Research Korner

Eurocentric view of history

THESIS STATEMENTS   The following thesis statements are made in relation to the Eurocentric view of history:     <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> The issue on the Eurocentric view of history has long been recognized in literatures emphasizing the significance of Western values, culture and concerns above other cultures.</li>     <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> The Eurocentric view of history has a significant influence to the past and present authoritative or power structures worldwide.</li>     <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> The issue on historical eurocentrism had contributed to the introduction of some of the common problems of the world such as the lack of forbearance for other races (ethnocentrism), lack of forbearance for other cultures (ethnocentrism) and the fear for other races (xenophobia), which in turn promotes human tendencies such as indifference and inequality.</li>     <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> The contributions of the Africans, Asians and other cultures to world history should be recognized by means of discussing them in equal parts as with the contributions of the Europeans.</li>     <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Governments and world organizations should develop ways on how to address the problem on eurocentrism, focusing on the transformation of historical education and the methods of appreciation for different cultural backgrounds.</li>                                   THESIS STATEMENTS   The following thesis statements are made in relation to the new change management concepts applied in the small and medium-sized enterprises in UK:     <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> There are significant evidences indicating the process of change among UK SMEs, particularly in their transformation from traditional management to a more responsive and learning organization.</li>   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Applying the new concepts of change management allowed the UK SMEs to become more competitive, locally and internationally. </li>   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> The learning organization, a new change management concept, is advantageous as it provides significant developments on information management and enhancement of managerial abilities of SMEs in UK. </li>   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Important requirements such as the involvement of the management, capability of the workforce and the motivations of all members of the company must be present for the development of a learning organization.</li>     <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> The concept of a learning organization should be applied in other UK SMEs as it create and strengthen learning opportunities for the company management and its employees.</li>                                                 THESIS STATEMENTS   The following thesis statements are made in relation to the issues affecting formerly incarcerated African-American women with HIV:     <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Incarceration and ethnicity plays a significant role in HIV acquisition among women, causing social, economic and medical problems once they are discharged.</li>   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Issues affecting formerly incarcerated African-American women with HIV can be prevented through internal services including sexual and physical recovery programs, mental health assistance, clinical medical services and drug treatment.</li>   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> A policy that will address the medical and psychosocial needs of discharged African-American women with HIV should be designed in order to facilitate their adjustment as free citizens.</li>   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Economic or financial issues of discharged African-American women with HIV should be resolved by developing community-based programs so as to help them support their basic and healthcare needs.</li>   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> The initiation of discharge planning programs while African-American women are still imprisoned can create the connection they need for various support services such as employment opportunities, child care, affordable and safe housing and medical treatment. </li>

Eurocentric view of history

THESIS STATEMENTS The following thesis statements are made in relation to the Eurocentric view of history: The issue ...

Free Thesis Statement on Marketing Plan for BP

Free Thesis Statement Marketing Plan for BP   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> The major issue for any oil company which has been easily seen by various stakeholders is the environmental issues which are based on its oil reserves. Oil companies, particularly the British Petroleum have battled issues coming out against them in relation to environmental issues. In fact, some environmental organisations and other stakeholders have expressed dismay over the indiscriminate company performance of BP that resulted to harm in the environment. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> British Petroleum is one of the biggest companies in the field of oil and allied products whose market value is in hundred’s of billion. But financial crises and unpredictable nature of business are the unavoidable aspects which are also among the highlights of the criticisms of the stakeholders. Business is the other names of ‘risk’ and so the study of the petroleum giant reveals that it was also in the same yard of maintaining stability in its early period of its youth and in early 1990s.  </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> It can be said that even though British Petroleum has been able to adhere to the promotion and commitment of being socially responsible the company still needs to prove that their intentions are clear and that their commitment will be consistent since most of their critics would always view their company as industry which have a negative impact to the environment. This is the issue that should be battled by the company with their corporate social responsibility.  </li>

Free Thesis Statement on Marketing Plan for BP

Free Thesis Statement Marketing Plan for BP The major issue for any oil company which has been easily seen by various sta...

Boone Hospital Center Organizational Structure

Boone Hospital Center Organizational Structure   Background of the Company             Boone Hospital Center is a 388-bed full service hospital that is sited in Columbia, MO. It is also a district referral center that is situated at the center of the said state. It provides different healthcare programs, services as well as technology to the people of 25 mid-Missouri countries (Boone Hospital Center 2008).             The hospital focuses its service in cardiology, neurology, oncology, surgical, obstetrical services and other specialties. The hospital is providing their 24-hour emergency center using their hospital-based ambulance services and helipad for arriving emergency air transportation. Currently, the hospital has its 2000 staffs and 350 physicians (Boone Hospital Center 2008).     Boone Hospital Center Structural Design                                             Figure 1 shows the organizational structure of the Boone Hospital Center. The organizational structure or design of the hospital focuses in learning. The design of the structure enables the staff of different levels to share their knowledge or information with regards to the decision-making activities of the said hospital. The structure also enables to flow the information and suitable representation in easy manner. The structural design that was used in grouping was the functional group. There are 5 main functions that are available in the organization:  the chief operating office; the patient care services; the patient and employee services; the CMO; and the management and affiliation management. The structure of the hospital was divided in different function in order to give focus on the most important part of the processes of the company as a whole. The main advantage of the functional grouping is that it enables the hospital to develop each important function that can help to improve its operation as a whole. It enables the staffs and employees from one functional area to focus on their task therefore; it can help them to improve their services for the benefits of their patients.             Different functional areas are treated as autonomous from the other, by doing this; it can help the hospital to accomplish their goal on their own. For example, the patient care is considered as the most important area of the hospital, because it focuses on the medical services for the patients, therefore, it is good for the patient care services to decide on their own, because they are the one who has the profound knowledge when it comes to the said area. This is just the same as the chief operating office and so on.             Aside from the said characteristics of the organizational design of the hospital, the organization enables them to communicate in more personal way. Due to the fact that Boone Hospital Center caters to the needs of their patient for proper health care, it is important for them to communicate in order to know if the different functional areas are doing their jobs according to the overall goal of the hospital as well as if it is following the different rules that are abiding the entire organization. Each department head communicates to the President in order to ensure that the hospital communication is barrier free. This enables them to do their clinical decision in departmental level using the decentralized framework of the organization.             The organizational structure also helps the president to communicate to their board of trustees or the functional areas that handles the financial aspects of the hospital.   Missions and Strategies             The main mission of the hospital is to improve the health of the people as well as the communities that they are serving. In order to meet or implement their mission, they are doing their different strategies that can help to improve and maintain the efficiency of their services. The structural design of the organization which focus on the horizontal organization and functional grouping of department have helped the company to meet their mission as well as support their different strategies. Due to the fact that there are different department or authorities who handles the case of the customer and services, it can help them to add satisfaction for the said two most important entities in the hospital: the patient, that considered as the customer or the source of income of the hospital, and the employees or staffs who serves the patients and considered as a medium for the hospital to gain their income. It had also helped the hospital to focus on different important areas of medicine with the use of modern and hi-tech tools and medical instruments.             On the other hand, the organizational structure didn’t support the IT department or aspect that handles the different online procedures or processes between the hospital and their patients.   Bibliography:   Boone Hospital Center, Choose Excellence, Choose Boone, Boone Hospital Center, viewed 29 January 2008, <http://www.boone.org/bhc/?boo neorg= /b c/cms/1/info/index.html>   Daft, R 2006, Organization Theory and Design, Academic Internet Publishers Incorporated

Boone Hospital Center Organizational Structure

Boone Hospital Center Organizational Structure Background of the Company Boone Hospital Center is a 388-bed full serv...

Sample Research Paper PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS IN ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION

PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS IN ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION             Introduction                 People have the normal tendency to try things either out of curiosity or out of necessity.  There is an inclination to engage in certain behaviors or indulge in certain substances to determine their effects on one’s life.  Alcohol and drugs are two of the most common things that people use and often lead them to dependence.  Alcohol and drugs are not detrimental by their nature.  Both have normal effects when used appropriately.  People take drugs, for instance, because of their physical effects (Marsden 2005) or to treat some physical illnesses.  Alcohol is a normal indulgence during relaxation and leisure.  Both substances when used accordingly actually make people better.  The problem occurs when the people using them lose control and are overcome by their power.             Addiction in not merely the chronic use of something.  Addiction rather involves compulsion, loss of control over the time and amount of the thing used, and continued use despite negative consequences.  These consequences may range from impairment in physical, cognitive, psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual health (Landry 1994, p. 7).   Drug addiction and alcoholism can begin with only a few “tries”.  Depending on the “rush” or pleasurable sensation that happens to make a user tick, drug addiction and alcohol addiction over time is when the need for this sensation begins to consume a person’s mind, inhibits the ability to rationalize clearly, and becomes the very reason for which that person lives and thrives (Narconon Stone Hawk Rehabilitation Center 2006).             Alcohol and Drug Addiction               According to Addiction Intervention Resources Inc. (2006) addiction, drug addiction, alcoholism and chemical dependency are all common clinical vernacular for dependence upon alcohol, drugs or other harmful behaviors. The word “drug” is defined as “a chemical substance that affects the central nervous system, causing changes in behavior and often addiction.”   The symptoms of addiction include an inability to stop drinking or using drugs despite physical, mental, family, social, financial, legal, or other consequences.  Those who are addicted to drugs or alcohol exhibit a strong craving, loss of control, physical dependence and tolerance (Alcohol/Drug Council of North Carolina 2005).                         It is essential to understand that when dealing with addicts, we are dealing with individuals whose brains have been altered by alcohol, drug or behavioral abuse. Thus, they need addiction treatment                                                        (Addiction Intervention Resources 2006).   Treatment is the most effective way to help an addict begin the life long journey of recovery.  It removes the sufferer from the environment where they used alcohol and/or drugs and surrounds them with others who suffer from the same problems. Time in treatment can be short or long, but it provides a solid foundation for the process of change to begin (Alcohol/Drug Council of North Carolina 2005).   The Treatment Method               Millions of Americans are apparently “hooked”, not only on heroin, morphine, amphetamines, tranquilizers and cocaine, but also nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and steroids.  There seems no end to their dependencies, their bewildering intractability, the glib explanations for their causes and even more glib solutions (Rodgers 1994, p.1).               Landry (1994) argued  that the most effective treatment for alcoholism, and indeed for addiction to any psychoactive drug, combines early intervention, education, counseling, self-help programs, neuro-feedback, a healthy diet, and pharmacological adjuncts that improve nutrition, particularly brain nutrition             (p. 313).               Moreover, there are different types of therapies that can support the treatment of the dependence. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a therapy in which a specially trained therapist tries to change the thoughts, feelings and conduct of the dependent person that lead to relapse, use or undesired behavior. The therapist also tries, together with the client, to teach certain behavior to prevent the person from relapsing: for example learning how to reject drinks or drugs that are being offered. The client learns how to deal with his intense need to use.  The therapy also teaches clients how to deal with life without the dependence. Other forms of therapy are psychodynamic psychotherapy, group therapy, family therapy, and self-help groups. Since addicts often use drugs to suppress unpleasant feelings, one goal of therapy often is to teach people to learn to accept unpleasant feelings and to handle them in constructive ways                 (Moelker 2006).     The Role of Psychological Assessments in the Treatment Method                 The recent news is that brain, mind, and behavior specialists are rethinking the whole notion of addiction. With help from neuroscience, molecular biology, pharmacology, psychology, and genetics, they're challenging their own hard-core assumptions and popular "certainties" and finding surprisingly common characteristics among addictions.  They're using new imaging techniques to see how addiction looks and feels and where cravings "live" in the brain and mind (Rodgers 1994, p.1).             Once an alcohol or drug dependent agrees to undergo treatment, two programs are available for him or her.  These are inpatient treatment or outpatient treatment.  Inpatient treatment, or often referred to as primary treatment, takes place in an alcohol and drug unit of a general medical-surgical hospital or in a freestanding treatment facility.  A good inpatient program uses a multifactorial approach of assessments which include medical, social and psychological assessments.  Detailed psychological assessments which consist mostly of testing are done early in treatment.  Two commonly used tests are the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Shipley Institute of Living Scale (SILS) (Milhorn 1994, pp. 126-127). The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2)             The MMPI-2 instrument as reported by Butcher and Megargee (2006) is the most widely researched and widely used test of adult psychopathology to assist clinicians with the diagnosis of mental disorders and the selection of appropriate treatment methods. The test can be used to help assess major symptoms of social and personal maladjustment; give a strong empirical foundation for a clinician's expert testimony; assess medical patients and design effective treatment strategies; and evaluate participants in substance abuse programs and select appropriate treatment approaches. The MMPI has two sets of scales. The first set reflects the patient's degree of cooperation with the testing and indicates whether or not the other scale should be considered valid. The second set reflects his personal characteristics, as well as delusional, disorganized, or psychotic thinking (Milhorn 1994, pp. 126-127).   The MMPI has ten clinical scales that are used to indicate different psychotic conditions.  These scales are hypochondriasis, depression, hysteria, psychopathic deviate, masculinity/femininity, paranoia, psychasthenia, schizophrenia, hypomania, and social introversion (Van Wagner 2006).             According to A.S. (2006) the Addiction Acknowledgment Scale (AAS) is a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) subscale for assessing personality dimensions underlying the development of addictive disorders. It is a true/false questionnaire. It detects personality characteristics that are associated with developing alcohol abuse problems. The Shipley Institute of Living Scale (SILS)             The SILS is used to estimate verbal intelligence quotient (IQ). It also estimates cognitive quotient (CQ), which is an indication of the patient's ability to think and reason. The verbal IQ is usually minimally affected by years of drug abuse, but the CQ may be depressed, indicating some degree of loss of brain functioning (Milhorn 1994, p. 127). CQ provides a measure of abstract ability, a skill that appears especially vulnerable to the effects of sustained abusive drinking (Campbell et. al 1999, p.1).  Repeat testing in three to four weeks will determine if this loss of intellectual functioning is reversible or permanent (Milhorn 1994, p. 127).             Senior (2001) wrote that the SILS is a self-administered test and consists of two subtests.  The first is the Vocabulary subtest of forty multiple choice questions in which the respondent is asked to choose which of four words is closest in meaning to a target word.  This subtest relies on verbal skills which include reading ability, verbal comprehension, acquired knowledge, long-term memory, and concept formation.  The second subtest in the Abstraction subtest of twenty questions in which sequences of numbers, letters, or words with the final element in each sequence omitted.  The respondent is required to complete each of the sequences. The Abstraction subtest relies more heavily on attentional abilities, letter, word, and number concept formation, abstract thinking, cognitive flexibility, analysis and synthesis, processing speed, long-term memory, and specific vocabulary and arithmetic skills.  Assessing a client’s abstract reasoning skills can assist with matching the client to a program with a strong cognitive -behavioral orientation (Salter 2005).  SILS' use reflects the tests potential for detecting the presence of intellectual deterioration.  Another role for which the SILS is commonly employed is the assessment of general intellectual ability (Senior 2001).   Other Psychological Assessments Used in Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment   The Addiction Severity Index (ASI)                           The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) has also been used to predict the outcome of substance abuse treatment. The ASI, now in its fifth iteration, was commissioned by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as a measure for the assessment of severity levels in the domains known to be affected by both alcohol and drug abuse. These domains are medical, employment, family/social, legal, and psychiatric/psychological (Craig and Olson 2004, pp.1,3).  Each of these areas is examined individually by collecting information regarding the frequency, duration, and severity of symptoms of problems both historically over the course of the patient’s lifetime and more recently during the thirty days prior to the interview (Book Rags 2006).  The higher the score on the ASI indicates a greater need for treatment in each of these areas. The ASI scores can be used to profile patients’ problem areas and then plan effective treatment (Gustafson 2005).  The instrument also provides separate severity levels for both alcohol and drug abuse. Factor analysis of the ASI revealed that the test has four dimensions: labeled chemical dependence, criminality, psychological distress, and health-related problems.  The ASI consists of approximately two hundred items and yields computer-generated, quantitative composite scores (CS) of problem severity ratings in each of the seven domains during the 30-day period prior to the interview for each of the domains. The ASI takes approximately 45 minutes to administer via the computer (Craig and Olson 2004, pp.1,3).             The ASI is particularly useful in the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol problems. It provides information on the frequency, duration, and intensity of alcohol and drug use. The ASI also examines psychosocial functioning which is crucial to understanding alcohol dependency. The ASI is a cost-effective alternative for the assessment of alcohol problems—when compared to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID), a more formal and more expensive approach (Book Rags 2006).     Alcohol Use Inventory (AUI)             Alcohol Use Inventory (AUI) is a 147-item, paper-and-pencil, self-report instrument which reviews drinking practices and attitudes toward drinking. It produces sixteen-factor analytically derived primary scales, five secondary higher order scales, and a single third-order scale that is regarded as a general measure of alcoholism severity (Campbell et. al 1999).  Horn, Wanberg and Foster (2006) stated that the AUI test can be used by psychologists, social workers, chemical dependency counselors, and physicians to help differentiate drinking styles and develop individual treatment plans; provide an objective assessment of alcohol-related problems; and identify treatment-relevant classification of alcohol abusers based on DSM-IV classifications.   It provides a basis for describing different ways in which individuals use alcohol, the benefits they derive from such use, the negative consequences associated with its use, and the degree of concern individuals express about the use of alcohol and its consequences.     The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)               The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) is a recently developed multidimensional objective personality measure designed to assess psychological functioning across several different clinical domains. In addition to eleven clinical scales (most with subscales), it also contains four validity scales, two interpersonal scales, and five scales related to treatment and case management. Although it is a relatively new instrument, the PAI has generated considerable interest among psychologists, due in large part to the inventory’s general format and the rational-quantitative methods used to develop its scales. The PAI contains two scales, Alcohol Problems (ALQ) and Drug Problems (DRG) that are particularly relevant to the assessment of individuals who may misuse psychoactive substances. These scales are designed to measure the presence and severity of the core features of substance dependence (e.g., withdrawal symptoms, loss of control over drinking) and consequences often associated with such use (e.g., legal entanglements, interpersonal conflicts, family difficulties). Data presented in the PAI test manual indicate that the ALC and DRG scales have adequate reliability and validity. The PAI also contains a scale, Positive Impression (PIM), which is designed to detect the degree of positive impression management among examinees.  Fals-Stewart, in a study in 1996, evaluated the ability of individuals with psychoactive substance use disorders to dissimulate successfully on the PAL.  As expected, patients receiving treatment for drug abuse who were instructed to respond honestly had significantly higher scores on the DRG and ALC scales than (a) patients instructed to respond defensively, (b) respondents suspected of abusing psychoactive substances, referred for an evaluation by the criminal justice system, who had reasons to conceal their drug use, and (c) respondents from a non-substance-abusing control group                 (Fals-Stewart and Lucente 1997, pp. 455-456).

Sample Research Paper PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS IN ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION

PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS IN ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION Introduction People have the norma...

Marketing Planning Process (MPP) of Burger King : Aiming for Growth

Burger King             The Burger King company was founded in 1954, by two marketing and financial entrepreneurs, James McLamore and David Edgerton. The strategy of the Burger King has been successful and by 1959 Burger King expanded and established five stores in Miami. Similar to other fast food pioneers, the Burger King founders sought to attract investors by giving away exclusive rights to large territories through franchise arrangements (Reiter 1996). Burger King like many multinational fast-food companies has a system. Franchise is one of the most important means of achieving volume growth in a largely saturated marketplace and it is increasingly associated with multinational expansion (Felstead 1993). Most large companies in the fast-food sector are operating under the ‘format’ franchise system. The format type of franchise is the most common among the fast-food companies today. In this system, the franchisor (Burger King) not only supplies the product, but also lays down precisely the rules and procedures that have to be followed by the franchisee within a set of detailed pre-determined procedures or format. The franchisee is in effect purchasing a carefully prepared ‘blueprint’, which minimizes the risks involved in setting up a conventional small business.   Operating Industry             Burger King operates in the fast food hamburger restaurant (FFHR) category on the quick service restaurant (QSR) segment of the restaurant industry. The quick service restaurant is the largest segment of the restaurant industry in the United States (Burger King: Annual Report 2006).   Competitive Environment             The fast-food industry in the United States is very competitive. McDonald’s is the industry leader while Wendy’s and Burger King are in constant struggle for the second place. The consumer food-service market is typically broken down into eight categories according to the type of food and restaurant operations. The categories are sandwich, pizza, chicken, grill-buffet, dinner house, contract and hotel. The fierce competition in the fast food industry is evident with the pace in which strategies are changed. Fast food restaurants are always on the look out for new strategies that will enable them to gain customers and market share. The two main domestic competitors of Burger King are McDonald’s and Wendy’s.   SWOT Analysis Strengths 1. Wide selection of menu items             Burger King offers different varieties of menu items and choices for the consumers. Through the many choices that Burger King provides, consumers can customize their orders. 2. Fast and efficient service             Burger King has a different process in order taking and preparing the orders of the customers. Unlike in McDonald’s where a single dine staff takes a customer’s order and prepare the foods for a single customer. Burger King has two separate stations. One is where the customers order and one is where the customers pick up their foods. This process of order taking and serving is considered very fas and efficient. A customer falls in line to make his or her order and to pay. He or she will be given a number and then will move down the line where he or she picks the order. 3. Innovative Products             Burger King’s distinct assets include the unique Whopper with its one of a kind charbroiled taste. The company also prepares the hamburger any way the customer wants it. In addition to the Whopper, Burger King also offers a few set items on its breakfast menu that differentiates it from its competitors. These include Croissan’wiches and French toast sticks. The rest of the menu also offered the unique Veggie burger and Chicken Ceasar salad.   Weaknesses 1. Weak Marketing Campaigns             One of the weaknesses of Burger King that I think contributed to its decline that started several years ago is its weak marketing campaigns. The company was not able to effectively communicate with the customers. The customers were also confused about the different advertisements of the company that are sometimes considered ‘eccentric’. 2. Inconsistent Quality             The consumer’s perception of the quality of the food items and the overall product offering at Burger King is poor. Many consumers view quality at Burger King as inconsistent. This is perhaps due to the inconsistency in quality standards and the poor maintenances of some Burger King stores.   Opportunities 1. Expansion             In the previous years, particularly in the year 2006 - 2007, Burger King embarked on an expansion strategy. The company started to be more active in its expansion programs. In fiscal year 2007, Burger King opened 441 new restaurants around the globe. Burger King also entered four new countries namely Indonesia, Egypt, Poland and Japan. The opportunity to expand is very promising and the company is experiencing initial benefits from its expansion strategy (Burger King: Annual Report 2007).  Threats 1. Intense Competition             One of the biggest threats to Burger King is its competitors. Burger King is considered as the second largest fast food chain next to McDonald’s. Burger King always finds itself in fierce competition with McDonald’s, Wendy’s. Hardee’s  and other fast food restaurants. The increased competition among rival companies is characterized by price wars, product innovation and growth strategies. 2. Consumer Health Expectation             There is a change in the consumer attitude and behavior that is considered a threat to most fast food restaurants. Consumers are becoming more conscious when it comes to health issues. Consumers are demanding quality, healthier menu items. Although Burger King has taken the initiative in introducing ‘healthy food items’ the need to be more committed to providing healthy foods to the consumer can pose a serious threat if the company fails to satisfy the demands of the consumers.             The restaurant industry is affected by consumer preferences and perceptions. If prevailing health or dietary preferences and perceptions cause consumers to avoid Burger King’s products in favor of alternative or healthier foods, Burger King’s business could be in danger (Burger King: Annual Report 2006).   Significant Items of Burger King             Burger King is one of the major quick service restaurants in the world. In terms of size and number of stores, Burger King ranks second, next to McDonald's. One of the significant items of the company is the Burger King brand. The company's Burger King and Whopper brands are two of the most widely-recognized brands in the world. Another significant item is the company's Have it Your way brand promise. Have it your way is one of the aspects of the company's business processes that sets it apart from its competitors. The customers are given more food choices. Another significant item is the company's innovative menu. The basic menu pf all Burger King restaurants consists of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken and fish sandwiches, breakfast items, french fries, onion rings, salads, desserts, soft drinks, shakes, milk and coffee. In addition, promotional menu items are introduced periodically for limited periods. Burger King continually seeks to develop new products. Burger King focuses on product development and innovation. The company always aims to introduce innovative products in order to attract customers and to remain competitive. Another significant item is product quality. Product quality is important in attracting and maintaining customers.   Marketing Mix             Achieving a favorable position in the minds of the consumers and making the product or service attractive to the target market entails careful formulation of the marketing mix. Getting the right mixture of the product, promotion, price, and distribution is important in marketing. The goal of the marketing mix is to portray an image for the product or service that will match with how the organization wants the product or service to be visualized in people’s minds. Marketing mix according to Kotler (2001) is the set of marketing tools that the firm uses to pursue its marketing objectives in the target market. Product – The products or services of an organization help in creating an image of the firm in the mind of the consumer. This image is reflected in the customer’s perceptions and feeling about its products or services. The product is the element in the marketing mix that includes all of the issues surrounding the development of the product or service. Price – where market demand and the cost of producing the product or service come together and determines the profitability or lack of it. Promotion – Promotion is consist of all of the methods of communicating the product offering to the target market, such as advertising, publicity, and sales promotion. Place – Place is the task of getting the goods to market.   Recommended Marketing Mix for Health Conscious Consumers             Recently a new trend in the quick service restaurant industry is emerging. There is a steady growth of health conscious consumers. The reports highlighting the health risks of fastfood and the demand for healthier alternatives to these foods are both increasing. Because of these trend a new target market for Burger King has emerged. This market is health conscious whose majority is young with active lifestyles. In order to maintain its position in the industry and gain competitive advantage over its competitors, Burger King must seek to attract this new emerging market. Product – Burger King must actively engage in product development and must come up with food products that are of high quality and healthy. Price – Burger King’s products’ prices must remain competitive. Place – Burger King’s store must be redesigned in order to attract more customers. The stores must invite consumers from all walks of life. The stores must become Burger King’s tool for communicating its commitment to Food Quality, Service Efficiency and Health. Promotion – Burger King must seek to communicate its commitment to health to its consumers using different tools.     References All Hail the King, Burger King Annual Report 2006, Burger King, viewed 18 December, 2008,             <http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/87/87140/BKCAR2006.pdf>.   A World of Growth, Burger King Holdings, Inc. Annual Report 2007, Burger King, viewed 18 December, 2008,             <http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/87/87140/2007_AR.pdf>.

Marketing Planning Process (MPP) of Burger King : Aiming for Growth

Burger King The Burger King company was founded in 1954, by two marketing and financial entrepreneurs, James McLamore and Da...

Disney SWOT Analysis

. SWOT Analysis   5.1 Strengths   i)  Strong financial background First, Disney store has a very strong financial back up by Disney. It is very important for Disney Store to have market development and store improvement.   ii)  Exclusive for Disney’s products Second, Disney Store is an exclusive agency for selling Disney’s products: Toys, clothing, stationary and gift items etc. It provides many choices for the customers and satisfies their needs. Customers might think of Disney Store immediately when they want to buy Disney’s items.   iii)  Well-known brand “Disney” is a well-known brand all over the world. The image of Disney is very healthy and positive. It is welcomed easily accepted by its target segments.   5.2       Weaknesses   i)  Unchanged visual merchandising One of the weaknesses is that the visual merchandising is not changed regularly; the window display is the same for many years. In this way, customers will feel boring because no stimulation and attraction for them.   ii)  Stores are lack of theme decoration Monotonous decoration in every Disney store fails to attract customers. Because there is no excitement, customers tend to stay in the store for short time.   iii)         Passive staff’s attitude Staff are seldom greet and farewell customers. Although they answer enquires from customers, few of them introduce products and new information to customers proactively. Therefore, they fail to identify customers’ needs.             5.3 Opportunities   i)  Solo Tour The practice of Solo Tour has brought a significant economic benefit to retail industry in Hong Kong. 3 more provinces will be listed on Solo Tour. It is estimated to generate 43 million of traffic flows and every visitor would spend around HK 5,600 in Hong Kong. The benefit to Disney store is that more visitors will familiar with the Disney products and generate sales. Increasing awareness of Mainland people towards Disney stores in Hong Kong may be the opportunity for Disney to further develop the China Market.   ii)         Opening of Hong Kong Disneyland “Disney” has been a hot gossip among the mass. The awareness of Disney, no matter the store or the theme park, has been increasing a lot. It attracts both Disney fans and non-Disney fans. Disney store could be the supplement of the theme park. As the result, the demand for Disney’s product has becoming larger.   5.4  Threats   i)  Competition with the Disney Store in the theme park After the establishment of theme park, the competitive force of Disney store might not as large as the stores in the park. Customers might prefer to buy souvenirs in the park rather than the outlets.   ii)         Decreasing birth rate The trends of late marriage and family planning result in shrinking the market size of Disney store, and gradually lower the demand for Disney products.

Disney SWOT Analysis

. SWOT Analysis 5.1 Strengths i) Strong financial background First, Disney store has a very strong financial back up by Dis...

Ethical Issues in Crime Analysis Essay

Ethical Issues in Crime Analysis   Ethicality is defined in two interconnecting constructs: 1) a rule or habit or conduct with regard to right and wrong or a body of such rules and habits and 2) the moral quality of a course of action. Issues on ethical governance are a challenge to virtually all the industries and sectors. Law and morality, to wit, do not always overlap or easily substitute for one another. However, ethics goes above and beyond laws and is not restricted to specific acts and defined moral codes as it encompass moral ideals and behaviours. Ethics and morals are akin to each other because of the fact that ethics denotes the theory of right action and greater good while morals are the indicators of practice (1993). As such, ethics guide the companies to make the right decisions and to act responsibly.   Crime analysis, on the other hand, is defined as a law enforcement action which involves a systematic analysis of identifying and analysing patterns and trends in crime and disorder. Crime analysis is also useful when it comes to designing solutions to crime problems while also formulating crime prevention strategies. Some of the ethical issues surrounding crime analysis are: 1)    Access Control Violations – These violations are now extended to all of the members of a crime analysis unit since they may have access on various data. A common knowledge is that there is the wealth of data and that controlling access to all of this will be a serious challenge. 2)    Integrity Violations – Since the data on the information about a crime is subjected to limited modifications, corrupting them is easier. Apart from this, data originates from those who are directly involved in the crime, making the producers of the data as well as the data as both vulnerable. 3)    Confidentiality Violations – We all know that security, confidentially and integrity always come together at least in this business and thus protecting them must be a holistic endeavor. Nevertheless, there are security levels to protect such but these may not be enough especially when crime information are mishandled. 4)    Privacy Violations – In the crime analysis scheme, all informations about anyone can be obtained and collected. In addition, there are tools that could exacerbate the situation such as the usage of same computer that can make all kinds of unauthorized associations about individuals. 5)    Inference Problem – The process of posting queries and deducing unauthorized information from the legitimate responses are known as inferences. The problem lies in the issues on privacy and authenticity to which the solutions are perceived to be the constraint processing and the use of conceptual structures for the analysis of the crime. 6)    Insider Threats – These are considered to be relatively common among crime analysis units but could be also considered as the most dangerous as it can swiftly damaged not the operation but also the capability and reputation of the crime unit. Poignantly, these are the persons that the crime analysis units dearly trusted.

Ethical Issues in Crime Analysis Essay

Ethical Issues in Crime Analysis Ethicality is defined in two interconnecting constructs: 1) a rule or habit or conduct with regar...

Literature Review on Organizational Structure and Design

Organizational Structure and Design   Organizational Structure         Organizations according to Daft (2007) are considered social entities that are goal-directed, designed as deliberately structured and coordinated activity systems and linked to the external environment. The key element of an organization is not a building or a set of policies and procedures; organizations are made up of people and their relationships with one another. An organization exists when people interact with one another to perform essential functions that help attain goals (Daft 2007).             Organizational structure refers to how an organization is put together. Structure reflects some of the underlying ways that people interact with one another in and across jobs or departments (Sims 2002). Organizational structure refers to how job tasks are formally divided, groped, and coordinated. Organizational Structure institutionalizes: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> How people will interact with each other</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> How communications will flow</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> How rewards are distributed</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> How power relationships are defined</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> What is important to the organization</li> </ul>             Organizational structure provides the basic template for the continuance of an organization’s culture, norms, values, philosophies, and informal activities.             According to the article ‘What is the Right Organization?’ by Duncan (1979), organizations are undergoing change. The development of organizational structure is divided into different eras which moved from matrix to horizontal to virtual (cited in Anand and Daft 2006).               There are two general theories of organizational design: the universalistic approach (the standard hierarchical design) and the contingency approach, which has no identified form. The universalistic approach is based on the premise that there is one "best" way to structure an organization regardless of the situation and is based on a set of principles that guide the design process. The universalistic approach is based on the classical and the bureaucratic theories of organizational design. The classical and the bureaucratic forms are characterized by having highly specialized jobs, departments based on function and process, narrow spans of control, and centralized authority. These organizations will have several layers of management through which directions and communications must pass.             There are four factors that managers assess before designing an organization. These factors are the organization’s strategy, its external environment, its technical process, and its size. Each factor alone can affect design decisions, or they can collectively constrain or drive design choices. 1. Strategy             Many of top management’s strategic choices affect organization design decisions. An organization’s strategy describes the organization’s long-term goals and the way it plans to reach those goals. Strategies also specifies how managers should allocate resources to reach the long-term goals of their organization (Sims 2002). According to Porter (1980) there are three basic strategies that are available to an organization. These are cost leadership, differentiation, and focused. Under cost leadership, an organization provides the same services or products as its competitors, but produces them at a lower cost. An organization that chooses this strategy seeks to gain a significant cost advantage over other competitors and pass the savings on to consumers in order to gain a large market chare. Such a strategy aims at selling a standardized product that appeals to an ‘average’ customer in a broad market. Organizations that use this strategy earn a better return on their investment in capital and human resources and attain significant economies of scale in key business activities. In a differentiation strategy, an organization seeks to be unique in its industry along dimensions that are widely valued or preferred by buyers. An organization that chooses a differentiation strategy typically uses a product organization design whereby each product has its own manufacturing, marketing, and research and development (R&D) departments. A focused strategy is designed to help an organization target a specific niche within an industry, unlike both the cost leadership and differentiation strategies, which are designed to target industry-wide markets. An organization that chooses a focused strategy may utilize any of a variety of organization designs, ranging from functional to product to matrix, to satisfy their customers’ preferences (Sims 2002). Augier and Teece (2006) argue that know-how, internal structure and human behavior affect the capability of the organization. Organizational capabilities affect strategies which in turn have implications on organizational structure. 2. External Environment             An organization’s environment is composed of those institutions or forces that are outside the organization and potentially affect the organization’s performance. These typically include suppliers, customers, competitors, government regulatory agencies, public pressure groups, and the like. The condition of the external environment has implications on the design and structure of the organization. Managers must deal with the changes in the external environment by adjusting the organizational structure (Sims 2002). According to Punnoose (2007), external environment has implications on the organization. 3. Organization Size             The size of the organization also has implications on the design and structure of the organization. As organizations increase in size, the rules and procedures become formal. Large organization have more management levels and more structured work activities than small organizations and used decentralized form. Small organizations usually have more informal decision process and the organizational design tends to be simpler. Small organizations also have fewer diverse activities, fewer formal written procedures, and narrower spans of control (Sims 2002). 4. Technology             Technology influences organization design in terms of job design and the creation of teams and departments, the delegation of authority and responsibility, and the need for formal integrating mechanisms. Technology refers to how an organization transfers the inputs into outputs. Every organization has at least one technology for converting financial, human, and physical resources into products or services (Sims 2002).   Organization Forms             There are two basic forms of organizations – mechanistic and organic. A mechanistic system is characterized by reliance on formal rules and regulations, centralization of decision making, narrowly defined job responsibilities, and a rigid hierarchy of authority. The emphasis is on following procedures and rules. In contrast, an organic system is characterized by low to moderate use of formal rules and regulations, decentralized and shared decision making, broadly defined job responsibilities, and a flexible authority structure with fewer levels in the hierarchy. Top management typically makes decisions that determine the extent to which an organization will operate as a mechanistic system or an organic system. A mechanistic system is essentially a bureaucracy. Bureaucracy is characterized by principles that include: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Specialization</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Hierarchy</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Rules and Regulation</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Rational Decision-making</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Selection and promotion based on technical competence (Sims 2002).</li> </ul> Hierarchy of Authority             Hierarchy of authority represents the extent to which decision-making processes are prescribed and where formal power resides. In a mechanistic system, higher level departments set or approve goals and detailed budgets for lower level departments and issue directives to them. A mechanistic system has as many levels in its hierarchy as necessary to achieve tight control. An organic system has few levels in its hierarchy, which makes coordination and communication easier and fosters innovation (Sims 2002). In the paper written by Hannan et al (2006), the authority or the span of control the superior has in the organization was studied. According to them increasing a superior’s span of control reduces the effectiveness of capital budgeting in eliciting truthful reports. Division of Labor             Division of labor refers to the various ways of dividing up tasks and labor to achieve goals. The more that tasks are divided into separate jobs, the more those jobs are specialized and the narrower the range of activities job incumbents are required to perform. The mechanistic system follows the view that the greater the division of labor in organizations, the greater will be the efficiency of organizations and the amount of wealth created. However, a continued increase in the division of labor may eventually become counterproductive. Employees who perform only very routine and simple jobs that require few skills may become bored and frustrated. The results may be low quality and low productivity, high turnover, and high absenteeism. The organic system takes advantage of the benefits from the division of labor, but it is sensitive to the negative results of carrying the division of labor too far (Sims 2002).   Rules and Procedures             Rules are formal statements specifying acceptable behaviors and decisions by employees. In a mechanistic system, the tendency is to create detailed uniform rules to cover tasks and decisions whenever possible. In an organic system, the tendency is to create rules only when necessary. Procedures represent sequences of steps that managers and employees must follow in performing tasks and dealing with problems. In a mechanistic system, rules and procedures tend to be developed at the top and issued via memoranda. Such memos may convey the expectation of strict compliance and the adverse consequences of not complying. In an organic system, employee input is likely to be sought on changes in current rules and procedures or on proposed rules and procedures when they are absolutely necessary. In an organic system employees at all levels are expected to question, evaluate, and make suggestions about such proposals, with an emphasis on collaboration and interdependence (Sims 2002). Organizational Structures             There are three basic structures that organizations take – functional, self-contained and matrix. 1. Functional Organization             Considered as the most widely used organizational structure and also known as the basic hierarchical structure is functional organizational structure.  The functional structure groups employees together based on the functions of their jobs (Bushman 2007). The structure is depicted by a standard pyramid, with senior management at the top, middle and lower managers spread out below, and workers at the bottom (Sims 2002). 2. Division (Self-Contained) Organization             The self-contained unit structure represents an opposite structure to functional structure. In a self-contained structure organizational activities are grouped on the basis of products, services, customers, programs, technical process, or geography. All or most of the resources necessary for the accomplishment of specific objectives are set up as a self-contained unit headed by a product or division manager (Sims 2002).   3. Matrix Organization             A matrix design is based on multiple support systems and authority relationships, whereby some employees report on two supervisors rather that one. Every matrix organization contains three unique and critical roles: the top manager who heads and balances the dual chains of command; the matrix bosses (functional, product, or area) who share subordinates; and the two-boss managers who report to two different matrix bosses. Each of these roles has it own unique requirements (Sims 2002). Organizational Design and Growth             One of the most influential organizational design frameworks available is the one created by Jay Galbraith in 1973. The design framework has several underlying messages. According to Galbraith (2005) there is no single design for success and that an organization that aims to be successful cannot copy the organizational design of other organizations. A firm must implement features that support its strategy, including chosen paths to growth, and it must change those features as the strategy changes (Mohrman 2007).       References   Anand, N and Daft, R L 2006, ‘What is the Right Organization Design?’   Augier, E M and Teece, J D 2006, ‘Understanding Complex Organization: The Role of Know-How, Internal Structure, and Human Behavior in the Evolution of Capabilities’,  Industrial and Corporate Change, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 395-416.   Bushman, M 2007, Functional, Divisional and Matrix Organizational Structures, Associated Content, viewed 03 July, 2008,             <http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/120970/functional_divisional_and_matrix_organizational.html?cat=3>.   Daft, R 2007, ‘Organization Theory and Design’, South-Western, Cengage Learning.   Eldos, M P 2007, ‘Organization Structure and Inter-Organizational Dependency: The Environmental Imperative ‘, Icfai Journal of Business Strategy, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 22-30.   Galbraith, J R 2005, Designing the Customer-Centric Organization, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.   Hannan, R, et al  2006, ‘Flattening the Organization: The Effect of Organizational Reporting Structure on Budgeting Effectiveness’.   Mohrman, S A 2007, ‘Designing Organizations for Growth: The Human Resource Contribution’, Human Resource Planning, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 34+.   Sims, R 2002, Managing Organizational Behavior, Quorum Books, Westport CT.

Literature Review on Organizational Structure and Design

Organizational Structure and Design Organizational Structure Organizations according to Daft (2007) are considered social ...