Research Korner

Review: Tears of the Sun

Review: Tears of the Sun   The movie centers on the central character of Lieutenant Waters who is sent by his commanders to the aid of a Dr. Lena Hendricks (Monica Bellucci) among a war inflicted Nigeria. Nigeria is experiences unrest due to a civil war. All occupants of the country are rendered in hazardous situations. Upon contact, Dr. Hendricks refuses to leave the side of her clients who are now in refugee status. Waters is given into a compromising deal wherein Dr. Hendricks to be seen out of the country with the escort of her clients. Waters is then faced with the dilemma of actually leaving all the others instead of taking them also. The main theme of the movie is the clash between right and wrong. In moral terms, what is right may be seen as sticking to the rules, which was only to take Hendricks and not to meddle with the country’s internal issues. The other side is to base the right thing into taking one;s own instincts and attempting to save all the human beings who are in danger of absolutely perishing ones he leaves them. However, another dilemma complicate the situation when it turns out that helping all the others may result for the team to be in danger as well,  with the possibility of the mission being jeopardized, because of the decisions he makes. It is set on the wilderness of Nigeria which takes its audience into a thriller nature expedition whilst battling internal conflicts of moral bounds. The movie Tears of the Sun is about the tragic gray areas in a movie. It portrays a situation wherein citizens of a developed country move in the aid of refugees residing inside a developing country under civil war. It places a lieutenant and a doctor into a situation where they chose to help refugees in Nigeria, under civil war, and forced to face consequences for their actions. They may be seen as taking a side in the ongoing battles and this provokes other militant forces into taking actions against the supposed third party participants. The movie tackles the many issues that may be involved in diplomatic arenas wherein a third party or a simple arbiter party‘s position is compromised through decisions they make to help the injured, innocent or otherwise. The movie Tears of the Sun seeks to state a deeper message. Although it may commonly be seen as a typical action film, a deeper more emotional moral is being sent out to its audience. One message that comes across its audience is a question. It poses its queries on the diplomatic and political discourses seeking to understand the philosophical and moral dilemmas one needs to answer in times of war. With the recognition of humanity the doctor awards her refugee clients, a dilemma into which side should they be taking, or are they supposed to take sides at all? The moral question posited by the film is very interesting and it is one that is underrated. Most people, especially in peaceful centers of the world, would not be able to actually see the situations ongoing in war torn areas of our planet. Films such as this, although quite minimally, showcase the happenings and the faces of war that most people would happily spend their lives without any knowledge of. This facet of the film is expressed widely in the beginning. This in turn leads the audience into expectations which the film fails to deliver in the end. However, the message is seen to be completely lost in the haywire firings and bombings. After all, it still is an action film. After spending most of the movie’s minutes dwelling into the issues, one may see how it succumbs to the call of media pressure of selling and eventually turns into a full blown action film. As for cinematography and technicalities, the director, Antoine Fuqua (Bait), fresh from Training Day does exemplifies his eye for visual aesthetics; especially with the film, being fortunate enough to have been able to sign in one of the better action film performers Bruce Willis. Willis is one of the few artists of his craft who can effortlessly switch between genres of action and drama, notwithstanding recognition that he may have some reservations on the latter genre. The main protagonist was able to witch between the two genres which illustrate the three-dimensionality of character that is not often seen in action inspired flicks. The actor was able to present a new facet of character which plays with action film enthusiasts without boring other consequential critics.

Review: Tears of the Sun

Review: Tears of the Sun The movie centers on the central character of Lieutenant Waters who is sent by his commanders to the aid ...

Sample Position Paper on Salary Information of Right Now! Employees

Right Now! is a retail company manufacturing clothing products for young and fashion-inclined women. Through the efforts of its new management, the company was able to expand and even put up a website that has been earning considerable recognition. However, due to the growing availability of information to the public as well as the curiosity of some, the disclosure of supposedly confidential data occurred in the company. Specifically, the information on the employees’ salaries and their bonuses somehow has reached public knowledge. The management however, did not expect that this information will result to a strong impact to the employees. The management is then trying to determine whether the salary of each employee of the company should be made public permanently.             One of the solutions proposed by the company’s vice president, Charlie, is to continue informing the employees of how much money each of them makes. While the solution may sound eccentric, there are several factors and benefits that support this position. As Charlie stated, the accessibility of salary information to the employees is something that is difficult to control nowadays (Case, 2001). For one thing, salary information can be acquired or seen through various means. Salary guides and news on expected salary increases are sample data that are readily available as printed documents (PR Newswire, 2004). In addition, information on salaries is just as easily searched using the internet. Then of course, there will be employees who are adept in gathering data and consulting reliable resources.             This reason is further supported by Rawl’s (1999) first justice theory where it has been stated that each person must have equal rights to the basic liberties that others have access to. In the case of the Right Now! Company, other employees have been aware of the company staffs’ salary information; considering that they are all working under the same system or environment, the right to know must then be observed as a general rule. The is further supported by another principle of the justice theory which stresses that inequalities in the social and economic sector must be resolved so as to make positions and offices more open to others; this principle also helps in promoting fair and equal opportunities for all. In one article, the salaries of the teachers were also made public for the main purpose of resolving inequalities (Wykes, 2005). By doing so, several benefits can be acquired.             One of which is the establishment of a more honest working environment. The information on salary has long been considered a confidential matter; however, if this will be made public, employees will feel more trusted. In turn, this could also encourage them to become more open with their superiors, making problem areas in the company easily understood and immediately resolved. In this aspect, it should be considered that company operations is not entirely on quality and quantity production; among others, the management should also give priority to emotions, feelings and thoughts of the employees. Exerting effort to understand these factors will likely result to better and stronger company-employee relations.             Another important benefit this position can bring about is the establishment of a more defined and standard means of giving salaries to the employees. It has been mentioned that Right Now! gives salary increases based on performance (Case, 2001). This is an important company protocol that should be discussed with the employees since it involves their development within the company. By making salary information public and understanding how salary rates are decided, employees will be able to understand the differences in their salaries. In the process, this can actually serve as a driver to encourage employees to be better and more productive employees. The comprehension of this company information will make employees more knowledgeable about their performance and how they are being appraised; placing this matter as official company protocol on the other hand, will promote compliance.             From this reason, it has been stressed that making salary information accessible to the employees is the appropriate position as it is beneficial to both the company and the employees. The employees will understand the operations of the company more and the significance of their performance to its success; this will help them build directions for their career and professional development. The company on the other hand, will be able to obtain more driven employees, resulting to better business outcomes. Furthermore, openness between both parties will also support more harmonious human relations, which is also essential in successful organizational operations.             The disclosure of the salary information to the employees is likely to rouse negative reactions from some employees; however, as mentioned above, there are ways on how these downsides can be addressed effectively. In addition, the fact that such position will benefit both sides of the argument makes this position a more sensible side to take. Alternatively, the company may choose to keep the salary information private; the CEO could just explain how the salaries of the employees are given and how they could develop further in the company in terms of compensation. The employees will eventually forget about the issue and normal operations will resume. This is a less complicated alternative of course; however, there are some downsides. For one thing, this solution only promotes biased assimilation, wherein decisions made only favor one side of the arguing party (Robinson, 1997). In theory, it has been stated that personal preferences should not be the main influence on how one should decide. What is right for the company alone may not be right for the employees. Rather than decide based on biases, the company should prioritized the one that would be beneficial for the company and the employees. Specifically, what is beneficial and just should be preferred over the easy way out.             Van Slyke (1999) also noted that some managers tend to choose the easy and less complicated option so as not to hurt others’ feelings or act impolite. However, the author noted that, organizational conflicts should be addressed by the confrontation skills of the managers. By means of confrontation, conflicting parties are able to face, analyze and settle the issue; they are allowed to generate views and ideas, which can help achieve clear settlement. Aside from these, confronting rather than avoiding the problem generates the feeling that both sides are willing to resolve the matter by hearing each other out. Face to face interaction also exhibits respect, openness and commitment (Van Slyke, 1999). In conclusion, Right Now! should implement the continuous disclosure of the salary information of the employees as this position will be advantageous for the company and the employees both for the present and in the future.

Sample Position Paper on Salary Information of Right Now! Employees

Right Now! is a retail company manufacturing clothing products for young and fashion-inclined women. Through the efforts of its new man...

Business Strategy : STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT: A SOURCE OF SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT: A SOURCE OF SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE   Introduction Sustainable competitive advantage is a firm’s position wherein it creates and implements a value-creating strategy and competitors are unable to duplicate or find it costly to imitate.  On the other hand, stakeholder management consists of activities such as planning, organizing, controlling and evaluating individuals and groups who can affect or are affected by firm’s strategies with enforceable claims over its results.  Although stockholders or the investors in a firm serve as the key stakeholders for United States and United Kingdom corporations, there are times that other stakeholders are prioritized because of there impacts in the firm’s operations and strategy such as banks (capital market stakeholders), customers, major and minor suppliers, host communities, unions (product market stakeholders), employees, managers and non managers (organizational stakeholders). The intricacy of managing these stakeholders (like the trade-off between shareholders’ retained earnings against customers’ satisfaction through affordable quality products) towards the attainment of sustainable competitive advantage placed great challenge to top level management particularly the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).  In relation to this, this paper will cite specific firm cases and position a critical analysis to such in order to explain how stakeholder management can assist in sustaining an organization’s competitive advantage.  It also aspires to provide an answer why managers are too busy to interrupt, too serious to be joked and too formal to converse in a street talk.  Is the additional duty on stakeholder relations too crucial for the firm’s success that it can make or break the career of a manager, more generally, the life of the organization?   Excite@Home: How it fell and why stakeholders pulled it down?             The firm is formed in 1999 as a merger between an internet service provider and an internet portal.  The short business life of the firm emphasizes stakeholders’ role not only how to sustain competitive advantage, but most importantly, how to survive.  With questionable business plan the firm competed head-to-head against Yahoo!  This abrupt strategy and lack of direction resulted into customer dissatisfaction, conflicts among directors, executive turn-over and demoralized workforce.  As early as 2001, the CEO was replaced.  This should be a sign of hope for the sake of stakeholders, however, the root cause of problems in the planning and positioning stages was so vigorous that the firm’s stock value had fallen to 47 cents.  Aggravated this condition was its lender’s demand for the $50 million payment and withdrawal of its two largest distributors that ultimately throw the firm into bankruptcy in 2001. The inability of the managers to impress stakeholders and provide them the direction in the start-up stages of the firm installed an environment where the latter is positioned in an ambiguous state.  As a result, the unpredictability of the firm’s performance caused its lenders and suppliers to withdraw support at the time the firm needed them most.  Even the directors that used to be calm and focused in the organizational long-term goals were unable to curb the fall nor helped the new CEO to shift the organizational inertia.  This could be the effect of the absence of benchmark.  Planning and positioning served as signals whenever a firm is on the verge of trouble.  Without them, stakeholders’ apprehension and signal of dissatisfaction or optimal risk-absorption cannot be identified.  There is lack of financial and business goals were such signals can be quantified and solved when they occur.  Thus, this resulted in a vicious turmoil within the organization that the only tool that can cut it is resorting to bankruptcy filing.  If on the other hand the firm has a clear intention, its resources can be more manageable and leveraged against the amount of stakeholders’ insertion or withdrawal of their firm support.  It can be more flexible because it has a road map (short- and long-term strategy) that even the firm detours or drives in a slippery road, it knows that it has the tools box (contingency plans) or better mechanical bystanders (lenders) to give a hand (capital to recover).             The minimal analysis, as showed by its business plan, in the internal and external environment conducted by Excite@Home was unable to provide sufficient and useful information to create strategic intent particularly on how it will handle its stakeholders.  As illustrated, the lenders and major distributors had the potential to save it from bankruptcy as shareholders have to hoard their investment by selling their stocks and employees are downsized to relax financial burden.  However, there was absence of impressive business plans that even the change of leadership and its promising upheavals did not materialize because these stakeholders feared the firm cannot fight the competition.  This was aggravated by what  and  founded financial doubt in the firm’s records.  The lack of stakeholder measurement, at least to the lenders and distributors, was the result of undermining the importance of planning before positioning or acting without contingency plans and alternatives at hand.   Corporate Governance: Focus on the CEO’s Pay and Actions              Even though, net income at Walt Disney dropped by almost $1 billion in 2000 after 1997 $1.9 billion level, CEO  salary was increased including an award of 2 million stock option stock option shares.  On the other hand, Dana Corporations’ CEO   salary was deducted by 63% in 2000 year-on-year after poor firm’s performance wherein sales dropped by 6%, profits fell 44% and its stock has lost its value.  Since there is an executive compensation committee through the initiative of the Board of Directors for every company, such salary discrepancy in relation to firm’s financial performance are evaluated and decided upon.  On the other hand, Standard and Poor reported that 96% of 500 stock index used competitor salary level to benchmark their executive pay.  This report then provides the blurred lens the firm’s compensation committee used to arrive at an efficient executive pay, that is, effective but low cost for the firm particularly its shareholders.                          This is a rare but major situation wherein the strategic leader, the CEO, is not in the position to decide his own motivation rather the official-shareholders represented by the directors.  In this case, stakeholder (CEO) management is placed at the shoulders of the directors.  This process is also related to corporate governance that determines and controls the firm’s strategic direction, which in turn, Excite@Home failed to formulate and manage that caused its collapse.  Since corporate governance builds the relationship structures between stakeholders, this aspect of a company requires deep contemplation, sound implementation and control.  In this veil, executive monetary rewards, aside from intangible ones like prestige or personal gratification, is the primary concern of the directors since competitors may lure the former executives with higher income or more stock ownership.  Besides, it is quantifiable and can be measured unlike intangible, subjective assessment in other motivational yardstick.             It is assumed that the highest returns to firm’s owners should be produced when there is separation of ownership and managerial control.  However, the case of Walt Disney giving the CEO stock option to claim ownership over the company beleaguers this concept.  As a result, the decision-making of the CEO may be disrupted by the risk bearing responsibility of the shareholders in which it is apparent that the former is serving.  The question here is whether the CEO is able to prevent his concentration to dwell in risk leveraging rather in firm’s operations.  Worst, this could be the avenue where the CEO enters a new career in investment management.             In the same manner, the case of the CEO of Dana could induce rebellion from the former against the directors that in effect make resignation or low motivation an easy way to run into.  Long-term plans of the firm might be overlooked or other stakeholders like customers demand greater quality that situates the operations to increase costs or suppliers lift transportation premium because of a recession.  This stakeholder conflict that necessitates financial pressure from the shareholders is a common trade-off happening to every organization.  In order to satisfy customers, quality must be an indispensable feature of a product.  However, this would not be attained if the firm will focus on cost leadership strategy and undermine differentiation strategy.  Thus, CEO are torn between short-term financial loss over long-term business gains and stronger stakeholders linkages.  On the other hand, shareholders who are unwilling to give a shot to the firm to implement such strategies could cause them to penalize the CEO that in fact doing the long-run road to success.              Evaluation and planning the CEO’s performance is necessary to avoid overpaying, underpaying or diverting their decision-making duties to other investment interests.  To implement such activities, continuous monitoring is required to the directors that should not be limited to bi-annual meetings rather a personal visit to firm’s site and offices.  Lack of which can lead to opportunistic behavior from managers wherein their decisions are vested with self-interest that according to studies hard to figure out until they actually occurred.              The lack of shareholders’ knowledge on Tyco’s successive 700 acquisitions from 1998 to 2001 in its strategy of growth through diversification resulted to uncontrolled $11 billion debt spur.  In 2002, its performance suffered due to too much diversification and required the firm to publicly trade its stock and split it into four companies.  Diversification can provide the managers with lower employment risk as subsidiaries and department broaden including the opportunity to increase their pay due to increased responsibilities.  When shareholders could not detect this untraceable behavior and separate it against the bright prospect of such plan attached with long-term shareholder gains, increased monitoring costs is inevitable.  Because of this, there is a need to control the actions of the managers from the stance of a shareholder.  And this could only be maximized and optimal decision can be established if monitoring of the firm’s operations can be held by them not just simply black and white report.    Culture, Ethics and Reputation as the Platform of Stakeholder Management             Back to the assumption that top-management is responsible in managing stakeholder structures, relationships and conflicting goals.  They are the strategic leaders who install and maintain organizational culture which can be the source of innovation on one hand or inertia on the other depending how they lead the organization.  Since organizational culture is complex, it is an ideal intangible resource to smoothly reach an organizational goal set by the leaders including the competitors’ difficulty to discover such competitive advantage that makes its sustainable.  It serves as the driver and social energy of the firm.             Southwest Airlines became a successful firm because its culture fostered respect to both employees and customers while the former is encouraged to work hard and provide premium service while enjoying at the same time.  Because of instilling these values into the mainstream of firm intangible features, productivity and motivation exceeded the expectations of the management and customers alike producing higher returns for the shareholders.  There are many promises of an effective and compatible organizational culture, however, it takes time especially for a new firm to adapt one and becomes a potential source of competitive advantage.  In addition to this, strategic leaders are faced with different alternatives including the innovative type of culture which fosters change.  Whatever the planned or unplanned culture that was built, leaders should be consistent with the strategic mission to prevent blunder from introducing one-time radical change and they should be equipped with managerial prowess and charisma to align an existing culture to the new line of firm strategies.             Using ethics in the analysis of managerial opportunism immaturely explained above, injecting this element in the culture of the firm could minimize, if not erase, self-vested interests wrapped in a managerial decision.  It can also address the problem of monetary claims attached to diversification endeavors also satisfying the manager that serves as detrimental to shareholder’s value.  With ethical practices fostered in the firm, managers and employees alike increases the value of performing organizational duties outside monetary rewards.  In this state, managerial monitoring and employee turn-over can be kept at low levels because they are not only motivated but also are inspired in their work which results to shareholders’ savings.  On the other hand, the same intensity, only on the extreme case, is applicable when a firm practices unethical behavior which can become a chronic organizational ailment.             The one’s US energy giant, Enron, collapse due to this cause.  Employee performance is based on results and they are phased to be terminated when failed to achieve the desired outcome exclusively formulated by a Division Manager Skilling.  He replaced the relatively (according to his assumptions) unproductive employee with the cream-of-the-crop in the business.  This strategy sparked the dark tone in the internal culture of the company partly because the non-quantifiable feature of employee dedication is basically diluted.  Aggravated this situation is Enron’s Auditor Andersen and other executives’ unethical accounting practice of preparing non-transparent reports.  Another, as the list continues, the Financial Officer  placed Enron’s stock as investment into business partnerships concealing them through off-balance sheet and harvesting for him and other colluding employees.  These practices resulted into ethical failure, thus, transforming the organization into hungry money-makers that seemingly possessed by evils while other shareholders served as victims.             Another intangible source of competitive advantage, firm’s reputation is an evaluation tool used by stakeholders to communicate the company its attributes in relation to them such as respect, knowledge, awareness, emotional and affective regard.  Southwest Airlines has emotional appeal and unique approach to airline business that prevented it to loose money in a year sine 1978 and saved from fare wars, oil crises and other economic disasters.  Dupont invested heavily to be flawless in its products’ environmental impact giving it the formidable position in social responsibility.  Merck and Company had emphasized innovative employees by selectively hiring better-skilled people to contribute in building intellectual capital in the company enhancing its workplace environment attribute.  The brand name of Coca-cola and Microsoft are the world’s famous and most valuable brands due to superior products and service.             As firm’s reputation takes years to built, just like any other intangible resource, it could be lost in an instant.  This is what Exxon experienced when Valdez oil tanker happened including poor product quality of Coca-cola in Europe and Microsoft’s antitrust case of its complex technology.  During these times, the CEO should take the front stage to develop and maintain his firm’s reputation.  Jack Welch of General Electric, for example, gave years of prosperity in the firm due to its exemplary financial performance due to his visionary outlook and leadership.  On the other hand, Cisco CEO  stick in his conviction to obtain existing business model despite 78% dropped in the value of its stock.  These leaders are the key to obtain and retain billions and billions of global companies’ valuation of reputation.  They serve as the mirror of how the firm would look like in the future.              Effective stakeholder management is primarily an outcome of top-level managers’ ability to build, maintain and rebuild culture, ethics and reputation within the firm.  These activities, as a prerequisite, should be in line with organizational intent and mission that ultimately serve the purposes of stakeholders in general and shareholders in particular.  Installing sound stakeholder platforms will give managers the required flexibility and leverage to minimize the adverse impacts of trade-offs between two stakeholders.  For example, when the firm is known to be a good debtor as it perpetually pays its due obligation on time, banks and other capital markets will place the firm into more relaxed contracts that in turn aids the firm to easily finance projects.  The culture will mount the chain of behavior, ethics will polish it and reputation will keep it shining to lure stakeholders in reaching organizational objectives.   Conclusion             With these illustrations, the firm can extend the effective life of its competitive advantage when it is able to manage its specific relationships with individual stakeholders.  Since each of them can be used as means or aspired as ends in firm’s operations, stakeholder management is an indispensable duty of top-level managers.  The process involves allocating priorities to capital markets, product markets and organizational markets that frequently result into trade-offs or win-loss situation.  Due to this fact, an ideal condition for a firm is to have the combination of strategic leaders and accompanying management platforms.  Having this tools, organizational objectives will remain on course despite external disruptions from government regulations and other stakeholders’ appeal to address their individual concern that can be observed when unions want wage increase, shareholders want cost-savings, customers want additional employees in a certain branch and suppliers’ demand for advance order transfer.             Stakeholder management involves several activities such as planning where Excite@Home overlooked that ultimately permanently amputating the firm’s ability to bounce back despite new leadership.  This case showed not how a firm sustains its advantage but how can it initially build it.  This is useful not only to start-up company but also to a company changing strategy.  At the core of every strategy is planning that undermining its significance could also damage the importance given to essential stakeholders.  As a result, even though Excite@Home has potential to win or fairly survive over the stiff competition, the inability of managers to provide a clear strategic intent to stimulate confidence among lenders and distributors inhibit it to prosper farther.  These stakeholders wanted their investment to create value in the future, however, the blueprint of the firm’s strategies in the long-run are not reliable as a source of wealth.              Perhaps the most crucial in sustaining competitive advantage and little behind shareholders’ significance in stakeholder management, retaining and motivating top-level managers particularly the CEO’s pay is the job every member of the BOD are carefully examining.  As CEOs are the most prominent and influential authority in the firm’s operations, they frame and direct the firm’s resources and organize capabilities to arrive at core competencies wherein competitive advantage is derived.  Due to huge amount of shareholders’ delegation of decision-making powers to them, their pay can speak the only quantifiable measurement to influence the level of their motivation.  This serves as shareholders’ way to minimize the risk of CEO turn-over or low performance.  However, as in the case of Tyco, additional effort to monitor major CEO decision on diversification could be an ideal move for shareholders’ to personally protecting their interests in the firm.  In an opposite view, managers may view this as cost-inefficiencies due to monitoring costs, and worse, create lower morale and rebellion on their part because of shareholders’ implied lack of trust.               Crucial to the scenario of either Excite@Home or Tyco, building and maintaining the platforms of stakeholder management through culture, ethics and reputation can give the firm the needed shield as resistance to unethical practices of managers leading to distorted firm reputation that can be clasps in organizational culture causing its gradual but costly demise.  When these platforms are installed and kept in the organization for a long time, its value increases along its complexity wherein only organizational members and stakeholders with direct contact to the firm are able to understand.  As such, competitive advantage created in firm’s activities, where monetary rewards are not the main source of motivation rather goodwill contributions,  are difficult and costly to be copied by a rival firm making the firm’s advantage a sustainable one.  This competitor’s attempt excludes the common business knowledge that solutions and its impacts to the firm varies from company-to-company.  So, even though it successfully duplicates the size, facilities and compensation structures of the rival firm, it would cost it too much without assurance of same rival results.              Finally, stakeholder management towards sustained competitive advantage is the task of both top-level management and directors.  The CEO is highlighted in this veil because shareholders positioned him to function as the manager of the entire firm activities.  A new product in the market, a new supplier policy, allocation of funds to minimize environmental hazards and transparency of financial and business performance are engaged because of his decision-making latitude.  However, managerial opportunism lurks around the corner, which in turn, undermines sustainable competitive advantage in favor of self-vested interests.  Thus, directors, the trusted representatives of shareholders to oversee firm operations for them, are given the budget and authority to control the emergence of such.  Without these two groups involve in stakeholders’ supervision, stakeholders’ value will result to unnecessary and unintended grievance to another in favor of an isolated interest of few.        Bibliography

Business Strategy : STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT: A SOURCE OF SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT: A SOURCE OF SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Introduction Sustainable competitive advantage is a firm’s ...

Take home exam :Law of evidence

Take home exam Both Question 1 and Question 2 must be answered. Maximum 2000 words (for two questions) 1.   D is charged with armed robbery. It is alleged that he committed the robbery in company with B. It is the defendant's case that he was not involved in the robbery. If allowed, a police witness will give evidence that D and B were arrested at B's house and that at the time of the arrest B said: "D planned and carried out the robbery. I just stood watch". D said nothing in response to this assertion. B has been given an indemnity from prosecution on condition that he gives evidence for the prosecution at the trial of D. However, the prosecutor is not now certain that she will call B as a witness. The prosecution can also produce evidence of a record of interview with D, in which he admitted that he had committed the robbery in partnership with B. The defendant says that the record of interview has been concocted. He will seek to call evidence from a psychologist, who will say that D has a certain way of talking and thinking, that the alleged record of interview does not accord with D's typical talking and thinking mannerisms, and that it is likely that the record of interview has been fabricated. D also says that B has previous convictions for theft and fraud. Advise as to the admissibility of the above evidence. 2.  In a civil action alleging negligence arising from a traffic accident, the plaintiff claims damages for personal injuries. She wishes to call evidence to show that the defendant was drinking red wine at a wine bar for two hours earlier on the day of the accident and that approximately an hour prior to the accident he had been observed driving his car at excessive speed. The plaintiff can also produce a witness who can say that he knows the defendant well, that he saw the defendant leaving the bar, that he appeared to be intoxicated, and that as he passed him the defendant said, in a slurred voice: "Watch how quickly I can exit this car park". It is the defendant's case that he was not negligent, and, in the alternative, that the plaintiff contributed to her own injuries. The argument of contributory negligence is based on the submission that she was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. To that end, the defendant wishes to call a medical doctor to give evidence as to the likely motion of a person involved in a motor vehicle accident who is not wearing a seat belt, and as to the lesser injuries that the plaintiff would likely have suffered had she been wearing a seat belt. Advise as to the admissibility of the above evidence and, if any of the evidence is not admissible in the suggested form, whether and how it could be made admissible.

Take home exam :Law of evidence

Take home exam Both Question 1 and Question 2 must be answered. Maximum 2000 words (for two questions) 1. D is charged with...

PR Assignment

The role and function of the PR Manager of certain global company is serious one and takes a lot of responsibilities as it needs to be realized in order for the company to grow and stay focus for their goals and vision for the future. The situation implies that the company's current website is now two years old and it did not added value to the business. The imperative basis in rebuilding the company's website as requested by the CEO is a crucial consideration to viewed about as websites are example of great tool in linking management to the staff as well as to the suppliers and respected customers, it provides a more concise and updated process of business situations and activities that is geared towards the success of the company and what business they provide, there is ample need to re-assess as well as update the company’s site – a website that will be able to start in making money and achieve communication goals for the company respectively.  There is really a need to redevelop the website of two years and consider all possible aspects in making it innovative into the present market as companies are now being moved and affected by globalization and changes of technology facts in today’s business world and the society as a whole sense.             Moreover, it is then ideal for PR manager to be equipped with adequate and effective knowledge as to how to go about the company’s website redevelopment as well as website restructuring as critical as possible and the proper addressing of communication to the PR manager regarding such plans in dealing to resolving issues and or problems concerning the company’s website as useful process for redesigning the site in giving support to site’s content and structure. Thus, the value of integrating any of the security issues as well as Information Technology issues as needed to be address well and to possible look for online presences of similar companies in certain expertise also, it is vital for the PR Practitioner to have appropriate promotional plan of the company’s website development.               The site have the power and influence to incorporate certain Internet services as the individual have the ability to retrieve papers as well as observe images also listen to music sounds as well as the viewing of programs that jog on virtually in terms of providing computer and software hardware to do something in clicking websites and locating search engines through the use of certain hypertext links can be the crucial feature exclusive and radical regarding website. The company site can provide faster communication with important people involved in process and can submit online queries of something through sending and respond in the same manner of communication. The increase of quantity and quality of available information on the Internet and the presence of known services on the Internet. There must be able to evaluate web sites critically and to examine the technical aspects of the site, the authority of the writer and the validity of the writer's content and know as to whether the site provides the information they need to solve their information problem and if it does not, how the process could be varied to obtain the needed outcomes. (2004)         Plan for redeveloping and redesigning the site             Thus, being the PR manager of large global company, as it is evident that the website is old and does not add value to the company as of the present then, I have several imperative points to propose to the management upon how to address updates and changes of the website being used as well as provide assumptions regarding web security process and its concerns in order for the company to achieve positive indication and outcomes in terms of redeveloping and designing for newer packaging of the website. In addition, being the PR manager there is ample need for planning out website development in such ways as discussed below. As it is a fact that such range of organisations developing better Web site is growing and the company will develop the site by using appropriate skills and resources required for designing a much better web site. As PR manager, there is the need for me to have adoption of certain non-formal web site development model as well as suitable usability methods. The plan will imply the web model identifying the stages and tasks of site development. I will see to it that the management of the company will have precise understanding of certain web user and information provider requirements as it is one of the factor for site progress and the need for the management to integrate and examine usability methods in detail and small-scale in-house development environment will have to be considered.                     The site plan out will have its updated company homepage that will contain all the necessary information in communicating to people who are potential business partners, distributors, suppliers and of course loyal customers. The management will have to change modes in writing and publishing the web site in order to feel that such web presence is desirable and is increasing market communication as it will be sufficient due to growing recognition that web site should be achieving precise company objectives and goals (1997). The PR manager will have to advice the company to use such platform autonomous network delivery as the management need to take control of such document presentation of company activities and have ample management of hardware and software platform. The proposal to blend internet and PC elements  as it is applicable that the company’s web site design will be seen to have combined the needed elements such as good content; visual appearance as well as usability. The plan that such usability must be evaluated at interrelated levels, site-level usability and page-level usability ( 1998) and note down visual appearance of web interfaces as significant for business value and dynamics (1995; 1997). There must be understanding of factors that influence the behaviour of users undertaking specific tasks, such as purchasing on-line via e-commerce site. The need to require interpretation and selectivity on part of web developer and that as a PR manager, the awareness that web site which follows design guidelines is not inevitably usable.                   The experience of redesigning a complex website demonstrates the important role of usability testing. Aside, usability testing raises the awareness of how a site is used and provides a model for periodic evaluation. The website brings together thousands of distinct, but often related, resources and services and aims to deliver them in a logical and easy-to-use manner. The driving goal of the website redesign was to move all the information on the site to a content management system (CMS). The comprehensive scope of the task provided an opportunity to test presumptions about vocabulary and the organization of information on the site, as well as a chance to implement several desired interactive features as the conversion from an HTML-based site to a CMS-driven site was such a fundamental change, it was felt that a usability component was essential. The redesign process             Then, consensus to update the design and organization of the old website and the shared desire to move to an open-source CMS instigated discussions about a new website. It will be agreed that the new site should provide more interactivity for the user, such as a search feature and a drop-down FAQ list, one with more content geared toward information literacy and instruction with less library lingo, and one that offered a stronger identity for the library. Whereas the old site required the user to choose a broad subject area to begin their search for resources as the new site should have more ways to get into the resources. Because of the magnitude of the change to the website, the decision that usability testing should be part of the design and development process.                   The underlying and essential change to a CMS-driven website merits attention before discussing the usability component of the design process. Running the website out of a database eliminates the need for individual HTML files, as pages are served up dynamically via PHP scripts. The staff responsible for designing the database prepared separate scripts for displaying different categories of information, like for example, resources, news and events as there facilitates the ease of making global changes to the website by requiring that changes be made only once. While decidedly more powerful, such a website does not allow for infinite customization to harmonize the structure of the website. This is particularly important in light of usability testing as site usability was not just about feature it had to do with the entire site and its underlying structure and it had to be addressed via the entire site and assuming a partnership role in the testing process brought results that were relevant and that led to a substantive understanding of the dynamics of the website.       Ideas for site content and structure             Moreover, measurements of usability are required for interactive and browsing systems, like for instance speed of task completion is not likely to be an appropriate measure for a browsing task. The same is true of research in hypermedia, much of which is conducted in fairly small hypertext systems rather than the large distributed environment of the Web (1997). The ideas to have transfer of knowledge and skills from existing media for technical information. The management  will see to that the site structure and content will gear towards balance communication of involved parties for the business and the presence of dynamic, open-ended online publication having web the concept of finished product can be inappropriate due to technological change and change in user needs and expectations which necessitate the continual development of a site.  (1999) suggests that web is facing an imminent usability crisis and that there are not enough user interface professionals to avert this potential crisis as often web developments are undertaken with only limited resources in terms of time, money and expertise.       Then, user dissatisfaction may lead to the site failing to meet its business objectives, it is possible to characterise professional site development environment: -       Limited development team – both in terms of the number of people involved and in terms of site development experience as the development will typically involve people with a wide range of backgrounds -       Limited local user population – the site is likely aimed of external user population rather than being an Intranet application and the user population is to be dispersed -       Business objective – the site has some form of identifiable “business objective” even though the site may not be commercial in nature -       External host – in many cases the site will be hosted by some external company rather than on a server owned by the organisation developing the site Hence, being the PR manager, ideas for site structure and content is crucial for the company as there needs to:  ( (1999) -       make it possible to design reasonably without having much expertise -       train more people in good web design -       live with good designed sites that are easy to use                 Given the dynamic technical basis of the Web and the changing expectations of the users, it is likely that evolutionary development will form part of the long-term development of most Web sites. Given an appropriately framed development model, inexperienced developers may be able to reduce the complexity of their applications and improve their usability and maintainability. PR manager can incorporate such media development models like the HDM (1993), RMM (1995) and OOHDM (1996) as the latter is based on software engineering and or database tools and concepts and requires specialist skills. The synthesized structure is applicable as approaches will lead to the following: Ø  establishing the need for change before adopting certain solution Ø  gathering of useful information before site development takes place Ø  developing and evaluation is necessary before creating the complete site Ø  implementation will occur once the design decisions have been finalized Ø  maintaining continuously after site has been launched Furthermore, in order to be appropriate to the small scale professional site development environment the usability methods need to be: Simple – methods must be easily applied and should use facilities that are available Effective – methods should identify only genuine usability problems and should identify significant usability problems Participatory – methods should involve real users and information providers where possible Reusable – ideally a single method will be applicable               The launching of the company site should not be the end of the process as the user interactions with the site can be used to identify changes in user behaviour, business objectives may change, competitors’ sites may be updated, use analysis can identify parts of the site that users either cannot find or do not want to use. In many ways effective site is potentially an ideal vehicle for ongoing usability evaluation, though the loss of potential repeat visits due to an initial negative experience must be considered. Value-added features             Accordingly,  (1997) states that, web site should contain something of value to potential customers A good Web site should contain something of value to potential as well as existing customers to entice them to revisit. The advantage of offering free information is that clients will have to provide their names and addresses which will enable the accounting firm to develop a list of potential clients to pursue. The Web site should provide added value to existing and potential clients to make them return to a firm’s Web site. To propose having such useful information that is continuously being maintained keeps clients visiting the Web site. The PR managers’ advice and information can enhance the quality image of the firm and there is imperative to provide ways to communicate with existing and potential clients as tradeoff has time and resources required to maintain and improve the site on a continuous basis.      Graphics The need to enhance company image through better site appearance             The technological image could be greatly enhanced by the attractiveness of Web site with inclusion of logos, pictures or colour improves the Web site’s appearance. Moreover, regular maintenance of the Web sites is necessary to keep potential clients visiting the firm’s Web site and need to take more advantage of the features of the Internet by utilizing graphics. The need to use helpful linkages brings potential and existing clients back to the firm’s Web site. The interactivity between client and firm afforded by free information or advice or by signing up for newsletter helps the accounting firm to develop a list of potential clients. It helps the firm determine if they are meeting the needs of existing clients. Addressing Issues of Security or IT             The understanding of user needs and information provider needs as web site produced should be user centred, catering for actual user needs, tasks and expectations and recognising actual user constraints. A site which fails to meet the needs of its users is unlikely to meet its business objectives. The information provider needs as company site should meet business objectives in producing the site includes meeting of user needs. Like for instance, end-user of the site expects to have purchases online directly from  the company but, there intends to provide only an online product list and a list of suppliers perhaps the manufacturer lacks the infrastructure to handle small orders and is not cost-effective.   Moreover,(1997) present a user-centred design process for Web sites: -       early in the project to determine the evaluative criteria users apply to the Web sites that they use -       after a preliminary design of the Web site to elicit feedback and comments and/or to evaluate certain aspects of the site -       when the Web site is operational to elicit continual feedback and suggestions for additions and/or modifications to the site             The model applies equally well to information provider needs and demonstrate that success has, or has not, been achieved. The measure of success is still the number of hits a page or site receives with respect to measuring the achievement of business objectives, it is both easy to define and to quantify. It is also clear that the information provider needs and the user needs are interdependent. In order to have a realistic chance of achieving its business objectives, an information provider must consider user needs when defining those objectives. On the other hand, company will afford the luxury of web site that satisfies user needs but serves to achieve their objectives. The sites can be analysed to determine perceived strengths and weaknesses and to derive an informal set of desirable (1993), the use of developers or information providers may reflect their subjective opinion, rather than those of real users. The use of real users will also reduce the chances of deriving features from sites which do not meet user requirements.                 The company site is likely to be a dynamic entity; underestimating the cost of maintaining a Web site has been identified as a common mistake in Web development (1998) and poor maintenance can lead to a decline in site quality over time. Procedures for organizing files and directories on the server, keeping links updated, adding, deleting and revising materials, file and directory naming conventions and checking the currency of content must be considered. The empirical validation of the effectiveness of methods and of the framework will be required before the experiential evidence of web developers can be formalised into an accepted development approach. One particular issue that must be faced is the demonstration that the identification and correction of usability problems by such methods leads to Web sites that meet both user and information provider needs more effectively. A reliable method for grading the severity of usability problems would also enhance the cost-effectiveness of solving these problems. These areas both require empirical investigation. A further important area for investigation is how effective particular usability methods are under varying conditions (1998). The issue of identifying combination of complementary methods and the benefits afforded by such combinations as the development model can be refined into a validated toolkit for the development of usable Web sites.   Online Preferences             The potential customers can locate the firm by searching web sites similar to searching yellow page advertisements, as the site page allows for the inclusion of more information about the firm and greater creativity in presenting the information. The Web site can include information that would be in the yellow pages, but also adds an interactive element that may be valuable to potential and existing clients. The contents of each Web site were examined for value-added features. Finally, the contents were examined for the use of graphics, colour, animation which enhance the technological image of the firm and contribute to the attractiveness of the Web site. In using the Internet as an advertising medium and vehicle of communication, accounting firms need to provide not only their physical address but also the e-mail address. One way to obtain potential clients’ names and addresses for further solicitation is through e-mail queries. Promotional Plan of site             The need for advancement in Internet technology provide companies with a new tool for direct marketing and advertising that may be cost effective and provide maximum delivery to targeted customers. In particular, the accounting profession has enthusiastically taken advantage of this new medium of marketing. The plan to imply content analysis of web pages using some factors identified in previous research as influencing clients’ choice and other factors identify as effective in Web-based promotion. The promotion of company web page URLs and E-mail addresses to determine whether the Web sites contained factors that influence client choice and have features that have been identified as important in using the Web as an effective advertising medium.               Aside, referrals is a factor in business and word-of-mouth referrals by current clients and professionals in the community can convey a favourable image of an accounting firm’s quality of services particularly to convey a positive image of the accounting firm as the web site cannot convey an overall image of quality of services as referrals would, but it can convey the image that is technologically adept. As the PR manager, it is important to improve business image and attract clients within the local area; general interest in the Internet; better serve the firm’s current clients; complement current advertising and attract clients and the improvement of service to existing clients by transmitting information and forms through sites and e-mail communication. There shows that advertisements should communicate their experience, areas of specialization, range of services, reputation, available resources, location and availability. Websites enable firms to include more information, in a more imaginative format, than conventional advertisements. While a Website cannot convey an overall image of quality of services, it can convey the impression that the firm is technologically adept.  Being the PR manager, there is the need to do more to promote website as there indication that company is not doing enough to promote their web site.                   The management should pay more to register their Website and ensure that the firm’s name appears in the first page of the search engine. A good company site should contain something of value to potential as well as existing customers. Providing advice and information, which is regularly updated, enhances the image of the firm and provides a way to communicate with customers. Getting people to sign up like newsletters will help the management to develop a list of potential clients and to determine if the needs of clients are being met. Then, before establishing a presence on the Internet, the management should determine its marketing strategy, determine what the objectives of the Web site should be, their strengths, areas of specialization and service products they want to offer. The Web site should be developed consistent with their goals and products and visit other firms’ Web sites and read about Web site development to determine what makes an effective Web site and they must make appropriate commitment of time and resources to profitability exploit the capability which Internet marketing offers.

PR Assignment

The role and function of the PR Manager of certain global company is serious one and takes a lot of responsibilities as i...

Basic Customer Service Training Program Project

Basic Customer Service Training Program Project     Needs Assessment It is said that the philosophy of human resource management is based on the simple belief that human resources are the most important asset in achieving and sustained business success. This realization became the driving force behind the creation of human resource management resulting in organizations taking a strategic approach to the management of their people.   The true worth of human resource management is becoming more widely understood as human resource management steadily interweaves all aspects of people management and development within the company (1995).     Today most companies find that it impossible to create any kind of sustainable competitive advantage based on product alone. It is common knowledge that every one of the successful companies sought and found a precise understanding of how it could create a customer-centered competitive advantage ( 2001). Hence, this paper presents a basic customer service training program which can be used by business organizations to improve and increase customer satisfaction through interpersonal skills along with considerations on training resources and readiness for training.      Training Design Along with the changing business world, customers change as well, becoming more demanding and knowledgeable than before. In turn, company management had shifted their focus on their clients or customers so as to stay successfully in business. This transition meant that organizations have to completely reformulate their conventional business aims and purposes from being process-focused to customer-centered (1997). In line with these, the goals of the designed customer service training program focus on the aspects of interpersonal skills, persuasion, as well as pacifying customer complaints for the effective delivery of services and products of the company.   It is then important to enumerate the purpose and objectives of this particular basic customer service training program. Among the set objectives of the training program highlights issues on (1) maintaining professionalism regardless of personal or professional stress; (2) identifying one’s own personality style and the personality styles of customers; (3) applying personality knowledge to communicate more effectively with customers and improve rapport; (4) choosing vocabulary that is calming and persuasive even when the message is unpleasant; (5) improving vocal quality to increase credibility and perceived authority over the phone; (6) developing a personalized strategy for improving listening skills;  and (7) referring to a recovery system for turning angry customers into happy repeat customers.     Training Method and Transfer of Training In the present day work environment, expectations exceed regarding the workloads and task requirements among employers and employees. Multi-tasking defines the current situation in most of business organizations as advances in technology especially in the use of the computer and the Internet continues. As the Microsoft and other office tools computer programs increase in number, administration management keep on investing on measures like trainings, seminars and conferences that will exhaust the potential of every employee ( 1980).   For the basic customer service training, the ideal attendees are the (a) executives, (b) mangers, (c) salespeople, (d) customer service representatives, (e) technical support, hot line, or help desk professionals, (f) operators, receptionists, administrative and sales assistants, (g) team professionals, and (h) everyone in a customer focused organization. The training program follows the structure of a seminar following lectures and courses on (1) appreciating how customer service efforts impact company profits; (2) understanding that internal customer service is just as critical as external customer service, (3) prioritizing and focusing on the top expectations of customers, (4) identifying one’s own personality style and the personality styles of customers, (5) applying personality knowledge to communicate more effectively with customers, (6) having influence in the organization by documenting customer concerns, (7) making better choices to improve attitude, (8) developing a personalized strategy for improving listening skills, and (9) practicing a three step system for maintaining professionalism and composure when dealing with irate customers.   The training session is designed for two days, in which activities will include individual and group exercises, situation-based communication practices, personality tests, as well as objective assessments for the comprehension and aptitude of the trainees along with lively discussion approaches from skilled and expert lecturers.      Training Evaluation and Actual Training Program Several frameworks have been used to develop and update performance measures. Each of the following frameworks gives new ideas and approaches that seek to improve the utilization of performance measurement systems. But the performance improvement measurement methodology framework will be used to assess the learn techniques of the attendees and the effectiveness of the training program. This is a tool designed to measure organizational performance. It is structured to measure progress against defined near-term and long-term goals, to use customer inputs in setting those goals, and to have an internal quality check. There are three facts of measurement used in this framework which include objective achievement, cost performance, and technology risk reduction ( 2001).   Meanwhile, the program logic model framework will be used for collaborative setting in which program staff, partners, and customers create a model describing the course of action a program takes to achieve its vision and strategic goals. Finally, benchmarking allows attendees to compare themselves with others, to identify their comparative strengths and weaknesses and learn how to improve so as to find and adopt the best practices available. The approach goes beyond the comparison of data-based scores and conventional performance indicators as it looks at the processes by which results are achieved (2001).                The actual training program will be organized as an event in which participants will be provided with accommodation and food for the duration of the training. Registration will be required from the attendees by the people behind the training activity. Upon completion of the training, all the participants will be provided with certificates along with recognition and awards for their excellent performance and participation in the activities during the two-day training session. Moreover, their companies and respective organization and affiliations will provided with support frameworks and system for them to facilitate effective and appropriate means of applying the discussed basic customer  service along with customer service software packages for the entire company.     Conclusion Most of the successful business endeavors depend greatly on good interpersonal communication and relationship between the service or product providers and their clients. Persuading customers on trying the offered services and products is only a start on putting up a successful entrepreneurial activity. Gaining the trust of the clients and maintaining patrons is very important to ideal business transaction flows. Encouragement of wider work responsibility of basic skills such as development and learning courses should be given to employees on specified times of the year. This will restore fresh knowledge to old employees.  As such, employers should enroll their staff in annual or quarterly training courses to upgrade their skills and enrich their knowledge so as to foster individual and personal development and improvement.   Since workplace learning and training programs in business organizations is a common practice nowadays, more trust should be given to the work team of the company. Entertaining and respecting solicited opinions and ideas of ordinary employees will be of help in setting the corporate goals of the company since the staff is encouraged to think as owners of the business enterprise. In conclusion, workplace learning benefit both the employee and the employer in attaining the same work goal of the business company, that is, to gain higher productivity through good working conditions between and among qualified and competitive work teams.

Basic Customer Service Training Program Project

Basic Customer Service Training Program Project Needs Assessment It is said that the philosophy of human resource management ...