Infant mortality Essay

Infant mortality simply refers to the number of death amongst the young ones per 1000 births. In this historical study, infant mortality rate between a range of time starting from 1750 to 1917 is studied. Its rate varies from one century to another with the 18th century recording the highest number of deaths among the young. Progressing towards the 20th century, there has been a drastic decline in the death rate of infants. Some medical professionals believe that this is because of the social health reform and medical improvement during the 19th and 20 centuries. On the other hand, some scholars, like Thomas McKeown, strongly suggest that this is mainly attributed to the improved nutrition and sanitation of the infant’s environment (McKeown, 121). Thomas McKeown is the scholar who spearheaded the well known McKeown Thesis. There has been an ongoing debate between the two ideas about which played the main significant role in checking the rampant death of the infants for several decades featured in countless student reading, so who actually saw the truth between the 19 and the 20th centuries? Infant mortality reduced over the centuries starting in the late 19th and early 20th century in the United States. The highest rate of death among the infants was observed in the first half of the 18th century (McKeown, 65) , this high rate of infant mortality was viewed as caused by societal break-down and poor policies rather that specific pathological organism. This was considered as a reflection of a poor frame work in the society. Between 1750 and 1800, the infant mortality rate was at the peak with many of the infants succumbing to their diseases. At the time, the technical aspects in undertaking comprehensive investigation to establish the actual cause of the diseases and finally finding the cure had not been successful. Many infants therefore died in large numbers. The community attributed all this to the broad and unfortunate societal problems. Many major countries had areas with indecent housing, flooded basements, contaminated water supplies and poverty, resulting in diseases such as typhoid, scarlet fever, tuberculosis and typhus to thrive (McVeigh). This in the end challenged them to actually think of ways to handle these problems. What they have come to conclude was that prenatal and postnatal diseases were ultimately influenced by external factors such as food deficiency, alcohol and tobacco use (Mudd, 117). While diseases and disabilities that are determined during conception or after birth are invariably different, both their origins can still be potentially controlled. In the second half of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the government of the United States came up with efforts to curb this menace. They recommended the removal of infants in the cities; this was considered a major success since most mothers who were residing in the city end up having their young ones dying at a tender age. Some prenatal diseases, for example was due to exposure to harmful toxins in the environment, thereby affecting the child’s development in the mother’s womb (Mudd, 117-118). This was viewed that the city exposed the young to unhealthy environment hence exposing them to diseases. The congestion in the city was also found to facilitate the spread of contagious diseases among the young. Various forms of pollutants were rampant in the city and therefore the infant could easily contract infections. Many women at the turn of the 18th century were working in gas lit factories and sweatshops, which may affect their pregnancy (McVeigh). The mothers were advised to settle in their rural homes where these hazards were considered to have minimal consequences on the infants. It was fortunate that legislations were finally passed during 1848 to promote genuine concern for public health (McKeown, 66). Similarly, international city in Great Britain during the era, as well as an important location throughout Europe and the rest of the world in terms of international trade and human transit. Because of so many international produce, goods and people arriving in London daily, it became clear to medical professionals that foreign bodies can often be the bearers of disease; from London, such illnesses were doomed to spread throughout the rest of the country. In helping London’s citizens stay healthy, infant mortality rates were automatically dropped simultaneously. By exploring London’s newspaper archives, as well as other contemporary newspaper articles and even the correspondence of health care workers during the era, the information concerning infant mortality rates can be gathered and compared. In contrast, some scholars, such as Thomas McKeown, strongly suggest that this is mainly attributed to the improved nutrition and sanitation (Colgrove). The milk supply was improved among the young one, because the milk handling and supply of edible products was improved by the government. This government strategy has been significant in preserving the life of infants at the time. Child hygiene was another factor considered in checking the high rate of infant mortality. A child hygiene program was established by the government to ensure the infants were provided with the highest quality of hygiene . With the advancement on the technological innovations, infant mortality reduced in significant proportions over the centuries. The discovery of the various medical equipments and apparatus including the microscope and the stethoscope in the late 19th century boosted the medical field’s capabilities to handle these challenges (McVeigh). Simultaneous to this, great strides in the improvement of education of interns started happening in Europe. The scientist who specialized in medical microbiology studied deeper and discovered very many minute microbes which were found to cause high rate of infant mortality. These microbes were found to thrive on unhygienic conditions therefore causing high rate of infant mortality. They were found to be rampant especially in poorly handled milk and other foodstuff. With these discoveries of stethoscope and the microscope in the 20th century, many diseases were kept under control. This was because scientists had become knowledgeable about health matters. Before this tremendous discovery, many minute microorganisms causing several diseases amongst the young ones were at large and scientists were puzzled with unchecked high rate of infant mortality. The electron microscope with high magnification enabled these scientists to recognize the various disease causing organisms including viruses and bacteria. They managed to know the specific diseases that these microorganisms caused and the appropriate control measures needed to keep them at bay. They came up with antibiotics to cure infection in the infants. Antibiotics such as penicillin were also discovered in the early 20th century. At this time, due to these discoveries and appropriate measures taken by the government, the infant mortality drastically reduced. Medical attention to the infants was considered a priority and hence reducing the rate of infant’s death. Another important factor in curbing infant mortality is the development of obstetrics and the rise of gynecology in that time (McVeigh). It encompassed all aspects of pregnancy, and allowed sanitary and safe conditions for the mother and child. Arguably, poor sanitary conditions during childbirth are also one of the main causes of infant mortality in earlier centuries. McKeown’s views on public health sparked controversy during the 1970’s and 1980’s with its focus on allocation of medical resources. While the foundation of his empirical views might be considered flawed today, it spearheaded studies of where should public health practitioners should focus their efforts and the most important determinants of a society’s mortality (Colgrove). The thesis he authored was about the explanation of the dramatic population growth from around 1770 to the present (Szreter). It stated that it was because of the domino effect of improved economic conditions: better standards of living and enhanced nutritional status that strengthened infant resistance to most diseases. His works have been about the synthesis of these advanced ideas and later on his works began getting much attention because of its profound content (Szreter). It was curious to note that it attracted more audiences during its later years, even though it didn’t substantially contain any new information. It was probably the stronger awareness in public health that caused this. However, McKeown will always be considered a figure of importance because of his role in shaping contemporary systems to prevent infant mortality. Other factors that can be attributed to a precipitous decline in infant mortality rate starting from the late 19th and early 20th century include the improvement in economic growth, improvement in nutrition, new sanitary measures by the government and advances in knowledge about infant care in the united states of America (Colgrove). Though little is known about how each of this factors contributed in the reduction in the infant mortality rate, a systematic review of the data from the specific period stressed that providing clean milk in market was the main contributor to this decline in the infant mortality . However, the writer of this journal was biased in the sense that handling milk supply and milk hygiene was not the only cause of infant mortality. It‘s important to note that the both technological advancement and improved nutrition played a very crucial role in checking the infant mortality rate starting from the late 18th to early 20th century. The perception that the high rate of infant mortality was due to societal problems and poor policies could not help in reversing the trend in the first half of the 18th century. Technological advancement saw the discovery of the various medical apparatus and equipments in the 20th century which helped in the reduction of high infant mortality rate. The scientists discovered the actual causes of these deaths being pathological organism which could be controlled. The economic growth and education enabled this scientist to conduct further research and hence control measures were devised which came up with cure for various diseases affecting the infants.

Business and Support Systems Essay

The following paper answers questions on three different case studies. The case studies are Reality Gets Better, The Flash Crash: Machines Gone Wild and Piloting Valero with Real-Time Management. Case Study 1: Reality Gets Better The difference between virtual reality and augmented reality is perception. Virtual reality is when a user totally enters a different reality visually. This reality is completely computer generated. Augmented reality users enter a mixed world of computer generated and real life images. (Laudon & Laudon, 2012) The reason augmented reality is so appealing to marketers is because it offers them a different way to present their products. The goal of marketers is to present their product in such a way that people will remember it, be impressed with it, and ultimately purchase it. Augmented reality offers this through a series of interactive ads that can be used to impress and involve the consumer. (Laudon & Laudon, 2012) The reason augmented reality is useful for real estate shopping applications is it offers the buyer the opportunity to have an interactive view of a property that is up for sale without the hassle of making an appointment with a realty company. The ability to use a phone to get pricing information, and pictures of the interior of a property is a major time savor and very convenient. (Laudon & Laudon, 2012) Based on what has been learned by this case study the applications for augmented reality are far reaching. A manufacturing company could use augmented reality to teach employees and to direct employees. Simply have the employee wear a helmet and they would not have to do much thinking on the job as they could be led to every correct decision. Augmented reality such as the real estate application could be used at the humane society to give clear pictures and understandings of the animals they have up for adoption. Case Study 2: The Flash Crash: Machines Gone Wild? The conditions that preceded the flash crash were a market that was already low and moving lower, concerns by investors over the debt in Europe and current worries over the economy. (Laudon & Laudon, 2012) Some of the benefits of electronic trading include; far faster trading than a human being could do, ability to analyze the market trends quickly and change what is being traded, lower cost and the ability to have a more liquid market. (Laudon & Laudon, 2012) The features that contributed to the crash would be the automated selling put into place to sell regardless of time or price. The other feature would be the high frequency traders designed to purchase what was being sold and then sold when the price was lowered. Finally the automated systems put in low offers that are so low they are not very likely to ever to be accepted. In the conditions created by the electronic trading, those stocks sold. (Laudon & Laudon, 2012) Due to the programming of the automated systems this crash could have easily been prevented if humans were in control of the decisions that were made. (Laudon & Laudon, 2012) They would have been able to set a better selling time and set the amount being sold. By doing the previous, none of the other events would have taken place. Case Study 3: Piloting Valero with Real-Time Management. When developing the new dashboard the issues that needed to be addressed would be making sure the dashboard was set to measure the appropriate items, making sure the system was able to send real time data and making sure executives, those at the refinery level and those at the individual level could view performance. (Laudon & Laudon, 2012) The measures of performance that the dashboards display include; inventory management, safety, plant and equipment reliability and energy consumption. (Laudon & Laudon, 2012) Some of the management decisions that could be made by using these displays would include whether or not to purchase new equipment, whether a plant needs to change its energy consumption, whether or not a plant needs to have more safety training, and whether or not a plant needs more inventories. Valero currently uses a group decision support systems designed to link systems to corporate headquarters and each of the fifteen plants. Valero’s dashboards are very effective in piloting the company. As of 2009 a Valero executive said they were saving an estimated 140 million dollars a year in the seven plants that had the dashboard. He further said that they could estimate a savings of up to 240 million dollars once the dashboard was put into all sixteen of their plants. (Henschen, 2009) There would be no real point in developing a dashboard with information outside the company’s control. You cannot monitor events that you have no control over.

Aerospace Development and the Boeing 787 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aerospace Development and the Boeing 787 - Essay Example The 787-9 with a capacity of 290 seats and the 787-3 with 330 are set for a release in mid and late 2010 ("Program Fact Sheet"). The 787-8 and 787-9 are long distance carriers with a range of over 8,000 nautical miles. The 787-3 is a shorter distance aircraft with a maximum range of just over 3,000 nautical miles ("Technical Information"). The Boeing 787 boasts several innovative improvements that make it an environmentally friendly, efficient, and economical aircraft. The performance of the 787 is similar to the 747 and 777 that travel at a speed of Mach .85 ("Program Fact Sheet"). By using a higher ratio of carbon composite materials, the 787 has a weight savings of 30,000 to 40,000 pounds compared to an Airbus A330-200, which results in a 20% fuel savings ("Program Fact Sheet"). In addition, the 787 produces 20% fewer emissions and it is anticipated that maintenance costs will be reduced by 30% ("Program Fact Sheet"). Customer orders have been placed by major airlines from around the world. The largest orders have come from ANA at 50, Northwest Airlines at 18, JAL at 35, Continental Airlines at 20, Air China at 15, Air Canada at 14, China Eastern Airlines at 15, International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) at 22, LCAL (Low-Cost Aircraft Leasing) at 15, China Southern Airlines at 10, Air India at 27, Qantas at 45, Singapore Airlines at 20, and Jet Airways at 10 ("Boeings 787 Dreamliner Surpasses 500 Customer Orders", "Program fact Sheet"). Several other international airlines have placed smaller orders bringing the total to 514 aircraft. Delivery is currently set for early 2008 for the 787-8 and 2010 for the 787-9 and 787-3. The current orders for 514 aircraft represent the initial delivery of what Boeing anticipates will be 3,500 787 aircraft by the year 2023 ("Program Facts"). This will represent $400 billion in sales through this 20-year period. The major competitor for the soon to be released 787-8

A Research of How health and safety affect employees productivity and Essay

A Research of How health and safety affect employees productivity and company profits in Koh Brothers Group - Essay Example Literature Review 4 2.1 Introduction to Literature Review 4 2.2 Importance of Health & Safety at Workplace 5 2.3 Health & Safety at Koh Brothers 6 3. Research Methodology 7 4. Conclusion 10 References 12 1. Introduction 1.1 Background of the Company Koh Brothers is a well established construction, property development and specialist engineering provider in Singapore. The company was started by Mr Koh Tiat Meng in the year 1966. They have various milestone projects under them such as flood alleviation, counting Rochor Canal and Kallang River to name a few. The group has wide-ranging construction services and 40 subsidiaries, joint ventures and associated companies which are spread over Singapore, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. Apart from construction, they have diversified business in building materials, real estate, leisure & hospitality. The company has received A1 grading by Building and Construction Authority (BCA) which enabled them to undertake various civil engineering projects and building projects over the years. Koh Brothers is currently the highest grade for contractor’s registration in this category. 1.2 Research title, Research Question, Research Objectives The report mainly focuses into the health and safety standards maintained by the company and how it can affect an employee’s productivity and company profits. ... Moreover, high number of accidents and employee sickness may result in company’s declining profit. Therefore, health and safety regulations should be improved and well implemented in order to increase company’s profits and employee’s morale in which lead to further productivity. This can increase company profits as it increase company’s reputations in the eyes of investors and stakeholders. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Introduction to Literature Review Our focus of study is to look into the health and safety standards maintained by Koh Brothers and how it has helped them to boost the employee performance and also boost the company profits. According to EANPC â€Å"Productivity is an expression of how efficiently and effectively goods and services (i.e. goods and services which are demanded by users) are being produced. Thus, its key characteristics are that it is expressed in physical or economic units - in quantities or values (money) - based on measurements which are made at different levels: on the level of the economy overall, that of a sector or branch of the economy, that of the enterprise and its individual plants/units and that of individuals† (EANPC, 2005). Being a construction company, Koh Brothers put a lot of stress on Human Resource. They believe that their people are behind the success of their company. Lot of health and safety measures are taken by them to ensure their protection and care. Their staff under-go through consistent upgrading course to make sure that they can develop their new-found skills, determine new efficiencies for their professional development, and achieve better satisfaction in their work. 2.2 Importance of Health & Safety at Workplace Research has shown that satisfied and happy employees

Any topic (writer's choice) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Any topic (writer's choice) - Essay Example Gladwell notes that there is a disadvantage in the perceived advantaged classroom setups. He elaborates the situation using the inverted U curve Theory. Using the theory, it is clear that majority of American parents prefer small classrooms to large ones. The U curve theory provides that most people prefer working in small groups. However, people choosing to work in small groups do not consider the disadvantages associated with small numbers. Using the U curve theory, Gladwell notes that most American Schools brag about their small sized classrooms that allow providing maximum teacher-student interactions (Gladwell 97). Gladwell notes that the schools might be disillusioned since there are certain disadvantages associated with such setups. Small class size does not give students a wide exposure to the world of reality through discussions. Essentially, the discussions in small class size are minimal and, therefore, limit students’ interactions in the learning environment. Gladwell adopts the Little Pond Theory to explain the freedom of disadvantage. Gladwell argues that people underestimate the power vested in them and, therefore, do not realize the potential they have. He gives an example of how the above-average students think that they are bright and should score high grades (Gladwell 134). In addition, the above average students tend to choose only institutions or courses which have a better reputation or ranking. To their shock, the institutions or courses contain valedictorians that provide uniformity to all students.

Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 15

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example e strengths and limitations of the business, primary areas where the entrepreneur requires in developing expertise and economic risks in starting the venture. It reflects the dynamic procedure of planning, and reviewing the agenda of the business over time. Business plan assists executive talents realize an entrepreneur’s idea and determine the viability of the business in investing resources and time. The two most crucial aspects of a business plan are mission statement or idea and information analysis. This is because a business plan states the mission or the idea of the business in a clear and brief manner. The business idea communicates the venture’s philosophy, ideas and core values. Organization information, on the other hand, communicates the organizational structure of the venture to investors and members. It also indicates the financial status, information flow, decision-making process and new ideas of the business. Gumbert, David , Harold Klein, and Robin Sands. How to Really Create a Successful Business Plan: The Importance of a Business Plan in Building Your Business : [the Essential Elements of a Great Plan]. Boston, Mass.: Inc. Magazine,

Biomedical model of health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Biomedical model of health - Essay Example It assumes that illness is caused by abnormalities in the body functioning rather than any other external reasons. For example, many of the heart problems, type two diabetics etc are dependent on the person’s actions and beliefs according to this theory rather than any other factors. It mainly works on the physical processes, such as the pathology, the biochemistry and the physiology of a disease rather than the social or individual factors. Modern western medicine is accepted biomedical model as the base of their medical practices. This theory considers our body just like a machine. Like machine parts the damaged human parts needed to be repaired or replaced in order to keep a sound health. In short, western model of medicine claims that the only valid way of assessing a patient is through the biomedical model of health. This paper critically analyses the above claim The focus of biological model is on physical causes. It assumes that psychological and social process has not many connections with the disease process (Taylor, p.11). â€Å"Social and psychological factors might be accepted as being of interest, but not with regard to actual disease† (Brain, p.257) The doctor will ask the details of the disease and the patient will be advised to undergo lab tests to monitor temperature, pulse, blood pressure etc. Based on the lab results and biological etiologies, the physician will prescribe a medicinal plan for the patient (The Biopsychosocial Model of Health and Illness). Biomedical model of health believe that instead of combined performances, an individual’s body and mind may work independently and cause physical or mental problems to the person. For example, eating disorder is a major problem for many people. In this case, instead of any external factors, the psychological or mental factors are causing problems to the person. In other words the physical illness of eating disorder is caused by mental factors and medicines for the correction of the

Provide a comprehensive report that will describe the development of Essay

Provide a comprehensive report that will describe the development of design from appraisal to completion and illustrate the prop - Essay Example All of these tasks are encapsulated in the design procedure. Different organizations describe these procedures with different names. Irrespective of individual task names, the principal elements of the design procedure consists of four key elements (architype.net n.d.); programming, schematic design, design development, and construction documents. Figure 1 exhibits the above-mentioned concept. The diagram in figure 1 shows that design procedure does not present a sum of several activities Figure 1. Principal elements of design procedure (architype.net n.d.) that flow in one direction. The activities are iterative, which is one of the paramount concepts of an Architectural design procedure. Iterative flow provides the opportunity for design modification. In the design procedure, modification plays a pivotal role since the process is cognitive. That is why tasks or activities of design phases move back and forth allowing develop more elaborate designs to control and modify the overall design. Each of the principal elements of the design procedures shown in figure 1 is divided into multiple tasks. Many recommendations are available about how to subdivide each principal process into multiple tasks. This report follows recommendations provided by the Royal Institute of British Architecture (RIBA). RIBA (architecture.com n.d ) outlines work process to manage and design architectural projects Scope and limitation of this report The report is structured using words and visual forms of presentation. Scope of this report is to describe architectural design phases thru general idea without tying to any specific project. Phases that are described hereafter present design procedure of any kind of building construction from appraisal to completion. Sketches and illustrations are used from general constructions for visual representation of different phases. The step-by-step procedures described in words and sketches exhibit work from appraisal to completion of practical const ructions. RIBA Stage A and B: Project Appraisal Phase The program of discovery begins with the appraisal phase. Design procedure starts with the determination of scope of work, and that is why this phase is also known as programming phase. This phase includes discussions, thoughts, and explorations. All participants must understand and agree on the program at the start. This phase establishes scope, objectives, limitations and criteria of the future project. For a residential housing project, the program would include information about types of amenities the client wants in the house, number of rooms, square footage requirement of rooms, and construction stages. For a bigger building project, such as a school, a program is complex and would include numbers of rooms, type and their functions, interior and exterior design, finishes, electrical, mechanical, and water supply system, playgrounds, different science laboratories, etc. For a highly complex task; a program starts with the de velopment of a master program document, which is then split into smaller individual programs of different buildings. Project appraisal phase is also called as pre-design phase. RIBA characterizes it as briefing stage. To develop the

Chinese Traditional Religion Essay Example for Free

Chinese Traditional Religion Essay Religious practice in China today has elements as old as the Shang and Zhou dynasties and, dating from the Song dynasty (960–1279 CE), is marked syncretism–the combining of different forms of belief or practice. A good example is the construction of temple altars. It’s not uncommon to find Buddhist and Confucian figures in a Daoist temple. Nor is it extraordinary to see a self-professed Buddhist offer incense at a Daoist temple to a historical figure known for his Confucian virtues. China has been a multi-religion country since the ancient times. It is well known that Confucianism is an indigenous religion and is the soul of Chinese culture, which enjoyed popular support among people and even became the guiding ideology for feudalism society, but it did not develop into a national belief. It makes the culture more tolerant to others, thus, many other religions have been brought into the country in different dynasties, but none of them developed powerful enough in the history of China and they only provide diverse people more spiritual support. Confucianism, not a real religion, is just an ethical and philosophical system, which developed from Confucius’ thoughts and later was treated as a kind of belief to educate common people. Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (Master Kong, 551–479 BC). The Confucius’ teachings contained the beginning of a system of thought and behavior that developed into a sophisticated ethico-religious tradition. Confucianism was adopted by the Han dynasty (206 B. C.E-220 C. E. ) as the intellectual basis for its system of government and its educational program for training officials. Confucius emphasized principles for self-guidance. The key to producing a harmonious life, he wrote, is in how we treat others–our ancestors, leaders, parents, spouses, neighbors, and friends. Two other concepts that were predominant in Confucius’s worldview were Tian (Heaven) and Dao (Way). His heaven represented a celestial power connected with the will of mighty ancestors, such as the widely known Yao, Shun, and Yu. The Way, on the other hand, constituted a natural path for humanity. Whereas Heaven emphasized choice, the Way required a yielding heart-mind (xin); both were crucial for achieving harmony in the earthly realm. Daoism is one of China’s major religions indigenous to the country. The primary belief is in learning and practicing â€Å"The Way† (Dao) which is the ultimate truth to the universe. Also known as Taoism, Daoism traces its roots to 6th Century BC Chinese philosopher Laozi wrote the iconic book Dao De Jing on the tenets of the Dao. In the 1,800 years, Taoism influenced the local culture deeply, especially on traditional medicine and literature. Based on some theories of alchemists such as Wei Boyang in Eastern Han Dynasty, different kinds of medicine prescriptions were created by Sun Simiao and many other doctors. In literature, many fictional characters are closely related with Taoism, such as the Jade Emperor. Their philosophies, though, are like two sides of a coin. Laozi emphasized harmony with the Dao–a referent to something that cannot be named–in order to achieve balance in life. To assist this process, Laozi taught his followers the concepts of non-action (wuwei) and shade and light (yin/yang–primordial, dynamic balancing of opposites). The principle of non-action meant that one should discern the natural course of things and cooperate with that movement. The teachings of Laozi and Confucius were not incorporated into a religious movement until the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). The result was a mix of philosophy and religion. Over the centuries that followed, both Confucianism (Rujiao—the teachings of the scholars) and Daoism (Daojiao—the teaching of the Way) developed elaborate rituals and sacred writings. To this day the philosophies of Laozi and Confucius, and the religious movements their lives and teachings inspired, exist in vibrant forms in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese culture as well. When first introduced, Buddhism faced competition from followers of Daoism. While Daoism (also called Taoism) is as old as Buddhism, Daoism was indigenous to China. Daoists do not view life as suffering. They believe in an ordered society and strict morality, but they also hold strong mystical beliefs such as ultimate transformation, where the soul lives after death and travels to the world of the immortals. Because the two beliefs were so competitive, many teachers from both sides borrowed from the other. Today many Chinese believe in elements from both schools of thought. Buddhisms popularity, led to the quick conversion to Buddhism by later Chinese rulers. The subsequent Sui and Tang Dynasties all adopted Buddhism as their religion. The religion was also used by foreign rulers of China, such as the Yuan Dynasty and the Manchus, to connect with the Chinese and justify their rule. The Machus strived to draw a parallel between Buddhism. a foreign religion, and their own reign as foreign leaders. Despite Chinas shift to atheism after the Communists took control of China in 1949, Buddhism continued to grow in China, especially after the economic reforms in the 1980s. Today there are an estimated 100 million followers of Buddhism in China and over 20,000 Buddhist temples. It is the largest religion in China. For most people in China, there is no problem with mixing religious practices. Unlike some other cultures, where religious syncretism and even tolerance are viewed with skepticism or condemnation, the Chinese have always had the ability to select the religious practices and teachings that work best for them at the moment. If a certain deity doesn’t answer a supplicant’s petition, then it’s on to the next temple and deity. In general religious pluralism simply adds to the many options from which the Chinese can choose on their journey toward a harmonious life.

East Asian Art Essay Example for Free

East Asian Art Essay One mark of how developed a culture is its art forms. The arts are a large aspect or subdivision of a culture. So much of a culture’s beliefs and traditions are reflected of expressed in various art forms. Art is made by an artist, an artist’s way of seeing and interpreting things are dictated by the culture of the society of which he is a part of; this is the relationship of the arts and culture. They have a link that cannot be severed. Ancient art forms that are reflective of a societal culture can include architecture, calligraphy, culinary arts, dance, drawing/ painting, fashion, music, language, literature, sculpture, crafts, and theatre; all these are represent the rich culture of a society. Some new and modern art forms that have been brought upon by technology include film and photography. As for East Asia, in geographical context, it is the region of Asia covering 12, 000, 000 square kilometers, which is 28% of the whole Asian continent. Countries in the East Asian territory currently include Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. East Asia being the home of some of the first great and influential cultures and civilizations, their ancient works of art would be a good area of study to understand how their culture developed. During the ancient times, the major societies that served as the cultural roots of the region are China, Japan and Korea. Understanding how their culture began through the events that transpired in the first 500 years of the Common Era that contributed to the development of their art can give us an insight on what their culture was and how the present culture of the region came to be.

Research Methodology for Online Shopping Project

Research Methodology for Online Shopping Project 1. INTRODUCTION: RESEARCH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The project had two key questions to focus on and this acted as a guide to the research design and methodology. The two key research questions in my project were: What are the key consumer motivations for online shopping and how are these impacting the development of the online channel? This question is focused on the key drivers acting as make for consumers to pursue online shopping, and how these drivers were impacting the online channel as an alternative channel for making purchases. What are the emerging trends for online shopping, and how will the online shopping channel develop? As online shopping continues to increase, both organisations and consumers are expected to be better-placed with having a good understanding of where online shopping trends seem to be directed at. 1.1 Consumer motivations The project sought to understand the consumer motivations for choosing online shopping as an alternative channel or, for some consumers, their main channel for shopping particular items. This part of the project was based on determining what consumers have stated as their key motivation factors through secondary research. This was supported by primary research by surveying and interviewing consumers on their motivational factors. The objective was to list out the key motivational factors consumers have for online shopping. 1.2 Emerging trends for online shopping In addition to understanding consumer motivation, this project also sought, as an objective, to understand the emerging trends in online shopping, and establish a viewpoint on where the online channel was expected to move to. Similar for consumer motivations, this part of the project was based on a combination of primary and secondary research. 1.3 Foundation for research project There was a strong foundation for pursuing this project as it aimed to provide a greater understanding of the consumer and the motivations behind online shopping. As the importance of the online channel becomes increasingly greater for organisations, there is greater need for determining the consumers key drivers in choosing this as an alternative channel for shopping. The project results impact both consumers and organisations. For consumers, this gave them a venue for stating their preferences and key requirements to continue using the online channel which could lead to improvements on the online shopping experience. For organisations, this project provided an understanding of the current situation and also the emerging trends based on competitive dynamics, in order to be able to provide the consumers their requirements. This project was also important for me as the student as it gave me an opportunity to develop the knowledge and pursue the analysis of a critical management issue which was becoming a greater value add channel for a large number of organisations. The project, I believe, has led to new insights and a confirmation of consumers key motivations to online shopping. I believe this contributes to the growing knowledge on the online shopping experience of consumers. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW In this section, research works relating to consumer motivations for online shopping and related issues are critically evaluated. This research project was pursued with a qualitative research approach as the focus was on consumer motivations, which, while it could have been developed with quantitative metrics, seemed to translate better into a qualitative focus. The objective was more focused on going in greater depth across the key consumer motivations instead of tallying figures in terms of which factors consumers felt were their key motivations. The qualitative aspect of the research project was pursued through surveys and in-depth questionnaires. The primary data collected through the surveys and in-depth interviews were highly subjective as these were the results of consumers opinions and viewpoints. In this instance, it seemed best to pursue a rational approach to analysing the data results and the resulting interpretation. The interpretation of the research results was critical in this research project as there were no specific correct answers being pursued rather the collective view point and key motivating factors were being identified. Overall, the approach pursued for this research project was an interpretive qualitative research approached which seemed to fit best the requirements of the project. 2.1 Overview Even at the end of the last century, online shopping was already starting to catch peoples attention, and was slowly attracting consumers to use it as a channel, primarily because of its ease in completing purchases (i.e. not needing to step out of the home) and also in providing information as, even then, some sites already provided extensive information (Gay 1999, Gehrt et al 2007). But we are well into the first decade of the 21st century, and since then times have changed and certainly, consumers motivations, as evidenced in this literature review and the results of the research project, have changed. The use of the online channel for shopping varies greatly by country with the UK and the US ranking high up in the list with greatest ratio of online shoppers among Internet users, in addition to also having a large penetration of users for Internet access (Bhatti 2006). In the UK, Internet access among households has increased from 34% in 2000 to 54% in 2004, while Internet access for adults increased from 40% in 2000 to 64% in 2005 (Datamonitor 2006). 2.2 Consumer motivations In a research on consumer motivations for online retail shopping conducted a few years ago, some of the consumer motivations cited were interest in use of a new technology, ease of navigation and use, and convenience of online shopping (Childers et al 2001). While the research mentioned looked at consumer motivations, the research was only a subset of what could be learned from consumer behaviour as the study focused on only a few possible factors of online shopping activity. Also, the research is dated considering the advancements in technology over the past few years and the changes that have occurred in the online channel and the resulting consumer experience. A key thing to note was that the authors highlighted then the expectations that online retail shopping would continue to increase as consumers found greater reasons for shopping online. Linked to the increase of online shopping is the increase in access and usage of the Internet. For example, Rodgers and Sheldon (2002) researched the increasing use of the Internet and highlighted shopping as one of the key motivations for increased consumer use. In this instance, shopping was focused on as one of the factors resulting in the increased use of the Internet. In this work, the authors looked at shopping as a consumer motivation for increased consumer use but their work is interesting as the other factors they considered as increasing Internet use come into play, potentially, in increased motivation for online shopping. These include researching, communicating, and even Internet surfing. Despite the seemingly increasing growth of online shopping and also the increased interest in consumer motivations for online shopping, there has relatively not been much research in this area. This thought is supported as well by the research of Zhang et al (2007) which stated as a premise the online shopping environment s still representing a comparatively new, and largely unexplored, marketing channel. The premise of Zhang is hard-hitting as it exposes a large gap in the understanding of consumers motivations for online shopping. However, the research does have a major limitation in that the research focused only on college students as its respondents. The research was also very focused on impulse purchasing behaviours, and not consumer motivations for online shopping, as its key issue for analysis. Before going in detail in some of the consumer motivations discussed in research works, it should be noted that there has been considerable growth in Internet access and usage, and this has created a significant market in marketing and communications of organisations (Ko et al 2005, Tamimi et al 2005, Dadzie et al 2005). Online shopping has been growing and organisations have been focusing more on developing the online channel to capture a greater share of the wallet of the consumer. Online shopping Internet is the worlds largest network with high technology and greater controls, every day the standard of the internet is improving. In the past decades people and sales persons used to follow traditional methods for shopping and promotion of the business. Banks and thousands of businesses are using computers to share the data online and for transferring the funds using online banking. Internet is very flexible to view the information all over the world and for comparison of product prices from one to one organisation. A first step to understanding the growth happening in online shopping is to understand whats included in the term online shopping. It is generally accepted that it encompasses any product or service that is actually offered online, and hence does not relate only to the typical retail product that people buy but can also mean services that can be purchased online. A rather broad definition is given by Hult et al (2007) wherein online shopping can relate to any offering of service quality, product quality, or e-Business quality where the objective is the customer-based value creation for organisations. Based on this definition, we can see that the number of online shoppers has indeed increased significantly, at least in the UK, with the percentage of UK Internet users shopping online (including ordering tickets of buying goods and services) grew from 36% in 2000 to 61% in 2005 (Datamonitor 2006). For this research project, the broad definition is reasonable as the key focus of the research is in understanding consumer motivations for online shopping in general, with no specific product or service in mind. Undoubtedly, there are a large number of ways in which to cut the issue and there would be differences in the consumer motivations for specific products in specific markets, for example. The works cited in this section provided a good starting point in the consumer motivations to be considered. The research works also provided an indication of the increasing use of the Internet and online shopping as an activity. From the limitations cited in the research works, further research needs to be conducted on a general understanding of consumer motivations which are not limited to a few factors. The rest of this section discusses some motivating factors cited by consumers as driving their online shopping activity. 24-hour access One key factor mentioned as a motivation by consumers is the 24-hour access provided or allowed by most online shopping channels. Thus, the online channel is utilised by consumers as it provides them with 24-hour access for information, customer service, and purchase opportunity (Bramall et al 2004). This essentially gives the consumer the opportunity to browse products and purchase at the consumers own leisure. While the research of the authors states this factor as a motivation, the focus of the research work was actually on potential trust issues in online shopping. This specific motivating factor was not analysed in comparison to other motivating factors for consumers. Shopping convenience One oft-mentioned reason, and an early consumer motivating factor, for shopping online is the convenience of doing so as consumers wont need to go to the retail stores and experience the hassle of buying products in the stores (NBC News 2007). Another article does not only highlight the convenience of shopping online but also states that shopping only also helps decision-making as a large part of the information requirements a consumer may need to make the decision are found online (Furnham 2007). Clearly, shopping convenience is expected to rank high among the consumers in terms of their motivations for pursuing online shopping. Convenience can take many forms and includes all-hours access (i.e. the 24-hour access mentioned previous to this can be considered a subset of this motivating factor), own time and no pressure for decision-making, no requirement to dress up and go to the retail stores, and extensive available information, largely on demand, to support the product or service . Shopping convenience is a large factor for the US and UK consumers but this is not limited to the US or the UK markets only as even in Japan, online shopping has seen increasing growth rates, with shopping convenience as the greatest factor motivating consumers to do online shopping (Gehrt et al 2007). Another example where convenience plays a part in online shopping is in the office as a large number of offices are seeing their office employees turn to online shopping during their breaks or in between work in the office to do their shopping which, in some ways, actually results in more productive employees as they dont need to go to the retail stores for their shopping (Spillman 2006). As mentioned, online shopping allows unrestricted information search unlike in retail stores where comparisons are constrained largely by time and availability of sales staff to provide information (Chiang 2005). Thus, consumers tend to pursue online shopping if their information requirements are large and can be met online, or if consumers would like to make comparisons between products and services, and across a number of stores. The shopping convenience factor has been recognised across a number of research works, but these only tend to highlight that consumers have different meanings attached to the terminology, and may actually be referring to different sub-factors under the general term of convenience. In understanding this factor further, specific meanings were attached to and discussed in the surveys and interviews for the research. Greater bargains An increasingly cited motivating factor in online shopping is the existence of greater bargains for products and services. Consumers are increasingly interested in shopping online due to the greater bargains found in the Internet as organisations pass on savings resulting from using the online channel for sales (NBC News 2007, Lii Lee 2005). This poses a challenge for organisations though as some may not have fully understood the online channel business model, and may already be providing greater discounts to their products and services through online purchases of consumers. Another challenge for organisations is that consumers are expected to continue increasing their online purchases but only if they receive greater bargains from sellers in their online sites versus their retail stores (Craver 2006). Thus, consumers are already building the expectations that prices online will be less that prices in retail stores. This means that part of the value for organisations in establishing their online channels has already been transferred to consumers who are expecting more competitive prices online. If only to hammer the point of increasing consumer expectations, two factors mentioned by consumers in their increased interest in doing online shopping were free shipping of their products purchased and also everyday low pricing particularly relative to the retail stores of the sellers (Hajewski 2006). The key limitation in the citations for greater bargains is that these are from press articles and the approaches were not based on proper research conducted to determine the consumer motivations for online shopping. Nevertheless, this should still be accepted as a consumer motivation as this has been mentioned to be a factor based on the articles cited. Overall online shopping site experience This final factor discussed touches on the overall online shopping site experience which, in a way, relates to the overall customer experience in online shopping. This factor is quite specific to online shopping sites which consumers may visit but this nevertheless provides a motivation for some specific consumers and it relates to the overall online shopping site experience and having a positive satisfaction to the experience (Elliott Speck 2005). Specifically, the authors argued that the following factors impacted on the consumer motivation to complete their online shopping transactions: ease of use of online shopping site, product information available, trust in the brand and the online shopping site, customer support, and entertainment experienced while in the site. The focus of the research conducted by the authors was not on online shopping specifically but rather on the attitude towards retail web sites but using the online shopping experience as an example, with an analysis of the resulting impact on the consumers. Similar to some of the other published research cited in this section, the key limitation is the set of respondents considered for the research which, in this case, consisted of undergraduate marketing students. The results are interesting and provide a good preview of what the results could be if the research is expanded to capture a greater sample of the population. 2.3 Emerging trends for online shopping In reviewing the related literature touching on online shopping and also consumer motivations, a number of emerging trends were clearly seen. These include the following: Increased efforts in improving online security Potential for an expanded product range and ancillary businesses Usability of an online site as an increasing differentiator Management of Internet product returns Increasingly demanding consumers Increasing opportunity for organisations to develop consumer relationships Increasingly older market Greater share of ad market Each of these trends is discussed in greater detail in this section. Increased efforts in improving online security Across most metrics, online shopping has shown strong growth and yet the belief is that online shopping growth rates could actually be much higher if not for security-related concerns by some consumers (Bramall et al 2004, Arnold et al 2007, OConnell 2005, Cullen 2005). Increasing trust in e-retailing was one of the factors cited that could significantly drive much greater online shopping activity. Organisations are thus investing in ensuring greater security for their online shopping sites. ConsumerReports.org even recently developed a tool to provide consumers with a safe and enjoyable online shopping experience (Ascribe News 2005). There are two trends to be noted in relation to the security concerns of consumers. The first, as mentioned, is that there are greater efforts placed by organisations in improving online security as breaches to their security could have considerable consequences. Online security is the ability to protect the information of the customers from unauthorised access and destruction. Most of the online business websites using the technologies to secure their online transactions which gains more customers faith and trust to shop online. The use of firewalls, data encryption/ decryption techniques, secure socket layer (SSL), digital certificates, electronic signatures is making online transactions secure. Many governments over the world implemented regulations and law to support the people who want to make transactions online. The European Union adopted the directive on data protection in 1998, which limits any dissemination of personal data. Security and privacy are the most important facto rs in peoples decisions to purchase online, so the sophisticated technology to secure online transactions is the main factor of customers motivations to shop online. The second trend is that a complementary approach to improving reputation for managing online security risks is paramount. In support of this, where there are great concerns for risk, it has been established that utilising expert endorsers, as opposed to celebrity endorsers or even non-celebrity non-expert endorsers, can actually help in bringing consumers over their risk concerns (Biswas et al 2006). Potential for an expanded product range and ancillary businesses Another trend is that organisations are increasingly seeing potential for an expanded product range and ancillary businesses. For example, in recent months, Kohls, a US department store chain, has offered products online which were not normally found in their department stores and these included higher-priced items such as leather chairs, high-end home entertainment centres, and flat screen televisions (Hajewski 2007). This trend is not without its implications for organisation. In the Kohls example, one problem with the expanded product range as done by Kohls was that Kohls did not offer everything they had online in their retail stores. This is a concern as some consumers utilise the online site for their window shopping before moving to the retail stores to try on and purchase the items (Dodes 2006). The article states that more than 80% of online shoppers research products online first before sometimes going to the stores to see the products firsthand. Given that not all products are available in the stores, it would be prudent for online sites to be clear about which products are available in the stores and which products are not. In terms of ancillary businesses, the increase in online usage and online shopping has even spawned related business such as businesses which monitor traffic into organisations websites with the objective of increasing an organisations online sales (Newman 2007). Another ancillary business opportunity is from online shopping sites is as a social shopping space, such as Jellyfish.com which was recently acquired by Microsoft as it saw the growing opportunity in the business (Gallagher 2007). However, these new business are still untested as these are fairly new and would need some time before potentially growing into profitable businesses. As online shopping continues to grow, organisations will continue to seek out other opportunities that could help build the rationale for investments in establishing a highly competitive online shopping site. Usability of online site is an increasing differentiator While the extent of technological readiness of the consumer plays a part in determining the level of comfort in navigating through an online shopping site, the general usability of an online shopping site is an increasing differentiator and distinguishes between the different sites that consumers will utilise in online shopping (Massey et al 2007). There is a significant effect of the online marketing or advertisements on the customers to shop online and this pushing medium of marketing makes the people to shop online. The online marketing websites are designed with the facility of keyword search which brings more flexibility to online customers. Online stores are offering with much amount of choices and more information than atmosphere, so pure play sites attracting people with higher interactivity. The goal with these sites is to have it easily navigated through by consumers such that any potential barriers to keep consumers from purchasing products and services are effectively tak en out of the equation. Online promotions are very important to investigate the future trends of the online shopping. Customer relationship management is the most important function in any organization to promote their marketing strategies and to maintain good customer relationship. It is very important to consider the attitudes, behaviour and experiences of the customers to make the online promotions. An example of an initiative moving into the direction of overall ease of usability is the recent transaction involving Abazias.com and Google wherein Abzias.com partnered with Google for their shopping checkout process which is considered fast and very convenient (M2 Presswire 2007). The challenge for organisations is to continue making their online shopping sites easier to use. And to support the point, some online shopping sites now provide potential live help from customer service if particular requirements are needed in order to limit the number of lost purchases resulting from consumers abandoning their purchases (Prince 2005). Overall, the design of the website and the ease of use have a large impact on the online shopping sites performance (Auger 2005). Management of Internet product returns Another emerging trend is the establishment of clear guidelines in the management of Internet product returns, which then addresses a key concern or questions by some consumers. Internet product returns has been one of the key factors limiting part of the online shopping growth as the uncertainty surrounding how returns of defective or unwanted products impacted on the overall cost and inconvenience for the consumer. Organisations which are able to state clearly their policies on Internet product returns, and which provide a seamless process for allowing consumers to make returns for products bought online are at an advantage versus other organisations which have a perception of being difficult to coordinate with in processing Internet product returns (Mollenkopf et al 2007). Increasingly demanding consumers As the development of the online shopping channel continues, we are now seeing increasingly demanding consumers. This is shown in an example using the UK supermarket sector. In this sector, online shopping is still considered a poor offering by the UK supermarkets as none of the top five supermarket chains passed a service test conducted by a consumer affairs staff of a newspaper (Prunn 2006). Their failures were from their product offering to the product substitutes provided. The key good news for the UK and supermarkets thought was that the websites were generally easy to use for online shopping. Also, the delivery drivers were helpful and friendly. In contrast, in the US, online shopping offering for the supermarkets is a competitive offering with various supermarkets increasingly providing greater online shopping offerings for their consumers including chef-prepared, fresh-food delivery service (Food Institute Report 2006). Thus, the US supermarkets are able to provide the US consumers with their demands from US supermarkets. UK supermarkets will need to focus on improving their offering in order to capture the consumer wallet for shopping deliveries. Finally, an approach to cater to the demanding consumers is to provide channels for consumers to give their reviews, and to act on the comments of consumers which have been seen to provide a good way of increasing the online sites business (Spors 2006). Increasing opportunity for organisations to develop consumer relationships The online shopping channel provides organisations with an additional channel to develop consumer relationships. Organisations which are able to effectively capture value from their online shopping offering are the organisations which are able to collect and analyse data on consumer patterns, interpret customer behaviour, respond with timely and effective customised communications, and deliver product and service value to consumers (Kennedy 2006). The game is not new to most organisations. The only difference is that there is a new channel to consider for the consumer relationships. In order to be competitive, organisations should be able to learn from their interactions with the consumers, and develop the channel into one that consumers will find value from. With the growth of the online shopping channel, more organisations will invest in ensuring that consumer information is managed properly to be leveraged by the organisation in capturing value from the interactions. Increasingly older market At least in the US, the trend is that the older internet users market comprises the fastest-growing demographic group in the US Internet market and are, aside from large and growing, generally financially secure (Iyer Eastman 2006). While a research has not been found to state a similar point for the UK, it is possible that this is the case as well given the increasingly older society with a lower proportion of younger people in the country. What does this mean for the online shopping channel? If this is truly the trend, then the investments that organisations will place in developing their online shopping channels will be geared towards an older generation, from site design to products and services to site technology used. This potential trend has large implications on various organisations that can benefit from this research work. Thus, a greater understanding of the key trends is important in order to allow the organisations to plan and invest properly in their online shopping channels. Greater share of ad market Finally, another trend worth noting is the increasing share of the ad market by the online channel. With the growth of the online shopping consumer market, the ad share of this channel (the Internet) is expected to grow as well from about 5-8% to up to one-fifth of total ad budgets over the next three years (Ong 2005). As examples, US auto firms spent ~14% of their total advertising budget for online advertising in 2005 while Procter Gamble was planning to shift ~5% of its television advertising budget for online advertising and marketing programs (Datamonitor 2006). The greater share of the ad market by the online channel has implications for organisations across two key points. First is that there needs to be a decision on the amount of the ad budget that will be allotted to the online channel. After deciding on the first point, the second key point is that it is imperative for organisations to understand the business model of the online channel, and that the organisations have a plan in ensuring their investments will eventually generate good returns, if not doing so already. 2.4 Framework of Analysis As mentioned, this literature review was used for building a preliminary understanding of the key motivations of consumers in online shopping activity and also in determining the emerging trends in the online channel. From the literature review in this section, the following framework of analysis was utilised in the surveys and interviews. Consumer Motivations The consumer motivating factors mentioned in the literature review was utilised in both the surveys and interviews to prompt respondents and to test the factors. The structure of the factors in the for prompt section of the surveys and the interviews followed this listing: 24-hour access Respondents were asked if this was one of the factors they considered as a key motivation for online shopping. Shopping convenience While this was included as a factor in the for prompt section of the surveys and interviews, greater depth was pursued in understanding what the consumer may consider as shopping convenience in relation to online shopping. Greater bargains This was tested to determine if consumers truly saw this factor as an expectation already, and if not having this factor would impact on their use of the online channel for shopping. Overall online shopping site experience This factor was analysed in the context of the overall consumer experience, and was assessed of the importance versus the other factors mentioned by consumers as their key motivating factors for online shopping. Emerging Trends For emerging trends, not all the possible trends were included in th

The Importance of Joseph Conrad’s Congo Journey Essay -- Biography Bio

It was the year 1868. A young boy of about nine years of age stood looking at a map of Africa. The boy raised up his hand and stuck his finger directly into the middle of the â€Å"dark continent.† â€Å"When I grow up I shall go there,† said this boy with great enthusiasm (Conrad 13). Little did he know that some years later his childhood wish would come true. Joseph Conrad grew up to become quite the sailor, starting as an apprentice on a French vessel in 1875 and working his way to become a master of English ships from 1878-1889 (Jean-Aubrey 19). He spent fifteen years at sea, traveling to destinations all over the globe. After much traveling he returned home to Europe. While there, he tried desperately to find a new ship to command, but there were none available. He spent months searching and still could not find a ship to call his own. It was then, while stuck in Europe with nothing to do, that Conrad wrote Almayer’s Folly, his first novel. When Conrad was presented with the opportunity to go to the Congo in 1889, he did not hesitate. After months of correspondence between himself and members of the Societe Anonyme pour le Commerce du Haut-Congo in Brussels and the killing of a steamboat captain by natives in the Congo, Joseph Conrad was ready to journey deep into the heart of Africa. The first part of Conrad’s trip would take him to Brussels, where he would sign the final contract, obligating himself to serve for three years as an officer on river steamboats in the Congo. Conrad was to sail on the Ville de Maceio to get to â€Å"Boma, seat of the Government of the Independent State of the Congo since 1886† (Jean-Aubry 46). On the steamer, he traveled with a man by the name of Harou. He was a â€Å"Belgian officer who had mad... ...e, including â€Å"attacks of fever and gout† (Jean-Aubry 73). But, more importantly, the trip had changed who Conrad was. The best way to describe this change would be to quote his lifelong friend Edward Garnett who said, â€Å"Conrad’s Congo experiences were the turning-point in his mental life and that their effects on him determined his transformation from a sailor to a writer† (Garnett 8). Works Cited Conrad, Joseph. A Personal Record. New York: Harper, 1912. Garnett, Edward. Letters From Joseph Conrad 1895-1924. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1928. Jean-Aubry, Georges. Joseph Conrad in the Congo. New York: Haskell, 1973. Karl, Frederick Robert and Laurence Davies, eds. The Collected Letters of Joseph Conrad Vol. 1-6. New York: Cambridge U., 1983. Najder, Zdzislaw, ed. The Congo Diary and Other Uncollected Pieces. New York: Doubleday, 1978.

acts of non-conformity: admonished or admired? Essay -- essays researc

Acts of non-conformity should either be admonished or admired, I feel, depending on circumstance and the effect that act has on people. Each and every act is unique and different and may either have a negative or positive effect on people. It is the result of the act of non-conformity where we can truly decide whether it should be admired or admonished. Acts of non-conformity which have a positive effect on people, or show that a person is comfortable being an individual, should be admired as they take great courage to perform them. If an act of non-conformity also displays a person’s individuality and self pride I feel this should be greatly admired because it is often hard for many people in today’s society to be different and individual, because great emphasis is placed on conformity i...

Management Types Essay

There are various management philosophies and types used in the world of business. These types of management differ from one another. In some cases, a few of these management types can be mixed together in order to create something custom for a specific requirement. Management by Objectives (MBO) is one of the frequently used management types. The popularity and the proven results are the main reasons behind everyone adopting this technique for their organization. As valid as it is for many management types, MBO is a systematic and organized approach that emphasizes the achievement of goals. In the long run, this allows the management to change the organization’s mindset to become more result oriented. The Concepts: The core aim of management by objectives is the alignment of company goals and subordinate objectives properly, so everyone in the organization works towards achieving the same organizational goal. In order to identify the organizational goals, the upper management usually follows techniques such as GQM (Goal, Questions, and Metrics). In order to set the objectives for the employees, the following steps are followed. * The management chunks down the organizational goals and assign chunks to senior managers. * Senior managers then derive objectives for them to achieve the assigned organizational goals. This is where senior managers assign the objectives to the operational management. * Operational management then chunk down their objectives and identify the activities required for achieving the objectives. These sub-objectives and activities are then assigned to rest of the staff. * When objectives and activities are assigned, the management gives strong inputs to clearly identify the objectives, time frame for completion, and tracking options. * Each objective is properly tracked and the management gives periodic feedback to the objective owner. * In most occasions, the organization defines processes and procedures in order to track the objectives and feedback. * At the end of the agreed period (usually an year), the objective achievement is reviewed and an appraisal is performed. Usually, the outcomes of this assessment are used to determine the salary increments for year ahead and relevant bonuses to employees. Activity trap is one of the issues that prevent the success of MBO process. This happens when employees are more focused on daily activities rather than the long-term objectives. Overloaded activities are a result of a vicious cycles and this cycle should be broken through proper planning. The Focus: In MBO, the management focus is on the result, not the activity. The tasks are delegated through negotiations and there is no fixed roadmap for the implementation. The implementation is done dynamically and to suit the situation. When to use MBO? Although MBO is extremely results oriented, not all enterprises can benefit from MBO implementations. The MBO is most suitable for knowledge-based enterpriseswhere the staff is quite competent of what they do. Specially, if the management is planning to implement a self-leadership culture among the employees, MBO is the best way to initiate that process. Responsibility of Individuals: Since individuals are empowered to carry out stretched tasks and responsibilities under MBO, individual responsibilities play a vital role for the success of MBO. In MBO there is a link built between the strategic thinking of the upper management and the operational execution of the lower levels of the hierarchy. The responsibility of achieving the objectives is passed from the organization to each individual of the organization. Management by objectives is mainly achieved through self-control. Nowadays, especially in knowledge-based organizations, the employees are self-managers who are able to make their own decisions. In such organizations, the management should ask three basic questions from its employees. * What should be your responsibilities?  * What information is required by you from the management and the peers? * What information should you provide the management and peers in return?

The Coca Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company| MGT-100| Joanne Rupe Subject: MGT 100| Word Count: 3291| Due Date: 27. 11. 2012| Table of Contents 1. Introduction5 2. Mintzberg Roles6 2. 1 Entrepreneur6 2. 2 Leader6 2. 3 Figurehead6 3. Henri Fayol – Principles7 3. 1 Initiative7 3. 2 Equity7 3. 3 Unity of Direction7 4. Weber – Principles8 4. 1 Division of Labour8 4. 2 Promotion and Selection based on Merit8 5. Building Blocks of Competitive Advantage9 5. 1 Efficiency9 5. 2 Effectiveness9 5. 3 Performance and Quality9 5. 4 Innovation10 5. 5 Customer Service10 6. Management Science Theory11 6. 1 Total Quality Management11 . 2 Quantitative Management11 6. 3 Operations Management12 6. 4 Management Information System12 7. Organisation Structure13 8. Barriers to Entry & Competition14 9. Organizational Environment14 9. 1 Social Variables14 9. 3 Communities and Governments14 9. 4 Competitors15 9. 5 CEO15 9. 6 S. W. O. T Analysis15 10. Factors of Organisational Culture16 11. Managing Change & Diversity16 11. 1 Organisational Change16 11. 2 Diversity Awareness Program16 11. 3 Managing Diversity17 12. Organisational Ethics17 13. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)17 14. Managing Leadership18 4. 1 Transformational Leadership18 14. 2 Transactional Leadership18 15. Managing Motivation19 15. 1 Theories19 16. Managing Decision Making19 16. 1 Decision Making Within Coca-Cola Company19 17. Conclusion20 18. References21 1. Introduction Coca-Cola is one of the most known and used beverages throughout the world. The brand is consumed by daily basis in over 200 countries. However not everyone is aware of what the company stands for and how it functions. This report will explain how the company operates and how they follow the different managerial steps to achieve their goals.It will also inform which type of structure they use to remain successful. 2. Mintzberg Roles 2. 1 Entrepreneur Asa Candler tasted, bought and decided to market Coca-Cola as a soft drink instead of a headache tonic (Belli s, n/d, Para. 3). Not only did he change the way they advertised and sold the product, according to Gunderson (2009, Para. 1) Asa Candler made the CCC grow into a global giant thanks to his great marketing skills using celeberty endorsments, free samples to pharmacists & costumers and the way they guarded their secret formula. 2. 2 LeaderThe leader role is shared between the 17 boards of Directors in the Coca-Cola Company, although the Chairman of the board and CEO Muhtar Kent are shown as a front figure and role model (Coca-Cola1, 2012, Para. 3). As found in Coca-Cola1 (2012, Para. 2) the company sees Muhtar Kent as a leader that will lead them into the new century thanks to a firm commitment to both the values and spirit of the world's greatest brand. 2. 3 Figurehead Coca-Cola1 (2012, Para. 2) gives the impression that Muhtar Kent is seen both as a leader and a figurehead for the corporation.He both leads the company in to a brighter future and the rest of the employees look at hi m for inspiration and help. Because he is the chairman of the board and the CEO he gives a feeling of inspiration, legal and ceremonial obligations. 3. Henri Fayol – Principles 3. 1 Initiative According to Coca-Cola2 (2012, Para. 2) the CCC frequently has an open dialog with their employees about what is new right now. During these discussions the CCC asks about what consumers like/dislike, what distributors think, how improvement can be made, and if they’re losing market space against competitors.By having these sorts of meetings Coca Cola always motivates employees to be a part of the company, to take initiative and speak up. It also teaches employees to be creative and help the company grow. 3. 2 Equity As stated in Coca-Cola3 (2012, Para. 1) they are dedicated to maintain very important principles regarding International Human ; Workplace Rights everywhere they do business. As of 2005 Coca-Cola3 (2012, Para. 2) they began working with the former UN Special Represen tative for Business and Human Rights and professor John Ruggie to develop principles for a framework in respecting human rights in a business context. . 3 Unity of Direction The CCC explains global changes and aims to thrive as a business over the next ten years, looking forward and adapting to the changes (Coca-Cola4, 2012, Para. 1). Their mission is explained in Coca-Cola4 (2012, Para. 2) and points out three special goals: To refresh the world, to inspire moments of optimism and happiness and to create value and make a difference. The vision of the CCC is something that is taken very seriously. In Coca-Cola4 (2012, Para. 3) it is clearly described what the company think it should accomplish to be able to substain quality growth. * 4.Weber – Principles 4. 1 Division of Labour CCC’s management is divided into three main leadership factions; Board of Directors, Operations Leadership and Senior Functional Leadership (Coca-Cola1, 2012, Para 3-5). Under these Leadership r oles are middle and bottom line management, as well as employees in areas including Supply Chain Function, Manufacturing, Technical Function, Marketing, Sales Account Management, Customer and Commercial Leaders, Business Management, Finance, Public Affairs ; Communications, Human Resources, Legal, IT, Business ; Administrative Services and Aviation. Journey Staff, 2012, p. 1) 4. 2 Promotion and Selection based on Merit Within the aforementioned career areas CCC provides opportunities and support for employees through Individual Development Plans. This is made up of on the job experience (70%), exposure to case studies, role models and mentoring (20%) and attending courses (10%). Combined, CCC aims to focus and develop on the skills and competencies that are needed and beneficial within the company, as well as with other career opportunities. (Coca-Cola? , 2012, Para. 1) 5. Building Blocks of Competitive Advantage . 1 Efficiency The CCC is efficient in the way they distribute because they only produce the syrup concentrate, according to Love (2011, Para. 2). The concentrate is sold to the bottlers all over the world and it is the bottlers who has to finish the product by adding water and sugar. It is a good way of keeping the costs down, because there is no expenses putting the syrup into cans or bottles and there is no usage of water or sweeteners. This also simplifies their job to keep the formula of coke as a secret (Coca-Cola5, 2011, Para. 6) 5. Effectiveness There is one major disadvantage by only producing the syrup, which is that the drink tastes different all over the world. Huffington (2012, Para. 2) explains that each country has their own filtered water and uses different types and amounts of sugar. However the secret formula prevents other competitors from copying their recipe, which is an effective way by only producing the concentrate. The way CCC provides different volumes is an effective way of reaching out to more and diverse customers. 5. 3 Pe rformance and QualityThe company are working towards the high expectations through their operating requirement group called KORE (Coca-Cola6, 2012, Para. 1-3). The most important effort in this program is done by outlining strong regulations, policies, programs and specifications to lead all operations with accuracy. The key is constant monitoring and clear communication while reporting new statistics to the top managers. 5. 4 Innovation The CCC is always trying to follow the global trends and adapt to customer needs by creating the right beverage that suits different groups. Coca-Cola (2011, Para. ) informs that they created low calorie drinks such as Cola Zero and Cola Light to alure both genders in separate approach. They create health drinks to provide the new generation and athletes with what they want. It is not just about making carbonated soft-drinks anymore, they are following the steps taken by human nature to meet the new standards of life. 5. 5 Customer Service The CCC h as many employees to keep track on and Antenna (Para. 1) explains how the the company are increasing their distribution and deliveries of beverages by effective management.The company use (AMP) Antenna Mobility Platform to use the field employees as â€Å"human mobile offices† to keep them cohesive, prepared and efficient. This method allows the company to accomplish real-time responsiveness to customers and high levels of workforce productivity, according to Antenna (Para. 2). The result of it is also that both managers and employees improve their communication and collabotation as they can react quicker to changes that occur. 6. Management Science Theory 6. 1 Total Quality Management According to Coca-Cola6 (2012, Para. 4) KORE guarantees the consistency of their business quality.They are accurate in following terms and conditions made by the different departments. They use strict rules and policies to monitor performance and to prevent inaccuracies within manufacturing. KO RE arrange meetings with staff members to discuss questions and matters that concerns requirements and feedback to increase quality. Coca-Cola (20126, Para. 5) explains that the information is always available for the whole department to find out the goals, process, work instructions and worksheets related to the specific area of members. 6. 2 Quantitative Management In â€Å"Figure 1† Stephen (2009) shows where the highest consumptions are made.This quantitative information helps the company to work harder in specific areas where the brand is weak. Figure 1 – Worldwide Coca-Cola Consumption Figure 2 – Coke or Pepsi? In â€Å"Figure 2† Y-N (2008) are giving the information telling the company of what sort of beverage is most common in a specific country. This enables the company to analyse the competitors and how the CCC can grow in the market. 6. 3 Operations Management The CCC makes sure their interns and potential employees finishes an intership progra m called SCOM (Supply Chain Operations Management), (Coke-Consolidated, Para. 2).SCOM gives them the education and experience to master manufacturing and production. Also to learn about supply chain planning, transport, delivery, sales and warehouse management. It is about integrating them with the ideas and processes. The Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated (CCBCC) explains about their concern of operation management: â€Å"At CCBCC, we strive to recruit the most talented, motivated people to continue to grow our outstanding team and develop into key members of our business to ensure that CCBCC will continue to lead the i1ndustry and set the bar for the rest of the beverage industry. (Coke-Consolidated, nd, Para. 4) 6. 4 Management Information System Case-Studies (2009, Para. 1) states that ISS (Information System Services) is their main department to monitor other informational groups such as CCBCC. The way of tracking files and archives is done by using EPM (Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management) which is used as their informational technology. EPM makes CCBCC work and study their economics precisely and manage their recourses more efficiently in order to make decisions and complete goals in a reduced amount of time.They evaluate details like project costs, time, functions and efforts (Case-Studies, 2009, Para. 2). This helps them to gather information to create solutions, discover benefits, and achieve goals in the different criteria’s. 7. Organisation Structure CCC uses both the mechanistic view of the contingency theory within the factory environment and an open systems approach within their sales department. Business, marketing and sales strategies are decided by the management and then carried out by the employees.From the managers under Muhtar Kent comes the instructions and strategies that then is fed down into the supervisors and then to the employees. Coca-Cola introduced, the â€Å"Plant Bottle†, (Coca-Cola Company; Pla nt Bottle Benefits, 2012, Para 1). The introduction of this product was a decision made by the board, later carried out under the supervision of managers and finally sold by employees and sales people for Coca-Cola. This is an example of a hierarchical structure which is typical of the mechanistic structure.An Open System approach is used for marketing and sales within CCC. CCC needs to be able to use the raw materials and input from the external environment to produce goods and services that impact the external environment (George et al, 2012, p54). After the Tohoku Earthquake 2011, Japan had to reduce power usage. With one vending machine for every 25 people, Japan saved over 10 million kilo watts of energy by turning them off (Coca-Cola-Company, 2012, Para 5). CCC created a vending machine called the â€Å"Impossible Vending Machine† that uses half the energy than the others.This gives them a competitive advantage over other vending machine companies within Japan (Coca-Col a-Company, 2012, Para 9). 8. Barriers to Entry ; Competition Due to Coca-Cola’s success in the industry, strong entry for new competitors is quite limited. The company has such broad market exposure, with products being sold in over 200 countries (Coca-Cola, 2012), that most new companies would not have any kind of effect on market trends. Competition with CCC rests primarily in brands already in the market such as Schweppes and Nestle.For new brands entering the market economies of scale are large, especially due to the fact that CCC experiences small economies of scale. The risks for new or existing companies to create or expand their products are high. With CCC’s prominence and brand recognition it is their biggest asset. As a result, it would take a great deal of time or money to enter the beverage market successfully, and possibly longer still for adequate brand recognition. 9. Organizational Environment 9. 1 Social Variables People are getting concerned about the ir health.The population whom are reaching a higher age will decrease their amount of carbonated drinks. Meanwhile there are people who are only interested in their own wellness and fitness. Coca-Cola (2010, Para. 1) explains how they are strongly aiming towards an active and healthy lifestyle by offering other soft drinks, such as Juice and PowerAde. They enlighten the customers to be more active by exercising more. 9. 2 Political ; Legal According to Grynbaum (2012, Para. 1) the New York City Board of Health approved a ban on large sized sodas from being sold at restaurants, cinemas and street carts.This means that the amount of Coca-Cola bottles larger than 16oz (47cl) is going to decrease in sales. 9. 3 Communities and Governments The governments want to keep the world â€Å"green† and the CCC are applying this request by using their â€Å"2020 Vision† (Coca-Cola2, 2012, Para 1). The company are taking responsibility towards the global environment in the way of rep lenishing water and manufacturing environmentally friendly bottles (Coca-Cola7, n/d, Para. 1). This is a way of helping communities which are in great need of water. 9. 4 CompetitorsThe competitors are forced to be innovative because of CCC’s large market share. CCC has to keep being innovative and release new additions to their portfolio. This as an measure to prevent loss of marketshare. 9. 5 CEO The biggest internal influence in the CCC comes within the CEO, Muhtar Kent. Everything that has to do with future ideas and projects originates from him. Ignatius (2011, Para. 1) informs how Mr Kent is keen to meet the future global demands and how important it is for him to impact the CCC by applying the â€Å"vision† into every single member.Mr Kent controls the attitude, values and foundations of how the CCC should behave as an organisation not just towards the customers, but towards the global changing environment. 9. 6 S. W. O. T Analysis * Social Variables – Th reat People will stop drinking Coca-Cola at a certain age which results in decreased revenue. The CCC is forced to create new products to adapt to the change in environment. * Political ; Legal – Threat This is a direct threat and limits the sales on larger soft drinks. The volume of Coca-Cola sold will decrease. The customers can no longer chose drinks bigger than 16oz. Communities and Governments – Opportunity The way the company is being responsible and helpful towards the environment gives them goodwill and an advantage if certain legal laws would appear on environmental behaviour. Instead of being forced to change, they set the example on how to behave. * Competitors – Threat Pepsis innovative thinking puts pressure on the CCC. If a competitor creates a product that responds to customer needs it will give them competitive advantages. The CCC might lose market share as a result. * CEO – Strength The role of a CEO could be a great weakness.However Muht ar Kents way of innovative thinking and leadership qualities brings confidence and inspiration towards shareholders, employees and customers. Mr Kent as a CEO is a great strength. 10. Factors of Organisational Culture The CCC boasts a culture of being One Company, One Team, One Passion (Coca-Cola Company5; 2012, Para. 1). This is shown in the way they describe their ‘unique culture’ which includes; nurturing talent and skill sets that will add to the company’s value, encouraging socialisation and building relationships with colleagues to increase motivation in worker and foresting creativity (Coca-Cola Company5, 2012, Para. -4). The values that the CCC and Muhtar Kent have put in place to create the organisation’s culture for their employees as a guide of how to behave include; Leadership, collaboration, integrity, accountability, passion, diversity and quality (Coca-Cola Company5; 2012, Para. 2). 11. Managing Change ; Diversity 11. 1 Organisational Change CCC has recently announced changes to the Operating Structure and Senior Leadership Appointments as of January 1, 2013. Instead organise around three prominent businesses; Coca-Cola International, Coca-Cola Americas and Bottling Investments Group (Coca-Cola2, 2012, Para. ). The change is another progress towards their â€Å"2020 vision† for the future. This is an example of bottom-up change as it has been implemented gradually, with top line managers picking up more jobs, while other employees have been let go. The change can also be described as a mix of forced evolution, and dictatorial transformation. 11. 2 Diversity Awareness Program The CCC has developed a diversity educational program for all manager and employees. This program is designed to make people aware of diversity and educate them in what diversity means for the company.The program includes; classroom and online courses that are classroom based, seminar with invited keynote speakers and many different diversit y awareness based resources (Coca-Cola Company; 2012, Para. 9). These resources available to the employees and managers at CCC are designed to educate them in order to better understand other employees, customer, and suppliers and above all give the company a greater competitive advantage. 11. 3 Managing Diversity According to DiversityInc (2012, Para. 1) the CCC has remained in the â€Å"top 50 companies† for diversity during the last 10 years.Diversity is not just about policies and regulations; it is a part of their culture. Coca-Cola (2012, Para. 2) explains how they intend to form an environment that provides all members equal access to information, progress and opportunity. It is crucial for them to operate in a diverse workplace because of their long-term goal called â€Å"2020 Vision People†. Coca-Cola2 (2012, Para 3) states that there are three pillars of diversety eucation: * Diversity Training * Diversity Speakers Series * Diversity LibraryThey also offer su pplier diversity training to make sure their associates comprehend how to obtain the power of the workplace by having suppliers that consist of minority- and women-owned businesses (Coca-Cola8, 2012, Para. 5). Diversity is in the heart of the CCC and it is the way they are, how they work and comprehend the future (Coca-Cola3, 2012, Para. 1). 12. Organisational Ethics CCC has designed a Code of Business Conduct which guides the organization through the ethical minefield, including anti-corruption and anti-bribery codes (Code of Business Conduct, 2009, Para. 3-4).This code of conduct entails the expectation of accountability, honesty and integrity in all matters. Coca-Cola’s Ethics and Compliance Committee, made up of Board directors as well as other non-employee leadership, administer this code of conduct. Integrity is fundamental to CCC, along with other values. 13. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) CCC has taken a proactive approach to CSR. An example of this is the â₠¬Å"Little Red Schoolhouse Project† in the Philippines opened by Coca Cola to provide children with a basic elementary education (Coca-Cola Company: Coca-Cola; Little Red Schoolhouse, Para 1).This action also takes into account that in many areas where schools have been built there has been a high level child labor. The construction of these buildings helps children from being forced to work (Coca-Cola Company: Addressing Global Issues Para 4). 14. Managing Leadership 14. 1 Transformational Leadership According to Ignatius (2011, Para. 3), Muhtar Kent has transformed the CCC into a long term thinking company by implementing the â€Å"2020 Vision†. They are establishing a compelling vision and it is important that everyone is following the steps because of their global network and market.The high level of diversity forces the CCC to bring different individuals together and direct them to achieve the same goals, also to understand and believe in the same values and visions that the company requires. BTS (2012, Para. 2) informs that to endure transformational change they created Revenue Growth Management (RGM) to bring modern solutions to modern problems. 14. 2 Transactional Leadership According to Coca-Cola4 (2012, Para. 3) the company encourage their employees to be high preforming and they offer one of the best benefit packages in the world.They offer different developmental opportunities for their allies, one of which is the Coca-Cola University. This is a program for high performers to evolve, using the Peak Performance System (PPS, n/d, Para. 3). To extinguish undesired and reinforce desired behaviours the CCC have very strict workplace rights policies. The workplace rights policy makes the employees feel more secure and aware of their rights and also makes sure they are well aware on how to behave (Coca-Cola3, 2012, Para. 3) â€Å"The success of our business depends on every employee in our global enterprise.We are committed to fostering open and inclusive workplaces that respect human and workplace rights, where all employees are valued and inspired to be the best they can be. Our Workplace Rights Policy reflects these values and our commitment to uphold workplace rights globallyâ€Å"(Coca-Cola, 2012, Para. 1) 15. Managing Motivation 15. 1 Theories To illustrate how CCC caters to the needs of its employees the Alderfer ERG theory can be used (George, et al. 2012, pg. 234). CCC caters the existence needs of their employees by diversity awareness and education program which makes the employees feel safe and secure working in the workplace.CCC encourages open communication within the workplace through collaboration, which is one of the Coca-Cola core values (Coca-Cola Company; Mission, Vision ; Values, 2012, Para. 2). CCC develop their employees, by providing training through the Coca-Cola University which gives employees the chance to gain an education about the marketplace to fulfil the growth need (Coca-Cola Company; Benefits and rewards, 2012, Para 4). CCC also boasts that they have a benefits package that it highly regarded within the industry (Coca-Cola Company; Benefits and Rewards, 2012, Para 7).This can be seen as a form of motivation. It states that this benefits package addresses the employee’s basic human and life changing needs which in turn develops intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Coca-Cola Company; Benefits and Rewards, 2012, Para 7). 16. Managing Decision Making 16. 1 Decision Making Within Coca-Cola Company Decisions for the company are made by the Board of Directors, and are considered alongside the interests of stakeholders, as well environmental concerns. Many of the decisions made are considered in relation to the company’s ‘2020 Vision’.An example of a decision made is the company’s investment into the Indian Beverage Market. CCC recognised the potential presented in India, and as a result began generating ideas as to how to maximise this opportunity. The company then assessed and chose investments, including creating jobs, supporting education and implementing the common ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ method in order to improve waste in the developing country. These $2 billion investments are set to not only provide positive changes within India, but also to improve the company’s repute and to achieve the 2020 goal. (Winzelberg, 2012, Para 4-6;8) 7. Conclusion There are many conclusions made out of this report after researching in a more deep way. Coca-Cola is obviously more than just the soft-drink that people buy when thirsty. It is a company that has great values and caring visions. The CCC is pursuing a long term goal and is always looking for improvements. They are a proactive company because of their way of caring for the global nature and communities. The are always concerned about what the future will bring, which is why they have long term visions. It has been an instructive period to study th e company and it’s structure. The Coca Cola Company The Coca Cola Company is a global business that operates on a local scale, in every community where the company do business. There able to create a global reach with local focus because of the strength of Coca Cola System which comprises company and more than 250 bottling partners. The Coca Cola is not a single entity from legal or managerial perspective and the company does not own or control all of our bottling partners, while many view the company as simply Coca Cola the system operates through multiple local channels. The company manufactures and sells concentrates beverages bases and syrups to bottling operations, owns the brands and it’s responsible for consumers brand marketing initiative. A transnational corporation is any enterprise that undertakes foreign direct investment owns or controls income gathering assets in more than one country, produces goods or services outside its country of origin or engages in international production. For example Coca-Cola Company is a transnational corporation because they have proven successful in their international operations and are one of the most recognized brands in the world. Coca-Cola has used each of the six strategies. Coca-Cola Company was very successful in implementing strategies regardless of the country. The company has 6 keys of strategies necessary for firms to be successful when expanding globally. Differentiation strategy is defined as a marketing technique used by a manufacturer to establish a strong identity in a specific market. It also may be referred to as segmentation strategy. Using this strategy, a manufacturer will introduce different varieties of the same basic product under the same name into a particular product category and thus cover the range of products available in that category. There are several ways a firm can differentiate its’ products. We focused on two aspects of this; branding and cost leadership. The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a â€Å"name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers. The objectives of successful branding include; delivering the message clearly, confirming your company’s credibility, connecting to your target prospects emotionally, motivating the buyer, and establishing user loyalty. for example, a soda company that offers a regular soda, a diet soda, a decaffeinated soda, and a diet-decaffeinated soda all under the same brand name is using a differentiation strategy. Each type of soda is directed at a different segment of the soda market, and the full line of products available will help to establish the company's name in the soda category. The second strategy there used is International marketing strategy is an important part strategic planning and consequently should be an area, this strategy is a significant factor in the performance of a global company because an effective marketing strategy for international Companies can represent a competitive advantage and therefore global executives need to recognize the importance level regardless if a global or customized marketing strategy is practiced. Furthermore, the marketing mix affecting markets abroad the most should be studied to comprehend how foreign markets function with different marketing strategies. International marketing strategy can be defined in many ways. International marketing strategy is the manner in which an organization performs based on a predetermined set of activities in order to plan, promote, price and distribute a good or service for a profit to consumers in various locations. Global vs Marketing Strategy when discussing international marketing it is important to point out the difference that may exist between international and global marketing. Global marketing can be characterized by an overall outlook of the market as a whole where there is a standardized manner to sell a product or service in all places. Standardization as a form of marketing strategy refers to the similarity of a set of practices implemented in the home and other foreign markets. Standardization strategy’s main elements are political legal, economic, competitive, cultural, and consumer, environments. Also, the same research states that this strategy is most likely to be implemented if there are similarities in the elements of the home and foreign country another concept that a firm with a strong level of standardization enjoys a high level of control within the organization. This control is the level of decision making executed by the home office. At the same time, when standardization applies, global image and product offering are two strong factors a firm seems to rely on. Conversely, international marketing relates more to different target markets and their differences rather than looking at it as one single market and foresees the possibility to implement a localization strategy rather than standardization, as the global marketing would pursue. Moreover, in order to understand the role of international strategy in a company’s success, it is also important to understand the role culture has in the strategy development. Distribution is the course, physical path or legal title that goods take between production and consumption. In international marketing, a company must decide on the method of distribution among countries as well as the method within the country where final sale occurs† (Daniels 2009). Choosing distributors and channels is the first step of distribution in foreign countries. When a company enters a new country it is usually economical for a company to rely on external distributors. It is important to select a distributor with good connections are particularly important because the distributors with good connections get a lot of information and relationship of the market and customers in the foreign country. When pursuing international business, companies must choose an international operating mode to fulfill their objectives and carry out their strategies, strategies towards vertical integration have been subject to shifting fashions. For most of the twentieth century the prevailing wisdom was that vertical integration was generally beneficial because it allowed superior coordination and reduced risk. During the past 25 years there has been a profound change of opinion: outsourcing, it is claimed, enhances flexibility and allows firms to concentrate on those activities where they possess superior capabilities. Moreover, many of the coordination benefits associated with vertical integration can be achieved through collaboration between vertically related companies. A firm may choose to operate globally either through equity arrangements or through non-equity arrangements Coca-Cola has successfully adopted both of the arrangements the Coca Cola Company used forward vertical integration to move a step closer to their consumers. Forward vertical integration refers to a management style of involves a form of vertical integration whereby activities are expanded to include control of the direct distribution of its products. A cash cow is defined as a business, product or asset that, once acquired and paid off, will produce consistent cash flow over its lifespan Companies in this category require very little maintenance and bring in a steady cash flow for the company over a long period of time. One benefit of being a cash cow ompany, or having a cash cow product, is that the company can invest the profits into other branches of the business, making acquisitions to grow the company, or giving back to shareholders in the form of dividends. Coca-Cola is considered a cash cow because of their high market share and relatively low market growth. They aren’t growing as much anymore in the market because they have been around for 125 years. Also in the political activities Coca Cola Company is subjected to strict regulations since its products come under food category. However few changes in law are expected to impact Coca Cola following are some such factors like the issue of negative impact of Coca Cola manufacturing plants on environment has been highlighted in many countries, laws for environment protection and stringent regulations in this regard can impact the production process, government change, civil unrest, military take over and other disturbances in a country can affect sales and operation. The Coca-Cola Company is incorporated in the United States, the U. S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits bribes to officials of non-U. S. overnments, applies to all employees around the world. Consult Company legal counsel about additional local laws that may be applicable. The Coca Cola Company encourages personal participation in the political process in a manner consistent with all relevant laws and Company guidelines. Political contributions by the Company must be, made in accordance with local law; approved in accordance with the De legation of Authority; and properly recorded. Detailed information on U. S. trade restrictions that may be in effect at any given time are posted on the Ethics ; Compliance intranet site. The Company must comply with all applicable trade restrictions and boycotts imposed by the U. S. government. Such restrictions prohibit the Company from engaging in certain business activities in specified countries, and with specified individuals and entities. These restrictions include, for example, prohibitions on interaction with identified terrorist organizations or narcotics traffickers. Sanctions for noncompliance can be severe, including fines and imprisonment for responsible individuals, and the Company may be prohibited from further participation in certain trade. The Company also must abide by U. S. anti-boycott laws that prohibit companies from participating in any international boycott not sanctioned by the U. S. government. The Coca-Cola Company competes fairly, and complies with all applicable competition laws around the world. These laws often are complex, and vary considerably from country to country both in the scope of their coverage and their geographic reach. Conduct permissible in one country may be unlawful in another. Penalties for violation can be severe. Bibliography www.thecocacolacompany.com www.strategiesforglobalization.com www.organizational theory.com www.thejournalofinternationalmarketing.com 9(4) 59-81 Bennett;Blythe 2002 p.6 Daniels 2009 The Coca Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company| MGT-100| Joanne Rupe Subject: MGT 100| Word Count: 3291| Due Date: 27. 11. 2012| Table of Contents 1. Introduction5 2. Mintzberg Roles6 2. 1 Entrepreneur6 2. 2 Leader6 2. 3 Figurehead6 3. Henri Fayol – Principles7 3. 1 Initiative7 3. 2 Equity7 3. 3 Unity of Direction7 4. Weber – Principles8 4. 1 Division of Labour8 4. 2 Promotion and Selection based on Merit8 5. Building Blocks of Competitive Advantage9 5. 1 Efficiency9 5. 2 Effectiveness9 5. 3 Performance and Quality9 5. 4 Innovation10 5. 5 Customer Service10 6. Management Science Theory11 6. 1 Total Quality Management11 . 2 Quantitative Management11 6. 3 Operations Management12 6. 4 Management Information System12 7. Organisation Structure13 8. Barriers to Entry & Competition14 9. Organizational Environment14 9. 1 Social Variables14 9. 3 Communities and Governments14 9. 4 Competitors15 9. 5 CEO15 9. 6 S. W. O. T Analysis15 10. Factors of Organisational Culture16 11. Managing Change & Diversity16 11. 1 Organisational Change16 11. 2 Diversity Awareness Program16 11. 3 Managing Diversity17 12. Organisational Ethics17 13. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)17 14. Managing Leadership18 4. 1 Transformational Leadership18 14. 2 Transactional Leadership18 15. Managing Motivation19 15. 1 Theories19 16. Managing Decision Making19 16. 1 Decision Making Within Coca-Cola Company19 17. Conclusion20 18. References21 1. Introduction Coca-Cola is one of the most known and used beverages throughout the world. The brand is consumed by daily basis in over 200 countries. However not everyone is aware of what the company stands for and how it functions. This report will explain how the company operates and how they follow the different managerial steps to achieve their goals.It will also inform which type of structure they use to remain successful. 2. Mintzberg Roles 2. 1 Entrepreneur Asa Candler tasted, bought and decided to market Coca-Cola as a soft drink instead of a headache tonic (Belli s, n/d, Para. 3). Not only did he change the way they advertised and sold the product, according to Gunderson (2009, Para. 1) Asa Candler made the CCC grow into a global giant thanks to his great marketing skills using celeberty endorsments, free samples to pharmacists & costumers and the way they guarded their secret formula. 2. 2 LeaderThe leader role is shared between the 17 boards of Directors in the Coca-Cola Company, although the Chairman of the board and CEO Muhtar Kent are shown as a front figure and role model (Coca-Cola1, 2012, Para. 3). As found in Coca-Cola1 (2012, Para. 2) the company sees Muhtar Kent as a leader that will lead them into the new century thanks to a firm commitment to both the values and spirit of the world's greatest brand. 2. 3 Figurehead Coca-Cola1 (2012, Para. 2) gives the impression that Muhtar Kent is seen both as a leader and a figurehead for the corporation.He both leads the company in to a brighter future and the rest of the employees look at hi m for inspiration and help. Because he is the chairman of the board and the CEO he gives a feeling of inspiration, legal and ceremonial obligations. 3. Henri Fayol – Principles 3. 1 Initiative According to Coca-Cola2 (2012, Para. 2) the CCC frequently has an open dialog with their employees about what is new right now. During these discussions the CCC asks about what consumers like/dislike, what distributors think, how improvement can be made, and if they’re losing market space against competitors.By having these sorts of meetings Coca Cola always motivates employees to be a part of the company, to take initiative and speak up. It also teaches employees to be creative and help the company grow. 3. 2 Equity As stated in Coca-Cola3 (2012, Para. 1) they are dedicated to maintain very important principles regarding International Human ; Workplace Rights everywhere they do business. As of 2005 Coca-Cola3 (2012, Para. 2) they began working with the former UN Special Represen tative for Business and Human Rights and professor John Ruggie to develop principles for a framework in respecting human rights in a business context. . 3 Unity of Direction The CCC explains global changes and aims to thrive as a business over the next ten years, looking forward and adapting to the changes (Coca-Cola4, 2012, Para. 1). Their mission is explained in Coca-Cola4 (2012, Para. 2) and points out three special goals: To refresh the world, to inspire moments of optimism and happiness and to create value and make a difference. The vision of the CCC is something that is taken very seriously. In Coca-Cola4 (2012, Para. 3) it is clearly described what the company think it should accomplish to be able to substain quality growth. * 4.Weber – Principles 4. 1 Division of Labour CCC’s management is divided into three main leadership factions; Board of Directors, Operations Leadership and Senior Functional Leadership (Coca-Cola1, 2012, Para 3-5). Under these Leadership r oles are middle and bottom line management, as well as employees in areas including Supply Chain Function, Manufacturing, Technical Function, Marketing, Sales Account Management, Customer and Commercial Leaders, Business Management, Finance, Public Affairs ; Communications, Human Resources, Legal, IT, Business ; Administrative Services and Aviation. Journey Staff, 2012, p. 1) 4. 2 Promotion and Selection based on Merit Within the aforementioned career areas CCC provides opportunities and support for employees through Individual Development Plans. This is made up of on the job experience (70%), exposure to case studies, role models and mentoring (20%) and attending courses (10%). Combined, CCC aims to focus and develop on the skills and competencies that are needed and beneficial within the company, as well as with other career opportunities. (Coca-Cola? , 2012, Para. 1) 5. Building Blocks of Competitive Advantage . 1 Efficiency The CCC is efficient in the way they distribute because they only produce the syrup concentrate, according to Love (2011, Para. 2). The concentrate is sold to the bottlers all over the world and it is the bottlers who has to finish the product by adding water and sugar. It is a good way of keeping the costs down, because there is no expenses putting the syrup into cans or bottles and there is no usage of water or sweeteners. This also simplifies their job to keep the formula of coke as a secret (Coca-Cola5, 2011, Para. 6) 5. Effectiveness There is one major disadvantage by only producing the syrup, which is that the drink tastes different all over the world. Huffington (2012, Para. 2) explains that each country has their own filtered water and uses different types and amounts of sugar. However the secret formula prevents other competitors from copying their recipe, which is an effective way by only producing the concentrate. The way CCC provides different volumes is an effective way of reaching out to more and diverse customers. 5. 3 Pe rformance and QualityThe company are working towards the high expectations through their operating requirement group called KORE (Coca-Cola6, 2012, Para. 1-3). The most important effort in this program is done by outlining strong regulations, policies, programs and specifications to lead all operations with accuracy. The key is constant monitoring and clear communication while reporting new statistics to the top managers. 5. 4 Innovation The CCC is always trying to follow the global trends and adapt to customer needs by creating the right beverage that suits different groups. Coca-Cola (2011, Para. ) informs that they created low calorie drinks such as Cola Zero and Cola Light to alure both genders in separate approach. They create health drinks to provide the new generation and athletes with what they want. It is not just about making carbonated soft-drinks anymore, they are following the steps taken by human nature to meet the new standards of life. 5. 5 Customer Service The CCC h as many employees to keep track on and Antenna (Para. 1) explains how the the company are increasing their distribution and deliveries of beverages by effective management.The company use (AMP) Antenna Mobility Platform to use the field employees as â€Å"human mobile offices† to keep them cohesive, prepared and efficient. This method allows the company to accomplish real-time responsiveness to customers and high levels of workforce productivity, according to Antenna (Para. 2). The result of it is also that both managers and employees improve their communication and collabotation as they can react quicker to changes that occur. 6. Management Science Theory 6. 1 Total Quality Management According to Coca-Cola6 (2012, Para. 4) KORE guarantees the consistency of their business quality.They are accurate in following terms and conditions made by the different departments. They use strict rules and policies to monitor performance and to prevent inaccuracies within manufacturing. KO RE arrange meetings with staff members to discuss questions and matters that concerns requirements and feedback to increase quality. Coca-Cola (20126, Para. 5) explains that the information is always available for the whole department to find out the goals, process, work instructions and worksheets related to the specific area of members. 6. 2 Quantitative Management In â€Å"Figure 1† Stephen (2009) shows where the highest consumptions are made.This quantitative information helps the company to work harder in specific areas where the brand is weak. Figure 1 – Worldwide Coca-Cola Consumption Figure 2 – Coke or Pepsi? In â€Å"Figure 2† Y-N (2008) are giving the information telling the company of what sort of beverage is most common in a specific country. This enables the company to analyse the competitors and how the CCC can grow in the market. 6. 3 Operations Management The CCC makes sure their interns and potential employees finishes an intership progra m called SCOM (Supply Chain Operations Management), (Coke-Consolidated, Para. 2).SCOM gives them the education and experience to master manufacturing and production. Also to learn about supply chain planning, transport, delivery, sales and warehouse management. It is about integrating them with the ideas and processes. The Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated (CCBCC) explains about their concern of operation management: â€Å"At CCBCC, we strive to recruit the most talented, motivated people to continue to grow our outstanding team and develop into key members of our business to ensure that CCBCC will continue to lead the i1ndustry and set the bar for the rest of the beverage industry. (Coke-Consolidated, nd, Para. 4) 6. 4 Management Information System Case-Studies (2009, Para. 1) states that ISS (Information System Services) is their main department to monitor other informational groups such as CCBCC. The way of tracking files and archives is done by using EPM (Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management) which is used as their informational technology. EPM makes CCBCC work and study their economics precisely and manage their recourses more efficiently in order to make decisions and complete goals in a reduced amount of time.They evaluate details like project costs, time, functions and efforts (Case-Studies, 2009, Para. 2). This helps them to gather information to create solutions, discover benefits, and achieve goals in the different criteria’s. 7. Organisation Structure CCC uses both the mechanistic view of the contingency theory within the factory environment and an open systems approach within their sales department. Business, marketing and sales strategies are decided by the management and then carried out by the employees.From the managers under Muhtar Kent comes the instructions and strategies that then is fed down into the supervisors and then to the employees. Coca-Cola introduced, the â€Å"Plant Bottle†, (Coca-Cola Company; Pla nt Bottle Benefits, 2012, Para 1). The introduction of this product was a decision made by the board, later carried out under the supervision of managers and finally sold by employees and sales people for Coca-Cola. This is an example of a hierarchical structure which is typical of the mechanistic structure.An Open System approach is used for marketing and sales within CCC. CCC needs to be able to use the raw materials and input from the external environment to produce goods and services that impact the external environment (George et al, 2012, p54). After the Tohoku Earthquake 2011, Japan had to reduce power usage. With one vending machine for every 25 people, Japan saved over 10 million kilo watts of energy by turning them off (Coca-Cola-Company, 2012, Para 5). CCC created a vending machine called the â€Å"Impossible Vending Machine† that uses half the energy than the others.This gives them a competitive advantage over other vending machine companies within Japan (Coca-Col a-Company, 2012, Para 9). 8. Barriers to Entry ; Competition Due to Coca-Cola’s success in the industry, strong entry for new competitors is quite limited. The company has such broad market exposure, with products being sold in over 200 countries (Coca-Cola, 2012), that most new companies would not have any kind of effect on market trends. Competition with CCC rests primarily in brands already in the market such as Schweppes and Nestle.For new brands entering the market economies of scale are large, especially due to the fact that CCC experiences small economies of scale. The risks for new or existing companies to create or expand their products are high. With CCC’s prominence and brand recognition it is their biggest asset. As a result, it would take a great deal of time or money to enter the beverage market successfully, and possibly longer still for adequate brand recognition. 9. Organizational Environment 9. 1 Social Variables People are getting concerned about the ir health.The population whom are reaching a higher age will decrease their amount of carbonated drinks. Meanwhile there are people who are only interested in their own wellness and fitness. Coca-Cola (2010, Para. 1) explains how they are strongly aiming towards an active and healthy lifestyle by offering other soft drinks, such as Juice and PowerAde. They enlighten the customers to be more active by exercising more. 9. 2 Political ; Legal According to Grynbaum (2012, Para. 1) the New York City Board of Health approved a ban on large sized sodas from being sold at restaurants, cinemas and street carts.This means that the amount of Coca-Cola bottles larger than 16oz (47cl) is going to decrease in sales. 9. 3 Communities and Governments The governments want to keep the world â€Å"green† and the CCC are applying this request by using their â€Å"2020 Vision† (Coca-Cola2, 2012, Para 1). The company are taking responsibility towards the global environment in the way of rep lenishing water and manufacturing environmentally friendly bottles (Coca-Cola7, n/d, Para. 1). This is a way of helping communities which are in great need of water. 9. 4 CompetitorsThe competitors are forced to be innovative because of CCC’s large market share. CCC has to keep being innovative and release new additions to their portfolio. This as an measure to prevent loss of marketshare. 9. 5 CEO The biggest internal influence in the CCC comes within the CEO, Muhtar Kent. Everything that has to do with future ideas and projects originates from him. Ignatius (2011, Para. 1) informs how Mr Kent is keen to meet the future global demands and how important it is for him to impact the CCC by applying the â€Å"vision† into every single member.Mr Kent controls the attitude, values and foundations of how the CCC should behave as an organisation not just towards the customers, but towards the global changing environment. 9. 6 S. W. O. T Analysis * Social Variables – Th reat People will stop drinking Coca-Cola at a certain age which results in decreased revenue. The CCC is forced to create new products to adapt to the change in environment. * Political ; Legal – Threat This is a direct threat and limits the sales on larger soft drinks. The volume of Coca-Cola sold will decrease. The customers can no longer chose drinks bigger than 16oz. Communities and Governments – Opportunity The way the company is being responsible and helpful towards the environment gives them goodwill and an advantage if certain legal laws would appear on environmental behaviour. Instead of being forced to change, they set the example on how to behave. * Competitors – Threat Pepsis innovative thinking puts pressure on the CCC. If a competitor creates a product that responds to customer needs it will give them competitive advantages. The CCC might lose market share as a result. * CEO – Strength The role of a CEO could be a great weakness.However Muht ar Kents way of innovative thinking and leadership qualities brings confidence and inspiration towards shareholders, employees and customers. Mr Kent as a CEO is a great strength. 10. Factors of Organisational Culture The CCC boasts a culture of being One Company, One Team, One Passion (Coca-Cola Company5; 2012, Para. 1). This is shown in the way they describe their ‘unique culture’ which includes; nurturing talent and skill sets that will add to the company’s value, encouraging socialisation and building relationships with colleagues to increase motivation in worker and foresting creativity (Coca-Cola Company5, 2012, Para. -4). The values that the CCC and Muhtar Kent have put in place to create the organisation’s culture for their employees as a guide of how to behave include; Leadership, collaboration, integrity, accountability, passion, diversity and quality (Coca-Cola Company5; 2012, Para. 2). 11. Managing Change ; Diversity 11. 1 Organisational Change CCC has recently announced changes to the Operating Structure and Senior Leadership Appointments as of January 1, 2013. Instead organise around three prominent businesses; Coca-Cola International, Coca-Cola Americas and Bottling Investments Group (Coca-Cola2, 2012, Para. ). The change is another progress towards their â€Å"2020 vision† for the future. This is an example of bottom-up change as it has been implemented gradually, with top line managers picking up more jobs, while other employees have been let go. The change can also be described as a mix of forced evolution, and dictatorial transformation. 11. 2 Diversity Awareness Program The CCC has developed a diversity educational program for all manager and employees. This program is designed to make people aware of diversity and educate them in what diversity means for the company.The program includes; classroom and online courses that are classroom based, seminar with invited keynote speakers and many different diversit y awareness based resources (Coca-Cola Company; 2012, Para. 9). These resources available to the employees and managers at CCC are designed to educate them in order to better understand other employees, customer, and suppliers and above all give the company a greater competitive advantage. 11. 3 Managing Diversity According to DiversityInc (2012, Para. 1) the CCC has remained in the â€Å"top 50 companies† for diversity during the last 10 years.Diversity is not just about policies and regulations; it is a part of their culture. Coca-Cola (2012, Para. 2) explains how they intend to form an environment that provides all members equal access to information, progress and opportunity. It is crucial for them to operate in a diverse workplace because of their long-term goal called â€Å"2020 Vision People†. Coca-Cola2 (2012, Para 3) states that there are three pillars of diversety eucation: * Diversity Training * Diversity Speakers Series * Diversity LibraryThey also offer su pplier diversity training to make sure their associates comprehend how to obtain the power of the workplace by having suppliers that consist of minority- and women-owned businesses (Coca-Cola8, 2012, Para. 5). Diversity is in the heart of the CCC and it is the way they are, how they work and comprehend the future (Coca-Cola3, 2012, Para. 1). 12. Organisational Ethics CCC has designed a Code of Business Conduct which guides the organization through the ethical minefield, including anti-corruption and anti-bribery codes (Code of Business Conduct, 2009, Para. 3-4).This code of conduct entails the expectation of accountability, honesty and integrity in all matters. Coca-Cola’s Ethics and Compliance Committee, made up of Board directors as well as other non-employee leadership, administer this code of conduct. Integrity is fundamental to CCC, along with other values. 13. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) CCC has taken a proactive approach to CSR. An example of this is the â₠¬Å"Little Red Schoolhouse Project† in the Philippines opened by Coca Cola to provide children with a basic elementary education (Coca-Cola Company: Coca-Cola; Little Red Schoolhouse, Para 1).This action also takes into account that in many areas where schools have been built there has been a high level child labor. The construction of these buildings helps children from being forced to work (Coca-Cola Company: Addressing Global Issues Para 4). 14. Managing Leadership 14. 1 Transformational Leadership According to Ignatius (2011, Para. 3), Muhtar Kent has transformed the CCC into a long term thinking company by implementing the â€Å"2020 Vision†. They are establishing a compelling vision and it is important that everyone is following the steps because of their global network and market.The high level of diversity forces the CCC to bring different individuals together and direct them to achieve the same goals, also to understand and believe in the same values and visions that the company requires. BTS (2012, Para. 2) informs that to endure transformational change they created Revenue Growth Management (RGM) to bring modern solutions to modern problems. 14. 2 Transactional Leadership According to Coca-Cola4 (2012, Para. 3) the company encourage their employees to be high preforming and they offer one of the best benefit packages in the world.They offer different developmental opportunities for their allies, one of which is the Coca-Cola University. This is a program for high performers to evolve, using the Peak Performance System (PPS, n/d, Para. 3). To extinguish undesired and reinforce desired behaviours the CCC have very strict workplace rights policies. The workplace rights policy makes the employees feel more secure and aware of their rights and also makes sure they are well aware on how to behave (Coca-Cola3, 2012, Para. 3) â€Å"The success of our business depends on every employee in our global enterprise.We are committed to fostering open and inclusive workplaces that respect human and workplace rights, where all employees are valued and inspired to be the best they can be. Our Workplace Rights Policy reflects these values and our commitment to uphold workplace rights globallyâ€Å"(Coca-Cola, 2012, Para. 1) 15. Managing Motivation 15. 1 Theories To illustrate how CCC caters to the needs of its employees the Alderfer ERG theory can be used (George, et al. 2012, pg. 234). CCC caters the existence needs of their employees by diversity awareness and education program which makes the employees feel safe and secure working in the workplace.CCC encourages open communication within the workplace through collaboration, which is one of the Coca-Cola core values (Coca-Cola Company; Mission, Vision ; Values, 2012, Para. 2). CCC develop their employees, by providing training through the Coca-Cola University which gives employees the chance to gain an education about the marketplace to fulfil the growth need (Coca-Cola Company; Benefits and rewards, 2012, Para 4). CCC also boasts that they have a benefits package that it highly regarded within the industry (Coca-Cola Company; Benefits and Rewards, 2012, Para 7).This can be seen as a form of motivation. It states that this benefits package addresses the employee’s basic human and life changing needs which in turn develops intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Coca-Cola Company; Benefits and Rewards, 2012, Para 7). 16. Managing Decision Making 16. 1 Decision Making Within Coca-Cola Company Decisions for the company are made by the Board of Directors, and are considered alongside the interests of stakeholders, as well environmental concerns. Many of the decisions made are considered in relation to the company’s ‘2020 Vision’.An example of a decision made is the company’s investment into the Indian Beverage Market. CCC recognised the potential presented in India, and as a result began generating ideas as to how to maximise this opportunity. The company then assessed and chose investments, including creating jobs, supporting education and implementing the common ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ method in order to improve waste in the developing country. These $2 billion investments are set to not only provide positive changes within India, but also to improve the company’s repute and to achieve the 2020 goal. (Winzelberg, 2012, Para 4-6;8) 7. Conclusion There are many conclusions made out of this report after researching in a more deep way. Coca-Cola is obviously more than just the soft-drink that people buy when thirsty. It is a company that has great values and caring visions. The CCC is pursuing a long term goal and is always looking for improvements. They are a proactive company because of their way of caring for the global nature and communities. The are always concerned about what the future will bring, which is why they have long term visions. It has been an instructive period to study th e company and it’s structure.