, they come up against an invisible barrier when they try to go up the promotional ladder. As regards theories of prejudice, the most well recognized is the F (Fascism) Scale devised by Adorno et al. (1950) to measure the attributes of what they called the authoritarian personality, which was hypothesised as a precursor of prejudice. They held that the authoritarian personality is developed through childhood experiences of harsh treatment by parents. The hostility felt towards the parents is suppressed and later displaced onto minority groups and result in acts of aggression. However, they are submissive towards authority figures. Although the measure (F Scale) has been validated up to a point, it has been proved too blanket a form of measurement ignoring individual and situational differences in levels of prejudice.

How Do Humans Develop Over A Lifetime Essay - 1173 Words

How do humans develop over a lifetime? The approach in which attempts to explain how children and adults change over a period of time is developmental psychology. Developmental psychology is the study of how humans develop relating to the mind, body, and spirit. It not only is an approach based on a micro sense, but on a macro sense as well. Micro meaning the development from baby to adult and macro meaning how a culture itself develops over a time span. Because developmental psychology is an umbrella term, it is used to describe a number of different disciples that are all focused on one common goal (Developmental Psychology). Being that developmental psychology is not the only theory accepted in explaining human development, this theory is best understood by looking at various other theories that are all related because of the ultimate goal question. Some of the related theories along with developmental psychology also consider the theoretical areas that include social, emotional, cognitive, and biological processes. When using the theory of psychological development there are three goals: describe, explain, and optimize development. To describe development, one must focus on the typical patterns of change, and on individual variations in patterns of change (McLeod). For instance, normative change is when change is cumulated and continual; however, one can change certain life aspects change as well. This capacity one has to change is known as plasticity. So, this is shownShow MoreRelatedAristotle And Aristotle s Philosophy1464 Words   |  6 Pagesseveral major propositions in this theory. Although the philosophers belonged to different time periods, they held similar viewpoints regarding what value virtue and vice hold in an individual’s character. Socrates and Aristotle had different views on how many virtues and vices existed in a person. Aristotle worked most closely in developing the idea of eudaimonea, roughly translated as happiness, in his Nic omachean Ethics books, which were derived from numerously translated notes of his students. AlthoughRead MoreWhat Makes A Conscience?1171 Words   |  5 Pages Humans are not born with an understanding of what is right and what is wrong. One’s conscience is developed over a lifetime and is influenced by environment, loved ones and social interactions. One’s conscience does not force actions; it merely serves to attempts to fulfill and justify one’s ethics, judgment, and actions. Many people bury their conscience beneath false justification and a lack of integrity, resulting in an absence of morals and truth. A conscience is often a negotiable partRead MoreThe Existence Of Evil : Evil1451 Words   |  6 Pagestheories of why and how evil exists. We question the very existence of evil, its creation, the cause and the purpose. The â€Å"theodicy† problem, or the problem of evil, has been argued multiple ways over the course of many years. If God is so good and so powerful, why does He allow evil to happen in the world? How can a loving God allow so much pain and suffering, especially among the innocent? What, if any, is the purpose of this evil? Many arguments arise from these questions. Not only do these questionsRead MoreThe Likeliness of Being Different1504 Words   |  7 Pageslearning or writing about Human Development, I don t think I can fit the term into the simple definition that it is the unfolding of the human potential in each person s unique environment. It just feels like so much more. Among the many things that have been engraved in my mind about the subject, the idea that everything is due to our genes and environment fascinates me the most. Development starts at conception, and because of that everything that happens in during our lifetime is a contribution toRead MoreEssay on Rob ert Johnsons He1344 Words   |  6 Pagesinnocence. The first idea that stuck with me is the interpretation of the salmon and how it represented Christ. Because my thoughts on religion and god are so unclear in my life, it led me to interpret the whole situation differently and with different symbolism that is more adjacent with my life. I could still comprehend what the author was trying to say, but I couldn’t relate to his interpretation. I can see how a boy might be introduced to something that is too powerful for him at the momentRead MoreInterpersonal Communication : Symbolic Interactionism And Social Penetration1360 Words   |  6 Pagescommunication and the other is based on how communication can help each of us develop deeper relationships. We practice both theories on a daily basis, whether we realize it or not. This paper will look how each theory is used in our daily lives, how each theory helps us to gain better understanding of our relationships, and how each theory ties into our biblical worldview. Symbolic Interactionism is the â€Å"ongoing use of language and gestures in anticipation of how the other will react† (Em Griffin,Read MoreErik Erikson s Theory Of Psychosocial Development1359 Words   |  6 Pagesstage a new miracle of vigorous unfolding.† And no matter who you are and what you do, I believe that everyone will go through stages in their life. Erik Erikson was a famous psychologist in the twentieth – century, where he developed â€Å"Psychosocial stages†. Erikson’s theories centered on issues that were met on specific ages in someone’s life. Love, care, and tender is critical and many parents do not realize how much nurturing and caring for a child is very important. Erik Erikson’s developmentalRead MoreThe Human Experience : Education, Community, Religion, And Nature Essay1662 Words   |  7 Pagesthat will change over the course of my lifetime. Currently I define myself as a white Catholic woman who is religious an d independent. I am also a college student studying to become a social studies teacher. I am in a relationship, but still open to religious life. My relationship defines a part of who I am and who I want to become. This definition of who I am will not be the same in years to come, but this is who I am currently. My view of the human experience will also change over time, but rightRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between Generalists And Specialists1239 Words   |  5 Pagesand Contrast Generalists and Specialists Today’s business world is more complex with the increase of more sophisticated technology and knowledge. Human resource management (HRM) has taken on a more demanding role in all organizations. It is the human resource professional contribution that contradicts rather or not a company will succeed or fail. The human resources have two main statuses: generalists and specialists. Each professional’s objective is to assist in the success and development of theRead MoreWhat Does The Meaning Of Life?984 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is the meaning of life? Almost every human at some point in their life would question themselves about their purpose in the world and why they were placed in the setting they are in and what they feel the need to accomplish in their lifetime. Some create their own personal meaning, others are given their meaning with no insight and lastly, others choose to avoid the real world and create a fantasy life. Although the definition is different from pers on to person, what is significant in the meaning

Descriptive Essay About Blondes - 961 Words

It s been a week since my concussion, which was minor. In that time I ve noticed some abhorrent behavior in the blonde roommate I now know as Carter. I ve learned that Carter has a fling every night and it isn t with just one regular female but various ones. I feel sorry for these females, but I find it quite entertaining on how he s able to play them into hopping in his bed with me in the room. Carter is quite the badass is another observation I have made. Not only does he have the leather jacket, motorcycle image going one, but he has been in quite a number of fights this week which he has won. There is also his spontaneous talking back to the teacher and his rebelliousness. He smokes, drinks and even my friends shuddered when†¦show more content†¦_____ Knowing Carter wouldn t be home for another hour, I decided now would be the best time to take a shower. I gather everything I need alone with a few stuff to keep me sane. I close the door and strip down to undergarments. I pick up the dress instantly remembering Josh. Tempted, I put it on and clip a bow in my hair. I stare into the mirror. My chest is completely flat because it is banded down. My face isn t framed my the thick, brown curls anymore. Instead I m left with a boy cut. I know he would despise the way I look. I haven t seen him in a year. His dark hair, the beautiful sea blue eyes that spark when he smiles and his pearly white teeth. I take off the dress overwhelm by the memories. I unwrap the band banding down my boobs and instantly my tits pop back up to say hello. I unbuckle the pad less bra and as I am about to chuck it to the floor with the rest of my stuff , the door opens and in comes Carter. He looks at me and It doesn t register at first and I instantly cover my chest. Sorry dude,mumbles Carter as he opens the bathroom door, walking in on me. Why do you have a bra in your hand?He asks as he realizes the bra in my hand and me awkwardly covering my chest. Get out! I yell blushing because of the vulnerable state I am in. He crosses his legs and places his hand on the door frame to prop himself up. This is about to get interesting. He smirks and exits the bathroom, shutting the door. What theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Advertisement For Rimmel London For The New Provocalips Campaign Essay1610 Words   |  7 Pagesfound in the media such as print advertisements. By conducting a semiotic analysis I will be analyzing the advertisement for Rimmel London for the new Provocalips campaign that was recently published in the March 2015 edition of Elle magazine. This essay will be analyzing the connotation and denotations found in the advert, the iconic and indexical signs as well as the implied narrative and the effectiveness in conveying the intended message of the advert. The advert can be seen in many other mediaRead MoreSport and Football Essay1468 Words   |  6 Pagesaudience on why Cheering should be taken as seriously as any other sport. In contrast Felisa Rogers the author of â€Å"How I Learned to Love Football† tells a story of how she once despised the great American game of football to how she grew ecstatic about its very nature. Both women have admiration for their respective sports and want to encourage others to share their love of sports through their use of ethos and pathos, with pathos being more effective. Cheerleading is a physical activity that IRead MoreRacial Stereotypes3031 Words   |  13 Pagesmold to the way that some people think, i.e. stereotypically. Many people have ideas â€Å"molded† into their minds about certain groups of people, and this is a mold of sorts that is ingrained within the human mind, in â€Å"type metal† so to say. There are many, many stereotypes perpetuated by different media outlets that highly influence the way that the every day person thinks or feels about particular groups of people. In this paper, I will target specifically racial stereotypes, as well as how thoseRead MoreW1 Active Adj14109 Words   |  57 Pagesaccess to a wealth of information that can help the selection of the appropriate word or phrase in a variety of situations. Not only are the words and meanings given descriptive labels, for example formal or informal, AmE (American English) or BrE (British English), humorous, old-fashioned, but now they have the added information about relative frequency in spoken and written language. Take for example the verb book (in the meaning of book a table at a restaurant). It is marked as S2 – one of the topRead MoreA Picatrix Miscellany52019 Words   |  209 Pagesunder such heavy contribution later in The Aim of the Sage. Chapter 4. Since the successful use of talismans depen ds upon their being used in conjunction with the correct constellations, this chapter is devoted to the latter. The author gives a descriptive list of the twenty-eight mansions of the moon, according to the â€Å"Indian† system, and assigns to each its correct talisman. Analysis of the passage shows that it is a compound of â€Å"Indian† doctrines, the tenets of Dorotheus of Sidon (both attestedRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesEnvironment 22 †¢ Improving Ethical Behavior 22 Coming Attractions: Developing an OB Model 23 An Overview 23 †¢ Inputs 24 †¢ Processes 25 †¢ Outcomes 25 Summary and Implications for Managers 30 S A L Self-Assessment Library How Much Do I Know About Organizational Behavior? 4 Myth or Science? â€Å"Most Acts of Workplace Bullying Are Men Attacking Women† 12 An Ethical Choice Can You Learn from Failure? 24 glOBalization! Does National Culture Affect Organizational Practices? 30 Point/Counterpoint Lost

Medias Role in Liberal Democracies - 1119 Words

The basic elements in a liberal democracy are regular elections, a parliament exercising control over government within law and individuals freedoms such as free debate, freedom of association and the right to protest (Carter Stokes, 2002). Regular elections should include competitiveness among parties to keep elections fair and voters should be aware of their interests. Additionally, as Carter and Stokes (2002) state that there should be â€Å"a parliament that can exercise control over the government and all this happens within a frame work of the rule of law† (p.10). A liberal democracy should include extensive freedoms of speech, press (all media properties), association, movement, thought and belief, assembly and protest, and language†¦show more content†¦Press should be careful to present complete and just information in order to maintain the public trust. One example is from New York Times (3 May 2003) that journalist Jayson Blair had made up interviews and stories, he was fired at the moment in an attempt to protect the integrity of the paper (Street, 2011, p.53). The love of propaganda of our days negatively affect news presentation in a way it manipulates and derives new information or selects information in favor of some particular groups. Investigating government power or political activity is another contribution that news can make to democracies. In other words this function can be described as maintaining politicians’ honesty. This provides the public to be aware of their politicians’ activities so people can make sound choices and rational decisions. In countries with non-liberal regimes, journalism cannot fulfill its investigative duties, serving to their political masters. Hutton (2008) claims that in China, journalists and editors receive â€Å"daily instructions on what may or may not be reported† (p.134). 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This essay will assess the evidence for whether or not the American political system is indeed polarizing, and if so, then for what reasons? The role of political elites will also be examined, whether or not they are polarizing aswell, and whether this is a large contributingRead MoreGina Rinehart s Accumulation Of Fairfax Shares Essay1580 Words   |  7 Pagesis that one of the most powerful sectors in Australian society, the mining industry, were seeking to dominate one of the important accountability mechanisms in a democracy though economic means. Gina Rinehart, who is Australia s richest person, began accumulating shares in Fairfax in late 2010. In February 2012 she became Fairfax Media’s largest shareholder, purchasing a 14 per cent stake in the company. She later increased her stake and was believed to be planning a takeover before being forced

Functional Areas of Business Free Essays

Functional Areas of Business: Operations and Project Management Gregory J. Deschapell MGT521/Management February 12, 2013 Dr. Rosamaria Murillo Functional Areas of Business: Operations and Project Management There are several functional areas that compose a business. We will write a custom essay sample on Functional Areas of Business or any similar topic only for you Order Now These areas frequently, if not constantly, interact with one another to ensure that the organization succeeds. This paper will summarize two of these functional areas: Operations and Project Management. We will also review the roles of managers who oversee these areas. The original concept of operations management dates back to the 1930s when businesses focused on economic efficiency in manufacturing. Soon after, psychologist and sociologists began to observe and evaluate human behavior in the workplace. In addition, economists, mathematicians, and computer socialists contributed newer, more sophisticated analytical approaches (Kumar Suresh, 2009). The term †operations† was adopted as the service sector of the economy became more prominent. A more modern definition would state that operations is the functional area of a business that oversees, designs, controls the process of production, and redesigns business operations in the production of goods and services. It ensures that business operations are efficient, using as few resources as possible, and effective in terms of meeting customer requirements and satisfaction. Simply put, it manages the processes that convert inputs into outputs. Effective operations management balances out quality, customer demand, employee development, profit, and environmental considerations. Most organizations concern themselves with improving the efficiency and effectiveness of processes. Therefore, operations management includes substantial system of checks, balances, and evaluation that examines, analyzes, and measures these internal systems. Ultimately, the nature of how operations management functions in an organization depends very much on the nature of products or services in the organization, for example, retail, manufacturing, and wholesale. Operations managers have two types of responsibilities: direct and indirect. Direct responsibilities that directly relate to producing and delivering products and services include managing, planning, controlling, developing methods for improving processes, and creating operational strategies that can keep the organization competitive in times of rapidly changing economic conditions and technological advances. Indirect responsibilities include interacting with other functional areas within the organization whose roles have an impact on operations. These areas may include marketing, finance, accounting, and human resources. Operations managers face several challenges in today’s world. For example, they are increasingly encouraged to do more with less. This translates into developing methods to maximize existing resources. They must be knowledgeable on emerging technology that will increase productivity in an efficient manner. They must be able to motivate and derive maximum performance from those that they lead. Finally, operations managers must be able to have an evolving understanding of globalization and environmental changes. In today’s economy, it is common knowledge that businesses can no longer operate on just one principle, e. g. , cost, quality, or delivery, they must develop a strategy that supports multiple competitive objectives. This differs from a traditional approach that matches organizations capabilities to a particular market segment. Operations managers have to be more innovative as well as inspire creativity to anticipate ever-changing future requirements and customer demands (Brown, Blackmon, Cousins, Maylor, 2001). The next functional area that we will examine is project management. Project management is a branch of management that uses management tools to fulfill a defined goal for a shorter period. These tools may include budget analysis, allocation, and optimization. The term â€Å"project management† can take on different meanings. How organizations interpret and apply the position may differ. To gain a better understanding of the definition of project management, it is important have an understanding of what a â€Å"project† is. Specifically, a project is,â€Å"A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result† (Cooke Tate, 2011, pg. 39). The word â€Å"temporary† assumes that most projects have a starting and ending period and the word â€Å"unique† alludes to the fact that most projects normally fall outside the routine definition of an organization’s traditional practices or sevices. In this functional area, teams are assembled to accomplish a specified objective. The role of a project manager is to plan and execute a project successfully. To accomplish this, a project manager must be in possesion of several skill sets. In addition to basic management skills, a project manager must be able to communicate with other members of the project team effectively and coordinate with other functional areas within the organization to request resources necessary to accomplish the task. A project manager must be have an ability to ask meaningful questions, identify assumptions, and resolve conflict that may arise. They must also understand the impact of risk on the success of the project an alleviate any uncertainy that may create a risk. They must also be able to organize. Prioritizing tasks and employing team members in accordance with their capabilities and areas of expertise is essential to successful project management. In addition to leadership, the role of project manager also encompasses activities such as planning, resourcing, scheduling, time management, and budgeting. In closing, it is important to provide some degree of measure to determine the efficiency of these two functional areas. Obvious indicators would be increases in the quality of product or services that an organization provides customer and employee satisfaction, the emergence of more efficient business processes, and the increased mitigation of risk. The role of managers plays an instrumental role in the immediate or eventual outcomes. In the words of Stephen R. Covey, a noted American educator, author, businessman, and keynote speaker, â€Å"Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall. (Covey, 2004, pg. 101). References Brown, S. , Blackmon, K. , Cousins, P. , Maylor, H. (2001). Operations Management—Policy, Practice and Performance Improvement. In S. Brown, K. Blackmon, P. Cousins, H. Maylor, Operations Management—Policy, Practice and Performance Improvement. Woburn, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann . Cooke, H. S. , Tate, K. (2011). The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course—Project Management, Second Edi tion. In H. S. Cooke, K. Tate, The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course—Project Management, Second Edition (p. 1). New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, New Delhi, San Juan, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Covey, S. R. (2004). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change . In S. R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change (p. 101). New York: Free Press. Kumar, S. A. , Suresh, N. (2009). Operations Management. In S. A. Kumar, N. Suresh, Operations Management (p. 2). New Age International Ltd. How to cite Functional Areas of Business, Essay examples Functional Areas of Business Free Essays Depending on the size of organization, functional areas may be directed by specific departments with upper management, mid-level and front line managers. In comparison, a small business is often managed by one leader only, who’s responsibilities overlap. Management The management role includes more than simply being in charge of employees. We will write a custom essay sample on Functional Areas of Business or any similar topic only for you Order Now Instead, this position coordinates and oversees the work of others, ensures organization goals are accomplished, and ensures the business success. Furthermore, managers monitor the efficiency and effective use of employees because workers are the most important resource f an organization (Stephen Robbins, 2010). Managers also oversee and control functions that are not obvious, but play a crucial role in the company’s success. Law is the legal aspect of business that effect business and small firms. Managers use business law to ensure operations are legally sound, noncompliance with all state, federal and international requirements, and regulations to help solve problems. Human resources or short HER address concepts of personal development throughout employee’s lifestyle. During the hiring and training process human resources have a high importance. For proper compensation and if disciplinary actions are taken (Stephen Robbins, 2010). A large role for managers plays the aspect of leadership which covers different ways to influence employees to achieve organization goal, inspire and motivate, handle conflicts, as well as power struggle and organizational change. Accounting maintains and audits financial aspects of a business that is separated into financial and managerial accounting. Financial accounting studies the creation of financial statement, for example, income statements and balance sheets. Managerial accounting looks at statements and helps make decisions, including budgeting for upcoming projects and control cost within the firm (Stephen Robbins, 2010). Finance addresses the process of setting up and maintaining the fiscal success of the firm including revenue. Finance is useful for managers in many ways, especially when needing fund for new business venture. The study of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services within countries and individual firms are a part of economics. It is used to maximize profits and to Andre market conditions, for example, recessions (Stephen Robbins, 2010). Leaders collect data and use methods as well as static to interpret them to find out important information about their business as part of research and statistics. This fiction will help make decisions on what business practices to continue to use and which ones to modify in the future. Operations management is devoted to increasing the value of the firms supply chain. This function is used to ensure that the process f getting goods and service is smooth and error free (Stephen Robbins, 2010). Marketing interests the end consumer in a product or service and to keep this client happy. Such technique is used to determine which product or service to offer, the type of advertising and creation of a good image of their brand. Strategic planning is applied to ensure origination’s goals are met. Marketing helps bring all aspects of the firm together and ensures the company’s success (Stephen Robbins, 2010). The Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy addresses why small business, with between five to went employees, Often fail to grow. Most times, the difficulty directly relates to the little or no knowledge of growth requirement and organizations barriers. A SOOT analysis, which included strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, allows leaders to develop a company goal as well as an action plan on how to reach it. According to Perks, â€Å"Small businesses that grow during their flirts four years of establishment more than double their chance of survival (Perks, p. 21, 2010). Omnipotent view of management states that managers are directly responsible for the organization’s success as well as failure. Actions and decisions of leaders are directly related to an organization’s success. Well performing leaders adjust and maximize chances, improve bad performances, as well as manage the company. Therefore, managers are compensated for the business’ success with stock options, incentives, ores. On the other side, upper management is believed to be responsible when profits are down and then fired or replaced by new managers (Stephen Robbins, 2010). Symbolic view of management describes the failure and success of companies impacted by external influences that are outside of leader’s ability to control. This view is arguing that managers have little control over external factors for example customers, economy, competitors, decisions of previous leaders and others. Managers have only symbolized influence and control by creating action plans, and limited influence of failure and success according to this view. Conclusion Whether in a small or large company, managers oversee a wide range of functions to ensure the success and high performance of all areas. 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Arrow and the Song free essay sample

Arrow and the Song Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, â€Å"Arrow and the Song† is a lyric poem giving an inspiration to a relationship or a friendship between two or more people. It includes analogies, symbolism, vivid imagery, and repetition to help convey what he is trying to reach to the audience The poem is made up of three stanzas of quatrain, and it’s an end rhyme consists of aabb ccdd throughout the poem. Its lyrical type of poem, expresses his emotions about the arrow and the song. Longfellow represents the â€Å"arrow† a friendship, because like â€Å"arrow† it will last forever even though there are difficult problems both have to face. In the first stanza, â€Å"It fell to earth, I knew not where† this symbolizes the start of a conflict between two people. He is trying to reach it, but missed that chance, and now it’s gone. In the second stanza, Longfellow represents memories like a song or his feelings that troubled him. We will write a custom essay sample on Arrow and the Song or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But the first stanza and the second stanza both have in similarities, as one can refer as a repetition â€Å"I shot an arrow† (1), â€Å"I breathed a song† (5), â€Å"It fell to earth I knew not where†, and â€Å"For.. , leaves me believe that both the arrow and the song both symbolizes the love and feelings. Another symbolism can be found in the last stanza the â€Å"oak†, it symbolize a strong, solid image to present a person’s soul. Even though he had lost the arrow for some time, he found it still â€Å"unbroke†. Just like in a friendship it cannot be broken down and pull apart no matter what how hard the situation. They are always being there and for that to keep it they need to treasure it.