Team Leadership & Self Managed Teams Term Paper

Team Leadership & Self Managed Teams - Term Paper Example These groups are also responsible for performing other supportive roles that include performance appraisal, quality assurance and production scheduling among others (Cork 1-100). THESIS STATEMENT The paper intends to discuss about the aspects of team leadership and self-managed teams along with highlighting the background of the key issues surrounding these aspects. Moreover, the procedure of handling these aspects by certain specific companies would also be discussed in the paper. HISTORY/BACKGROUND The history of team leadership dates back to the period of 1980s when certain skills representing leadership aspects came into public display and have been addressed for the first time. In relation to the aspects associated with the notion of team leadership, it can be apparently observed that this particular idea demonstrated the influence made by individual hereditary facets on leadership. It is worth mentioning that the changing business environment has eventually raised the significa nce of performing effective teal leadership qualities along with skills and building self-managed teams. All these significant aspects ultimately highlight the importance of the aforesaid aspects by a certain degree (McCarthy, â€Å"Global Leadership: An Analysis of three Leadership Competency Models in Multinational Corporations†). In order to highlight the history or the background of the key issues surrounding the above discussed aspects, it can be affirmed that the word ‘team’ can be well related with the Anglo-Saxon word i.e. ‘family’, which is basically referred to as harnessed animals that are responsible for pulling a load towards the accomplishment of certain common objectives. With the passage of time, the notion of teamwork has been able to gain all round importance within organizations to a very large extent. This notion primarily considers specific measures that are needed to be adopted along with executed effectively, so that a team is fully empowered and equipped enough to perform various significant functions (Cork 1-100; McCarthy, â€Å"Global Leadership: An Analysis of three Leadership Competency Models in Multinational Corporations†). EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC COMPANIES Development of both of these aspects i.e. self-managed teams along with team leadership can be duly considered as an issue, which is on the rise. This factor can be provided with the maximum amount of weightage owing to the fact that development of such team and skills are highly demanded in the present day context. This issue can be well addressed in the future by way of analyzing and highlighting its importance in the overall management context. It is quite evident that both of these aspects i.e. self-managed teams along with team leadership is of primary importance in the modern day management context, as these represents high end sense of performing various job responsibilities. In relation to this context, issues pertaining to both of t hese management aspects are needed to be delivered high amount of weightage owing to the fact that it will help organizations to build greater leadership skills that are required for the purpose of creating organizational efficiency. Moreover, team leadership can help individuals to be highly competent in meeting the

Oxfam coat Essay Example for Free

Oxfam coat Essay In the Oxfam coat, Anna Adams is able to elaborate with a dry irony the symbolism of a coat and all that it contains. In the unison of this frock, there is the hopefulness of expectation and the knowledge that very much it is a conceit towards a better life that is somehow illusory and never quite there. There is something so sturdy about this coat, but in its impoverished outline, there are thematic qualities which ring of an inevitable notion that more than one thing can be seen from it. In much of society and in judgement, clothes are one indicator of socioeconomic class and forms a classification of people, their preferences, and their prejudices, even. In the poem, the speaker seems to be in some ways, using this poem for knowledge. â€Å"I do not wear this coat to be admired,/not even to be seen; it is for seeing from. † Sometimes a person might wear a certain outfit to indicate a certain station in life. Just like during the Mardi Gras in Venice rich men sometimes dressed as beggars in tattered rags just to expose themselves to the expectations that are given to the poor. Also, in the Mark Twin story, â€Å"The Prince and the Pauper† all it takes for the prince and the pauper to switch places is a trading of clothes. That something so simple as donning a new frock, that something like this can give people new vantages is a commentary on a society that judges at times with the blink of an eye. In some ways, it seems like the speaker is trying to analogize her life to that of a farmers wife. Based on her sophisticated dialect and the advanced qualities of her grammar. It seems unlikely that she has been or was a farmers wife, it seems like even when wearing a shabby Oxfam coat. The analogy towards sacrifice and a sort of poverty, that is nevertheless good, a different lifestyle, history, and experience. The speaker, like the Prince in The Prince and the Pauper† cannot abandon the learning he has received. For when he draws the crown seal to prove his identity, he is proving himself despite the dirt on his face and the shabby misery of his appearance. When the speaker voices, â€Å"I am a walking look-out post, attired. † The word attired is by a dictionary denotation merely saying that she was wearing something which was not all too flattering. Like the paint on a walking look-out post is rarely glossy or shiny, but rather dull and worn, tired in a way in appearance. An apparatus of sorts in its rudimentary appeal and dignity regardless of the season, the hour or the time. Yet despite the adaptation of a literal denotation of attired, there is furthermore the connotation of being tired. The farmers wife is thought of to work tirelessly, without a murmur, watching out for all around her, a sturdy sediment against instability and working mightily to overcome the elements. While its certainly a bit insulting that the speaker seems to objectify the farmers wife. Comparing the frock to the deaf, dead-leaf look of camouflage and inconspicuous sight, there is evidently some derision in the admiration as well. â€Å"I am a walking look-out post, attired/in mist and dead-leaf coloured camouflage-a watchers hide, a property/advisible as poverty, as inconspicuous as middle-age. /it must have needed thirty years at least,/to reach this natural state and yet remain an artefact/that keeps me warm. To ditch it would be a waste. † The derision seems to be there, as theres the comparison of the worn coat to a natural state. It is not clear why thirty years of hard work and poverty ages a coat, that is symbolic of a toil-friendly farmers wife, to be a container for the poverty and overwork that is typically referred to rural scenes and states. In some ways, the naturalization of the farmers wife coincides with the objectification of the supposed farmers wife who is symbolized by the worn Oxfam coat. There is an organic, yet maturing or dead quality, of a kind of soulless duty as personified by the utility yet absence of personality of the illusion of a farmers wife vis a vis the Oxfam coat. â€Å"It cost me twenty pence. Good Harris cloth,/springy as heathers turf:/it has outworn the striding farmers wife/its cut suggests. Her scarecrow bones are earth. † The organic thematization is still present, as the omnipresent aspect of death and decay ares still there. That even this sturdy coat may have taxed the farmers wife who wore herself to the bones and is part of the earth as much as dead leaves melt into the dirt. The personification of this coat, in some ways serves to eclipse the deadness or gone quality of the farmers wife with its being as worn by someone else. Who cannot help thinking into the life and times of a farmers wife. However insulting or even mistaken it may be, undoubtably farmers wives lead hard lives but in some ways, we all do. That in fighting against organic matter, the endurability of good, sturdy cloth can preserve some aspects of feeling invulnerable but that people in the end, all melt into the earth. Perhaps the speaker is more than a bit sympathetically derogatory of the life and times of the farmers wife because she too, is stricken by a fear of death and being worn out. Possibly in moving the quality of being worn and an â€Å"artefact,† an outmoded cultural icon, there is an attempt to deal with the has been quality that is pervasive of many fields including that of poetry. Where a person may be a morning star one day, brilliant and admired, then thrown into the rubble the next day, exiled and socially excommunicated. In lending so much emotion, thought, and headlining grief to this Oxfam coat is perhaps a way to reconcile with the recyclability of not only leaves but people. That in a society which treasures the use of people for its own means, its in some senses hard for people to really express themselves. That in especially tough situations of environments there are so few choices to choose from and so few worlds to inhabit and wear. â€Å"It has outworn its power to startle birds/and has become a rough/looking-glass fibre stuff/chameleon, reflecting wintry woods. /that matted sheep-potential bale of wool/on knitting-needle legs-/sees me as sheep. Those twigs/sense me as bark-skinned tree if I stand still. † The use of people is at times so much changing as people are expected to objectify themselves in so many ways, that apart from a degeneration into the dirt caused by organic decay. People are expected to transform themselves from the natural to the created, just as wool is transformed by the knitting-needle into something like a sweater. The wool as fetched from the backs of sheep, sheared for warmth, is transformed in the shop by the needle to turn itself into something more that people can simply use. When the speaker wears this coat and feels that she may be more degraded and not regarded so well, looked upon as sheep. A vulnerable yet strong person who is fleeced or can be fleeced. That despite the almost insulting attitude towards the hardship of the farmers wife. The distancing yet empathy that is regenerated in this poem. That the speaker wears the pain and suffering of the farmers wife like a costume. That there is an idiosyncratic individuality which borrows from the uniformity of a farmers wife to converge into some medium point. There is still, an unavailability of true emotion or authentic sympathy, as to â€Å"travel incognito† as to â€Å"register on no mans retina. † Is a way of distancing oneself from a role, or even an affectation while still borrowing so much from it. Ultimately the farmers wife is much removed and only imagined, like some pastoral painting. In conclusion, we can only receive her secondhand, like the worn Oxfam coat, there but not there at the same time because life is never given to it in full.

The final solution :: essays research papers

The final solution It seems as though Present day Americans have â€Å"Super sized† their way of life from what it was in the past. People are buying larger houses, shopping at huge department stores, and buying goods in bulk. It also seems like people are living an accelerated lifestyle with a schedule primarily composed of business. New technology in communications and transportation has provided us with the necessary machines that get us through the day. Every morning, millions of Americans rely on their cars to carry them safely to work; most, make the journey alive. Drivers today not only have to deal with the road problems of the past like narrow highways, crumbled streets, and wheel-deep potholes, but we must also deal with the effects of a constant growing number of drivers on the road.. Unfortunately, countless lives have been lost on the roads due to people driving too fast, in cars that can’t stand up to today’s road conditions. These caffeine driven speed freaks, w eaving their little toy cars, in and out of traffic, during the morning commute, need to find somewhere else to wreck their cars because other people have jobs to be at. As much as people like defending their supped up Scions and Mini Coopers and enjoy blaming accidents and other traffic related issues on other factors, such as poor roads or careless driving, the fact is that cars are no longer a typical, safe means of transportation. Roads are too expensive to be re-surfaced every time a tree root springs up the asphalt, or whenever a few potholes break out. Today, we Americans need a dependable vehicle that is capable of safely transporting us through the rugged roads and highway trails. These vehicles would be big enough to provide ample space for passenger seating and cargo storage, and would feature an expanding pop out room, that could be used as a kitchen, office or lounge. The giant sized truck would enable drivers to safely travel through the roughest and most severe road conditions, even through trails un paved. This â€Å"Monster 4 x 4" would not only provide a greater level of convenience and safety for the drivers, it would produce the well needed funds to support struggling businesses and industries, such as US car manufacturers, the oil industry, and the US Government. While we can’t control how people drive, we can control what they drive. By restricting all cars, mini vans and small trucks from being used on city streets and highways, Americans would have no choice but to purchase a giant 4x4. The final solution :: essays research papers The final solution It seems as though Present day Americans have â€Å"Super sized† their way of life from what it was in the past. People are buying larger houses, shopping at huge department stores, and buying goods in bulk. It also seems like people are living an accelerated lifestyle with a schedule primarily composed of business. New technology in communications and transportation has provided us with the necessary machines that get us through the day. Every morning, millions of Americans rely on their cars to carry them safely to work; most, make the journey alive. Drivers today not only have to deal with the road problems of the past like narrow highways, crumbled streets, and wheel-deep potholes, but we must also deal with the effects of a constant growing number of drivers on the road.. Unfortunately, countless lives have been lost on the roads due to people driving too fast, in cars that can’t stand up to today’s road conditions. These caffeine driven speed freaks, w eaving their little toy cars, in and out of traffic, during the morning commute, need to find somewhere else to wreck their cars because other people have jobs to be at. As much as people like defending their supped up Scions and Mini Coopers and enjoy blaming accidents and other traffic related issues on other factors, such as poor roads or careless driving, the fact is that cars are no longer a typical, safe means of transportation. Roads are too expensive to be re-surfaced every time a tree root springs up the asphalt, or whenever a few potholes break out. Today, we Americans need a dependable vehicle that is capable of safely transporting us through the rugged roads and highway trails. These vehicles would be big enough to provide ample space for passenger seating and cargo storage, and would feature an expanding pop out room, that could be used as a kitchen, office or lounge. The giant sized truck would enable drivers to safely travel through the roughest and most severe road conditions, even through trails un paved. This â€Å"Monster 4 x 4" would not only provide a greater level of convenience and safety for the drivers, it would produce the well needed funds to support struggling businesses and industries, such as US car manufacturers, the oil industry, and the US Government. While we can’t control how people drive, we can control what they drive. By restricting all cars, mini vans and small trucks from being used on city streets and highways, Americans would have no choice but to purchase a giant 4x4.

The Last Turn of the Crew: A “Battle” between the Governess and Miles E

Henry James’ the Turn of the Screw, written in the Victoria era, tells a ghost story of a governess’s experience with two children in the house. By presenting the story in a symbolic way, the ambiguous narrative of the ghost story suggests an inner conflict of immorality and innocence in the governess. It also seems to imply a loss of insanity and a tragedy as a result of the oppression of desire. This paper will argue that chapter 23 is the most crucial part of the story, because it is the first moment the Governess found the weakness of the ghosts and has a real confrontation with the ghost indirectly through Miles. Miles’ suggestion of going out drives her to the wall, which leads to the tragic end that the only way for governess to protect Miles is to hold him in her, even it is too tight to kill him. The paper will first analyze important scenes in chapter 23. Then it will reveal the symbolic meanings and the latent conflicts in the story, which is signific ant to their â€Å"battle† in chapter 23 and the ending. Before chapter 23, Flora is finally â€Å"corrupted† by Miss Jessel as the governess perceives, which signifies a failure of the governess to protect the children. The sudden change not only leaves the governess faces Miles alone, but also forces the governess to make a resolution. The governess realizes that the situation is â€Å"demanding [†¦] only another turn of the screw† (79). And the final turn of the screw which push her into an extremely â€Å"unusual direction† (79) takes place in chapter 23. The chapter starts with a vague dialogue between governess and Miles who are left alone. The governess first denies that they are not absolutely alone, implying the existence of the ghosts. However, Miles seems to accept that by answer... ...riumph, Miles breaks that by asking for going out, which breaks her last nerve and sanity. The only thing the governess can do to defense her power and her innocence is to hold Miles tightly till his death so that â€Å"[Quint] has lost [Miles] forever† (87). In conclusion, since the governess perceives the fight between the ghosts and her represents her inner fight of immoral and moral, the confrontation in chapter 23 is the last turn of the screw as the governess finally discovers the weakness of the ghost and it is the last chance for her to win. Mile’s request starts a quiet â€Å"fight† between them and drives the whole story to an extreme direction that the governess at last loses her sanity with an excessive protection that kills Miles. The story thus seems to imply an insanity and tragedy as a result of oppressed desire and sexuality in the special period of time.

George Walker Bush Leadership Style Essay

Barbara and George H. W. Bush are the parents of the 43rd president of the United Sates, George W. Bush. The two were married on January 6th, 1945 and it was said that they experienced love at first sight when meeting. George Bush Sr. was 17 when married, and Barbara was 16. The two have lived in 29 homes located in 17 cities, and is the first presidential couple to reach 60 years of marriage. Barbara’s background includes working a summer job sorting nuts and bolts during World War II as well as working at the Yale Coup while her husband was attending the college, and until her first child was born. She is the second woman in history to have both a son and husband serve as president of the United States. George H. W. Bush served as the 41st president, as well as numerous other positions within our government. Some of these include vice-president to Ronald Reagan, director of the CIA, congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, and chairman of the Republican National Committee. Besides these governmental positions he was also a pilot in the navy as well as an oil businessman in Texas. George Walker Bush was born on July 6, 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut. He was the oldest of his five other siblings: Pauline (Robin), John Ellis (Jeb), Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy (Doro). George’s sister Robin died at the age of three from leukemia when George was only seven years old. His brother Jeb would also go on to become the 43rd governor of Florida. In 1948, George Sr. and Barbara moved the family to Midland, Texas, where H. W. would make his fortune in the oil business. George attended private school in Massachusetts where he was a great athlete in baseball, football, and basketball. He was good in school, but was also known for being a bit of a troublemaker. He went on to be accepted to Yale University where he was the president of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, played rugby, and was a member of the secretive Skull and Bones society. Two weeks before graduation George enlisted in the Texas National Guard. Although there is a lot of speculation as to whether or not he completely fulfilled his duty, he was honorably discharged in 1974. In 1977, Bush met Laura Welch and married her after only three months. The couple has two children together, twins Jenna and Barbara. Family is huge to George, and he attributes Laura for stabilizing his life and helping him to give up alcohol in 1986. As for George W. Bush’s leadership style, many things through his life have affected how he chooses to lead. In 1978 he lost in an election for a House of Representatives seat in Texas, which helped him to humble himself and realize that things would not be given to him just because of his father. He helped with his father’s presidential campaign in the year 1988, and this helped him to learn the ins and outs of campaigns as well as doing the dirty work required of such a position. After this, George bought a share of the Texas Rangers baseball team and served as managing general partner for five years, where he learned how a business works and runs. He became governor of Texas in 1995 and served until 2000, when he won the presidential election on the republican ticket. He served two terms as president, and dealt with disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and September 11th. George has been quoted speaking about Katrina saying, â€Å"Throughout the area hit by the hurricane, we will do what it takes, we will stay as long as it takes, go help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives†. George W. Bush’s leadership style can be described as problem solver, delegator, decisive, visionary, and composed. He was a problem solver because he believed that getting problems solved right when they needed to be was key, and did not push them off until the next person came around to fix it. As for delegator, Bush was good at knowing when it was his place to get something done, or when he should let someone else take over the job for him. George was a decisive leader in that he made tough decisions throughout his presidency, but always did what he believed was best for our country. Visionary is one way to describe his leadership style seeing as he had a clear vision set out at the beginning of his presidency for how he wanted our country to run, and this is something that he is known quite well for. Lastly, during Bush’s presidency he had to lead our country through two terrible incidents. Through all of this, he was able to maintain his composure and remain an effective leader through tough times, which shows his composure as a leader. One of the things that George W. Bush is most well known for would be his speech that he gave at the sight of ground zero a few days after 9/11. I can hear you; the rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked down these buildings will hear all of us soon. † I believe that this quote from him helps to show all of the different leadership styles that he exhibited throughout his stint as governor of Texas as well as president of the United States. Nowadays, you can find George spending time with his wife Barbara on his ranch in Texas. He recently wrote his book, â€Å"Decision Points† and had a library put up in his name on the Southern Methodist University in the great state of Texas.

Guidelines for Using Abbreviations in Formal Writing

Guidelines for Using Abbreviations in Formal Writing Provided they are not obscure to the reader, abbreviations communicate more with fewer letters. Writers have only to ensure that the abbreviations they use are too well known to need any introduction, or that they are introduced and explained on their first appearance. - From The Cambridge Guide to English Usage by Pam Peters Despite what you may have heard in school, abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms are commonly used in formal writing (though youll find them more frequently in business and the sciences than in the humanities). Exactly how they should be used depends on your audience, the country youre living in (British and American conventions differ), and the particular style guide youre following. 10 Tips for Using Abbreviations Correctly Using Indefinite Articles Before Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Initialisms: The choice between a and an is determined by the sound of the first letter in the abbreviation. Use a before a consonant sound (for example, a CBC documentary or a U.S. official). Use an before a vowel sound (an ABC documentary or an MRI).Placing a Period at the End of an Abbreviation: In American usage, an abbreviation that includes the first and last letters of a single word (Doctor, for example) is usually followed by a period (Dr.), while In British usage, the period (or full stop) is usually omitted (Dr).Abbreviating the Titles of Doctors: For medical doctors, write either Dr. Jan Jones or Jan Jones, M.D. (Dont write Dr. Jan Jones, M.D.) For nonmedical doctors, write Dr. Sam Smith or Sam Smith, Ph.D. (Dont write Dr. Sam Smith, Ph.D.)Using Common Abbreviations: Certain abbreviations are never spelled out: a.m., p.m., B.C. (or B.C.E.), A.D. (or C.E.). Unless your style guide says otherwise, use lower case o r small capitals for a.m. and p.m. Use capital letters or small caps for B.C. and A.D. (the periods are optional). Traditionally, B.C. comes after the year and A.D. comes before it, but nowadays the abbreviation commonly follows the year in both instances. Abbreviating Months and Days: If the month is preceded or followed by a numeral (14 Aug. or Aug. 14), abbreviate months as follows: Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., Aug., Sep. (or Sept.), Oct., Nov., Dec. Dont abbreviate May, June, or July. As a general rule, dont abbreviate the month if it appears alone or with just the year- and dont abbreviate the days of the week unless they appear in charts, tables, or slides.Using the Abbreviation Etc.: The Latin abbreviation etc. (short for et cetera) means and others. Never write and etc. Do not use etc. at the end of a list introduced by such as or including.Placing a Period After Each Letter in an Acronym or an Initialism: Though there are exceptions, as a general rule omit the periods: NATO, DVD, IBM.Punctuating an Abbreviation at the End of a Sentence: Use a single period when an abbreviation appears at the end of a sentence. The single period does double duty- marking the abbreviation and closing the sentence.Avoid RAS Syndrome: RAS syndrome is a humorous initialism for Redundant Acronym (or Abbreviation) Syndrome syndrome. Avoid redundant expressions such as ATM machine and BBC corporation. Avoid Alphabet Soup: Alphabet soup (a.k.a. initialese) is a metaphor for using an overabundance of abbreviations and acronyms. If youre unsure whether the meaning of an abbreviation is familiar to your readers, write out the entire word.

Chipco †Chips Klein Biography

Chipco – Chips Klein Biography Free Online Research Papers As a professional flamenco dancer Chips Klein had to apply a lot of make-up and false eyelashes daily, a process which was long and tedious. When she left her dancing career behind and started working in the cosmetics industry (doing makeovers for customers) she immediately realized that it was much easier to apply make-up to someone else than to herself. The problem was that a regular mirror didn’t allow women to see their face as a 3D object while applying their own make-up. Chips searched for a product that would do just that and when she couldn’t find one, she invented her own. Named an â€Å"Eye Maker† it was 3-way mirror that allowed the view of both upper and lower eyelids, thereby making the application of make-up much easier. This was a very simple and ingenious idea. However, when Chips Klein tried to bring her product to market she was faced with many challenges. While she managed to sell almost 4,000 units of the â€Å"Eye Maker† in just a few months, she did not receive a single reorder, which meant that the end consumers were not buying her product. While I agree with the evaluation report from the Canadian Industrial Innovation Center Design which suggests that the market for such a mirror is quite small, I still believe that there is potential to sell a lot more of this product. In order to successfully sell her â€Å"Eye Maker† Chips Klein, first of all, needs to develop her Marketing Plan. She should really concentrate on each of the 4 Ps of successful marketing mix: product, price, place and promotion. In my opinion, one of the main reasons for the low sales volume was the poor design of the product. As it was mentioned in the evaluation report â€Å"design should be as aesthetically pleasing as possible†. Therefore, Chips Klein should follow the advice from that report and hire an industrial engineer who will design an attractive and functional product. Due to the fact that † The Eye Maker† is a new innovative product, the packaging of the product is also very important. It should not only be visually appealing but it should also highlight the benefits of the â€Å"Eye Maker† to the consumer, explaining why they should buy it. Designing the product and packaging is of paramount importance; until this is done Chips Klein s houldn’t even try to approach anyone for financing. Secondly, Chips shouldn’t be limiting her company to have only one sales agent; she should expand her distribution network across Canada and United States. Therefore, I think Chips made a mistake by giving Fred Becker the exclusive rights to Canadian market for such a long period of time. No matter how good a salesman Fred Becker might be, one person is just not enough. I believe that she should try to renegotiate the contract for next year. Chips should also explore the possibility of selling her mirror at the specialty stores that sell theatrical make-up and accessories. I think â€Å"The Eye Maker† will be much more popular with these consumers, who can really appreciate the benefits that a three-dimensional mirror provides. Another concern was the fact that sales of the mirrors dropped dramatically after the New Year. This is most likely because â€Å"The Eye Maker† is a seasonal product. While it makes an original and inexpensive Christmas gift, few women will actually buy this product for themselves throughout the rest of the year, especially since they are not aware that such product exists. Therefore, Chipco should not have its own production. Instead production should be outsourced to a third party. It does not make sense to pay for the overhead if the company will not be operating at full capacity throughout the year. The best course of action for Chips Klein, of course, would be to license the â€Å"Eye Maker† in return for a royalty fee to a big cosmetics company such as Max Factor or Revlon which will take care of the production, distribution, promotion and retailing. Research Papers on Chipco - Chips Klein BiographyMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Project Managment Office SystemAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaDefinition of Export QuotasOpen Architechture a white paperTwilight of the UAWIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalCapital Punishment

75 Synonyms for Talk

75 Synonyms for Talk 75 Synonyms for â€Å"Talk† 75 Synonyms for â€Å"Talk† By Mark Nichol Talk, talk, talk it’s all the same. Or is it? There are many ways to talk, and each has its own word (or words) for it. Here’s a noncomprehensive roster of many synonyms for the noun and verb forms of talk (I had to stop somewhere): 1. Babble: enthusiastic or excessive talk, or meaningless sounds or nonsense words; to talk in this manner 2. Back talk: a disrespectful response; to respond disrespectfully 3. Backchat: see back talk, badinage, and gossip 4. Badinage: light, witty talk 5. Banter: see badinage, with a connotation of good-natured teasing or arguing; to engage in such talk 6. Barb: a hurtful and/or critical comment 7. Blandish: see cajole 8. Blandishments: see cajolery/cajolement 9. Blarney: nonsensical talk 10. Bluster: boastful or threatening talk; to speak boastfully or threateningly 11. Cackle: see chatter (verb only) 12. Cajole: to persuade with soothing or flattering remarks 13-14. Cajolery/cajolement: talk with the intent to persuade 15. Causerie: see chat (noun only) 16. Chaff: see badinage; also, to tease good-naturedly 17. Chat: an idle or inconsequential conversation; to engage in such talk 18. Chatter: quick, extensive, and/or aimless talk; to talk in such a manner 19. Chin music: see chat (noun only) 20. Chinwag: informal talking; to talk informally 21. Chitchat: see badinage 22. Circumlocution: evasive or verbose talk 23. Comment: an opinion or observation; to say something of this type 24. Confab: see chat (also, a formal meeting) 25. Confabulation: see chat and confab (also, something made up) 26. Confer: to exchange opinions or seek advice 27. Conference: a meeting, or an event consisting of presentations and/or meetings 28. Confess: to admit to a thought or action considered improper or shameful 29. Conversation: a talk between or among two or more people 30. Converse: to speak back and forth with one or more people 31. Crack: an uncomplimentary comment; also, to quickly say something, as when spontaneously telling a joke pertinent to a situation 32. Dig: see crack 33. Discuss: to engage in serious talk 34. Discussion: a serious talk 35. Dish: see gossip 36. Double-talk: intentionally confusing or ambiguous language, or talk that is at least partially meaningless; to engage in such talk 37. Fast-talk: to persuade or influence by deceptively authoritative and/or flattering speech 38. Flibbertigibbet: see gossip 39. Gab: see chatter 40. Gabfest: talking consisting of gab 41. Give-and-take: an exchange of ideas or comments 42. Gossip: see chat, with an additional connotation of talk or talking about the personal lives of one or more other people (also, someone who engages in such talk) 43. Jangle: see chat 44. Jaw: see chat 45. Jest: a humorous or mocking statement; to make such a statement 46. Natter: see chat 47. Negotiate: to talk in order to reach an agreement 48. Negotiation: a talk in which the speakers seek to reach an agreement 49. Palaver: a discussion or conference, especially one between unequal participants, or deceptive speech, or see chat; to talk idly, try to persuade or deceive, or come to terms 50. Parley: see confer, with the possible connotation of talk between antagonists to agree to terms to cease hostilities; to engage in such talk 51. Patter: quick or monotonous speech, as in delivering a humorous speech or in rote delivery of prayers; to speak in this manner 52. Pillow talk: romantic talk, such as would be engaged in while the speakers are in bed 53. Pleasantry: polite, inconsequential talk, or see banter and jest (nouns only) 54. Quip: a spontaneous observation or response; to say something of this type 55. Raillery: see banter and jest 56. Rap: see chat and patter 57-58. Recital/recitation: public delivery of read or memorized material, or of details or answers 59. Recite: to deliver read or memorized material, or details or answers 60. Remark: a statement of judgment or opinion, or a reference to something notable; to comment in this manner 61. Repartee: an exchange of clever, witty statements, a single such response, or skill in talking in this manner 62. Schmooze: see chat, with the connotation of one conducted so as to gain personal or professional advantage; to talk in this manner 63. Small talk: see badinage 64. Spit: to talk about things or opinions a listener disagrees with or disapproves of 65. Straight talk: frank, straightforward talk 66. Sweet nothings: flattering talk intended to charm a potential or existing romantic partner 67. Sweet talk: talk intended to persuade, or to endear oneself to the speaker; to engage in this kind of talk (the verb form is hyphenated) 68. Table talk: informal talking such as that heard during a dinner party 69. Tete-a-tete: an intimate or private talk 70. Waggery: see banter and jest 71. Wisecrack: a clever or sarcastic comment; to make such a comment 72. Wordplay: witty, playful talk 73. Yack: to talk at length 74. Yammer: to talk relentlessly, or to complain 75. Yap: excessive talk (also, slang for mouth) I’ll follow up with a list of more elaborate idioms about talk and talking like â€Å"shoot the breeze,† but let me (and other site visitors) known which synonyms I missed. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 7 Tips for Writing a Film ReviewDrama vs. Melodrama

Qatar Airways Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Qatar Airways - Research Paper Example Along with that companies differentiated their services based on the consumer demographics and marketing mix. This also helped in changing the overall perspectives for the airlines industry in Qatar. According to the IATA (2010) report, the growth of Middle East airlines industry was more than 10% by the end of June 2009 which was one of the fastest growth rates in the global airlines industry. Some of the reasons of the better performance of the Middle East airlines are their customer focused approach, competitive services that is helping them increasing the customer base. The reduction of prices of premium and luxury services has helped in increase demand of this segment. Some companies have established their names for the high standard services among their customers and competitors. Emirates and Qatar airlines are leading in this area to provide high benchmarking standards for the other competitors. Qatar Airways was established in the year 1993 and started its operations in 1994. The first flight of this airline was 737-200. By the year 2003, the company had 35 aircraft that covered 52 destinations. In the year 2005 the number of aircrafts increased to 52 and by 2010 it is 71 aircrafts. The destinations covered increased to 60 in the year 2005 and 84 in the present scenario. The numbers of people using the Qatar Airways services are more than 120, 000, 000. The company has home offices across the 90 countries in the world including Al-Maha Tower in Qatar (See Appendix Route Map). The organisation has a strong team of 664 pilots. These include 67 Qataris pilots and 80 pilots under training. The current fleet size of 71 aircraft includes 8 B-777-300ERs, 2 B-777-200LRs and others such as A300, A320, A340, A321. Qatar Airways has ongoing orders for 200 more aircrafts and has expansion plan of 110 aircrafts by the year 2013. On Order Fleet are 5 A380, 26 B-777, 60 B-787 and 80 A-350. It is expected that five of the

Business Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Business Report - Essay Example These recommendations have focused on the marketing strategy of the business, where correct advertising and marketing have to be done. This is to make sure that all target customers are gaining access to this information. The other recommendation is on the competences of the management and staff, where proper training should be carried out, as well as, proper scrutiny of their skills before recruitment. The report also presents information on customer relations and job satisfaction of the employees. Table of content 1.0 Executive summary 2.0 Introduction 3.0 Marketing strategies 4.0 Internal and external environment 5.0 Training and orientation 6.0 Products and brands 7.0 Pricing decisions 8.0 Recommendations 9.0 References Introduction The brand product mix is done in light of four business tools which include price, product, promotion, and place (Onkvisit, 2008). When these four tools are properly utilized and proper balance struck among them, it ultimately leads to success of the business. Sheraton hotels has great prospects for continued growth, and on that base, this report has explained on the steps to be undertaken for these hotels to continue attracting, retaining and maintaining competitive advantage. It also goes further to advice on the management styles and the overall welfare of the employees. Marketing strategies According to Hawkins (2004), marketing strategies should be done in line with the changing culture, lifestyle, demographic factors and technological advances. The strategies adopted should be dynamic given that, the world is constantly changing hence the need to keep them up to date with current trends. It was identified that the technological advancement has changed ways in which customers used to be reached. Before embarking on the choice of the method to use in reaching out to customers, one has to consider different strategies, isolate those that are most efficient, and avoid those that may utilize the hotels money without adding any impact into the business. The advertising and marketing, in this case, should be directed more on the use of modern advertising methods that are worldwide and popular to many people. It has been noted that Sheraton hotels targets tourists from abroad, upper class customers and, large businesses that seek to hold conferences and meetings. This, therefore, calls for marketing strategies that will reach out to these customers (Onkvisit, 2008). Internet marketing is the most popular form of technology in the modern society, and takes place in three facets which include web marketing which take the form of websites and online advertising, mobile marketing, and social marketing. Due to advances in technology, most tourists search for accommodation and places of visit before their departure. The conference rooms are also booked in advance by the secretaries via the internet. With this in mind, the business should focus on opening up a website which is accessible 24 hours, and has the capac ity to offer these basic customer needs, as well as, availing the required information to customers. Internal and External environment Sheraton hotels have a competitive advantage over their competitors. The hotels are located strategically in the main cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, and others making them easily accessible. The hotels have a high reputation abroad and have established networks with American express and three different airlines. The hotels are also stimulated by increased

Compare The Story of an Hour and Shiloh Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compare The Story of an Hour and Shiloh - Essay Example Mallard, Norma Jean’s behavior in Shiloh is observed and reflected by her husband representing a totally different perspective on the issue. This essay will argue that the combination of female point of view represented by Chopin and male point of view from Shiloh allows seeing the full picture of traditional patriarchal family relationships. Mrs. Mallard, the main character of The Story of an Hour, perceived the news about her husband’s death with tears. However, the picture changes quickly when she goes to her room and reflects on her feelings. First she experiences emptiness and indifference; step by step she recognizes her real feelings in her heart. She finds herself full of â€Å"monstrous joy† and feeling of freedom; she perceives the death of her husband as a relief from her unhappy marriage where she was supposed to sacrifice her life and interests for the sake of her husband (Chopin). Mrs. Mallard does not see any positive sides in her marriage; she even does not know whether she loved her husband of not. Sitting in her armchair, she prepares to start her life from scratch. There are hints in description of the settings that Mrs. Mallard is not going to mourn. On the contrary, everything looks pleasant and even joyful. Ironic title of the story indicates that she does not have much time for the transformation. In an hour, her husband comes back home. Unwilling to get back to old life and shocked by this sudden coming back, Mrs. Mallard dies either because of her â€Å"hear trouble† or, as it is said by the doctor, â€Å"the joy that kills† (Chopin). Alongside with this inner transformation of the main character, Mr. Mallard is not visible in the story. As a result, the story shows only one side of the coin. The other side of this coin is fully represented in Shiloh by Bobbie Ann Mason. The story is narrated from the point of view of Leroy Moffitt, a former truck driver, who spends all days and night at home after a serious road incident. Leroy

Prophecy in Eveline by James Joyce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prophecy in Eveline by James Joyce - Essay Example This may be a prophetic utterance that signals the inability that Eveline displays in following her decision through to its very end. She is unable to take a strong and firm decision as to whether she wants to leave with Frank or stay on with her family. This inability to take a firm decision is then indicative of the modernist inertia that anticipates a painful end to any enterprise that would provide one with happiness. Happiness is then looked upon as a manifestation of meaning that would not be possible according to the modernist ethos. This would be an expression of the ultimate fate that befalls Eveline. Happiness for her is only something that lies in the anticipation. Even this is tinged with pain and the completion of pain is what eventually results. This impossibility of happiness is what the author is highlighting through the prophetic nature of the dialogue that Eveline’s mother utters. The nature of the dialogue also then needs to be analyzed and looked into. The dialogue has been a source of constant bafflement to critics through the ages. The language, which is most probably Irish, is one that Joyce frequently refers to. This is because of the fact that Ireland at this point of time was colonized by England and its language had, as a result, suffered a great deal. Joyce’s articulation is pessimistic in anticipating and conflating the fates of both the language and the protagonist of the story, Eveline. The language and the fact that many would not be able to understand its literal meaning, let alone the connotations of it, also points to the fact that the end the story would not offer an easy resolution. The resolution then is something that is foretold and in this prophecy of doom, there is a great deal of pessimism that Joyce is trying to articulate. This articulation then becomes one that indicates the modernist predicament- one that recognizes the inad equacy of language but still attempts to convey meaning through it. The story â€Å"Eveline† is a part of the collection Dubliners.

Pret Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pret - Essay Example Currently, there lies the presence of 295 shops of the company in the world and the majority of them are located in the United Kingdom. The annual turnover of the company is approximately 380 million Pounds (Pret A Manger, 2012). The company formed 22 new stores or shops in the year 2011 and is likely to open more 20 to 30 stores in the year 2012. It does not possess any franchisee while performing its business operations. Moreover, the company bears a strong custom in order to develop its working personnel. In this context, it desires to invest profoundly towards the advancement of its employees by a considerable level (Pret A Manger, 2012). In the paper, a complete analysis about the various major difficulties faced by Pret A Manger that include particularly the supply as well as the demand issues will be taken into concern. Furthermore, few business strategies have been provided in order to assist the company to overcome the major problems related to supply and demand issues while performing its business operations. Impact of Demand and Supply Factor in Business Organisations The factors of supply along with demand are observed to be one of the most influential factors, which affect the business working as well as performance of any organisation. The aspect of demand is described as the willpower and the capability of the customers to buy a specific product and the notion of supply is defined as the capability of the business to deliver the various products to the customers according to their demand. In relation to the restaurant industry, the commencement of Great Recession imposed a severe as well as a sudden impact upon the business performances along with sales of the restaurants. In this regard, it has been observed that before the start of the Great Recession, the major factors that include easy financing and presence of market participants ultimately fuelled towards raising the number of new restaurants, which resulted in maximum supply which exceeded the demand (Petev & et. al., 2011). Problems for Pret A Manger One of the major problems, which had been faced by Pret A Manger in recent times, is about the investigation made over its frozen chicken, which the company used in its food labelling. It has been observed that the frozen chicken which was utilised by the company was actually shipped from Brazil. However, this aspect was not properly communicated through the labelling of the product. In response, the co-founder of the company, Pret A Manger named Julian Metcalfe stated that the sandwiches of his company are made with fresh products and the company always concentrates upon making the products with preservative free ingredients. He also added that unlike his business market competitors, his company makes sandwiches daily and they are never kept overnight. Thus, it can be stated that the company faced a major problem in relation to sustainability issue that has been recognised in its frozen chicken labelled fresh products (Telegraph Media Group Limited, 2012). The other significant issue that had been faced by Pret A Manager is about the complaint against one of its products i.e. tomato soup which contained huge quantity of salt that might lead towards the diseases of high blood pressure and hypertension. This particular issue has ultimately affected the commitment that has been made by the company in order to deliver fresh as well as natural food to its valued customers (Mail Online, 2012). Furthermore, the company might face

Prophecy in Eveline by James Joyce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prophecy in Eveline by James Joyce - Essay Example This may be a prophetic utterance that signals the inability that Eveline displays in following her decision through to its very end. She is unable to take a strong and firm decision as to whether she wants to leave with Frank or stay on with her family. This inability to take a firm decision is then indicative of the modernist inertia that anticipates a painful end to any enterprise that would provide one with happiness. Happiness is then looked upon as a manifestation of meaning that would not be possible according to the modernist ethos. This would be an expression of the ultimate fate that befalls Eveline. Happiness for her is only something that lies in the anticipation. Even this is tinged with pain and the completion of pain is what eventually results. This impossibility of happiness is what the author is highlighting through the prophetic nature of the dialogue that Eveline’s mother utters. The nature of the dialogue also then needs to be analyzed and looked into. The dialogue has been a source of constant bafflement to critics through the ages. The language, which is most probably Irish, is one that Joyce frequently refers to. This is because of the fact that Ireland at this point of time was colonized by England and its language had, as a result, suffered a great deal. Joyce’s articulation is pessimistic in anticipating and conflating the fates of both the language and the protagonist of the story, Eveline. The language and the fact that many would not be able to understand its literal meaning, let alone the connotations of it, also points to the fact that the end the story would not offer an easy resolution. The resolution then is something that is foretold and in this prophecy of doom, there is a great deal of pessimism that Joyce is trying to articulate. This articulation then becomes one that indicates the modernist predicament- one that recognizes the inad equacy of language but still attempts to convey meaning through it. The story â€Å"Eveline† is a part of the collection Dubliners.

MIH548 - Theory Based Research - Mod 1 Case Assignment Essay

MIH548 - Theory Based Research - Mod 1 Case Assignment - Essay Example This is principally arrived at through deductive and inductive logic and parsimony within the limits and domains of science and related rational presuppositions. It is to be remembered that experiments and observations generate data, and in some point there would be a need for interaction between data and theory, which leads the methodology beyond the realm of deductive rationality to collection of data and their interpretation in such a manner that the whole affair can be replicated (Wilson 1952). John Snow is famous as an epidemiologist who first demonstrated conclusively that cholera is actually caused by microorganisms, and he deductively established that these organisms affect the human beings through transmission by food or water. His epidemiologic work is now considered as the classic reference of modern epidemiology and has been termed by Frost to be a â€Å"nearly perfect model† (Morabia 2001). Snow’s work on cholera epidemic in London would not have been possible without the scientific disease surveillance methodologies enacted by Farr, which indicated the importance of water supply in South London. Based on the data collected by Farr, Snow could reach a conclusion about the causation of cholera epidemics in London. Based on the distribution of mortality data from cholera, it was possible for him to locate the households that were getting comparatively cleaner water and hence lesser incidence of the disease and related death rates (Morabia 2001). The necessity of a controlled experiment in order to implicate the water supply in the London cholera epidemic in 1848-1849 was understood by both, but Snow got an intellectual leap from the data collected by Farr, through the simple method of grouping the households based on a definition of exposure to the causative agent. Despite the thought of controlled experiment

Americas Vision Essay Example for Free

Americas Vision Essay Fame, wealth, freedom, and success. Every person desires a life where riches, glory, or freedom surround them. Numerous people consider this dream the American dream, however, is it truly possible to achieve? Even those various immigrants who travel a great distance to come to America to live their own American dream shortly become intemperate people. The idea of the American dream is not attainable because people in general are exceedingly paradoxical and are constantly left yearning for more in a variety of ways. In the heartfelt story America and Americans, Is the American Dream Even Possible, by John Steinbeck, he wrote, One of the generalities often noted about the Americans is that we are restless, a dissatisfied, a searching people (Steinbeck 1). I feel that Steinbeck conveys a great deal of truth about Americans and how we live our lives. We all aspire to have something and once we acquire it we become discontent and strive to have more. For instance, a man works his whole life to become someone or something he truly is not and once he gets there he realizes that he wants more and longs to become more. In truth we all do what we want to and are searching for the greatest, but nothing ever seems to be good enough in our dissatisfied lives. Immigrants from all over the world arrive in America to pursue their own American dream. Whether they come for religious freedom, education, or just to obtain better lives, they quickly strive for more and more even though they have accomplished their intended goals. After residing in America for years they overlook the ways of their homeland customs and become drawn to the lives of Americans even when it is in opposition to their original traditions. In numerous ways they somewhat become brainwashed by Americans who live their lives not in reality but in idealism, and they attempt to live their life like them as well. However, once they return to their homelands after believing they have obtained their goals, they cannot figure out why their families and friends no longer wish to speak to them. They have altered and become intemperate people resembling us Americans and have brought back terrible habits and ways to their homelands that their people have despised in their customs for several years. Americans are truly paradoxical people who say one thing and do another. We  are constantly contradicting ourselves and others and cannot comprehend why we are so unhappy. We make every effort to achieve happiness but nothing ever seems to be good enough. John Steinbeck expresses that our priorities are extremely wrong in this quote, Americans are remarkably kind and hospitable and open with both guests and strangers; yet they will make a wide circle around the man dying on the pavement. Fortunes are spent getting cats out of trees and dogs out of sewer pipes; but a girl screaming for help in the street draws only slammed doors, closed widows, and silence (Steinbeck 1). Steinbeck puts across a serious point and I boldly agree that we Americans have our priorities twisted around. Ultimately, Americans have a large number of adjustments they will have to carry out before they will ever be able to achieve their American dream and be content. We are so full of dissatisfaction and failure to stick with our goals. We tread on friends and family who get in the way of our so called American dream, and after we believe we have attained it we are not sure as to why we are so miserable. If Americans can take that further step to transform, the American dream may become possible. However, until then the American dream will merely be an idea, not a possibility. Works Cited: 1. Steinbeck, John. America and Americans, Is the American dream even possible.

Development And Implementation Of Business Strategy Marketing Essay

Development And Implementation Of Business Strategy Marketing Essay The purpose of this paper is to critically discuss the strategic methods Bavarian Motor Works (BMW Group) applied to become one of the major leading automobile brand today. With reference of BMW automobiles Case Study by Mr. Valeriano Lencioni, I will further examine what happened with the company, what are the different business strategy approaches the company could use to overpower the high competition in the automobile industry, and what is in the future for the company. Like any other business companies, BMW went through rough time when they continuously keep on losing their market share and with the presence of tight competition, everything would have been unsuccessful. With the use of business strategies, BMW was able to determine what went wrong and what they could do to survive the pressure in the industry. Organisations in a similar environment are not identical but have different capabilities. BMW has strategic advantages that sets them apart from its competitors. BMWs resources and competences developed over years for the company to survive and grow. Every company needs a foundation to continuously keep up with its changing environment and with competition. Presently, BMW is a multi-billion company that manufactures several of the best-known cars in the market. BMW has gone way far ahead from its competitors even with the pressure from competition and still manage to survive and even growing and expanding globally. What are these business strategies BMW applied all these years to get there on top? How did the company even manage to be one of the biggest car manufacturers in the present time knowing the company went bankrupt in the year 1961? What is happening in the automobile industry and what is the position of BMW in the competition? Will it still manage to survive in the future? What are the challenges in store for the company for the next 10 years? BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT AND MAIN TRENDS IN 2004 The global car market started decline in 2003, led by the drop in the market in North America and Western Europe. Other regions of the world led by East Asia are seeing further car market expansion in 2003. In 2004, projections for livelier economic growth strengthen the continuation of car market growth in Western Europe and North America. Although how laws can get stricter and how badly it can affect the companies earnings, it also develop new technologies and markets. Another major external factor affecting the current situation of BMW is that industry structure is becoming more intense. BMW is a business which could face problems in the future if it doesnt take into consideration strategic alliances. Although, the problem was that the economy in North America and Western Europe has been affected by the overcapacity in the automobile industry. It became a global economic instability as consumers from the said part of the world decided to reduce spending on non essential goods. There was lower car demand and so, sales was automatically affected. The automobile industry is becoming more and more competitive, with 6 major groups which have recently formed. Car manufacturing presently is largely affected by external social and environmental pressures, which influence both current production practices and the development of future products and technologies. Environmental standards are mostly set by government regulation and even associations within the automobile industry. These acts aim to as anti-emission laws get stricter every year, and companies look to double or triple their fuel efficiency, alternative technologies are being developed to replace the traditional gasoline engines, and have started to hit the market. Increased fuel-economy and decreasing vehicle weight are gradual changes that slowly improve automobile performance; disruptive technologies include new fuel sources such as electricity, solar energy, and fuel cells. Please refer to Appendix III: UK car production in Year 2003. Within the automobile industry, it had too many difficulties and the players in this field have experienced the troubles of surviving. The change is needed as equity prices drops and geopolitical tensions arised, including the related threat to oil prices, all having a negative impact on the economy. Increasing the safety standards for automobiles also mean that nowadays cars take longer time to be developed and manufacturers should now focus on pre-marketing activities, making cars look more desirable to consumers due to their safety. Competitive forces determine the market power of competitors, the kind of competition they engage in, the factors that give some of them a competitive advantage, and the attractiveness of that market compared to others. BMW GROUP Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft (BMW) or Bavarian Motor Works is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1917. The BMW Group is now one of the ten largest car manufacturers in the world and, with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands, possesses three of the strongest premium brands in the car industry. The group also has a strong market position in the motorcycle sector and operates a successful financial services business. The company aims to generate profitable growth and above-average returns by focusing on the premium segments of the international automobile markets. With this in mind, a wide-ranging product and market offensive was initiated in 2001, which has resulted in the BMW Group expanding its product range considerably and strengthening its worldwide market position. The companys brand is extremely strong and is associated with high performance, engineering excellence and innovation. Indeed, the BMW brand is often cited as on e of the best in the world, and the company continues to launch a stream of innovative products as part of its battle with German peer Mercedes to be the worlds largest luxury car maker. II. PESTEL Analysis for BMW; its impact and how these influenced its strategy Organisations, such as BMW, need to look into the macro environment in which they exist, as these factors will have an impact and influence upon their industry. The macro environment is broken up into six main categories forming the PESTEL analysis. Automobile manufacturers must identify and select the issues which are most important to their industry in order to conduct a valid external analysis. Political/ Legal Factors Trade barriers and restrictions, import tariffs and tax policies are critical factors to consider especially for global manufacturers as they can influence the pricing levels of their products in each market and affect the profitability of a company. Also, Environmental protection laws regarding the CO2 emissions; In 2007 the European Commission proposed binding rules to cut CO2 emissions on new cars to 130 gms/km and it shows Porsche whose cars have highest CO2 output fell 2% as a result and average BMW emissions drop to 170g/km. With the threat of legislation looming BMW has shown that even premium car makers can seriously reduce CO2, stated by Jos Dings, Transport and Environment Director. Please refer to Appendix IV: CO2 Emissions by Car Brand Economic Factors The overall economic health of the car industry will have a great effect on each of the industry players. Interest rates, exchange rates and the level of unemployment can also depress demand. Most importantly the level of consumers disposable income is a critical issue particularly for manufacturers such as BMW and Jaguar, who compete in the luxury car market, as an economic downturn can seriously damage sales and revenues. Socio-cultural Factors This is an important factor to consider especially with regard to the luxury car market such as BMW. The particular lifestyles of consumers determine which strategy the organisation should pursue in order to capture the needs of its market effectively. Levels of education also affect the industry, as a highly skilled labour force is required in order to produce high performance and excellently engineered cars. Other factors are the Population demographics, Income distribution, Social mobility, Attitudes to work and leisure and Environmental concern of the market. Technological With many organisations competing with one another innovation and technological developments can help differentiate the companys product. Years ago the level of technology that was available, limited and restricted the models and designs car manufacturers could produce. Nowadays, technology has significantly moved on and companies can deliver more and more to their customers resulting in fierce competition amongst industry players to stay ahead of the market and be the best. By incorporating the latest technology advancements, car producers can lead the market in this field and achieve a competitive advantage. Environmental Although not a major driving force, manufacturers must be aware of the advantages in producing cleaner cars as there is now greater emphasis on protecting the environment. BMW have taken this into consideration and launched their Hybrid model. The result is a reduction in fuel consumption by up to 20 per cent compared with a comparable BMW running on a combustion engine alone or it could be driven by electric power only, on the combustion engine alone, or with a combination of both power units. III. BMWs competitive advantage According to Mr Lencioni, the car market was already full of good quality cars and consumers found very few ways to distinguish between many of the available brands and models. Quality was no longer an issue in the industry since most models were well built and reliable. Design and Brand Appeal became the distinguishing elements and customers choice factors. Companies that had given attention to the look of their automobiles, even this strategy can only make small gains, rather than losing market share. With this realisation, Design became the biggest factor in the fight for market share, as this feature grabbed customers attention. And with this action, automobile companies had to hire the most talented car designers which leads to massive costs for the company as well as the car prices. Pursuing quality and appeal in design was putting pressure on companies resources, so was brand building and management. It had become clear that a brand identity was one of the most effective ways to be more competitive in an industry where more and more products came to the market. BMW brand which is the circular blue and white logo represents an aircraft propeller. As company grew, the emblem evolved as the white and blue colours of the flag of Bavaria. The logo has made it easier for people to remember and has given the company more recognition. The BMW logo represents power, stylish and elegance, thus making BMW much more competitive in the market. Please refer to Appendix V: BMW logo. Apart from brand and design, BMW has able to survive through developing strong customer knowledge, special levels of service and access to distribution channels. Another method we could clearly understand the competitive advantage of BMW is through its strength of five forces. Please refer to Appendix VI: The Five Forces that Shape Industry Competition. Threat of new entrants Analyse shows that threat for new entrants is low mainly due to huge capital and cutting-edge technology. Car industry is highly depended on their suppliers, because of advancement of technology and materials needed to build car. Even though all firms produce cars, no two firms are totally different and no two firms are exactly the same. Strategic group maps display different competitive positions that rival firms occupy. Based on Information contained in perceptual map it is easy to notice that more and more firms are going into all sort of alliances which help to offer more and more cheap cars. Additionally, there are many substitutes, but these decrease if the special features of material increase. Bargaining power of suppliers and buyers Overall suppliers are weak because they are spread all over the world and cannot easily integrate forward, however more and more companies move into close partnerships with suppliers, even by acquiring them in order to reduce costs and exclusivity. The buyer concentration ratio and information availability is high as well as ratio of firms producing cars, on the other hand the power of buyers is weak due to low demand for non-consumer goods- automobile, high switching costs and low ability to backward integrate. The threats of substitutes are moderately strong because there are many different and less expensive transportation facilities. On the other hand, intense rivalry is strong because the major players are dominant in the market by nearly same technology and manufacturing processes, suppliers relationship and distribution systems. The ease of differentiating cars and price based competition. BMW is looking at entering into alliances, joint ventures, partnerships as it is the safest way of securing a market share, product attractiveness and competitive prices. In a decision to purchase a BMW product or that of the competitor, an individual will be influenced by a group of people that he or she wants to join; people in a certain social class or in a certain income level. There are also three factors that affect the buyer behaviour that a marketer must consider; they are social, personal and psychological. It will therefore be highlighted how these factors affect the consumer behaviour and in turn how the consumer behaviour affects the buying decisions. Competitive rivalry within industry BMWs attractive product variations were a very good source of strength. BMW is having a repetition of building a driving machine that respond really good and enjoyably to their drivers commands whilst also providing the safety, style, quality, reliability, and durability that help make long term ownership. On the other hand BMWs factories are measured very supple and most dynamic in Germany utilising the latest technology in each phase of its value chain. All the above strengths and many others has places BMW in a good position with respect to the main strong competitors in terms of performance, features, dealer networks , foreign markets, for example Lexus, Mercedes-Benz or Cadillac where rivalry among these competitors increases when they compete globally in US car market, Europe and Eastern Europe and South-east Asia, but BMW strong brand is more costly to be switched especially for quality conscious customers which makes strong competitors. Please refer to Appendix VII: Global ve hicle production and financial performance 2005-2006. Threat of substitute products The global marketplace is in jeopardy by lower car demand in North America and Western Europe, both comparatively established car markets that have been badly impacted by high-energy prices and very less consumer response. The global automotive market is extremely competitive. Many large businesses operate on a worldwide scale. Competitors are constantly trying to find new technologies and markets to increase global market share. Recent years have seen globalisation and consolidation strategies increase by competitors resulting in competition intensifying. BMW faces strong competition worldwide in the luxury saloon market. Traditional competition, which has always been strong from Mercedes and Audi, has intensified with the emergence of Lexus as a major player, along came Fords new model, Lincoln. IV. The future challenges for BMW BMW has modernised model almost after every few months that might shift emphasis on getting a new model to market rather than focusing on issues that may develop with existing models, issues such as software, and mechanical problems. Reflecting this possibility, BMW stock shares have dropped 41% in year 2002 as it was relying too heavily on one model, the 1 Series to uphold its high edge. BMW also earning profits due to the strong sales of the loaded models of the Mini but need to diversify, or in other words not keep all their eggs in one basket. Although this can also be identified as strength it can also be a true weakness. Strong competition with the major players that BMW needs to look out for, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and even Cadillac. As an example, the Lexus RX300 SUV rivals the BMW X5; the Mercedes E-Class still outsells the BMW 5 Series worldwide; Audi 3, 6 and 8 Series compete directly with BMWs 3, 5 and 7 Series; Cadillac which has a whole new generation of models, leaving buyers with strong power in building preferences. The 1 series may weaken the BMW trademark with comparison to 7 Series buyers, the 1 Series models may be viewed as cheaper cars with less quality. It could also be viewed as a tactic for BMW to obtain higher sales volumes. V. The Global Business Environment A combination of strategic models and frameworks will be used to critically evaluate the competitive landscape of the car industry in order to identify the prevailing conditions in the wider environment and the dynamics of the industry that can ultimately impact and influence HONDA and BMW car manufacturers. Car industry represents oligopolistic type of market with differentiated product features, unrestricted but hard to force entry barriers, strong competition and few dominant firms that hold most of market share. Governments rely on the car sector as well as related suppliers and services in terms of employment, taxation, GDP and balance of payments. Demand fluctuations are appearing between country markets. Increase in taxations of production which represents significant government revenue. In 1980 there were thirty car manufactures, by 2000 this had fallen to thirteen where smaller manufactures (Saab, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, and Volvo) were bought by larger companies (General Motors, BMW, Ford) Changing the upstream supply chain as component suppliers split into layers and become total solution providers. Full cell technology will replace safety as the number one technology issue. The volume of traffic in many cities around the world is forcing governments to consider a range of road pricing, congestion charging, and car and petrol taxation measures to encourage more use of public transport, potentially reducing demand for cars. High competition encourages manufacturers to locate plants in low-wage countries (Hungary, Brazil, Romania) generating job loss and resentment in traditional car manufacturing countries (Britain, America) Global demand has also emerged extensively. Please refer to Appendix VIII: Development in global demand in from the year 2004 to 2012. VI. Development and implementation of Business Strategy The automotive industry is always seeing new legislation appearing on matters such as safety and the environment. For example legislation on end of life of vehicles changed practices of many car manufacturers in 2002 and 2003 regarding materials used in car manufacture and other factors. BMW successful competitive strategies are grounded on the brand representation of BMW as a constructive and powerful; BMW reflects typically style, high value, up-to-date manufacturing and good performance to an object audience. Customer Feelings BMW is perceived as Quality Company and therefore seen as producing quality products. As a result, it is accepted among customers that BMW might charge higher prices. The BMW Group stays in fifth place amongst the worlds car manufacturers. Based on the external challenges, opportunities and potential future trends in the industry BMW should consider technological innovations looking at government policies concerning environmental issues. BMW should consider product innovation to reduce toxic emissions and to develop more efficient engines such as full cell technology which will replace standard car engines. BMW should consider all opportunities and take advantage of its strengths. Looking at the macro environment BMW should carefully examine world sales of cars, customers behaviour and shift in economy such as interest rates. For BMW to stay ahead in terms of competition and remain gaining market share, the company should understand the increasing weight in the global automotive market in developing countries and emerging markets. Collaboration between companies should be maximised in order for BMW to remain competitive and create strong links with suppliers due to soaring prices for steel, aluminium, precious metals and plastic. Cross boarder alliances and mergers should be considered by BMW in order to draw near to the Asian car manufacturers. BMW has noted that sales of its 7-Series model are up in the US, the product has been met with less enthusiasm in Europe. As Germany remains the companys most important market, this may be classed as a risk. A commonly held view is the radical restyling of the 7-Series has failed to excite the traditional BMW driver. This may be especially worrying given the releases of the new 5- and 6-Series models, as they are believed to have undergone restyling as well. If the designs prove to be too innovative or radical, the companys short-term growth could be seriously impacted. The risks associated with the introduction of a number of new models into an underperforming segment are only likely to increase the threat of failure within the segment. Competitive Strategy fitting with the Maturing Automotive industry Looking on the Automotive Industry in general we can see that it is in a maturing life cycle, where nearly all potential buyers are already users of the industry products, demand consists mainly of replacement, with growth totally depends on the competing firms abilities to attract new buyers and convince existing buyers to upgrade their usage, also the critical success factor (CSF) is mainly the cost efficiency. Throughout the firms Industry Life Cycles (ILC) many challenges faces the BMW corporate managers that needs to tailor BMW strategy , these changes on the strategy called the Strategy Fit , essentially managers will depend on certain input factors which are weighted when choosing the best strategy to fit the current ILC, these factors that affects managers decisions in choosing the company strategy depends on the industry life cycle phase introduction, growth, mature, decline, focusing on maturing and growth ILC phases as they are related to the selected companies. Maturing i ndustries challenges are mainly the slow growth in demand which generates more head to head competition, buyer become more sophisticated more familiar with competing brands with hard bargaining due to repeated purchases, for BMW more focus is on service and price combination competition, challenge of innovating new product feature of find further use of the product current features to keep attracting buyers attention. VII. BMW Strategic Effectiveness in the Market BMW took good steps in driving the costs down by focusing on the design and production, it activates Operation activity in the value chain, although the shared component is a good idea for cost reduction, but also BMW high different in the prices of its product series could be an important factor in customer perception to the concept of the product features and design, perhaps focusing more on other cost reduction areas and avoid disturbance to customer perception can be a recommended option . Based on the research it is possible to distinguish customers who follow standard patterns; buying affordable but comfortable medium size cars, are those aged between 20 and 40 years old, regardless of the sex but dependant on income and household status. These clients tend to have more urbanised and settled lifestyle. On the other hand those at middle age, male with high income and preferences tend to pay fortunes regardless comfort, fuel usage or environment issues. With regards to a variety of car models it is impossible to aim at mass market just with standard type of car. More applicable is a differentiated marketing strategy like those developed by GM, Ford and Daimler Chrysler which target clients at high and low income and offers cars with separate marketing and mixed variables. This strategy favours merger and acquisitions to overcome mobility barriers and gain presence also in luxury car segment. Strategic success for BMW in maturing industries by introducing a wide selection of features in the products, enhancing the industry value chain for example increase use of advanced technology, integrate the suppliers by internet to streamline various value chain activities, drive down unit cost, developing more economical product design, increasing sales to present customers using promotions or more services, acquiring rival firms at bargain price, expanding internationally, adapting core competency according to customer requirements and expectations and pushing it towards distinctive competency where the firm better then rivals . As part of BMW strategy tailoring by developing more economical product design, and focusing more on the technology innovation that reduces the cost in the overall value chain, for example BMW has been using new technology called RoDip-3, it is a new method for pre-treatment of the electro coating vehicle bodies that provides many enhancements and reduce cost to this process as explained by Christoph Klocke from BMW group. The first of these new pre-treatment and electro coating plants to be installed anywhere in the world is now operating in BMW group. Being one of the market leaders, BMW was very successful in adapting its Sales strategy with customer new needs and new preferences, BMW offered the BMW financial service to facilitate the customer financial payments utilising the Internet technology and many payments facilities. VIII. Conclusion In order for BMW to compete effectively within their industry, they must first identify which issues are critical in achieving successful competitive strategies. Decisions concerning the direction and development of the company must take into consideration the whole range of external issues, which have been covered throughout this report. The significant factors affecting BMW have been raised and are summarised below. These issues are critical to BMWs success. Size of organisation There are many acquisitions and mergers between industry players and so a small sized companies such as BMW must understand their vulnerability have merged with other companies to fight off industry giants. Mass market organisations also need to achieve economies of scale to remain profitable, whereas for manufacturers in the luxury niche markets this is not as vital as they charge premium prices and achieve very high profit margins. Quality of resources High quality of resources can help companies achieve a competitive advantage over others. Quality is seen as a key success factors to becoming successful within the market. Technology and Innovation Customers are demanding newer products and developments in technology and innovation can achieve this. Using the latest technology will once again strengthen the companys competitive position in the marketplace. Strong Brand image BMW has and can continue to build up a strong brand image through high quality resources. This is essential in the automobile industry as it creates a unique position in the marketplace and builds up customer loyalty making it difficult for other competitors to steal market share. Differentiation This is the key to survival. Companies can either differentiate themselves on price or through their unique characteristics of their products. Differentiating themselves from competitors gives the company a strong competitive advantage as they offer customers something exclusive, which competitors do not already provide. IX. References Ahlstrom, J. and E. Sjostrom. (2005). CSOs and Business Partnerships: Strategies for interaction, Business Strategy and the Environment 14(4), 230240. Balogun, J., and G. Johnson. (2005) From intended strategies to unintended outcomes: The impact of change recipient sensemaking. Organisation Studies 26/11: 15731601. Blank, H. D. and Carty, C. M. (2005) The Eco-Efficiency Anomaly, Journal of Investing (in press) Chow I, Holbert N, Kelley L and Yu J, (2004), Business Strategy An Asia Pacific Focus, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall Clark, E. (2004) Power, action and constraint in strategic management: Explaining enterprise restructuring in the Czech republic. Organisation Studies 25/4: 607627. Coe, N.; Hess, M.;Yeung, H.W.-c.; Dicken, P.; and Henderson, J. (2004). Globalizing regional development: A global production networks perspective. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 29:468-84. Floricel, S., and A. Langley (2004) Strategy as dynamic leverage. Conference of the European Group of Organisation Science, Ljubljana, May. Gereffi, G., Humphrey, J., and Sturgeon, T. (2004), The Governance of Global Value Chains, Review of International Political Economy, 12, 1, 78104. Gertler, M. S. (2004). Manufacturing culture: The institutional geography of industrial practice. New York: Oxford University Press. Gharib, M. and E. Wahlqvist (2004) A standardisation Story and its Paradox: Creating Credibility for the Business Social Compliance Initiative. Goetschalckx, Mark, Bernhard Fleischmann. (2005). Strategic network planning. H. Stadtler, C. Kilger, eds. Supply Chain Management and Advanced Planning, 3rd ed. Springer, BerlinHeidelberg, Germany, 117-137. Hart, S. L. and S. Sharma. (2004) Engaging Fringe Stakeholders for Competitive Imagination, Academy of Management Executive 18(1), 7-1. Holmstrom, J. and D. Robey. (2005). Understanding its Organizational Consequences: An Actor Network Theory Approach, in B. Czarniawska and T. Hernes (eds.), Actor Network Theory and Organizing (Copenhagen Business School Press, Copenhagen), pp. 165187. Jarzabkowski, P. (2004) Strategy as practice: recursiveness, adaptation, and practices-in-use. Organisation Studies 25/4: 529560. Johnson G, Scholes K and Whittington R (2008), Exploring Corporate Strategy Text and Cases, 8th Edition, FT Prentice Hall. Johnson G. Scholes K. and Whittington R. (2005) Strategic analysis of BMW Exploring Corporate Strategy. By signing this page I am stating that the work contained in this report is my own work and has not been plagiarised from other sources. I understand that my work will not be marked if more than 15% of the content is found to be plagiarised. Name: Date: Signature:

My Antonia Essay: The Spirit of Antonia -- My Antonia Essays

The Spirit of Antonia in My Antonia      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The life of Antonia Shimerdas, the main character in Willa Cather's My Antonia, could easily be judged a failure. Perhaps measures of wealth, career, beauty and love fall short when held next to Antonia. If one could categorize life by that unnamable light or spirit which Antonia never loses, she would surpass all who belittle her achievements in other areas.    Where the spirit comes from, no one can say. â€Å"Perhaps an ethereal or god-like being takes residence in the person's heart†(Helmick 46). Some may say it's simply the chemistry of human beings to vary in levels of energy, which manifests itself as vigor and enthusiasm for living. â€Å"But even one who attributes the undying light to an abundance of hormones or simply luck in life will ultimately hit a barrier to such a theory, as is the case with the timeless heroine, Antonia Shimerdas†(Helmick 48).    Only rarely does the spirit of life embody itself in the eyes of a woman or man. Strangers recognize a striking presence in the eyes of Antonia even as a young child. Her penetrating eyes, like "mirrors of the soul," remind a passenger conductor of the gleam which emanates from a new dollar. Similarly, when first meeting his lifelong friend, the narrator, Jim, is struck by her "big and warm" eyes, which bring forth images of "the sun shining on brown pools in the wood" (Cather 22).    Like many children, the young Antonia exudes a fascination with all nature's things. Yet her connection with the land continues to flourish at the time when other children climb down from the trees and enter the realm of adulthood. In an arduous life of poverty and toil, Antonia embraces her love of the land, harnessing her passio... ...kept," they could not diminish that which made Antonia blaze-her Inner Light, whose mysterious source remains unnamed, but is forever cherished as a testimony to what it means to truly live.    Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold, ed. Willa Cather's My Antonia. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1987. Bourne, Randolph. "Review of My Antonia." Murphy's Critical Essays 145-147. Cather, Willa. My Antonia. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1997. Fussell, Edwin. Frontier. American Literature and the American West. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1965. Helmick, Evelyn. "The Mysteries of Antonia." Bloom's Willa Cather's . . . , 109-119. Rosowski, Susan J., ed. Approaches to Teaching Cather's My Antonia. New York: The Modern Language Association of America. 1989. Trilling, Lionel. "Willa Cather." Bloom's Modern Critical Views 7-15.   

Essay --

You all know the Chocolate Company: Hershey's; but where did it all begin? As with Walt Disney, it started with a dream. A dream that a certain person could rule the candy market. This certain person is Milton Snavely Hershey. Milton Hershey founded Hershey’s Chocolate Company in 1900. Did you know that his first product wasn't chocolate? No, he created and sold many other confections; his greatest being caramel. His highest achievement of all was creating the world's largest candy manufacturing company today. Milton S. Hershey learned most of his work from Joe Royer, the owner of an Ice Cream Parlor and Garden. Joe Royer taught Milton for four years until he quit. Milton didn't quit because he didn't like the apprenticeship. No, he quit to start his own confectionary business. Milton S. Hershey gave this world a company that changed the way we see chocolate today. Milton Snavely Hershey was born on September 13th, 1857. Hershey didn’t start off with candy right away. Young Milton was sometimes very clumsy and made mistakes. Sam Ernst, a person who started Milton off with an appren...

Child and Adolescent Psychology

What we have here Is a set of new parents who find themselves In this position, and although they have discovered two likely candidates for caregivers, they also have another concern that most families deal with; a budget. According to our assignment, day care 1 has everything a couple could want, whereas day care 2 meets the state standard, but is lacking In some of the more extracurricular areas. From our text we know that this state In a child's life is very important, and that their development Is progressing at rapid rates, but Just how important are these extra items day care 1 has, compared to the minimum items provided by day care 2?They are both safe areas for children, the concern for the child's safety isn't an issue, but the parents really prefer the first day care over the second. So would money be best spent if they Just saved it for some other family need? Would the extra Items at day care 1 really make that big of a deference? According to our text you may be surprise d by the answer, It seems babies do more Han just sleep all day, and even when they are just lying around, they are learning more than one might expect.There has been some debate about when an infant begins to recognize shapes and forms, but with no doubt we know that very young infants detect contours of visual stimuli, (like hair, or the chin), but not long after they begin to notice the internal patterns as well. Older Infants additionally Inspect and analyze the components of complex stimuli, scanning a variety of their visual properties and carrying out a much more deliberate, and focused search. Hat does this mean for day care option 1?It means that those painting on the wall that may just look like good decorations, or shiny objects, are actually developmental tools that can help infants practice their more organized observations. (Bugaboo, Child and adolescent development Chip 6, Pig 1 90) If we have learned anything through the endless debate of nature and nurture, It Is th at the environment does play an important role in the development of people all throughout their lives. We also know that day care 2 has more children per caregiver ND that could be a concern for the new parents.Although there is debate between nature and nurture, both sides have agreed that both play a role in healthy development; day care 1 giving more attention per Infant could have more positive results. According to Erosion's Stages of Psychosocial Development, babies must find consistency, premeditatedly, Ana relativity In tenet caregivers' Detonators to gain a sense of trust and hope. We also know that Erikson believed that this process begins at birth and continues until about 1 year of age.With this information we can see why having few infants per care giver could be very beneficial to the new parent's child, versus having that attention split between other infants. (Bugaboo, Child and adolescent development Chip 1, Page) Attachment is very important for humans and the mor e I read about it, the more it seems you only get one really good shot at it. Attachment is that delicate time when a child bond with it's caregiver, usually a mother, but not limited to other people to a certain degree, and more one on one time given to the child is more time to assist the child in developing a healthy attachment.While this isn't the primary goal of a day care center, it is still taking place, even if it isn't consciously being practiced by the caregiver. With day care 1 we have more visual stimuli for the infant to observe, and more time with a caregiver, but what about the extra toys, and blocks lying around? Seniority stage (in Paginating theory), is the first stage of cognitive development, from birth to approximately two years of age, in which thought is based primarily on action.One specific part of the seniority diagram is the Coordination of Secondary Schemes, n which the infant is attempting to achieve a goal with their actions. This can be something as si mple as finding Wald, or more likely, for an infant, finding a building block that is missing from the table. The more objects there are for the infant to interact with, the more objects there are for the infant to hone their skills on. With all of this in mind we can see that day care 1 offers the best opportunity for healthy development given the items which assist in cognitive, social, and physical developments.

Church Planting

TEMPLE BAPTIST SEMINARY A PLAN FOR CHURCH PLANTING IN BARREIRAS, BRAZIL A CHURCH PLANTING PLAN SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF TEMPLE BAPTIST SEMINARY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COURSE INTRODUCTION TO CHURCH PLANTING AND GROWTH (ICST 6423) BY Barron Mason JULY 27, 2011 INTRODUCTION Beginning a new church-planting project is a task that requires much responsibility and effort. It is not a light-hearted venture. Nor is it a task that has a one-size-fits-all model or method.Each church plant has unique elements because it reaches unique people in unique places throughout the world. It is a humbling yet exhilarating experience to be called by God to this task of planting a church among a specific group of people. This paper will discuss the work of planting a church among the poor in the city of Barreiras, in the country of Brazil. Included in this paper are demographic data that influence the strategies and methods chosen for planting the church. Also included are var ious factors of strategy and methods to be implemented in this church-planting endeavor.May God be glorified in this work and may the local body of Christ in Barreiras, Brazil one day be a shining light that reaches people with the gospel of Christ and reproduces itself in other church plants throughout the region and the world. DEMOGRAPHIC DATA OF BARREIRAS The city of Barreiras is situated in the Northeastern part of Brazil, in the state of Bahia. The region is a plains region where farmland is abundant. The climate of Barreiras is arid and hot. There is a rainy season from November to January. The rest of the year has little to no rainfall.Even though there is little rainfall during most of the year the region makes it’s living by agricultural farming and cattle farming. Some of the crops produced in the region include sugar cane, corn, soybeans, cotton, and coffee. Irrigation is used in most farms and is a process that was introduced to the region in the 1990s, which aide d in the population explosion of the city and region. [1] According to the 2007 Brazilian Census there is a population of 137,427 people in Barreiras. This census also reports that the size of the city is 7,859 square kilometers (3,034 square miles). 2] The city lies between natural geographical barriers. It is located in a valley between higher elevations, with various rivers surrounding and running through it. The rivers that make up part of the city include the Rio Sao Francisco (Sao Francisco River), Rio de Janeiro (Janeiro River), Rio das Femeas (Females River), and the Rio Boa Sorte (Good Luck River). [3] Based on personal visits to the city there is a clearly visible contrast in the financial classes of the people. The farming industry has led to the wealth of many people in the area.Yet, there is a large gap between the rich and poor. Albeit a rich city, a majority of the population of Barreiras is poor. The common citizen of the city struggles with providing basic needs for their family. Most of the poor women are the ones who provide many of the public services to the city, such as maids, custodial work in stores and hotels and market vendors. The men work as builders and farmers. Often the men work in the fields for weeks at a time, coming home on the weekends every two weeks for a couple of days rest.The average family income for the poor population is approximately R$800. 00 per month. That is the equivalent of US$500. 00 monthly. This figure is based on two working adults in each household. Because of this low income most people do not own a car and live in a very small house made of wood or block. Often the homes are unfinished. As families can afford to complete construction on the home they will. Because it is common for men to work in fields for days or weeks at a time, their absence in the home creates many obstacles to ministry and church growth.One of the common situations in a church in the region is that it is full of women and children and greatly lacking in male leadership and example. This, along with the other factors mentioned above will have an impact on the strategy to planting a church among the poor of this city. FACTORS OF STRATEGY AND METHOD Before the work begins, a strategy must be put in place and methods must be decided. This section will outline and describe how the church plant will begin and unfold. The beginning stages and the factors most important to it will be described in this section as well.The plan will serve as a guideline to the work that will be done to see that the church is carefully given over to national leadership so that it may continue reproducing itself in the region and throughout the world. The Prayer Factor The first factor that will be implemented in the church plant in Barreiras is prayer. As Jesus demonstrated in his earthly ministry, prayer is a vital part of a successful communion with God. In Matthew 14 Jesus had just finished performing the miracle of feeding 5,000 men plus women and children. In verse 23 he â€Å"went up into a mountain apart to pray. Jesus also spent special time in prayer before his suffering and death. â€Å"And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Matthew 26:39). In The Book of Church Growth: History, Theology, and Principles, Thom S. Rainer confirms the importance of prayer in the life of the local church. He stated, â€Å"There is simply no more important principle on Church Growth than prayer. †[4] Reflecting on the early church, it is clear that prayer was fundamental to their Christian life. Acts 1:14 speaks of this truth, â€Å"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication. In the church plant personal and corporate prayer will be emphasized. Along with motivating prayer times personally and corporately, sharing responses to prayer will also be vital. As the church body is gathered for worship there will be time for prayer requests and praises for answered prayers. It will be important for the believers to have those times because they will be encouraging to those who are still waiting on answers to prayer. Perhaps the best way to encourage believers in the church to pray will be the personal example of the leadership.The church planter will need to record and report on his personal prayer life, for example, with a list of requests and their answers. By relating this personal devotion to prayer the church will be motivated to incorporate it into their daily lives. The Vision Factor The second factor to be incorporated into the church planting effort is vision. According to Tom A. Steffen, the vision statement is a tool that is useful for allowing the church planting team to see their final destination and how to get there. [5] The vision statement can be likened to a road map.Before taking a trip the driver acquires a map that outlines the destination and route to arrive there. In the church plant the vision statement will serve as t hat map. The statement will be the destination – what the church should look like. Using the vision statement, the church plant team members can effectively plan the trip – how to arrive at the destination. The vision statement for the church in Barreiras is: â€Å"This church exists as a local body of saved and baptized believers in Jesus Christ to bring glory to God Almighty through its worship, witness, walk, and work.This church is to reproduce in this region as well as throughout the world. This church will fulfill its vision by practicing the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). † Fulfilling the Vision With the Great Commission The Great Commission involves both reaching people with the gospel and teaching them the Word of God. M. David Sills thoroughly treated this subject in his book, Reaching and Teaching: A Call to Great Commission Obedience. He argued the importance of both evangelizing the target group as well as spending the necessary and often difficult time to teach them, as s clearly mandated in the Great Commission. Sills highlights the missionary ministry of the Apostle Paul, showing that he spent a great deal of time and energy in teaching the churches that he founded. â€Å"Paul stated that he longed to preach Christ in the unreached areas so that he would not be building on another man’s foundation, but his ministry reveals that this was balanced with staying to preach and teach, writing letters, or sending disciples in his place to continue the essential ministry that remained. [6] The church will have set times for evangelism as well as training to equip the believers to evangelize on their own. Fulfilling the Vision With the Great Commandment The church will be involved in the discipleship process. This will be vital to the life and growth of the church as the believers are challenged and taught to live a life pleasing to God. Through teaching believers to love Go d completely and to love their neighbors as themselves, the vision will be fulfilled. The Accurate Gospel FactorOne existing danger in a church-planting project is preaching an inaccurate gospel. When the gospel message is not presented accurately to the target group the resulting church will be negatively effected. Perhaps the target group will believe the gospel in hopes of it bringing health or good crops. Or perhaps they will accept it as just another belief system to add to their list. If this is carried on from generation to generation then the church will continue preaching an inaccurate gospel. Therefore, the gospel presented to the target group must be accurate.Steffen points out that the gospel presented to the target group has a direct relation to the type of church that is planted and their understanding of the Bible. â€Å"The fundamental key to understanding the whole Bible is a correct understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ. †[7] The accurate gospel mes sage that will be presented to the people of Barreiras will be based on and include four primary elements. They are: 1) God is holy, 2) man is sinful, 3) Christ is sufficient, and 4) man must have faith. These are simple and concise statements.However, each has a basis on God’s Word and is important for understanding the accurate gospel message. Unfortunately, many gospel presentations include the following two elements: Christ died to forgive sin and unless one wants to go to Hell he must be saved. Although those are included in the gospel message, it is not a complete, nor accurate, gospel message. The above four essential elements will be explained below. God is Holy Because God is holy he is completely separate from evil and sin. God does not allow sin to be around him.It is recorded in Isaiah 6:1-3 that Isaiah saw the throne of the Lord and heard seraphims saying to him, â€Å"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. † It is al so recorded in 1 Peter 1:15, â€Å"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. † When considering the holiness of God man understands that he has a problem. Man does not meet God’s standard and cannot have a relationship with him in his present state of sin. Man is Sinful Man’s condition is destitute. Man has erred and has chosen to disobey God and go his own way.In Genesis 3 the first sin of mankind is recorded when Adam disobeyed God’s command to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. Because of Adam’s sin all men are now born sinners. It is recorded in Romans 3:23, â€Å"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. † Romans 5:12 also shows that all men are sinners, â€Å"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. † The gospel must present this truth. The gospel does not exist to solve the health problems or vocational problems of man.It exists because mankind is sinful and cannot go to God as a sinner. However, the gospel is the good news that provides sinners with a solution. Christ is Sufficient When someone understands that God is holy and that man is sinful then he is going to be in need of some good news. The good news is that Jesus Christ has paid the price for man’s sin and his work is sufficient to bring salvation to man and reconcile him to God. The good news is presented in Romans 5:8 – â€Å"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. † Other verses of Scripture relate the good news of Jesus Christ as well.Romans 3:24-25, â€Å"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past , through the forbearance of God. † 1 Timothy 2:5, â€Å"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. † This good news of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection must be taught as the only sufficient plan for the salvation of mankind. But how does man get this salvation? Must he work for it? What does the Bible say?The final element of an accurate gospel is the necessity of personal faith. Man Must Have Faith For many American Christians, there are famous words recorded in Ephesians 2:8-9: â€Å"For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. † These verses are clear that man cannot earn salvation. Salvation is a gift. Salvation is personal through faith. Faith is the key to an individual’s salvation. Believe is another term used in the Bible to describe man’s acceptance of the gospel message. This personal faith or belief is explained in 1 John 5:11-13.And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. The accurate gospel must include all four elements when presented to the people of Barreiras. The holy God who loves the sinful man and sent his only Son to pay the price for man’s sin provides salvation to those who have faith in Christ.This is the accurate gospel message. The National Leadership Factor Steffen pointed out that the church plant must involve national leadership early on, if not from the beginning. He also noted the importance of beginning the church plant with a strategic plan for completely leaving the work in national leaders’ hands. He commented on a mission leader who attested to the fact that the church cannot keep up with the world’s population growth and continue planting new churches if they are â€Å"reluctant to release power swiftly to those they have come to reach. [8] These two principles will be important to the church-planting project in Barreiras, Brazil. Brazil is not a pioneer mission field. One of the striking things concerning the life of the church in Brazil is that the past two decades have shown a dramatic growth among evangelical Christians. One result of that growth has been the founding of Bible Institutes and seminaries. The function of these institutions is to train workers for ministry throughout Brazil and the world. Because these institutions already exist there is really no need to establish more training institutions.Also, it is not difficult to find trained leaders for the newly planted churches. A reality for many of the seminary graduates is that upon completion of their seminary program there are few or n o ministry positions available in churches for them to fill. Therefore, there should not be difficulty in finding a qualified leader for the church plant. The search for leadership will begin with the existing seminaries and Bible Institutes. The Exit Factor The exit plan for this church plant will be modeled after Steffen’s explanation of and emphasis on role changes.Using these role changes, the church can systematically and successfully be given over to Brazilian leadership. The following roles will be filled by the church planter and replaced with the national leadership. The first role is â€Å"learner. † The learner role will be occupied the entire time the church planter serves the target group. The second role is â€Å"evangelist. † During this role, the church planter will have as his goal â€Å"winning key members of the target people to Christ. †[9] The next role is â€Å"teacher. † The teacher role focuses on modeling ministry with a na tional believer accompanying him.In the fourth role, â€Å"resident advisor,† the church planter becomes a â€Å"coach on the sideline† and joys with the team when they win and sorrows with the team when they lose. [10] The fifth role is that of â€Å"itinerant advisor. † During this role the national leadership will be responsible for the church’s administration while the church planter takes leaves of absence from the target group. The final role is the â€Å"absent advisor. † This will take place when the church planter is completely removed from the target group and maintains contact and instruction as needed through visits and correspondence.During the resident advisor and itinerant advisor stages the church planter will make survey trips to other areas that are potential locations for new church plants. In order to maintain a vision for expansion, it will be necessary to make regular trips such as these. The purpose is to increase awareness o f areas that are in need of a church plant. It will also be important to take along some of the national leadership. In doing so, the nationals will develop a vision for other areas and for reproducing themselves there.This will enable the church plant to become mission minded and encourage them to take on personal responsibility for fulfilling the Great Commission. CONCLUSION After years of struggles and victories the church plant be administrated fully by national believers. For God’s glory there will be a local body of believers fulfilling God’s plan on earth. When the church plant begins to personally and responsibly fulfill the Great Commission then the job has been completed – sort of. In the completion of one church plant another must automatically begin among the next target group.Thus, the cycle of church planting continues, never really completing. By God’s grace and for his glory the church plant in Barreiras will not complete, but keep going. BIBLIOGRAPHY IBGE [email  protected] http://www. ibge. gov. br/cidadesat/painel/painel. php? codmun=290320# (accessed July 24, 2011). Prefeiutra Municipal de Barreiras. Economia. http://www. barreiras. ba. gov. br/site/index. html (accessed July 24, 2011). Rainer, Thom S. The Book of Church Growth: History, Theology, and Principles. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1993. Sills, M. David.Reaching and Teaching: A Call to Great Commission Obedience. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2010. Steffen, Tom A. Passing the Baton: Church Planting that Empowers. LaHabra, California: Center for Organizational and Ministry Development, 1997. Wikipedia. Barreiras. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Barreiras (accessed July 24, 2011). ———————– [1] Prefeitura Municipal de Barreiras, â€Å"Economia,† http://www. barreiras. ba. gov. br/site/index. html (accessed July 24, 2011). [2] IBGE: [email  protected], http://w ww. ibge. gov. br/cidadesat/painel/painel. php? codmun=290320# (accessed July 24, 2011). 3] Wikipedia, â€Å"Barreiras,† http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Barreiras (accessed July 24, 2011). [4] Thom S. Rainer, The Book of Church Growth: History, Theology, and Principles, (Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1993), 183. [5] Tom A. Steffen, Passing the Baton: Church Planting that Empowers, (La Habra, California: Center for Organizational and Ministry Development, 1997), 78. [6] M. David Sills, Reaching and Teaching: A Call to Great Commission Obedience, (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2010), 99. [7] Steffen, Passing the Baton, 134. [8] Steffen, Passing the Baton, 14. [9] Steffen, Passing the Baton, 22. [10] Ibid. , 23.