Market Force Description and Analysis of Impact on Product Services Essay

Communications-Security System Services-These devices and systems have a wide range, specifically, home and car. The demand is driven partly by home sales, new home construction and office construction. Most security systems like Brink Security have warning decals on the windows or in the yard to advertise. Commercial marketing usually consist of a direct sales force that call on owners and operators of commercial building companies that provide security monitoring services often have large account recieveable and credit problems with payments from subscribers, defective or poorly installed equipment or poor service, can have expensive consequences and Law suit risk in false alarms and frequent investment in new technology, The demand for residential and commercial construction and sales, need is in customer service and product, the companies increase their and systems and services by going to the senior citizens and dual income families. In their growth over the next 10 years included will be monitoring and security systems that include devices that measure environment factors, such as humility and quality of air and water. Healthcare-Nursing Home and Assisted Living-over 5 million elderly, mentally ill and, other physically and mentally challenged people need healthcare. The healthcare industry provide long-term care , includes onsite healthcare, counseling, medication dispensing, may become more prevalent. Demand for residential care facilities will grow as the baby boomers age, spurring investments in new construction, upgrades for existing facilities, additional beds, labor and services. The healthcare facilities industry faces a nurse shortage and is pressuring colleges to graduate nurses. To overcome threats, in the nursing facilities background checks, monitoring of the patients making sure they are changed, bath, and fed, also for the ones in assisted living, this is to insure that injuries to the elderly are not caused. The rise in Healthcare has risen by 80 percent. The risk with healthcare is that is not being made affordable and the premiums have sky rocketed, to were the elderly have a hard time getting the medicine and supplies. I do have love ones in the Nursing Home, and when I go and visit, I see the elderly just sitting there, not one of the staff takes time to ask them if they want to be moved, or just to check on them, some do not get bath until the end of the day, and there clothes are soiled, it is like they have been thrown away, The strategies I would use would to be train nurses aid how to care and properly change and check on the patient, there tone of voice used, close supervision of the elderly. General Business-Laundry Detergent-In the U. S. oap and detergent has over 650 companies worldwide. Detergent is packaged in cartons, bottles, pouches, or bags. The growth rate is low, because there are new and cheaper products available. One company is Proctor and Gamble, they are a household name they serve 180 countries, they strive and produce, superior quality and values, that improve the lives of the Consumer’s. Demand for soap and detergent result in wide swings in production, capacity planning is difficult. Challenges P&G face is the manufacter must comply with different state and country environmental regulations. The soap and detergent industry will impact the nation because its represented in over 145 nations, the marketing of such companies as P&G has been proven to be the best in strategy brands most important to retailers, strong business , and fundamentalist. In using, Gain and Tide, they over the consumer dye free and perfume free products, as well as the different soaps. The soap and detergent companies have Capitalized on opportunities by, having antibacterical hand soaps and bath soaps. Another stragedy that these companies have utilized is environmental friendly products, that are safe for our environment. Let’s take soap its used for animals and people and washing cars, and just about everything. Many big companies, do not see the threat of little companies with products such as Power Soaps and detergents this company is out of South India, they spend a lot of money on advertising. Marketing plays the pivotal role in making or breaking any product or service. In my closing, I will sum up all three subjects starting with the Security.

Nike Innovation

Nike Inc. Prepared by: Chuck Viasi MBA 330 – Innovation and Technology Management August 11, 2012 ————————————————- Executive Summary Nike, Inc. is a globally-recognized athletic sports apparel company with strong brand loyalty. The foundations of Nike’s success today were established by its Co-Founders Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman in 1972. As an athlete and a coach, their relentless pursuit of improved athletic performance instilled a competitive spirit in the culture of Nike. As such, the organization’s culture is one of the key reasons that Nike excels in this industry.We will see how the management style fosters innovation, and how the competitive spirit blended with curiosity and a constant scan of the external environment feeds the creative process. The company has become adept at integrating their knowledge into innovative approaches to improve athletic performance and connect with their customers through design and marketing. Our research on historical trends and processes within Nike indicates that the company’s core competencies are innovation and marketing; the underlying reasons the company is now the most recognized and coveted sports brand in the world.As Nike faces increased costs for materials, the company has made a strategic shift to couple sustainability principles with innovation to create a better company that can, in turn, can make a better world for all of us. Ultimately, this strengthens the company’s ability to compete globally in the future as well as positively impact society. Executive Summary (Stoney/Jen)1 Table of Contents (Stoney/Jen)2 Nike’s Mission Statement (Jen)4 I. The Business of Nike (Jen)4 A. Historical Innovations (Isaac)4 B. Portfolio of Products (Isaac)5 II. Product Life Cycle (Isaac)5 III. Business Model (Isaac)6 IV. SWOT (Stoney)7A. Strengths (Stoney)7 i. Strong Cap italization (Stoney)7 ii. Globally Positioned (Stoney)7 iii. Strong Brand Recognition (Stoney)8 iv. Solid Barriers to Entry (Stoney)9 v. Innovation (Stoney)9 B. Weaknesses (Stoney)9 i. Outsourced Manufacturing (Stoney)9 C. Opportunities (Stoney)9 i. Professional Sports Market (Stoney)9 D. Threats (Stoney10 i. Severe Competition (Stoney/Jen for Adidas)10 ii. Global Economy (Stoney)11 E. How do Nike’s Strengths Reinforce Nike’s Opportunities? (Stoney)11 F. How do Nike’s Weaknesses Relate to Threats? (Stoney)12 V. Nike’s Value Chain (Stoney)12 A. Make (Stoney)12 B. Move (Stoney)12C. Sell (Stoney)12 D. Use (Stoney)13 E. Reuse (Stoney)13 F. Plan (Stoney)13 G. Design (Stoney)14 VI. Porter’s 5 Competitive Forces (Stoney)15 VII. Organization (Jen)16 A. How the Culture Supports Innovation and Success (Jen)16 B. Org. Structure for Optimal Alignment with Customer Markets (Jen)17 C. Breaking into New Sports with Independent Teams (Jen)18 VIII. Innovation Proce ss (Jen)18 A. Innovation Kitchen and Sources of Inspiration (Jen)18 i. Athletes (Jen)19 ii. Customers: Lifestyle Trends (Jen)20 iii. Deep Dives (Jen)21 iv. Art, Artists and Buildings (Jen)21 B. Experts, Incubation and Collaborations (Jen)22IX. From Idea to Commercial Product (Jen)22 X. Product Introduction to the Market (Jen)24 A. Marketing Strategy (Jen)24 B. Event Pacing and Limited Edition Products (Jen)25 XI. Integrated Strategy: Sustainability and Innovation (Jen)26 A. Nike and China (Isaac)26 B. GreenXchange, Considered Design, Considered Design Index (Jen)27 C. Impact on Corporate Goals and Strategy (Jen)28 XII. Conclusion (Stoney/Jen)28 References29 Nike’s Mission Statement: To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world. *†If you have a body, you are an athlete. † ————————————————- I.The Business of the Company Nike (NYSE: NK E) makes high performance athletic clothing, footwear, sportswear, and equipment. The company is headquartered in Beaverton, OR, and employs more than 30,000 people. Nike is the most recognized and coveted sports brand in the world, valued at $10. 7 Billion. (Nike, Inc. , n. d. ) As their Mission Statement indicates, Nike innovates for all athletes – from elite to everyday athletes – to improve sports performance. Nike markets its products under its own brand, as well as Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Nike+, Air Jordan, Nike Skateboarding, and subsidiaries including Hurley International and Converse.The company also operates retail stores under the Nike town name. A. Historical Innovations * In 1962 Bill Bower man and Phil Night- Launched Blue Ribbon Sports (Tiger Shoes) with 500 dollar mutual fund. * 1978-Blue Ribbon Sports renamed themselves to NIKE. * 1980- Nike IPO and became publically traded. * 1980- First air sole shoe system Nike runner shoe * 1984-Signing of Michael Jor dan and first Air Force one basketball shoe. * 1985Air Jordan Revolution- 30 plus versions of air Jordan’s * 1989-Waffle shoe sole incorporated by adding rubber to a waffle machine. 2000-Nike shocks introduced and Nike portfolio formed * 2003- Nike ID shoe customization- allowing customers to make customized shoes from a computer, * 2006- Nike shocks tech * 2008-Nike Research lab environmentally friendly * 2011, Nike collaborated with Tom-tom for the launch of Nike+ Sport-Watch GPS. * Present Nike Innovation Kitchen- green products and greener product cycle. B. Portfolio of Products Nike’s portfolio consists of Converse, Nike Golf, Nike Baseball, Air Jordan shoes/Accessories, Hurley International.Nike is a leading designer, marketer and distributor of athletic footwear, apparel. Nike has done a spectacular job of diversifying their portfolio and being able to implement competitive advantage in all brands. The Company’s key product lines consist of: * Shoes * App arel * Equipment & accessories ————————————————- II. Product Life Cycle NIKE’s products and services falls in the growth stage of the product life cycle due to their ability to diversify products and rapid growth in sales and profits.According to knowledge. com â€Å"Nike is at a ranking of #135 in revenues generated by America’s 500 largest corporations. Of the nineteen billion fourteen million in revenue 2. 1 billion  was profit. † Nike is the niche when it comes to introducing new product and that is why there are at the growth stage allowing them to produce capital at a rapid pace. They always have new products coming out and new angles of approaches and that keeps them in the growth areas of the product life cycle. ———————————————— - III. Business ModelNIKE has a gift of trying new ideas that other organizations are too scared to attempt. The Nike business model consists of five steps. 1) Conducting research 2) Manufacturing product shoe, clothes, etc. 3) Retail 4) Consumers 5) Down cycling. , Nike introduces products to the market with athletic endorsements and mass marketing. They have the products assembled overseas for a fraction of the cost it would cost to manufacture in the in the United States. The Nike Corporation is known as innovators for making a product at low cost and charging an above average price in retail. I believe that this model works well for Nike as every time they have a new shoe come out that is expensive and overpriced they still have people waiting in line overnight for their shoe product. Nike Business Model ————————————————- IV. SWOT Analysis Strengths| Weaknesses| Well c apitalized| Outsourced manufacturing| Globally positioned| History of human rights scrutiny| Solid brand recognition creating competitive advantage| | Strong barriers to entry| | Innovation/product development| | Environmentally conscious culture| | Marketing| |Opportunities| Threats| Professional sports market segment| Severe competition| Growth in global apparel market| Global economy| Leadership in US market| Third world governments| Global marketing initiatives| Black market/counterfeit market| | | (MarketLine, 2012) A. Strengths i. Strong Capitalization: According to the Nike 10K report net income for 2011 was $2. 1 billion; although this is a drop from the previous year Nike still maintains a strong capital position. Last year Nike also saw their inventory go up as a result of future orders and the company repurchased $1. billion dollars of class B stock which is part of a 4 year $5 billion repurchase program. Thus far Nike has repurchased 30. 4 million shares for $2. 3 billio n. Even with this repurchase program Nike still has $4. 5 billion in cash, cash equivalents or short-term investment reserves so they are well positioned with capital for the future. (Nike, Inc. (2011) ii, Globally Positioned: Nike was ranked #1 in shoe and apparel revenue in 2011 and remains positioned well for the future. In the global shoe market there are two main players, Nike, a US-based company, and Adidas, a German company.Nike remains focused on defending their leadership position in the industry by signing contracts with the NFL, NBA, MLS, European soccer teams, and college sports teams. One of their advertising plans has historically included elite athletes like Michael Jordan, who still has the highest ranked athletic shoe in the history of the industry. Adidas sticks to its core values of â€Å"function first†. They also market their shoes by fashion, as modern, and as cool enough. While Nike is king in America, Adidas is the leader in European markets.The Adidas brand had a market share of 38% while Nike was right behind at 37% (Jones, 2011) In 2006 a study by William Hanrahan positioned global shoe marketers as follows: Hanrahan, (2008, p. 8) This graphic shows all the leading brands of shoes with their global positioning as of July 2006. Nike is located in the average to low affluent market with its main competitor being just a little larger (at that time) and a little higher in affluence. iii. Strong brand recognition creating a competitive advantage: The Nike swoosh is a recognized brand logo throughout the world.While Nike is known to charge a premium price for their average affluent market they are also known for quality and catering to the needs of the athlete. The target market for Nike is the young athletes and they are loyal to Nike as through advertising, Nike connects to this audience by demonstrating a keen understanding of their psyche and lifestyle. iv, Solid barriers to entry: Nike’s strong global brand has created a barrier to entry in the sports market. Other barriers include high capital requirements, high research and development costs, and keen innovation instincts. . Innovation: Innovation is a core competency for Nike as they pour investment dollars into research & development. The â€Å"Innovation Kitchen† generates the majority of their innovative ideas, which will be discussed in another part of this report. B. Weaknesses: i. Outsourced Manufacturing: One weakness is the fact that nearly all of their apparel and shoe manufacturing is outsourced. While this is an advantage from a cost perspective, and allows Nike to focus on their core competency, Nike gives up a lot of control by outsourcing to suppliers.The risk involved includes problems with governments and a workforce that that is out of there control. Another weakness that the company has displayed in the past is human rights and they are constantly under the pressure by human rights groups. C. Opportunities: i. The pr ofessional sports market: Nike’s target market has always been the athlete. The market segment that Nike is currently expanding is the professional sports arena with growing contracts with the NFL and other professional sporting leagues and teams across the world. Nike is the leader in the U. S. arket for all shoe and apparel sales and should continue to be the first choice of athletes who are looking to improve performance. Nike will also continue to make strides with advertising campaigns across Europe and India. D. Threats: i. Severe competition: The global shoe and apparel industry continues to experience fierce competition as major brands go head-to-head for competing for market share. According to Films on Demand video, Sports Shoe Wars, Adidas paid $1. 2 billion to retain the rights to the China Olympics for advertising rights at 23 of the 24 venues. The thought behind Adidas advertising campaign was â€Å"1. billion people with 2. 4 billion feet. † India is cle arly the next battle ground. Adidas is Nike’s most formidable competitor; the fight for market domination has spanned many decades and is publicly fought. Nike is the industry leader in the U. S. footwear and athletic apparel industry and has a strong brand portfolio (â€Å"Zacks Bull†, 2011). Adidas is known for making a solid, quality product which has historically missed consumer tastes. This was evident in a kid focus group conducted by Adidas in which kids were asked â€Å"if Adidas were at a party, where would it be? The kid’s responded â€Å"hanging around the keg† while â€Å"Nike would be with the girls. † (Stevenson, 2003) The belief at Adidas is Nike’s leadership position has been achieved solely through marketing, not through quality product performance. In a short film about the 2008 Olympic Games in China, Herbert Hainer, CEO of Adidas explains: I think if trying to find differences between the two companies, we’d have to say Adidas is more oriented towards product and performance and Nike more towards marketing. If they need hip hop culture to do that they will use it.But don’t think that Nike puts more into lifestyle than we do. We also communicate a great deal, like I said, we’re trying to do that in connection with the Olympic games†¦to win the people of China by saying we’re the ones who are helping your athletes. (Kirchhoff, 2009) In 2006, Adidas acquired Reebok to strengthen its position against Nike. The acquisition of Reebok led to control of 20% of the market as opposed to Nike which, at the time, had about a third of the $145 billion worldwide market. (Sorkin, Feder & Dash, 2005) The acquisition gave Adidas more leverage to compete for celebrity athlete endorsements. ii.The global economy is another threat that has already taken hold with a clear slowdown in worldwide shoe and apparel sales over the past few years. While the economy continues to be a proble m, a clear threat to Nike remains the volatility of third world governments where much of the materials and manufacturing is completed. E. How do Nike’s strengths reinforce their opportunities? Being well capitalized, Nike is in a position to take advantage of the professional sports organizations and teams target market. Many of these teams are recognized around the world and the Nike swoosh will be prominently displayed on their uniforms.Strong barriers to entry allow Nike to focus on their current competition with few to no disruptive technologies introduced by other companies in the shoe or apparel market. F. How do Nike’s weaknesses relate to their threats? Outsourcing manufacturing is a company decision they are comfortable with as they have done this for several decades now. The main benefit behind the outsourcing is expense reduction, and ability to focus on core competencies. However, along with these expense reductions comes human rights scrutiny that tends t o follow Nike wherever they go. A good reputation takes a long time to build and a short time to lose.But, they have made similar strides in the past with environmental groups and now will not allow harmful substances to be used for research and development there environmental groups recognize their environmental corporate culture and have worked closely with Nike over a period of 14 years to create these environmental values within the company. (Kirchhoff, A. (Director) (2009). ————————————————- V. Nike’s Value Chain Make, move, sell, use, reuse, plan, and design. A. Make: Since 1995 Nike has reduced petroleum based solvents used to manufacture shoes by 96%.Nike also created a new rubber that targets the reduction of the most toxic chemicals and shared the formula with the entire industry. The Nike â€Å"make† portion of the value chain employs 1,000,000 wor kers in 50 countries. The have also conserved enough materials in the last 5 years to produce an additional 15 million pairs of shoes. B. Move: Since 1995 Nike has used 100% recycled cardboard for shoe boxes. Clothing is also made from a lighter material which allows for less water usage in cleaning and it dries faster saving energy and allowing for larger drying loads in the process.Nike has 23 distribution centers located around the world and is working with logistics partners to reduce the footprint created in shipping and packaging of products. C. Sell: From June 2010 to January 2012 Nike employees donated 17,207 hours for community projects just in their North America retail stores. The employees completed 543 different projects that targeted youth sports. Approximately 219,000 plastic shopping bags were saved by the retail team in Australia in one year. With the plastic bag savings they began to charge an additional 10 cent fee and all proceeds from this fee were donated to lo cal youth sporting programs.This program resulted in a 55% reduction in plastic bag usage from the previous year and generated $26,000 for youth athletic programs. D. Use: In 2006 Nike did a study to find out where the most CO2 was being generated during the lifecycle of a typical pair of shoes. The study showed that 46% of these emissions came from the washing and drying. To further the study Nike came up with a 39% reduction in energy use simply by washing in cold water. This study was performed in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint and clothing now comes with instructions to use cold water and dry on a line instead of a dryer where possible.This cleaning method will also extend the life of the clothing. E. Reuse: Packaging accounts for up to 22% of the waste in the Nike value chain. Since 1995 all shoe boxes have been made from 100% recycled materials. In every square yard of school playground â€Å"play top† rubber there are approximately 40 pairs of grinded up shoe s where the rubber has been recycled. Nick also incorporates fiber into their Hyper Elite Platinum shorts that is made from 100% recycled polyester. The recycling of shoes has reached 25 million pairs collected globally since 1990. Nike’s goal is to â€Å"weave yesterday’s products back into tomorrow’s value chain. F. Plan: In 2010, Nike founded the Green Xchange with several other companies in an attempt at open innovation with other businesses. This Green Xchange is used to share intellectual property and conserve the planet’s resources and climate. In 2011 nearly 500 tons of waste was composted from the Nike headquarters and approximately 1. 6 million pound of waste was recycled. Those 500 tons equals about 65% of the total waste. Business travel has also been reduced to 3% of past travel requirements. Nike also focuses on minority owned businesses. G. Design: Each year over 16,000 materials are used in various products each year.Each pair of shoes co ntains about 30 different materials alone. Because so many different materials are used Nike has come up with â€Å"materials index† that measures the impact of each material in four areas. These areas include energy, chemistry, water, and waste. In 2010 15 million T-shirts were made using organic cotton that was grown without the use of fertilizers, defoliants, or pesticides. Nike has evaluated over 80,000 different to measure their environmental impact and typically uses 6 that make up most of their materials volume. These 6 items are polyester, rubber, cotton, synthetic leather, and leather and EVA foam.Finally, through planning and reducing their waste stream approximately 280,000,000 plastic bottles have been saved from landfills and used in polyester textiles. â€Å"In 2011, more than 31. 5 million Nike garments contained at least some recycled polyester fiber. † (Nike value chain, 2012) —————————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ———————————————— ————————————————- VI. Porters 5 Competitive Forces à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- The Organization (Format taken from Quick MBA, 2010) ————————————————- VII. Organization A. How the Culture Supports Innovation and Success An organization’s culture is typically defined by management at the top. Without a doubt, Nike’s legendary former CEO and Co-Founder, Phil Knight, was influential at developing a culture of innovation. His odd management style inspired employees to make their own decisions.He deliberately didn’t respond to questions or offered a vague nod. His executives became adept at interpreting his lack of response or nods as freedom to do their own problem solving and innovate. Most employees, like Tinker Hatfield, VP of Innovation, considered silence a yes to move forward. (Roth, 2005) Parker has c ommented that Knight has â€Å"always given me incredible freedom in my roles. † (Birchall, 2007, para 8) Whether intentional or unintentional, Knight personally provided critical ingredients for cultivating and nurturing a culture of creativity and innovation.The competitive spirit is deeply ingrained in the culture and employees are driven to succeed. The highly-popular slogan â€Å"Just Do It† is an internally-embraced philosophy that captures this competitive spirit. Nike’s culture gives employees the opportunity to accomplish, occasionally fail and learn from mistakes. Repeated failure faces punishment. (Jagersma, 2003) Curiosity is considered key to success and it is expected that employees will maintain a level of curiosity or risk failure.According to author Fields, the former CMO of Nike, Scott Bed bury, was quoted in the book Chasing Cool: Standing Out in Today's Cluttered Marketplace, as saying: â€Å"If you were the head of Nike Basketball, you damn well better know what's going on in the minds of young basketball players–the music they listen to, their vernacular, how they define success, what they fear, what they dream. The bulk of it is just about getting out there and wandering around. And anybody in the marketing group at Nike was penalized, if not put into early retirement, if they didn't get out there, if they weren't continually curious. (Fields, 2007) Hero worship is also deeply ingrained in the culture. Buildings on the Beaverton, OR campus bear the names of image-building power athletes. (Rapaport, 2002) To evoke the spirit of innovation through organizational history, storytelling about heroes and heritage is a critical part of Nike’s corporate culture. (Ransdell, 1999) Ekins, Nike’s official company storytellers, sport a swoosh tattoo on their ankle and evangelize about the Nike brand and its sports technology. (â€Å"Remarkable†, 2010) Today, the management style of Mark Parker, CEO, c ontinues to nurture innovation and keeps the channels for creativity open.He does not shut people down in meetings and prefers to let people share what they’re working on, even if a project will not get a green light. (McGirt, 2010) B. Organizational Structure for Optimal Alignment with Customer Markets In the mid-2000s, the company moved from a product-based structure to a customer-focused organization with categories like women’s fitness, running, and basketball. This allowed Nike to follow the greatest opportunities and to develop communities of shared interest both internally and externally. (Birchall, 2007) In 2009, another restructure aligned the brand by six new geographies hich allowed Nike to get closer to the customer, reduce management layers and increase the speed of decision making. (â€Å"Nike, Inc. Announces,† 2009) This structure allows Nike to more efficiently focus on the unique cultures of these sports, share knowledge, and inform the creative process. C. Breaking into New Sports with Independent Teams Breaking into new sports markets is a strategic endeavor for Nike. The company sets up independent entities and forms teams with external talent to allow it to be as agile as needed for success.To break into the skate market, the company brought former head of Nike’s upstart soccer division out of retirement. The division was set up as an independent unit with 11 employees who were all skaters from other parts of the industry. The skate team spoke to consumers for two years before it offered its first products exclusively to skate stores on short-runs and has since captured market share. (Stone, 2004) Golf is another market which required a different approach to break into it. The golf unit was formally separated from the rest of the company on its balance sheet.A 12-handicap golfer and long-time employee, Bob Wood, was asked to head the division, and other executives were brought on board from the industry. Since s electing Tiger Woods to represent their line of products, Nike has captured market share in golf. (Stone, 2004) ————————————————- VIII. Innovation Process A. Innovation Kitchen and Sources for Innovation Inspiration The Innovation Kitchen is a think tank within Nike’s headquarters where innovative technology and other special projects are invented by its 125-person research team.Tinker Hatfield, VP Innovation and Special Projects, leads the team. He is a famed designer of Nike’s most popular and innovative designs, including the Air Jordan, and is regarded as the keeper of the founder’s legacy of innovation. As Hatfield explains, the Kitchen is separated from the rest of the organization: â€Å"We're not so much tied into the sales of shoes. We're here to improve athletic performance. † (Rapaport, 2002, para 25) While casual visits by the CEO ar e common, direction for their work does not come from above.It is guided by a philosophy established by Knight: â€Å"It’s really risky not to take risk. † (Brettman, 2011b, para 7) The research team is free to explore as many ideas as they can. Behind Nike’s core competency in innovation is a finely-tuned integration of learning with creativity. (Stonehouse & Minocha, 2008) Hatfield believes what designers draw or design is a culmination of everything he or she has seen or done in life at that point. (Longeville, 2006) To Hatfield, internal ideas generated from sources such as focus groups are generated in false environments, thus not the preferred source for ideas. Eckoff, 2007) Instead, creativity and inspiration is regularly sought out from a wide variety of external influences. The insights provoke new ways of thinking and innovating. i. Athletes: For Nike, design is rooted in the belief that form follows function. Top athletes have been – and wi ll continue to be – the primary source of design inspiration. According to Parker, â€Å"what we learn from them is who we are. † (McGirt, 2010, para 8) Nike employs pro athletes, either with the company or via sports marketing contracts, to evaluate and weigh in on shoe design and development from a performance perspective. Datamonitor, 2012) They are frequent visitors to the Nike Sports Research Lab, where biomechanics experts study how to enhance their performance using cutting-edge sports technology and equipment. (McGirt, 2010) How the R&D team of scientists analyzes the results sets Nike apart. According to Mario Lafortune, Director of Nike’s R&D Lab: We have developed an expertise in interpreting the data for designing footwear. How you interpret data to derive footwear criteria is really a level of expertise that very few people have. Holloway, 2004, para 7) Inspired design originates not just from input on functionality, but as Hatfield explains : You have to spend time getting to know an athlete, his motivations and his life. Understand his needs and his wants. The real fun comes in the end when you make observations that have real meaning. (â€Å"Interview: Tinker Hatfield ,† n. d. , para 14) ii. Customers: Lifestyle Trends: Nike understands that to grow, recognizing new customer needs and offering solutions is critical. (Patnaik, 2005) Nike’s ability to apply outside the box thinking to existing solutions has proven successful.For example, by looking at the lifestyle of the runner, Nike teamed with Apple to create Nike+, a digital sports kit comprising a sensor that attaches to a running shoe with a wireless receiver which connects to the iPod. The information tracked by the sensor sends information to the iPod for uploading and tracking progress on www. nikeplus. com, then shared on Facebook and Twitter to connect with other runner communities. For the Nike+ customer, the exercise experience has extended b eyond a pair of running shoes. As of 2010, 2. million kits were sold and due to that success, the kit has been expanded into other athletic activities, such as gym workouts. (Ofek & Wathieu, 2010) iii. Deep Dives: To stay ahead of consumer trends, Nike designers regularly seek inspiration through intense immersion into subcultural experiences, or Deep Dives. According to John Hoke III, Nike’s global creative director of footwear design, the purpose of Deep Dives is â€Å"to interpret, translate and try to make new connections†. Deep Dive cultural explorations have included American car culture, Palm Springs mid-20th-century design, inner-city hip-hop music and origami.Other lighter immersions such as trips to the zoo to sketch animal feet are part of this process as well. The idea is to infuse thinking with new design and aesthetic possibilities and inform new ways of connecting with their target customer. (Rapaport, 2002) iv. Art, Artists and Buildings: The work o f street artists have served as sources of inspiration, both in adding aesthetic appeal to shoes and in helping Nike establish credibility with hard-to-reach audiences. Parker has developed a network of artists as a long time art collector.He tapped his graffiti artist network to help establish authenticity in the hard-to-break-into skate market. Mr. Cartoon, a Los Angeles graffiti-and-tattoo-design star, was asked to design limited-edition versions of classic Nike shoes and was given a platform to hold special events advocating design self-discovery to Latino youth. This demonstrated Nike’s ability to understand and connect with this unique culture. The shoes are now collector’s items. Parker continues to stay connected with his artist network as he considers them as influencers of influencers in pop culture. Birchall, 2007) After travelling to Paris to see Pompidou Centre, a building characterized by exposed mechanical systems and bright colors, Hatfield suggested th e air bag of the shoe be exposed and visible through the sole. His idea was initially met with resistance from many. The Head of Marketing for Running couldn’t figure out how this shoe could be sold. (Longeville, 2006) Now, the Air Max line of shoes has been wildly successful. B. Experts, Incubation, and Collaborations Other external resources are tapped as part of Nike’s innovation process.Research committees and advisory boards with experts such as athletes, coaches, trainers, equipment managers, orthopedists, and podiatrists are frequently consulted with. (Datamonitor, 2012) Nike also sets up venture capital offshoots to explore new ideas. In 2011, the company set up the Sustainable Business & Innovation Lab to back other start-up ventures focused on alternative energies, efficient manufacturing practices, and companies that promote healthy lifestyles. (Kharif & Townsend, 2011) Other groups are tasked with collaborations.Parker was concerned about Nike innov ation being too insolated and set up Explore to pursue long-range innovation possibilities with academics, inventors and other companies. (Exon, 2002) One of Explore’s successes was the collaboration with Apple to produce Nike+. (Birchall, 2007) Analysts believe that a 55% growth in membership for Nike+ was responsible for an increase in sales in the running division up 30%, to $2. 8 billion. (Cendrowski, 2012) ————————————————- IX. From Idea to Commercial Product Innovation at Nike is clearly a bottom-up process.After ideas are generated, the labs have what is generally referred to as a peer review. At this time, research ideas are shared internally with lab peers and the lab director only. If the lab director believes the idea is worth pursuing, resources are allocated by the lab to investigate it further. (Rodrigues, R. , personal communication, June 10, 2012) At the investigation stage, external knowledge is gathered. Patents are researched to ensure no patent infringement. If the idea seems feasible based on information gathered in the steps in this process, the idea is developed further into a prototype and patents are filed. (Rodrigues, R. personal communication, June 10, 2012) The lab funds development of a prototype in what is generally known in engineering as the laboratory phase. About once a month, senior executives are invited to review prototypes and vet them against Nike’s mission statement and corporate goals. If a prototype is accepted, the idea could potentially be pitched to the board of directors. (Rodrigues, R. , personal communication, June 10, 2012) As an example, in the mid-80s, Parker, product designer at the time, was working on a side project visible air in which the sole cushioning technology would be exposed so the customer could see it.He was invited by Phil Knight to present his prototype to the board. (Mc Girt, 2010) At this stage, the lab might also produce a white paper with â€Å"ideas on feasibility† which is usually written for manufacturing and division heads of product lines. It may be unclear at this point which product line this technology might be used in, and there is most likely internal competition as to which division might get it. (Rodrigues, R. , personal communication, June 10, 2012) The visible air technology spurred the Air Max shoe line for running, basketball and cross-training.In Nike’s bi-annual Concept Debut, the review committee (CEO and heads of global footwear design) reviews all designs for products due to hit the market in the next18 months. Details of each prototype are discussed and sketches critiqued. If a product passes review, the company intends to commercialize and produce it and will fund it. All the regions are brought on board to determine the go-to-market strategy. Marketing is involved at this stage. (â€Å"Online extra: Chaos,à ¢â‚¬  2007) From there, the product is transferred to manufacturing for production.No doubt, Nike’s lab has a close relationship manufacturing suppliers and they are involved much earlier in product development than this stage. For example, the Flyknit due to hit stores July 2012 is made from a knitting process which weaves an entire shoe upper in one piece. With 35 fewer pieces to assemble, this is a revolutionary approach to shoe production as it eliminates the cutting and stitching process, translating to less labor and higher profit margins for Nike. (Townsend, 2012) Manufacturing most certainly played a role in the product development process. ———————————————— X. Product Introduction to the Market A. Marketing Strategy As one of Nike’s core competencies, marketing plays a pivotal role in the company’s success. Historically, Nike has utilized an a lmost formulaic, two-prong approach to marketing – elite athlete endorsements and establishment of an emotional connection with their customer. Some of the greatest elite athletes have been paid by Nike to help design, develop, and sell merchandise through endorsements.Tiger Woods was signed in 1996 and by 2001, Nike’s market share in golf jumped from one to six percent, or $50 million. (Cummings, 2001) Instead of focusing on the product, Nike’s advertising strategy seeks to establish an emotional connection with the customer by setting a mood. Just after Nike’s revenues fell 22% in 1986, Nike launched its first national ad campaign which featured the song Revolution and intertwined clips of elite Nike athletes with clips of everyday people. The underlying message was athletes prefer Nike, buy Nike and you can play as good as them. Lane, 1996) By 1988, revenues rebounded to $1. 2B and by 1989; the company regained its leadership position, earning $1. 7B i n revenue. (Jorgensen, 1994) However, as Nike’s total marketing budget has climbed, it’s spending in U. S. TV and print advertising has dropped by 40% in the past three years signaling a marketing strategy shift. In 2010, Nike launched Nike Digital Sport, a new division aimed at developing devices and technologies for users to track personal sports statistics. Now, customer data can be mined and online communities established, placing Nike where the customer is. Cendrowski, 2012) While initial attempts have not been so successful, true to Nike’s innovation process, the company integrates its knowledge into new tactics and continues try new approaches. B. Event Pacing and Limited-Edition Products Nike has been known to utilize two strategies to stimulate demand: event-timed product releases and limited-edition product. Nike both releases new products to coincide with big sports events – and also delays them. Earlier in 2012, the Foamposite One Galaxy glow- in-the-dark shoes were released to coincide with the NBA All-Star game in Orlando.This year, new home and away soccer apparel in the team colors for FC Internazionale were released in time for the 2012-2013 Milan soccer seasons. (Nike, Inc. , 2012b) In 2007, Nike delayed the release of the new Michael Vick shoe when Michael Vick was caught in a dog fighting scandal. (Briggs, 2007) When coupled with limited-run production, marketing hype has led to success, if not violence. Nike makes it known that the Jordan XIs — Jordan's most sought-after shoe – are released once a year as a limited edition.The December 2009 holiday season release of Air Jordan XI Concords caused violence and a stabbing. (Hill, 2011) But at more than $1 billion in sales, the Jordan brand now makes up roughly 5 percent of Nike’s overall revenues. (Rovell, 2009) ————————————————- XI. I ntegrated Strategy: Sustainability and Innovation The integration of sustainability and innovation as a value-creator forms the core of Nike’s new strategy. (Brettman, 2011a) Nike believes corporate social responsibility extends beyond the walls of their headquarters to the industry and society.The goal is to innovate systematically throughout all businesses processes and to affect change industry-wide for the good of society. Nike’s troubles in China led to heightened awareness about corporate responsibility and the company’s impact on society. A. Nike and China Nike and several other name brand organizations have had trouble with child labor issues. There have been allegations of child labor and horrid working conditions. According to Irene Alfred from Nike slave labor† Nike is having difficulties with the publicity it is receiving about its labor practices in China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Vietnam.In China, employees for Nike work twelve hour shifts for several days a week. Their wages are as low as sixteen cents an hour there is no union†. Nike is working on improving conditions for its international employee’s in1998 Mr. Knight stated,† Public speeches regarding his plan for the labor conditions to be brought up to standards. I feel that this is a great step to take in showing that Nike does actually care about its employees and the conditions they work in. Finding contractors that follow the health and safety codes and staying away from the corrupt government involved contractors.Incorporating interest in the educational systems where they are involved and showing the communities you operate in that you do care about their welfare status. Phil Knight did the right thing by addressing the media about theses speculations and taking action and getting involved with the citizens is a great first step. In addition, by going into these very poor countries that are plagued with hunger, poverty and illiteracy, Ni ke is giving these people a second chance at life by providing them with jobs to provide their families with meals and a chance to get an education and break the cycle of illiteracy and poverty in these communities.B. Green Xchange, Considered Design and Considered Design Index Now, Nike is driven to affect systemic change through open collaboration and designing products with sustainable design choices. In 2010, Nike launched the GreenXchange, a web-based collaborative network promoting the creation and adoption of technologies for new sustainability models and innovation. (Albanese, 2012) Nike’s new design philosophy, Considered Design, utilizes sustainable design choices at the start of the creative process to innovatively eliminate design and development waste.Sustainability is measured using metrics in their Considered Design Index. Nike intends to share this Index to create an industry-wide scale. (Nike, Inc. , 2012a) C. Impact on Corporate Goals/Strategy As Nike contin ues to integrate sustainability goals into their innovation processes, the company continues to raise their performance expectations. In May 2012, Nike announced new sustainability performance targets, both short and long term, and a company-wide commitment to further integrate sustainability principles into its innovation processes, governance and portfolios. â€Å"Nike, Inc. Introduces,† 2012) ————————————————- XII. Conclusion Nike’s intense passion for and focus on improving athletic performance has been the driver behind the company’s ability to establish a leadership position in the market. The competitive culture is sharply focused on winning in whatever endeavor the company endures, and their innovation processes support this Just Do It mentality. Their ability to finely integrate creativity and learning forms the core of their innovation proces s.Their curious culture uses external knowledge gained to innovate for the athlete and make an emotional connection with their customer through marketing. The company continuously refines their approach, as evidenced in their new marketing strategy, and as they continue set new challenges, Nike positions itself to defend their leadership position. ————————————————- References Albanese, M. (2012, Feb 06). How she leads: Hannah jones of nike. Greenbiz. com, Retrieved from http://www. greenbiz. com/blog/2012/02/06/how-she-leads-hannah-jones-nike Alfred, I. Jan 2003). Slave Labor. Retrieved on May 30, 2012 from http://from http://ihscslnews. org/view_article. php? id=121 Birchall, J. (2007, Mar 18). The man who made a career out of cool. Financial Times. Retrieved from http://www. ft. com Brettman, A. (2011a, Oct 04). Hannah jones of nike delivers message of doom and hope at g ogreen ’11 conference. Oregon Live. Retrieved from http://www. oregonlive. com/playbooks-profits/index. ssf/2011/10/hannah_jones_of_nike_delivers. html Brettman, A. (2011b, May 11). Nike designer describes life inside the innovation kitchen. [Blog Post].From http://blog. oregonlive. com/playbooksandprofits/2011/05/nike_designer_describes_life_i. html Briggs, B. (2007, Jul 18). NFL megastar vick’s endorsements in danger. msnbc. com. Retrieved on July 31, 2012 from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/19834805/ns/business-us_business/t/nfl-megastar-vicks-endorsements-danger/#. UCH28qNf9Mg Cendrowski, S. (2012, Feb 13). Nike's new marketing mojo. CNN Money, Retrieved from http://management. fortune. cnn. com/2012/02/13/nike-digital-marketing/ Cummings, B. (2001). Star power. Sales and Marketing Management, 153(4), 52-59. Retrieved from

How does the USA Today Function as Civic Culture Essay

The family is the basic unit of any particular society or community. It is therefore imperative that for the society to exist the family has to be there to produce members into the community. The community or national character any particular country is basically determined by the nature of the family values. An individual is shaped in the early ages by the family. In the contemporary society there are increased diversity changes in the family a characteristic of the many changes in culture, political, economic, social, and psychological and even the environment. The content definition of has not been agreed upon because of the great changes that are so accommodating. In the previous many years the family was considered as the people who are related by blood. This definition based on the kinship ties has been revoked due to the influence of many forms of families which has stripped off the family its actual definition. For instance there can husband and wife who do not have any kinship ties and they go ahead to adopt children. Another case that has changed such a definition of the family based on kinship ties is the increasing number of intermarriage within the context of race or ethnicity. This brings out a mixture of offspring and therefore it is difficult to trace the family bonds based on kinship ties. The issue of who is next to kin is no longer important in the current families. The most common aspect in the current families is the bonding based on mutual understanding. The many changes of husband and wife have been changed by the introduction of lesbianism and gay. These try to go against the grain of opposite gender type of marriage. The concept of marriage has changed from opposite gender type of marriage to a mixture of gay, lesbianism and opposite gender marriages. These are some of the dynamisms that are facing the contemporary families. This paper shall give an indebt analysis of the family, the changes in roles and functions of the families and the general effects of such changes to the contemporary families. A close reference and examples shall be drawn from the US and Mexico, the countries that border each other geographically. The contrasting differences I n family issues shall be pointed out clearly. Family life in the United States The family relationship in the United States has undergone several transformations due to the effect of globalization. Race and ethnicity are the most significant factors in shaping the variety of values, attitudes and behaviour amongst the families in the United States. There are a number of changes in families in the United States. These changes range from political, social, economic, and psychological to spiritual. The social dislocations have given rise to new ideas and values especially there is increased individualism among the members of the community. In the US there increased diversity in the organizational structures. There are many cases of divorce and separation in the United Stated which has grabbed the family the unity and love that is supposed to be enjoyed. Most the single families that are common in the US are as a result of divorce and remarriage due to greater democratization. (Hines & Morrison, 2005) Cultural diversity in the US is accounting for the many different types of families that have emerged in the recent past. The United States constitutes almost all races and ethnic groups in the world. For this reason there are diverse cultural values as a resulting of this contact. The factor that there are free intermarriages between these diverse races and ethnic groups has made the US to have diverse cultural values which transcend the native culture. The immigrants who move to the United State try to maintain their native language despite the fact that they are forced to learn the official language of the United States, which is English. The immigrants from Spanish speaking countries (Hispanic) when they move to the United States they try to maintain their languages. The culture of the people is usually transmitted through language and due to the numerous languages in the United States there exists different cultures. This means that there are very many family clusters formed through the sharing of the languages. For instance most of the Hispanic immigrants have formed family clusters in the sides of Florida. The black American speaks a variety of English as they identify themselves as belonging or originating from one family. These disparities have affected the notion of the family because these people are allowed to mix freely with people from different cultures. The concept of the family in the United States is changing even the more during the advent of the green card where people from different pasts acquire citizenship. Many people from different races and ethnic groups have found their way to the US and as such most of them are allowed to move with their families. The nuclear family still remains an ideal source of the society in the United States. The United States families are characterized by the great social stratification. In the United the families are organized according to different classes. Among these classes there are great disparities in terms of economic value. The choice of families has not taken shift from mutual understanding to materials and resources. This has affected relationships from a sociological point of view. This issue of the class is a dominant phenomenon among the families in the United States as those who are rich wants to maintain the status quo. This is done through the inheritance that is passed within the nuclear families. The nuclear families in the United States are created and broken up and then reconstituted. This has led to the decline of family values which consequently affects the family patterns. This diversity in family pattern has been identified as the cause of problems such as violence, crime and drug use in the united state. The parents are usually very busy with their duties (United States, Congress, 1992). The increasing cases of divorce and separation in the United States have a negative effect on maintaining the ideal norms of the nuclear family value. The families that are exposed to values outside the parental domain are likely to deviate from norms. The human rights in the United States are considered fundamental. There is protection of the universal human right which is a recipe to the process of democratization. This the reason why the US government invest huge amount of money in education health and other basic sectors so as to enhance the promotion of the human rights among the citizens. The Family Life in Mexico Most people have preferred to live in Mexico for a variety of reasons such as social, political, economic and even good climatic reasons. Living in Mexico requires one to learn the Spanish language so as to increase effective communication. This is because the families are socialized in the Spanish language. The Mexican people are extremely warm and friendly as they are organized in smaller communities that come from the mutually intelligible families. This means that the socialization process is high since there tow much contact between the families. The family bonds are tightly held together and for this reason there is cultural uniformity. The society per se is integrated under common cultural values through the common language shared. Piped water is relatively inexpensive, but not always potable (drinkable). Decades of under-investment, combined with an attitude of impertinence towards paying water bills, has left Mexico’s mains water system in poor condition. As a result, most people purchase bottled water, often in 20L containers. Bottled water is very expensive. Rents in Mexico can be higher than in equivalent-sized US towns or cities if the place is popular or fashionable, particularly places within easy reach of the US border. Mexico has a centralized economy: that is, most of the country’s economic activity revolves around. The Mexican pace of life is relatively slower than in the US Especially when the life in major cities is given consideration. The families in Mexico are closely tied as most of the families have time to attend to their families. There is a high degree of parental responsibility among the families. This transcends to greater heights of good values that the society enjoys. Mexico’s culture has a rich history in a consolidated family religion, people and tradition. The Mexican people are proud of their culture that they keep on passing from one generation to another. This is because there is little infusion of the foreign cultures. The family is the basic unit in Mexico and a cornerstone to the maintenance of the culture. The rate of socialization and interaction among these people is too high. It is a usual phenomenon to meet two or more families meeting for a common interest or for a special event. This part of the family function in Mexico, people in Mexico have free time to visit resort centers for the purpose of relaxation which is not a common phenomenon in the United States, where people are too busy. (Heymann, 2006) The Mexican People are too religious which is a big contrast with the United States where people feel that they are in control; of their own life. A large number of people are Christian and they are usually committed to going to church. When you walk in the Mexican homes it is easy for you to see the religious images. In America people stay a non-religious life thus an effect of religious intermingling that has made it difficult for the people to which religious practice to adopt. Thus they resign from subscribing to any of the religious practice. The social stratification is not prevalent in the Mexican family as it is in the United States; people are seeking for money the Mexican people strive for titles. The professionals in Mexico prefer to be addressed with the titles that they deserve. This is as a result of the traditional emphasis given to the tittles within the family domain. The economic living standards in Mexico are slightly lower than in the United State. There are many poor people in Mexico than in the United States. The impact of these high levels of poverty in Mexico has necessitated the immigration of most Mexican families to the United States in search of better jobs and pay of most illegal immigrants from Mexico have gotten their way into the United States through the Mexican borders. These immigrants have settled in cities such as Florida. Working in the United States gives them better pay. This aspect of brain drain is lowering the general development of the families in Mexico as most of the people move leaving behind other family members Basically the cost of living in Mexico is lower than that of the US particularly for agricultural produce. Other sectors such as transport and communication are also lower in Mexico than I n the United States. Other utilities as electricity are more expensive compared to the United State. Working families in the United States, observing how parents struggled to find a balance between caring for children and earning a decent income. When parents split and one of the parents went from Mexico to the United States and was no longer available to give the necessary care, families suffer. What significantly exacerbates the problem is when the borders are so tight that they prevent families from reuniting. This has been a common phenomenon when the immigrants are not given the opportunity by the America to even visit their families in back home in Mexico. (Poole M. et al, 1993) Globalization of the economy created increased pressure for workers to accept lower labor standards, accept lower wages, longer hours, fewer benefits, and less paid leave. Both Nations likewise feel pressure from economic globalization not to implement family-friendly policies, such as paid leave for illness or when a child is sick, or paid parental leave. And that leaves working families struggling to balance work and their care-giving duties. The globalization process has affected families in both Mexico and United States economy was transforming the relationship between work and care-giving in similar ways everywhere. Globalization has forcing both countries to at a very high pace as far as labor standards and social policies are concerned hence leaving working parents with less and less time to raise their children. Parents’ work has shifted markedly around the world and that goes for every region. The child rearing process has been left in the hands of maids who offer supportive care while the parents are away working till late hours of the day. Men in particular have been moving away from one place to another in search of better jobs especially in various industries. Globalization has made men and women to work day and night and this has made them move away from their homes to go work in various places. A good example is that of outsourcing where people work in shifts where some work during the day and others at night. Women, likewise, have moved into the paid labor force and away from the home. From the period between 1960 and 2000 the number of women in the labor force went from 26 to 38 percent in America. The percentage of women in the workplace has increased both in the United States and Mexico. This has adversely affected the family care services that were provided by the women while their men were working in various sectors. This is a result of civilization which been brought about by the factors such as education, religion, work, urbanization among others. These factors have changed the various roles that were supposed to be executed by the family so as to prepare an individual to be a responsible member of the society. (Cecil, 1992) What has happened is that the world has seen women get better job opportunities which has assisted then them raise income to cater for their families. The increased number of single parent families has made it possible for the women to struggle to get money for rearing their families. While this is was going on there is also massive urbanization occurring all across the world. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as people who move from very poor rural areas to urban areas often get better jobs, and become less dependent on, for instance, a good rain to feed their families. (Rowntree, Lewis, Price & Wyckoff, 2006). References Hines D. A. , Morrison K. (2005) Family Violence in the United States: Defining, Understanding, and Combating. Sage Publisher. Heymann J. (2006) Forgotten Families: Ending the Growing Crisis Confronting Children and Working Parents in the Global Economy. Oxford University Press Poole M. et al (1993) Family: Changing Families, Changing Times. Allen & Unwin publisher. Robinson, Cecil. (1992). No short journeys: The interplay of cultures in the history and Literature of the borderlands. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. Rowntree L. , Lewis M. , Price M. and Wyckoff W. (2006). Diversity amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development. United States, Congress. House America’s (1992) Families: Conditions, Trends, Hopes, and Fears: Family policy. United States, Congress, House publisher.

Wind farm coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Wind farm coursework - Essay Example This report will begin by a summary providing the background and the crucial processes needed in the wind farm besides provision of reason to invest in the venture. The introduction will incorporate description of the project, its requirements, importance advantage and disadvantages as well. As a matter of fact, outlining the objectives of the report will form a fundamental section of the introduction. Adequate models for calculations such as correlation, regression and other statistical estimations are used and shown as well. This entail all stages ranging from the data collection on the properties of wind in the region to the financial budget estimations. Numerical methods have been reviewed in order to achieve results from the accurate limits of estimations. Being that this was an original result that depended on variables of different characteristics, incorporating assumptions was necessary so as to guide the research process. Stating the assumptions presented the criteria applied in the process and targeted offering guidelines in the analysis phase. A wind farm entails a group of wind turbines assembled in the one location at appropriate intervals and used to generate energy from wind through transformation. A greater wind farm might contain hundreds of individual wind turbines and occupy a protracted area of hundreds of square meters, though the land amid the turbines might be engaged in agricultural together with other purposes that do not interfere with the operation of the turbines. Wind power is a plentiful, extensively circulated energy resource that has no fuel cost, no adverse releases and water use. Wind’s disadvantages are greatly connected to its flexible characteristic and the element that the best regions for producing wind energy are always found distant from major cities and urban centers. Wind swiftness and path can alternate by the season, diurnal and hour and hence demand standby from power generation sites

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Healthy Eating Messages and Children Nutrition (Case Study) - Essay Example As Gorn et al. (1982, 200) found ‘television advertising for children is developed from direct testing and observation of the child audience; Children are subjected to research techniques developed for the study of child psychology to determine the most effective way of inducing their counterparts in the nationwide audience to demand advertised products’. Under this intensive observation, the advertising addressed to children manages to achieve the target set by the multinational corporations, i.e. the ‘cultivation’ of specific nutritional preferences to children of all ages in accordance with the production line of these firms. In the same context, Smitt et al. (2007, 57) stated that ‘the issues of food advertisements, especially aimed at children, and food labeling are factors behind the obesity epidemic which need to be tackled while commercial communication increases consumer information; however, the promotion of unhealthy foods negatively impacts the health of the population and for this reason actions need to be taken to protect children from commercial activity in this field’. The above assumptions are in accordance with the findings of WHO in 2003 which indicate that ‘dietary adjustments may not only influence present health, but may determine whether or not an individual will develop such diseases as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes much later in life’ (WHO, 2003, 2). In fact it has been found that wrong nutritional ‘habits’ can lead to severe consequences for the health not only in adults but also in children. More specifically, a research made by the World Health Organization in 2003 showed that ‘higher blood pressure in childhood (in combination with other risk factors) causes target organ and anatomical changes that are associated with cardiovascular risk, including reduction in artery elasticity, increased ventricular size and mass, haemodynamic increase in

Consumer behaviour within financial services Essay

Consumer behaviour within financial services - Essay Example The paper is based primarily on the views of the literature regarding the consumer behaviour on several industrial sectors and specifically the financial services industry. The development of consumer behaviour in modern financial markets can be influenced by a series of parameters including the structure of the particular market, the needs of consumers and the local cultural and social trends. UK can be considered as an indicative example of the interaction between consumer behaviour and the strategies followed by firms in the financial services industry. More specifically, the study of Nairn revealed that ‘the Sandler report of 2002 found a  £27bn shortfall in the UK nation's savings; the report highlights the industry changes necessary for citizens to increase investment for their future and thus reduce this deficit’. The above report is mentioned by Nairn because of its importance for the development of a specific mode of consumer behaviour in the financial service s industry. Moreover, the examination of all issues related with commercial activity in financial services industry showed that ‘the marketing departments in financial services organisations can go beyond this and harness 'risk tolerance' as a segmentation variable to alter behaviour on a more targeted, micro level; it is suggested that this practice could have an even more profound effect than that envisaged by Sandler’.

HRM (a joint venture ) Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

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Current Climate Change and Mitigation Research Paper

Current Climate Change and Mitigation - Research Paper Example Climate change is one of the greatest threats to modern civilization.   Earth is currently experiencing a rapid increase in mean temperature.   The global scope of this phenomenon makes it particularly challenging because efforts to address the problem require cooperation between many different nations and international corporations.   Add to this the disagreements over the veracity of the problem and the mechanisms causing our planet to warm, and what you will find is a very dangerous situation with no easy remedies. Earth’s climate is a changeable climate.   We know through studying dendrochronology, ice core samples, mud core samples and historical records that the earth has gone through many cyclical changes in climate over the millennia. As little as 1000 years ago, the earth experienced a period of rapid warming known as the Medieval Warming Period. Northern locations, such as the southern regions of Greenland became inhabitable and were colonized by Viking settlers. A mere 200 years ago saw the northern hemisphere experience a climate anomaly known as the Little Ice Age. European glacial ice advanced down mountainsides, growing seasons shortened and crops failed. What caused these most recent episodes of climate change? That question is an important one because its answer is at the heart of the current debate surrounding the veracity of our current heating. Many complex systems help to regulate earth’s temperature. The circulation of warm waters from the equator towards the pole and cold water from cold to warm helps to evenly distribute heat in the northern and southern hemispheres. Changes in this thermohaline circulation have been linked to periods of cooling on earth. The amount of aerosols emitted from volcanic activity is also a factor that determines world climate. Other determinants involve the changing degree of axial tilt of the earth and the variable distance between the earth and the sun caused by an ever-changing (albeit slowly) orbit around the sun.  Ã‚  

Composite Role Rating Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Composite Role Rating - Essay Example Measurement tools viz., rating forms, observational checklists or questionnaires are used to obtain measures (numbers) that are valid and reliable (Arreola, 2007). In the hypothetical Impact Matrix (Appendix A) that I have prepared, I have used typical activities that university teachers engage in namely, Teaching, Scholarly Activity, and Service as the 3 major roles to evaluate faculty performance. Under ‘Teaching’, the role components identified are ‘instructional delivery’, ‘instructional design’, ‘content expertise’ and ‘course management.’ In my impact matrix, students, being the target entity, will be the sole judge for instructional delivery skills. This component is best evaluated through the following list of desirable attributes of faculty teaching performance whereby â€Å"the instructor creates an intellectually stimulating environment by : demonstrating interest and enthusiasm in the student learning proce ss; demonstrating effective communication skills: writing, speaking and listening; eliciting responsible student participation; †¦being available to students outside of class time to discuss course materials; †¦and returning student work in a timely manner† (Clarke University Faculty Evaluation Manual, 2008, pp 4-5). These are qualities in a teacher that are especially needed for effective guidance of students in their academic course work; therefore, I have assigned 35% as the source impact. With an arbitrary source rating of 4, the weighted rating works out to 1.4 (as shown in Appendix A). The ratings are based on a 5-point performance scale which is: 1 (Unacceptable); 2 (Satisfactory); 3 (Good); 4 (Very Good); and 5 (Excellent). For the instructional design component, students (source impact weight, 10%); peers (15%); self (10%) all contribute the data. The weighted rating from all these sources adds up to an arbitrary value of

Coronary Artery Disease - Pathophysiology and Management Research Paper

Coronary Artery Disease - Pathophysiology and Management - Research Paper Example Plague is a component of fat, cholesterol and other substances of the blood. Plague is slowly built up over several years forming a condition known as atherosclerosis (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). After a long period of building up, plague hardens and narrows coronary artery leading to limits of flow of oxygenated blood to the heart. As the plague hardens, it eventually ruptures, causing a blood clot, a situation that can lead to blockage of blood flow through the coronary artery. If the flow of oxygenated blood is reduced or blocked, a heart attack occurs (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). The beginning of symptomatic CAD is normally about ten years in men, but CAD cases in women are more prevalent especially to women who have reached menopause. However, it is believed that CAD cases tend to cumulate in families (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). Studies have indicated that history of CAD risks in families with CAD cases is common. Although some people can argue that CAD is a hereditary disease, some factors like other health complications such as hypertension, high blood pressure and obesity facilitates risks of CAD. All these are widely associated with living styles. There are precautions that physicians give to patients suffering from CAD. Unfortunately, many people suffering from CAD fail to take these precautions seriously (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). For example, the habit of smoking has become so rampant with over twenty five percent of people with over eighteen years smoking cigarette. Smoking is said to multiply the effects of other CAD factors. It is estimated to cause twenty percent of CAD deaths. The theory of aetherorosclerosis states that the process symbolizes an effort to heal in response to endothelial injury (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). During this process, the first step involves development of fatty streaks. These streaks tend to form between endothelium and internal elastic lamina. In the recent past, inflammation is becoming a component of atheroscler osis genesis and plague instability. Patients with CAD are at danger of risk factors known as metabolic syndrome (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). CAD is known for its persistent burden to many people all over the world. However, its risks can be managed if efficacy of lipid- lowering models is followed. The first lipid- lowering therapy focuses on therapeutic lifestyle changes (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). This includes dietary changes, constant physical activities, avoiding risky practices like smoking and alcohol drinking, and undertaking recommended wait lose. However, there are pharmacologic agents that help adjust lipid levels although, therapeutic lifestyle is preferred to them (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). Patients with CAD are carefully examined. The examination includes description of the pain, its location and severity (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). Diagnosis of CAD involves detailed patients history and electrocardiogram. After the initial diagnosis, laboratory tests follow. Angi na is the commonest symptom although some patients remain asymptomatic. Some of the notable symptoms include chest pain, sweating, and yellowish tumors at either lower or upper lids. One of the major causes of CAD is stress (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). In this regard, nursing care plan involves helping the patient to realize the cause of the disease and how best they can refrain from it. Since stress is prevalence to most CAD patients, one of

Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker - Essay Example Now, each individual must assess one’s own strengths and working style and match them with potential opportunities of work to find the best fit. In addition, it is important to see if personal values clash with the organization’s value system. Finally, it is important to understand that today’s work environment is a two-way street and that the worker needs to continually see how he or she can contribute positively while communicating well with colleagues. Identifying one’s strengths is a tricky business. People imagine they know what they are good or bad at but they are mostly wrong. Drucker suggests using the feedback analysis to assess one’s strengths by noting expected results at every decision point and then matching them with actual results several months later. Through continued use of this method and assessing the results, it is possible to eventually filter out areas where one is not good at and also to identify the strong areas of oneâ€⠄¢s personality. It is important then to concentrate on improve on one’s strengths and fill gaps in knowledge. In the process, one must differentiate between being intelligent and being knowledgeable. A lot of times, intelligent people place barriers upon themselves against gaining knowledge or communicating with others. Feedback will also reveal areas of improvement by showing why certain bad habits result in unexpected results. Assessment of these factors and strengths can allow one to decide on which type of job one is suited for. The next step is to identify one’s own working style and see if the organization offers a conducive environment for such a style. For example, it is important to know whether one is a listener or a reader – meaning whether it is easier to assimilate information by listening to people or by reading it. President Lyndon Johnson made the mistake of keeping President Kennedy’s staff who prepared briefs for him before any  meeti ng.  

Case Study About Trust Report Essay Example for Free

Case Study About Trust Report Essay Trust is the ability to rely confidently, either on an individual or in this scenario the company’s product. It is judged on three dimensions; namely, the ability to be technically competent, its benevolence, that is, the interests and motives, and, finally, the integrity. Positive judgment is a good reflect on the customers’ will to take part in the organization’s dealings. This act may involve buying the company’s products, investing in its stocks, or being an employee. In case any of the attributes become questionable, it may make the customers wary and reluctant in risk taking (Kourdi Bibb, 2007). Distrust in the organization may increase inefficiencies of innovation and damage relationships. Causes leading to the loss of trust Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japan based motor manufacturer. Its headquarters are in Aichi, Japan. This corporation was founded in 1937 and had been since among the best performing motor manufacturers and dealers in the world. With more than 3 billion yen as profit in a fiscal year, as per the financial report of 2013, Toyota could be said to be among what Forbes magazine would name the top 100 best corporations (Kourdi Bibb, 2007). Since the year 2004 to 2010, there had been several complains on Toyota Motors concerning engines and accelerators. On 28 August 2009, a tragic accident occurred in San Diego involving a family travelling in a Toyota Lexus. The car lost control and all the passengers died. Toyota, known for its impeccable repute for reliability and quality products suddenly had to deal with trust crisis. A deficiency in attributes that lead to trust of the company’s products and services in form of a scandal can lead to instant lack of trust (Blackshaw, 2008). An effective response to a trust scandal or failure needs interventions that are aimed at curbing distrust and  rebuilding trustworthiness. Distrust regulation can be done through enforcing controls, conditions, and constraints to employees in order to rectify the failure. Intervening may require the removal of guilty parties, the change of the cultural norms of the organization, and introduction of new or the revision of incentives (Blackshaw, 2008). This is not sufficient. Statements and actions too are needed to demonstrate trustworthiness. Statements that show the company’s compelling ability, integrity, and benevolence are required. Apologies, transparency, and ethical practice are required as well. How effective do you consider the taken mitigation actions? Effective repair of trust should undergo simple steps. The first is immediate response to Toyota Corporation belated communications; belated recalls and public apologies damaged its reputation more than the original accident (Liker, 2004). The company ended up losing its sales, investors, and market share. They also lost customer confidence. Toyota Company expressed concern by realizing a statement where they apologized to the family of the victims. It also pledged to carry out investigations. However, the company, regrettably, did not point out the possible causes. This seems like an effective immediate response but it is required for a company to point out to possible causes. Later, the floor mats were suspected to be the likely cause of two accidents that had occurred earlier, but this did not prompt the company into issuing a customer warning (Liker, 2004). They acted upon the suspicions five days after the analysis of the cause was confirmed. This was nineteen days after the fatal accidents. In order to rebuild customer, employee, and investor trust, Toyota Motors released a statement assuring their customers that the floor mats were in good conditions and safe. They praised them as being among the safest mats. This statement was later challenged by NHTSA who accused the company of releasing misleading and inaccurate reports. In a bid to save itself from further downfall, Toyota Motors reacted by giving a remedy to the sticky floor mats. This action caused discretion among investors who thought of the company to have had unclear motives when they released the first statement (Liker, Hoseus, Center for Quality People and Organizations, 2008). This further dented the trust of the shareholders. The mitigation process of the Toyota Company took  a long time, hence more damage to be controlled. It was ineffective at the beginning, which was a blow to the shareholders. Although the company founder Akio Toyoda later sent out apologies and through the wall street journal expressed his commitment to reforming the company towards better and safe products with the aim of repairing the damage that had been done (Liker, Hoseus, Center for Quality People and Organizations, 2008). The company through the court compensated the family that had lost their relatives through the accident. This was a step to convey the company’s acceptance of the guilt. Consequences of not addressing trust issues Failure to respond to issues and address the remedies publicly can lead to severe disciplinary actions on a company. These actions may include its termination and payment of fine; Toyota Company due to its sluggish manner of responding to the claims against its products was fined $16.4million (Pelletier, 2005). This is because the company failed to warn its customers thereafter. Toyota accepted its penance. Do you believe that the company’s reputation can be re-build, or will they suffer the consequences also in the years to come? Despite the tarnishing of Toyota Corporation’s reputation, the customers’ and investors’ trust will be rebuilt. The actions that the company undertook such as restricting the company’s management team and procuring a new safety system have seen the company rise to becoming once again among the most profitable companies in the world (Pelletier, 2005). The company is rebuilding itself since the 2009 failure. It has had numerous innovations and recently announced mass hiring of employees. References Bibb, S., Kourdi, J., Bibb, S. (2007). A question of trust: The crucial nature of trust and how to build it in your work and life. London: Cyan. Blackshaw, P. (2008). Satisfied customers tell three friends, angry customers tell 3,000: Running a business in todays consumer driven world. New York: Doubleday. Liker, J. K. (2004). The Toyota way: 14 management principles from the worlds greatest manufacturer. New York: McGraw-Hill.Top of Form Top of FormLiker, J. K., Hoseus, M., Center for Quality People and Organizations. (2008). Toyota culture: The heart and soul of the Toyota way. New York: McGraw-Hill. Pelletier, R. (2005). Its all about service: How to lead your people to care for your customers. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley Sons Bottom of Form Bottom of Form

Human Resource Management in Residential Care Home

Human Resource Management in Residential Care Home Welcome to Kindly Residential Care Rest Home Introduction The â€Å"Employee Handbook† here summarises the procedures, policies and strategic HR practices related to and with Kindly Residential Care Rest Home. The Kindly Residential Care Rest Home is headed by the â€Å"Executive Director† who will lead the concerned staff and responsible for the development and implementation of the policies, procedures and practices that are mentioned and declared in this â€Å"Employee Handbook†. As a routine the strategic human resource management will be undertaken by the HR Managers who will be responsible for the all respective concerns of their staff teams and will make sure that this manual should be used as a reference while applying any of the strategic HR practices within the organisation to remain consistent with the goals of the organisation. The â€Å"Senior HR Manager† is accountable to maintain the policies and procedures in a systematic way within the organisation and he will be the one to deal with queries and explanations with respect to the employee handbook and remain answerable for the same. This may include questioning about the wages, allowances, holidays, sick and maternity leave, benefit packages, health plans, retirement plans, kiwi saver and insurance. In Kindly Residential Care Rest Home the HR Management is committed to recognise the strategies that involve the provision of healthcare while caring of the residents and as well as that which comes from employing staff premises and managing human resources and also the practices that are present on a daily basis throughout the organisation and to fallow health and safety legislation and safeguard procedure wherever applicable for the safety of the residents, staff and public by integrating governance and strategic human resource management[1]. The New Zealand Healthcare System For our employee it is important to understand that where we are in the NZ healthcare system and how the health system works in NZ as NZ is the country of diversity and there are lots of employee from different backgrounds cultures and countries. The following is the overview of the NZ healthcare system in the form of a flow chart. From the above flow chart we can see that the position of our rest home lies in the section of Private and NGO providers which is under the supervision of DHB (Compliance with the NZ Public health and Disability Act 2000[2]), Ministry of Health and there is additional support provided by ACC, DHB provider arm (Hospitals/GP), Private health insurance and PHARMAC (A government of NZ undertaking pharmaceuticals management company[3]). The Statement of Philosophy The statement of Kindly Residential Care Rest Home is to provide a better work atmosphere which will facilitate professional growth of the entire employee and maintain their personnel lives as well and vice versa. Not only that but it’s a duty of the HR managers and the Supervisors to foster each employee of the Rest Home on personal basis as the Kindly Care Rest Home considers its employee as an asset to the organisation. On the other hand the Kindly care Residential Rest Home will expect the fallowing responsibility of all staff. To maintain â€Å"Organisational Code of Practice† by implementing and practicing the policies of effective communication and meaningful cooperation amongst each other. To maintain â€Å"Code of Conduct† and treat each other fairly paying full respect and dignity. To bring the organisation with a great teamwork and promote harmony within the organisation. To understand the expected standards, law requirements and work place safety procedures, effective and timely communications. To promote the participation of the employees and the members and welcome their advice and suggestion to reach a decision or opinion. To help our employees in the personal development and growth in terms of achievement of their personal goal. To be committed for avoidance of any workstation conflict, and respond fatly and fairly to provide the proper medium to address it on time. To act equitably and fairly when it comes to administer the entire culture with respect to the policies. Judicial and efficient use of organisational resources. To feel and recognize that the person is important then a different kind of a jobs, that all the performances are measured in terms of determined standards without any type of discrimination. To show empathy and understanding that employees do possess the personal lives and they may experience inconvenience, distress, sickness and sadness during some events of the life and be compassionate to them[4]. The Policy Statement This HR management strategy, policy and procedures are intended to provide out the Kindly Care Residential Rest Home with key aims and objectives to develop all culture and processes within the organisation to ensure the perfect and effective system to manage the facility through our team members. The policy also outlines the key objectives and aim with respect to the Rest Home in our â€Å"Employment Handbook†. The policy executes the strategy to ensure the infrastructures required to address the strategy are in their respective place. The document will be equipped with guidance to provide advice on implementing systems that are effective in managing the facility and its employee. Who We Are We are one of the leading service providers with innovative approach in the field of quality eldercare with 88 bedded five winged multispecialty rest home with spacious rooms, separate lounges, welcoming and well-appointed outdoor areas and featured facility which includes diverse activity programmes, extra services like physiotherapy, podiatry, aromatherapy, reflexology, spa and hair saloon offering high/low care and respite care situated in the southern suburbs of kindly park, convenient to kindly shopping centre and the new kindly park interchange. None the less but we are the â€Å"Home away from Home† with an excellent eldercare service provision with a qualified and skilful staff of 103 which is scheduled 24hrly to meet all the desire of our residents day and night to ensure their health and safety and to make them as comfortable as if they are at their own home. Our Vision We want eldercare services to take account of the diversity of local populations without compromising â€Å"quality of service†. Health services should be â€Å"accessible to all† community clients and applicants for healthcare services regardless of a person’s characteristic. We see ourselves as the â€Å"innovators† to develop and raise our employee and the facility to cite an example in the field of â€Å"cost effective† eldercare. An eldercare for all under one Home! Our Mission The ultimate mission of the Kindly Residential Care Home is to be the one in the provision the â€Å"exceptional quality care† to our community residents and elderly through the services of highly â€Å"skilled and qualified staff† and to â€Å"create develop innovate† the best employees ever prepared and managed by the HR in the field of healthcare. The management’s strategy policy procedures and guidance document is to strengthen the rest home employee and the HR personnel to deal and manage the day to day operational functions to meet its management objectives in strict compliance with the standards, rules and regulations[5]. Our Core Values All the members and employee of Kindly Residential Care Rest Home will remain committed and striven by our core values and quality principles in their everyday work to achieve our mission. Our Residents: They come first. Show empathy respect and sympathy for our elders Our Facility: Our facility is of utter importance. That the facility is like resident’s home Our Participation: That residents and staff are integrated to each other with interest full participation Our Focus: That our focus is to meet residents and family (â€Å"whanau†) needs. Appropriate planning, problem preventive and problem solving approach; provide safe, competent, therapeutic care and services. Our Team Work: That pay mutual trust, respect and be loyal to the team and facility Our Quality: Our quality improvement is a continuous process. That understands the on-going process of self-evaluation, learning and continuous improvement[6]. The Scope The scope of policy is wide and applies to all Kindly Residential Care Rest Home employees, stakeholders and locum business units and partners in collaboration. Our Organisational Structure The following flow chart shows the organisational structure of our Kindly Residential Care Rest Home and Governance in accordance to the HR department and staff of the facility. [1] National Care Planning council. (1993). The Caregiver’s Handbook. Retrieved from: http://www.longtermcarelink.net/eldercare/the_caregivers_handbook.htm#introduction [2] Statistics New Zealand. (2008). Measuring Government Sector Productivity in New Zealand. Retrieved from: http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/economic_indicators/productivity/measuring-govt-productivity/6-health-care.aspx [3] The Healthcare in New Zealand. (2010, Jun). The Breakdown. Retrieved from: http://beninauckland.blogspot.co.nz/ [4] HR Council for the Voluntary Non-Profit Sector. HR Toolkit. Employee Handbook. Retrieved from: https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=trct=jq=esrc=ssource=webcd=13cad=rjauact=8ved=0CFgQFjAMurl=http://hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/documents/CAHRC_HR_Manual.docei=34Y3VPbCMoL88QXrzoDoCQusg=AFQjCNFDQoppMs5I8efCdwvq04SXqoaKvw [5] Convenient Home Care Services Inc. Employee Handbook. Retrieved from: http://www.convenienthomecare.com/documents/Employee_Handbook.pdf [6] Employee Handbook. John Hopkins Health System Corporation. Retrieved from: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/human_resources/_docs/employee_handbook_non-union_non-represented.pdf