A Summary On The Boris - 1894 Words

Boris winced as he took a sip of the limboo tea. Much too sweet. He drank however, it would be rude to refuse and he had favors to ask. Across him sat the commander of the Turkish Peshmerga Aras, whose face looked like tanned leather that had been left too long in the sun the other face was much more pleasing on the eyes, it was also one of the most recognizable faces of the Kurdish resistance against the Islamic State, it belonged to Dila, a young in her early twenties with raven curly locks that refused to be straightened no matter how many times she tried to flatten them. Her plush pink lips were arranged in a perpetual smirk as her eyes danced flirtatiously whenever they caught his. She d captured the imagination of people and particularly women the world over when she d put down her law books and picked up SVD sniper rifle and picked of scores of Islamic militants from the rooftops of Suluk. A determined but ultimately futile resistance, but a reported from the Oracle had stayed to cover the horror unleashed by the Islamic State and done a feature on her. The rest of the media had picked up on the story and turned her into one of the posterchild for the rebels fighting the Islamic State. She was certainly more than capable, Aras had told him her name meant heart which seemed fitting since she d shot over thirty militants in the heart. Boris had seen her hit a bottle from some seven hundred meters. She was more than a poster girl though, she led a brigade of theShow MoreRelatedI Am Living At The Villa Borghese1389 Words   |  6 Pagesnot a crumb of dirt anywhere, nor a chair misplaced. We are all alone here and we are dead. Last night Boris discovered that he was lousy. I had to shave his armpits and even then the itching did not stop. How can one get lousy in a beautiful place like this? But no matter. We might never have known each other so intimately, Boris and I, had it not been for the lice. Boris has just given me a summary of his views. He is a weather prophet. The weather will continue bad, he says. There will be more calamitiesRead MoreThe Need to Expand Monroe College it Department: Recommendations1801 Words   |  7 PagesAutodesk Smoke 2013, Autodesk Composite 2013, Autodesk Matchover 2014, Autodesk Synergy 2013, Adobe CS6 Masters Suite, Waves Mercury Bundle 8, Final Cut Studio X, Auto-Tune 7 Bundle, Berserk, Boris Continuum 7, Boris Continuum Complete 6,  Boris Continuum Complete FxPlug 5.0, Boris FX Keyframer,  Boris FX 8,  Boris RED 4.1, CHV, CGM, DFT 55mm, Digital Anarchy,  Eureka, FieldsKit, FXScript, GenArts Sapphire, Instant HD, Jitterbug,  Magic Bullet Suite 2,  Magic Bullet Looks, Peak Pro 5.2, Peak Express 3.3.Read MoreArticle Review of Leaderships Is a Conversation1586 Words   |  7 PagesMelvin Choo Yeh Ming | 1002358 | AT | | | | | | | Leong Shu Wen | 1105091 | AT | REVIEW OF ARTICLE ENTITLED LEADERSHIP IS A CONVERSATION INTRODUCTION The authors of this article are Boris Groysberg and Michael Slind. It is published in the Harvard Business Review, June 2012. Boris Groysberg is a Professor of Business Administration in the Organizational Behavior unit at the Harvard Business School. He currently teaches Managing Human Capital course in the second year elective courseRead MorePolitical Parties In Russia852 Words   |  4 Pagesparties may be closely examined in order to more fully understand the inner workings of the country (Agency, 2017). Between 1995 and 2015, 72 political parties were registered within Russia; a list of each and their ideologies would be arduous, but a summary of the dominant six is viable. These parties, along with their heads are: A Just Russia, Sergey Mironov; Civic Platform or CP, Rifat Shaykhutdinov; Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF, Gennadiy Zyuganov; Liberal Democratic Party of RussiaRead MoreGlobal Warming Is False1059 Words   |  5 Pagesreleased a movie called ‘The Inconvenient truth, a movie that showed Al Gore giving a speech about the ‘facts on global warming and its ‘irrefutable repercussion. Just this past February, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a summary that blamed global warming on CO2 released into the atmosphere by humans. With scientist backing claims that CO2 is causing global warming, the majority of Americans have made the decision that global warming is in fact true. But what Americans areRead MoreBenefits Of A Domes tic Animal1051 Words   |  5 Pagesonly beneficial for companionship, but also known to help owners in many unique ways too. Studies from as early as the 18th century, William Tuke, have found that animal owners are more emotionally stable. Shown from a study taken in the 1960s, Boris Levinson noted that different mental illness patients gain good results and tend to open up more when they were surrounded by animals (Levinson, 1962, 1969, 1972 ) and in the later years Salmon (1982), found patients in nursing homes were more â€Å"responsive†Read MoreIvan the Terrible Essay956 Words   |  4 PagesGestapo during Hitler, the Oprichniki. The Oprichniki and Ivan acted in cruelty that had absolutely no bounds. The horror of his reign was not matched until the crimes of Stalin, Hitler, or the prison camps of WWII. Jerome Horsey wrote how Prince Boris Telupa was drawn upon a long sharp-made stake, which entered the lower part of his body and came out of his neck; upon which he languished a horrible pain for 15 hours alive, and spoke to his mother, brought to behold that woeful sight. And she wasRead M oreThe European Union And Its Impending Decline1291 Words   |  6 PagesSummary: The European Union is faced with its impending decline, which has accelerated in recent weeks with anxieties regarding the British referendum, which is becoming a primary concern on the continent. A possible â€Å"Brexit† could possibly lead to the fifth largest economy in the world and the second largest economy in the Eurozone from leaving the European Union (E.U). The â€Å"Brexit† is the most contested issue both within the United Kingdom (U.K) and the European continent. In the wake of a rampantRead MoreEssay on Personality1466 Words   |  6 Pagesearly theories and many contemporary popular views are more evaluative than analytic. The French social psychologist Gustave Le Bon identified the crowd and revolutionary movements with the excesses of the French Revolution; the U.S. psychologist Boris Sidis was impressed with the resemblance of crowd behavior to mental disorder. Many of these early theories depicted collective behavior returned to an earlier stage of development. Freud retained this emphasis in viewing crowd behavior and many otherRead MoreSharks Are Worth More Alive Than Dead1597 Words   |  7 Pagesin contrast, there is a $630 million decline in profit from shark fishery (Ho, 2016). With the statistics provided, it’s clear there are more benefits to a countries economy and populaces to transition from shark fishing to shark ecotourism. This summary of evidence can be proof that the conservationists are indeed correct that there are more benefits and incentives to keep sharks alive. 2. There are many consequences to the environment and ecological systems from the diminishing shark population

How Is Romeo and Juliet Relationship Presented Free Essays

One of the play’s most consistent visual motifs is the contrast between light and dark, often in terms of night/day imagery. Need Evidence! This contrast is not given a particular metaphoric meaning—light is not always good, and dark is not always evil. On the contrary, light and dark are generally used to provide a sensory contrast and to hint at opposed alternatives. We will write a custom essay sample on How Is Romeo and Juliet Relationship Presented or any similar topic only for you Order Now One of the more important instances of this motif is Romeo’s lengthy meditation on the sun and the moon during the balcony scene, in which Juliet, metaphorically described as the sun, is seen as banishing the â€Å"envious moon† and transforming the night into day (2. . 46). A similar blurring of night and day occurs in the early morning hours after the lovers’ only night together. Romeo, forced to leave for exile in the morning, and Juliet, not wanting him to leave her room, both try to pretend that it is still night, and that the light is actually darkness: â€Å"More light and light, more dark and dark our woes† (3. 5. 36) The Inevitability of Fate In its first address to the audience, the Chorus states that Romeo and Juliet are â€Å"star-crossed†Ã¢â‚¬â€that is to say that fate (a power often vested in the movements of the stars) controls them (Prologue. ). This sense of fate permeates the play, and not just for the audience. The characters also are quite aware of it: Romeo and Juliet constantly see omens. When Romeo believes that Juliet is dead, he cries out, â€Å"Then I defy you, stars,† completing the idea that the love between Romeo and Juliet is in opposition to the decrees of destiny (5. 1. 24). Of course, Romeo’s defiance itself plays into the hands of fate, and his determination to spend eternity with Juliet results in their deaths. The mechanism of fate works in all of the events surrounding the lovers: the feud between their families (it is worth noting that this hatred is never explained; rather, the reader must accept it as an undeniable aspect of the world of the play); the horrible series of accidents that ruin Friar Lawrence’s seemingly well-intentioned plans at the end of the play; and the tragic timing of Romeo’s suicide and Juliet’s awakening. These events are not mere coincidences, but rather manifestations of fate that help bring about the unavoidable outcome of the young lovers’ deaths. The concept of fate described above is the most commonly accepted interpretation. There are other possible readings of fate in the play: as a force determined by the powerful social institutions that influence Romeo and Juliet’s choices, as well as fate as a force that emerges from Romeo and Juliet’s very personalities. Link this to Friar Lawernce! STRUCTURE -briefly answer the question awhat the relationship is like, what sort of impression you get of the relationship. Second paragraph)-Context- write about how men/women were supposed to behave when the plays were written a how is this reflected in the text? (this bit is essential for Band 4/5). How do you think an audience might have responded to the relationship when the play was first performed? How might a modern audienceas response be different? (Third paragraph)- How language reveals the relationship- select 3 or 4 key examples of words that reveal to you the relationship a might be a simile /metaphor that has be en used or a striking phrase/word. Try to select them from the different scenes you are focusing on. For each make sure you analyse how the word/phrase suggests ideas about the relationship, not just what it suggests. (Fourth paragraph)- How structure reveals the relationship- think in particular about the relationship changes as the play progresses- analyze how Shakespeare shows the relationship changing as the play goes on. (Fifth paragraph)- How dramatic techniques reveal the relationship- this might include: the setting; actions; stage directions. Try to find one or two examples Shakespeare presents Romeo Juliet’s early relationship as a love-hate affair. By this I mean that although they love each other immensely, they are surrounded by the hate of their two families Arranged marriages were very common at the time depending on your social status and love had no meaning. At the time marrying at the age of 12 appeared to be normal, however now is frowned at. How to cite How Is Romeo and Juliet Relationship Presented, Papers

Contemporary Strategy Analysis Text and Cases System

Question: Discuss about the Contemporary Strategy Analysis for Text and Cases System. Answer: Introduction Global supply chain management has become an integral part of most of the reputed companies. Interestingly, companies across various countries in the world are finding this as their solution for the rising demand of the business. The companies are more seemingly concentrating on some global countries also for the supply chain management to establish their global stature and to become a global success. Companies are going global because of various options such as low labour costs in the foreign country, lesser logistics costs and many more (Fawcett, Ellram and Ogden 2014). To fulfil their desire and to achieve the feat, they do set up overseas factories to get full use of regional low costs for labour, supportive political economical environment, increasing GDP, buying power of customers and many more. This assignment takes on Red Fish-Blue Fish LLP, which is in the United States. Fran Fisher did lay the foundation for the Company in the year 2007 as his step to change his career and give this a new look. The Company has not performed up to the mark in global countries especially in the Asian market. However, two of the most important factors have attracted the Company towards its exposure in the Asian countries such as demographic factors of the Asian countries and the Trans-pacific Partnership. Demographic factors of Asian countries There is a huge transition in the demographic of Asian countries in the last few decades. The transition of demographic highlights the changes from the pre-industrial high mortality and fertility to post industrial low mortality and fertility. Asia demographic transition leads towards the declining of mortality rates. By the time of late 90s the basic death rate began to decline at a very high space that was accompanied by increasing the life expectancy from 60 to 75 years between the year 1960 to 1995. There was a subsequent change in the mortality and fertility rates that led to heterogeneity in all the age structure shifts throughout all the Asian regions (Dutton, Madison and Lynn 2016). In the East Asian region, the total amount of fertility rate drop down from around 5.6 in the year 1965 to 2.5 in 1985. In the late 90s the average East Asia total fertility rate was almost below 2%. Therefore, the increasing working age share of the population accompanied the rapid decline in the entire fertility rate and the ratio of working age population was increased to 1.2 to 2.5 between the years 1965 to 1986. In South East Asia, the fertility rate also declined quickly between the year 1960 and late 90s from a regional average of 7.5 in 1960 to 3.0 in 1990. One of the most important factors of the demographics of Asian countries is that it has increased the rise of working age share within their overall population (Okada et al., 2017). Moreover, by critically analyzing the projections of World Population Prospects it can be estimated that there is a stabilization of the total fertility rate that is depended between the ratio of working age population and non-working age populations. In the eastern Asian regions the fertility rate is been stabilized below the replacement rate and also in the South East Asian region the fertility rate is also predicted to be stabile to almost 2.0 by the end of 2015. Therefore, a steady decline in the fertility rate will raise the increase of working age share of the populations and the number of youths dependents individuals will increase in due time. Moreover, once the rate of fertility raises the number of working individuals per share of the population will also be increased along with the number of individuals entering into the workforce will be stabilized. Therefore, increasing the life expectancy of individuals and thus reducing the ascend of old age dependents will basically combine with the stable youth population that consist of working age share to reduce the non working age population ratio across various Asian countries (Cavusgil et al., 2014). In addition, it can be observed that there is also a major shift in the age structure throughout Asia. This shift of age consists of more number of working age population that enables the Asian countries to develop their economic growth. Therefore, the above mentioned demographic factors provides enough evidence that there is a huge potential of future trade development in the Asian countries as the country basically consists of huge number of working age populations that will help to facilitate more number of international trades. Moreover, the economic growth of the country is also rising day by day, which is an added benefit for the development of future trades within the Asian countries (Glowik 2016). Considerations for expansion into the Asian market The Red Fish-Blue Fish LLP must consider various factors while they expand their business operations within the Asian Countries. In general, it can be observed that are some similarities between the Asian and Western Markets in terms of their recent customer behavior. Therefore, it does not simplify the fact that Western marketers and advertisers must not approach the Asian consumers in the same way. It is been observed that the Asian marketing approach is more modest and submissive whereas the American approach is much straight forwarded and certain. The Red Fish-Blue Fish LLP should take this into their minds while entering the Asian Market place. The attitude of advertisements and their co-operations have serious impact on all the level of selling. Moreover, the organization must also respect workers on all the levels of the supply chain because Asian consumers will reflect these behaviors on the said brand and their product (Khanna and Palepu 2013). One of the most important factors that is quite constant among all the three Asian countries is that the strength of the brand recognition is always put ahead of all the other important factors like Price of the product. The people of Asia value their brand highly and in order to acquire competitiv e advantage in the Asian market place the Red Fish-Blue Fish LLP needs to develop co-operation among Asian people and firstly implement strategies to acquire their sense of trust towards their said brand. They can expand their business operations through various factors as follows: Asian countries are one of the most complex markets and it is basically not for everyone to expand their business operations. Therefore, if the organization is been able to find an Agent they will be much beneficial to handle their daily business activities much more efficiently. However, it is very difficult to find a good Agent that can run and corporate the business activities with sound maturity and trust and he/she needs to communicate in English. Therefore, if the organization has a presence of local support of staffs those can assists them it will always open up new and bright possibilities and it will make less risky in evaluation of partners, customers and suppliers (Grant 2016). Joint Ventures in Asian Countries: Establishing a Joint Venture is one of the oldest a traditional methods via which a foreign companies expand their business operations globally due to number of reasons. Therefore, not only is that a Joint Venture is the mandatory choice for many multinational industries that restricts foreign controlled companies but also it is a safe method to establish and develop existing infrastructure, training of staffs and network rather than focusing to start from the scratch. Moreover, there are also several disadvantages associated with Joint Ventures like the intellectual property of the organization gets vulnerable and finding a reliable partner is very crucial at this point of time Moreover, negotiating the terms and conditions of the organization in front of the Asian partner can also be a very (Ang, Benischke and Doh 2015).complex process. Therefore, in order to expand their business in Asian countries it is important that they have a large organization and the required resources to m aintain a senior team that have a good experience in the Asian market and can work with diligence in managing the joint venture (Laufs and Schwens 2014). The one of the most popular measure that all the foreign companies take into considerations while expanding their business operations globally is representative offices. It enables them to employ employees and play them proper remuneration without taking any legal obligations in local currency (Zhao, Park and Zhou 2014). It was one of the most common approaches such as technical support, purchasing offices and marketing support operations where the business is done by the overseas head office directly with the help of Asian partners (Shi et al., 2014). One of the most valuable considerations that an organization must make before entering into the Asian market is that their competitors launch dates and strategy along with their competitor sales positioning and market capabilities. The organization must also provide market access strategies in their plan of life cycle management. Therefore, utilizing competitor intelligence often provides high value insights that lead in taking crucial commercial decisions while making market expansion (Holtbrugge and Baron 2013). Moreover, gaining the competitor knowledge in Asian market place can be proven more difficult depending on the interest of the chosen market. In Asian countries, the information about competitors can be gained with the help of triangulation process. The information is available through secondary sources as if the word of mouth that is often spoken in the local languages is supplemented with all the internal expertise and validated with insights that are gathered from interviews with the analysts and company sources (Garica-Sanchez, Mesquita and Vassolo 2014). While expanding business globally it is important to understand that the new market is very price sensitive and play a vital role in making the brand competitive in the market. It is been observed market access and price are highly influential factors in determining the revenues of the product. The primary needs of every organization is that to achieve their product market access and in the best possible price (Zhao, Park and Zhou 2014). Therefore, it is concluded that all the above mentioned steps must be followed by Red Fish-Blue Fish LLP and take all the above mentioned considerations while expanding their business within Asian countries that will help them to overcome their losses and expand their business smoothly in the Asian Markets. It is already been discussed that Asian Markets are very price sensitive market and they needs co-operation from foreign players in order to promote their brands and to gain customer within the Asian market place (Ang, Benischke and Doh 2015). Challenges in extension into global supply chains Globalization has influenced many of companies for going global with their existing business in search of an enhanced business domain. However, it is not free from risks and challenges that are bound to happen in front of a Company, which is aspiring for its global exposure (Christopher 2016). To the Red Fish-Blue Fish LLP, their business performance in global countries has suffered significantly. They have not been able to prove their point in terms of global exposure. Although, they had recorded good sales in the European countries and Canada; however, they could not produce the same effect in the Asian countries. Nevertheless, some of the countries in the Asian part of world are a potential market such as China, Singapore, Thailand and many more. Some of the factors are there, which has influenced the Red Fish-Blue Fish LLP Company for its expansion into the Asian regions. High rate of population in some of the Asian countries such as China, India and strong buying power of customers are two of the most important factors that are influencing the drives of foreign companies. However, high number of population does not guarantee for an increased number of customers as USA, UK is two of the potential market in the world. Both USA and UK have lesser population than China and India. Nevertheless, buying power of consumers is one of the most important factors involved in the driving forces behind the potentiality of market in China and India (Elms and Low 2013). In spite of all the glories that a foreign Company can dream of in the global countries especially the Asian countries, it also has to face some challenges that pose strong resilience force against the prospering of foreign companies in these regions. Global supply chains are more challenging to manage than the domestic chains of supply (Fernie and Sparks 2014). Some of the challenges that a Company like Red Fish-Blue Fish LLP can face in the global supply chains are as follows: Large Distances - It hampers the coordination in between the parent Company and the customers in the global chains. It has to go to undergo a lengthier process when the customers demand a small change in the products. It is known as the Bullwhip Effect, which happens when a small demand takes a wider swing to reach to the parent Company (Fredendall and Hill 2016). Inaccurate Forecasting The parent Company tends to lose its contact with the customers in global supply chains because of which, it becomes hard for the Company to understand the actual demand of the customer. The Company generally does not have any significant idea about the customers in the global part, which makes it reliable on the data that is reaching to it. Because of the process, it becomes almost difficult to maintain the accuracy to identify the actual customer demand (Heizer and Barry 2013). Political and Economical conditions Several of economical factors are there that makes it tougher for the foreign companies to adjust with the economical culture of the country of the global supply chains (Waters and Rinsler 2014). Factors such as economic instability, exchange rates, trade barriers and many more are some of the challenges that hamper the business operation of a Company in global chains. Political parties and different kinds of their protests are also very significant problem for the foreign companies. In China itself, it is very tough for the American companies to produce their same performance as that of their local home. The anti American unions are an added problem. Likewise, India is also very tough country for the foreign companies because of its political condition (Humphries 2013). Infrastructure Shortages - It is another problem in global chains as targeted countries might be short of skilled labours, availability of suppliers, technological advancements and many more. In China, the high costs of labour keep deterring foreign companies from exposing their business to this market. In spite of the fact that it is a potential market, most of the foreign companies have already shut down their few shops because of its poor performance (Mangan, Lalwani and Lalwani 2016). Possible solutions to the identified challenges It is very difficult to provide the possible solutions to the problems identified in the assignment above but a strategy can be made to minimise its adverse effect to a possible extent. Solutions are as follows: High Distance Merger acquisition with the local companies is the one possible solution that looks prominent in its appeal (Seuring and Goldbach 2013). This can prove its worth for the foreign companies as the local companies are well versed with the customers cultures. It is not advisable to open up own factories in foreign countries as it might also face some political and legal challenges. The best example in this regard is of Walmart, which is an American Company. Despite being an American Company, Walmart has successfully proved its worth in the Chinese market. It merged with the local Company Trustmart to enhance its local appeal. Moreover, this also helps in understanding the demand of local customers by improving the coordination in between the customers and the Company (Milberg and Winkler 2013). Fault Forecasting Merger acquisition is also the solution for the failure of companies in this regard. Moreover, the Company acquired or merged Company would remain in contact to the local customers. This is helpful in understanding the actual demands of local customers as well as improved communication with the parent Company regarding the particular demand (Monczka et al. 2015). Political economical circumstances It can well be controlled by studying and researching the economical stability of the country. The Red Fish-Blue Fish LLP needs to analyse the economic stability, labour costs and many other factors of the targeted country for an improved business operation. It is possible to follow the footsteps of Walmart in China but the high costs of labour are a significant problem that reduces the profit margin considerably. In India, the political condition is not that much favourable as it is not predicted that which way it is going. It might oppose the operation of some companies whereas it might allow the others. The Red Fish-Blue Fish Company needs to conduct a thorough study on the political condition of the targeted country (Ross 2013). Low Infrastructure Infrastructure can have various influencing factors such as low number of skilled labours, less number of suppliers, improper logistic operation and many more (Schnsleben 2016). The Red Fish-Blue Fish Company needs to target the most suitable country in this regard. For example, Singapore could be one of the potential selections for the Company because of the ageing employability in the country. Moreover, the HRM has ample of burdens on its shoulder to recruit sufficient skilled employees to fill the expected gaps after the departure of baby-boomers. It would create a strong drives in the country for the fresh and skilled employees. This would provide the Red Fish-Blue Fish Company a good chance to grab some potentially skilled employees for its operation (Ross 2015). Other options for expanding the Asian sales The Red Fish-Blue Fish Company needs to consider on some factors if it wish to expand its business into the Asian market. China emerges out as the most effective country in Asia, which attracts a bulk numbers of foreign companies for their globalization. China is the second most powerful market in the world, second only to the United States. It is expected to dethrone the United States from the top position very soon. The hunger to become globalized, it had attracted many foreign companies in the past such as Walmart America, Aldi, Asda and many more. However, apart from Walmart, many of the companies are struggling in China. Nevertheless, the hunger for the business expansion is not finding any significant stoppages in the country. If the Red Fish-Blue Fish has to expand its business into the Chinese market, it has to focus on some important points to prevent any failure in its operation there such as follows (Ross 2016): While selecting the business partners in China, the Company needs to be extra careful on making any decision as most of the private companies are family run businesses If the Red Fish-Blue Fish wish to expand into the Chinese market, it needs to have control on its major operation such as customer service It needs to protect its exported goods with an extensive care to prevent any copying of the product. Moreover, they can copy the same product at the most cheaper rate than that of the Red Fish-Blue Fish Setting up own shops in China is also advisable for the Company to foster a good sale in the Chinese market. The high rate of taxes on the exports such as 17% value-added taxes and 12% import taxes are nothing but a burden on the exporters. Under this circumstances, it is advisable to have own shops in China as manufacturing would be comparatively cheaper because of low cost materials The Company needs to take the full use of the lower costs of plant in China, which is only to the 40% of what the charge is in Canada and some other parts of world Hiring of skilled employees is another good move, which the Company can opt for while expanding their business into the Chinese market Forming of good relationships with the state run union as this can prevent the Red Fish-Blue Fish Company from the anti-American feelings in China Making up good relationships with the local government as the government is more in favour of local companies. Local companies are provided with the most suitable and the attractive places for their business Conclusion The Red Fish-Blue Fish Company founded by Fran Fisher in 2007, has achieved a notable feat in the United States. The domestic sales have increased up but a dip in the global sales has hampered its performance in the global part of the world. In the European countries and the Canada, the sales are good but it is bad in the Asian region. The Company needs to have solutions to the challenges that are expected while operating in the global supply chains. Expanding the business in some, foreign markets such as the Asian countries do require a thorough study of its political economical condition, legal rules, infrastructure and many more. Moreover, the domestic supply of chains is more controllable than the global chains for its control on the operation, understanding of the local customer demand and many more. For the Red Fish-Blue Fish, it needs to follow the footsteps of successful foreign companies that have constructed their story of success in the global world. References Ang, S.H., Benischke, M.H. and Doh, J.P., 2015. The interactions of institutions on foreign market entry mode.Strategic Management Journal,36(10), pp.1536-1553. Cavusgil, S.T., Knight, G., Riesenberger, J.R., Rammal, H.G. and Rose, E.L., 2014.International business. Pearson Australia. Christopher, M., 2016.Logistics supply chain management. Pearson UK. Dutton, E., Madison, G. and Lynn, R., 2016. Demographic, economic, and genetic factors related to national differences in ethnocentric attitudes.Personality and Individual Differences,101, pp.137-143. Elms, D.K. and Low, P. eds., 2013.Global value chains in a changing world. Geneva: World Trade Organization. Fawcett, S.E., Ellram, L.M. and Ogden, J.A., 2014.Supply chain management: from vision to implementation. London: Pearson. Fernie, J. and Sparks, L., 2014.Logistics and retail management: emerging issues and new challenges in the retail supply chain. Kogan Page Publishers. Fredendall, L.D. and Hill, E., 2016.Basics of supply chain management. CRC Press. Garcia?Sanchez, J., Mesquita, L.F. and Vassolo, R.S., 2014. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger: The evolution of competition and entry?order advantages in economically turbulent contexts.Strategic Management Journal,35(13), pp.1972-1992. Glowik, M., 2016.Market Entry Strategies: Internationalization Theories, Concepts and Cases of Asian High-Technology Firms: Haier, Hon Hai Precision, Lenovo, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TCL, Xiaomi. Walter de Gruyter GmbH Co KG. Grant, R.M., 2016.Contemporary strategy analysis: Text and cases edition. John Wiley Sons. Heizer, R. and Barry, R., 2013.Operation Management, Sustainability and Supply Chain management(Vol. 11). Pearson, UK. Holtbrgge, D. and Baron, A., 2013. Market entry strategies in emerging markets: An institutional study in the BRIC countries.Thunderbird International Business Review,55(3), pp.237-252. Humphries, M., 2013. Rare earth elements: The global supply chain.Congressional Research Service,16. Khanna, T. and Palepu, K., 2013.Winning in emerging markets: A road map for strategy and execution. Harvard Business Press. Laufs, K. and Schwens, C., 2014. Foreign market entry mode choice of small and medium-sized enterprises: A systematic review and future research agenda.International Business Review,23(6), pp.1109-1126. Mangan, J., Lalwani, C. and Lalwani, C.L., 2016.Global logistics and supply chain management. John Wiley Sons. Milberg, W. and Winkler, D., 2013.Outsourcing economics: global value chains in capitalist development. Cambridge University Press. Monczka, R.M., Handfield, R.B., Giunipero, L.C. and Patterson, J.L., 2015.Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Okada, E., Ukawa, S., Nakamura, K., Hirata, M., Nagai, A., Matsuda, K., Ninomiya, T., Kiyohara, Y., Muto, K., Kamatani, Y. and Yamagata, Z., 2017. Demographic and lifestyle factors and survival among patients with esophageal and gastric cancer: The Biobank Japan Project.Journal of Epidemiology,27(3), pp.S29-S35. Ross, D.F., 2013.Competing through supply chain management: creating market-winning strategies through supply chain partnerships. Springer Science Business Media. Ross, D.F., 2015.Distribution Planning and control: managing in the era of supply chain management. Springer. Ross, D.F., 2016.Introduction to supply chain management technologies. CRC Press. Schnsleben, P., 2016.Integral logistics management: operations and supply chain management within and across companies. CRC Press. Seuring, S. and Goldbach, M. eds., 2013.Cost management in supply chains. Springer Science Business Media. Shi, W.S., Sun, S.L., Pinkham, B.C. and Peng, M.W., 2014. Domestic alliance network to attract foreign partners: Evidence from international joint ventures in China.Journal of International Business Studies,45(3), pp.338-362. Waters, D. and Rinsler, S., 2014.Global logistics: New directions in supply chain management. Kogan Page Publishers. Zhao, M., Park, S.H. and Zhou, N., 2014. MNC strategy and social adaptation in emerging markets.Journal of International Business Studies,45(7), pp.842-861.

Strategic Plan For Gnc Essays - Nutrition, GNC, EAS,

Strategic Plan For Gnc Company Background General Nutrition Companies Inc., was founded 65 years ago in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the premise that Americans wanted to maintain control over their health. David Shakirian founded the company. In 1935 he launched a dream of his by establishing a little health food store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He called it Lackzoom. The products that were offered at his store included yogurt and healthy foods such as honey, grains and healthy sandwiches. The concept of being a health store and serving health food was thought to be a fad that would soon pass over back then. To the surprise of many of Shakarian's critics, many people embraced Lackzoom. David and his store came a long way from its first day's receipts of 35 dollars to open a second store six months later. Since those first two stores, Lackzoom, which is now GNC, has grown to be the largest manufacturer of vitamins and mineral supplements in the United States (1998 Annual Report). General Nutrition Companies, Inc., collectively with its subsidiaries, is the only nationwide specialty retailer of vitamin and mineral supplements, sports nutrition products and herbs, and is also a leading provider of personal care, and other health-related products. The products were sold through 3,757 General Nutrition Centers, 2,531 of which were owned and operated by the company and the other 1,226 stores were franchised. Much of the growth of GNC has occurred in the last 7 years. Since 1992, the Company has opened or acquired in the United States 2,593 new GNC stores (SEC 10k form). The company's initial growth was through company-owned stores located primarily in regional malls. Many of the stores that were created in the past 7 years have been franchises. This franchise initiative has enabled GNC to expand into secondary locations as well as International markets. It appears that there is no end to the growth of GNC. At a Franchising meeting on February 6,1999 GNC awarded an d agreed to open an additional 323 domestic and 428 international franchise locations. All of these stores report to GNC headquarters, which is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is also home to one of General Nutrition's three distribution centers. The other two distribution centers are located in Atlanta and Phoenix. The products that are distributed through these channels are manufactured in Greenville, South Carolina. This facility is one of the largest and most modern vitamin and supplement manufacturing facilities in the United States. Within the coming months a new 600,000 sq.ft. manufacturing plant and distribution center in Anderson, SC will open which will double the capacity of the company (www.gnc.com/about/history). The company has many products that it distributes from their first-class distribution centers. These products include vitamin and mineral supplements, herbs, diet products, food products, personal care, and miscellaneous health care products. These products are sold under the General Nutrition's various proprietary brand names, including Ultra Mega, GNC, Pro Performance, Preventive Nutrition, and Harvest of Nature. In addition, the Company carries various third-party brand name products including Weider, Twin Lab, EAS, and Met-Rx. The company's product mix focuses on high-margin, GNC proprietary brand, value-added products emphasizing vitamin and mineral supplements, sports nutrition and herbal products. The Company has seen amazing growth over the past 5 years. Below is a chart that exemplifies their revenue growth: Company Growth (dollars in thousands except per share data) 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Net Revenue?. $672,945 $845,952 $990,845 $1,193,485 $1,417,746 Operating earnings. 97,750 137,116 60,347 191,171 183,337 Diluted earnings per share 0.44 0.78 0.05 1.24 1.18 Operating earnings as adjusted 98,425 138,699 152,413 195,254 194,548 Total Number of Stores 2,115 2,543 3,047 3,435 4,091 Comparable store sales (GNC owned stores, not franchise) 5.80% 10.30% 0.30% 7.90% -0.20% As you can see net revenue increased to 1.4 billion dollars, an increase of 18.8 % over 1997. This increase was driven by the success of the Company's store expansion program and increased demand for the Company's products, as reflected by increased sales, across all business segments. During 1998, the Company developed a web site, GNC.com, to sell products via the Internet. Although still in the early stages of operation, the Company expects sales to increase based on the growth of the Internet. The history of GNC shows their excellence in planning and execution of these

The impacts of the July 1st 2003 mass demonstration essays

The impacts of the July 1st 2003 mass demonstration essays The July 1st demonstration is a typical political movement in Hong Kong, it shows both impetus and long term impact toward Hong Kong. In this essay, there are will be an analysis on the impacts of July 1st demonstration towards political participation, institutions and political culture. First of all, July 1st demonstration had turn the Hong Kong citizens attitude from political apathy to more activism to demonstrate their opinion, undoubtedly, raise the political participation of Hong Kong people. On 1/72003, there were more than 500 thousand Hong Kong people participated in the march to express their discontent towards the government. It clearly shows that this political movement increases the Hong Kong citizens political empathy. Even the organizers and the SAR government did not expect such a huge number of people would join the demonstration. In this case, the poor performance of the government encourage HK citizens to do something in order to seek for a better administration so as to improve the situation of HK. The participants objective mainly on the opposite of legislation of Article 23. Besides, the demonstrator had different objectives: the SARS crisis, the financial crisis, Poor performance of the Chief Executive and the government officers. As Articl e 23 stimulated the anger and sentiments of the Hong Kong citizens towards the SAR government, its contribute to unify citizens to voice our their own opinion. After the out break of 1/7 demonstration, Mr. Tung and the government finally abolish the legislation of Article 23, which showed the power of the people towards political issues. Thus, the 1/7 demonstration acted as a watershed, Hong Kong citizens start to recognize their political influent; there was a significant increase in the degree of involvement of HK people in political affairs. The above analysis shows that, the political movement on July 1st not only provokes radical activism and...

Active Listening

* We listen to understand. * We listen for enjoyment. * We listen to learn. Given all this listening we do, you would think we’d be good at it! In fact most of us are not, and research suggests that we remember between 25 percent and 50 percent of what we hear. That means that when you talk to your boss, colleagues, customers or spouse for 10 minutes, they pay attention to less than half of the conversation. This is dismal! Turn it around and it reveals that when you are receiving directions or being presented with information, you aren’t hearing the whole message either. You hope the important parts are captured in your 25-50 percent, but what if they’re not? Clearly, listening is a skill that we can all benefit from improving. By becoming a better listener, you will improve your productivity, as well as your ability to influence, persuade and negotiate. What’s more, you’ll avoid conflict and misunderstandings. All of these are necessary for workplace success! Good communication skills require a high level of self-awareness. By understanding your personal style of communicating, you will go a long way towards creating good and lasting impressions with others. About Active Listening The way to become a better listener is to practice â€Å"active listening. † This is where you make a conscious effort to hear not only the words that another person is saying but, more importantly, try to understand the complete message being sent. In order to do this you must pay attention to the other person very carefully. You cannot allow yourself to become distracted by whatever else may be going on around you, or by forming counter arguments that you’ll make when the other person stops speaking. Nor can you allow yourself to get bored, and lose focus on what the other person is saying. All of these contribute to a lack of listening and understanding. If you’re finding it particularly difficult to concentrate on what someone is saying, try repeating their words mentally as they say them – this will reinforce their message and help you stay focused. To enhance your listening skills, you need to let the other person know that you are listening to what he or she is saying. To understand the importance of this, ask yourself if you’ve ever been engaged in a conversation when you wondered if the other person was listening to what you were saying. You wonder if your message is getting across, or if it’s even worthwhile continuing to speak. It feels like talking to a brick wall and it’s something you want to avoid. Acknowledgement can be something as simple as a nod of the head or a simple â€Å"uh huh. You aren’t necessarily agreeing with the person, you are simply indicating that you are listening. Using body language and other signs to acknowledge you are listening also reminds you to pay attention and not let your mind wander. You should also try to respond to the speaker in a way that will both encourage him or her to continue speaking, so that you can get the information if you need. While nodding and â€Å"uh huhing† says you’re interested, an occasional question or comment to recap what has been said communicates that you understand the message as well. Becoming an Active Listener There are five key elements of active listening. They all help you ensure that you hear the other person, and that the other person knows you are hearing what they say. 1. Pay Attention Give the speaker your undivided attention, and acknowledge the message. Recognize that non-verbal communication also â€Å"speaks† loudly. * Look at the speaker directly. * Put aside distracting thoughts. * Don’t mentally prepare a rebuttal! * Avoid being distracted by environmental factors. For example, side conversations. â€Å"Listen† to the speaker’s body language. 2. Show That You’re Listening Use your own body language and gestures to convey your attention. * Nod occasionally. * Smile and use other facial expressions. * Note your posture and make sure it is open and inviting. * Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like yes, and uh huh. 3. Provide Feedback Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and belie fs can distort what we hear. As a listener, your role is to understand what is being said. This may require you to reflect what is being said and ask questions. * Reflect what has been said by paraphrasing. â€Å"What I’m hearing is,† and â€Å"Sounds like you are saying,† are great ways to reflect back. * Ask questions to clarify certain points. â€Å"What do you mean when you say. † â€Å"Is this what you mean? † * Summarize the speaker’s comments periodically. If you find yourself responding emotionally to what someone said, say so, and ask for more information: â€Å"I may not be understanding you correctly, and I find myself taking what you said personally. What I thought you just said is XXX; is that what you meant? † 4. Defer Judgment Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full understanding of the message. * Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions. * Don’t interrupt with counter arguments. 5. Respond Appropriately Active listening is a model for respect and understanding. You are gaining information and perspective. You add nothing by attacking the speaker or otherwise putting him or her down. * Be candid, open, and honest in your response. Assert your opinions respectfully. Treat the other person in a way that you think he or she would want to be treated. Listening is the ability to accurately receive messages in the communication process. Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen effectively messages are easily misunderstood – communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated . Listening is so important that many top employers give regular listening skills training for their employees. This is not surprising when you consider that  good listening skills can lead to: better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, increased sharing of information that in turn can lead to more creative and innovative work. Good listening skills also have benefits in our personal lives, including: a greater number of friends and social networks, improved self-esteem and confidence, higher grades in academic work and increased health and wellbeing. Studies have shown that, whereas speaking raises blood pressure, listening brings it down. Listening is not the same as hearing. Hearing refers to the sounds that you hear, whereas listening requires more than that: it requires focus. Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or her body. In other words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages. Your ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and understand these messages. â€Å"The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention. † Rachel Naomi Remen We spend a lot of our time listening Adults spend an average of 70% of their time engaged in some sort of communication, of this an average of 45% is spent listening compared to 30% speaking, 16% reading and 9% writing. (Adler, R. et al. 2001). 10 Principles of Listening A good listener will listen not only to what is being said, but also to what is left unsaid or only partially said. Listening involves observing body language and noticing inconsistencies between verbal and non-verbal messages. For example, if someone tells you that they are happy with their life but through gritted teeth or with tears filling their eyes, you should consider that the verbal and non-verbal messages are in conflict, they maybe don’t mean what they say. Listening requires you to concentrate and use your other senses in addition to simply hearing the words spoken. Listening is not the same as hearing and in order to listen effectively you need to use more than just your ears. 1. Stop Talking â€Å"If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two tongues and one ear. † Mark Twain. Don’t talk, listen. When somebody else is talking listen to what they are saying, do not interrupt, talk over them or finish their sentences for them. Stop, just listen. When the other person has finished talking you may need to clarify to ensure you have received their message accurately. 2. Prepare Yourself to Listen Relax. Focus on the speaker. Put other things out of mind. The human mind is easily distracted by other thoughts – what’s for lunch, what time do I need to leave to catch my train, is it going to rain – try to put other thoughts out of mind and concentrate on the messages that are being communicated. 3. Put the Speaker at Ease Help the speaker to feel free to speak. Remember their needs and concerns. Nod or use other gestures or words to encourage them to continue. Maintain eye contact but don’t stare – show you are listening and understanding what is being said. 4. Remove Distractions Focus on what is being said: don’t doodle, shuffle papers, look out the window, pick your fingernails or similar. Avoid unnecessary interruptions. These behaviours disrupt the listening process and send messages to the speaker that you are bored or distracted. 5. Empathize Try to understand the other person’s point of view. Look at issues from their perspective. Let go of preconceived ideas. By having an open mind we can more fully empathise with the speaker. If the speaker says something that you disagree with then wait and construct an argument to counter what is said but keep an open mind to the views and opinions of others. (See our page:  What is Empathy? ) 6. Be Patient A pause, even a long pause, does not necessarily mean that the speaker has finished. Be patient and let the speaker continue in their own time, sometimes it takes time to formulate what to say and how to say it. Never interrupt or finish a sentence for someone. 7. Avoid Personal Prejudice Try to be impartial. Don’t become irritated and don’t let the person’s habits or mannerisms distract you from what they are really saying. Everybody has a different way of speaking – some people are for example more nervous or shy than others, some have regional accents or make excessive arm movements, some people like to pace whilst talking – others like to sit still. Focus on what is being said and try to ignore styles of delivery. 8. Listen to the Tone Volume and tone both add to what someone is saying. A good speaker will use both volume and tone to their advantage to keep an audience attentive; everybody will use pitch, tone and volume of voice in certain situations – let these help you to understand the emphasis of what is being said. 9. Listen for Ideas – Not Just Words You need to get the whole picture, not just isolated bits and pieces. Maybe one of the most difficult aspects of listening is the ability to link together pieces of information to reveal the ideas of others. With proper concentration, letting go of distractions, and focus this becomes easier. 10. Wait and Watch for Non-Verbal Communication Gestures, facial expressions, and eye-movements can all be important. We don’t just listen with our ears but also with our eyes – watch and pick up the additional information being transmitted via non-verbal communication. Do not jump to conclusions about what you see and hear. You should always seek clarification to ensure that your understanding is correct. Active Listening * We listen to understand. * We listen for enjoyment. * We listen to learn. Given all this listening we do, you would think we’d be good at it! In fact most of us are not, and research suggests that we remember between 25 percent and 50 percent of what we hear. That means that when you talk to your boss, colleagues, customers or spouse for 10 minutes, they pay attention to less than half of the conversation. This is dismal! Turn it around and it reveals that when you are receiving directions or being presented with information, you aren’t hearing the whole message either. You hope the important parts are captured in your 25-50 percent, but what if they’re not? Clearly, listening is a skill that we can all benefit from improving. By becoming a better listener, you will improve your productivity, as well as your ability to influence, persuade and negotiate. What’s more, you’ll avoid conflict and misunderstandings. All of these are necessary for workplace success! Good communication skills require a high level of self-awareness. By understanding your personal style of communicating, you will go a long way towards creating good and lasting impressions with others. About Active Listening The way to become a better listener is to practice â€Å"active listening. † This is where you make a conscious effort to hear not only the words that another person is saying but, more importantly, try to understand the complete message being sent. In order to do this you must pay attention to the other person very carefully. You cannot allow yourself to become distracted by whatever else may be going on around you, or by forming counter arguments that you’ll make when the other person stops speaking. Nor can you allow yourself to get bored, and lose focus on what the other person is saying. All of these contribute to a lack of listening and understanding. If you’re finding it particularly difficult to concentrate on what someone is saying, try repeating their words mentally as they say them – this will reinforce their message and help you stay focused. To enhance your listening skills, you need to let the other person know that you are listening to what he or she is saying. To understand the importance of this, ask yourself if you’ve ever been engaged in a conversation when you wondered if the other person was listening to what you were saying. You wonder if your message is getting across, or if it’s even worthwhile continuing to speak. It feels like talking to a brick wall and it’s something you want to avoid. Acknowledgement can be something as simple as a nod of the head or a simple â€Å"uh huh. You aren’t necessarily agreeing with the person, you are simply indicating that you are listening. Using body language and other signs to acknowledge you are listening also reminds you to pay attention and not let your mind wander. You should also try to respond to the speaker in a way that will both encourage him or her to continue speaking, so that you can get the information if you need. While nodding and â€Å"uh huhing† says you’re interested, an occasional question or comment to recap what has been said communicates that you understand the message as well. Becoming an Active Listener There are five key elements of active listening. They all help you ensure that you hear the other person, and that the other person knows you are hearing what they say. 1. Pay Attention Give the speaker your undivided attention, and acknowledge the message. Recognize that non-verbal communication also â€Å"speaks† loudly. * Look at the speaker directly. * Put aside distracting thoughts. * Don’t mentally prepare a rebuttal! * Avoid being distracted by environmental factors. For example, side conversations. â€Å"Listen† to the speaker’s body language. 2. Show That You’re Listening Use your own body language and gestures to convey your attention. * Nod occasionally. * Smile and use other facial expressions. * Note your posture and make sure it is open and inviting. * Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like yes, and uh huh. 3. Provide Feedback Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and belie fs can distort what we hear. As a listener, your role is to understand what is being said. This may require you to reflect what is being said and ask questions. * Reflect what has been said by paraphrasing. â€Å"What I’m hearing is,† and â€Å"Sounds like you are saying,† are great ways to reflect back. * Ask questions to clarify certain points. â€Å"What do you mean when you say. † â€Å"Is this what you mean? † * Summarize the speaker’s comments periodically. If you find yourself responding emotionally to what someone said, say so, and ask for more information: â€Å"I may not be understanding you correctly, and I find myself taking what you said personally. What I thought you just said is XXX; is that what you meant? † 4. Defer Judgment Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full understanding of the message. * Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions. * Don’t interrupt with counter arguments. 5. Respond Appropriately Active listening is a model for respect and understanding. You are gaining information and perspective. You add nothing by attacking the speaker or otherwise putting him or her down. * Be candid, open, and honest in your response. Assert your opinions respectfully. Treat the other person in a way that you think he or she would want to be treated. Listening is the ability to accurately receive messages in the communication process. Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen effectively messages are easily misunderstood – communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated . Listening is so important that many top employers give regular listening skills training for their employees. This is not surprising when you consider that  good listening skills can lead to: better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, increased sharing of information that in turn can lead to more creative and innovative work. Good listening skills also have benefits in our personal lives, including: a greater number of friends and social networks, improved self-esteem and confidence, higher grades in academic work and increased health and wellbeing. Studies have shown that, whereas speaking raises blood pressure, listening brings it down. Listening is not the same as hearing. Hearing refers to the sounds that you hear, whereas listening requires more than that: it requires focus. Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or her body. In other words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages. Your ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and understand these messages. â€Å"The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention. † Rachel Naomi Remen We spend a lot of our time listening Adults spend an average of 70% of their time engaged in some sort of communication, of this an average of 45% is spent listening compared to 30% speaking, 16% reading and 9% writing. (Adler, R. et al. 2001). 10 Principles of Listening A good listener will listen not only to what is being said, but also to what is left unsaid or only partially said. Listening involves observing body language and noticing inconsistencies between verbal and non-verbal messages. For example, if someone tells you that they are happy with their life but through gritted teeth or with tears filling their eyes, you should consider that the verbal and non-verbal messages are in conflict, they maybe don’t mean what they say. Listening requires you to concentrate and use your other senses in addition to simply hearing the words spoken. Listening is not the same as hearing and in order to listen effectively you need to use more than just your ears. 1. Stop Talking â€Å"If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two tongues and one ear. † Mark Twain. Don’t talk, listen. When somebody else is talking listen to what they are saying, do not interrupt, talk over them or finish their sentences for them. Stop, just listen. When the other person has finished talking you may need to clarify to ensure you have received their message accurately. 2. Prepare Yourself to Listen Relax. Focus on the speaker. Put other things out of mind. The human mind is easily distracted by other thoughts – what’s for lunch, what time do I need to leave to catch my train, is it going to rain – try to put other thoughts out of mind and concentrate on the messages that are being communicated. 3. Put the Speaker at Ease Help the speaker to feel free to speak. Remember their needs and concerns. Nod or use other gestures or words to encourage them to continue. Maintain eye contact but don’t stare – show you are listening and understanding what is being said. 4. Remove Distractions Focus on what is being said: don’t doodle, shuffle papers, look out the window, pick your fingernails or similar. Avoid unnecessary interruptions. These behaviours disrupt the listening process and send messages to the speaker that you are bored or distracted. 5. Empathize Try to understand the other person’s point of view. Look at issues from their perspective. Let go of preconceived ideas. By having an open mind we can more fully empathise with the speaker. If the speaker says something that you disagree with then wait and construct an argument to counter what is said but keep an open mind to the views and opinions of others. (See our page:  What is Empathy? ) 6. Be Patient A pause, even a long pause, does not necessarily mean that the speaker has finished. Be patient and let the speaker continue in their own time, sometimes it takes time to formulate what to say and how to say it. Never interrupt or finish a sentence for someone. 7. Avoid Personal Prejudice Try to be impartial. Don’t become irritated and don’t let the person’s habits or mannerisms distract you from what they are really saying. Everybody has a different way of speaking – some people are for example more nervous or shy than others, some have regional accents or make excessive arm movements, some people like to pace whilst talking – others like to sit still. Focus on what is being said and try to ignore styles of delivery. 8. Listen to the Tone Volume and tone both add to what someone is saying. A good speaker will use both volume and tone to their advantage to keep an audience attentive; everybody will use pitch, tone and volume of voice in certain situations – let these help you to understand the emphasis of what is being said. 9. Listen for Ideas – Not Just Words You need to get the whole picture, not just isolated bits and pieces. Maybe one of the most difficult aspects of listening is the ability to link together pieces of information to reveal the ideas of others. With proper concentration, letting go of distractions, and focus this becomes easier. 10. Wait and Watch for Non-Verbal Communication Gestures, facial expressions, and eye-movements can all be important. We don’t just listen with our ears but also with our eyes – watch and pick up the additional information being transmitted via non-verbal communication. Do not jump to conclusions about what you see and hear. You should always seek clarification to ensure that your understanding is correct.

Higher National Diploma in Business, Managing Financial Resources and Assignment

Higher National Diploma in Business, Managing Financial Resources and Decisions - Assignment Example The funding of a company’s operations through the use of debentures has become a commonly followed practice in the United Kingdom. Therefore, Excellence Solution Plc. can access debentures as a mode of funding. Share capital is a main form of external financing for a private limited company. Since Excellence Solution Plc. is listed in a premium stock exchange like London Stock Exchange, it would be comparatively easy for the company to sell its shares in the capital market to raise the required finances. Bank loans are usually considered as easily accessible sources of financing. The company may take a term loan which would be repayable at equal monthly instalments and which would carry a predefined interest rate. A bank loan is tax deductible and is feasible for the company because it would help to meet the goal of the company to pay back the loan in a year’s time. The bank loans would be easily accessible by Excellence Solution Plc. This is because, the company is an established company and banks and other types of financial institutions are much interested to extend financing to an established public limited company as compared to the small business entities. Taking loans from the bank would ensure that the company does not experience any dilution of control because the banks do not have any say in the decisions and management of the company. The interests paid on bank loans are tax deductible which would be highly advantageous for a company with high scale operations. But, in case of bankruptcy, the loan would act as a major burden because it is obligatory for the company to pay back the loan irrespective of its financial position. For an established public limited company like the case company, it would be very easy to access share capital. Not only are the shares capable of generating high amounts in the capital markets but also, they are likely to be bought by the shareholders in