Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Calm-Waters and White-Water Rapids Metaphors Used for Change Management Free Essay Example, 2000 words

The interruption that it comes across with is temporary. Kurt Lewin s 3-step change process is a comprehensive explanation of the metaphor. The three steps include unfreezing of the status quo, modification to the new state, and freezing the change again in order to make it permanent (Robbins and Coulter, 2007). Status quo constitutes a state of equilibrium. In order to break away from this state, it is pivotal to unfreeze; this encompasses the notion of making preparations for ushering in change. Unfreezing subsequently requires a change in either the driving forces or the restraining forces. Driving forces include those factors which can accelerate the pace at which change occurs. Contrarily, restraining forces form an obstacle to change. Thereby, the focus is on amplifying driving forces and cutting down refraining forces. After status quo has been abandoned, the next step is the implementation of the change. For the change to be long-lasting, freezing needs to be done again. Thi s would ensure that the new state would not revert back to its former form (Robbins and Coulter, 2007). Thus, the third step helps to buttress the change and make it permanent. We will write a custom essay sample on The Calm-Waters and White-Water Rapids Metaphors Used for Change Management or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page White-waters rapids envision a dynamic environment in which the organization has to be flexible and responsive to change in order to stay at par with its competitors. A structured organization has minimal chances of surviving in such an environment because of the demands for accommodating to an uncertain future. For practical purposes, the predictable and smooth environment assumed by the calm-waters metaphor is not usually seen.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Psychology Connecting Mind, Research, And Everyday...

In chapter four of Bruce Goldstein’s Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research, and Everyday Experience the author explores the topic of attention as it relates to the study of cognitive science. Providing an overview of the contemporary theories on information procession, the author examines attention and presents scenarios where research has influenced legislation. One of these examples relates to the study of overt and covert attention and how divided attention works. By using the analogy of driving a car, the author dissects the many processes that allow us to multi task in everyday life. Referencing the following article, the author explains how we become distracted and the implications on daily life (Goldstein, 2015). In this study, the authors were interested in the effects of distraction on driving performance. At the time of its creation there were no significant naturalistic studies on distracted driving. A majority of the previous work included simulated driving as well as researcher observed driving situations. To overcome many of the obstacles posed by prior research, the authors implemented a system where the participants’ vehicles were equipped with multiple cameras that recorded both front and rear view footage of everyday driving over a two year span. The research goal of this study was simply to determine if recorded data could be used to quantitatively identify factors in accidents and near-crash situations (Dingus, T.A, Klauer, S.G., Neale, V.L.,Show MoreRelatedPsychology : Cognitive Psychology And Psychology980 Words   |  4 PagesCognitive Psychology 1064 Words 5 Pages Cognitive psychology began around 19th century. Different approaches have been used to trace the roots of psychology. It is also known that cognitive psychology was out numbered by behaviorism but later revived, bringing into being cognitive revolution. The paper discusses cognitive revolution in the history of cognitive psychology as the most influential part in the practice of modern psychology. Introduction A scientific branch of psychology that is concernedRead MoreCognitive Psychology Essay1069 Words   |  5 PagesCognitive psychology began around 19th century. Different approaches have been used to trace the roots of psychology. It is also known that cognitive psychology was out numbered by behaviorism but later revived, bringing into being cognitive revolution. The paper discusses cognitive revolution in the history of cognitive psychology as the most influential part in the practice of modern psychology. Introduction A scientific branch of psychology that is concerned with the study of cognitionRead MoreWhat Does The Word Terrorist?1070 Words   |  5 Pageslife. Everyone goes through experiences in their day-to-day lives that alter their views of society and handling situations. For example, many children who are born right handed may be switched to left handed if the family or friends continuously and consistently hand everything to the child’s left hand, making them use the left more, resulting in becoming left handed. This would not have happened if it weren’t for the experience that changed the way the child did everyday things in the early stagesRead MoreSocial Constructivism : A Theory Of Knowledge1091 Words   |  5 Pagesare spitting out at them. In the constructivist style classroom, the students are urged to be actively involved in their own process of learning and participate in a more student run process. The teacher’s role is to consider the knowledge and experiences that each student brings to the class and construct that knowledge through a process of active enquiry. It is also the teachers job to create situations where the students feel safe questioning and reflecting on their own processes present authenticRead MoreThe Levels of Processing Theory by Fergus M Craik Essay1151 Words   |  5 Pagesinformation (Coon Mitterer, 2012). Many a time one is able to remember something, example how to drive a car, yet they are unable to remember a mathematical formula for an examination. People vary in their ability to remember certain things, and research conducted has proven that even infants differ in their memory abilities (Fagan Singer, 1963). It was discovered by psychologists that memory is not static, but rather it is influenced by ones internal factors and situational happenings to a largeRead MoreImpression Formation Study1216 Words   |  5 Pagesto negative adjectives compared to that of the negative to positive adjectives. Intro A topic that has been explored in psychology is how people come up with first impressions, and what information is important to help form impressions. The question asked here was simply; how do people form impressions of theirs based on limited information. The founder of research into this field was Asch (1946), who was worried about the principles behind forming impressions. Asch (1946) conducted a studyRead MoreEssay on Eyewitness Error1177 Words   |  5 Pagesexperimentation it has been shown that memory is fairly inaccurate, inconsistent, and often influenced by our own experiences as well as the bias of others. Memory is not only affected during an observed event, but there are instances where memory can be influenced after an event as well. There are also instances where memory can be affected retroactively due to personal experiences and biases. Incorrectly recalling the memories of one’s life is usually not detrimental, but the flawed nature of long-termRead More The Processes of Visual Perception and Visual Sensation Essay1239 Words   |  5 Pagesselection, organisation and interpretation of that sensory input. Perception is defined as the process of organizing, interpreting, and selectively extracting sensory information . Visual perception is left to the individual person to make up their own mind. Perceptual organisation occurs when one groups the basic elements of the sensory world into the coherant objects that one perceives. Perception is therefore a process through which the brain makes sense of incoming stimuli. The process of perceptionRead MoreVisual Perception1268 Words   |  6 Pagesselection, organisation and interpretation of that sensory input. Perception is defined as the process of organizing, interpreting, and selectively extracting sensory information . Visual perception is left to the individual person to make up their own mind. Perceptual organisation occurs when one groups the basic elements of the sensory world into the coherant objects that one perceives. Perception is therefore a process through which the brain makes sense of incoming stimuli. The process ofRead MorePersonal Experience Of Science2166 Words   |  9 PagesPersonal Experience Of Science Born as I was into the immediate post-war generation, my thinking on science parallels in many ways the generation as a whole. We came along in the aftermath of the first scientific war – fought between countries with, in many ways, highly-developed technologies, which served to both fuel and end the conflict (Brehm, Kassin, Fein, 1999, cited in Schneider, Grunman Coutts, 2005). But then came the first inklings that there was both more and less to science than

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Relevance of Mainstream Media in the Online Era

Question: Discuss about theRelevance of Mainstream Media in the Online Era. Answer: Introduction Innovation of new media has offered many opportunities to the world, at the same time it has challenged the existence of traditional media. It has brought a revolution in the world of media (Bagdikian). In todays busy life, people are depending on internet for fast and free news update. It has become an implicit part of modern life. Mainstream media used to play a key role in the society when there was less availability of news. However, things have started transforming in last few decades with the exposure of new media. The following article emphasises the present condition of the mainstream media like newspaper, radio, T. V in this online era. It is trying to enlighten each negative and positive aspect of traditional and new media. During pre-internet era, traditional media was rising high every day. It was the only medium for people to get daily news update (Belch and Michael). They used to depend on the morning newspaper for yesterdays news. The advertisers used to pay the media houses for big exposure. After the invention of television, news became more exciting for the people. Then they could witness the occurrence through the live updates of the T. V channels but they needed to wait for the news segment. However, the scenario has changed in recent time. Internet has provided the audiences a wide range of choice (Saxton and Lili). People have become more tech savvy today. Many of them are using mobile phone, tablet. Their favourite news is just one click away from them. Traditional media is facing obstacles everyday due to the progress of new media. To fight against the situation every traditional media houses are launching their web version. Internet being an integral part of new media is flourishing day by day. It is changing the whole outline of media. In this online era people play dual role. They consume the news provided on internet as well as he is now able to produce news (Perse and Jennifer). Internet provides a chance to their audience of expressing their views to the world by commenting on news. The term new media refers to the e-papers of the mainstream newspapers and various social networking sites like face book, twitters. Since, the use of internet has been increased in the year of 1995, it is known as Year of Internet. Social media provides a transparent service to its consumers. It feeds the news seeker. Readers can access new media for news at any time they want. It has some negative aspects as well. Young generation is greatly affected by social media. According to a report, among 500 million users 50% users of facebook access their account everyday. Thus it can be stated that a huge number of young peo ple are being inspired by the news posted on the social media. Trust scale of new media is higher than that of traditional media. Mainstream media has failed to achieve the trust and confidence of modern generation. New media has provided the opportunity of citizen journalism. Now people can share local news through their facebook, whatsapp, and blogs with rest of the world. People are gifted with the opportunity to share their views over an issue. The culture of journalism is changing with the development of new media (Reddick and Leonidas). In previous age, media houses used to provide genuine news. However, now traditional media is relying on social media to promote their content. Like facebook, twitter handle. Priority has been shifted from hardcore journalism to high profile business organization. The main aim of conventional media is to run a successful business organization and feed the consumers. Sometime the media houses depend on the social media for national and international news. Very few reporters are now connected with their circl e properly. They are using social media as a tool for collecting news (Westerman, Patric and Brandon). This is how the mainstream media has lost its authenticity. Social media plays an important role in engaging people through their transparent news service, whereas on the other hand very few people rely upon newspaper, television and radio for news update. Conventional media still have the capability to drag the attention of consumers as it consists of its own style of presenting news. Being an authentic news source, people rely on traditional media. According to some observers, mainstream media needs to do some research work to deal with these hindrances. They must understand running business organization cannot be the only motive of a media house. Their primary aim must be providing genuine news to news seekers. Since reporters play key role in a news organization, they must be loyal to their job. It is their responsibility to serve the readers. Mainstream media houses need to review the style of their performance to survive in this online era. Reference: Bagdikian, Ben H.The new media monopoly: A completely revised and updated edition with seven new chapters. Beacon Press, 2014. Belch, George, and Michael Belch. "The role of new and traditional media in the rapidly changing marketing communications environment."International Journal of Strategic Innovative Marketing1.3 (2014): 130-136. Perse, Elizabeth M., and Jennifer Lambe.Media effects and society. Routledge, 2016. Reddick, Christopher, and Leonidas Anthopoulos. "Interactions with e-government, new digital media and traditional channel choices: citizen-initiated factors."Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy8.3 (2014): 398-419. Saxton, Gregory D., and Lili Wang. "The social network effect: The determinants of giving through social media."Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly43.5 (2014): 850-868. Westerman, David, Patric R. Spence, and Brandon Van Der Heide. "Social media as information source: Recency of updates and credibility of information."Journal of Computer?Mediated Communication19.2 (2014): 171-183.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Of mice and Men Essays (729 words) - English-language Films

Of Mice and Men takes place in the 1930?s in America during the Great Depression. Before the Great Depression America was known as the land of opportunities the place where all could find their American Dream, but now the American dream is vanished, and the ideal land has become the land of misfortune. The Great Depression was a worldwide economic recession that led to numerous bank failures, high-unemployment, as well as dramatic drops in industrial production, and stock market share prices. The book ?Of Mice and Men? shows the harsh reality of the American Dream in the Great Depression. The two main characters are best friends, George Milton and Lennie Small who are poor homeless migrant workers, doomed to a life of wandering and labor in which they are never able to gain the fruits of their labor and are on the run looking for a job. George is a "small and quick," man, who may sometimes seem like he hates Lennie and doesn?t like his company, but really he is very devoted to him. Lennie is "a huge man," who is somewhat mentally retarded, and worships George's every word. Their main goal in life is to "get the jack together," purchase a few acres of land they can call their own, "an' live off the fatta the lan'.? This is their dream and their dream, however, cannot exist without friendship. The constant repetition of the way things will be is what keeps the dream alive in Lennie. George needs Lennie just as much as Lennie needs him; how else could George keep the dream alive, but at the end of the novel George seems to lose sight of his dream. When George kills Lennie at the end of the novel to save Lennie from the torture he would endure, he also kills the friendship, the light of their American Dream. George Steinbeck doesn?t stop there when portraying the ways in which the characters of the book cannot achieve their ?American Dream?, all the characters have a dream, and wish to change their lives in some fashion; but none are capable of doing so. Curley's wife longs to experience the world for herself. She is a prisoner in her own home, powerless to change her fate. She has already had her dream of being an actress pass her by and now must live a life of empty hope after her marriage with Curley, who doesn't love her. Through Crooks, Steinbeck exposes the bitterness, the anger, and the helplessness of the black American who struggles to be recognized as a human being, instead being stuck as a lower person in the eyes of a racist America. All he wants is to be let alone, and have a place of his own. The color of skin does not spare anyone in the fall of the American Dream all share the despair of wanting to change the way they live and attain something better. Even Slim, despite his wisdom and confidence, has nothing to call his own. He will remain a migrant worker until his death. Slim is different from the others in the fact that he does not seem to over-expect. He is not beaten by a dream because unlike the others he doesn?t set his sights on a dream; he seems to have reached the sad conclusion that to dream leads to despair. Candy, who has lost his hand, dreams of a place, which he can call his own. He wants somewhere he can live a quiet life all his own. He tries to achieve this with his saved earnings, doing a bit of kitchen work and gardening, but yet again, he is a victim of his unfulfilled dream. Dreams are a significant theme in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Nevertheless, the dream is never fulfilled, and the characters who have counted on it are the ones who are the most devastated. Slim's comfort at the end "You hadda George", indicates the sad truth that one has to surrender one's dreams in order to survive, which is not the easiest thing to do in America, the Land of Promise. Steinbeck doesn?t believe that at anyone could really reach and succeed their ?American Dream?,

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Walt Whitmans Take on Slang in America

Walt Whitman's Take on 'Slang in America' Influenced by the 19th-century journalist and philologist William Swinton, poet Walt Whitman celebrated the emergence of a distinctively American language one that introduced new words (and found new uses for old words) to convey the unique qualities of American life. Here, in an essay first published in 1885 in The North American Review, Whitman offers many examples of slang expressions and luxuriant place names all representative of the wholesome fermentation or eructation of those processes eternally active in language. Slang in America was later collected in November Boughs by   David McKay (1888). Slang in America Viewd freely, the English language is the accretion and growth of every dialect, race, and range of time, and is both the free and compacted composition of all. From this point of view, it stands for Language in the largest sense, and is really the greatest of studies. It involves so much; is indeed a sort of universal absorber, combiner, and conqueror. The scope of its etymologies is the scope not only of man and civilization, but the history of Nature in all departments, and of the organic Universe, brought up to date; for all are comprehended in words, and their backgrounds. This is when words become vitaliz’d, and stand for things, as they unerringly and soon come to do, in the mind that enters on their study with fitting spirit, grasp, and appreciation. Slang, profoundly consider’d, is the lawless germinal element, below all words and sentences, and behind all poetry, and proves a certain perennial rankness and protestantism in speech. As the United States inherit by far their most precious possession the language they talk and write from the Old World, under and out of its feudal institutes, I will allow myself to borrow a simile, even of those forms farthest removed from American Democracy. Considering Language then as some mighty potentate, into the majestic audience-hall of the monarch ever enters a personage like one of Shakspere’s clowns, and takes position there, and plays a part even in the stateliest ceremonies. Such is Slang, or indirection, an attempt of common humanity to escape from bald literalism, and express itself illimitably, which in highest walks produces poets and poems, and doubtless in pre-historic times gave the start to, and perfected, the whole immense tangle of the old mythologies. For, cur ious as it may appear, it is strictly the same impulse-source, the same thing. Slang, too, is the wholesome fermentation or eructation of those processes eternally active in language, by which froth and specks are thrown up, mostly to pass away; though occasionally to settle and permanently chrystallize. To make it plainer, it is certain that many of the oldest and solidest words we use, were originally generated from the daring and license of slang. In the processes of word-formation, myriads die, but here and there the attempt attracts superior meanings, becomes valuable and indispensable, and lives forever. Thus the term right means literally only straight. Wrong primarily meant twisted, distorted. Integrity meant oneness. Spirit meant breath, or flame. A supercilious person was one who rais’d his eyebrows. To insult was to leap against. If you influenc’d a man, you but flow’d into him. The Hebrew word which is translated prophesy meant to bubble up and pour forth as a fountain. The enthusiast bubbles up with the Spirit of God within him, and it pours forth from him like a fountain. The word prophecy is misunderstood. Many suppose that it is limited to mere prediction; that is but the lesser portion of prophecy. The greater work is to reveal God. Every true re ligious enthusiast is a prophet. Language, be it remember’d, is not an abstract construction of the learn’d, or of di ctionary-makers, but is something arising out of the work, needs, ties, joys, affections, tastes, of long generations of humanity, and has its bases broad and low, close to the ground. Its final decisions are made by the masses, people nearest the concrete, having most to do with actual land and sea. It impermeates all, the Past as well as the Present, and is the grandest triumph of the human intellect. Those mighty works of art, says Addington Symonds, which we call languages, in the construction of which whole peoples unconsciously co-operated, the forms of which were determin’d not by individual genius, but by the instincts of successive generations, acting to one end, inherent in the nature of the raceThose poems of pure thought and fancy, cadenced not in words, but in living imagery, fountainheads of inspiration, mirrors of the mind of nascent nations, which we call Mytholog iesthese surely are more marvellous in their infantine spontaneity than any more mature production of the races which evolv’d them. Yet we are utterly ignorant of their embryology; the true science of Origins is yet in its cradle. Daring as it is to say so, in the growth of Language it is certain that the retrospect of slang from the start would be the recalling from their nebulous conditions of all that is poetical in the stores of human utterance. Moreover, the honest delving, as of late years, by the German and British workers in   comparative philology, has pierc’d and dispers’d many of the falsest bubbles of centuries; and will disperse many more. It was long recorded that in Scandinavian mythology the heroes in the Norse Paradise drank out of the skulls of their slain enemies. Later investigation proves the word taken for skulls to mean  horns  of beasts slain in the hunt. And what reader had not been exercis’d over the traces of that feudal custom, by which  seigneurs  warm’d their feet in the bowels of serfs, the abdomen being open’d for the purpose? It now is made to appear that the serf was only required to submit his unharm’d abdomen as a foot cush ion while his lord supp’d, and was required to chafe the legs of the  seigneur  with his hands. It is curiously in embryons and childhood, and among the illiterate, we always find the groundwork and start, of this great science, and its noblest products. What a relief most people have in speaking of a man not by his true and formal name, with a Mister to it, but by some odd or homely appellative. The propensity to approach a meaning not directly and squarely, but by circuitous styles of expression, seems indeed a born quality of the common people everywhere, evidenced by nick-names, and the inveterate determination of the masses to bestow sub-titles, sometimes ridiculous, sometimes very apt. Always among the soldiers during the Secession War, one heard of Little Mac (Gen. McClellan), or of Uncle Billy (Gen. Sherman) The old man was, of course, very common. Among the rank and file, both armies, it was very general to speak of the different States they came from by their slang names. Those from Maine were call’d Foxes; New Hampshire, Granite Boys; Massachusetts, Bay Stater s; Vermont, Green Mountain Boys; Rhode Island, Gun Flints; Connecticut, Wooden Nutmegs; New York, Knickerbockers; New Jersey, Clam Catchers; Pennsylvania, Logher Heads; Delaware, Muskrats; Maryland, Claw Thumpers; Virginia, Beagles; North Carolina, Tar Boilers; South Carolina, Weasels; Georgia, Buzzards; Louisiana, Creoles; Alabama, Lizards; Kentucky, Corn Crackers; Ohio, Buckeyes; Michigan, Wolverines; Indiana, Hoosiers; Illinois, Suckers; Missouri, Pukes; Mississippi, Tad Poles; Florida, Fly up the Creeks; Wisconsin, Badgers; Iowa, Hawkeyes; Oregon, Hard Cases. Indeed I am not sure but slang names have more than once made Presidents. Old Hickory, (Gen. Jackson) is one case in point. Tippecanoe, and Tyler too, another. I find the same rule in the people’s conversations everywhere. I heard this among the men of the city horse-cars, where the conductor is often call’d a snatcher (i.e., because his characteristic duty is to constantly pull or snatch the bell-strap, to stop or go on). Two young fellows are having a friendly talk, amid which, says 1st conductor, What did you do before you was a snatcher? Answer of 2d conductor, Nail’d. (Translation of answer: I work’d as carpenter.) What is a boom? says one editor to another. Esteem’d contemporary, says the other, a boom is a bulge. Barefoot whiskey is the Tennessee name for the undiluted stimulant. In the slang of the New York common restaurant waiters a plate of ham and beans is known as stars and stripes, codfish balls as sleeve-buttons, and hash as mystery. The Western States of the Union are, however, as may be supposed, the special areas of slang, not only in conversation, but in names of localities, towns, rivers, etc. A late Oregon traveller says: On your way to Olympia by rail, you cross a river called the Shookum-Chuck; your train stops at places named Newaukum, Tumwater, and Toutle; and if you seek further you will hear of whole counties labell’d Wahkiakum, or Snohomish, or Kitsar, or Klikatat; and Cowlitz, Hookium, and Nenolelops greet and offend you. They complain in Olympia that Washington Territory gets but little immigration; but what wonder? What man, having the whole American continent to choose from, would willingly date his letters from the county of Snohomish or bring up his children in the city of Nenolelops? The village of Tumwater is, as I am ready to bear witness, very pretty indeed; but surely an emigrant would think twice before he establish’d himself either there or at Toutle. Seattle is sufficiently barbarous; Stelicoom is no better; and I suspect that the Northern Pacific Railroad terminus has been fixed at Tacoma because it is one of the few places on Puget Sound whose name does not inspire horror. Then a Nevada paper chronicles the departure of a mining party from Reno: The toughest set of roosters, that ever shook the dust off any town left Reno yesterday for the new mining district of Cornucopia. They came here from Virginia. Among the crowd were four New York cock-fighters, two Chicago murderers, three Baltimore  bruisers, one Philadelphia prize-fighter, four San Francisco hoodlums, three Virginia beats, two Union Pacific roughs, and two check guerrillas. Among the far-west newspapers, have been, or are,  The Fairplay  (Colorado)  Flume,  The Solid Muldoon, of Ouray,  The Tombstone Epitaph, of Nevada,  The Jimplecute, of Texas, and  The Bazoo, of Missouri. Shirttail Bend, Whiskey Flat, Puppytown, Wild Yankee Ranch, Squaw Flat, Rawhide Ranch, Loafer’s Ravine,  Squitch  Gulch, Toenail Lake, are a few of the names of places in Butte  county, Cal. Perhaps indeed no place or term gives more luxuriant illustrations of the fermentation processes I have  mention’d, and their froth and  specks, than those Mississippi and Pacific  coast  regions, at the present day. Hasty and grotesque as are some of the names, others are of an appropriateness and originality unsurpassable. This applies to the Indian words, which are often perfect. Oklahoma is proposed in Congress for the name of one of our new Territories. Hog-eye, Lick-skillet,  Rake-pocket  and Steal-easy are the names of some Texan towns. Miss Bremer found among the aborigines the following names: Men’s, Hornpoint; Round-Wind; Stand-and-look-out; The-Cloud-that-goes-aside; Iron-toe; Seek-the-sun; Iron-flash; Red-bottle; White-spindle; Black-dog; Two-feathers-of-honor; Gray-grass; Bushy-tail; Thunder-face; Go-on-the-burning-sod; Spirits-of-the-dead. Women’s, Keep-the-fire; Spiritual-woman; Second-daughter-of-the-house; Blue-bird. Certainly philologists  have not given enough attention to this element and its results, which, I repeat, can probably be found working  everywhere  to-day, amid modern conditions, with as much life and activity as in far-back Greece or India, under prehistoric ones. Then the witthe rich flashes of humor and genius and poetrydarting out often from a gang of laborers, railroad-men, miners, drivers or boatmen! How often have I  hover’d  at the edge of a crowd of them, to hear their repartees and impromptus! You get more real fun from half an hour with them than from the books of all the American humorists. The science of language has large and close analogies in geological science, with its ceaseless evolution, its fossils, and its numberless submerged layers and hidden strata, the infinite  go-before  of the present. Or, perhaps Language is more like some vast living body, or perennial body of bodies. And slang not only brings the first feeders of  it,  but is afterward the start of fancy,  imagination  and humor, breathing into its nostrils the breath of life.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Black Decker Analysis Essays

Black Decker Analysis Essays Black Decker Analysis Essays After reviewing the presentation of Team D, I concluded from their problem statement that their plan for Black Decker moving forward is to focus on the Professional-Tradesmen segment since it is their segment with the lowest market share. They focused on this problem because even though the Professional Tradesmen segment is the smallest of the three segments, Professional Industrial, Professional Tradesmen, and Consumer, it is the fastest growing. As a follow up to their problem statement, I found it somewhat confusing as to what their actionable items would be in regards to the vehicle they were choosing to enhance the Black Decker brand image. First, Team H said they would put the DeWalt product name on Black Decker products to instill brand recognition with tradesmen since the DeWalt brand comes from a line of successful stationary woodworking equipment and was absorbed by Black Decker in 1960. However, Team H also proposed that Black Decker should do a better job at highligh ting their brand name on their product line via a new brand called â€Å"DeWalt by Black Decker†. Where I did see the value of such a change, it was confusing as to which the Team was proposing. Team H opened their presentation with a background on the Black Decker brand, mentioning that even though this company was the world’s largest producer of power tools in 1990, it is most known for home appliances, such as blenders, coffee machines, toaster ovens, and of course, the Dustbuster. However, Team H pointed out that even though Black Decker was a market leader for in-home consumer products, it was not leveraging the Professional-Tradesmen market efficiently. Team H broke down the differences between a Professional and Consumer tradesman, saying that the main difference is the how their work is being done. As a Professional Tradesman is one who works on an industrial site using industrial grade equipment, while a Consumer Tradesman is more of a â€Å"weekend warrior† performing small home improvements. As stated in the case, the Professional Tradesman category mailyn consists of tradesmen who depend on their trade as means of employment. They include â€Å"e lectricians, plumbers, carpenters, framers, roofers, and general remodeler workers in residential construction†. The Consumer Tradesman, however, is not as serious as the Professional Tradesman, thus their needs for equipment is less strict. Team H went a step further to show how both types of tradesmen view the Black Decker product line. Professional Tradesmen are not pleased with the brand because they have a negative brand image for Black Decker. Professional Tradesmen see all Black Decker products for at home use only and not suitable for the job site. A Professional Tradesman spent approximately $3,000 on their â€Å"tools of trade†, and spent approximately $1,000 on replacement tools per year. As Team H pointed out, the performance of tools was a big conversation on the job site, thus if a few tradesmen disliked a product, that perceived brand reputation spread, which caused a loss in revenues for Black Decker. On the contrary, Consumer Tradesmen were happy wi th the Black Decker product line because they saw the value in using this equipment for their smaller scale projects. Team H compared the brand image and product line of Black Decker to that of their competitors so they could point out the differences in brand reputation among the target market. The perceived top brand in the space was Makita. Professional Tradesmen saw Makita as having a strong base line of products in all major categories. Team H also explained that the Professional Tradesmen segment also noticed that Makita was easily accessible; meaning that they could be purchased at most, if not all, home improvement centers, such as Home Depot or Lowes. Despite Makita’s strong position with this market segment, some explained that this brand was â€Å"arrogant and

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Analyzing Enterprise Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyzing Enterprise Operations - Essay Example The complementary nature of the inter departments makes the analysis and integration amongst them, an essential study. Enterprise integration is an improvement concept, as are total quality and error-free performance and these concepts have proven to be very difficult to implement successfully because the desired degree of improvement is difficult to achieve (Nell, n.d.). As in case of all improvement strategies whether in small scale or a small scale, the change must be gradual. Expectations have to be satisfied in the long term basis as the human factor is the most significant aspect of the analysis and integration. On the other hand, some businesses have invested to overcome integration barriers, and have achieved their integration, cost, and quality goals and there was enormous improvement (Nell, n.d.). The result was an optimal process where the products were produced with the desired result of timely manufacturing, and cost reduction so immensely that eliminated the need to jus tify the old system. The organization – Automobile industry, in present times, is one of the most competitive industry which has escalated owing to the purchasing power of the urban mass. Today’s customer, when purchasing a car, is not only attracted by the money factor but is also swayed by performance, design , brand name and other factors, making the industry , immensely competitive. BMW is German automaker primarily involved in manufacturing cars for the luxury class. It manufacturers BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Sales and Marketing, Finance, Operations, Quality, Human Resource, Research and Development are some of the main departments that comprise the organization setup. An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system has been installed for a smooth and effective flow of cross functional information. Sales and Marketing is one of the major contributors to the financial growth and profitability for the company. Under the Sales and Marketing department there are sub departments which are responsible to for specific jobs. For any sales person, the best way to learn about the business in to witness the direct sale of a car in the showroom. The showroom is furnished with the model cars and is connected to the central portal for the ERP. The location of the showroom is discussed in the department as the customers are limited to the upper strata of the society. The department is responsible to liaise with the operations and the management for the allotment and early delivery of the vehicle. The process – For high end car manufacturers like BMW, front end customer interaction is important. The rationale behind choosing the below process is to assess the journey of the line of interaction to the line of visibility that a customer embarks after he enters a BMW showroom. This is place where the initial relationship is established. One of the core process in the Sales and marketing department is the proper information flow of the booking o rders that are being assigned in the showroom. These orders comprise customized options by the customer (a new feature launched by the company where the customer can choose the interiors, accessories etc.) This is an important introductory concept as it gives the premium customers a flexibility to personalize the car. The specifications are entered in the system that is connected to t