The Battle Of The Cold War - 1450 Words

The battle in ideologies between communism and capitalism lead to one of the greatest conflicts of the twentieth century. The concept that freedom and democracy would not survive under communist rule triggered a battle that could endure for decades. American media significantly impacted the attitudes of Americans, creating a hatred of communism to spread throughout the nation. The political relations in Europe, during and directly after World War II, played a large part in laying the foundation for the Cold War. Wartime seminars, like Yalta and Tehran, only harshened the relationship involving the communists and the capitalists. By the end of World War II, American policy towards the Soviets had transformed drastically, along with the change of president in 1945, which further caused relations with Russia to worsen. Additional contributions to the Cold War included the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. The section of Europe, between the west and east, drew on physical bor ders outlining that the war of misinformation had formally commenced. The waging of hot wars through other countries also strengthened Cold War hatred. The first of the Cold War tensions arose out of World War II conferences between the Soviet Union, America and Great Britain. Tehran, the first major conference and the one that lead America to start the Cold War, included all three of these nations. At this conference, the reshaping of post-war Europe was discussed, then later in February ofShow MoreRelatedThe Battle Of The Cold War955 Words   |  4 PagesWorld War II between the United States and the Soviet Union came a time period full of mistrust and deceit. By the end of the Second World War, the United States and the Soviet Union became increasingly suspicious of one another, and their relations resulted in being unstable. This evident yet rising political and military tension between the two world powers has come to be known as the Cold War. Both the Yalta Conference, which saw a rise in disagreements between the two, and the Korean War, the Read MoreThe Battle Of The Cold War1526 Words   |  7 Pagescoattails of the unresolved issues between them, a battle-less conflict began as a result of a strictly civil alliance turning sour with the defeat of a common enemy. In the aftermath of World War II, great powers from the West and the East were thrown into a state of military and political tension. These opposing nations strived to ruin each other through increasingly obvious competition in STEM that could improve the human condition. Not only did the Cold War involve competition in the advancement ofRead MoreThe Battle Of The Cold War2612 Words   |  11 PagesNo event in history has caused more debate among academics than that of the origins of the Cold War. The Cold War was a result of the United States and the Soviets unable to accept the others ideological vision for their country and how it would benefit the world. This war was security based and ideology fixated on proving why each side was right. What came fro m this was a clash of competing historiographical views of an orthodox and revisionist approach. Orthodox views, including that of John GaddisRead MoreThe Battle Of The Cold War1493 Words   |  6 Pages A popular military aphorism stated by Earnest Hemmingway was, â€Å"Once we have a war there is only one thing to do. It must be won. For defeat brings worse things than any that can ever happen in war.† With the ongoing troubles of the Cold War and rising tension along the 38th Parallel that split the once nation of Korea in two, this statement will become imminent. Through basic principles of leadership exhibited by General Douglass MacArthur to take a chance at a dynamic or what some may leanRead MoreThe Battle Of The Cold War742 Words   |  3 PagesDear John, It wasn t my fault, it was too late for him and there was nothing anyone could do to help him. It happened in the early hours of the morning, the sun slowly stretching and awakening from its own peaceful slumber but couldn t get its bright rays past the army of clouds that stood guard over the land. Our broken bodies leaning against the trench wall, our soggy backs slowly sinking into the disgusting, dark and dingy mud. The sound of the raindrops smacking the floor of our trench andRead MoreThe Battle Of The Cold War958 Words   |  4 Pagesabout the Cold War amidst research, it all hit me, this war draws its beginning and end from an extremely similar yet reciprocal process. The means through which the war ended were based strongly around the Power of the United States and the USSR. Only through the loss of power by either nation could the war hope to come to an end, and to that end, came my full understanding of how everything came full circle. In this paper, I will illustrate the Irony behind the birth and end of the Cold War, as wellRead MoreThe Battle Of The Cold War Essay1507 Words   |  7 Pagesenemies after the war. It was not the first time that the Soviets and the Americans found themselves on opposite sides. The communist revolution led by Lenin and Trotsky was the first instance of belligerence between communism and capitalism, and it started when the United States dispatched troops to Siberia with the mission of fighting Bolshevik revolutionaries (Borch 1998, 181). Ideological differences have been at the center of many conflicts throughout history, and the Cold War was no exemptionRead MoreThe Battle Of The Cold War1221 Words   |  5 Pagesa nation to change. Fresh off of the economic and political victory that was World War II for the United States, The Soviet Union sent a challenge to the U.S that set up one of the biggest, and potentially apocalyptic stand-offs in history. The Cold War, the great stand off between the Americans and the Sov iets lasted from 1947 to about 1991 according to Major Problems in American History Since 1945. This Cold War would change the culture in the United States forever, stamping it’s air of alertnessRead MoreThe Battle Of The Cold War2072 Words   |  9 Pagesending of the Cold War, which significantly ended any nuclear threats that the Soviet Union had shown, and by helping the Soviet Union in throes of their revolution and the freedom promises he influenced, contributed to Reagan’s legacy as an intellectual, persuasive, and important leader to the end of the Cold War. HISTORICAL CONTEXT The dropping of the atomic bomb in Japan from America ended World War II, but it started what would become another war. This war was known as the Cold War, and it beganRead MoreThe Battle Of The War On The State, And Post Cold War3796 Words   |  16 PagesIntroduction: Ever since the Napoleonic Wars, war was a concept that was considered to be under the purview of the State, however this belief is inherently wrong. In all of history, warfare has been engaged by private actors as opposed to the State. In fact, the State as the dominant actor in warfare should be understood as the exception, rather than the norm. Even though the State has not been the dominant actor in warfare, there were certainly multiple attempts by the State to control, or have

Child Care Nvq Level 3 Unit 8 E3 Free Essays

Many parents adapt to changes in their lives and usually have the support of family and friends to provide assistance. Many families however can face issues that affect the family life and often need support to help them. Factors such as financial Difficulties could become an issue as this would mean that they are unable to afford food or clothing therefore leading towards poverty and poor health which can cause depression. We will write a custom essay sample on Child Care Nvq Level 3 Unit 8 E3 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Also poor housing would effect the child as they may not even have a garden to move about in and there may not be a play park around making the child become restricted from outside play. Another factor could be unemployment, meaning no job, which may effect the child as there would be no income. If a single parent, this would mean that they would have to work but also meaning that the child would have to be moved somewhere to be taken care of meaning sepaeration would have to happen between the parent and child. Divorce and separation would also mean that the child would possibly have to move home to a smaller building meaning that the conditions would be cramped and the parent may have to recieve lower income Lower income Smaller housing / cramped conditions There are four different types of Sectors that provide care and education for children. They are; Statutory Sector Voluntary Sector Private Sector. Independent A Statutory Sector is a Sector that has to be there by law, so dentist, local schools and hospitals are part of this. Local schools have to be there by law and get some funding by the government. The age range that schools cover is from 5 years to 11 years olds. They follow a set routine where reception covers the EYFS and then year one to year six covers the national curriculum. Schools are open from nine o’clock in the morning to half three in the afternoon, from Monday to Fridays, term times only. This means that schools are closed at Christmas, Easter, summer and half terms. Schools are in easy access areas, where there is enough space for an outside play area for example the playground and indoor space, for example somewhere to do P. E. A local school can be adapted, for example ramps for people with disabilities and for people to find it easy to access the school. A local school should also include snacks; they should be healthy snacks like fruit and vegetables. They should also include toileting times for the children. Statutory Schools are usually free except payment for school dinners, school trips and some snacks. A Voluntary Sector is a sector, which people volunteer to organise and run, so mother, toddler and Pre school groups are apart of this. The aim of a Statutory Sector School is to provide opportunities of education for every child and to support their learning also making a safe and secure environment for children to keep them from harm. Another aim is to provide social opportunities for the child this will include learning to make friends, learning to socialise with people, learning the difference between adults and children and learning to respect others. It may also provide opportunities for the family by meeting new parents so they are making new friends and it may also prove as support for families as they might find people to rely on and also some services though school to help support them. An independent sector are companies with more freedom to organise their provision. Their services may not rely on government funding and does not have to follow the EYFS or the National Curriculum. However the service may be OFSTED inspected to make sure children’s welfare needs are being met. Services of independent provision include independent schools and nurseries. How to cite Child Care Nvq Level 3 Unit 8 E3, Essay examples Child Care Nvq Level 3 Unit 8 E3 Free Essays Many parents adapt to changes in their lives and usually have the support of family and friends to provide assistance. Many families however can face issues that affect the family life and often need support to help them. Factors such as financial Difficulties could become an issue as this would mean that they are unable to afford food or clothing therefore leading towards poverty and poor health which can cause depression. We will write a custom essay sample on Child Care Nvq Level 3 Unit 8 E3 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Also poor housing would effect the child as they may not even have a garden to move about in and there may not be a play park around making the child become restricted from outside play. Another factor could be unemployment, meaning no job, which may effect the child as there would be no income. If a single parent, this would mean that they would have to work but also meaning that the child would have to be moved somewhere to be taken care of meaning sepaeration would have to happen between the parent and child. Divorce and separation would also mean that the child would possibly have to move home to a smaller building meaning that the conditions would be cramped and the parent may have to recieve lower income Lower income Smaller housing / cramped conditions There are four different types of Sectors that provide care and education for children. They are; Statutory Sector Voluntary Sector Private Sector. Independent A Statutory Sector is a Sector that has to be there by law, so dentist, local schools and hospitals are part of this. Local schools have to be there by law and get some funding by the government. The age range that schools cover is from 5 years to 11 years olds. They follow a set routine where reception covers the EYFS and then year one to year six covers the national curriculum. Schools are open from nine o’clock in the morning to half three in the afternoon, from Monday to Fridays, term times only. This means that schools are closed at Christmas, Easter, summer and half terms. Schools are in easy access areas, where there is enough space for an outside play area for example the playground and indoor space, for example somewhere to do P. E. A local school can be adapted, for example ramps for people with disabilities and for people to find it easy to access the school. A local school should also include snacks; they should be healthy snacks like fruit and vegetables. They should also include toileting times for the children. Statutory Schools are usually free except payment for school dinners, school trips and some snacks. A Voluntary Sector is a sector, which people volunteer to organise and run, so mother, toddler and Pre school groups are apart of this. The aim of a Statutory Sector School is to provide opportunities of education for every child and to support their learning also making a safe and secure environment for children to keep them from harm. Another aim is to provide social opportunities for the child this will include learning to make friends, learning to socialise with people, learning the difference between adults and children and learning to respect others. It may also provide opportunities for the family by meeting new parents so they are making new friends and it may also prove as support for families as they might find people to rely on and also some services though school to help support them. An independent sector are companies with more freedom to organise their provision. Their services may not rely on government funding and does not have to follow the EYFS or the National Curriculum. However the service may be OFSTED inspected to make sure children’s welfare needs are being met. Services of independent provision include independent schools and nurseries. How to cite Child Care Nvq Level 3 Unit 8 E3, Papers

Project Report on Business Level Strategies

Question: Discuss about theProject Report on Business Level Strategies. Answer: Introduction Business Level Strategies are those which are designed by the companies in a manner that renders value to the customers which gives a competitive advantage over its other competitors (DuBrin, 2011). They are important because it gives a clear picture of the goals, vision and mission of the company to the people working in the organisation. The business level strategies are those which deal with the companys position in the industry where the company prevails in relation to their rivals. There are different types of business level strategies which are the cost leadership, differentiation, focused cost leadership, focused differentiation and the integrated cost leadership or differentiation (Harrison John, 2013). The business level strategies are of sixteen types but they are applied by the companies on the basis of their future goals and objectives. The following report will discuss the business level strategies of the three telecommunications company of Malaysia. Further the competi tive profile matrix of the three telecommunication companies and thereafter, finding out the leading company from them along with the justification and finally, the conclusion of the report. Overview of the Three Telecommunication Companies Telekom Malaysia Berhad DBA (TM) is a telecommunications public company headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and was founded in October, 1984. The company began with fixed line services, television and radio broadcast services. Currently, it also offers data, television paid data and other network services (Telekom Malaysia Berhad, 2017). Maxis Berhad is a public telecommunications company based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia founded in 1993 but got listed in 2009. The company provides different types of communication products with full 4G coverage and other value added services (Maxis Bhd, 2017). Digi.com Berhad is also a public telecommunications company which is listed in Bursa Malaysia, founded in 1995 and got listed in 1997. The company deals in mobile, telecommunication and cable television services (Digi, 2017). All these companies are the main players of Malaysia as it is found to be the potential market for the mobile and other telcom services. Business Level Strategies Telekom Malaysia Berhad DBA (TM) The goal of the company is to deliver the best of the connections for all the time and everywhere (Telekom Malaysia Berhad, 2014). The business level strategies that the company follows are the low cost, best value cost leadership, product development and market penetration. These are the strategies that the company follows as it is in the industry in which it has to face very close competition with two of the other companies that are Maxis Berhad and Digi.com. The company uses innovation and connectivity strategy in order to sustain in the highly competitive market. Their motto of reaching out to more people and serving the best network they have strategies innovation and information exchange strategies which have been positioned as Life made easier and Business made easier strategies. These can be easily seen in the picture given below: Table 1 - Strategies of Telekom (Source: Telekom Malaysia Berhad, 2014). As per stated in the annual report of the company it is reflected that he most successful strategy was their UniFi strategy which gave the nation their very first high speed broadband services along with maintaining a stable growth with 14.8% by the end of 2014. It also provides different corporate and residential package schemes customised for the type of customers. It also gave benefit to the customers that they can easily use their mobile handsets for the access of the channels present on the HyppTv. HyppTv was introduced with a motive to cater the needs of young generation as they so that they can watch HyppTv anytime and anywhere. With the help of all these services the company wants to diversify its business and cover all types of target audiences so that their revenue is also not affected by the underperformance of any of the services (Telekom Malaysia Berhad, 2014). Maxis Telecommunications Berhad The companys business level strategy is to penetrate into the market and enjoy the maximum market share in relation to its competitors (Maxis, 2014). As Telekom being an old firm that hay of Maxis they have to attract their customers by offering services to customers only on the basis of the cutting their costs and also by following product differentiation by improving the networks of the company. The company produced smartphone to create a distinct image from that of its competitors. They also gave benefits of discounts to their customers who purchased their smartphone service packages and the smartphone was also with the fourth generation smartphones. This complementary product was introduced with idea of earning more income from such a competitive market. The company follows a price differentiation strategy of charging different prices from the users purchasing the smartphones along with the plans. Loyal customers were also a basis to differentiate between the customers i.e. the c ustomers who were the constant users was given discounts and benefit plans (Maxis, 2014). The smartphone scheme will enable the company to attract more and more customers by differentiating their new strategy of introducing the phones of their own brand name. This will ensure the company to diversify its business, then its revenues and therefore the profits. Digi.Com Berhad The company has focused upon the growth strategy where they have been working upon their digital strength in order to become the most and best digital trusted partners of their customers (Digi, 2015). As in order to sustain in the oligopolistic market the company has to constantly keep an eye on the strategies of their competitors. Their idea of going digital will create value for their customers. The company has focused on the cost leadership (best value) strategy by way of offering valuable packages to their customers through introducing changes like digitalising their services which can be availed by the customers on one click. Out of the three, Digi.com was the late entrant but still it has managed to conquer a good position among the other previous players. Therefore; the companies working in the oligopolistic market where in order to sustain they are required to have a customer-centric approach along with innovation because if they simply just do nothing can make them a past thing to talk upon in the industry. All the companies follows some or the other business level strategy so that they can make a relative image as that of their competitors. The three telecommunication firms are constantly making innovation and changes so that they can survive in the industry of very few players. Competitive Profile Matrix Competitive Profile Matrix commonly known as CPM matrix is a strategic analysis tool which enables all the stakeholders of the company along with any other interested parties to have a look on the strengths and weaknesses of their competitors in a single page (Borajee Yakchali, 2011). It consists of four factor s of the competitor companies. The very first column shows the critical success factors such as advertising, loyalty, quality, price competitiveness, market share etc. which are further given weight, ratings and weighted score. Basically, it is a comparison between the different competitors position. The ratings are to be given from 1.00 to 4.00 to each of the key factors so that it becomes easy to find out that which company has made it to the highest ratings and the leading company of the industry. The below CPM matrix will show the performance of the three companies on the basis of their score and ratings given ti them against the respective key factors (Etzel, 2007). Competitive Profile Matrix TeleKom Maxis Digi.com Key Factor Weight Rating Score Weight Rating Score Weight Rating Score Advertising 0.10 3.00 0.20 0.10 2.00 0.15 0.10 2.00 0.15 Product Quality 0.20 4.00 0.70 0.20 1.00 0.40 0.20 3.00 0.50 Price competitiveness 0.30 4.00 0.40 0.30 2.00 0.40 0.30 4.00 0.30 Financial position 0.20 4.00 0.30 0.20 3.00 0.15 0.20 3.00 0.30 Market share 0.20 4.00 0.50 0.20 2.00 0.30 0.20 3.00 0.40 Total 1.00 2.1 1.00 1.45 1.00 1.65 On the basis of the following table it can be observed that Telekom Malaysia Berhad Company is the leading telecommunications in the markets of Malaysia. It is because as the table shows that the critical key factors of the Telekom are the highest scoring and rated therefore; it enjoys a better position than that of its other two rivals that are the Maxis Berhad and the Digi.com. In relation to this another big reason for its success as compared to its rivals is that it is the oldest firm of Malaysia therefore; it might be enjoying various benefits of cost leadership and economies of scale. Also, it is witnessing a distinct image as they have been in this industry since the longest time. The key factors taken to identify the competitive profile matrix in the current report are advertising, product quality, price competitiveness, financial position and the market share of the firms. All these will help in drawing out a conclusion in regards to the leading firm of the telecommunication industry (Sohel, Rahman Uddin, 2014). Conclusion On the basis of the above report it can be concluded that each and every company from any industry plans and follows some or the other business level strategies as their motive is to deliver value to customers and gain a competitive advantage to that of its competitors. Also, another conclusion drawn out was that the companies which are the industry with cut-throat competition have to be very keen with their strategies to survive in the market. Telecommunication being very highly competitive market where the companies enter into intense price wars therefore; they are required to always bring out something innovative to ultimately satisfy the customer needs. References Borajee, M., Yakchali, S. H. (2011). Using the AHP-ELECTRE III integrated method in a competitive profile matrix. In International Conference on Financial Management and Economics (pp. 68-72). Digi. (2015). Annual report for the year 2015. Viewed 23 February 2017 from https://digi.listedcompany.com/misc/ar/ar2015.pdf. Digi. (2017). Corporate Overview. Viewed 23 February 2017 from https://www.digi.com.my/aboutus/corporate_overview/information.do. DuBrin, A, J. (2011). (ed, 9th). Essentials of Management. Cengage Learning. Mason, USA. Etzel. (2007). Marketing With Cd, 14E (Sie). Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Harrison, J, S John, C, H, S. (2013). (ed, 6th). Foundations in Strategic Management. Cengage Learning. Mason, USA. Maxis Bhd. (2017). Corporate profile. Viewed 23 February 2017 from https://maxis.listedcompany.com/profile.html. Maxis. (2014). Annual report for the year 2014. Viewed 23 February 2017 from https://maxis.my/ar2014/images/download/pdf/maxis_ar2014.pdf. Sohel, S. M., Rahman, A. M. A., Uddin, M. A. (2014). Competitive Profile Matrix (Cpm) As A Competitorsanalysis Tool: A Theoretical Perspective. From The Editors Desk. Telekom Malaysia Berhad. (2014). Game Changer, Annual report for the year 2014. Viewed 23 February 2017 from https://www.financialreport.biz/File/AR/2015/4/6/4863%20-%202305560995524.pdf. Telekom Malaysia Berhad. (2017). About TM. Viewed 23 February 2017 from https://www.tm.com.my/AboutTM/OurHeadquarters/Pages/Home.aspx.

Meaning in Short Stories free essay sample

A discussion of several short stories to demonstrate how the authors developed meaning through the development of character, theme, plot and setting. Five short stories are discussed: The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin, AP by John Updike, I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen, Barn Burning by William Faulkner, and The Rocking-Horse Winner by D.H. Lawrence. Each story is used to demonstrate the use of either character, theme, plot or setting in the development of meaning. PLOT THE STORY OF AN HOUR The plot in this story revolves around the death of the husband, which of course makes the story possible, but at the heart of it is the woman and her feeling of freedom that she feels when she finds out her husband is dead. She feels free, and even in this very short story, Chopin makes us understand why with a few simple lines, And yet she had loved himsometimes. We will write a custom essay sample on Meaning in Short Stories or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Often she had not. That is really the plot briefly the woman wanted more. We learn the two characters names in the story, but they, and the other minor characters do not matter, this is truly a short story with one theme, freedom, and is totally plot driven.

Corporate Strategy The Body Shop Essay Example

Corporate Strategy The Body Shop Essay Example Corporate Strategy The Body Shop Paper Corporate Strategy The Body Shop Paper The Body Shop (TBS) is an interesting and innovative international organisation. Their focus on core beliefs, press/advertising, management, supplier networks, training and treatment of staff are perhaps best practice. In this paper we will review the external environment, the financials of the business, conduct SWOT analysis and analyse its competitive stance from the Porter Five Forces Model. Our recommendations focus on retaining their core competencies and values, minimising financial risks, and opening up new opportunities in the future. These include mail order as well as the growing male market, and developing a CEO succession plan. Introduction The question for many businesses is whether they can operate successfully internationally and maintain integrity in a world of seemingly empty advertising claims. TBS has taken this challenge head-on. By selling only environmentally friendly recyclable or biodegradable products in minimalist packaging, they are practicing what they preach in a clearly identifiable way. Furthermore the way they develop new products by developing operations in third world countries (profits with principles) shows a commitment beyond most others who buy abroad solely for cost reasons. The article implies that they operate a best practice. Analysis will indicate whether this is the case and where any further opportunities lie. The External Environment The Hair-care market is fragmented in 1988 the total size of the UK market was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½139M with the top five companies sharing 44%, the others 56%. The Shampoo market was similar 10-11 brands competed for half the market and 80-90 competed for the other half, with conditioner use growing. These products are highly advertised major brands in magazines and TV, leading to blurring of product lines to create new products e.g. conditioning shampoo. The market is segmented by price, target market age, function (health and hygiene, beauty products). Growth is mainly in upmarket product ranges mainly from women, with men on the rise. Supermarkets also have their own skincare ranges (30% of market) hair-care is being seen as a grocery item and is sold in family pack sizes. There is also growth in anti-ageing products minimising affects of wind, sun and polluted air. In 1986 the soap market peaked and was thought to be declining with bath oil/foam overtaking soap in 1987. Fruity soaps introduced by the Body Shop were imitated and pure fragrance-free brands like Simple and Pears and liquid soap were introduced. The latter had about 5% of the market then. The Body Shop is one of the few in colour cosmetics. Yves Rocher is main competitor to TBS which has a mail order focus and 1200 Beauty Centres worldwide. Financial Analysis Our financial summary (refer Appendix 1) is that there is generally good growth, however there are operational issues associated with the US market that require analysis and resolution. SWOT Analysis Introduction SWOT identifies the risks/opportunities of the position TBS is currently in refer Appendix 2 for the tabular summary: Strengths TBS overall has made good rising profits year over year, despite market forces. Its profitability comes from its leadership, the franchise system (lower cost of expansion for the company), rapid growth for the market for green products and the ability for competitors to enter a fragmented market with little direct competition. TBSs main competitive edge is its people and the way they are selected, trained and empowered to promote their products enthusiastically. TBS does not advertise. Rather, they depend on quality of product. Weaknesses The Body Shop is a small player in a fragmented market. Their products are easily imitated (although the natural ingredients make it logistically difficult) in fact most of ideas were copied from existing products and processes elsewhere in the world. The Managing Director in her bid to promote the company made enemies of prominent organisations that will not assist developing cooperative networks. In its efforts to enter the mainstream colour cosmetics sector of the market, has the company compromised its ideological stance? How will its loyal consumers regard this act will only unfold in the future. In some ways the Body Shop is trapped in its philosophical ideologies. The other markets sectors are only available by modifying their philosophy. Market wise the client base may age over time and the younger generation may not feel the same affinity towards all that the Body Shop stands for. A good example of this is Laura Ashley who failed to attract younger buyers to her clothes range and hence moved into home wares. Staking an almost holy claim on their environmental issues is fraught with danger should they falter allegations in 1989 regarding claims of Not tested on animals proved difficult but ultimately successful to defend (HREF3) and they did suffer share price ramifications during this time. A succession plan is required for Anita Roddick who is the face of the company. That successor will require similar skills and ideology mindset. Opportunities There are several opportunities to consider (refer Recommendations for discussion): 1) The growing younger market is health conscious and therefore demands products with this attribute. TBSs strategy is sound and should be continued. 2) Further expansion into the colour products is another areas that need to be considered, eg nails. 3) Development of TBS owned raw material facilities both locally and internationally. 4) Analysis, development and enhancement of the US market. 5) Strategies to tap into the emerging male cosmetic markets. 6) The development of its own stand in supermarkets where 30% of products are sold. 7) Mail order sales (case study is not clear whether this exists currently). Threats The major immediate threat to the company is its rival Yves Rocher. They produce and market similar products and have over 1200 stores. The recession is an external threat to TBS although it has performed above average so far despite it. The companys momentum is centred on the current leadership and the loss of Anita would be devastating. In summary their business is in a fairly strong position. Porter Five Forces Model Appendix 3 includes a summary table of the Porter model, which shows the competing forces of the beauty/cosmetics industry structure. Overall the areas are all moderate to high, however TBS has managed to ameliorate the major contingencies in each area to their advantage. Threat of New Entrants Low-moderate: TBS has key alliances with its suppliers, which make it hard to duplicate cost effectively, easily or quickly. Intensity of Rivalry High: However TBSs high brand identity, strong knowledge transfer to customers and low fixed cost and switching costs structure assist their triple bottom line. Bargaining Power of Buyers Moderate-High: Yet TBS enjoys high customer loyalty driven by value for money, product information, strong brand, and identifiable product differences vs. competitors. Threat of Substitutes High: Although customers are prevalent to substitute alternatives, TBSs strategies of as listed above diminish this likelihood significantly. Bargaining Power of Suppliers High: TBSs has lowered the bargaining power of suppliers by developing alliances with natural goods suppliers, benefiting the community as well as obtaining the necessary inputs required for their products. In summary, their strategies have been well crafted to execute their business in a highly competitive field. Key Success Factors (KSF) Consideration of KSFs as appropriate to the Hair-care and Beauty markets are as follows: * Strong recognizable brand required * Products must work as advertised * Natural ingredients increasingly highly marketable * Items easily available to purchase * A Product line from fingertips to fingernails * Friendly and informative customer service * Good press * Reliable supply of necessary goods * Value for money products TBS has most of these attributes, except perhaps somewhat limited distribution compared to products in department stores. Also TBS does not stock nail polish. This may be a deliberate strategic choice as they claim they are not in the beauty market or an issue of availability of natural product alternatives. Recommendations Recommendations are as follows: 1) Continue their current philosophy of product identification, natural ingredients, staff education, customer service and recycling -The growing younger market is health conscious and environmentally aware and therefore demands products with this attribute. Therefore TBSs strategy is sound and should be continued. 2) Further expand into the colour products, eg nails However this is contingent only if it can be done in situ with their core philosophies marketing to diversity of style rather than beauty. 3) Development of TBS owned raw material facilities both locally and internationally The question is whether their current resources are sustainable. Investing to ensure supply and management of their own fundamental core goods would assist consistency of supply. However, there are significant fixed cost implications. Also being tied to certain raw materials might stifle creativity/adaptability as new formulations and ingredients are discovered. The long-term business case needs further investigation. In the short term they should continue with their profit with principles philosophy. 4) Review of the US market opportunity A complete review of the US market and the conditions that have led to the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2M loss is required. Potentially the cultural differences of the US market high TV watching, mass-market advertising, and svelte packaging are expected norms. Reliance of word-of-mouth is less likely given a more conservative market overall. Perhaps TBS could leverage their community projects to have a higher profile in the press. Additionally, snappier packaging (using an industrial designer) with biodegradable/recyclable materials may attract more interest on the shelf. Cost/benefit analysis of these actions need further review. 5) Strategies to tap into the emerging male cosmetic markets Key alliances with surfing/outdoor lifestyle shops may be a first step. These could offer after activity natural aftershaves/crà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½mes/shampoos to suit the growing male market with a masculine emphasis. Additionally a larger male product selection in TBS stores could follow if successful. 6) The development of its own stand in supermarkets where 30% of products are sold. However customer service wont model the TBS stores and there may be some resistance given supermarkets have their own product range. Further, customers buying groceries generally are focused on minimising time in this task. For all these reasons this opportunity is not recommended. 7) Development of a mail-order catalogue given Yves Rochers success, mail order would appear to be a viable business venture. However it does diminish the hands-on demonstration and some aspects of the customer liaison benefits tied to TBS. Progress with care may require on-line customer assistance via web cam to work optimally. 8) Develop a leadership succession plan BTS needs to develop and train suitable candidates to take over Anitas lead at some point in the future. They need to have her ideology, mindset and press savvy. Conclusions The Body Shop is a formidable business that has put itself up to be counted against related industries that are less ethical and environmentally responsible. Fundamentally its position has gathered a momentum and empathy from customers who are looking for high quality, value for money goods that are ecologically sustainable. Staying true to this course, with a review of loss making markets and new opportunities in the male cosmetic markets and other fields should ensure their continued profitable performance.

Banana

Banana. When I look at this word, neither an ice cream sundae nor monkeys come to mind. Instead, I see my former self: yellow on the outside and white on the inside. Not long ago, when one got to know me, my native color of yellow peeled off, revealing the color of white that consumed the heart of me. When I entered high school, I began to feel ashamed and inferior because of my ethnicity. This was odd because I live in Hawaii, the paragon of racial diversity. But suddenly, I became aware of shared characteristics Caucasian girls seemed to posses. To me, they were beautiful, intrepid, intelligent, gregarious, and especially confident- all the qualities I longed to have. I began to feel ugly and small, even envious of their defined facial features and the strong certainty, with which they presented themselves. This admiration soon devoured me that I even tried to create double-eyelids with strips of tape. Thus, I was dubbed the nickname â€Å"Banana† by my sister. Soon, my mother and friends identified me as this deceiving fruit. This insecurity consumed me even more when I attended a leadership program in New York City. There, I met the most bright and self-assured girls. As I acted as a spectator throughout the week, my admiration for Caucasians rapidly grew. The division between Asians and Caucasians that constantly lingered in my mind was clearly illustrated one night when SeRyeong, one of the few Asians at the program, and I joined three Caucasian girls to Times Square. As we walked through the Friday night crowd, the three girls were in their own clump, always in front of SeRyeong and me. Everytime we tried to catch up to them, this gap always found its way back. This unconscious form was a mockery that bolstered my assumption: Caucasians would always be better than what I could ever be. To justify my insecurity, I began to blame the Asian race, especially my Asian pare nts. I convinced myself of the stereotype that Asians are raised to be submissive, demure, and vulnerable. I was never encouraged to openly raise questions. My family neither converses effusively at the dinner table nor always says â€Å"I love you† at the end of phone calls like my Caucasian friends do with their parents. When my parents and I get into a fight, I can never defend myself. Because of their academic expectations and tough love, I can neither achieve their full satisfaction nor that of my own. I believed these characteristics were the reasons why I was a small, insecure banana. But by constantly scorning my parents and Asian upbringing, I literally like a banana, bruised often and easily. Slowly, I began to realize that my insecurity was not a result of my ethnicity, but of me; my assumptions of Caucasians and Asians did not matter. I only blamed Asians to justify my assumptions and to hide from the fact that I was setting myself up for my own misery and insecu rity. I was my own hindrance from becoming the confident person I longed to be and could be; I was bruising myself. All this despondency, jealousy, and deprecation were completely avoidable, thus I’m the only one to blame. Although my trip to New York City was just about a year and a half ago, as a young woman who is about to become an adult, I had to overcome my weaknesses. As I mentally grew and matured during this time, I knew I needed to let go of this hindering mindset. My years as a banana have been turbulent and belittling, and truthfully, I am still in the process of shedding away my â€Å"Banana† name. But, I cherish these years for I learned that I am my most powerful catalyst. I am no longer oblivious to myself as a possible weapon of obstruction from becoming the best of me. I am beginning to let go of my immature and narrow assumption that I need to be Caucasian to feel beautiful, smart, and confident for I can embrace these characteristics regardless of my ethnicity. I am learning to no longer see myself as solely â€Å"Asian†, â€Å"wannabe-Caucasian†, or â€Å"Banana† for these distinctions do not consume me; I alone define myself.

Case study Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Case study Analysis - Essay Example Leadership usually follows a number of theories and practices due to which, the leaders are different from one another. Application of a theory is related to the personality of a leader as he or she adopts a theory after analyzing according to his or her persona. Leaders are highly important persons in an organization and they have a strong impact on the organization and its employees. No one can reject the influence of the leaders, as they are the one who have to lead a certain group in order to help the organization in terms of making income or gaining success (McGovern et al, 2008). The employees working under the leaders are more dedicated to their leaders as compared to the organization because of the convincing style of leadership of the leaders. There are eight leadership theories that can be considered as the most credible and convincing in terms of the concept of leadership in various organizations (Wagner, 2005). Firstly, according to great man theories the qualities of lea dership in some persons are inherent means they born by having leadership skills. Secondly, trait theories are based on that some persons are leaders because they inherit the leadership characteristics. After then, contingency theories are based on that type of leaders, which have an ability to change their style of leading according to the environment (Wagner, 2005). After that, situational theories are based on leaders should have the ability to select best leading style in different situations. After that, behavioural theory is based on that men learn leadership qualities through experience and learning (Wagner, 2005). Afterward, participative theories are based on the leader’s participation and contribution from group members that encourage them to give their 100%. Subsequently management theories (transactional theory) are based on management, organization and group performance (Wagner, 2005). According to management theory, leaders appreciate their subordinates by givin g praise or promotion for their good work and give punishment for their bad work (Wagner, 2005). Afterward, relationship theories (transformational theories) are based on relationship between leaders and followers. These types of leaders motivate their followers by helping them in task, but also have a requirement from the followers to give the all potential in the task (Wagner, 2005). 2.0. Case Study Analysis 2.1. Leadership Paradigms, Leadership Location and Leadership Substitutes at SAP In SAP (Systems, Applications and Products in data processing), the major and main head of the organization is its Chief executive officers (CEOs). The leadership at SAP is much committed and influence people to be a part of the organization. The main vision of sap is to provide software solution and business problems. SAP is a global organization but the head office of SAP is located in Walldrof Germany. SAP is driven by its two major boards, an executive board and an extended management board. S AP has seven layers of management and it is more profitable to have seven layers of management, it also makes it hierarchical. As SAP is managed by its self management teams, there is always a substitute for each of the management. But in case of leadership 2.2. Followers and Retention at SAP All the employees in SAP are very much important for the organization and the company does not discharge the people because of the less knowledge about the new developments and techniques. On the contrary, company tries

Don't change it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Don't change it - Essay Example While other philosophers like Rousseau opposed this crucial view of humans by viewing them as cooperative, selfishness and fear are the main reasons why humans harm each other (Rousseau, paragraph 12). Shifting from the evil human image that Hobbes explained, to the well-disposed human image of Rousseau, makes an obvious antagonism between both philosophers. Indeed, both Hobbes and Rousseau wrote about the same points, which are human nature, social contract, and the form of government, but each of them had different explanations to these ideas. In the idea of human nature, Hobbes started by explaining his idea through arguing that all men are created equal in their aptitude and wish (Hobbes 57). Indeed, Hobbes indicates that no man is above other men, but what make men different are sciences and the amount of knowledge that each person carries (Hobbes 59). Even though each man has a different amount of knowledge, a man in his nature always sees himself better than others and do not like to admit that other men are better than him (Hobbes 59). Rousseau illustrated that men are equal but they are different from each other based on two facts, which are their physical features such as their age, way of looking and the soul, which is mainly about human behavior and morals (Rousseau, paragraph 1). In addition, Rousseau views all men as free and this is evident when he argues that though man was born without any restrictions, everywhere he goes he is in chains. (Rousseau 81). The Chains Rousseau means in his writing are the restr ictions and the power the government puts on men’s freedom (Rousseau 81). Rousseau also believes that power is not created by nature but it is created by God’s wish. In other words, God is the one who choose specific people to give them power similar to the relationship between a parent and his or her child (Rousseau, paragraph 4, 10). Moving to the idea of conflict and competition, according to

Personality Disorders Essay Example for Free

Personality Disorders Essay In this paper I will be discussing how a particular Axis I disorder may relate to a coexisting Axis II disorder. I will explain how an Axis I disorder, can be easily confused with an Axis II disorders. I will compare and contrast, Personality Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Paranoid Type, and explain how I would differentiate the two conditions. I will also compare Obsessive Personality Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and explain the difference between both conditions. Personality Disorders Since the DSM III, the DSM classification has been used to describe the different parts of personality disorder. Every person is different in the way they think, feel and how they relate to others. Some people will have maladaptive personality traits, it becomes a personality disorder when the maladaptive behaviors become a problem and prevent them from leading a normal life. In the DSM –IV personality disorders and mental retardation are diagnosed on Axis II. A personality disorder can predispose a person to suffer with an Axis I disorder. (Widiger, 2003) According to the authors of the multiaxial system they wanted to draw attention to personality disorder because of the â€Å"accumulating evidence that the quality and quantity of preexisting personality disturbance may†¦influence the predisposition, manifestation, course, and response to treatment of various Axis I conditions†. Paranoid Personality Disorder and Schizophrenia Paranoid Personality Disorder is defined in the DSM-V –TR as a pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent. (DSM-IV-TR 2005) Schizophrenia, Paranoid Type is defined as a type of schizophrenia in which the following criteria are met: A. Preoccupation with one or more delusion or frequent auditory hallucinations. The two disorders have many similarities but one thing that makes them different is that people that suffer with Paranoid Personality disorder do not have hallucinations. Obsessive -Compulsive Personality Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder is a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal  control. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is defined as a person having either obsessions or compulsions. (DSM-V-TR 2005) People that suffer from OCD suffer from disturbing thoughts, or images and they have obsessions that interfere with their daily life. Some of these behaviors are irrational, ritualistic and repetitive. People that suffer from OCPD are worried about being perfect, and being in control mentally and interpersonally. People who suffer with OCPD are very problematic, unhappy, and experience issues with family, friends, and at work. The main difference in these two disorders is that people with OCD have actual obsessions and compulsions. People with OCDP don’t have obsessions and compulsions. References (2005). DSM-IV-TR. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. Widiger, T. (2003, Oct). Personality disorder diagnosis. World Psychiatry, 2(2), 13

Commentary on My Writing :: Papers

Commentary on My Writing The text I have written is a letter to a writer in the tabloid newspaper "The Sun". This text is written in a style aimed at an older reader who is qiute educated with the age varying from 30-50 years of age, or a perosn who has similar opioions on some tabloid newspaper articles as the person I have presented myself as. Unlike my first piece, my second piece entitled "extracts from moments in time" is not opinionated, although the sublect is the same, both pieces are presented very differently with the content, audience and purpose in mind. I chose the topic of how the media intrudes on the lives of celebrities, and both texts explore this subject. The second text is in an autobiography style, which explores the feelings of a celebrity on a personal level. This piece is aimed at people from the age of 18-30, because it involves some issues that I feel some people of that age might be able to relate to. To begin with I will look at my first piece. My first piece is highly influenced by one of my inspirational pieces and in it I have included as one of the main topics of arguement quotes form that piece. The formality of this piece is very formal, this is shown by the layout of the letter and the inclusion of of a return address in the top right hand corner. I have used standard english in this peice, which is also another reason for why it is aimed at qiute an educated reader. I have also included some complex syntax which a younger or less educated redaree might find difficult to understand: " I believe that you Sir do not respect many people, or maybe you're acknowledgement of the pain you cause runs so thin that you do not have any idea why I am writing to you, and in such a tone as the one I carry." The use of the complex sentence used above also emphasis's the writers feelings and what is being said.

A Brief History of Turkish Cinema

The Turkish cinema traced its beginnings from a private show in Paris on December 22, 1895 at the Grand Cafà © by French brothers, Louis and Auguste Lumiere.   Similar such shows came to Turkey at the Sultan’s Court, Yildz Palace and other public ones like that of Sigmund Weinberg at the Sponeck’s Beerhouse in Galatasaray’s Square.In 1914, â€Å"The Destruction of the Russian Monument at Avastefonas† is acknowledged to be the first ever Turkish film.   This was a 150 meter long documentary by Fuat Uzkinav, an army officer.The film â€Å"The Marriage of Master Himmet† was began in 1914 but took long to finish because the actors served in the war of the Dardanelles.   It was finally completed in 1918, when Uzkinav took over from Weinberg, who first worked on the project.   Several other films, mostly on World War I were shot.   In 1922 the first film company was formed.   Muhsin Ertugrul, a theater artist switched to film direction.He mad e a total of 30 films in the entire stretch of his cinematic career.   His important works included the 1923 â€Å"Shirt of Fire† which was about the war for independence, starred by the first female artist, the 1931 â€Å"The Streets in Istanbul, the first film to use a soundtrack, and â€Å"A Nation Awakes† in 1932.The influence of theater can be seen in his films.   Muhsin became a very important figure of the cinema industry.   In the 1950s cinema took its own form.   Lutfu Akad led the pack of new directors.   The theme of   most films of the era was societal problems.   In the 1960s the advent of television had disadvantageous effects on cinema.   Cinematic films during the period dealt with the social and economic themes.  Ã‚   In the 1980s the state supported the cinema industry.   Turkish films earned international recognition.   These films were on social and psychological subjects as well as women’s rights.   The films in the 1990s were fewer but they were of superior quality than before due to advances in technology, training available, international awards and state support.   Theaters and big cinemas emerge, visual aspects were given focus, and outdoor theaters grew.For a while television and videos took the attention away from cinemas, but foreign films from Europe and the US substituted for the lack of local films.   The current status of Turkish cinema strikes a balance with the state’s support of the European Cinema Union and Turkish partnerships with foreign ventures. There is also a noted growth in the number of movie theaters as well as in the positive developments and changes in theater as well.BibliographyTurkish Cinema History.   (2005).   Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism [Internet] Available from http://www.kutur.gov.tr/EN/BelgeGostner.aspx [Accessed 17 November 2008]   

Cultural Experience Essay

1. The museum I visited was the Smithsonian mem  orial holocaust museum in DC. http://www.ushmm.org/ 2. The museum had very informational facts of the challenges faced for victims of the holocaust. There are many educational pieces all throughout the museum. 3. Upon entering the holocaust museum, you will notice the dim lights and eerie sounds coming from the speaker. Also, the walkway is actually a timeline beginning with WWI. There are many artifacts of victims on display. 4. Walking through the museum, I felt a lot of remorse and emotions for the victims of the Holocaust. The most influential moment of the tour is a pile of shoes worn by the victims. The shoe pile is stacked very high and ranges in many sizes. I was emotional of the encounter because it showed me a real example of men, women, and children innocently killed for a radical idea. 5. During week two of our class, we had read about the differences of religion and the culture it brings. We also discussed about the challenges people would face based on their religion. I think this tie in with my topic for this report. The challenge Jews had faced during the holocaust had left an imprint in history. They were out casted in most of central Europe during the Nazi rule. I also believe that the Holocaust ties in with the discussion of humanities because it is a life lesson that had a major impact in history. It has taught us the significance of what a radical idea can do and how it affects people. 6. Here is a link to the â€Å"ID cards† used in the museum but can also be found online. http://www.ushmm.org/remember/id-cards Collection of shoes found in the Smithsonian Holocaust Museum. 7. This experience had really affected my feelings toward genocide victims. I felt lots of remorse and sadness for the people who had to endure the pains of the holocaust. With this experience, I view the human culture of the past to be different of todays. I believe as time progresses, and the learning of past mistakes, we try to and become more positive of ethics. 8. Although this experience does not directly affect me, I understand more of what is going on around the world. My experience here as opened my eyes to genocide and the horrid effects of what it can do to a population. During WWI and WWII, there were many deaths because of a radical ideological man, Adolf Hitler. He was the supreme leader of the Nazi forces and had envisioned to rule the world. Aside from the deaths of combat, there was a mass genocide of innocent Jews which accounted for more than five million deaths. Many of the victims ranged from the youngest to the eldest with executions of the most horrid way imaginable. Many Holocaust memorials were built around the world to remind people of the cruel event to which the Jews had to endure. My experience in the Smithsonian Holocaust Museum was very interesting. I have only heard of the Holocaust in grade school and textbooks. However coming here, I was hit with a big impact of emotions from the display of antiques from the victim. In the museum there are authentic photograph and artifacts used and worn by Jews during the genocide. With tons of information and videos, I felt like I understood more and more the anguish the victims had to endure. I also learned of the torture devices used by soldiers to kill the victims. Cold blooded methods such as gas chambers, fire pits, and death squads are only a few of the many tactics used during the mass genocide. Walking through the museum, I found the most influential section to be a room filled with old shoes piled high. I was particularly focused on it because the shoes were worn and used by actual victims in concentration camps. The shoes were collected after the executions and were reissued to other prisoners who would cycle through. It was a hard sight to see because some of the shoes had dried blood which signified the torture they had gone through. I was literally speechless with  the sight. Genocides are still happening today all over the world. Although the ban of genocide is an international law created by the Geneva Convention, mass killings have since continued after the holocaust. The most notable places are in rural Africa. Many victims are living in constant fear because of their belief in their religion.

Starbucks Leadership Structure Essay Example

Starbucks Leadership Structure Essay Example Starbucks Leadership Structure Paper Starbucks Leadership Structure Paper Strong leadership strategy and efficient leadership culture are an integral part of any entrepreneurship. Predetermining the course of the company’s actions, the strategies that are going to be chosen in the relationships with the customers, and the specifics of the organizational behavior within the firm, these elements serve as the building blocks for the company’s organizational environment. Considering the example of Starbucks, its recent downfall and nonetheless impressive success that followed the misfortune as a result of adopting a unique leadership strategy will help prove the significance of a leadership strategy. An Introspective into the Mechanism of Starbucks’ Clockwork: Leadership Culture, Team Structure and Human Resource Strategy Analysis Adopting the right leadership approach is not easy. Choosing a leadership culture, one sets the standards for the organizational behavior and predetermines the rates of the employees’ engagement, which influences the quality of the product considerably. One of the most outstanding examples of a leadership culture is the one adopted by the head of the Starbucks. Because of the choice of a mixture of servant leadership and persuasive leadership cultures, Schultz has managed not only to survive the recent notorious expansion crisis (Seaford, Culp, Brooks, 2012), but also to reorganize the company a mere year later towards even more recognition and success. Starbucks and Its Leadership Culture Speaking of the leadership culture at Starbucks, one must mention that the company has deviated from the traditional concept of a perfect leadership style. It is a common knowledge that the transformational leadership is the optimum choice for any major company to arrange the work of its employees in the most efficient way possible. According to the existing sources, transformational leadership offers for much more opportunities in improving the production process through the change of organizational behavior of the employees and the change of corporate culture, since it allows for a transformation of the way in which the employees see their work and its significance. Helping the company leader both pay enough attention to the staff and control the production process, the given approach is considered the most efficient one at present. However, Starbucks went even further in their dedication to the needs of their staff, claiming that the company adopts a servant leadership strategy. The above-mentioned choice can be justified by the fact that Starbucks has always insisted on the significance of establishing perfect relationships between the company leader and the staff. According to the principles, which Starbucks is guided by, the company’s highest priority is the concern for the personal and professional growth of its employees. As it is stated in Behar and Goldstein’s article that studies the specifics of leadership structure in Starbucks, â€Å"At Starbucks, we value people most of all, more than we value money. From the very beginning, people have always come first. People come before profits. People come before worrying about lawsuits. People come before the coffee† (Behar Goldstein, 2010, 20). It must be admitted that the given leadership culture has its pros and cons. One of the doubtless benefits of the given strategy is that Starbucks will always have devoted staff, which works to provide only top quality products. After all, it is important to develop trustworthy relationships between the members of the staff and the managers. Thus, numerous conflicts can be avoided, and the process of knowledge management can be improved considerably. With the help of servant leadership approach, one can make sure that the contribution of each member of the staff is appreciated and that the needs and wants of every single employee are taken into consideration. Thus, better cooperation between the employees and the management can be provided. Unfortunately, the given leadership culture also has its problems, which the Starbucks has already experienced, according to the results of the recent research. One of the most obvious drawbacks regarding the servant leadership style is that it takes impressively long time for the given leadership style to have effect. While the given peculiarity of a servant leadership style may not be the issue with the employees who have been working in the company for quite long, with the newcomers, it will take much time for the servant leadership style to influence the perspective of the former. Team Structure of Starbucks Starbucks also has a very peculiar team structure. Before proceeding with the analysis of the Starbucks team, it should be mentioned that there are different ways of classifying the team structure, depending on the basic principle of classification. For example, depending on the role that a company leader performs in the specified company, teams can be described as ego-less, democratic hierarchical, chief programmer, and ideal teams. Choosing the focus of the teamwork, one will be able to split the teams in existing companies into divisional structure, matrix structure, organizational circle, etc. Starbucks, however, offers a very special case of team definition. Since Starbucks puts a major emphasis on the relationships with its staff, it can be assumed that Starbucks employs a matrix team structure. Indeed, when considering the specifics of the way in which the teamwork in Starbucks is organized, one must mention that the company’s strategy is to combine the functional division and the product-based one, with the necessity to report to two people at the helm. As a result, the company displays a very well developed hierarchy, with every employee being assigned with a specific function and a very strict control taken over the entire production and knowledge management processes. The principle of hierarchy employed at the Starbucks Company can be viewed as both a very reliable and at the same time a rather old-fashioned approach. Speaking of the negative aspects of the hierarchy structure employed in the Starbucks Company, one must mention that it allows very little wiggle room for the staff to make decisions concerning a specific task. On the one hand, it may be assumed that total control is a part of the company’s plan. By adopting the hierarchy team structure, Starbucks leader can delegate powers to specific people, control the company processes and be aware of the slightest changes within the enterprise, which is especially important for a company of the scale and size of Starbucks. However, it is also worth bringing up the aforementioned principle of an organizational strategy implies that the leader does not trust the employees enough to offer them enough power and, therefore, preferring to take full control over the entire production process, which can be viewed as a contradiction to the previously mentioned employee-targeted leadership style. Hence the key problem regarding the Starbucks strategy concerning the organizational structure and the policy towards the staff emerges. While the company clearly aims at breaking new grounds in the relationships among the staff and the company leader, it still does not consider its employees reliable enough to undertake the decisions that influence the company tangibly. At present, the given issue seems a major problem regarding the company’s organizational strategy. HRM Strategies at Starbucks In his attempt at making the Starbucks a landmark in the history of companies’ development, the leader of the enterprise also adopts a very curious human resource strategy. There is no need to stress the significance of the ability to choose the right people and assign them with the right tasks. Therefore, it is crucial that the right strategy for choosing employees from the available candidates and assigning these employees with the corresponding tasks should be adopted. As a rule, the in the given process, mistakes are unavoidable, since it is hard to decide from the very star whether the specified person is going to perform well in the chosen setting. The Starbucks Company, however, found a very efficient means to solve the above-mentioned problem. To start with, it is necessary to stress that, as the most recent data shows, Starbucks uses a combination of HRM strategies to obtain the maximum effect. The situational approach seems the most reasonable in Starbucks’s case, since the market in which the company operates has witnessed an impressive change lately, i. e. , the use of the so-called capsule coffee. Only attempting to produce capsule coffee at present, Starbucks is, therefore, in the environment of stiff competition, which means that the company should be especially careful about the choice of employees and the means to upgrade the skills of its current staff. As it has been stressed above, employees are the Starbucks Company’s key priority along with its customers. Consequently, the HRM strategy used by the company can be described as the approach that allows for creating the environment for its employees’ personal and professional growth, where each of the company’s staff is treated with due respect and dignity. It is also essential to stress that Starbucks encouraged diversity in the workplace. Thus, it can be assumed that the company does everything possible to prevent the instances of discrimination on any basis in the workplace, be it the discrimination based on race, gender or religious beliefs. As a result, the Starbucks Company is considered one of the most progressive companies of the XXI century for a very legitimate reason. To describe the approach that the company adopts in its HRM practice, the following elements must be mentioned: benefits, recruitment, training, and performance appraisal. It is hard to overrate the importance of each of the components. To depict the company’s approach towards employees’ recruitment and training, one must bring up the company’s guidelines known as the Six Principles: * Making sure that each of the employees has been provided with the decent work environment and is treated with dignity and respect; * Providing diversity in the workplace as the basis for equal opportunities for people in business; * Applying the highest standards concerning the production values and process, as well as other related services; * Meeting the customers’ demands and making certain that every single customer is satisfied with the service quality and thrilling them into becoming Starbucks’ clientele; * Creating the environment that works for establishing a strong and integrated community of employees; * Recognition of profitability as one of the elements that is essential for the company’s further success in the specified market. The above-mentioned list clearly focuses on the development of trustworthy relationships between the company leader and the employees. Even with a specific emphasis put on the company’s performance in the last postulate, it is clear that Starbucks’ key priority is to build strong and reliable link between its employees and managers, as well as support the professional growth of the staff. Thus, it can be assumed that Starbucks invests in each employee, training the latter and encouraging his/her progress, while the employee offers the company his/her services, which improve gradually. The given approach cannot be denied its effect on the company’s performance – the more an employee is trained, the better (s) he performs. The given strategy, however, also has a number of disadvantages, one of which concerns the time, effort and money that the company is likely to waste in case of an HRM mistake. Unless the human factor is completely eliminated from the company’s HRM department, mistakes in assigning the wrong people with the wrong positions will continue, which is quite natural. For Starbucks, with its devotion towards each employee, however, several HRM mistakes in a row might turn out fatal, since the resources spent on training, coaching and encouraging. Starbucks: Motivation and Effectiveness Regardless of the aforementioned drawbacks in the shield of the company’s HRM practices, it must be admitted that the general course of Starbucks concerning the leadership strategy, the team structure and the chosen HRM approach are rather efficient and refreshing in the light of the fact that most companies adopt a transformational leadership style at present. In contrast to the latter, Starbucks clearly states that it does not aim at reinventing the employees’ perspective of teamwork, which means that the employees are not going to be put into a stressful environment. Therefore, the chosen track works perfectly well as the means to create engaging environment for the employees. The corporate values clearly involve professional development of the employees, and the HRM strategies are evidently aimed at investing into the current employees as much as possible, making sure that the current staff, who is presumably already expert in their jobs, will evolve professionally so that the company could use the services of experts. The fact that Starbucks actually invests into its employees and allows for their professional growth instead of using their potential thoughtlessly, as most present-day companies do, is alone outstanding. Thus, it can be assumed that Starbucks’ approach towards its human resources is the company’s greatest asset. It is quite impressive that the company actually manages to translate the demands of the employees into the principles of the corporate HR strategy. The key advantage of the approach chosen by the company is that it motivates the employees not merely for a change, but for a conscious progress and encourages them to develop professionally, at the same time keeping them willing to contribute their newly acquired skills and knowledge to the company for the benefit of the latter. As Baker et al. (2008) explain, conscious motivation is the first step towards success: â€Å"A typical recipe for motivation calls for a mixture of persuasion, encouragement, and compulsion. Yet the best leaders, we suspect, need no recipe: They get people to produce great results by appealing to their deepest drives, needs, and desires† (Baker et al. , 2008, 51). Concerning the Negative Effects of the Leadership Strategy However, Starbucks also displays a number of negative tendencies that might possibly hinder the company’s progress. As it has been mentioned above, the fact that the company invests so much into the employees’ development makes it extremely vulnerable towards the employees who do not see themselves as members of a team and prefer shifting from one company to another in search for better terms of employment. In a nutshell, the company’s key problem is that it does not reinvent the employees’ perception of teamwork; instead, it adapts towards the employees’ requirements to a reasonable extent. Nevertheless, chances are that even such type of employees will learn the benefits of working for the Starbucks Company and change their motivations. Another considerable drawback of the leadership strategy chosen by the Starbucks Company is that when pushed too far, nit starts conflicting with the company’s interests, i. e. , efficient production and selling. According to the recent news, Starbucks has already faced a crisis when trying to conquer new markets and abandoning its initial strategy of putting the employees before the company. As the reports say, after the experiment mentioned above failed, the Starbucks Company resumed striving for its employees’ professional growth. Therefore, it must be admitted that the leadership strategy chosen by Starbucks presupposes that the company must take care of the expansion and the personal and professional needs of the employees, which is a rather complicated task. That being said, the key drawback of the chosen leadership approach is that it does not allow for radical changes, which the company is likely to benefit from, since these changes might affect the employees negatively, which the company’s policies are strictly against. It is worth mentioning that Starbucks has already faced the dilemma concerning the economic growth versus the needs of the employees, which resulted in choosing the latter. As the given example, shows, the Starbucks is far from providing an exemplary leadership strategy; however, to the company’s credit, Howard Schultz, the Starbucks leader, has created the only enterprise where the needs of the staff are pout before the needs of the company and yet managed to enjoy tremendous success.

Research Article Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research Article Critique - Essay Example The paper is tailored in the lines of shared governance concept and directed towards the determination of the relationship between the perceptions of governance and empowerment among the nurses in an acute care hospital unit with the implementation of shared governance model for a period of 6 to 12 months (Barden et al, 2011, p. 212). Research Questions or Hypotheses This research question is the central part of any research paper and it signifies the researcher’s endeavor in establishing some particular topic. The research question should be also specific as well and in some cases multiple questions are necessary in addressing any complex issues. The health professionals rely on the process in improving the delivery as well as the outcomes of the health care for the individuals and families and communities. Thus with the American health care system as a backdrop the authors have directed towards knowing the impact as well as effectiveness of the share governance practice for the hospital based nurse which is the prime hypothesis of the paper. The research question is as follows: â€Å"what is the relationship between perception of shared governance and empowerment among nurses who work in a professional governance structure in a hospital setting?† (Barden et al, 2011, p.215). Literature Review The review of the literature of a research paper directs towards the identification of the theoretical as well as the conceptual framework of the study. The literature review portion provides the base for identification of key variables and examining the relationships which needs to be tested and also establishes a setting beyond those of the study. In this paper theoretical framework has been well spun with Kanter’s theory which could be utilized in establishing shared governance structure. The authors also discussed about the linkage between the variables like that of magnet characteristics, certification as well as patient satisfaction (Barden et al, 2011, p.214). Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework of research includes the clinical problem, reviewing of the literature as well as determination of the research purpose. This phase also reflects the gaps in the literature as well. The authors have reflected the importance of shared governance and its significance through valid literature. But the gaps in the literature have not been properly mentioned. The model of shared governance does not protect the groups ganging up on others pushing through a change which is not accepted by all or many of the invested members. In this system, the faculty may be taking a certain decision which act as an impediment of the teaching or research of another member. Sample Selection of the sample is also crucial and it generally declares a plan in which the sample will be selected and the size is also important. With this the inclusion and exclusion criteria are also required to be incorporated for stipulating the exact characteristics which must be met for the participants in the study. The sampling included 348 nurses working in the study site facility in 13 units that had a shared governance model in place for at least 6 months to 1 year. The inclusion criteria are defined with medicine, surgery, neurology, orthopedics, oncology, and cardiology (Barden et al, 20

Responsible Corporate Governance Ayuso and Argandona (2007) Assignment

Responsible Corporate Governance Ayuso and Argandona (2007) - Assignment Example Evaluation criteria marking are marked on a scale of 0-10 where 9-10 is excellent, 7-8.9 is notable, 5-6.9 is passed and 0-4.9 failed. Coca-cola Company has been awarded 9 in the scale of marking criteria due to its global market existence and recognition. Coca-cola has established its roots in many countries in almost all the continents. Coca-cola has most consumers and recognition compared to most of the existing soft drinks globally. The company has created great employment opportunities due to its establishment in many countries. 1. Evaluation criteria marking assist an organization to know its category and performance according to the provided scale. This will help a company to set objectives on how to improve or maintain their position. 1. Companies which find out that they are marked high on the scale may embrace laxity tending to maintain their daily practices while modern methods of management emerge on daily basis. This may have a negative impact in future. Coca-cola company is a global manufacturer and retailer of beverage based in Georgia, united states. The coca-cola company comprises many brands and products but the core product is the coca-cola drink. Various types of media are used in order to advertise the coca-cola brand in general and coca-cola drink in particular. These types of media include visual and published media. This has helped the brand to reach global markets which is considered as a huge success. The company aims at profit maximization and all efforts of the company are directed towards the achievement of this primary objective. The company has been able to expand its roots in various countries. The companies have their specific objective which one of them is to create awareness of the product to each and every person thus resulting to great sales of the product. This is the selection of different ways used for the evaluation process. Evaluation

Managing for Innovation and Creativity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Managing for Innovation and Creativity - Essay Example Creativity and innovation are complementary values in business management. Creativity refers to an artistic outcome or result of the confluence of psychological and emotional dimension of such desire to ascertain business leverage in the market. Innovation, on the other hand, is effected only when all creative mechanism are maximized to take advantage of the rapidly changing and developing market. Innovative measures and creativity relate to some strategic process to unearth opportunities in unpredictable market. Innovation permeates the interfacing of the organization and its business environment. Such process involved planning which will detail some entrepreneurial conceptual framework; implement them and evaluate results to determine outcomes. Economists explained that every entrepreneur needs to be an innovator to see opportunities in market changes and can reinvent ways to attract customers or clients that will avail offered product or services. This are illustrated in strategie s about (a) how product’s quality is introduced to customers; (b) ideation of new method of production or service to satisfy customer’s needs, (c) developing access or opening doors in new potential market, (d) identification of raw materials suppliers who can offer competitive price for these utilities, and (d) business leadership and management as well as its expertise in managing performance. Such therefore require fundamental knowledge on management, marketing strategies and about business roles in order for a company to contribute economic growth to a nation through creativity and innovation. Meanwhile, creativity is essential in marketing activities: promotion, sell, branding, pricing and in strategically administering sales of products. This is an entrepreneurial skill that requires serious analysis in order for entrepreneurs to adapt to changes and developments. Creativity refers to what is trendy, new and the reinvented processes to challenge traditional and c ustomary business practice. It is about introducing a fresh perspective at products or services for customer acceptance and satisfaction.

World Literature Group Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

World Literature Group Project - Essay Example Sir Thomas Browne was not only a renowned author but a physician too (1605–82), and this preoccupation of his is reflected in his works. His works reflected his viewpoint as a Scientist, physician and psychologist. Many of his essays reflect his interests in nature. From the essays we can also verbally see his interest in pseudo-orthodoxy but how he would incorporate it is an exquisite challenge. His point of view is, â€Å"A curious mix of traditional and non-traditional ideology that never fully becomes one thing or the other in his articulation of it†. (Borderland, 2002) For him there is nothing, which is too big and too small, which is of great importance and which is of less importance. All has a specific place in a Universe, which he tries to visualize and posters as someone align. He never contemplates on the issue of the various steps, which leads to the life’s existence on this earth, but he focused on the external signs of mortality, which are visible to our eyes, and what is in store for us after death. As any other greatest writer he truly contemplates on the aspect that style in the man. He is permeated with the Platonic mysticism, which enables him to visualize this world as the image. And this is his theme, which his implies in his works He thinks that whole world is an image, a shadow of a system created by nature and God- This is a shadow which is invisible but which is pouring us with life and soul. The whole life we are leading is a whole image and a good experience from which is basically a food for us to meditate and ponder upon. The use of sophisticated words, citations, use of metaphors and analogies were quite common among writers of 17th century but Browne was exceptional as he uses them with ardent skill and edge of his mental power. His Religio Medici entails his own religious beliefs and how well to apply these religious beliefs in the world and

Natural and Shale Gas Monetization

Natural and Shale Gas Monetization According to the US Central Intelligence, Russia has the highest proven reserves of Natural gas in the world, being this approximately 24.2% of them. Followed by Iran, Qatar and United States (Central Intelligence Agency, 2016) It is good to mention that United States has bigger reserves in comparison to earlier years, because of the Shale Gas Boom, which is not included in the other countries reserves. Table 1: 4 first World Natural Gas Producers Rank Country (Cu m) Date Total World 197,200,000,000,000 1 January 2016 est. 1 Russia 47,800,000,000,000 1 January 2016 est 2 Iran 34,020,000,000,000 1 January 2016 est 3 Qatar 24,530,000,000,000 1 January 2016 est. 4 United States 10,440,000,000,000 1 January 2016 est. 1.1. Natural Gas Resources Very small quantities of Soviet gas had been exported to Poland since the late 1940s, the idea of large-scale imports of Soviet gas into Western Europe seemed to some both unworkable and unwise. The focus of Soviet natural gas production was moving from the Volga/Urals, North Caucasus and Ukraine, to Siberia, which would require additional transportation amounting to several thousand kilometers. (Stern, 2001) The transport problem was resolved by the Siberian gas development of the 1970s and 80s based on the super-giant fields discovered at Medvezhe, Urengoy and Yamburg. With multiple strings of largediameter pipeline being built from Siberia to the Ukraine, it required only a relatively short extension for one or two pipelines to reach Europe (map 2). Between 1970 and 1980 deliveries of Soviet gas to Western Europe increased from 3.4 Bcm to 26 Bcm. By 1990 gas exports had risen to 109 Bcm and Western Europe, with 63 Bcm of imports, was the largest customer for Soviet gas. (Stern, 2001) Figure 1: Old and New Pipelines In the context of increasing demand and declining supply, the importance of Russia as a partner in European gas becomes abundantly clear. The opportunity for a much closer natural gas partnership between Russia and Europe is based on firm foundations (Stern, 2001): Russia has huge discovered resources of gas available for development. Russia has gas reserves of 48 trillion cubic metres (TCM) according to the Russian A+B+C1 classification. Gazprom estimates that it has 28 TCM of reserves in fields in production or being prepared for development, compared with an international estimate of 18.5 TCM of proven and probable reserves in those same fields. Whichever estimate is chosen, it is clear that Russian reserves overwhelm all other gas reserves available to Europe with the exception of Middle East countries. Russian gas production of over 600 Bcm of gas in 2003 is projected to increase to 730 Bcm by 2020 (Stern, 2001). Over the past 35 years, pipeline infrastructure has been established for delivery of very substantial volumes of gas from Russia to Europe (Stern, 2001). As far as Russian exports to Europe are concerned, compared with the position in 1973 when just four countries were supplied with less than 7 Bcm of gas, thirty years later nearly 140 Bcm was exported to nineteen countries (Stern, 2001). Russian gas exports to Europe passing through Ukraine from where a number of pipelines travel west, delivering gas to central and northern Europe. Some lines travel south through Moldova to south eastern Europe and Turkey; others pass through Hungary delivering to the Balkan countries. In 1999, the Yamal pipeline began transporting gas through Belarus and Poland to Germany, providing an alternative to the routes through Ukraine. There is also a pipeline which passes via St Petersburg taking gas into Finland. Another major pipeline takes Russian gas across the Black Sea to Turkey; the Blue Stream pipeline which started transporting gas in 2002 set a new record by laying pipeline in water depths exceeding 2000 meters (Stern, 2001). The next major pipeline bringing additional Russian gas to Europe is expected to be the North European Pipeline (NEP) running from Vyborg in north west Russia via the Baltic Sea to Germany and potentially on to the UK. The possibility of the North European pipeline being able to deliver gas to Sweden and Denmark is also under consideration (Stern, 2001). Figure 2: New Pipelines from Russia On May 2 1, 2014 the media reported that China and the RF reached a 30-ycar gas deal worth about $400 billion. Some sources said the deal had been in the making for about a decade. On Nov. 10, 2014 China and the RF signed a second gas deal in which the RF would supply China with 30 Bern of natural gas via the western route over 30 years. This would require construction of the pipeline Power Sibcria-2. Gazprom signed the 30-ycar contract with Chinas National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) (Reineberg, 2017). The two combined natural gas deals between Russia and China would amount to about 68 Bern which is considerably more than the 45 Bcm the RF provides Germany each year. The gas deals would make China Russias most important customer, second only to Germany (Reineberg, 2017). Figure 3: New Pipelines to China In December 2014 the South Stream pipeline project to supply gas to the south eastern part of Europe was argued in yet another sign of the weakening and decreasing of Russias energy collaboration with Europe EU. The diagram above is available from Gazprom and displays what the scheme would have seen like once completed (Ashton, 2015). This project was intended to reduce risk involved in transporting gas to the Europe by evading Ukraine, much as Gazproms northern gas pipeline to Germany has done. But a flagging political condition means the European units no longer focusing only supply risk and is also focusing on transportation risk. To mitigate the risk of supply, Europes goal is to reduce volume of Russiass supplies (Ashton, 2015). Figure 4: New Pipelines to EU 1.2. Natural Gas Reserves In 2015 Russia`s natural gas reserves (ABC1) amount to 50.2 tcm, which is one percent more than in 2014. The largest gas fields are located in Western Siberia oil and gas bearing province. The growth in gas reserves was provided by gas fields in the Yamal Peninsula Bovanenkovo, Kharasaveyskoye, Yuzhno-Tambeyskoye, Eastern Siberia Kovyktinskoye, Russian Far East Chayandinskoye and on the Arctic Shelf Shtokman, Kruzenshternskoye. In European Russia the central gas reserves are concerted in Astrakhan field and Orenburg areas. In the following graph we can see the reserves and their defined amount . Figure 5: Russia`s largest natural gas fields: reserves About 80% of Russia`s NG natural gas production is developed in the Nadym-Pur-Taz region, Yamalo-Nenets AO. In 2014, three gas fields Zapolyarnoye, Urengoy, Yamburg accounted for more than 40% of country`s gas production. In 2012, gas production was started at the Bovanenkovo field (Yamal Peninsula), and it accounted 42.8 bcm in 2014. It is expected that to 2020 Bovanenkovo will be the largest gas producing field in Russia. Positive production dynamics also featured on Yurkharovskoye field and Beregovoye field (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016). Table 2: Major producing gas fields in Russia Major producing gas fields, (bcm) 2013 2014 Zapolyarnoye 117,5 97,9 Urengoy 90,6 85,5 Yamburg 75,3 62,8 Bovanenkovo 22,8 42,8 Yurkharovskoye 38,4 39,0 Yuzhno-Russkoye 25,1 25,0 Lunskoye 16,4 16,6 Orenburg 16,9 16,3 Beregovoye 10,8 11,2 Astrakhan 11,7 11,1 Medvezhye 12,2 10,4 In 2015, Russia`s natural gas and associated petroleum gas production amounted to 633.4 bcm, which is 0.9% less than in 2014. The decrease was caused by significant reduction of natural gas consumption in Russia. In 2010-2015, the gas supply to the domestic market decreased by 24.8 bcm, or by 5.3%. In 2015, Russia`s natural gas exports increased by 7.1% year on year to 200 bcm. Natural gas imports of the major importers of Russian gas remained relatively stable. A significant decrease was recorded in supplies to the Ukraine. (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016). Figure 6: Natural gas in Russia: production, consumption and exports (2011-2015) In 2015, 79.2% of natural gas production in Russia was provided by Yamalo-Nenets, AO, which is 1.1 pp lower than in 2014. In 2010-2014, YNAO share in Russia`s gas production was 80-83%. In 2015 to 2014 gas production significantly increased in Krasnoyarsk region and Sakha. The largest drop was observed in YNAO (-2%, or -11.6 bcm). Table 3: Russias natural gas production by region Region 2015, bcm Yamalo-Nenets 501 Khanty-Mansi 33 Sakhalin 28 Orenburg 20 Krasnoyarsk 11 Others 41 1.3. Natural Gas Consumption and Production In 2014, the production of electricity and heat energy provided 48.3% of Russia`s natural gas consumption, which is 3.5 pp less than in 2013. Gas consumption decreased by 6.4% in these two sectors, by 2,2% in industry and increased by 0.1% in residential sector (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016).. Figure 7: Russia`s natural gas consumption by sector, 2014, mtce Russia`s LNG Liquid Natural Gas exports and production is developed in a single plant on Sakhalin Island, with a capacity of 9.6 mtpa. LNG is exported by sea to the Asia-Pacific countries, mainly to Japan. There are LNG Liquid Natural Gas plants projects in Russia. The plant on the Yamal Peninsula is under construction, with an installed capacity of 16.5 mtpa, start at 2017-2018. It is also planned to implement projects in Vladivostok and the Baltic Sea and Sakhalin Island (Rosneft). In 2015, Russias share in the global LNG market was 4% (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016).. Figure 8: LNG production and exports in Russia (2009-2015), bcm Russia`s CNG consumption is 450 mcm, or about one percent of the world total. The natural gas consumption in transport is a priority of Russia`s gas industry development. State subsidies for regions are aimed to stimulate the growth of CNG consumption. Gazprom plays the main role in development of the Russian NGV market. Other participants are Rosneft and Novatek (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016).. Figure 9: CNG consumption in road transport, 2008-2015, bcm 1.4. Natural Gas Industry The current Russian gas industry is tightly related to the Soviet gas industry structure as it evolved in the 1970s and 1980s. It was characterized by exploitation of huge deposits and long distances between production sites and consumption centers, which required construction of a comprehensive trunk pipeline network. These characteristics lent themselves to economies of scale and in line with Soviet thinking a unified industry structure intended to minimize costs of extraction and transportation of natural gas. In the centrally planned economy gas was prioritized in electricity and heat production, thereby making more oil available for highly profitable export. The regulated domestic price of natural gas was very low. Natural gas was distributed according to priorities in the centrally planned economy. Consumption of various users power stations, industrial burners and cooking in vast apartment complexes were usually not measured but estimated according to technical standards o f energy needs. The prioritization of natural gas in electricity and heat generation is clearly evident in the consumption structure today; use of gas in the power sector amounts to 40 percent of total gas consumption in Russia (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015). In the 1970s and 1980s extraction and transportation of gas were organized within the Soviet Ministry of the Gas Industry. Then in 1989 a new entity, Gazprom, was established. It got control of the entire Soviet unified gas supply system and was also given a regulatory role. This type of agency was something new an entity outside the ministry structure although it was state owned. When the economic reforms in Russia started for real in 1992, an important element was the creation of new industry organizations. Notably this happened in the oil industry where several new companies were formed and subsequently privatized. In the gas sector the situation was different. The top management of Gazprom maintained that the technical characteristics of the gas industry required a centralized organizational structure. These arguments won over reformers who argued that a split-up of the production side was desirable. In 1992, Gazprom was transformed into a jointstock company, which was subsequently partly privatized. The state, even if it had a minority stake of some 40 percent, retained key control, but generally the company became independent. The new company obtained ownership of all the major physical assets of the Russian gas industry for free. In addition, the functions of the new company were extended to include roles which had earlier been covered by bodies outside the industry: investment and output targets, which had previously been decided by central planning organs, now became part of the internal processes in Gazprom. Distribution to final consumers, which used to be the remit of a separate structure, now became a business activity of Gazprom. Gas exports, which earlier were managed by a special foreign trade organization outside the gas industry, now became part of the activities of the company. In the end, the gas industry became more centralized and monopolized than it had been in the Soviet system. Gazprom did not only get new privileges, it also inherited old obligations. It was expected to continue to supply gas domestically at very low prices, but in exchange the company was allowed to keep a considerable share of the export revenues. Thus a situation emerged were domestic supplies became almost a secondary activity compared to exports, where the big money was earned. Domestic supplies were, however, in volume terms about four times higher than exports to Europe. This arrangement can only be understood in the context of the serious economic crisis and restructuring taking place in the 1990s. Maintaining stable gas supplies was of paramount importance for social stability, and low gas and electricity prices were important instruments to ensure this goal. Gas continued to be distributed like in the centrally planned economy: consumers had to obtain permission to take gas in certain volumes, and new consumers could not freely choose energy sources. Gas was, more than other fuel s, a subsidized commodity and was de facto rationed (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015). 1.5. Natural Gas Pricing Starting rather early in the 1990s, gas prices were in fact increased but from a very low level. By 1996 the average official gas price was around 250 roubles per 1000 m3 (corresponding roughly to 45 USD). But with a deep economic crisis most of Gazproms customers were not able to pay the increasing bills. Many turned to surrogates for payment: goods, shares in enterprises and various services. Others did not pay at all. Gazprom reported that in 1998 their domestic consumers paid for 28.5 percent of the gas deliveries only. According to OECD , only 16 percent of these deliveries were paid in cash. This was the nadir of Gazprom. Then the situation improved: After the economic crisis in 1998 and subsequent rouble devaluation, both Russian exports and the general economy picked up. Gazprom was now allowed to take tougher measures against non-paying customers, and cash payment was widely enforced in the state sector. The companys take-over of local distribution organizations also helped increasing the share of paying customers. By 2000, 62 percent of the delivered gas was paid for, see OECD, and by 2004 Gazprom reported that 98 percent of the domestic deliveries were paid in cash, see OECD (2004). This development also reflects that gas prices had been allowed to fall in real terms: by 2000 gas prices were 62 percent below the 1996 level, see OECD (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015). In the transition from the centrally planned economy to a market oriented system, Gazprom had been given production infrastructure and pipelines that had been built and financed by the Soviet state (see discussion above). Thus Gazprom had very low capital costs and the company could therefore handle losses in the domestic market as long as it kept the export income. But as years went by the need for renewal of the pipeline network as well as investment in production capacity grew. Gazprom therefore started paying more attention to the domestic market, first by devising schemes for payment when cash was lacking, and then, as the general economic crisis subsided in the early 2000s, to argue for domestic price increases: prices should cover operating costs and also allow for accumulation of investment funds. Gazproms argumentation was helped by Russias negotiations to become a WTO member: the Russian government committed to reduce subsidies to domestic customers and raise gas prices to USD 37-42 per 1000 m3 by 2006, and further to USD 49- 57 by 2010, see OECD. Despite the decision to increase the price of gas from 2000, by the end of 2003 the regulated average gas price for industry customers was still low: it corresponded to USD 24 per 1000 m3, see OECD. A plan for raising the regulated gas price to European netback parity European price minus the extra transportation costs and duties on export was authorized by the Russian government in May 2007,); this plan addressed both the concerns of the WTO and Gazproms request. The government foresaw a stepwise increase whereby the domestic price for industry would reach European netback parity by 2011. In 2007, experts considered the plan as feasible even though the price for industrial consumers corresponded to USD 44 per 1000 m3 -the netback price would have been USD 145 per 1000 m3. However, the international oil price increases in the following years implied that the target gas price was steadily increasing because the export gas price was linked to oil. In 2013, the netback price would have been USD 230 per 1000 m3, see Henderson and Pirani, a price level that would have had a detrimental impact on most Russian consumers. In the end the government therefore postponed the netback goal, first to 2014 and later to 2018 (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015).. By 2013 the regulated price had reached USD 105 per 1000 m3, see IEA. Still, according to Gazprom this was not enough to cover investments needed to sustain production in the long run. Gazprom continued to argue that a European netback price should be the goal in order to secure the viability of the gas industry as well as enhance economic efficiency: undervalued prices negatively affect the domestic economy, because there is no favorable environment for promoting gas- and energy-savings as well as for developing high-tech industries. For some years the governments policy was more or less in line with Gazproms wishes: in 2010 the government decided to increase gas prices by 15 percent annually until 2015 (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015).. There was, however, growing concerns that higher domestic gas prices would weaken the competitive position of the manufacturing industry and hamper economic growth. These concerns were enhanced by the significant fall in gas prices in the United States because of the shale gas revolution.3 In the end the policy was adjusted: in the fall of 2013 the government decided to freeze gas prices until, then index the price to inflation, and after 2016 let gas prices grow slowly, see Table 1. According to this plan, gas prices to industry users may on average increase by 3.2 percent annually between 2016 and 2030,. This is supposed to result in a domestic industry gas price slightly above 70 percent of the netback price by 2030. For households, the plan is to increase prices at a rate slightly higher than the one for industry 3.5 percent (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015).. Table 4: s Gas price development plan. Annual growth rates 2016-2020 2021-2025 2026-2030 2016-30 Industry price 4.4 2.9 2.1 3.2 Household price 4.5 3.5 2.6 3.5 To sum up, after the establishment of Gazprom in 1989 the gas industry first became more centralized and monopolized than it had been in the Soviet system. Since 1990, prices of gas have increased considerably but they are still far below the netback price. Whereas Gazprom for years has been pushing for a higher price, the most recent plan for domestic Russian gas prices indicates only a moderate increase in prices (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015).. 1.6. Natural Gas Monetization Techniques The foundations of Russias gas export business were laid during the Cold War. The trade was able to develop despite political opposition partly because West European governments believed gas could be a force for peace and partnership and prosperity. The other main reason has been the excellent track record of first Soviet, and then Russian, gas deliveries to Europe over the past 35 years. With the passing of the Cold War and the increasing need for Europe to develop strong relationships with its energy suppliers, the European Commission proposed an energy dialogue with Russia. In 2001 (Stern, 2001): à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The EU imported 21% of its net oil imports (equal to 16% of consumption) and 41% of gas imports (equal to 19% of consumption); à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 53% of Russias oil exports and 36% of its gas exports were delivered to the EU, and 45% of Russias exports to the EU were energy products. Within the framework of the dialogue, the EU has agreed to recognize certain Russian gas projects as energy infrastructure projects of common interest, specifically: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the North European gas pipeline for which the EU has agreed to co-finance a feasibility study; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the Yamal pipeline; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the Shtokman gas field; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the Druzhba-Adria oil pipeline link. In 2015, the gas price in the major markets fell by 30-40% compared to the previous year. The causes for the falling gas prices were decreasing oil prices, warm winters in the USA and Europe and fierce competition inside the industry with other gas producers, as well as competition with producers of other energy resources, such as coal and renewable ones (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016). In Green Line we can see the price of Russia comparing in Marron with the price of US. Figure 10: The World Prices of Natural Gas (2005-2015) $/1000 Cubic meters Among the prices from the natural gas in Russia we have the cost for the last 4 months in United states dollars per MBTU (Indexmundi, 2017) Table 5: Prices of the Last 4 Months in Dollars per MBTU Month Price Exchange Rate oct. 2016 4,01 1,26 % nov. 2016 4,54 13,22 % dic. 2016 5,16 13,66 % ene. 2017 5,14 -0,39 % 1.7. Impact of Natural Gas in Russia Economy According to the following graph, Russia got for 2013 73 Billon of Dollars, which is 14% of its total income; the other products are oil and derivatives of oil. Figure 11: Russia gross export sales 2013 (Billon of US Dollars) Russia is a major exporter of crude oil, and natural gas. Sales of these fuels accounted for 68% of Russias total export revenues in 2013, based on data from Russias Federal Customs Service. Russia received almost 4 times as much income from exports crude oil exports and natural gas as petroleum products (Metelitsa, 2014).. Europe, including Turkey, receives all exports of NG natural gas. Asia, particularly China receives substantial volumes of liquefied natural gas or LNG from Russia. Lately, Russia finalized a 30 year, for about $400 billion to supply China with natural gas from fields in Siberia, which later will increase Russian export incomes. North America imports some Russian petroleum products, particularly oils that are unfinished, used in refineries. Although Russia exports less crude oil and less natural gas than it consumes locally, domestic sales of crude oil and natural gas are lower in value than exports because of the vertical integration of the NG and oil industry and also the subsidized domestic prices (Metelitsa, 2014). Almost all Russian oil firms are vertically integrated, owning oil fields and refineries that process crude oil, giving them power in making decisions and regulating price. That is why, these firms can sell crude oil directly to their own refineries at very low prices. Domestic natural gas prices are subsidized too, forcing Russian companies to use export revenue to fund investment in new infrastructure and projects. The energy agency estimates that Russian domestic sales of natural gas and crude oil were nearly about $20 billion in 2013 (Metelitsa, 2014). Although revenue from local sales of crude oil and natural gas in the year 2003 was significantly low than revenue from exports. (Metelitsa, 2014). Oil and natural gas activities make up a large portion of Russias federal budget. According to the Ministry of Finance, 50% of Russias federal budget revenue in 2013 came from mineral extraction taxes and export customs duties on oil and natural gas (Metelitsa, 2014).. 1.8. Future of Natural Gas in Russia and its global impact Gas demand across Europe increased highly over the past 30 years, most of it used for power generation shaped by environmental and commercial advantages enjoyed by gas à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ is the key to continued growth over the next several decades. Imports of gas will be needed increasingly as Europes indigenous supply declines and Russia is in a very good position to expand its market share due to its resource endowment, established infrastructure and markets, and track record as a secure supplier (Stern, 2001). These advantages have been recognised and reinforced politically by an energy partnership between the EU and Russia which recognizes Russias growing role as a source of energy and its contribution particularly in terms of gas and oil supplies. In summary, the Russian contribution to European energy balances both oil and gas is substantial