Creative brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Creative brief - Essay Example The information is equally vital in determining emerging lifestyles, habits, and way of thinking because the creative design team finds relevance with the single parent. Evaluation of the psychographic information, on the other hand, helps the team in designing both interesting and smart products that appeal to the single parent who prefers IKEA products. A single parent in the above case is in her late 30s, uses modern communication platforms such as emails, Facebook, and Twitter, and prefers e-commerce delivery systems. Consequently, it is upon the creative design team to assess new marketing tools that match the customer’s tastes and preferences while targeting the wider market segment. That suggests that advertising attracts clients similar to the single parent with the need to expand the business in terms of increased profits (Sutherland 156). The message, thus, is to add more people through innovative ways that do not interfere with the overall operation of the business. As a result, audiences would believe this message because it resonates with their desires and contemporary ways of conducting

Freedmans Bureau, Forty Acres and a Mule, Cowboy and how it shaped Essay

Freedmans Bureau, Forty Acres and a Mule, Cowboy and how it shaped American identity - Essay Example The freedman's Bureau began as an organization funded by the War Department. Some successes of these organizations included assuring Black American's legal rights, rights to an education, and rights to worship as they pleased in churches of their own. Blacks were also provided with assistance in their search for lost family members. Initially the Freedman's Bureau had it's own court where Blacks were assured legal representation and fair decisions by the courts. They were also provided with assistance in obtaining fair labor contracts. Failures of organizations, such as the Freedman's Bureau, were mainly caused by lack of funding. Initial funding was provided by the War Department but when access to those funds ended the organizations relied on donations from northern charities. These organizations were hampered by the apathy of the southern governments. Most southerners were not to keen about the idea of providing assistance to the black communities or former slaves. Where did ideas such as the "Forty Acres and a Mule" originate How are those ideas viewed today After the Civil War, and during reconstruction of the southern states, there was debate about what to do with the confiscated lands and the number of ex-slaves who had nothing except their freedom. Ideas floated about as to what to do. It was suggested that the former slaves be given a portion of the land that they had worked all their lives. In Georgia, South Carolina (forty acres each in GA and SC) and Mississippi tracts of land were given to the ex-slaves. The former slaves were successful at farming and marketing their harvests. The cause of the former slaves was debated in Congress and the idea of "Forty Acres and a Mule" was not popular. The idea of confiscating land for redistribution was hugely unpopular in Congress and many felt would it would set a bad precedent for future arguments about property rights. Although the Freedman's Bureau advocated for the rights of the former slaves, most became sharecroppers that got a portion of the harvest. Most former slaves remained poor . The "Forty Acres and a Mule" idea fuels present day thought about reparations to the descendants of slaves and former slaves. In 1969 the "Black Manifesto" was published. It demanded monitory compensation (reparations) from predominantly white churches go to the descendants of former slaves. Some churches prior to that did raise fund to funds to benefit African Americans. Reparations debate tapered off after about the same time the Civil Rights movement slowed. But, legislators did pass the Equal Rights Amendments of 1964-65 that ended many "Jim Crow" laws. How did Northern Carpetbaggers exploit the vulnerabilities of the Southerners Carpetbaggers were Northerners who headed south after the Civil War to make money. They used carpets as cheap luggage (thus the name Carpetbaggers). These Carpetbaggers moved south, attained political power (mostly as Republicans) and exploited the Southerners. Carpetbaggers initially worked with the newly freed Black peoples to establish schools etc.. That changed as Union soldiers moved south, bought up land, and managed large tracts of land using the labor of former slaves. Southern Blacks did benefit to some extent by the arrival of the Carpetbagger because these Northerners believed in public education and created schools and colleges/universities for the benefit of all. Explain the myth of the cowboy and how it shaped American identity The myth of the cowboy has shaped American identity by representing westward expansion, "perennial rebirth" (Dye,

Program and Policy Analysis Essay Example for Free

Program and Policy Analysis Essay A gang is a group formed by a number of people, who share a same identity either through formation, or organization. According to Charles (2003), the word gang is often associated with a negative connotation. Gang activities are wide and vary from typical organized groups that involve themselves in crimes, to a general class of certain behavior that carry out a collective action intended to attain social solidarity or cohesion, especially in cults, gangs, political parties or unions. Studies have shown that, various approaches have been applied by the government, the society, law enforcers, and even the experts in an attempt to fight with the social problems caused by various gang groups. The effort is also intended to prevent formation of gangs, to rehabilitate the gangs and punish those who engage themselves in criminal activities within the gang groups. It has been stated that, gang groups differ due to different experiences in culture which include drugs, territory and nightlife. Various Approaches to Gangs The gang culture approach. According to Shaw, McKay (2004), this approach looks at the cultural experiences of the young people as the key factor which leads to the formation of gang groups. Young people and especially the blacks have felt discriminated by the media and other social groups; hence they have a tendency to form gangs by feeling hated and stereotyped. Other factors such as the way in which policies of the local governments are set up, deprivation and racism have contributed to the rise of gangs. The supporters of this approach try to prevent such factors that contribute to formation of gangs, so as to reduce the number of young people joining various gang groups. The aggressive approach is applied by the harsh and conservative governments, who believe that force must be used in order to deal with criminals in the society. Miller (2000) posited that, such governments believe in the application of harsh laws which include the use of guns to fight criminals in the society. These governments employ a Zero-tolerance principle on criminal actions. The main aim and objective of this group is to bring criminal acts in the society to the end by doing away with any gangs that may be causing such evil in the society. The belief of the aggressive governments is that, harsh measures will instill fear to the youth and discourage them from joining gangs. The liberal approach on the other hand opposes the application and the passing of harsh laws in dealing with gangs. The liberal approach is of the view that, softer laws should be applied with the aim of rehabilitating the gang members and making them better people to live in the society. This approach advocates for the formation of rehabilitation institutions, where various criminals are kept for purposes of rehabilitation other than just applying the punishment measures. The sociological approach of deviance starts by describing and explaining gangs. This approach believes that, it is important to first understand the causes which lead to the formation of a certain gang, before measures can be put in place either for intervention or prevention of such a group. This approach therefore involves researchers to carry out an interactive interview with various groups from different cultures to find out the factors that contribute to the rise of gangs. It is after the findings that strategies and policies are put in place to deal with the problem. Conditions Under which a specific Policy may be Effective and the Requirements The liberal approach can work effectively where the government offers good support to the policy makers and the prison departments in dealing with gang members in the society. For this approach to work, there is need to put in place policies which would allow a good interaction between various gang members and the law enforcers such that, people like the police can first understand the problems which lead to the formation of such gangs so that they can know how to handle the criminals (Shaw, McKay, 2004). A proper rehabilitation center should be established where the reformed criminals can be used to assist those who are engaging in crimes to change by advising them and acting as a symbol, showing that reformation is possible. There is need for the government intervention by provision of funds and trained personnel to handle criminals. There is also need to put in place preliminary data, program performance and developed working strategies to ensure that the policy works out effectively. Assessment of a Local Policy Program One of the best programs applied locally in the U. S is the comprehensive community-wide approach to the intervention of gangs, gang prevention as well as gang suppression. Where all the required equipments and policies are availed, the conditions are suitable to deal with the problem of gangs in the society. Cohen (2005) observed that, this program has been put in place and is designed to test and implement a comprehensive and accurate model for limiting the number of young people who involve them in violence. The U. S government has contributed funds and established institutions which are used to enable this approach work among the youths in the society. The sites set for this work include the OJJDPs which is equipped with strong prospects to ensure the approach is successful, preliminary data, program performance and developed working strategies have been put in place. Other sites include the San Antonio Site, the Tuscon, Bloomington and the Mesa. The program involves the whole community in various programs where gang assessment is done, strategies are made, and consensus building is done and is a team oriented method which is used to solve social problems. Shaw, McKay (2004) stated that, the program mobilizes the community including the community groups, individual groups, citizens and various agencies, who are provided with social opportunities, economic and academic support. The intervention approach is applied here where the institutions use social intervention street workers, to interact and engage the youth gangs who often stay on the streets in various helpful activities. Gang suppression is done where informal and formal control measures of criminal justice system and juvenile procedures are carried out appropriately. In comparing this local approach with the earlier approaches analyzed out in this study, the comprehensive community-wide program has been effective, as it captures the elements discussed by other approaches, by ensuring that gang members are first of all well understood by considering the factors that contribute to the formation of such gangs and then moving ahead to tackle the problem (Cohen, 2005). The program has been effective in involving the community in various programs where gang assessment is done, strategies are made, consensus building is done, and a team oriented method is used to solve social problems. This is a successful way of ensuring that gang members and those who may intend to join various gang groups feel as part of the society and avoid engaging in any criminal acts.

Managing Financial Principles And Techniques Management Essay

Managing Financial Principles And Techniques Management Essay Deeres company is one of the top agriculture equipment manufacturers of the world. Deere does business in almost 160 countries. There are 40,000 people working for them world wide approximately. The main headquarters of Deere company are located in Georgia, United states of America. It is one of the oldest company of united state. This company is guided today, as it has been since its beginning, by John Deeres original values of quality, innovation, integrity and commitment. One of the main efforts is to create shareholder value through the chase of continuous improvement and profitable growth. Deere company has a vast variety of products including which are Agricultural Equipment ,Construction Equipment, commercial equipments for grounds care , and Forestry Equipment to help improve the forest, and finally, Deere Power System. In addition, the worldwide net income was $13,947 millions in 2002. This corporation has sites in all the continents, its worldwide locations include North America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Near and Middle East, and Australia. Deeres major competitors are Caterpillar, CNH Global, and Mitsubishi. Also, Deere and Company employs some regulations such as the ISO 9000 standards. Finally, some of the supply sources of this organization are experience, industry, sales representatives, and customer. Deere Company has the strategy of using single sourcing and multiple sourcing for purchasing a specific component. Most of them are multiple sourcing, although the goal is try to reduce the number of suppliers. . Most of Deeres suppliers are from the United States. Deere buys raw material directly from manufacturers not from distributors. Deere is committed to the concept of maintaining its supply chain by actively partnering with its suppliers. Deere is working very closely with its suppliers. They are providing them designing and re designing manufacturing facilities and operations. Deere is giving training to suppliers personnel. Providing and facilitating the use of Software packages. Providing on site personnel for specific projects. Reduce suppliers manufacturing cycle. Lower manufacturing cost. Improve deliveries of finish goods. For this purpose they made a SDG (supplier development group). SDG is consisted mostly of process engineers. Process Engineers who help the suppliers to improve their operations .Each Deere division had SDGs.and in each SDGs has100 individuals assigned. Excelsior is one of the main suppliers for Deere. Excelsior Company is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Excelsior manufactures tractor attachment products.Excelsior is a vertically integrated company with very little flexibility. By the time progressed and Deere purchased more from Excelsior and Excelsior became more and more dependent on Deere as a customer. In 2000 almost 95 percent of Excelsiors revenue came from Deeres purchases. Deere also founded itself growing dependent on excelsior. The reason is that there are very few companies which produce tractor attachments. Excelsior also owned the design of those attachments which they make. The business relationship is very important for both parties. Excelsior also relied on Deere for most of its sales. Deere also wants to keep Excelsior as a supp lier because it will be very cost prohibitive for Deere to produce these tractor attachments in house. Q :1 Is Deeres tactic an appropriate? Solution: From Deeres point of view yes its an appropriate. Problem is that the manufacturing cycle time for excelsiors antiquated process was 250 days. This is creating alot of problems for Deere and it customers. The delivery period is very long and the prices are high. The supplier development group created a tem to work on this project. The project is to reduce the cycle time and also minimize the costs at least 10 percent, The Excelsior equipment project team was assembled in march 1999. This team is consisted of four members. The teams task was to work with Excelsior to redesign its manufacturing process to meet the cycle time and cut cost. The team worked for 23 months and made a report .the report showed that the cycle time and cost reduction goals can be achieved. The tactic to achieve these targets is to redesign the manufacturing process and improve their accounting system .Deere will use 5 million $ for this purpose. And Excelsior will give a 5% reduction in price or at least half of the projected savings if not implemented. And on the other hand for excelsior this is not an appropriate tactic. Excelsior didnt want to change their manufacturing process. This was the biggest obstacle which Deere faced. Excelsior did not want to invest in the equipment and facilities recommended by Deere. According to Excelsiors assessments the maximum amount of saving that could be realized by redesigning manufacturing process would make at most less than 1 percent Difference. And Excelsior believed that its quality is better than IBMs and it had also world class level of work in process. Excelsior was hesitant to invest 5 million $ to implement the changes recommended by the SDGs. They believe that manufacturing process at Excelsior was about as efficient as it could be. Q:2 what are the implications of this tactic and the possible consequences, positive or negative? Impact of these tactics John Positive Integrated Supplier relationship By applying this tactic supplier relationship will be integrated. Meet customer demand By implementing this tactic they can easily fulfill the demands od customers. Reduce costs This will also result in reducing the cost for example if they make more units this will decrease per unit cost. Then definitely they will earn more money. Reduce cycle time It will also decrease the time period Improve profitability It will also increase the profit margin of the company. Enhanced manufacturing process They are going to invest 5million $ to to increase the efficiency of the manufacturing process. Satisfy their customers If they will provide a good product less expensive and in less delivery time this will automatically satisfy their customers. Negative Ethically wrong Ethically it is wrong to force the supplier Cause strain This will cause a strain in supplier relationship Aggressive push through strategy Q 3: If it is not an appropriate tactic, what are some other alternatives? Supplier development Supplier development is defined as any activity that a buyer undertakes to improve a suppliers performance and capabilities to meet the buyers short and long term supply needs. Supplier development requires financial and human resources investments by the both partners and includes a wide range of activities such as training of the suppliers personnel, investing in suppliers operations , and ongoing performance assessment. Suppliers development decision Supplier development should not apply to all suppliers It does not make financial sense to develop suppliers of low-value- added, non-strategic commodities Reasons for supplier development include: Supplier provides an innovative product Supplier provides an innovative process Supplier provides an innovative technology A long-term advantage exists to the buying firm To maintain flexibility in meeting changing market demands Seven step approach to supplier development Identify critical product and services: Asses the relative importance of the products and services from a strategic perspective. Product and services that are purchased in high volume, do not have good substitutes, or have limited source of supply are considered strategic supplies. Identify critical suppliers: Suppliers of strategic supplies who do not meet minimum performance in quality, on time delivery, cost, technology, or cycle time are targets for development. Form a cross functional team: The buyer must develop an internal cross functional team with a clear agreement for the development initiative. Meet with top management supplier: The buyers cross functional team meets with the suppliers top management team to discuss details of strategic alignments, suppliers performance measurement, improvement, and professionalism. Identify key projects: After the promising opportunities have been identified, they are evaluated in terms of feasibility, resource and time commitment, and expected return on investment. The most promising projects are selected. Define details of agreement: After agreement has been reached on the development projects, the partners must jointly decide on matrices to be monitored such as percent improvement in quality, delivery, and cycle time. Monitor status and modify strategies: To ensure continued success, management must actively monitor progress, promote exchange of information, and revise the strategy as business condition warrant. Best Practices in Supplier Development Provide training programs and training time to suppliers Provide education programs offline that go beyond training Provide improvement focused seminars for suppliers Provide tooling and technical assistance to suppliers Provide supplier support centers Loan executives, such as process engineers and quality managers Drive fear out that a suppliers workforce may have towards supplier development programs Set stretch goals to encourage radical change as well as continuous improvement. Improve accounting systems to enable measurement of improvements Share the savings from the development improvements Encourage suppliers to contribute to improving processes at the buyers facilities Provide a feedback loop for suppliers to help encourage supplier development efforts Improve the suppliers supply management system Q 4: Is this an ethical approach? No , In my point of view this is not an ethical approach. Excelsior did not want to implement those changes suggested by the supplier development group team. they were forced by the Deere company to implement those changes to their manufacturing plant. Deere gave the indication that if Excelsior refused to implement changes to manufacturing process they would not remain viable supplier in long run. the main supplier development engineer and project manager also wondered whether this tactic would work or not. and whether it would be an effective way of getting excelsior to improve their manufacturing process. Business ethics: Ethics is defined as the study and philosophy of human behaviour, with importance on the determination of right and wrong, that which is moral, the basic principles of right action, a work or theory on morals, and a standard of character set up by any race or nation. Ethical is defined as that which follows the right principles, as defined by a given system of ethics or professional conduct. Ethics in business continues to be important across all industries. The importance on ethics in your environment is due to its relationship to general principles as well as its favourable impact worldwide on your ability to enhance your competitive opportunities, continuously improve your processes, ensure total quality throughout your businesses, and increase consistency in your operations. Economic Success Linked to Ethical Behaviour. To have an ethical policy in place is a basic business requirement today. Having suppliers and employees display universal ethical behaviour in their day-to-day operations, however, is an asset. Ensuring a track record of outstanding ethical conduct is just as important as product and service quality, competitive prices, and efficient operations. Upsides Downsides of Ethical Behaviour. The upsides of ethical behaviour in a business environment are very positive. The downsides of not encouraging and adhering to business ethics policies include the risk of unethical business practices that affect your reputation in the market place, unethical behaviour of employees occurring, and/or the risk of legal prosecution. A negative impact on the companys image is difficult and boring to repair. Strengthen Quality and Integrity of Purchasing Activities. Developing an ethical environment within your organization helps you facilitate issue resolution, prevent problems, and create a pleasant and enjoyable workplace. A plan of action for doing this might include: 1. Stressing the importance that all individuals need to consistently exhibit ethical behaviour 2. Educating everyone on your business practice standards 3. Raising ethical issues and concerns by providing a forum to do so 4. Developing a network of professionals who treat themselves, their co-workers, customers, and suppliers with integrity, honesty, openness, and fairness all of the time 5. Educating everyone on the risks involved in unethical behaviour. Q: 5 What are some of the implications as far as human resource management concerned? How can the group members better mange the consensus building to present an undivided front to Excelsior?

The Nature of Space in Kafkas The Castle :: Kafka Castle Essays

The Nature of Space in Kafka's The Castle    From the end of the nineteenth century to the outbreak of World War I, great developments in technology and knowledge brought about significant changes in the way man viewed time and space. The necessity of clear train schedules led to the development of World Standard Time and the plurality of private time. In regards to space, with which this paper deals, man moved into other subjective realms beyond the two and three dimensions described by Euclid. In fact, with Einstein's theory of relativity, the number of spaces inherent in life increased beyond calculation to equal the number of moving reference systems of all the matter in the universe. This theory echoes Nietzche's contemporary philosophical theory of perspectivism, where space only consists of points of view and interpretations, not objective facts. Thus, these two doctrines signaled a breakdown of the old notion that there is a single reality, a single, absolute space. Space became subjective and relative, man could not be sure of what it was that actually surrounded him and made up his physical world.    Creative artists, painters and novelists, attempted to deal with this new concept. Attacks were made on traditional notions that there is only one space and that a single point of view is equal to an understanding. Writers, specifically, responded with multiple perspectives depicting different views of the same objects in space in order to demonstrate that the world is always different as it is perceived by various observers at varying times. Man had to come to grips with the fact that with such a plurality of space, he cannot know, understand, or even see the physical world completely.    Thus, it is not surprising that Kafka's final work, The Castle, which emerged out of the pluralism and confusion of this age, deals with this new notion of space, this new relativity of the world surrounding man. While the book can be looked at on a spiritual level, with the castle symbolizing divinity or the ultimate spiritual meaning of man's existence, in regards to space, the castle could also symbolize the actual literal, physical world. Through the nature of K. and his quest, the different ways the Castle is perceived by K. from various viewpoints along his quest, and the inability of anyone to know the true nature of the castle officials, Kafka

An Opportunity Like None Other :: Teaching Teachers Education Essays

An Opportunity Like None Other The opportunity to touch someone’s life is given to everyone; however, what one chooses to do with this opportunity sets people apart. Teachers are people who are given this opportunity each day. This power of opportunity is both surreal and intriguing and is my reason for wishing to become an educator. As a future teacher, I believe our society’s paramount initiative should be to educate our youth. To shape the minds of the future will be a daunting task, but one I except with great enthusiasm. I came to teaching not because of a sudden epiphany or because a certain teacher touched my life. It was an intrinsic feeling that developed in my heart and showed me the beauty of sharing love and knowledge with the children of this world. I want the fulfillment that teaching has to offer, because I believe there is no greater joy than touching the hearts and minds of youth. The truly curious individual is the one who continues their education and never stops learning, and I believe my curiosity will drive me to be the best teacher I can be. Every aspect of our lives has a beginning, an establishment, or a foundation. As a teacher in today’s society, I believe it is important that educators start with a solid foundation of knowledge. With the launch of sputnik in the 1950’s, our society turned to its educators to insure our nation was producing quality students, especially in the sciences. It was then that our nation realized we needed to improve our education with a â€Å"back to basics† approach. William Bagley, an essentialist, established a foundation for America with the intent to instill students with the â€Å"essentials† of academic knowledge and character development. It is here I find my philosophy. The â€Å"back to basics† approach has brought about an application of knowledge needed for the real world. An approach that provides people with the knowledge they need to be able to survive in society. Leaders such as William Bennett, former US Secretary of Education, believed strongly in the essentialist approach to education.

Organizational Behavior – Eden Mccallum

1. If you were a partner at Eden McCallum what would you do – grow or cut? If I were a partner at Eden McCallum I would cut. Eden McCallum was started during a great time where they had a smooth market entry and a keen business strategy. While their business strategy is still working to their advantage, poor market conditions continue to exist and many of the firm’s clients are starting to feel the economic pressure. The firm has already â€Å"faced increasing demands to cut fees. [ (Gardener & Eccles, 2009) ] This fact, coupled with the consultant’s fear of lack of security, indicates that Eden McCallum should consider making organizational changes that would support the concerns of both parties. According to the firm’s corporate vision on value, clients come first and consultants come second. [ (Gardener & Eccles, 2009) ] Eden McCallum should make sure that they stay in line with their corporate vision when making considerations to cut. They should focu s on cutting as many areas that do not directly affect the client and the consultant. I would recommend that they cut the part-time employees and the new staff members to start since it takes one to two years to learn the business. Another value of their corporate vision is to focus on the long term, and the short term will take care of itself. [ (Gardener & Eccles, 2009) ] Focusing on the long term for Eden McCallum would include keeping the Amsterdam office knowing that it â€Å"is on the cusp of breaking even† and knowing that if they did not they would be losing credibility within the market. (Gardener & Eccles, 2009) ] However, I believe that long term goals could hurt short term profits which will, in turn, hurt long term profits. According to the growth figures provided, Eden McCallum should look at reducing overhead; and limiting the number of partners to reduce salaries paid. 2. At the outset of the case, Advisory Board Member, Robert Harris, said, â€Å"One rarely regrets cutting too early or too deep. † Do you agree with Harris? Why or why not ? One rarely regrets cutting too early or too deep† is interpreted as the â€Å"better safe than sorry† approach. I agree with Harris under the circumstances presented to us in this case that it would be better to play it safe with the financials of the company becoming fragile. The goal of the firm should be to minimize loss. In an uncertain marketplace where factors such as the possibility of a double-dip recession, the partners should consider making cuts sooner than later and in more depth to minimize the sting. To make cutbacks sooner may be resisted by some partners, however, Harris’ point is that the company wouldn’t regret it because it did what was best for the company at that time. 3. Was the organizational structure at Eden McCallum appropriate? Do economic conditions factor into your answer? The organizational structure of Eden McCallum is appropriate for the size and type of organization it represented. Eden McCallum is a functional organization with its environmental change viewed as stable and its complexity as simple. Should environmental change be necessary, the simplicity of its structure will allow for a smoother implementation of the change. Its structure includes professional bureaucracy as clients have specialized needs and consultants offered specialized solutions due to the knowledge-based nature of their work. Eden McCallum has a cellular organizational form in that it the company itself is serves as a coordinator of the relationships between the clients and the business professionals known as consultants. Economic conditions are a factor because it could cause an organization to restructure itself as the supply and demand of the industry changes. Bibliography Gardener, H. K. , & Eccles, R. G. (2009). Eden McCallum: A Network-Based Consulting Firm (A). Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing.