Organization Structure

Sgagafga Fdgasf Fdga Dsg Dgfa G Qgfrsad 1. Function and Project Organization Structures * In a function organization structure, employees are organized according to the nature of their employment. For example, all employees who work with human resources are relegated to a department called human resources while all employees who work with the company's accounts are assigned to the accounting department. In a project organization structure, employees with different skills and responsibilities are put together in departments according to the projects that they are working on. Matrix Organization Structure Matrix organization structure is a hybrid of function and project organization structures where one employees has two or sometimes even more sets of responsibilities and oversight. Said employee is responsible not only to superiors in the department in which he works but also to the manager who leads the project to which he is assigned. For example, an engineer who is assigned to work on architectural plans answers to both the project leader and to his superiors in the engineering department. * Sponsored Links * Employee Performance Goals Employee Performance Goals S/W Download Free Whitepaper! ww. CornerstoneOnDemand. com Communication * Communication can be considered good when it is both effective and efficient in getting the intended meaning across to the intended recipient. Efficient means that the meaning was conveyed in a concise manner without bloat while effective means that the message was conveyed without its intended meaning being distorted in some way in the process. Poor Communication in Matrix Organizations * A matrix organization comes with a host of disadvantages, many of which have a negative impact on the efficacy and efficiency of communication within the organization.First, there is redundant management in the sense that there are two sets of management whose responsibilities overlap at times, meaning that their communication to higher-ups i s hampered by one another. Second is that each set of management is independent of one another; this can produce different analyses, which can lead to a confused assessment for higher-ups. Third is that redundant management is expensive and the two sets of information that they produce and communicate to their superiors is generally not worth that expense. Sponsored Links * Organizational ChartsMake Organizational Charts Fast See Examples, Free Download! www. SmartDraw. com * Create Org Charts Online Plan, Collaborate, Organize Start a Free Live Demo Now www. OrgPlus. com * Organization Structure Chart Quickly Find Organizational Development Theory Solutions www. Business. com * Accredited Sales Courses 100% Online Sales Skills Courses. Approved by IACET. Enroll Today! Universalclass. com Related Searches * Organisational Structure * Matrix Organization * Organization Structure * Matrix Management * Business Structure These 5 Things Will Destroy Your RetirementNewsmax 1% of American s Believe This Crisis is ImminentMoney Morning Before You Sneak That Bottle on BoardReviewed. com Billionaire Tells Americans to Prepare For â€Å"Financial Ruin†Moneynews   by Taboola References * FAO Corporate Document Depositary: Matrix Organization * FAO Corporate Document Depositary: Where the Matrix Approach Is Best * Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock. com/Getty Images ————————————————- Matrix management From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia | This article  needs additional citations for verification.Please help  improve this article  by  adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be  challenged  and  removed. (October 2010)| A matrix organization Matrix management  is a type of organizational  management  in which people with similar skills are pooled for work assignments. For example, all  engineers  may b e in one engineering department and report to an engineering manager, but these same engineers may be assigned to different projects and report to a different engineering manager or a project manager while working on that project.Therefore, each engineer may have to work under several managers to get his job done. Contents  Ã‚  [hide]   * 1  The Matrix * 2  Advantages and Disadvantages * 3  Visual representation * 4  Clarification * 5  References * 6  Further reading| ————————————————- [edit]The Matrix Some organizations fall somewhere between the fully  functional  and pure matrix. These organizations are defined in  A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge(PMBOK) 4th Edition as  composite.For example, even a fundamentally functional or matrix organization may create a special project team to handle a critical project. Whereas project-ce ntered organizations (like those in engineering, construction or the aerospace industries) have structures built around project teams as their functional units, matrix organizations follow the traditional structures, with some adjustments to their hierarchy to support project units. [1] ————————————————- [edit]Advantages and Disadvantages Proponents of matrix suggest that two advantages exist to matrix management.First, it allows team members to share information more readily across task boundaries. Second, it allows for specialization that can increase depth of knowledge and allow professional development and career progression to be managed. The disadvantage of matrix management is that employees can become confused due to conflicting loyalties. The belief is that a properly managed cooperative environment can neutralize these disadvantages. Opponents of matrix managemen t believe that it is an outdated method to organize a company.One disadvantage of matrix management is that it doubles the number of managers when compared to  line management, and as the time to reach a decision increases with the number of managers the result may be an increase in management related overhead expenses. The advantages of a matrix include: * Individuals can be chosen according to the needs of the project. * The use of a project team that is dynamic and able to view problems in a different way as specialists have been brought together in a new environment. * Project managers are directly responsible for completing the project within a specific deadline and budget.Whilst the disadvantages include: * A conflict of loyalty between line managers and project managers over the allocation of resources. * Projects can be difficult to monitor if teams have a lot of independence. * Costs can be increased if more managers (i. e. project managers) are created through the use of project teams. ————————————————- [edit]Visual representation Representing matrix organizations visually has challenged managers ever since the matrix management structure was invented.Most organizations use dotted lines to represent secondary relationships between people, and charting software such as Visio and OrgPlus supports this approach. Until recently,  Enterprise resource planning(ERP) and  Human resource management systems  (HRMS) software did not support matrix reporting. Late releases of  SAP  software support matrix reporting, and  OracleeBusiness Suite can also be customized to store matrix information. ————————————————- [edit]Clarification Matrix management should not be confused with â€Å"tight matrix†.Tight matrix, or co-locati on, refers to locating offices for a project team in the same room, regardless of management structure. ————————————————- [edit]References 1. ^  Seet, Daniel. â€Å"Power: The Functional Manager’s Meat and Project Manager’s Poison? â€Å",  PM Hut, February 6, 2009. Retrieved on March 2, 2010. ————————————————- [edit]Further reading * Galbraith, J. R. (1971). â€Å"Matrix Organization Designs: How to combine functional and project forms†. In:  Business Horizons, February, 1971, 29-40. â€Å"A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge  (PMBOK)†,  Project Management Institute,  ISBN 1-880410-23-0 * R J Shepherd (2007). â€Å"Mentoring Soft Boundaries for Management†, MIDAS MDF 2007; 2:79-89 Categories: * Mana gement * Organizational theory * Types of organization ————————————————- Navigation menu * Create account * Log in * Article * Talk * Read * Edit * View history Top of Form Bottom of Form * Main page * Contents * Featured content * Current events * Random article * Donate to Wikipedia * Wikimedia Shop Interaction * Help * About Wikipedia * Community portal Recent changes * Contact Wikipedia Toolbox Print/export Languages * * * Deutsch * Francais * * Magyar * Nederlands * * Norsk bokmal * Polski * Portugues * Suomi * Ti? ng Vi? t * Edit links * This page was last modified on 4 April 2013 at 12:35. * Text is available under the  Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the  Terms of Use  and  Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the  Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. , a non-pro fit organization. * Contact us * Privacy policy * About Wikipedia * Disclaimers * Mobile view * *

Drinking Age Essay

The drinking age was moved from 18 to 21 for a reason. The higher drinking age of 21 has saved many lives, helped reduce the amount of underage drinking, and therefore should not be lowered. Many studies from a large variety of sources have proven higher drinking ages have a positive effect on society. Alcohol is harmful to the development of younger people. Research has shown that an adult is less likely to binge drink (have five or more drinks in a row). According to statistics from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, teens become intoxicated twice as fast as adults. Because the teens get drunk faster they are less likely to know when to stop and to go past their limit, causing harm to themselves and others. The Human brain continues to develop after adolescence and into our 20’s. According to a study on the neurocognitive effects of alcohol on adolescents and college students, drinking is harmful to the brain. Since the brains of all people under 21 are still developing, and most are in college, alcohol can prove very detrimental to the development of their brain and can harm their studies, and thus their futures. Underage drinking also largely contributes to many social problems include those such as: impaired driving, fighting, sexual activity, and smoking (Pediatrics 2006; 119:76-85). People have proposed that a 40 hour educational course should entitle people under 21 to drink. Research shows that educating youth drivers does not prevent youth crashes, however restrictions such as a limitation on the amount of passengers a youth driver can have, and curfews do help restrict the amount of youth crashes. The same philosophy applies to drinking. Educating young people about drinking responsibly, and the damage that drinking can do will not prevent alcohol related incidents, or underage â€Å"binge† drinking, but restrictions like the current laws will help prevent these (National Institutes of Health , â€Å"Fact Sheet: Underage Drinking†). Alcohol has a direct effect on the amount of car crashes and crime levels around the world. Studies show that since the legal age was change from 18 to 21 the number of vehicle related accidents has  dropped 16 percent (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Other studies have shown that since the legal drinking age was raised over 25,000 live were saved (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs). Many European countries have lower drinking ages, and many people say that their system is better. Since alcohol is more readily available in these nations there are more underage drinkers than other countries where alcohol is more limited. Studies have also shown that alcohol cause more problems in Europe than America (DiClemente, Ralph J.:Pediatrics 107). These issues include underage drunkenness, injury, rape, and school problems. â€Å"The concept that a person becomes a full adult at age 21 dates back centuries in English common law; 21 was the age at which a person could, among other things, vote and become a knight. Since a person was an official adult at age 21, it seemed to make sense that they could drink then, too† (Ethan Trex: http://www.mentalfloss.com /article/19437/why-drinking-age-21). Certain European nations and states allow drinking with a parent’s consent or drinking in the privacy of the home. Many people claim that this helps reduce underage binge drinking by introducing youths to alcohol at an earlier age in a controlled environment. Research has shown that this is not true (Fell, James: Debating Reform), because the youths feel they have their parent’s permission to drink they are more likely to believe it is okay for them to drink in situations outside the home, which can lead to intoxicated driving, and other harmful acts. Some argument for lowering the drinking age claim that alcohol is more enticing to youths when they can’t have it, and if the legal age was lowered there would be less underage drinking problems. Studies and history have proven this wrong (Fell, James: Debating Reform). Before the drinking age was raised in the U.S. there was a larger underage drinking problem, and over twice as many fatal alcohol related accidents as today. Sources: European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. DiClemente, Ralph J. et al â€Å"Parental Monitoring: Association With Adolescents’ Risk Behaviors† Pediatrics 107: 6 June 2001, 1363-1368 Fell, James. From â€Å"Chapter 2: Federalism: Resolved, the Federal Government should restore each State’s freedom to set its drinking age.† in Ellis, Richard and Nelson, Michael (eds.) Debating Reform. CQPress Publishers, Fall 2009. Fell, J.; â€Å"Minimum Legal Drinking Age Policy Knowledge Asset,† website created by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Substance Abuse Policy Research Program; March 2009. Fell, James C. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Oct. 2008 â€Å"An Examination of the Criticisms of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age 21 Laws in the United States from a Traffic-Safety Perspective† National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics and Analysis â€Å"Lives Saved in 2007 by Restraint Use and Minimum Drinking Age Laws† DOT HS 811 049 A Brief Statistical Summary November 2008. National Institutes of Health , â€Å"Fact Sheet: Underage Drinking† National Institutes of Health, â€Å"Fact Sheet: Alcohol-related Traffic Deaths† National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Statistics on Underage Drinking National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, â€Å"Research Findings on Underage Drinking and the Minimum Legal Drinking Age† National Institutes of Health, Alcohol Policy Information System â€Å"The 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act† Shults, Ruth A., Elder, Randy W., Sleet, David A., Nichols, James L., Alao, Mary O. Carande-Kulis, Vilma G., Zaza, Stephanie, Sosin, Daniel M., Thompson, Robert S., and the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. â€Å"Reviews of Evidence Regarding Interventions to Reduce Alcohol-Impaired Driving.† Am J Prev Med 2001;21(4S). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Unde rage Drinking 2007. Zeigler DW, Wang CC, Yoast RA, Dickinson BD, Mccaffree MA, Robinowitz CB, et al. The Neurocognitive Effects of Alcohol on Adolescents and College Students. Prev Med 2005 Jan;40(1):23-32. http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/articles/cqoped.html

Madonna Case Analysis

The following case study covers the foundation of Madonna’s business success and her continued global popularity over the past 20 years. Madonna has influenced people all over the world. Her quest for Superstardom is evident in her wide range of endeavors such as her records, concerts, movies, books, and charity events. She has the skill to market herself as a product while maintaining an edge, yet it is her experiences and sense of the world, art, fashion, drama and most importantly her intellect that make Madonna a global superstar. In examining Madonna’s career from a strategic analysis it is important to recognize her global and industrial impact as well as look into her brand name from a business perspective. Regarding her brand name there is competition, strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats. Analysis Environmental Analysis Madonna has had a great impact on the global environment through her countless charity efforts. Specifically, in 2006 she started an organization called Raising Malawi, a non-profit organization supporting community based organizations that provide vulnerable children and caregivers with nutritious food, proper clothing, secure shelter, formal education, targeted medical care, emotional care and psychosocial support. In addition, Raising Malawi supports non-government organizations that offer impoverished families with innovative opportunities for sustainability such as Millennium Promise and International Medical Corps. Millennium Promise is a non-profit organization which works towards the halving extreme poverty in Africa by 2015, working with impoverished communities, national and local governments, and partner organizations to implement high-impact programs aimed at transforming lives on the continent and engaging donor nations, corporations, and the general public in the effort. Also, on corporate, community, and academic levels, Madonna matches every dollar donated to Raising Malawi. In addition to her own organization she still donates to several other causes, many relating to children, and is a patron of Children of Peace, a foundation that is dedicated to supporting programs that serve traumatized children regardless of race, religion or cultural background. Industry Analysis The music industry can be a difficult place to achieve long-term success. This is has been proved hundreds of times in cases of the infamous â€Å"one hit wonders†. It is an industry where an entertainer can literally go from being star to being a has-been overnight. Music fans like to hear something new and fresh, which can be difficult for many musicians accomplish. Madonna has kept reinventing herself and her music, and thus has had a tremendous impact on the music industry. Her kind of talent comes along very rarely. In terms of industry success, she is the female Elvis Presley. Firm Analysis Madonna is the clear leader of her corporation and is the ultimate businesswoman. From her legendary work ethic to her moves as a businesswoman, Madonna is a resounding corporate success. Her career was further enhanced by film appearances despite mixed reviews. She won critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her role in Evita (1996), but has received harsh criticism for other film roles. Madonna's other business ventures include being a fashion designer, children's book author, film director and producer. In 2007, she signed an unprecedented $120 million contract with Live Nation. Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the world's top-selling female recording artist of all time by the Guinness World Records. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the second top-selling female artist in the United States, behind Barbra Streisand, with 64 million certified albums. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked Madonna at number two, behind only The Beatles, on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, making her the most successful solo artist in the history of the Billboard chart. She was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the same year. Current Problems As with most things in life, tastes change. Madonna will have to continue producing music to meet the changing tastes of her fan base. She has been successful at this in the past, but distractions exist now that didn’t exist before, and this may cause her to lose focus on the music. An ongoing problem that hurts Madonna directly in the purse is the ease in which music can be downloaded for free from the internet. Most consumers want music at the best possible price, and don’t really consider how this hurts the artist who produced it. SWOT Analysis Strengths: The Madonna name, all by itself, makes people stand up and take notice. Madonna’s work ethic and drive to succeed are major strengths as well. The constant reinvention of herself and her music make Madonna a force to be reckoned with. Her involvement with charitable causes adds to the overall strength of the Madonna brand name. Her live shows are perennial sell-outs because her music appeals to a worldwide audience. Weaknesses: Madonna’s charitable work can also be a weakness because time spent with charitable causes takes time away from writing and performing her music. Madonna is getting older, and aging does take its toll on a person’s energy level. Getting actively involved with music, movies, charitable causes, and family might create a situation where Madonna is spread too thin. One or more areas of her career might suffer as a consequence. Opportunities: The music-loving world seems to get bored with â€Å"old† and craves â€Å"new†. With her endless talent, Madonna can provide the â€Å"new† that the public wants. In fact in January 2008 she was named the world's wealthiest female musician by Forbes magazine, with estimated earnings of more than $72 million in the last year alone. Madonna has had a unique way of reinventing herself and evolving as a person and musician. Her constant evolvement has kept her highly respected and sought after. Her name by itself creates opportunity. Anywhere she wants to put her name it will generate profit. Her opportunities are endless. This is evident in her endeavors such as her records, concerts, movies, books, and charity events. Threats: Fans of motion pictures love young, new talent. The same is true for the music industry. Up and coming musicians are a direct threat to Madonna’s reign at the top of the charts. Also, throughout Madonna’s career she has been a lightning rod for religious and sexual controversy. Discussion Critical Issues If the past repeats itself, Madonna will be a success in any venture she undertakes. If she decides to be more involved in her charitable causes, Madonna’s focus must be on these charities and not on starring in a movie. As Madonna gets older, the ability to perform live night after night will diminish. This issue might have a solution if venues with a large seating capacity are used, and some smaller cities are left off the tour schedule. Recommendations and Rationale I think it is safe to say that Madonna can accomplish anything she wants. She will be mentioned historically in the same context as Elvis Presley and Paul McCartney. Her concerts consistently sell out globally. Wherever her name brand is it is generating revenue. At this point in her life she has assumed iconic status and her opportunities are endless. At this point it’s up to her to indicate what she wants to do next. Conclusion Considered to be one of the â€Å"25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century† by Time for being an influential figure in contemporary music, Madonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a fresh and hip standard within the recording industry. She is recognized as an inspiration among numerous music artists and her humanitarian work touches thousands, if not millions of lives. References http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/201-madonna#ixzz1BDKYjr52 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_(entertainer)

The development of beauty salon services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The development of beauty salon services - Essay Example The concept of beauty salons started back in the days of ancient civilization, where people mostly of upper class loved to set up fashion trends for thousands of years. Although through the ages, hairstyles, cuts and trends have changed a thousand times but some things like women wearing wigs, coloring hair are not new, and are still practiced. Back then, beauty salons were the places where wigs were being made and ordered. Rich and noble people had their beauty salons in their palaces. Ever since then, the concept of beauty salon is constantly evolving and people have become accustomed to having hair styled to them throughout the years. Though, today beauty salon does not only offer different hair styling, but a number of other services such as perms, massage, waxing, tanning, facial treatments, pedicure, manicure and many more. ANALYZE HOW INNOVATION HAS CHANGED A SERVICE WITHIN THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY: Beauty industry is now a multinational and million dollar business. The services wi thin the beauty industry have widely changed, as now beauty salons are not places where simply you have your hair cut and get your nails done, but also emphasize to refine and polish the inner beauty through physical and spiritual therapy. It is not just the beauty salons and beauty shops that come under the heading of beauty industry but sales of cosmetics, perfumes and products for hair and skin care synthesize it. While beauty shops and salons are mere the service sector of this industry. In addition, some economists include cosmetic surgery and health club in this market. Beauty matters most, to most of the people in this world and so from ages the beauty industry is providing and innovating its services in order to satisfy the needs of its customers. According to the business analyst, the best selling beauty products are that clean and beautify hair. But today beauticians believed that beauty and health are interlinked, and so that is how the idea of spas and health care center s came under this heading. Queen Elizabeth was the main female icon and set the trends in the 16th century. Beauty was limited to the appearance only, where a little of face powder, glowing cheeks and red glossy lips had done it all. People used to bleach their hair using either saffron or onion skins. It used to take immense of hard work and contrary styling techniques to make a person look beautiful and presentable to attend some event. But with the ace of time and development of technology, beauty industry has also been able to advance itself by inventing artistry equipments and researching in the biological and chemical sciences which offer more sophisticated, high-performance skin care products, all in the quest for beauty. Women used to risk their life with many of their homemade cosmetics. They used burnt matches to darken their eyes, berries to stain their lips, and even used young boy’s urine to get rid of their freckles. They even used lead, mercury and even leeches to give them pale appearance. Thankfully, beauty industry has come a long way from using toxic and hazardous mixtures, and has advanced scientifically for providing a vast range to enhance our looks. Previously, people had limited hair dressing and hair treatment techniques, but more and more are developed in the market. These do not only require temporary techniques but also a permanent makeover of a person. From wigs and temporary hair

Applied Learning Assignment Agency and Employment

Applied Learning Agency and Employment - Assignment Example Both parties might be found through the principle of vicarious liability, which holds the employer as secondarily responsible for the torts of the employees. Therefore, the driver will become liable for primary liability while the trucking company will become liable for the vicarious/secondary liability. The trucking company would not have to indemnify the employee driver, since under independent contract relationship; the employer is not primarily responsible for the actions of the independent contractor. 8. Assume that all of the plaintiffs listed in Question 2 above sue both of the defendants in Question 3 above. Also assume the jury finds that both parties are responsible and awards a large judgment to the plaintiffs. If the court does not specify how much each defendant will pay, which of the following is true? 9. In class, we have learned there are two circumstances under which a court will allow a jury to consider whether punitive damages are in order. Identify the circumstances and state whether each would apply to each of the defendants in this case. 10. Assume the state where this accident occurred has a law similar to the one in Indiana regarding punitive damages. If punitive damages were awarded to the plaintiffs in this case, which of the following is true? If the trucking company had authorized or was responsible for causing the driver t work excess hours that are in excess of the provision of the law, the trucking company would be criminally liable for violating the law, and thus liable for criminal

Infrastructure Development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Infrastructure Development - Assignment Example The flow, pressure, velocity and other properties remains unchanged in laminar flow. Laminar flow taking place over a horizontal surface may actually be taken to consist of laminae which are parallel to one another. The fluid that is in contact with the horizontal surface is definitely stationary, but the other layers are constantly sliding over each other. When a gas or liquid flows through a path or point, there are different parameters related to the fluid flow, thus certain parameters may vary while others may be relatively constant. The two common features of fluid flow are fluid particles pressure, velocity and element of the fluid in regard to the point that is being considered. Fluid flow can therefore be classified in various patterns that are based on flow parameters variation in relation to time and distance. By its definition, for a uniform flow to occur, the cross-sectional area should basically be constant. A good example is liquid flowing thorough a pipe of constant diameter. On the other hand, flow of a liquid through a pipeline having variable diameter would therefore be called non-uniform. In fluid mechanics, Reynold’s Number refers to a dimensionless number that is very important in designing a model of system in which the viscosity effect is very critical as far as controlling the fluid pattern flow or velocities are concerned. It is symbolized as NRe, and is also referred to as Damkà ¶hler number V (DaV). It has been noted that pressure and velocity as well as other fluid flow properties can time functions. If a fluid flow is in such a way that the properties at all points of flow are not dependent on time, it is then referred to as a steady flow. Speaking in mathematical terms, non-steady or unsteady flows are the flow properties are not dependent on time. The formulae are derived from the related mathematical equation when water is permitted to flow in

Martin Luther King's Dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Martin Luther King's Dream - Essay Example Yet, one of the largest reasons for why Martin Luther King Jr. is a historical figure that stands apart is due to the fact that he struggled tirelessly and fearlessly for the rights of his fellow man; the very epitome of democracy. Whereas many individuals during the time period were caught up in returning hatred for hatred, Martin Luther King Jr. was focused upon using nonviolent methods and leading a peaceful civil rights that would channel the same approach that Thoreau and Gandhi had used to such great effect (King 33). Whereas it might have been easy to fall victim to the desire for seeking revenge and demanding a level of immediate and violent revolution on the part of the disenfranchised population of the United States, King was able to resist this temptation and take the higher path; aspects of character and virtue that are extraordinarily rare and extremely appealing to this individual author.Such as yet, King’s most notable achievement is not with regards to the fact that he was merely a participant in the nonviolent civil rights movement of the mid-20th century; rather, his most notable achievement is with respect to the fact that he led this civil rights movement and carefully and painstakingly sought the ways in which it could be promoted so that it could affect the greatest benefit towards the exhibition of civil rights within the United States. Naturally, King was fully aware of the fact that civil rights it was most severely inhibited within the southern states.... was not only able to become an ordained clergyman within his community, he was also the youngest person ever to receive and Nobel Peace Prize for his work in seeking to end racial segregation (Hinds 469). As can readily be noted, the ability to dedicate himself to his studies and to the cause in question allowed for Martin Luther King to be an admirable character that this student understands as penultimate to the American democratic experience. Yet, one of the largest reasons for why Martin Luther King Jr. is a historical figure that stands apart is due to the fact that he struggled tirelessly and fearlessly for the rights of his fellow man; the very epitome of democracy. Whereas many individuals during the time period were caught up in returning hatred for hatred, Martin Luther King Jr. was focused upon using nonviolent methods and leading a peaceful civil rights that would channel the same approach that Thoreau and Gandhi had used to such great effect (King 33). Whereas it might h ave been easy to fall victim to the desire for seeking revenge and demanding a level of immediate and violent revolution on the part of the disenfranchised population of the United States, King was able to resist this temptation and take the higher path; aspects of character and virtue that are extraordinarily rare and extremely appealing to this individual author. Such as yet, King’s most notable achievement is not with regards to the fact that he was merely a participant in the nonviolent civil rights movement of the mid-20th century; rather, his most notable achievement is with respect to the fact that he led this civil rights movement and carefully and painstakingly sought the ways in which it could be promoted so that it could affect the greatest benefit towards the exhibition of

Market structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Market structure - Essay Example Market structure is also affected by the decision of the individual firms in setting up prices within the industry & the supply of different commodities in the market. For example, when competition is high, firms tend to supply more & more in order to capture handsome market share. Barrier to entry is also an important factor to determine market structure. In a monopoly market structure, the degree of barriers to entry is much higher than in a perfectly competitive market, where the factor may have a zero percent influence. Another factor of consideration to understand market structure is market efficiency. A firm will operate more efficiently in a competitive market with a fear of losing opportunity rather than a firm operating in a monopolistic market (Cohen, 2010, pp.131 –133). Customer turnover ratio i.e. the no. of customer willing to change their consumer preferences due to change in market structure, over a period of time. This factor is an indicator of brand loyalty & reaction of marketing activities such as advertisements etc. A perfectly competitive market indicates a market condition where a large no. of buyers & sellers has the market power to set the price of homogeneous goods & services. In a perfectly competitive market, the no. of buyers & sellers are so numerous & well structured that the market price of commodities are beyond control of the individual buyers & sellers and all the monopolistic powers are eliminated from the market (Wong, 2010, pp.1174–1177). All firms are price taker, having a relatively small market share, operating on a profit maximization objective. The firms sell identical, homogeneous goods, having perfect knowledge about product quality, price & cost. In a perfectly competitive market, all firms are price taker. Seller must take the existing market price. If a single firm is charging a price above the market price, this will result in a loss of potential

Physiology of Swimming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Physiology of Swimming - Essay Example Japanese people had a big swim crave. In the Pacific area, swimming was taught to children at a very young age. So young that the minute they could walk they were put in to water to swim. Swimming was and still is a big part of training to boxers for fights. The important reason why humans can swim without falling to the bottom is because of surface area. If a regular sheet of paper and a crumpled one are dropped from a height at the same time, the one which is crumpled falls faster than the one that is regular. This is because of the surface area - the surface area of the sheet of paper is larger than the crumpled one, which makes it fall slower. The same concept applies to humans and water. Humans have a large surface area to their mass. This is why humans can stay afloat and swim. The more the surface area, the more water there is directly underneath the person swimming. The water underneath tends to keep the body up. (Lupton, 1923, 68) This is the same concept why huge aircraft carriers on the sea can stay afloat, even though they are very heavy and are a lot denser than the water. These ships and aircraft carriers are also very huge, and their size gives them a lot of surface area for the water to push them up. The Front crawl is generally considered the fastest swimming style. It is also known as Freestyle. It has been observed that most amateur swimmers utilize this stroke in freestyle competitions. The preliminary pose for the front crawl style in swimming is on the breast, with both arms extended out in frontage and both legs stretched to the backside. Then while one arm is dragging/ approaching while the other arm is in the posture of recovering. The arm strokes offer most of the frontward movement, whereas the leg kicking in a quivering movement only offers some. The stroke utilizes the flutter kick and an above the water arm recovery .in this position, the hand draws down the pretending middle line of the body, seizes the water, and thrusts it back towards the feet. The most useful force is producing during the last segment of the stroke that is called the finish. The face remains in the water while the water levels at about the swimmer's hairline. The flutter kick initiates from the hip. A calm ankle and foot are essential to have a successful kick. The knees curve lightly, but curving them in extensive frequency will guide to over kicking as well as to fatigue. The swimmer is supposed to respire by gently sloping the head to the direction as the equation of arm on the breathing side becomes one-half to three- quarters of the channel through the stroke. The breathing should not disrupt the stroke. A breathe, during this exercise, should be taken every two three, or even four strokes to make certain ample oxygen delivery. The Front Crawl is one of the extensively used strokes in the United States, and is frequently the choice for fitness swimmers. Elementary Backstroke The Elementary Backstroke is supposed a quiescent stroke since it has a glide point and is a small energy stroke. The revitalization phase is completed under the water. The kick which is carried out in this respect is the Whip kick. The

The theory and application of auction theory in context to British car Essay

The theory and application of auction theory in context to British car auctions (BCA) - Essay Example These were informal forms of auctioning. Though this may sound absurd, they indeed held the basic principles of the aims and objectives of auctions that we have today. Today, auctions are specially organised as a system of trade for a number of aims and objectives including the ones listed below. 1. To ensure that only serious minded investors approach trading products and services 2. To create best value for products and services that are being traded 3. To ensure and enhance openness with the terms of sale of products and services to the public 4. To help bidders have a fair idea of their rates as compared to other bidders 5. To speed up the trading off process of a given product or service. Because auction is a universal or global practice, it is associated with a number of generalised assumptions that have been accepted even in academic cycles. These general assertions on auction have come to be known as auction theories and they come in different forms and types. Four of these are briefly explained below with examples. Ascending Auction: As the name suggests, there is ascension in the price of the product and the ascension is determined and commissioned by the auctioneer. Commonly known as the British auction, the auctioneer ‘separates the boys from the men’ (reduces the number of bidders) by increasing the price of the product. ... These were informal forms of auctioning. Though this may sound absurd, they indeed held the basic principles of the aims and objectives of auctions that we have today. Today, auctions are specially organised as a system of trade for a number of aims and objectives including the ones listed below. 1. To ensure that only serious minded investors approach trading products and services 2. To create best value for products and services that are being traded 3. To ensure and enhance openness with the terms of sale of products and services to the public 4. To help bidders have a fair idea of their rates as compared to other bidders 5. To speed up the trading off process of a given product or service. Establish and explain main assumptions of auction theory Types of Auction Because auction is a universal or global practice, it is associated with a number of generalised assumptions that have been accepted even in academic cycles. These general assertions on auction have come to be known as au ction theories and they come in different forms and types. Four of these are briefly explained below with examples. Ascending Auction: As the name suggests, there is ascension in the price of the product and the ascension is determined and commissioned by the auctioneer. Commonly known as the British auction, the auctioneer ‘separates the boys from the men’ (reduces the number of bidders) by increasing the price of the product. By so doing, bidders will keep falling off the bidding proceed in order that the opportunity will come to rest with only one bidder, who for the sake of the increasing nature of the bid would come to be known as the highest bidder. This is a prominent form of auction as the Auctus Development Incorporated (2009) notes

Inspirational Leaders Essay Example for Free

Inspirational Leaders Essay In 1994, the internet was fresh in the market, and it did not incorporate commerce in its operations. As a result, he saw an opportunity for a new business network, and after doing research, he made a decision of creating a space in the internet where books could be viewed by the public. This led to the creation of Amazon in 1995. Today, Amazon is widely successful and has had a great impact on the organizational culture of internet business. Jeff Bezos is considered to be the founder of e-commerce, remains a pioneer in the industry (Inc, 2009). This paper will discuss how the culture of Amazon has changed as a result of Jeff Bezos presence; today, among many things, the public can view full book lists on Amazon, a mission that was impossible before the early 1990s. Organizational Culture Organizational culture can be related to how an organization organizes itself based on its rules and beliefs; therefore, culture gives an organization an identity. The behavioral patterns of an organization are represented in their norms; according to Kratschmer (2011, p. 2), organizational culture includes values that are shared among the members of an organization. Needless to say, organizational culture can be changed. Kratschmer (2011, p. 3) adds that, organizational culture can be changed and lead to success, only if well managed. In addition, resistance to change is expected in any organization mainly because the employees are already attached to the existing culture; hence, they may resist change for fear of the unknown. Needless to say, changes in organizational culture can be of great benefit, for instance, it may contribute to new knowledge and skills for the employees, and productivity is achieved through motivating employees. Finally, as employees adapt to change, flexibility is achieved, which leads to improvement. However, for organizational culture to be successful, effective leaders must be in place. Culture is very important, as it promotes healthy competition at the place of work, hence motivating employees to perform. A healthy culture promotes employees’ interaction at the place of work, therefore uniting them despite their different backgrounds. Providing employees with a favorable working place increases their productivity. Schein (2010, p. 80) adds that, the shared values and beliefs in an organization are important, as they determine how goals are met. Moreover, a strong culture retains talents, engages employees, creates energy, changes how work is viewed, and contributes towards cooperation at the place of work. Jeff Bezos is one of the few inspirational leaders who have contributed to change of culture in Amazon, leading to the success of the business. Amazon and change in organizational culture When Jeff Bezos discovered the potential of the internet in 1994, nothing held him back from introducing commerce in the system; he abandoned a well-paying job and concentrated on Amazon. Today, amazon. com is one of the internet giants, fostering online retail and an e-reader. Indeed, he is among the founders of e-commerce (Inc, 2009). Within 30 days, he had sold books in all the American states and in 45 countries, with sales worth $20,000 weekly. Since then, the growth of Amazon continuously accelerated, but it 1997, he announced that the company would be unprofitable for some time. However, in 2003, Amazon made its first annual profit, contributing to revenue of $4billion by 2008 (Inc, 2009). The company has embraced e-commerce, and Bezos’ will to start an online bookstore has yielded to a diverse selection of books. Today, he is the founder and chief executive officer of Amazon. com. According to Katzenbach (2008, p. 6), Jeff Bezos insists on fostering positive motivation, which does not involve money. Employees are likely to be motivated to performing their tasks if they are committed and disciplined. Ensuring that respect is fostered among employees will help in maintaining a positive working environment. Amazon. com recognizes employees’ effort by giving a specific employee an award on monthly basis for the capability of making significant savings. Amazon’s culture includes an informal, but effective environment, one that involves fun; this company is obsessed with customers. Therefore, it continuously improves its website and its systems with an aim of serving customers quickly and reliably. It also strives to maintain its culture, which includes talented personnel, who are creative and innovative in finding solutions to challenges (Lussier, 2011, p. 56). Therefore, it is evident that a strong culture is influenced by effective leadership. According to Dubrin (2011, p. 291), the strong organizational culture fosters quality, productivity and morale; such a culture values human dignity, and therefore, it fosters job satisfaction and increases employee motivation. Jeff Bezos has noted that a culture that involves experimentation is crucial in the continuously changing world. Invention may lead one to paths that are considered weird by the world (Dubrin, 2011, p. 291). Before the existence of Amazon, click shopping did not exist; these are some of the changes brought about by Amazon. The company also deals with online shopping for electronics, computers movies, games, music, as well as books. Amazon, being one of the web giants, implies that an effective leader must be diverse, being behind such a company that started very small and transformed into a giant. Bezos is regarded as visionary, but he is keen that his employees meet the demanding schedules; weekly management meetings are set with his managers. In addition, he encourages his employees to be innovative, and a reward program has been implemented that rewards innovative employees (Zakomurnaya, 2007). Moreover, the company hires intelligent and innovative personnel; indeed, Bezos would rather not hire anyone rather than hire the wrong person. Bezos is also approachable and easy -going, which makes him an effective leader. In 2007, Amazon introduced a hand-held electronic book reader, which uses E-ink to bring out a print-like appearance and has no strain on the eyes. In addition, the introduction of I-pad to the world was seen as direct competition for Amazon, therefore, Jeff introduced Kindle Fire, which shares many of the same features as I-pad, but is much cheaper. The Amazon kindle fire is an e-book reader, which is a small hand-held device; this is as a result of technological advances. Nevertheless, these e-book devices are expensive, but advantageous compared to paper copy; indeed, technology has changed in the digital reading world. Another advantage is that these e-readers can be borrowed from libraries. According to Mc Graw Hill (N. d, p. 3), kindle fire is competitive compared to other e-book readers. In 2007, Amazon. com created a successful e-bookstore that allowed client access from any computer or from e-book reader model. Amazon has therefore made book reading easier, and the kindle e-book can be referred to as published. Amazon. com offers a collection of above two million free e-books with titles; therefore, Amazon has succeeded in improving the digital world by providing e-book readers, which assist online clients in accessing digital e-books. For instance, the kindle e-Book reader has a rechargeable battery, which is built in and has a wide internal storage that can fit 1000 full-length books (Mc Graw Hill, N. d, p. 5). Another advantage of owning kindle fire e-book reader is that, the kindler-formatted e-books are easily accessed. In addition, kindle fire can be used as a form of an entertainment device, which allows one to surf the web, send, and receive emails, among other functions. Therefore, Amazon’s Kindle fire is a device of many functions, which is a competition for I-pad among other devices. Amazon prime is a membership program, which enables individuals to receive unlimited fast shipping. Members enjoy a variety of services, which include unlimited and instant streaming of above 10,000 movies and television shows. Amazon prime offers a wide variety of kindle books through the kindle lending library; members who own kindle devices benefit more from reading and borrowing books for free. In addition, members of Amazon prime enjoy free shipping for orders that are above $25, a relatively good deal for customers. Moreover, Amazon prime enables one to try free shipping for one month, and ensures that customers save by spending less, and save time by guaranteeing two day shipping. It also provides unlimited deliveries, hence guaranteeing convenience. Big online shoppers benefit the most, and this is because of the unlimited deliveries that guarantee quality of members’ money. With a range of affordable entertainment, free movies, free kindle e- books, and a two-day shipping for only $75, Amazon prime is a friendly program. Therefore, Jeff Bezos’ intervention has led to a variety of services and products that blow the clients’ minds away. It is this transformation from a small enterprise to an internet giant that has led to a change in culture at Amazon. Conclusion Jeff Bezos, the founder and the chief executive officer of Amazon. com is a visionary, and has contributed to the success of this company through motivating employees with rewards, as well as ensuring that customers’ demands are met. He is an inspiring leader, and despite the fact that he does not value communication, he believes in the â€Å"just-do-it† aspect that motivates employees to perform. Jeff is not limited to only e-books, he has also engages in online retailing of music, movies, clothes, and streaming television shows. The unveiling of kindle fire in 2007 is among his achievements; Amazon prime has also been a competitive advantage for the company and has attracted many members. A strong organization culture requires an effective leader; Amazon is one successful company that has been influenced by an inspirational leader. Indeed, Jeff has contributed to various changes in the organization, which have contributed to successful culture in the organization.

My Trip to Muir Woods Essay Example for Free

My Trip to Muir Woods Essay Just about anyone can tell you of a trip they’ve taken that was truly memorable. If they were like me, perhaps they took family road trips in the summer when they were kids, or maybe they had the chance to visit a foreign country. Whatever the case may be, there were events that occurred on these trips that created memories that will be cherished for the rest of their lives. I have been fortunate because I’ve traveled many places and those trips have always been memorable. My trip to Muir Woods National Park in California is one good example, and it proved to be memorable because it impacted me in ways I did not expect. My first trip to Muir Woods National Park happened on Thanksgiving Day in 2009. My roommate and I had just moved to San Francisco in March of that year and this was our first Thanksgiving there. My younger sister had flown out from Minnesota to spend the holiday with me, and we all agreed that it might be fun to drive up to Muir Woods since none of us had been there yet. The day dawned bright and clear and rather warm, which is unusual for San Francisco in November. Usually it is very cold and foggy that time of year. We were on the road pretty early in the morning and I remember when we drove over the Golden Gate Bridge, the hills to the north were still wreathed in fog and the sun was coming up behind us. It gave the fog an ethereal glow and made the hills look so mysterious from that distance. Between the fog that still lingered in pockets and the sunshine peeking over the hilltops, I felt like we were riding through some mystical land in a fairytale. The drive held a little spice of fear for me as well. My roommate was the one driving and she could be a little reckless at times in the car. I am a somewhat anxious passenger even at the best of times, so when she would take the turns in the road so quickly, I would be biting my nails 3 and holding onto the door handle for dear life! For the most part though, I was so entranced by the landscape that I paid little attention to my roommate’s antics on the road. I kept searching for glances of the legendary redwoods we were to see, but although I saw many awe-inspiring vistas on that drive, I caught no hint of those ancient giants. It was not until we pulled into the entrance to the park that I got my first glimpse of the monstrous redwoods of Muir Woods. As we walked into the first groves past the gate, I was nearly overwhelmed by the sheer immensity of the trees around me. I couldn’t help but feel as though I was surrounded by hundreds of ancient sentinels that guarded some deep, secret knowledge of the world that I was far too young to comprehend. It was still early enough in the day that the sun had only reached the tops of these giants, so the forest floor was still dark and coolly moist. Wisps of fog wound through these enormous trunks like the ghosts of hunters past. I remember walking into one grove that is called the Cathedral and feeling like I had just stepped onto sacred ground. The weight of silence and age was almost a living, tangible thing and every single one of us spoke in reverent whispers. For me, standing in the presence of creatures that had witnessed the dawn of civilization on this continent was a humbling experience. I will never forget how small I felt standing in that ancient forest, nor will I forget the sense I had of walking in the presence of a being far greater and older than I. The majesty and wonder of the redwoods of Muir Woods captured my heart and my imagination, and that is why I consider this trip to be one of my most memorable.

Entrepreneurs of Small Enterprises in the UK

Entrepreneurs of Small Enterprises in the UK Liquidity problem is an important strategic issue to run business enterprises. Small enterprises are realising the importance of such problems to reduce losses arises from this. Liquidity problems arise from shortage of working capital that require to maintain daily operations of the enterprise. If this problem persists for long-time, entrepreneurs are bound to stop their business. But it is difficult for small enterprises to get right support at the right time from banks and insurance companies due to certain terms and conditions imposed by them. So a study in this field will be helpful for both entrepreneurs and financial institutions to know current scenario of enterprise level management of liquidity problems and the role of financial institutions to solve this problem. Intelligent forecasting of the future trend in market conditions is a preventive measure to solve liquidity problem whereas, bank support through different financial products is a curative measure in management of liquidity problem. This study has been initiated to identify and analyse entrepreneurs view towards liquidity problems of small enterprises and role of bank to solve this problem. Categorically the major objectives of the present study are: To identify various reasons of liquidity problems of small enterprises; To uncover the views of entrepreneurs regarding the research topic in light of their age, education, invested amount of capital, enterprise life, location and nature of business; To assess the risks identified by the entrepreneurs arises from liquidity problems of their enterprises; To identify and analyze the role of bank in terms of available financial products to manage liquidity problems; To suggest probable solutions to solve liquidity problems of small enterprises. Hypothesis: H 1: There is no impact of small enterprises length of life on the size of liquidity problems. H 2: Amount of investment has no influence on liquidity problems. H 3: Nature of business has no impact on liquidity problems. H 4: Banks facilities are enough to solve liquidity problems of small enterprises. 7. Sources: Broad Subject Area: Business Finance Books and Journals: Alsbury, A. (2001), Quick Answers to Small Business Questions, Series Editor Jay, Prentice Hall, London. Allen, F. and Gale, D. (2007) Understanding Financial Crisis. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bygrave, W. D. (1994), The entrepreneurship paradigm 1: a philosophical look at its research methodologies, Entrepreneurship theory and practice, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp 1- 26. Bhaduri, R., G. Meissner and J. Youn (2007). Hedging Liquidity Risk. Journal of Alternative Investments, Winter 2007. Cecchetti, S. (2008), Monetary Policy and the Financial Crisis of 2007 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 2008. Available at: http://fmwww.bc.edu/ec-j/sems2008/Cecchetti.pdf [Accessed: 11 November 2008]. Cohen, W. (2005), The entrepreneur and small business problem solver, 3rd edition, Published by John Wiley and Sons. Dawson, J., Findlay, A. and Sparks, L. (2006) The Retailing Reader. London: Routledge. John L. Knight, Stephen Satchell (2003). Forecasting Volatility in the Financial Markets. Butterworth-Heinemann. Dorfman, Mark S. (2007). Introduction to Risk Management and Insurance (9th Edition). Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice Hall. Douglas Hubbard (2009) The Failure of Risk Management: Why Its Broken and How to Fix It John Wiley Sons. Hisrich D. R. Peters P. M., (2002) Entrepreneurship, 5th edition, Pub., Tata McGraw-Hill. Hawkins, M. (2008) How to Benefit From Consumer Behaviour During a Financial Crisis. EzineArticles. Available at: http://ezinearticles.com/How-to-Benefit-From. Hannon, P.D. and Atherton, A. (1998), Small firm success and the art of orienteering: the value of plans, planning and strategic awareness in the competitive small firm, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 102-19. Islam N. Mamun Z. M., (2002) Entrepreneurship Development, An Operational Approach, Pub., The University Press Limited,. Leaf, W. and Sykes, E. (2009), Banking, 3rd edition, T butterworth Ltd. McConnell I. (2009), Economic output posts biggest quarterly decline since 1980, The Herald (Glasgow), January 24th Issue, Final Edition, p. 26. Simpson, M et al. (2006), marketing in small and medium size enterprises, International Journal of entrepreneurial behaviour and research, Vol. 12, Issue-6, pp 361-387. Available at:www.emeraldinsight.com [Accessed: 15 November 2009] Stoltz A, Viljoen M (2007) Financial Management: Fresh Perspectives, Published by Pearson South Africa. Websites: Small business banking, (2009) available at http://www.bytestart.co.uk/content/banking/banking-guides/business-banking-the-basics.shtml, [Accessed: 15 th November 2009] Office for National Statistics (2008), Unemployment rates rises to 5,7%.. Available at: www.statistics.gov.uk [Accessed 14th November 2009]. Number of enterprises, employment and turnover by number of employees and industry division, UK, start 2004, Available at www.statistics.gov.uk [Accessed: 14th November 2009] HSBC and Barclays news, , 10th November 2009, Available at: www.news.bbc.co.uk, [Accessed 12th November 2009] SME Academy London [online] Available at: http://www.smeacademy.co.uk/, [Accessed 13 November 2009] Banks Websites: www.barclays.co.uk www.hsbc.co.uk www.natwest.com www.lloydstsbbusiness.com 8. Literature Review: The economic recession that hit the UK in the second half of 2008 caused the retail industry to experience certain difficulties (McConnell, 2009; Kollewe, 2009). The credit crunch and growing unemployment reduced consumer income and spending levels and causes uncertain flow of cash for business enterprises. In such conditions, small enterprises are experiencing irregular cash flows, look at the cost cutting strategy, excessive burden of debt, reduction of buyers and uncertain profit margins or losses. As a result shortage of short term capital creates liquidity problems to small enterprises. In business, liquidity refers to the financial ability of an enterprise to meet its short term obligations to bear day to day expenditures. The liquidity of retail sector specially small enterprises are greatly affected by macroeconomic factors. These factors are divided into two: direct and indirect factors. The direct factors can be recognised as the decreasing disposable income, job insecurity and credit financing hurdles (Office for National Statistics, 2008). The indirect factors are challenges of credit financing and investment capability which commercial organisations face and which make these organisations unable to continue with producing high quality products and customer service (The Economist, 2008). Other macroeconomic factors that are related with small enterprises financial crisis are house price, house rent, and employment rate, and inflation rate, availability of bank loan, interest rates and changes of consumers behaviour. Storey [1994] notes that small firms, however they are defined, constitute the bulk of enterprises in all economies in the world. In the latter half of the last century the increasing important roles of small firms and entrepreneurship cannot be in any way understated [Bygrave 1994; Timmons 1994;]. Small firms are now a complex subject matter of research because of its huge number of limitations. These features of small enterprises are supported by Robinson and Pearce [1984] who focused on the issue of resource limitations of small firms. These limitations are best summarised by Carson and Cromie [1989] who suggest that small firm is actually characterised by three types of limitations, those of: their impact on markets; finance; physical resources; It is obvious that among these three limitations, finance is one of the most important one what is equally important for promoting products and services of small enterprises in the markets and acquiring physical resources. But undoubtedly these three limitations are in a cycle and interdependent. Liquidity problem is not only the result of shortage of fund, this problem is the consequences of other two limitations too. Definition of small enterprises of European Commission Enterprise and Industry [europa.eu] refers to maximum number of employees are 49 and maximum annual turnover is 7million Euro for small enterprises. As per EU definition, there are 4,267,555 small enterprises in UK where 11,441,000 employments exist [UK Bureau of Statistics: Start 2004]. It is undoubtedly important to find out immediately the problems of such a large sector and solutions of the problems. As noted by Hill and McGowan (1999), there is no agreed definition or clear understanding, in view of the large literature that exists, of who the entrepreneur is or what it is they do. Entrepreneurship is probably best understood as a process, the constituents of which are the entrepreneur, their persistent search of opportunities, usually grounded in the market place, and efforts to marshal the resources needed to exploit these opportunities; hence the concept of the entrepreneurial SME (Hill and Wright, 2001). How entrepreneurship is vital and important for small enterprises? Hill and McGowan (1999) answer this question by adding that, without entrepreneurial commitment, determination, vision, energy, tolerance of risk, and ambition, the entrepreneurial process in small and medium enterprises would not happen. Entrepreneurs making decision in various circumstances must be sure to learn as much as possible about the situation, and approach the decision from a logical and rational p erspectives (Ricky W. Griffin, 2002). The financial crisis, which transmitted internationally and caused disturbances in a wide range of powerful economies, many countries are seen to be on the brink of recession if not already plunged into it (Deutche Welle, 2008). Todays financial crisis what causes liquidity problems of business enterprises could be recognised as a major challenge for the survival of millions of small enterprises. The wide scope of the crisis caused a downturn in many industries, the bankruptcy of leading organisations and overall economic recession to countries like the UK, Germany and France (Deutche Welle, 2008; Hopkins, 2008; Office for National Statistics, 2008). Many EU countries including UK experienced the shock in their banking sectors as the provision of credit financing became a great challenge. Banks were suffering from lack of liquidity, which caused both business and non-business consumers financial hardships (The Economist, 2008). Though few banks like HSBC and Barclays [BBC, November 2 009] claimed that they are now in profit with enough liquidity to lend, most of the banks are in problem. Bank has short term and long term loan facilities, mortgage facilities, interest free bank overdraft facilities for small business enterprises [Small business banking, 2009]. There is a well-known idea that such facilities for small enterprises are very limited and process is very complex. Though various researchers carried out so many research to find out various factors that have direct and indirect impact on operations of small enterprises, relationship between entrepreneurship and small enterprises, buyers behaviour, marketing strategies, family and non-family business trends in this sector, there is still gap in research regarding liquidity problems and role of bank to solve this problem in terms of entrepreneurs perspective. Specially at the time of current economic down town there is a necessity of new research in the mentioned field. 9. Intended Methods of Data Collection: Assumptions of the study: Small enterprise: This study considers EU [maximum employee: 49] definition to select small enterprises. Scope and limitations of the Study: The study will focus on randomly selected 40 small enterprises of different sectors like hospitality, grocery, fashion and stationary from UK (London Area: Zone 1-4). Since the study will cover only the mentioned area, it will not reflect the exact UK scenario as a whole about the research. Data Collection Procedures: The proposed study is an empirical one. Both primary and secondary data will be used during the study. For collection of primary data self completed questionnaire will be used to collect information from entrepreneurs and executives of business enterprises. Observations and interview will be conducted in several cases to confirm more authentic information from the entrepreneurs. Secondary data will be collected from available literatures in form of books, journal, magazines, published materials, research articles, and online materials. To identify available financial products of banks to solve liquidity problems of small enterprises, banks websites will be used as a source of data and information. The researcher will also call the respondent to ensure timely feedback about questionnaire. In case of necessity, personal contacts will be used to support the research process. Methods of Data Analysis: Some parametric and non-parametric tools and techniques of statistics (like average, percentage, test of hypothesis, sampling distribution, etc); will be used to analyze data and information related with the study.

Jimi Hendrix :: essays research papers

Jimi Hendrix Jimi Hendrix, possibly the greatest guitarist in rock history changed the sound of rock. In 1967 The Jimi Hendrix Experience rocked the nation with their first album Are You Experienced?. Hendrix had a short life because of drugs in 1970 when he was only 27 years old. In a few years, rock and roll changed a lot and Jimi’s guitar playing was a big influence. Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle Washington on November 27, 1942. When he was just a kid he would play along with his R&B records whenever he could. He didn’t always like to play music though, he always had wanted to be in the army. In the late 1950’s Jimi joined the 101st airborne division, but he had a back injury doing a jump and got a medical discharge. That’s when he decided to have a musical career. By this time he had already become a pretty good guitar player, And is now the greatest known guitar player ever. Jimi started out playing backup for smalltime R&B groups. Soon some of the best known artists, such as BB king, Ike and Turner, and Little Richard wanted him. After a few months of touring with R&B groups he wanted to try singing. A guy heard him singing at a club and talked him into moving to England, where he met the rest of his band members. In 1966 Jimi Hendrix debuted. One year later their club shows were overcrowded. The Monkees heard them and liked them, and asked them to tour with them. But not many Monkees fans liked his lyrics and his style, so they kicked him off the tour. After this he was invited to pop festivals and eventually came out with his first

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare :: Papers

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare When Shakespeare wrote the 12th night the social mores were very strict. For example servants were not allowed to woo their masters but in the 12th night these rules of society were corrupted for example. Olivia loving cesario but Olivia doesn't realise that cesario is really a man and that links with cesario because she was a very wealthy woman but in an instant she becomes a servant also she is in mourning for her brother but now she is very joyful and in love. ====================================================================== Also in this play there is a hierarchical pyramid in place which is been transformed where there is a master and a servant but it seems almost reversed so the servant becomes the master and the master becomes the servant. Even there is servants loving masters there is masters falling in love with servants referring to Olivia loving a servant called cesario. The thing that seemed to attract Olivia to Cesario was her manner of speaking and intelligence. Also the 12th night has a certain comedy to it for example Sir Toby trick on Malvolio. Which is a pivotal point in the play. The letter says that Olivia has feelings for Malvolio. Malvolio showing his pomposity lets his guard down and obeys the instructions on the letter he also remembers the woman from Strace who married her wardrobe master. The instructions that were on the letter are as follows (1) Be opposite with a kinsman, surly with servants; (2) Remember who commended thy yellow stockings, and wished to see thee ever cross- gartered: (3) Therefore in my presence still smile, dear my sweet, I prithee. This is a classic case of Dramatic Irony and inappropriateness when Olivia is in Mourning. This act of arrogance in Olivia's case is inappropriate and should be severely punished therefore Malvolio was sent to the Dungeon. Which is also symbolic to his actual position in the house at this point the audience feels empathy for Malvolio. but there is the point of if malvolio is the only person that is not

What do you understand to be the concept of entrepreneurship and why Es

What do you understand to be the concept of entrepreneurship and why has it become such an important area of focus? Q2) What do you understand to be the concept of entrepreneurship and why has it become such an important area of focus? The concept of entrepreneurship is often viewed as a function, which involves the exploitation of opportunities, which exist within a market. Such exploitation is most commonly associated with the direction and/or combination of productive inputs. Entrepreneurs usually are considered to bear risk while pursuing opportunities, and often are associated with creative and innovative actions. In addition, entrepreneurs undertake a managerial role in their activities, but routine management of an ongoing operation is not considered to be entrepreneurship. In this sense entrepreneurial activity is fleeting. An individual may perform an entrepreneurial function in creating an organization, but later is relegated to the role of managing it without performing an entrepreneurial role. In this sense, many small-business owners would not be considered to be entrepreneurs. Individuals within organizations (i.e. non-founders) can be classified as entrepreneurs since they pursue the exploitation of opportunities. Thus intrepreneurship is appropriately considered to be a form of entrepreneurship. The concept of an entrepreneur is further refined when principles and terms from a business, managerial, and personal perspective are considered. In particular, the concept of entrepreneurship from a personal perspective has been thoroughly explored in this century. Third exploration is reflected in the following three definitions of an entrepreneur: In almost all of the definitions of entrepreneurship, there is agreement that we are talking about a kind of behavior that includes: initiative taking, the organizing and reorganising of social and economic mechanisms to turn resources and situations to practical account, and the acceptance of risk or failure. To an economist, an entrepreneur is one who brings resources, labor, materials, and other assets into combinations that make their value greater than before, and also one who introduces changes, innovations, and a new order. To a psychologist, certain forces typically drive such a person: the need to obtain or attain something, to experiment, to accomplis... ... being set up for such cases, but schools, colleges and universities all see this particular area of business as very promising and have began an extensive teaching programme, such courses available include, Law and Entrepreneur, Accountancy and Entrepreneurship. Although at the moment many individuals realise the potential of owning there own business, entrepreneurship is said to be a fad and will more than likely become dated in a way, possibly within the next ten years. However, the overall concept of entrepreneurship -according to Austrian Economist Joseph Schumpeter- is innovation (www.quickmba.com) as wealth is created when such innovation results in new demand. From this viewpoint one can define the function of the entrepreneur as one of combining various input factors in an innovative manner to generate value to the customer with the hope that this value will exceed the cost of the input factors, thus generating superior returns that result in the creation of wealth and this wealth also leads on to how entrepreneurial is an important area of focus because the wealth generated helps the economy, creating jobs, a better state and a better life for all of us.

Experimental Molar Enthalpy of Neutralization for Sodium Hydroxide Solution Essay

1. For information regarding the problem, prediction, materials and procedure, please see attached Measurements Table for Molar Enthalpy of Neutralization for Sodium Hydroxide Solution Substance Instrument Used Measurement Sodium hydroxide 100mL graduated cylinder ( ±0.2mL) 50.0mL Sulfuric acid 100mL graduated cylinder ( ±0.2mL) 30.0mL Temperature of sodium hydroxide solution Thermometer ( ±0.2ËC) 26.0ËC Temperature of the sulfuric acid Thermometer ( ±0.2ËC) 24.0ËC Final temperature reached by solution Thermometer ( ±0.2ËC) 34.5ËC Initial and Final Temperatures of Solutions Temperature of sodium hydroxide solution ( ±0.2ËC) 26.0ËC Temperature of the sulfuric acid ( ±0.2ËC) 24.0ËC Final temperature reached by solution ( ±0.2ËC) 34.5ËC Neutralization Reaction Taking Place Pre-Lab Calculations – Volume of Sulfuric Acid Needed Average Initial Temperature of Solutions Calculation Experimental Molar Enthalpy of Neutralization for Sodium Hydroxide Solution Calculation Solution 1. The experimental molar enthalpy of neutralization for sodium hydroxide solution was found to be -64 ±3.3KJ/mol. Calculation of Uncertainties 34.5 ±0.2ËC – 25.0 ±0.2ËC =9.5 ±0.2ËC 50 ±0.2mL + 30 ±0.2mL =80 ±0.2mL 9.5  ± 0.4ËC = 4.210†¦% 80  ± 0.4mL = 0.5% 50  ± 0.2mL = 0.4% =5.11†¦% =5.1% Percent Difference Conclusion Through a pre-lab calculation the amount of sulfuric acid solution needed was found to be 30.0m ±0.2mL. Using this information, a calorimetric lab was conducted to find the molar enthalpy of neutralization for the sodium hydroxide solution. Through molar enthalpy calculations, the experimental molar enthalpy of neutralization for the sodium hydroxide solution was found to be -64.0 ±3.3KJ/mol; however, the theoretical (actual) molar enthalpy of neutralization for the sodium hydroxide solution is -57KJ/mol. In other words the experimental enthalpy change was -64.0 ±3.3KJ and the theoretical (actual) enthalpy change was -57KJ. This as a result produced a 12% difference. The various errors will be analyzed in the evaluation. Evaluation As discussed earlier in the conclusion, the experimental change in enthalpy is greater than the theoretical (actual) change in enthalpy. This result is quite rare. In general, a typical result for the experimental enthalpy change should yield an outcome lower than the theoretical (actual) value (the reason for this will be discussed later in the conclusion); however, this was not the case in this lab. There are a variety of reasons why the experimental enthalpy change for this lab was greater than the theoretical (actual) enthalpy change. In general, the main reason for the result seen in this lab is due to the nature of the calorimeter. Due to the fact the calorimeter is an isolated environment there is no possible method to determine when the reaction is complete. As a result, the reaction may have been occurring in a concentrated area. With an increased concentration of reactants in one area, the rate of the reaction increases along with the temperature in the concentrated area. When this heat transfers to the thermometer, it causes an increased change in enthalpy. Normally, the concentration of reactants would be less, as they are not in a concentrated area. This would then cause a lower temperature increase because there is a smaller chance the particles will collide. As a result, the change in enthalpy in a normal situation would be much lower than if the reactants were all concentrated in one area. In saying that, it is possible within this lab the reactants were concentrated in one area causing the experimental change in enthalpy to be quite large. Because it is impossible to see into the calorimeter to see if the reaction is concentrated or when the reaction is complete the reactants could easily have been concentrated in one area. Furthermore, by not knowing when the reaction is complete, the temperature might be measured too soon or too late causing inaccurate results. In general, because the calorimeter is an isolated environment it results in the experiment having many errors because how the reaction is occurring and when the reaction is finished is unknown. A way to eliminate this error is by inserting an electronic stirring rod to stir the reactants so they do not become concentrated in one area. Furthermore, another reason contributing to the large enthalpy change is the impurity of the substances used. As a result, because the substances are impure, they could have had a higher concentration of reactants. With a higher concentration of reactants, the reaction rate will increase and there will be a greater reaction than wanted. With a larger reaction at an increased rate, the final temperature of the solutions will spike higher than wanted generating a larger enthalpy change. As a result, this is a reason contributing to the large enthalpy change in this lab; however, this reason is not very significant as the substances cannot be so impure the concentration on the label is extremely different then the concentration found in the bottle (it is illegal to put false information on chemical substances). As a result, the impurity of the substances cannot account for all the errors in this lab. Purifying the substances beforehand can easily eliminate this source of error. Moving on, there is another reason contributing to the large enthalpy change. The theoretical (actual) value given is obtained at SATP conditions; however, when the following lab was conducted, the conditions were not at SATP. SATP conditions are at 100kPa and 25ËC. The conditions when the lab was conducted were at 101.9kPa and 25ËC. By increasing the pressure, the reaction rate is increased and more reactions take place. As a result of a larger quantity of reactions occurring at 101.9kPa than at the standard SATP conditions, there will be a greater change in enthalpy at 101.9kPa. This as a result, contributes to the large difference in enthalpy change seen in this lab; however, like the previous reason, this is not a significant factor in increasing the enthalpy change. The pressure differences are not extremely different to cause the enthalpy change to increase to as much as they have in this lab. As a result, this is only a small contributing factor. Conducting this lab at SATP conditions will eliminate this source of error. In general, the main reason for the larger enthalpy change is due to not being able to tell when the reaction is complete and how the reaction is occurring in the calorimeter. As mentioned earlier, the result in this lab is very rare. This is mainly due to the fact that the Styrofoam calorimeter used to conduct the calorimetric experiment most likely does not provide a perfectly sealed environment. A hole is needed to be made to insert the thermometer. And there were many holes between the lid of the calorimeter and the calorimeter itself. Due to this ineffectiveness of the Styrofoam calorimeter, some of the heat from the reaction would have escaped through the many holes causing a lower final temperature of the reaction and the experimental enthalpy change to be lower than the theoretical (actual) value. As a result, the experimental value is usually lower than the theoretical (actual) value. Another reason includes the fact that some of the heat released during the reaction would have been transferred to the calorimeter itself instead of transferring to the thermometer. As a result, when the calorimeter and/or glass of the thermometer absorb the heat, it causes the thermometer to absorb less heat than it should. The final temperature will then be lower than it should be causing a lower enthalpy change. Even though this is not a main reason why the experimental molar enthalpy should be lower than the actual molar enthalpy it still contributes to it. As a result, with the combination of these factors the experimental enthalpy change should be lower than the theoretical value because a lot of heat is able to escape into the calorimeter and into the air due to there being holes in the calorimeter.

Compare and contrast Essay

Shakespeare uses many different types of love in Romeo and Juliet. The first aspect I will concentrate on is also the most obvious and is that of Romeo and Juliet themselves, who share a pure, romantic and passionate love. We are however told at the very beginning the fate of these two lovers. † A pair of star crossed lovers take their life†, star crossed meaning that their love and lives were fated before they even met. â€Å"The fearful passage of their death marked love†. It is made very clear to the audience that the play has a tragic ending. Shakespeare does this so that because we know what is going to happen, we hope that it won’t, which makes it even more tragic in the end. The whole play is based on the fact that timing was not on Romeo and Juliet’s side. If Romeo had heard that Juliet was only sleeping then he would not have killed himself. But then in doing so caused Juliet to kill herself and so restored civil love between the two families. Shakespeare does this to show that their love was not in vain. Before they meet Juliet is much more reserved and obedient towards her parents. She is happy to marry Paris to please her parents. Her perception of love is very naive and believes it to be a very conventional love without passion, as she feels no passion for Paris. But when she meets Romeo she instantly changes and believes in true love as she is actually feeling a physical attraction. Their love scenes are always the most perfect of settings. For example, the balcony scene with Romeo in the orchard and Juliet on her balcony. Shakespeare creates very romantic moods to amplify the fact that they are in love. They speak to each other at this first meeting in sonnets, which are love poems containing 14 lines and would be very recognisable to an Elizabethan audience. Before meeting Juliet, Romeo was courting Rosaline, but because she was dismissed at the beginning before we actually meet her, Romeo obviously didn’t feel love for her. He tells Benvolio that he does, â€Å"in sadness cousin I love a woman†, but on meeting Juliet his object of affections is soon forgotten. They now feel a mutual passionate love, and so the story unfolds as we see hope for them slowly disappearing. One reason is because of Juliet’s father, Capulet, wanting to marry her off to Paris. He is not a bad father however and shows a strong parental love, he does not arrange the marriage to get rid of her, but to make her happy. When Romeo murders Tybalt, Capulet tries to speed up the marriage because he hates to see his daughter so sad; he thinks he is doing the best thing for her happiness. Juliet’s mother however, Lady Capulet, is less caring. She was married when she was a younger age than Juliet, â€Å"I was your mother much upon these years†. She feels that Juliet should have to go through the same as her as she did not marry for love. This is shown as Capulet does not show any affection or respect towards his wife, † What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho! † This has a double meaning, calling her disrespectful names, which was one of the things Shakespeare used a lot in his plays. The opening with Sampson and Gregory shows a whole act of crude references to sex and women as objects, â€Å"I will push Montague’s men from the wall and thrust his maids to the wall†, â€Å"Women being the weaker vessels†. They show no love except a sexual one. Paris’ love for Juliet is a conventional one of Shakespeare’s time, where a man would be shown to chase a lady but there was no passion shown. This is unlike Romeo’s love of course. But it is not that simple because Paris is supposed to be the love rival and usually would be mean and selfish. This is not the case though and so Paris makes for a very worthy lover who could give Juliet everything she would ever need financially. This shows Juliet’s views of love, because she turns Paris away as she only feels love for Romeo even though they could never publicly show their affections towards each other. The play is about families although little parental love is shown as I said before. The nurse and the friar act as substitutes almost to the children’s real parents. They try to keep them happy, which may be part of the reason why the story ends like it does. If they had left things and told them to listen to their parents they would have lived, although through their death, another love was created-civil. We do not see the Montague’s parental love towards Romeo and although Lady Capulet can be viewed as a mean woman, both parents love their children very much. This however is only really shown at the end when the tragedy has already occurred and they are mourning. This also links in with a civil love; the two families coming together to not only love their own children, but to love each other’s children as well. Montague announces to Capulet, â€Å"I will raise her statue in pure gold†. This is of course a very generous and expensive gesture, to which Capulet replies, â€Å"As rich shall Romeo by his lady lie†, returning the gesture. This is the turning point of the story; civil love has been restored in Verona as the two families agree to build a statue of each other’s child in gold to remind them of how their love was so true and faithful. To conclude, I think that Romeo and Juliet’s love overcame all obstacles even though it did not end as a perfect fairytale would. They have ended a war of hatred between the whole city. At the end where Paris visits the tomb of Juliet, this action in itself shows that he had an amount of affection for her, more so than we knew before, â€Å"Nightly shall be to stew thy grave and weep†. He is showing a genuine mourning for his would be bride. This makes the story sadder because we know that Juliet could have been happy with Paris if she had not met Romeo, yet she died feeling real love, as supposed to what she thought love was before.

What Makes CarMax Great? Essay

                  Organizational culture forms part of the influencing factor towards the success of an organization. Within every organization, there are practices, which are considered the norm, and dictates how operations in an organization are carried out. Organization culture also depends on the type of leadership within an organization. CarMax organization culture has contributed greatly to its performance, which has seen it become famous in all of its locations to the extent of being ranked among the top companies in Fortune 500 magazine. Its culture revolves various artefacts such as language, physical structure, values, ceremonies and rituals. The success of the company is realized from benefits of organizational culture, which include increased sales, productivity, customers’ loyalty and efficient service delivery. Therefore, positive organizational culture should be promoted within organizations. Abstract                Organizational culture is as a set of attitudes, norms, beliefs and practices that are shared by employees as well as the management in any organization or company (McShane, & Von, 2014). The culture generally includes various factors such as how customers, suppliers, employees and other stakeholders are treated when making decisions within an organization in addition to speed, level and process of decision-making (Ovidiu-Iliuta, 2014). Moreover, the culture encompasses the level of control and formality that is applied when carrying out operations and rewards giving to good performances within an organization.                CarMax IncOrganizational culture plays an important role within organizations whereby it helps in outlining the behaviors that are appropriate for employees and other operation practices. An organization that has clearly defined it culture ensures that the members of the organization know what the company or organization expects from them and stakeholders expect from the company (McShane, & Von, 2014). Organizational culture simply helps in defining an organization and its employees and giving it identity. The sense of identity is also communicated to the customers of the company, the employees of the company, the suppliers as well as the general public that constantly interact with the company.                All stakeholders, both external and internal, know who a company or an organization is through the culture that is communicated to them by the company or organization (Ledimo, 2013). Furthermore, it is to be noted that organizational culture helps in giving employees the sense of identity and provides the overall goals and objectives of the organization. Organizational culture is what holds the company or organization together through hard times and easy times (CarMax, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 2014).                CarMax is one of the largest retailers of used cars in the United States and is one of the Fortune 500 Companies. The first location of the company was opened up in the year 1993, and since then, it has experienced increased growth (CarMax Business Services, LLC, 2014). The CarMax Company had 128 locations by January 2014, clearly an indication that the company has grown over the years. The growth in the company can greatly be attributed to the organizational culture and values among other factors, which have propelled the company to the current position. Artifacts Language                CarMax Company is a retailer based in the United States. The language that is generally used for business in the United States is the English language (Ovidiu-Iliuta, 2014). As part of the language used at CarMax, the slogan used which helps in giving identity to the company is â€Å"The way car buying should be.† The employees work as team, which is evidenced by high interpersonal relationships among them. The interpersonal relationship is also extended to customers where employees’ high communication skills are maintained across all departments. Rituals/ceremonies                   Apart from the language that is used within the company for business and interactions between the associates and even with customers and other stakeholders, ceremonies are part of the organizational culture within the company. It is the culture of CarMax that whenever employees perform well, they are reward for their efforts. The rewards do not only just come in form of presents and other rewards; instead, the company always organize for steak cookouts for the employees. The steak cookouts are conducted regularly every time there are employees to be reward for great performance within the company. This provides an opportunity for the employees to interact with one another and share their ideas for the improvement of their performance and success of the company.                   Furthermore, it is also part of the organizational culture to ensure that the associates within the company have fun in addition to the customers. The company organizes for regular pizza parties and steak outs for its employees and encourages an atmosphere that is friendly driven by the focus of the company on integrity towards the customers and the employees of the company (McShane, & Von, 2014). Employees are rewarded with benefits such as holidays, time away, and paid vacations. Furthermore, the company offers rewards such as purchase of cars and accessories at discounted prices, discounts on childcare, appliances, fitness memberships, cell phones, travel, and furniture among others that help the employees save money. Consequently, The company employees show high respects for their customers and address them calmly. This has seen the company develop loyalty and build emotional connections with its employees, which contributes to its success.                   When hiring, CarMax normally conducts telephone interviews before face-to-face interviews. It is also the culture at CarMax when recruiting to conduct panel interviews as well as behavioural interviews for new employees. To set itself apart from other companies, CarMax also offers testing to interviewees before they can be employed. This ensures only the most qualified are employed. The hiring process is quote intensive ensuring that employees with the relevant skills are employed. This has been one of the contributing factors towards the success of the company because there is no compromise on the quality of staffs employed. Physical structures                   CarMax operates in what are known as superstores whereby a typical store is about 59,000 square feet (5,500  m2), and it carries about 300 to 400 vehicles. Furthermore, CarMax has a home office that appears like a glass box that has been modernized and is slipped in a forest (ADD Inc, 2014). The office located in such a way that there is access to daylight. It also has energy-efficient systems that regulate and control the energy consumption within the structures. The home office is designed in such a way that it appears beautiful in its natural surroundings.                     The structures are constructed using a campus plan which helps in minimizing the impact of its size whereby four-storey parking has been used. The inside of the building is constructed in such a way that it has strategically located points of interaction for the associates and customers. This helps in building a culture of collaboration and collegiality within the company. The headquarters of the company is a five-story office building that is made up of 243,000 square feet for offices, in addition to 19,000-square-foot used as a fitness facility.                  The building is located in a 3,500-acre piece of land in West Creek Business Park in the county of Goochland. The building is surrounded with trees and has a pedestrian connector that simply joins the office building and a parking deck that can host 1000 cars (ADD Inc, 2014). As part of the physical structure, CarMax uses yellow, navy blue and white colour as part of its identity. The company logo is made up of the colours mentioned; giving it unique looks that distinguishes it from other companies. The staffs of the company also put on uniforms, mostly t-shirts, that bear the logo of the company and the colours of the company. This also helps in uniting the employees by giving the identity of being equal. Values                   The main fundamental principle that guides the culture at CarMax is integrity, which is normally reflected in the way the company serves the customers, deliver its products to consumers as well as how employees within the company treat each other. Shared values are considered to be the foundation on which the operations of the company are built on CarMax Business Services. Through the various values that are shared within the company, the company seeks to ensure equal treatment of its investors, customers, and associates in terms of ethical practices and trustworthiness (Great Place to Work, 2014). The employees are involved in decision-making in addition to respect of customers and being honest as major ethical practice.                The values that are shared within the company include diversity, customer focus, communication, teamwork, associate development, and improvement. It is the culture of the company to conduct its operations in a customer-focused way, which is aimed at providing customers with great experience. On the value of respect, the company promotes individual knowledge among the associates and values the contribution that they make towards the company. Teamwork is also another value that is encouraged within the company. The employees and the management of the company normally work together for the interest of the company and also for the interest of the customers of the company. Communication is highly encouraged according to a survey conducted by Greatrated.com (2014).                The survey observed that 93% of the employees agree that there is great communication within the company. Sharing of information, soliciting for feedback and exchange of ideas within the company is also another organizational culture that is highly encouraged (CarMax, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 2014). Diversity is also another value that is practiced and encouraged as part of the organizational culture at CarMax Company. The uniqueness of the associates and employees is well integrated into the company and work is done to ensure that everyone in the company feels respected and valued despite the diversity in terms of beliefs, race, and gender among other aspects of diversity (Great Place to Work, 2014).                   Diversity within the company is promoted through various ways from the associates, the customers and even the community. For the Associates of the company, CarMax ensures that it hires, promotes and trains only the qualified associates who possess diverse attributes. Furthermore, the associates are treated with lots of respect, their contributions are respected and valued by the company and are always provided with benefits that help in supporting their diversity within the workforce. In addition to that, the associates are provided with an inclusive and collaborative environment that helps in encouraging the ideas and inputs of the associates.                  Diversity is also promoted among the customers whereby it is the culture of the company to welcome all its customers in all the stores if the company (McShane, & Von, 2014). Customers are also treated with utmost respect with an aim of providing them with exceptional experience. As part of the culture within the organization, all customers of the company are offered competitive and ethical offers that meet the needs of the customers. The community is also not left out on the issue of diversity at CarMax Company.                   It is the organizational culture of the company to make positive contributions towards the communities, which it operates, and its employees live in (Na, & Morris, 2014). This is done through the promotion of leadership in the youths, promoting education and wellness in the communities. CarMax supports diverse organizations and programs within the communities through internships, grants, volunteer activities and offering of sponsorships to the needy in the communities. Another organizational culture that is practiced at CarMax is that of associate development.                   Everyone from the junior employees to the top management is provided with opportunities for professional growth and development. The development of the associates and employees is done through coaching, sponsored trainings as well as mentoring of the employees. This has helped to improve the skills and work-performance of employees over the years. This can also be considered to be a contributing factor towards the tremendous growth experienced by the company in terms of its expansion and performance over the years.                  According to the survey by Greaterated.com (2014), it is observed that about 86% of the associates and employees at CarMax agree that they are offered great opportunities that help them to develop professionally and become better people. The positive culture within CarMax is generally attributed to the leadership with which about 94% of the employees according to a survey by agree that the bosses are great to work with. It is to be noted that the values that are practiced at CarMax start from the top management within the company whereby the leadership of the company is considered to be down-to earth and focused on the associates of the company (CarMax Business Services, LLC, 2014). The type of leadership that is found within an organization is an important factor that influences the type of organizational culture that is found within an organization.                Furthermore, it is also to be noted that CarMax offers its employees what is known as flexible time-away (CarMax, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 2014). This is a policy whereby employees are allowed to have some few weeks away from work before they resume their duties (Greaterated.com, 2014). This is a culture that to some extent is not good considering that the employees are not offered time for vacations. This culture should instead be changed to that of offering vacations, which will provide the associates with enough time to relax and build their lives.                  The company’s culture has contributed to its increased that has seen it being ranked position 54 among the Fortune 500 Companies list (Fortune 500 Magazine, 2014). An average employee within the company normally gets time away whenever they are in need of time to rest. Employees work in shifts whereby there are those that take the morning shift while others take the evening shift, but on rotational basis. Shared assumptions               Consequently, organizational culture is made up of shared assumptions within an organization. Employees normally share assumptions, which translate into being part of the organizational culture. In the sae of CarMax, the employees share the assumption that they own the company. This is based on the reason that the employees are constantly involved in the decision making process within the company. The employees are made to feel comfortable by allowing them to take part on decision making especially on matters dealing with the sales of the company and how they can increase their performance. Furthermore, the other assumption that is shared about the company is that all the customers get satisfied with the products that the company offers to them at all times. Organizational Culture and Performance of the Company                  Organizational culture and behaviour has been identified as one of the contributing factors towards the success of an organization. When there is positive organizational culture in a company, there are high chances that the company will be able to succeed (Niamh Ring, 2014). In the case of CarMax, the organizational culture that is practiced has been a contributing factor towards its growth over the years in the United Sates market. The organizational culture at CarMax can be said to have positive impact on the performance of the company in terms of employee turnover and customer attraction.                  The revenues of the company have been on the increase over the years, which mean that the organizational culture of treating customers with respect, and valuing their diversity has been of great help (Janićijević, 2013). It is also to e noted that the company has been able to retain most of its employees over the years (Reuters.com, 2014). This can be attributed to the positive organizational culture of empowering employees, valuing their contributions in the company and helping them improve professionally through trainings, coaching and mentoring (Niamh Ring, Jun 20, 2014). The impact of the organizational culture that is practiced at CarMax Inc can be seen through the number of stores that the company has been able to open up over the years. As of the year 2014 January, CarMax had about 128 superstores across the United States.                  A strong organizational culture is beneficial to a company, the employees as well as the customers of the company (Bà ¼schgens, Bausch, & Balkin, 2013). When a company has a strong and positive organizational culture, the productivity of the company is likely to improve as well as the performance of the employees (Reuters.com, 2014). Employees become motivated to work for the company therefore resulting in increased productivity. An average employees works for eight hours a day for a five-day long week. This ensures that employees are not overworked and have free time for recreational. This strong and positive organizational culture has helped to provide customers with high quality products CarMax (Narrative Science, 2014). When customers are provided with high quality products, satisfaction is guaranteed, which means that the company will continue to make sales from the customers as well as expand its operations to other markets, as observed in the case of CarMax.               The organization culture practiced by CarMax has impacted positively to its economic growth. The company has maintained high number of customers across America thus commanding a significant market shares in the industry of used cars. It has also given the company competitive advantage over other companies selling second handcars. This has been evidenced by its ever-growing sales and market share over years. Hence, the company should maintain its culture and try to improve its customer service by concentrating on customer loyalty, which make sure that customers are emotionally connected with all its products. The strategy will see it dominate in the market just like Apple, Philips and Nike that are widely known for their brand loyalty. Conclusion                   Every company has its own organizational culture that is practiced by the employees and determines how a company operates. Considering that organizational culture has great impacts on the success of an organization, companies should build and encourage positive organizational cultures that benefits all the stakeholders. CarMax attributes its success to the positive organizational culture that it has been able to build and maintain over the years. Therefore, the overall conclusion from the case analysis of CarMax with regard to organizational culture is that companies need to have positive organizational cultures that generate benefits. References ADD Inc (2014), CarMax Home Office http://www.addinc.com/portfolio/project-page.aspx?projID=105&PortID=2 on 10th September 2014. Bà ¼schgens, T., Bausch, A., & Balkin, D. B. (2013). 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