Best practices in achieving a customer-focused culture (Article Critique) Essay

This paper seeks to prepare a critique of the article entitled â€Å"Best practices in achieving a customer-focused culture† by Bartley, B. et al. (2007). The nature of the critique to be applied is literature critique and an evaluation on the authors’ ideas, methods and results. The framework to make the evaluation is to whether the conclusions are supported by evidence, whether the methodologies and assumptions used have basis, whether statements made are consistent with premises laid down by the authors and whether the authors could accomplish their purposes in making the paper. 2. Analysis and Discussion 2. 1 On aims, methodology and approach of the research article The aims of Bartley, et al (2007) in writing the article â€Å"Best practices in achieving a customer-focused culture†, include the following: to provide practical insights into how organizations can become more customer-focused and to share with the researchers and organizations a framework that can be used to research â€Å"customer focus culture†. These two aims can be assessed to depend also on the validity of the results or conclusions of their paper. They also aimed to assess an organizations’ level of customer focus; to describe how New Zealand’s first consortium approach to benchmarking was managed so that others interested in planning a consortioun study can learn from experience. To assess the level of customer focus in an organization requires the use of a framework or hence the success and validity of such assessment will depend on the validity of the model. Describing the the approach to benchmarking could be assessed whether it has provided sufficient information to convinve readers that the researcher have applied the necessary means to accomplish their purpose. Bartley, B. et al (2007) explained that the study involved the use of the benchmarking body which was conducted by member organizations from the New Zealand Benchmarking Club (NZBC) and facilitated by a doctoral student from Massey University’s Centre for Organizational Excellence Research. Their methodology involved the need to conduct an extensive literature review to help them in identifying national and international best practices in customer focus. They also developed a survey that was completed by 32 potential best practice organizations, and selecting seven of these organizations for best practice list. Conducting such a literature review for the purpose used appears logical because the works of previous researchers were considered and analyzed to get the common characteristic of those that were successful with customer focus. It appears that researchers indeed have used sufficient number of researchers whose works appear mainly in academic journals signifying previous publication and this observation must lend some degree of confirmation of the literature review conducted by the authors. 2. 2 On literature review made by authors The authors asserted to have found a framework for the examination of customer-focused culture via the literature review made. It may be noted that the study included only a survey of 32 potential best organizations as identified by the reseachers and they may not necessarily represent the broader characteristics of other organizations in New Zealand and even in the world. They have indeed accepted a limitation of their study that benefits would have been gained if the study has extended to a larger international group. The limitation of the samples use is material into the validity of the survey on whether they represent the real value of customer focus culture to the organizations. In discussing the background of the study, Bartley, et al (2007) cited the the strong link between an organization’s culture and its performance which they claimed to have been widely recognised by practitioners where they cited the work of Basch (2002) and academics where they cited the work of Kotter and Heskett (1992). If organizations desire to have enduring relationship and loyal customers, they must be equipped with an effective customer-focused culture which will make it easier for these companies to have successful product and service delivery. To support their statements they cited the works of Macaukay Clark (1998) and Martin (1992). For the authors customer-focused culture was almost as good as survival in the long-term. These findings from literature review prompted the authors and the the 18 organization-members of the NZBC to asks for the componets and charateristics of a good customer-focused culture. For which reason, NZBC was formed by the Massey University’s Centre for Organizational Excellence Research (COER) in partnership witht the New Zealand Business Excellence Foundation to achieve the ambitious vision of becoming world-class performers of its members and to adopt excellent business practices within New Zealand. To measure the improvements by club members, they have agreed on a criteria for excellent performance on annual basis. See Figure 1 of their report and is made part of Appendix 1 of this paper. It appears that their agreement on criteria of performance excellence was just not a result of a tests or even a previous study. By merely agreeing and not conducting any test which are the factors there is basis the criteria may be just based on opinions. The results of their literature review resulted to their having identified six characteristics of organizations having performance of good to best practices. Bartley, B. et al. (2007) made use of same six characteristics as an analytical framework. They found the importance of leadership and used the works of Brooks, 1997; Whitely, 1991, Galreath and Rogers, 1999 which found that customers drive organizational direction and actions, to support the characteristic. They also included listening as characteristic where the views of customers are actively sought to have ease of contact/conduct of business where they cited the works of Scheuing (1999) and Plymie (1991). Bartley, B. et al (2007) also included analysis and understanding using the works of Brooks (1997) and Wikstrom (1996) which found that need to understand customer expectations. Further included is integration and deployment where the authors cited the work of Martin (1992) which could the need to act upon customers’ expectations. Still include is is people after citing the work of Kennedy, et al, (2002) which determined that customer-focused culture is understood and integrated in the whole the organization. They also included the need to review and improve where they cite the work of Alam and Perry (2002). The fact their literature review is supported by published works of other researchers on the basis of being mainly taken from academic journals and other published works, will lends some degree of validity of the summary of characteristics made as part of their analytical framework. 2. 3. On submitted figures as support to analysis Based on literature review made by the authors, they asserted the requirement for organizations to have customer focus culture must be made. Since the purpose is better performance for the organization whether financial or otherwisel, customer focused culture must be present in the whole organization. Bartley, B. et al (2007), did argue about the proven connection between customer focus and performance of organizations in individual and operational areas as in terms of service quality, customer and employee satisfaction and well as profitability citing the work of Appiah-Adu and Singh (1998) and Agarwal et al. (2003). The researchers had set six categories from which its decided which is the most effective way for its members organizations to improve and they stated to have voted to which customer focus issues were most important. Bartley, B. et al (2007) detailed which were the most important customer issues but they did not show what were the other choices of the respondents in the survey aside from those listed in Table I in the their presentation, which is not part of Appendix 4 of this paper. In the absence of the list of other choices, an inference of a predetermined result of survey may asserted and which will cast dount at to validity of the surbvey. Moreover, the nature of questions asked were neither presented nor discussed and it could be that the questions asked from respondents are leading and which again which cast doubt to result of the survey. Bartley, B. et al (2007) also argued that the decision to work on the study was supported by the results of club’s annual assessment against criteria for performance excellence. They stated that the resulst are shown in Figures 2 and 3 which are considered as Appendices 1 and 2 in this paper. Upon deeper investigation, it may be found that Figure 2 had it horizontal axis for customer focus results while the horizontal axis has financial and market results. This graph in Figure 2 would mean that independent variable was customer focus results while the dependent variable was the financial and market results. Since Figure 2 shows a signifant relationship of two variable as shown by graph, the researchers are saying the the higher customer focused results the higher would be the financial and market results. Since they did not show how they segmented each variable it would appear that the had measured the degrees of customer focus results in the vertical axis and that every increased in the same would give higher results of financial and market results which are not also explained in detail. In other words, in terms of the segmenting the degree of customer focused results the following question remain answered: How much additional degree of customer focused result would produce additional higher financial and market result? The graphs as shown in Figure 2 may seem to answer by merely viewing the same but from the minds of this reseacher , the results could in questionable because of the failture to define the meaning of degrees of customer focused resutls. Would it mean more time given to the customer? Moreover the financial and market resutls in the vertical axis or what may be called as dependent variable in Figure are not also explained. How come that financial and market resutls are combined? If it is financial it may be referring to profitability. Since profitability of the respondents may be best measure by the amount of dollars earned per amount or quantityf of customer focused results, it is difficutl to contemplate how the researchers have mixed financial and market resutls together. Does market resutls imply increased revenues in dollars and increase in market share? In the absence of a clear explanation the result of the researchers work could remain questionable and may lack the validity and use for decision making purposes. Figure 3, which is considered Appendix 3 in this paper, also uses confusing variables in the graph by making this time, horizonal axis to represent the Customer and market focus as independent results and making the vertical axis to represent the customer focused results. If Figure 3 is related to Figure 2, it would appear what was previously assumed as independent variable has now become a dependent variable. Since the researchers did not explain the graph, the most logical inference to find consistency with the what they have concluded is to assume that the more that respondents would have to increase customer and market focus, to have higher of the degree of customer focused results, which as explained earlier were not explained how were they segmented into degrees to afford appreciation of change in the degree. In other words, the confusion is not clarified by redundantly using a variable without explaining the composition and significant of each degree or level of focused results. As in Figure 2, the use of Figure 3 did not help to support the claim of the researchers and that their conclusion could utmost be considered as surmises or conjectures without sufficient evidence. In addition, the use by researchers again of the customer and market focus as the independent variable appears to be predetermined because of their failure to show convincing proof that it was the most influential among the criteria for performance excellence under Figure 1 of their paper, which is Appendix I of this paper. They have of course asserted that the choice of the customer and market focus as most controlling contributor was based on the response of the respondents in the survey. As to how much more important the criterion to other criteria was not also explained; hence it is possible that the results of the claim of increased profitability because of the criterion of customer and market focus may not be safely be taken with high level of confidence, statistically speaking.

Chick-fil-A: Bird of a Different Feather Case Essay

Chick-fil-A is known for their famous Chick-fil-A sandwich, but also for their private, family –controlled ownership structure, philosophy on management and biblical principles. Chick-fil-A uses the differentiation strategy to set them apart from other fast-food chains. Chick-fil-A mission was â€Å"To glorify God by being faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive attitude influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A†, and to be â€Å"America’s best quick-serve restaurant.† One of their strategies they use to set them apart was focusing on people. This strategy included interview process, golden rule, consistent management, and loyalty and relationship. When it came to focusing on people. Mr. Cathy would stress over loyalty & relationship by stating that he would rather sacrifice growth and profit and focus more on a personal relationship. This strategy was based off his Golden Rule, which revolved around being closed on Sundays, holidays, and shortening hours. Mr. Cathy believed that Sundays were for worshiping the Lord and as for holidays and short hours were for his operators and employees to spend time with their love ones. He believed in being very loyal to his operators and treating them as they wished to be treated and in return. By doing so Chick-fil-A provides consistent management and ends up with a chance of low turnover rates and also by making sure that other Chick-fil-A chain restaurants were trained up on their knowledge management. This course helped manage people and their knowledge in the organization. These strategies have help Chick-fil-A build a customer base and receive plenty of awards for customer service. These factors play a role as well in their interview process. When it comes to hiring operators Chick-fil-A believes in carefully screening each candidate and going through a yearlong interview process. Also including in their business track records, religious standing, and community involvement which helps promotes Chick-fil-A to the community. As for other differentiation strategy Chick-fil-A, uses that are important to them are first, their company structure. Chick-fil-A is structured by having low debt and a being privately owned. Second, are their requirements for franchises meaning having a startup fee of $5,000, which allowed them to receive 15% annual sales revenue and a 50% of the net profit. Third, is their marketing and corporate service responsibilities approach and use of cows. Chick-fil-A marketing strategy consist of low advertising, not giving customer any frequent-buyer card, but have customer register through their website to win free meals and of course cow appreciation day. Customers would dress up in a cow suite and would receive a free meal as well. Last, was their succession planning, since Chick-fil-A has a strong family involvement there is a 30% chance that will go to the second generation, 12% to the third and 3% to the fourth. As for controversy, it was not until July of 2012 when Dan Cathy made a statement saying that he stands for the biblical meaning of marriage. This statement came off as criticism towards gay couples and their marriages. The statement that was made had so much volume that gay right supporters came out to boycott. It also made people start to question the extent of ownership and their views affecting and causing long-term viability meaning their company culture. Chick-fil-A also received support from Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee by holding Chick-fil-A appreciation day on August 1, 2012. Customers came out to show their support and waiting in line for hours to be served. Due to the controversy Chick-fil-A, market share went up 0.6% and their awareness went by 6.5%. I believe in order for Chick-fil-A to continue stand apart from other fast-food restaurants they should have incorporated many other voices across all business units when dealing with media exposure. It is okay for them to stand strong and firm in their beliefs on family and marriage, but they should not judge someone else or criticize them for wanting to be different. If their strategy is about focusing on the people, they should show more focus on attracting more ethnicity and low household income to eat at Chick-fil-A and be a part of their restaurant. They should also take the time to get to know the gay community and have an understanding of their beliefs as well. They do not have to agree with everything but can come to some kind of agreement or  support towards gay rights. By doing so this can help increased their sales even more and continue to set them apart from other fast-food restaurants.

Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Buddhism - Essay Example The religious philosophy propagates that the widely popular belief in eternal soul, is a case of 'mistaken identity' where one or more of the skandhas are mistaken to be representative of an eternal soul. These five skandhas include: Form (rupa); feelings (vedana); perception (sajna); volitional factors (samskaras); and consciousness (vij-nana) ((Keown, 2003). Form or 'rupa' refers to the external features or characteristics of a human body such as form or color. Feelings or 'vedana' refers to sensations; Perception or 'sajna' refers to perceptions or mental images; volitional factors or ‘samskaras' refers to the power of mental formations and perception; and consciousness or 'vij-nana' refers to recognition and judgment (Hirakawa and Groner, 1993: 44). This doctrine further suggests that these five elements or aggregates are impermanent in nature i.e. 'anitya', and hence subject to change. It is on account of this very reason, that association with the notion of a permanent or unchanging 'self' is rendered false and any individual who associates with this false notion of a permanent self, is likely to suffer since impermanent things often result in suffering i.e. 'dukha'. For a Buddhist, an individual is comprised of these five aggregates which are subject to change, and hence and anything that is unchanging or permanent in nature cannot be associated with the concept of selfhood or personhood. Buddhism argues that this doctrine of "no independent self" is associated with the Buddhist doctrine of dependent/ conditioning origination i.e. 'pratiyasumtpada' (Palmquist, 2010). In Buddhism, there is no certain pre-defined concept of self. But the same is defined and explained by way of a series of impermanent and interdependent moments of consciousness (). For instance, according to the doctrine of conditioning origination i.e. 'ratiyasumtpada' the concept of self does not exist independently on its own, since the notion of self is empty / void. The emptiness of self in Buddhism does not imply non-existence of self, but instead refers to lack of autonomous self-nature i.e. 'nishvabhava'. Buddhism posits that the notion of personhood does not have an autonomous self existence, but instead is a consequence of certain conditions or 'pratyayas'. Thus the existence of personhood or self in Buddhism is dependent on several other factors, which are interconnected with each other and are mostly found in experiences which an individual goes through (Palmquist, 2010). The doctrine of personhood in Buddhism refers to the heretical view that human beings are gifted with a real 'self'. Buddhism essentially rejects the notion of an eternal self or 'atman'. Various religious groups within the religion, such as the 'Vatsiputriyas' had put forward the notion of an eternal self, in a bid to describe and explain the complex phenomenon of life after death, rebirth and karma. However according to the Buddhist religious theories, the concept of personhood wh ich is enshrined within the five aggregates, is derived from and dependent on them (Keown, 2003). Another more modern theory on the doctrine of Persoonhood was developed by a group known as the "Pudgalavadins" or the Personalists. This group was strongly opposed to the conventional and/or orthodox concept of anatta or no-self-ness, since it was difficult to comprehend and interpret. Contrary to the orthodox concept

America as an Imperialist Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

America as an Imperialist Power - Essay Example Imperialism is the policy or practice in which one country starts to enforce an indirect control over other weaker nation. The reason behind a weak nation being controlled by imperialists is because they have unbalanced economy, governance, and infrastructure. Imperialism comes into practice, when a stronger nation for the sake of economics and other political benefits take over the indirect control, which involves the use of power beyond its border on weaker nation. The cause of imperialism includes the unwillingness of the victim nations to control which is due to weak economics, foreign political structure and a threatening repute of strong holding states. The world still is suffering the consequences of imperialism, which took place in the last decades of the nineteenth century. It can be noticed that imperialism is applied by countries such as US or Germany, which has helped these countries to become significant influence in the global political and social setup. To understand the entire study of empire system, it is important to first comprehend the word â€Å"empire†. The term empire comes from a Latin origination. Empire means power or authority, a control that associates to a kingdom, a state or an emperorship. Empire system basically intends to control over the sovereignty of other state by forceful means. An imperial system of government aims to acquire and get hold on colonies and lands of weak individual states due its ethnic, national, cultural, and religious diversification. Historically, an empire system emerges due to strong political – military dominance of population over the weak cultural and ethnic group. The system resembles a structure where power inflates and weak gets into biased retribution. This is to serve the agenda of emperorship and submerge a powerful geopolitical influence on other victimized nations. In contrast the empire system resembles the ancient roman emperorship, where cruelty, ruthlessness an d brutality floated throughout the global political system (Howe). The study of empire helps in understanding, the developments and changes that took place around the world. It was just a swirling revolution where empire system dominated and passed on to the world politics. Scholars have firm believe that even today the ongoing changes and developments around the world are due to the presence of an empire system. Through researchers’ analysis it can be evidenced that empire rules have existed in the history and still are prevailing. The imperial system has been continually evolving with developments and instances that took place in historical eras. Thus, the definition of empire cannot be evaluated by one factor since it has numerous reasons to cope up with. As Stephen Howe’s states that the world has a complex history and intertwined equally with contested words such as colonialism, globalization, and imperialism (Howe). History of empires is to a great deal of worldà ¢â‚¬â„¢s history. In fact it is being noted by researchers, that almost the entire history is associated with imperialism or colonialism. The significant study of empire is essential as it covers up all aspects related to countries originations and their contemporary situations. As some scholars consider that the world is becoming more and more flat due to cultural import and globalization by means of people, technology, and commerce. Moreover, study of empire explains the modern and historical migration, found in the world today such as cultural import, trade, religion practices, they all trace back to historical empires (Howe). Imperialism Context of Empire: Imperialism has been the most influential power during the last four to five centuries in the world history. In

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Research Paper Example Repeatedly through the course of the story character’s lineages are referenced: sometimes they are used as explanations for their inherent character, sometimes to exhort responsibility (as in to undo the sins of the father) and other times as explanations of their actions. Tolkien’s focus on heritage as central to constructing identity and behavior actually harken back to medieval understandings of family and identity, and are thus not really new at all. Tolkien was more than simply an excellent author, he was also a linguist and a historian (Carpenter 18). His special area of study was medieval history – he was a professor of old Norse and Old English at Oxford (Carpenter 8), and was thus familiar with many of the seminal works of that age. Critics argue that Tolkien had many sources of literary influence that emerged from the middle ages, which included â€Å"not only classical texts such as Beowulf and Piers Ploughman, but also obscure sources such as recorde d riddles, lyrics and so forth† (Livingston 130). These sources make up a great deal of the mythology of lord of the rings, and can be seen variously throughout, in everything from the riddle game that Bilbo describes (Tolkien 138) to the very structures of the world Tolkien created. The theme of family as a central aspect of defining personal characters appears, as mentioned previously, in many places throughout the work, but perhaps never so strongly as in the sections on Rohan. Rohan is an area inhabited by a warrior people who ride horses, and seem to place great importance on family. Characters identify with each other through familial relationships. The king of Rohan, for instance, calls his second in command his â€Å"Sister Son,† because he is a nephew, never referring to his rank, but only his familiar relationship (Tolkien 348). Furthermore, the king consciously places himself in line with his ancestors, calling himself the â€Å"lesser son† of a great line, but knowing that he must act in certain ways to defend his family’s honor. Finally, the very landscape they live on has been modified by familial ties, with the path up to the main city, Edoras, having massive burial mounds flanking either side, one for each of the Kings that has died (Tolkien 317). This concern with family, and many other parts of the culture of Rohan, seem to directly mirror Anglo-Saxon texts that Tolkien was well versed in. One of the most famous Old-English stories, for instance, Beowulf, opens with a long description of genealogy: â€Å"There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes †¦. Shield had fathered a famous son: Beow† who fathered Halfdane, who fathered Hrothgar, and so on and so forth (Heaney 5-7). A similar genealogy is presented for Beowulf, the titular character, when he is first described (9). The characters, similarly to the Lord of the Rings, associate with each other through familial relationships: when Beowulf meets Hrothgar, he points to their familiar relationship as a way of establishing trust and so forth (19). The Lord of The Rings is clearly a work of genius, but like any amazing literary endeavor it rests on a massive host of influences that shape many aspects of its nature. One of the most important themes in The Lord of the Rings, the defining role of familial relationships and heritage in shaping personal identity, can be traced back not

Direct Foreign Investment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Direct Foreign Investment - Coursework Example The growth of FDI has always been associated with the growth of financial markets in terms of market capitalization. This paper will compare the FDI in China and Brazil in categories of five factors that influence foreign direct investments. II. LITERATURE AND PREVIOUS STUDIES/ARTICLES SURVEY Research studies indicate that China and Brazil are expected to be among the largest economies in the world by the year 2050. The two countries are considered to be among the biggest and fastest growing emerging markets that have a significant long term growth potential. The two countries occupy a large geographical coverage and research shows that the countries contain about 30 percent of the global population. China and Brazil also have a combined GDP of $16.3 trillion. China and Brazil have an expanding middle class that is expected to double in number within a period of three years. This massive growth in the middle class in the two countries is expected to increase the demand for goods and investments. The two factors of population growth and the growth of the middle income segment make the two countries attractive for foreign direct investment. III. SPECIAL REMARKS AND PERSPECTIVES 1. Attract new sources of demand China has the largest population in the world and population estimates indicate that the population is expected to grow in the coming years. The country’s current population is estimated to be 1.4 billion people as of 2011. This clearly means that china has the largest consumer market in the world. According to Shaukat and Wei (30), large populations imply that an economy has a high potential of consumption hence creating more opportunities for trade. Investors are more likely to invest in China because of its large consumer market. The country has been recording large inflows of investments. The large population also acts as a source of cheap labor for businesses especially manufacturing companies. A large number of businesses have managed to establ ish their businesses in China because of the low cost of labor. In the case of Brazil, the country has a rapid growing middle class economy that has attracted a lot of FDI in recent years. According to Danhua (127), Brazil has managed to attract demand for foreign direct investment because of its rapidly growing middle class economy. The latest economic statistics indicate that the country has a nominal GDP per capita of $12,916 by the end of 2011. The statistics also indicate that the country has been recording an average nominal GDP per capita growth of 5 percent. These statistics clearly indicate that the country has a large purchasing power. The statistics also show that the country has potential prospects of recording an increase in demand for goods and services. This factor has played a major role in attracting foreign into the country. The above analysis indicates that China and Brazil have different factors that determine and influence new sources of demand. Whereas China dr ives its new sources of demand through population growth, Brazil drives new sources of demand through the growth of the middle income segment. Statistics reinforce the difference between the two countries through statistical data that support the two factors. China has the largest population in the world while Brazil is considered to have the highest growth in GDP per capita in the world. Estimates indicate that th

Delegation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Delegation - Essay Example As the paper declares assignments that supposed to be delegated are those that will interest staff and make them content to be working on the assignment. Why do people like work? The respond is that the work one takes pleasure in involves learning new skills, is to some extent imperative and conceivably will obtain for staff members some credit and add to their status and future employability. This essay declares that to achieve those purposes, the human resources ought to be evaluated. Finding the right individual who will be thrilled about the assignment and advantage from it is crucial. A delegated assignment should intrinsically be a learning course for the individual accountable for it. On the other hand, the staff member chosen should have suitable acquaintance and skills to comprehend the nature and scope of the project. If the Elementary School Principal can sense an eagerness about the prospect, which is a hint that the correct staff member has been chosen for delegation of the assignment. As Fairfax County Public Schools uses delegation for development, evaluating and harmonizing the assignments to all human resources transforms increasingly significant. Giving development opportunities to only a few staff members will shortcut the Fairfax County Public Schools' capability to extend human resources with manifold skills and talents. Leaving some staff members out of the probability for development will also lead to turnover of otherwise excellent and productive human resources.

Explain (with examples) the extent to which SSM was supportive of a Essay

Explain (with examples) the extent to which SSM was supportive of a group approach - Essay Example Today, SSM has become a useful tool in any situation (or problem) involving human activity. Take for instance this trivial situation of two friends watching TV and arguing if the programs were good or bad. Using the SSM model, there will be no point arguing because both are right. Friend A may like it because of the pact action sequences and Friend B may not like it because the plot is too predictable. Whichever it is, SSM model argues that the standard for a good TV programs is inherent in both and one value judgment is not necessarily superior or more right than the other. If these ideas were explicit, the two friends may still argue on some points but their ideas would cease being unsubstantiated opinion and become defensible. Wilson (2001) points that defensibility should be the main criterion in an argument since ‘what is right’ in most cases, is likely unachievable. Such concept is important to complex situations in any social organization that capitalizes on defen sible arguments. This report will then put primary focus on SSM supporting group approach by discussing how SSM rallies group dynamics. Checkland introduced the steps to be followed methodically in SSM. The first step being the identification of the unstructured problem – is best accomplished as a group. For example, when the A.REthinking group was tasked to identify an ill-structured problem, it became easier to consolidate and develop ideas because feedbacks, whether positive or negative, help process and systematize insights. The more diverse the members’ backgrounds are the more enriching the discussion will be. Wilson discussed that the â€Å"people-components† can attribute meaning to their situation and define their own purpose for the organization. Checkland’s collaborators even suggested that the real potential of SSM is best exemplified in its early stages since it is the period when members of the organization achieve

Managing People and Change Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Managing People and Change - Case Study Example These reforms included having a financial budgeting that was strict. The job specifications were revised. Fund holding was also reintroduced by the Blair government. The Blair government emphasized outsourcing of medical services. (Rudolf, 2006) Research shows that the medical staff are demoralised since the Blair government came to power. This is because of the NHS redundancies and staff cuts. The NHS has encountered problems since the initiation of the Blair reforms. This is in relation to IT innovations and incorporation into the organization. The National Programme for IT was though to be the worlds largest. This project had conflicts with programme contractors and the Blair government. The estimated budgets for this program kept on rising from 2.3 billion to 30 billion. (David, 1989) The National Health Service Act was passed in the year 1946. It was implemented in the year 1948. Nigel Lawson described it as a national religion. The services in the NHS are free of charge. After the World War II there were great reforms which were initiated by William Beveridge. Large sums of money were used by the NHS in funding. During the 1980s there was the reformation of the management processes in NHS. This organization had tough strains in financing until the year 1987. During this year the government provided 101 million for use in NHS. There are various NHS agencies such as NICE and SIGN. (Allyson, 2004) Improvement agencies role in health sector used to implement changes in NHS The role of the modernization agencies is to give assistance to the local clinicians. They help in the redesigning of the local services in the health sector. They ensure that the health sector provides services that are patient oriented. They also provide clinical governance services to the health sector. Modernization agencies help in leadership development in the health sector. They ensure that there is the improvement of the services that are given to patients and other customers in the health. There is provision of a regulatory oversight that is independent. (DoH, 1997) Improvement agencies have helped in implementing various changes in the NHS. These include ensuring that the length of waiting time for the patients is greatly reduced through variations in the discharging of the patients. The admission process of the patients is also changed. The patients follow up has been changed such that it is only done when necessary. There is the reduction of the queue numbers such that patient access to the services is greatly improved. (DoH, 1999) Care & Repair England This health improvement agency established with an objective of meeting the health needs of older and disabled citizens. Its roles are; to act as agents of service users in the health sector. It also provides the necessary policy framework for the other agencies within the mandate offered by the department of health. (Rampton, 2003) Organisational change models used by improvement organizations NIATx process improvement model This process model is based on some key principles which entail; involving and understanding the customer, fixing key challenges for the chief executives, picking powerful change leaders, adopting rapid-cycle testing procedures and obtaining ideas from partners outside the organizational field. (Burnes, 2004) Penn State improvement model

Future of Physical Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Future of Physical Geography - Essay Example There are, also, other meteorological factors that make up the climate for a certain region and causes variations over a period of time. There are several different theories used to determine and study climate changes over short and long periods of time. The Thornthwaite system uses the study of temperature and precipitation as well as studying animal species, their diversity and how it impacts climate changes. The Bergeron and Spatial Synoptic system focuses mainly on the origin or air masses that make up the climate of a certain region. Paleoclimatology is the study of ancient climates. Since education and study of climates was not prevalent until the 19th century, this type of climate study uses non-biotic evidence such as sediments found in lakebeds, ice cores, tree rings and coral. Historical time spans show that there are a number of variables that determine climate which include, latitude, altitude, percent proportion of land to water, and the location to oceans and mountains. Another factor that plays a role and is more regional, are warming of the oceans and how the heat is distributed between land and water Also, density of vegetation and how it affects solar heat absorption, retention of water, and rainfall regionally. Alterations in atmospheric greenhouse gases determine the amount of solar energy retained by our planet. This, in turn, leads to global warming or cooling. There are many variables that determine our weather, and they all interact with each other in various regions to produce differing climates. In the next few paragraphs I will break down the different climates and show their characteristics. Differing climate range from the moist dampness of the rain forests to the dry air of the deserts, and others in between. The rain forests are typically characterized by high rainfall. This area averages between 69 inches and 79 inches of rain per year. The temperatures in this climate average also around 64 degrees during all the months of the y ear. A Monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind, which can last for months at the time. It usually is the onset of a regions’ rainy season. The areas known for this climate are North America, South America, the lower Saharan Africa, Australia and Eastern Asia. A Tropical Savanna is a grassland biome located in a semi-humid area of subtropical and tropical latitudes. The average temperatures in these areas are 64 degrees year round. The rainfall in this type of area averages 30 to 50 inches in a year. This type of climate is also found in India, Malaysia, Australia and some northern parts of South America. The Humid Subtropical climate zone is associated with large storms of winter snowfall and rainfall. However, most rainfall during the summer months consists of thunderstorms and a few tropical cyclones. These climatic areas are located roughly between latitudes 20 degrees and 40 degrees away from the equator and on the east side continents. A Humid Continental climate is charac terized by variable weather patterns and large variance in seasonal temperatures. These areas usually see temperatures averaging 50 degrees in the warm months and 26.6 degrees in the cooler months. An Oceanic Climate is most often found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of the entire world’s continents. This type of climate can be found also in Australia and characterized by heavy rainfall year round. Hot, dry summers and cool

Difference Between Audit & Investigation Essay Example for Free

Difference Between Audit Investigation Essay Investigation is the act of detail examination of activities so as to achieve certain objectives. Specially, investigation is made in suspected places. It finds out the nature and reasons of suspected areas but auditing is the act of examining books of accounts so as to prove true and fairness of operating results and financial position of a business. Following differences can be seen between auditing and investigation: 1. Purpose An audit is carried out for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the balance sheet and profit and loss account show true and fair view of the state of companys affairs and its profit or loss. But an investigation aims at establishing a fact or is carried out for some particular purpose i.e. to know the financial position of the concern or the earning capacity of the concern etc. 2. On Behalf An audit is carried out on behalf of the proprietor of the business, while an investigation may be conducted on behalf proprietors when they suspect any fraud in their business or on behalf of outside parties who wish to lend money or intend to purchase business or at the instance of the government on the request of the shareholders. 3. Scope An audit includes only an examination of the accounts of a business whereas an investigation covers not only an examination of the accounts but also an inquiry into other relevant matters connected with the purpose for which it is undertaken. 4. Use Of Techniques An audit is usually a test checking but an investigation is a much more thorough examination of the books of accounts. It goes into the depth of the problem and keeps on looking for far more definite evidence to arrive at a conclusion that it can firmly substantiate. Further, investigation may be conducted even after the audit of the accounts. 5. Period An audit is related to only a year or six months while investigation may cover several years. 6. Statutory Obligation In the case of joint stock companies, audit is compulsory under law while there is no such statutory obligation with regard to investigation. 7. Examination Use Of Policies In audit, an auditor has to see whether the methods of valuation and other accounting policies have been consistently followed or not and he has to ensure that all disclosures have been properly made in the financial statements, while an investigation is not at all bound by accounting conventions, policies and disclosure requirements.

Proactive and Reactive Cyber Forensics Investigation Process

Proactive and Reactive Cyber Forensics Investigation Process PROACTIVE CYBER FORENSIC ANALYSIS Proactive And reactive cyber forensics investigation processes: A Systematic Literature Review(SLR) A multi-component framework of cyber forensics investigation Abstract—Digital Forensics can be defined as the ensemble of methods, tools and techniques used to collect, preserve and analyze digital data originating from any type of digital media involved in an incident with the purpose of extracting valid evidence for a court of law. In it investigations are usually performed as a response to a digital crime and, as such, they are termed Reactive Digital Forensic (RDF). This involves identifying, preserving, collecting, analyzing, and generating the final report. Although RDF investigations are effective, they are faced with many challenges, especially when dealing with anti-forensic incidents, volatile data and event reconstruction. To tackle these challenges, Proactive Digital Forensic (PDF) is required. By being proactive, DF is prepared for incidents. In fact, the PDF investigation has the ability to proactively collect data, preserve it, detect suspicious events, analyze evidence and report an incident as it occurs. Index Terms—Digital forensics, Digital Proactive Forensics, Digital reactive forensics, Digital device storage, digital crime, Anti forensics, multi component framework Introduction Computer crimes have increased tremendously and their degree of sophistication has also advanced, the volatility and dynamicity of the information that flows between devices require some proactive investigation. The reactive investigation is now becoming less practical since the increased sizes of the data that is being investigated and underlying technology of the devices that change tremendously make the tools made for digital reactive forensics useless In order to investigate anti-forensic attacks and to promote automation of the live investigation, a proactive and reactive functional process has been proposed.. The phases of the proposed proactive and reactive digital forensics investigation process have been mapped to existing investigation processes. The proactive component in the proposed process has been compared to the active component in the multi- component framework. All phases in the proactive component of the new process are meant to be automated. To this end, a theory for the proactive digital forensics is necessary to lay down a strong foundation for the implementation of a reliable proactive system. I. Anti-Forensics The term anti-forensics refers to methods that prevent forensic tools, investigations, and investigators from achieve- ing their goals. Two examples of anti-forensic methods are data overwriting and data hiding. From a digital investigation perspective, anti-forensics can do the following: Prevent evidence collection. Increase the investigation time. Provide misleading evidence that can jeopardize the whole investigation. Prevent detection of digital crime. To investigate crimes that rely on anti-forensic methods, more digital forensic investigation techniques and tools need to be developed, tested, and automated. Such techniques and tools are called proactive forensic processes. Proactive forensics has been suggested in. To date, however, the definition and the process of proactive forensics have not been explicated. II. Proactive digital forensics Proactive Digital Forensic Component has the ability to proactively collect data, preserve it, detect suspicious events, gather evidence, carry out the analysis and build a case against any questionable activities. In addition, an automated report is generated for later use in the reactive component. The evidence gathered in this component is the proactive evidence that relates to a specific event or incident as it occurs. As opposed to the reactive component, the collection phase in this component comes before preservation since no incident has been identified yet. Phases under the proactive component are defined as follows: Proactive Collection: automated live collection of predefined data in the order of volatility and priority, and related to a specific requirement of an organization or incident. Proactive Preservation: automated preservation, via hashing, of the evidence and the proactively collected data related to the suspicious event. Proactive Event Detection: detection of suspicious event via an intrusion detection system or a crime-prevention alert. Proactive Analysis: automated live analysis of the evidence, which might use forensics techniques such as data mining and outlier detection to sup- port and construct the initial hypothesis of the incident. Report: automated report generated from the proactive component analysis. This report is also important for the reactive component and can serve as the starting point of the reactive investigation.[1] III Reactive Digital Forensics It the traditional or post-mortem approach of investigating a digital crime after an incident has occurred. This involves identifying, preserving, collecting, analyzing, and generating the final report. Two types of evidence are gathered under this component: Active: Active evidence refers to collecting all live (dynamic) evidence that exists after an incident. An example of such evidence is processes running in memory. Reactive : refers to collecting all the static evidence remaining, such as an image of a hard drive. Previous Work Proactive Vs Reactive Forensics Investigation framework Complexity of Digital Forensics investigation Digital attacks are so complex that it is hard to investigate them forensically. The elements involved in a digital crime are located in a large multidimensional space and cannot be easily identified. With the increase of storage size and memory sizes, and the use of parallelism, virtualization and cloud, the parameters to take into account during an investigation can even become unmanageable. Five fundamental principles The five fundamental principles are stated below: Principle 1 Consider the entire system. This includes the user space as well as the entire kernel space, file system, network stack, and other related subsystems. Principle 2 Assumptions about expected failures, attacks, and attackers should not control what is logged. Trust no user and trust no policy, as we may not know what we want in advance. Principle 3 Consider the effects of events, not just the actions that caused them, and how those effects may be altered by context and environment. Principle 4 Context assists in interpreting and understanding the meaning of an event. Principle 5 Every action and every result must be processed and presented in a way that can be analyzed and understood by a human forensic analyst. These five are for reactive analysis , for proactive there must be some new principles. Soltan Abed Albari proposed the following two : Principle 6 Preserve the entire history of the system. Principle 7 Perform the analysis and report the results in real time. By preserving the entire history of the system, we can go back in time and reconstruct what has happened and answer reliably all the necessary questions about an event or incident. The reconstructed timeline is based on the actual states of the system before and after the event or incident. In addition and due to the large amount of data, events and actions involved, performing a proactive analysis and reporting require real time techniques that use high-performance computing. The analysis phase should be automated and have the necessary intelligence to investigate the suspicious events in real time and across multiple platforms. Figure 1 Relation between action ,target events[1] In addition to the actions and events that the seven principles listed above emphasize, we introduce the notion of targets. A target is any resource or object related to the system under investigation e.g., a file, memory, register, etc. We will use an element of DF investigation to refer to a target, an action or an event. At a time t and as shown in Figure 3.1, the system is in the process of executing an action that reacts to some targets and events, and produces new targets and events or modifies the existing ones. A model for Proactive digital forensics The model below has two major parts Forward system Feedback system Forward system is the one upon which investigation is performed. Both systems the forward and the feedback can be modelled as a tuple (T,E,A), where T is a set of targets, E is a set of events, and A is a set of possible actions each of which is viewed as a transfer function of targets and events. To clarify this, each target f ∈ T is associated with a set S(f) representing the possible states in which it can be. The Cartesian product of S(f) for all targets f defines the state space of the system’s targets and we denote it by T . We do the same for every event e but we consider S(e) to contain two and only two elements, namely ↑ (triggered event) and ↓ (not triggered event). The Cartesian product of all the system’s events (S(e) for every event e) is denoted by E (status space). An action a is therefore a function from Γ Ãâ€" T Ãâ€" E to T Ãâ€" E, where Γ represents the time dimension. The evolution function ψ is defined from Γ Æ" (T Ãâ€" E) Ãâ€" A to T Ãâ€" E by ψ(t,(~r,~e),a) = a(t,~r,~e)3. At a time t ∈ Γ, an event e is triggered if its status at time t is ↑, and not triggered ↓ otherwise. The notation ↑t e will be used to denote that the event e is triggered at time t Figure 2 proactive model[1] The forward system has three things that are linked. Target, event and action A. Target A target is any resource or object related to the system under investigation (e.g., a file, memory, register, etc.. We will use an element of DF investigation to refer to a target, an action or an event. At a time t system is in the process of executing an action that reacts to some targets and events, and produces new targets and events or modifies the existing ones. Therefore to describe the dynamics of the system at a single instant t, one needs to know at least the states of the targets, the events generated and the actions executed at t. For a full description of the dynamics, these elements of investigation need to be specified at every instant of time; and the complete analysis of the dynamics of the system requires a large multidimensional space Equations B. Events and Actions Keeping track of all events and targets is expensive. To reduce them, a few classifications using preorder and equivalence relations. To illustrate the idea behind these classifications, imagine a botnet writing into a file. This event will trigger other events including checking the permission on the file, updating the access time of the file, and writing the data to the actual disk. The idea behind our formalization is to be able to know which events are important (maximal) and which ones can be ignored. The same thing holds for the targets .This will optimize the cost and time . Short Theory on Events Let e1 and e2 be two events in E. We defined the relation ≠¤E on E as follows: e1 ≠¤E e2 if and only if ( ⇠Ã¢â€¡â€™ ) whenever the event e1 happens at a time t, the event e2 must also happen at a time t0 greater than or equal to t. Formally, this can be expressed as: e1 ≠¤E e2 ⇠Ã¢â€¡â€™ (∀t ↑t e1 ⇒ âˆÆ't0 ≠¥ t ↑t0 e2) Subsequent events are those which are less than e . Short theory on targets Let ÃŽ ¨ be the mapping from T to E (Figure 3.10) that associates each target with its change of status event. The mapping ÃŽ ¨ and ≠¤E induces a preorder relation ≠¤T defined by T1 ≠¤T T2 ⇠Ã¢â€¡â€™ ÃŽ ¨(T1) ≠¤E ÃŽ ¨(T2) Informally, this means that whenever target T1 changes at time t the target T2 must change at t0 ≠¥ t. Short Theory on Actions The set of actions A is extended to  ¯ A using the following operators: An associative binary operator called sequential operator and denoted by ;. Given two actions a1 and a2, the action a1;a2 is semantically equivalent to carrying out a1 and then a2 (the two transfer functions are in series). Note that ∅A is a neutral element of A with respect to ; (i.e., a;∅A = ∅A;a = a for every action a). A commutative binary operator called parallel operator and denoted by ||. In this case a1||a2 is equivalent to carrying a1 and a2 simultaneously (the two transfer functions are in parallel). The action ∅A is also a neutral element of A with respect to ||. A conditional operator defined as follows. Given two conditions ci and ce in C, and an action a, the operator ciace represents the action of iteratively carrying out a only when ci is true and stopping when ce is false. That is denoted by a ce. Note that if both are true, then ci a ce is a. Zone Base Classification of Investigation Space To address the limitation of the classification described previously and address the undesirability issue , classify the event and target state into a set of priority zones. These zones can be represented with different colors: green, yellow, and red; starting from a lower priority to a higher one. When important events/targets with high-priority levels are triggered, a more thorough analysis is expected. Moreover, the zones can be used as a quantifying matrix that provides numbers reà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ecting the certainty level for the occurrence of an incident. In our case, this number is an important piece of information in the final report. The high-priority events can involve one of the following: IDS, Antivirus, Firewall off and changing the windows system32 folder. On the other hand, the high-priority targets are the system32 folder, registry, network traà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã†â€™c and memory dump. Given that the number of targets and events are large, this classification is not enough, especially during the analysis phase. As such, we need to reduce the forensic space. Similar to the principal component analysis technique [59], we suggest restrict- ing the analysis to â€Å"important† targets and events based on a specific organization policy. This can be seen as projecting the full forensic space F onto a sub-space F0 in which the evidence is most probably located. Figure 3 Zone base classification [1] Conclusion In this paper we proposed a new approach to resolve cybercrime using Proactive forensics with focusing on the Investigation space for proactive investigation. This paper reviews literature on Proactive forensic approaches and their processes. It has a method for proactive investigation to be carried out significantly. In order to investigate anti-forensics methods and to promote automation of the live investigation, a proactive functional process has been proposed. The proposed process came as result of SLR of all the processes that exist in literature. The phases of the proposed proactive digital forensics investigation process have been mapped to existing investigation processes. For future work , the investigation space profiling is to be done on events and targets in the space. References Proactive System for Digital Forensic Investigation, Soltan Abed Alharbi, 2014 University of Victoria Mapping Process of Digital Forensic Investigation Framework A new approach for resolving cybercrime in network forensics based on generic process model. Mohammad Rasmi1, Aman Jantan2, Hani Al-MimiY. Yorozu, M. Hirano, K. Oka, and Y. Tagawa, A System for the Proactive, Continuous, and Eà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã†â€™cient Collection of Digital Forensic Evidence Towards Proactive Computer-System Forensics Requirements-Driven Adaptive Digital Forensics Multi-Perspective Cybercrime Investigation Process Modeling A Forensic Traceability Index in Digital Forensic Investigation Network/Cyber Forensics Smartphone Forensics: A Proactive Investigation Scheme for Evidence Acquisition

Density Functional Theory (DFT): Literature Review

Density Functional Theory (DFT): Literature Review Theoretical Background and Literature Review 2.1 Density Functional Theory This section covers basics about Density Functional Theory (DFT), which is the theoretical method behind our investigations. For those who are interested in a much more deep knowledge about the DFT we refer to textbooks such as [29] and [30]. 2.1.1 History of Density Functional Theory To get precise and accurate results from both theoretical and computational methods, the scale of physical phenomena must be well defined. In physics and material science the relevant scales of matter are time and size. In computational material science, for the multiscale understanding in both time and size scale the smallest relevant scale of atomic interactions are best described by ab initio techniques. These techniques are based on the determination of electronic structure of the considered materials and an intelligent transfer of its characteristics to higher-order scales using multidisciplinary schemes. More specifically, if the interaction of electrons is solely described using universal principles such as the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics condensed in the Schrodinger equation, these simulations are called firstprinciples, or ab initio methods. One can also separate those methods as Hartree-Fock and post-HF techniques that mainly uses by quantum chemistry field and De nsity Functional Theory (DFT) which is typically used in of material science. Ab initio simulations are becoming remarkably popular in scientific research fields. For example in DFT case, in a simple search at Web Of Science [31] or any other publication search tool, one can easily see that number of publications that include †Density Functional Theory† in their title or abstract is over 15000 in 2013. Therefore, it can be concluded that, ab initio based research already an important third discipline that makes the connection between experimental approaches and theoretical knowledge. Figure 2.1: Usage trend of DFT over years Within ab initio simulations quantum mechanical equations for any system that may be ordered or disordered are solved. That actually gives one drawback which is, solving that kind of equations is generally only possible for simple systems, because of the expensive electron-electron interaction term. So, in general, the ab initio simulations are restricted to 150-200 atoms calculations with most powerful computer clusters. Due to the that severe limitation, better techniques and methods are developed and implemented to bring the real materials into realm of ab initio simulations. The major development of ab initio methods with practical applications took place when many electron interactions in a system was possible to be approximated using a set of one electron equations (Hartree-Fock method) or using density functional theory In 1927, Thomas [32] and Fermi [33] introduce a statistical model to compute the energy of atoms by approximate the distribution of electrons in an atom. Their concept was quite similar to modern DFT but less rigorous because of the crucial manybody electronic interaction was not taken into account. The idea of the Thomas and Fermi was that, at the starting point for simplicity that electrons do not interact with each other and using classic terms, therefore, one can describe the kinetic energy as a functional of electron density of non-interacting electrons in a homogeneous electron gas. 3 years later, in 1930, Dirac [34] succeeded to include the many-body exchange and correlation terms of the electrons and actually he formulated the local density approximation (LDA), that is still used in our days. However, the Thomas-Fermi and Dirac model that are based on homogeneous electron gas do not cover the accuracy demand in current applications. In same the years as Thomas and Fermi, Hartree [35] also introduce a procedure to calculate approximate wavefunctions and energies for atoms and that was called Hartree function. Some years later, to deal with antisymmetry of the electron system, his students Fock [36] and Slater[37], separately published self-consistent functions taking into account Pauli exclusion principals and they expressed the multi-electron wavefunction in the form of single-particle orbitals namely Slater-determinants. Since the calculations within the Hartree-Fock model are complicated it was not popular until 1950s. The fundamental concepts of density functional theory were proposed by Hohenberg and Kohn in their very well known paper in the year 1964 [38]. The main idea was trying to use the electron density instead of complex and complicated wavefunction. A wavefunction contains 3N variables, where N is the number of electrons and each electron has 3 spatial degrees of freedom. In contrast to that electron density contains only 3 variables. Therefore, the implementation of the electron density with 3 variables will be more easy to handle than 3N wavefunction variables. In their work, Hohenberg and Kohn proved that all ground state properties of a quantum system, in particular the ground state total energy, are unique functionals of the ground state density. However, the Hohenberg-Kohn (HK) formulation is not useful for actual calculations of ground state properties with enough accuracy. A major improvement was achieved one year later, in 1965. Kohn and Sham [39] proposed a formulation by partially going back to a wavefunction description in terms of orbitals of independent quasi particles. The main idea was that the many-body problem can be mapped onto a system of non-interacting quasiparticles. This approach simplified the multi-electron problem into a problem of non-interacting electrons in an effective potential. This potential includes the external potential and the effects of the Coulomb interactions between the electrons, e.g., the exchange and correlation interactions. Since then up to now the Kohn-Sham equations are used in practically all calculations based on DFT. 2.1.2 Schr ¨odinger’s Equation In quantum mechanics, analogue to Newtons equations in classical mechanics, the Schr ¨odinger equation is used. This is a partial differential equation and used to describe the physical quantities at the quantum level. The Schr ¨odinger equation forms the basis of many ab initio approaches and its non-relativistic form is an eigenvalue equation of the form: HˆÎ ¨(ri,Rj)= EÃŽ ¨(ri,Rj) (2.1) where ÃŽ ¨(ri,Rj) is the wavefunction of the system depending on the electron coordinates ri,i =1N and the coordinates of all nuclei in the system Rj,j =1M. Hˆis the Hamiltonian of a system that contains M nuclei and N electrons. Therefore, the Schr ¨odinger equation that involves both nuclei and electrons has to be solved for the many-body eigenfunctions ÃŽ ¨(r1,r2, , rN ; R1,R2, , RM ). The many-body Hamiltonian can be written in the form: Hˆ= Tˆe + Tˆn + Vˆnn + Vˆen + Vˆee (2.2) ˆˆ where all of parts are operators. Te and Tn are the kinetic energies of the ˆˆ electrons and nuclei, respectively. Ven, Vee and Vˆnn represent the attractive electrostatic interaction between the electron and the nuclei and the repulsive potential due to the electron-electron and nucleus-nucleus interactions. One can also write them down explicitly: N f2 ˆ Te = − 2 i (2.3) 2me i=1 M 2Mn n=1 f2 ˆ Tn = − 2 n (2.4) 11 M ZnZme2 = (2.5) 4Ï€ 0 2 |Rn − Rm| =1;n,mn =m ˆ Vnn ˆ Ven = − 11 MN Zne2 (2.6) 4Ï€ 0 2 |ri − Rn| n=1 i=1 j= M e = (2.7) 4Ï€ 0 2 |ri − rj| i,j=1;i 2 11 ˆ Vee where me and Mn are the electron and nuclei masses, Zn is the nuclear number of the n-th atom, e is the electronic charge and f is the Planck constant. For simplicity one can also use atomic units. Then the Hamiltonian takes the form: NMM ZnZm in 22 |Rn − Rm| i=1 n=1 n,m=1;n =m 1 1 ˆ H = − 2 2 − + (2.8) j= MNMZn − + |ri − Rn||ri − rj| n=1 i=1 i,j=1;i 2.1.3 Born-Oppenheimer Approximation It is clear that forces on both electrons or nuclei is in the same order of magnitude because of their electric charge. Therefore, the expected momen 1 tum changes due to that forces must be the same. However electrons are much smaller than nuclei (e.g. even for Hydorgen case nuclei nearly 1500 times larger than an electron) they must have higher velocity than nuclei. One can conclude that electrons will very rapidly adjust themselves to reach the ground state configuration if the nuclei start moving. Born and Oppenheimer [40] published their work in 1927, they simply separated the nuclear motion from electronic motion which is now known as the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. Therefore, while solving the Hamiltonian Equation in (2.8) one can simply assume nuclei as stationary and solve the electronic ground state at first then calculate the energy of the system in that configuration and solve the nuclei motion. Then the separation of electronic and nuclear motion leads to an separation of the wavefunctions ÃŽ ¨ = ψφ of electrons and nuclei, respectively. Via the separation one can treat the nuclear motion externally by not in cluding the Hamiltonian and the â€Å"electronic† Hamiltonian can be written as: Hˆe = Tˆe + Vˆen + Vˆee (2.9) Solving the equation (2.9), one can get the total energy of the ground state of the system, which can be defined as: E0 = ψ0|He|ψ0 + Vnn (2.10) where E0 is the ground state total energy of the system and ψ0 is the eigenfunction of the electronic ground state. 2.1.4 Hohenberg-Kohn Theorem However, the Hamiltonian in Equation (2.9) is quite complicated to solve for realistic systems due to the high number of electrons and especially the term Vee makes it impossible to solve the problem exactly. Therefore, instead of solving the many-body wavefunctions, Hohenberg-Kohn deal with that problem by reducing it to the electron density Ï (r). This approach makes the fundamentals of DFT. According to Hohenberg and Kohn, the total energy of the system can be defined via the electron density as E = E[Ï (r)] and it will be the minimum for the ground state electron distribution, namely Ï 0(r). Therefore, the exact theory of many-body systems reduced to the electron density that can be defined as: Ï (r)= d3 r2d3 rN |ψ(r1, rN )|2 (2.11) and has to obey the relation: Ï (r)d3 r = N (2.12) where N is the total number of electrons in the system. One can also summarize the HK theorem in the form of the two main theorems, Theorem I : The external potential vext(r), which is the potential energy generated by the nuclei, can be determine from the ground state electron density Ï 0(r). Then Hamiltonian will be fully defined, also the wavefunction for the ground state will also be known. Theorem II : E0,the ground state total energy of the system with a particular vext will be the global minimum when Ï  = Ï 0. From the perspective of these two theorems one can write down the total electronic energy as: E[Ï ]= Te[Ï (r)] + Ï (r)vext[Ï (r)] + EH [Ï (r)] + Exc[Ï (r)]d3 r (2.13) One can also add the kinetic energy of the electrons T − e[Ï (r)], the classical Coulomb interaction (or Hartree interaction) between electrons EH [Ï (r)] and the remaining complex non-classical electron exchange correlations Exc[Ï (r)] into an universal functional FHK [Ï (r)]: E[Ï ]= FHK [Ï ]+ Ï (r)vext[Ï (r)]d3 r (2.14) The remaining will be to apply the variational principle to extract the ground state energy ÃŽ ´E[Ï (r)] |Ï =Ï 0 = 0 (2.15) ÃŽ ´Ã (r) 2.2 Kohn-Sham Equations However, the Equation (2.14) does not give an accurate solution. In that point, Kohn and Sham reformulated the current approach and introduced a new scheme by considering the orbitals by mapping the fully interacting electronic system onto a fictitious system of non-interacting quasi particles moving in an effective potential.The Kohn-Sham equations solution can be written as: ˆ HKSψi = iψi (2.16) where the Hamiltonian is HˆKS =[− 1 2 + Veff (r)] (2.17) 2 Therefore, the problem of finding the many-body Schr ¨odinger equation is now replaced by solving single particle equations. Since the KS Hamiltonian is a functional of just one electron at the point r then the electron density can be defined according to HK theorem: occ. Ï (r)= |ψi(r)|2 (2.18) i=1 Besides, kinetic energy term and the classical Coulomb interaction energy of the electrons can be define as: N 1 d3 Te = − r|ψi(r)|2 (2.19) 2 i=1 1 Ï (r)Ï (r ) EH [Ï ]= d3rd3 r(2.20) 2 |r − r | Then the Hohenberg-Kohn ground state energy cn be written according to Kohn-Sham approach: N ÃŽ ´Exc EKS = i − EH [Ï ]+ Exc − (2.21) ÃŽ ´Ã (r) i i are the one electron energies and are coming from the results of KS equations results, however it has low physical meaning. The most significant term in the Equation (2.20) is the last term. which is the exchange correlation term that contains all the many-body interactions of exchange and interactions of the electrons. One can also write down it as in the form of Hohenberg-Kohn universal functional from the equation: Exc[Ï ]= FHK [Ï ] − (Te[Ï ]+ EH [Ï ]) (2.22) The total ground state energy can be obtained from EKS in Equation (2.21). Since it contains only the electronic energy, the total ground state energy of the system is calculated by adding the nuclei-nuclei repulsion term: E0(R1, , RM )= i − EH [Ï 0]+ Exc[Ï 0] − vxcÏ 0dr + Vnn(R1, , RM ) (2.23) where E0 is the total ground state energy for a given atomic configuration (R1, , R2). Therefore, the total energy depend on ionic positions that is actually depends on the volume and cell shape, so one can easily compute the ground state structure by minimizing the total energy. Also one can find the force acting on the particular atom, say atom A, by taking the derivative of the energy with respect to ionic position of A: ÃŽ ´E0(R1, .., RM ) FA(RA) = (2.24) ÃŽ ´RA which also shows the total energy dependence on atomic positions. 2.3 Calculating the Exchange-Correlation Energy The derived and brieà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡y explained KS equations from the fundamentals of all modern DFT calculations today. The most important point in the solution of KS equations are the exchange-correlation functional Exc which also determines the quality of the calculation. There are two well known approximation methods to get the exchange correlations: local density approximation (LDA)[39] and generalized gradient approximation (GGA)[41, 42]. 2.3.1 Local Density Approximation The local density approximation starts with a very simple approximation that, for regions of material where the charge density is slowly varying, the exchange-correlation energy at that point can be considered as the same as for a local uniform electron gas of the same charge density. In that case one can write the Exc as: Exc = Ï (r) xc(r) (2.25) where xc(r) is the exchange correlation energy per electron in an homogenous electron gas of density Ï (r). Even though the approximation is seemingly simple it is suprisingly accurate. However, it also has some drawbacks such as under-predict on of ground state energies and ionisation, while overpredicting binding energies as well as slightly favouring the high spin state structures and does not work fine for some systems where the charge density is rapidly changing. 2.3.2 Generalized Gradient Approximation Knowing the drawbacks of LDA the most logical step to go beyond LDA is not to limit oneself to the information about the charge densitiy Ï (r) at a particular point r, but also adding the information about the gradient of the charge density Ï (r) to be able to take into account the unhomogeneous density in the system. Then one can write the exchange correlation energy as : Exc[Ï ]= f(Ï , Ï )dr (2.26) That way of description leads to an improvement over LDA, nevertheless in some systems LDA still works better. There also several different parameterizations of GGA while in LDA its only one. In GGA some of these parameterizations are semi-emprical, in that experimental data (e.g. atomization energies) is used in their derivation. Others are found entirely from first principles. A commonly used functional is the PW91 functional, due to Perdew and Yang [43, 44] and most commonly used today is PBE [45, 46] by Perdew, Burke and Ernzerhof. 2.4 Ultra-Soft Pseudopotentials and the Projector-Augmented Wave Method In the previous section, the calculation of Exc is described. Nevertheless this is not the single sensitive point of DFT calculations. The other point is the treatment of the electron-nuclei interaction. There are several available methods that describes the electron-nuclei interaction, but the most effective

HIV and AIDS :: STD, HIV, AIDS

HIV/AIDS INTRODUCTION At the beginning of the 20th Century it was believed by many, including the United States Patent Office, that there was nothing else to invent. Now, 100 years later at the beginning of the new millenium the ancient Egyptian philosopher is more relevant, "there is nothing new under the Sun". While HIV/AIDS may be a new disease, there is nothing new about a novel epidemic, which can potentially or actually decimate a population. In the late middle ages, the Black, now known as the Bubonic Plague, swept through Europe killing virtually half the population. It was introduced by a single or small group of rats that came to Italy abroad a trading ship from what is now Turkey. Small Pox transmitted by trade goods from the Hudson Bay Company wiped out entire Native American tribes. There are other examples of diseases accidentally introduced to a population that had no genetic immunity to them. Not to mention NASA's fear of an unbeatable super virus from outer space. Now as in previous disea ses, one of the dangers of HIV/AIDS is not only in its plague proportions but also in the almost superstitious misunderstanding of the virus itself. In the treatment of all illness, it is necessary to understand the emotional, economic, psychological and sometimes even political impact that is brought about by the disease. This is particularly true with a disease that is as devastating and heretofore misunderstood as HIV/AIDS. AIDS is the punishment of God on sinners. AIDS is a plot by the CIA and the South African Government to wipe out the population of black Africa. AIDS is the result of medical experimentation during the development of the polio vaccine employing the use of rieces monkeys as guinea pigs. AIDS is this, AIDS is that; AIDS is the end of the world. There is nothing new under the Sun. As we enter a new millenium, we are still controlled by prejudice, fear and superstition. AIDS is not the end of the world, it is simply the latest challenge the medical community needs to meet. There are new things to invent including an immunization and cure for HIV/AIDS. But before that we must overcome the age-old superstitious fears of the unknown and rise above the prejudices that we harbor of, "those people". Let us understand HIV/AIDS. AIDS, the acronym for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is the end stage disease of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Chocolate Chip Cookies :: essays research papers

Chocolate Chip Cookies Roy McKenzie L.A. 6 ° February 26 1997   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whoever in here likes chocolate chip cookies STAND UP! Well, I like them too.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of the Chocolate chip cookie is really an interesting one. In fact, did you know that the invention itself was really an accident? Nope, well, I didn't think so. Let me tell you a little about it. Have you ever wondered how the chocolate chip cookie came to be? Have you ever wondered who brought this American tradition into our homes? Do you know how they became so popular?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Well, it all started one day with a young lady named Ruth Wakefield. One day she was making some cookies for her guests. They were called Butter Drop Do's. This cookie required semisweet chocolate pieces to be melted in the batter. Well she was in a hurry, she had beds to make and drapes to clean so, instead of melting the chocolate pieces in the batter she just chopped them up in the batter, thinking they would melt during the cooking process. To her surprise they stayed very much intact See what happens when you do not follow the directions?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Well, never the less everyone at the Toll House Inn simply loved them. In fact, they became so popular the recipe was published in the Boston Newspaper. The recipe was named the Toll House Cookie. One day Nestlà © was going over their reports and they found that sales for chocolate bars rose rapidly in the Boston area. This was because the chocolate bars were the primary ingredient in the Toll House Cookies. When Nestlà © found out what was up they started making their chocolate bars with score lines on them for easier breaking. This was ok but still not easy enough. So to solve this problem they made morsels (miniature chocolate kisses)and bought the Toll House name. With that they called them Nestlà © Toll House Morsels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Did you also know that the chocolate chip cookie is the most popular cookie in America? The Toll House produces thirty-three thousand cookies each

Macbeth and its Unbelievable Lady :: Macbeth essays

Macbeth and its Unbelievable Lady      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth which character is more imaginatively created than that of Lady Macbeth? Can a lady actually think in this manner without being called insane. We examine the various dimensions of her character in this paper.    In Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye shows that Lady Macbeth is the driving force behind her husband, who resolves to "get with it" in the future:    That Macbeth is being hurried into a premature act by his wife is a point unlikely to escape the most listless member of the audience, but Macbeth comes to regret the instant of fatal delay in murdering Macduff, and draws the moral that    The flighty purpose never is o'ertook Unless the deed go with it. From this moment The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand.    That is, in future he will try to attain the successful ruler's spontaneous rhythm of action. (91)    In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson describes the role of Lady Macbeth:    It requires an extraordinary exertion of will and persuasion from Lady Macbeth to strengthen his wavering purpose. Professor Kittredge used to point out to his classes that Lady Macbeth, in urging Macbeth to act, uses the three arguments that every wife, some time or other, uses to every husband: "You promised me you'd do it!" "You'd do it if you loved me!" "If I were a man, I'd do it myself!" But Macbeth's mind is made up by her assurance that they may do it safely by fixing the guilt upon Duncan's chamberlains. (72)    In "Macbeth as the Imitation of an Action" Francis Fergusson specifies the fears within Lady Macbeth:      I do not need to remind you of the great scenes preceding the murder, in which Macbeth and his Lady pull themselves together for their desperate effort. If you think over these scenes, you will notice that the Macbeths understand the action which begins here as a competition and a stunt, against reason and against nature. Lady Macbeth fears her husband's human nature, as well as her own female nature, and therefore she fears the light of reason and the common dayllight world. As for Macbeth, he knows from the first that he is engaged in an irrational stunt: "I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself / And falls on the other.

“How Far Is Play Key in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead?”

In the play â€Å"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead†, the writer Tom Stoppard reveals to the reader the importance of â€Å"play† in his play and how it helps develop the plot and the characters of his literary work. Stoppard uses witty language, and satirical humour to help highlight the importance of numerous types play to the reader. Stoppard uses play as a main theme throughout his play as commentary on how play has many different interpretations, thus he uses his play as an impetus to explore this theme and allow the reader and the audience to gain a better understanding. Read this â€Å"The Secrets of Haiti’s Living Dead† One of the most prominent forms of play that is evident in the exposition of the play is how Stoppard plays around with the expectations of the audience as well as having both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern both tease the audience as part of their act. Stoppard begins the play with both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern already in action as if we as the audience have come â€Å"late to the action† by beginning the play with what seems to the audience as a non-sequiturs conversation â€Å"†¦Heads†¦ There is an art to the building up of suspense. Through this we as the reader are able to see how Stoppard is deliberately beginning his play in an unorthodox manner which would surprise the audience who would be hoping to follow the plot of the play from the beginning. By doing this, Stoppard is able to create an effect on both the reader as we are able to infer the audience’s expectation which have probably been diminished but nevertheless intrigued. As a reader we are a lso curious to know how long Stoppard will uphold this dramatic tension and leave both the reader and audience uneasy. Once we as the reader become aware of the fact that Stoppard’s play in not a conventional play that meets our expectations or the audience, we become subject to Stoppard’s world of plays awaiting anything that may come our way. In the exposition of the play, we see how the play begins with Rosencrantz flipping a coin continuously as Guildenstern tries to figure out how the coin only seems to flipping â€Å"heads†, â€Å"†¦. Heads†¦ The law of probability, it has been oddly asserted, is something to do with the proposition that if six monkeys†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Here Stoppard is able to highlight the important motif of coins and to a certain extent gambling through Rosencrantz playing with the coin. One could infer that through this coin play; Stoppard is simply trying to assert the attention of the audience by having them wait in suspense for something to happen. On the other hand, Stoppard also uses Rosencrantz game to highlight the fact that even from the very beginning of the play; his characters have no direction or purpose as to what they are meant to be doing on stage. This leaves us as the reader and the audience included feeling bemused by Stoppard’s play and wondering whether there are any conventional elements to Stoppard’s play. Furthermore, Stoppard is able to continue to build on the theme of play, by exposing the reader and the audience; through his manipulation of language and word play, to other characters in the play and how they help develop the plot of the play. During Act One, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern meet a band of Tragedians whose leader is the mysterious and crafty Player. Once the two parties begin to engage in conversation it becomes obvious that the play begins to make sexual references and similarities to the world of acting and prostitution. Naturally, both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are intrigued by his offer and try to delve deeper into what the Player is offering â€Å"You’re not – ah – exclusively players, then? †, â€Å"We’re inclusively players, sir. † Through Stoppard’s use of double entendres in the language, we are able to see how he plays at the sexual innuendos of the Player through the implications of the meaning â€Å"inclusively† to show how the word intimates intimacy and an element of risque endeavors. By doing this Stoppard is able make a satirical comment about the similarities in the nature of acting and prostitution and how they both perform for money, though they differ on the nature of their performances. Through this we as the audience are able to see how Stoppard is able to add humour to the play through his word play and sexual innuendos, allowing the reader and the audience to enjoy the play despite the fact it may appear to be quite absurd. Lending weight to the above notion, Stoppard is able to show the importance of play through the character of the Player, who is able to toil around with both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and helps them come to the realization that they are actors and that they have a purpose. The player is able to do this by playing around with the minds of both the protagonists, firstly through his sexual innuendos as explored above and through the fact that he helps Rosencrantz and Guildenstern realise that they are actors on stage and that they are performers to an audience. Stoppard is able to use the Player as a foil to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who begin to question the Player asking him â€Å"†¦aren’t you going to change into your costume? †, â€Å"I never change out of it, sir† and â€Å"aren’t you going to – come on? †, â€Å"I am on. † Here we see the irony Stoppard is trying to convey as both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern did not walk onto stage appear to put on a costume in order to come on and act. Here Stoppard explores the theme of â€Å"seeming and being† as he shows how throughout the play the two protagonists interchangeably play around with their characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in â€Å"Hamlet† and in Stoppard’s play. This leaves us the reader to question whether Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are acting or whether they are being themselves, leaving us intrigued as we ponder this peculiar phenomenon. Another character who helps elucidate on Stoppard’s theme of playing is the character of Hamlet who appears to be mad plays mind games with his two friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Nobody in the play of â€Å"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead† and in â€Å"Hamlet† knows why Hamlet is acting crazy and thus, they try to find reason for his madness. What they are not aware of is the fact that Hamlet has chosen to act mad and â€Å"play† the fool in order to prove the guilt of the new king and to find out if his mother was in on the plot to murder his father. Thus in Stoppard’s play it is obvious that Hamlet is simply playing around as he tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he is â€Å"but mad north north-west; when the wind is southerly [he] knows a hawk from a handsaw†. Through Hamlet’s complex metaphor it is clear to see that he is actually lucid and is able to know that he is being tricked and deceived by his childhood friends with orders from Claudius. Here we are able to see how because of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s lack of wit and inablilty to comprehend Hamlet’s message they are inevitably the ones played by Hamlet and thus their ignorance leads them to their death. We as the reader and are left to see how Stoppard is able to use the character of Hamlet to show how disguise and deception both coincide with the theme of play as well as seeming and being. Lastly, Stoppard also conveys the importance of playing, through his use allusion to other texts by various writers to help show past and present literature works influence almost all writers. Stoppard’s play is based on the plot of â€Å"Hamlet†, but it greatly echoes Beckett’s play â€Å"Waiting for Godot†. In Beckett’s play the main protagonists of the play also lack direction and purpose and are waiting for the appearance of Godot who never comes. Thus similar to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, they too engage in games to pass the time â€Å"†¦well, what to do now? †, â€Å"Don’t, let’s do anything. It’s safer. By adopting the same ideals from Beckett’s play about the nature of the play and the characters, it is possible to see how Stoppard is commenting on the importance of literary influences on writers and their works. Overall, Stoppard is able to convey the importance of the theme play in his play throu gh his use of careful and witty choice of language and through the satire of his characters Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Stoppard is able to allow the reader and the audiences to experience the importance of the theme play through his exploration of the different interpretations of the word in numerous unconventional forms.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Discuss in detail how one of the First Ladies (since 1933) has made an impact on a social issue in the United States First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt experienced tremendous pain throughout her childhood and believed she would find happiness in helping others. Her sense of social responsibility started in early adulthood advocating for the disadvantaged. After entering the White House in March, 1933 her eyes opened to the depth of racial discrimination and the suffering of African Americans. She made it known that the United States government had a moral duty to ensure racial equality.Her critics viewed her standpoint as radical. Mrs. Roosevelt did not waiver in her fight against discrimination despite the political constraints, failures and public outrage. This was evident in â€Å"Arthurdale†, a small community in West Virginia created to help destitute citizens become economically self-sufficient during the Great Depression. She pushed the Homestead Administration to admit Afri can Americans but they refused. She fought and succeeded in getting other low cost housing for African American families. Mrs.Roosevelt urged President Roosevelt as well as the entire nation to confront the discrimination that faced African Americans. She viewed racial discrimination as undemocratic and immoral. She showed her opposition publicly against the heinous crime of lynching perpetrated on African Americans by Caucasian supremacist. When the Costigan-Wagner anti-lynching bill was introduced in 1934, civil rights leader, Walter White needed Mrs. Roosevelt’s assistance to secure the president’s support. Her support infuriated the President’s administration and southerners. This led many including FBI Director J.Edgar Hoover to conclude she had African American blood in her veins. Despite her best effort the bill failed. The President did not support it for various political reasons. Later in 1939, Present Roosevelt created the Civil Rights Section of the Justice Department making lynching a crime, but failed to win any convictions until 1946. In 1939 Mrs. Roosevelt resigned from the Daughters of the American Revolution after they refused to let African American Marian Anderson sing in their Constitution Hall. Mrs. Roosevelt’s action put racism in the national spotlight.The First Lady was instrumental in arranging for Ms. Anderson to perform at the Lincoln Memorial instead. Her biggest accomplishment in the struggle for racial justice was the Fair Employment Practices Commission established through Executive order by President Roosevelt in June 1941. It read â€Å"there shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or government because of race, creed, color, or national origin. † She played a pivotal role in the ending of military segregation, and in the training of the Tuskegee Airmen’s becoming active fighter pilots in World War II.Their success proved that African Americans wer e just as capable as their Caucasian counterpart. After President Roosevelt’s death in April of 1945, she joined the NAACP becoming the first Caucasian D. C. resident to be a board member. Up until her death in 1962, she continued her fearless work against racism. Her relentless support significantly impacted the future of African Americans. In a condolence letter to her family, Dr. Martin Luther King wrote â€Å"Her life was one of the bright interludes in the troubled history of mankind. †

International Market Entry Strategy for Hershey Foods Corp Essay

I. Introduction The Hershey Company is famously known for being the biggest manufacturer of chocolates and confectionery products in USA, having hired over 15,000 employees worldwide and exporting their products to ninety different countries over the world. The Hershey Company has several popular brands, some of most notable ones being Hershey’s Chocolate Bar, Kit Kat, Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s, York Peppermint Pattie, Rolo and Krackle Bar. With the help of these brands, Hershey gained success and popularity, making the company’s net worth over $4 billion dollars. Hershey’s products include chocolates, confectioneries, food and beverage related products such as baking ingredients, toppings etc. The company lives by its mission statement, â€Å"Undisputed Marketplace Leadership† (www.hersheys.com). Hershey continues to preserve a higher position by successfully converting consumer desires into reality. II. Objective It was Mr. Roger Clarke, Vice president Sales of Hershey International, a division of Hershey Foods Corporation, was reviewing the Australian experience. He had a board meeting to attend in a week’s time and had to present his assessment of what the cause of failure had been in Australia. Was it strategic mistake or had implementation been the problem, and what strategy would be appropriate for re-entry. in this case we will try to help how to make the re-entry going smoothly by using the key SCM strategies, tools, best practises III. Literature The International Marketing Entry Evaluation Process is a five stage process, and its purpose is to gauge which international market or markets offer the best opportunities for our products or services to succeed. The five steps are Country Identification, Preliminary Screening, In-Depth Screening, Final Selection and Direct Experience. Let’s take a look at each step in turn 1. Step One – Country Identification The World is your oyster. You can choose any country to go into. So you conduct country identification – which means that you undertake a general overview of potential new markets. There might be a simple match – for example two countries might share a similar heritage e.g. the United Kingdom and Australia, a similar language e.g. the United States and Australia, or even a similar culture, political ideology or religion e.g. China and Cuba. Often selection at this stage is more straightforward. For example a country is nearby e.g. Canada and the United States. Alternatively your export market is in the same trading zone e.g. the European Union. Again at this point it is very early days and potential export markets could be included or discarded for any number of reasons. [pic] 2. Step Two – Preliminary Screening At this second stage one takes a more serious look at those countries remaining after undergoing preliminary screening. Now you begin to score, weight and rank nations based upon macro-economic factors such as currency stability, exchange rates, level of domestic consumption and so on. Now you have the basis to start calculating the nature of market entry costs. Some countries such as China require that some fraction of the company entering the market is owned domestically – this would need to be taken into account. There are some nations that are experiencing political instability and any company entering such a market would need to be rewarded for the risk that they would take. At this point the marketing manager could decide upon a shorter list of countries that he or she would wish to enter. Now in-depth screening can begin. 3. Step Three – In-Depth Screening The countries that make it to stage three would all be considered feasible for market entry. So it is vital that detailed information on the target market is obtained so that marketing decision-making can be accurate. Now one can deal with not only micro-economic factors but also local conditions such as marketing research in relation to the marketing mix i.e. what prices can be charged in the nation? – How does one distribute a product or service such as ours in the nation? How should we communicate with are target segments in the nation? How does our product or service need to be adapted for the nation? All of this will information will for the basis of segmentation, targeting and positioning. One could also take into account the value of the nation’s market, any tariffs or quotas in operation, and similar opportunities or threats to new entrants. 4. Step Four – Final Selection Now a final shortlist of potential nations is decided upon. Managers would reflect upon strategic goals and look for a match in the nations at hand. The company could look at close competitors or similar domestic companies that have already entered the market to get firmer costs in relation to market entry. Managers could also look at other nations that it has entered to see if there are any similarities, or learning that can be used to assist with decision-making in this instance. A final scoring, ranking and weighting can be undertaken based upon more focused criteria. After this exercise the marketing manager should probably try to visit the final handful of nations remaining on the short, shortlist. 5. Step Five – Direct Experience Personal experience is important. Marketing manager or their representatives should travel to a particular nation to experience firsthand the nation’s culture and business practices. On a first impressions basis at least one can ascertain in what ways the nation is similar or dissimilar to your own domestic market or the others in which your company already trades. Now you will need to be careful in respect of self-referencing. Remember that your experience to date is based upon your life mainly in your own nation and your expectations will be based upon what your already know. Try to be flexible and experimental in new nations, and don’t be judgmental – it’s about what’s best for your company – happy hunting P.E.S.T. Analysis for Hershey PEST analysis stands for â€Å"Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis† and describes a framework of macro-environmental factors used in the environmental scanning component of strategic management 1. Political/Legal Analysis – Chocolate producers unable to distribute products to certain countries. – Major issue is child labour in cocoa farms – Mostly affected areas in Africa where child labour runs rampant. – The Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA) and the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) created the Harkin-Engel Protocol, which is an agreement that focuses on child labour practices on cocoa farms in West Africa. – Result opened new channels to export and distribute cocoa to international countries. 2. Economic Analysis – In every year, due to hurricane impact, flood, etc, the price of refined sugar decreased from $0.38 to $0.31 per pound (estimate cost). – This allowed companies to cut retail costs and redistribute the savings. – A lot of waste material is produced, and companies spend thousands of dollars on disposing it. – However, there is a new opportunity born due to recent developments in bio fuel or another energy alternative. – New method of production that can use the by-product of chocolate manufacturing companies. 3. Socio-cultural Analysis – Consumers want a larger variety of chocolates and healthier alternatives to the traditional chocolates. – Dark chocolates provided several health benefits by adding a flavonoid in the chocolate that prevents various cardiovascular problems. 4. Technological Analysis – The chocolate and cocoa industries lack supports of Non-Government Organizations (NGO), which restrict the farmer’s access to business guidance, funding, and continuing education. – Farmers can’t learn new technologies making them less efficient. – This prevents the chocolate manufacturers from gaining cocoa efficiently to create more chocolates for the consumer. Target Audience for Australia Market The primary consumers of Hershey Chocolates include a vast audience ranging from children, teenagers and adults. But mostly, Hershey targets its consumers ranging from age 13-30 years old. The chocolate bar is considered a snack or is part of a daily diet in case of some athletes. The chocolates are available in most grocery stores, gas stations, malls etc. Consumers primarily buy chocolates according to their price. They also prefer if the chocolates fit their health and nutritional requirements, although there is a very low margin of difference between selecting according to price and according to health. S.W.O.T Analysis for Hershey Food Corporation SWOT analysis (alternatively SWOT Matrix) is a structured planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. A SWOT analysis can be carried out for a product, place or person. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective a. Strengths – Hershey has grown from one product one plant to a $4 billion company with various quality chocolates. – It’s a strong brand name and has a strong image. – Hershey was largest candy maker in U.S. with 30.7% market share – And want to expansion to Australia with market share 25% – It is also the largest pasta manufacturer in U.S. with 28.4% market share – World’s largest chocolate plant in U.S., with more than 2 million sq. feet. – Powerful partnerships (Starbucks, Kraft, Coca-Cola etc) – Major profits go to Milton Hershey School for Orphans. Also donates to Red Cross, UNICEF, and Habitat for Humanity etc. – Cooperative with students and professors. Toll free number 1800-468-1714, to access additional information on request. b. Weaknesses – Hershey’s Global market share is very low, around 10% and it happen in Australia – Concern for natural environment needs to be expressed. – Cocoa production rates are rising, and even a small price increase at retail level affects consumer buying. – Poor decision making as company relies on brand loyalty and has reduced advertising expenditure. – Higher price from the competitor make Harshey became premium pricing and the target make segmented. – Insufficient promotion by Hershey c. Opportunities – Potential to expand range of Dark/Sugar free products for health benefits. – Use partnership ventures to create chocolate flavoured coffee products. – Produce cocoa in new areas other than Africa, maybe from South east Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, etc) – Produce bio-fuel and another alternative Energy from the chocolate by-products – Develop environment friendly packaging, recycling industrial waste – China, India and majority of South East Asia are untapped markets and it can be delivered from Australian. d. Threats – Consumer demanding healthier substitutes. – Steady rise in prices of cocoa, milk and sugar. – Main competitors are Mars and Nestle. – 25% of Nestle revenues profits come from coffee. Nestle plays its strengths in international markets. Hershey is more focused on just local markets. – Mars uses extensive marketing and advertising expenditures to gain market share. Hershey just uses product innovations Five forces to growth in Australia 1. Threat for new entrants There is very little threat for new entrants in the chocolate industry because of the current economy, the various differences in products, and the constant need for large capital requirements. Also, since there is a lack of distribution channels and with the strict FDA regulations kept in place for food manufacturers, the threat for new entrants is almost non-existent 2. Bargaining powers of buyers The bargaining powers of buyers increase by two factors: a number of large volume buyers and the buyers’ relatively low profits from the product. But since the industry as so many different products, the presence of different costs, the bargaining power of the buyers is low to moderate at best. 3. Bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers has decreased since the chocolate industry is an important customer for the suppliers. But the power is moderate to high since the suppliers are concentrated; there are no substitute products available. 4. Pressures from substitute products The chocolate companies compete with various substitutes that threaten the industry. There are various flavours that are used as a substitute for chocolate. These include vanilla, butter, mint, rose, lemon, etc. Many consumers readily switch to these as they also consider chocolate to be unhealthy. 5. Rivalries amongst competitors Among the chocolate industry, there are intense rivalries amongst the highest competitors. There are numerous strong chocolate manufacturers giving out various varieties of chocolates at different prices, resorting to creative advertising schemes, constantly giving out new products and high quality chocolates to satisfy the consumer needs. Marketing mix Strategy a. Product – The new ‘Hershey Slim’ dark chocolates will have a flavonoid substance added which helps protect the cardiovascular system and is efficient until three hours upon consumption – Produced for health conscious consumers to ensure that Hershey favours healthier alternatives. Hershey will also assure people with health issues such as diabetics, that their chocolates are a safe and healthy alternative. – The core strategy is to reinvent the image of chocolates from being a source of a lot of sugar and calories therefore making people fat and/or diabetic, to an image where chocolates are considered an aid for protecting the consumers from heart disease and enhancing the rate of metabolism, by using flavonoids in their products. b. Price – To keep the chocolates reasonably affordable, keeping current financial trends in mind. – To have a promotion campaign in part with the contest – Currently chocolate bars are priced at $2.50 each. As part of the contest promotion, the chocolate will be sold at $2.00 each. – c. People – Target Audience would primarily be consumers from age range of 13-30 years, particularly health conscious individuals. – The most bought products are chocolate bars, which some consider as a snack, while others as part of their daily diet. d. Place – The chocolates will be available in grocery stores, malls, supermarkets, gas stations, coffee shops, airports, and at the main outlets. |Major Channel Distributors |Secondary Channels | |Supermarkets |Commercial stores (7-11, Cheers) | |Department Stores |Amusement areas (cinemas, parks) | |Pharmacy |School | |Duty Free Outlets |Mini market | |Grocery store |Channel Distributor | |Gas Stations | | |Main outlet | | e. Promotion – The chocolates will be marketed through an interactive contest. Also, some promotional programs could be held under joint sponsorships through gyms/spas. – customised chocolate products for the promotional, corporate, hospitality and special occasions industries Objectives and Strategies a. Product – To reinvent Hershey Chocolates as a health conscious low calorie dark chocolate. – To reassure health conscious consumers to purchase this new product by providing all the necessary nutritional information – Hershey’s goal is to keep each product’s nutrition information up-to-date and accurate b. Objectives – To promote the health benefits of the new Hershey Dark Chocolate – Help the consumers change their mind-set that chocolates are unhealthy. – To spread awareness and increase sales of the product. c. Strategy – To increase sales using promotional materials such as an interactive contest. – Make a new plant for chocolate nearby Australia, to increase the cost and make the price competitive. Example: we can use one of the three proposed strategies. 1. Hershey Dark Chocolate Mascot Strategy – Each chocolate has a code which in the package – Unlocks part of a character. A total of 25 unique parts allowing consumers to create 120 variations of characters. – Customers can go online and create the character of choice online and submit to the contest – Winning character will be the new mascot for the Hershey Slim. Winner will also receive gift vouchers and a 1 month membership to California Fitness Gym 2. Healthy mind, healthy body with Hershey Strategy – In the chocolate packaging are instructions to visit website – Consumers have to play a classic memory game which has five levels of difficulty. – Cards show healthy foods, and Hershey products – Winners who complete the final score under a specific time limit win a one day all access pass to California Fitness Gym 3. Wrapper Cash Strategy – Each Hershey Slim wrapper contains points – These points can be collected under an online account – Purchases can be made from the Hershey shop using these points. – There would be a limit to the number of points one can input per day, per account. – The more you save, the bigger better things you can buy. – Products would mostly include exercise equipment. Possible to buy products at half their retail price using the point system. Reference â€Å"Hershey Co. Form 10-K†, The Hersheys Company, December 31st, 2009. Retrieved January 14th, 2011. http://www.thehersheycompany.com/assets/pdfs/hersheycompany/2009AnnualReport.pdf Lovell, Jeremy. â€Å"Eat More Chocolates and Help the Environment† PlanetArk.com November 7th, 2007. Retrieved January 14th, 2011. Michael et al. â€Å"The Hershey Company – Introduction the World of Chocolate†, 2007. Retrieved January 10th, 2011. â€Å"U.S. Labour Department Funds Project to Evaluate Effectiveness of Anti-Child-Labour Efforts in the Cocoa Industry.† World’s Technology News. October 4th,2006. Retrieved January 14th, 2011. Website – http://www.marketingteacher.com – www.hersheys.com – www.thehersheycompany.com – www.gogle.com