The impact of the financial crisis on the airline industry Essay

The impact of the financial crisis on the airline industry - Essay Example Nonetheless, an economic crisis occurred in between the year 2000 and 2001. Within this period, Turkey faced one of the worst economic turmoil, with the unemployment rate reaching over 11%. In addition, the Turkey government borrowed an additional 23 billion dollars (Reinhart &Â  Rogoff, 2009). This paper will analyze the impact of the financial crisis on the airline industry, focusing on Turkish Airlines. The Aviation sector is expanding by day with progressing technologies and economies. Developments on aviation sector affect airlines operations. The Airline industry or sector is connected with international trade laws or policies. The Turkish Airline sector is growing fast and has a large significance to economic progress. Their international and countrywide financial crisis also had a tremendous impact on Turkish Airlines. At the period of the financial crisis, Turkish Airlines was faced with decreased air travels, massive retrenchment of workers, among others. This also contrib uted to the economy of Turkey becoming delicate, not only domestically, but also internationally (Rigas, 2001). Not only, did the financial crisis affect Turkish Airlines and its workers, it also affected businesses that were depending on the Airline services, for example, tourism and shipment of goods from Turkey to other areas. Turkish Airlines is the Turkish national transporter airline in Turkey. Turkish Airline headquarters is situated in the capital city, Istanbul, at Ataturk Airport. Turkish Airlines offers its air travelling services to over two hundred and four domestic and international destinations in the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia. In addition, Turkish Airline offers its carrier services to an additional ninety one countries (Rigas, 2002). This makes its destination system from one area the largest in the whole world. Turkish Airline’s central station is Ataturk International Airport. Turkish Airlines has been on the rise since 2006. The number of passenge rs using Turkish Airline increased from 17million passengers in 2006 to 29 million passengers in 2010, earning over $15 million dollars over the five years. A report released in 2011 showed the airline had employed 18,188 workers. Turkish Airline has also been a constituent of the Star Alliance network from 2008. Turkish Airline also co-owned B&H Airlines, AnadoluJet, North Cyprus Airlines, SunExpress, and Cyprus Turkish Airlines. Turkish airline has been affected by financial crises since the olden days. Turkish Airlines suffered financial losses between 1987 and 1988, mainly because of significant expenditure on its numerous new Airbuses. This is according to a report released by Air Transport World. The fleet of airplanes also comprised DC-9s and Boeings. Turkish Airlines finished the period with less than 10,000 airline workers. In addition, after the Persian Gulf War, Turkish Airlines also suffered in the world wide economic crisis (Rigas, 2002). Nonetheless, Turkish Airlines g ot back on its feet in the middle of 1990s. The largest contribution to its financial development came from destination in North America. Turkish Airlines capital continued to increase, attaining the 10 trillion mark, in 1995. During the same year, Turkish Airline had switched some of its Boeing to cargo planes. Turkish Airline attained a $6 million profit within the same year. Nonetheless, Turkish Airline had to compete with the extreme inflation of the country due to

Germany was to blame for the outbreak of the First World War Essay Example for Free

Germany was to blame for the outbreak of the First World War Essay Germany was to blame for the outbreak of the First World War do you agree? I do not agree fully that the Germans were to blame for the outbreak of war. German intentions were not to start a war, however there are a few events where they unintentionally helped to escalate the situation. There is no doubt that they did help to escalate the situation between Serbia and Austro Hungary. In this essay I will be arguing that Germans did not cause the outbreak of the war. I will be doing this by discussing the blank cheque, the Schlieffen plan, the September programme, the actions of the Kaiser and the actions of Bethmann Hollweg. Many historians argue that because Germany pre-planed for war that when the chance of war arose they obviously provoked it. The evidence for this argument is the Schlieffen plan, it was a military strategy devised in 1882 as a means of coping with a two front war. Some people argue that the Schlieffen plan is the first traceable reason why the war started. However this is hardly true the Schlieffen plan was drawn up because of the increasing pressure Germany was under because of the triple Entente. Germany was after all geographically in bad position on one side they had France and on the other Russia, to make this situation worse France and Russia were allied. Therefore it is not surprising that a plan was created in case a war with the both countries was to occur. A war such as this would have to be fought on two fronts so to be able to fight a war like this on side would have to be disabled quickly. The Germans plans to get to Paris in 6 weeks is seen to be an aggressive tactic that is why some people see the Schlieffen plan as a plan to expand Germany if war was to break out. It is clear this is not the case, the Schlieffen plan was a defensive strategy designed to help Germany to come with a war on two fronts. The Schlieffen plan can hardly be seen as the Germans planning for war because other nations had simial plans such as Russia who had to stick to their plans so completely that hey had to declare war on Germany. An argument has been put forward that Germany declaring war on France is proof that the Schlieffen plan was a form of expansion for Germany and that that it was not a defensive plan. However this is hardly true, Germany declared war on France because Russia had declared war on them and Russia and France were allies. So to Germany I was natural that France would join the war because of the alliance system. Russia also did the same when the Tsar was told that he could not mobilise against Austria alone because the plans were for a war with Austria and Russia. The September programme drawn up by the chancellor of Germany, Bethmann Hollweg is seen as another piece of evidence suggesting that Germany had planned the war. The September programme was a document that set out Germanys war aims, including a list of territorial acquisitions. This is seen to be incriminating because it was written so soon after war broke out. However Bethmann Hollweg was under a lot of pressure from military who needed to know their objectives. It should also be considered that the German army had been mobilised for a few months so plans for the army had to be drawn up. Some people argue that because the September programme was released so quickly that these objectives must have been premeditated. This is not completely true, it was important for the germens to think quickly what they were going to have to achieve in the war after all they were fighting on two fronts. Some of the objective might have been premeditated but these were probably defensive ones thought up long ago. It is clear to see that Bethmann Hollweg was caught between the Kaiser and Moltke. Bethmann Hollwegs behaviour is often criticized during the July crisis. It is Bethmann Hollwegs actions that are used as the argument against him. However what he did can be seen as a gamble that went horribly wrong. Bethmann was not consulted on the blank cheque but did back it. Some people argue that Bethmann wanted to manipulate Russia into mobilising against Germany so they didnt look as if they started the war. This is untrue because instead Bethmann thought that he could keep the Balkan war localized. The evidence for this argument is that Bethmann thought that Russia would not help Serbia if a war happened because the Tsar would not lend his support to royal assassins. Bethmann also felt that Russia was not military or financially ready for a war. Germanys mobilisation against Russia was only meant to deter Russia from war not to provoke them into war that is where Bethmanns gamble failed. The blank cheque is seen as confirming Germanys guilt in starting the First World War. The blank cheque is another example of a mistake made by Germany. The Kaiser gave unconditional support to Austria, this was done because Germany felt isolated by the triple entente and wanted to make it clear to Austria that their alliance was strong. However as professor Rohl argues the Kaiser was a very unstable man. There is a lot of evidence to support this argument such as when the Kaiser decided to change is mind about the blank cheque but then was convinced by his wife to be a man. The Kaiser was heavily influenced by others and there are many examples, such as the first Moroccan crisis where he was pushed by Bulow and Holstein into provoking the French. The blank cheque is greatly misunderstood the vague phasing used is open to interpretation. The historian Gerhard Ritter argues that Germany sought to deter Russia from war, not to provoke conflict with her. The blank cheque like the September programme is seen as evidence that Germany had wanted a war for some time but really they have both been misinterpreted. The real nation that was to blame for the outbreak of war was Austro-Hungary who even after finding no evidence that linked the assassins to any terror groups in Serbia and after Serbia agreed to their ultimatum still invaded their country. This is really the behaviour of a nation with war on their agenda. Austro-Hungary it can be said had to avenge the death of Franz Ferdinand. Russia too could have avoided war but much like the Kaiser the Tsar kept on changing his mind. In conclusion from the evidence above it can be seen that everyone muddled into war and that no one power is to blame. The September programme and the Schlieffen plan which are seen to highlight German guilt, do not and are actually defensive precautions not premeditated plans for war. Bethmann Hollweg and the Kaiser both were trying to achieve the same objective but were both communicating very well. The nations involved in the July crisis can be blamed for standing by their alliances instead of sorting out the situation. Germany did contribute to the mix up between nations in the Balkans and for inciting Austro-Hungary however they are not ultimately to blame for the outbreak of war.

Consequences of HIV/AIDS epidemic to Society Essay -- Health, Diseases

Assignment question: 3. A) What are some of the possible consequences of HIV/AIDS epidemic to: 1. Society 2. The infected individual b) What are some of the Human Rights, confidentiality and criminal law implication of HIV/AIDS? Q1. HIV/AIDS has increasingly taken a toll on the society in a myriad of dimensions which are worth discussing in order to find the best solutions. Due to HIV/AIDS epidemic, the economies of various countries have been badly affected and societies have experienced major losses. There is a rapid increase in the number of HIV infected people with resultant financial burden and major psychological and emotional consequences. The rising HIV prevalence has adversely affected the quality of labour in that many skilled and experienced workers have succumbed to the disease. Due the loss of skilled workers to HIV/AIDS, the standard of labour quality has been badly affected resulting in low levels of production, development and low labour inputs (Nations, n.d). HIV/AIDS also threatens the quality and supply of future labour in that infected people are incapacitated from engaging in any productive work as their bodies are rendered extremely weak. People who stay out of work need to be supported by others and this creates a high dependence on the limited resources available. The socioeconomic consequences of HIV/AIDS to the society are enormous. For instance, many children whose parents are infected with HIV are often forced to stay out of school and look for work to support their ailing parents. Consequently, a huge and dangerous gap in education is created and the future of these children is marred with uncertainties. At the same time, the ability of the affected children to serve the society is compromised (... ...he infection through reckless male partners. Criminalization of HIV has triggered debate in which people argue that criminalising HIV infected people does not address the complexities involved in disclosure and instead increases HIV stigma (UNAIDS, International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, 2006). In addition, imprisonment cannot help people come to terms with their status and develop better attitude. Instead, a better course would be to promote education and psychological counselling. Treating HIV transmission as murder offence increases stigma and discrimination because it is like saying HIV equals death, while we know with the availability of antiretrovirals, people can lead healthy lives even when they are HIV positive. No illness has been treated with the same hysteria as HIV and this is because of its associated stigmatization and promiscuity.

Gap year

There are approximately ten out of ten students that would take a gap year before attending college rather than Just applying for college right away. Undoubtedly a nice break from all this pressure would be Just perfect but not really helpful for graduates. Therefore, students that do not attend college right after high school tend to lose time. The actual concept is to register into college after graduating from high school. If graduates get a year off after high school they will not get the college experience.School is not Just about learning the essentials; it is about deciding what a student wants to be, and which college a student wants to attend. Students should not take a gap year because they are more likely to forget everything they have learned during their high school years and it also affects their motivation for learning. Students that attend college after high school without taking a gap year have a knowledgeable mind and preserve more of what they were taught in school to participate in their college courses.However, students that take a gap year tend to lose their knowledge and it will be difficult for them to get back on track. Instead of all the suffering and anxiety on making the right choice to which college to apply to, just get it over with. Rather than risking their life and career. In â€Å"The Gap Year,† Hannah Purnell (2013) argues that students are going to forget and move out of formation of the academic skills. It will be a difficult for them and they are not going to be fully prepared on the first day of college after having a gap year. Gap year There are approximately ten out of ten students that would take a gap year before attending college rather than Just applying for college right away. Undoubtedly a nice break from all this pressure would be Just perfect but not really helpful for graduates. Therefore, students that do not attend college right after high school tend to lose time. The actual concept is to register into college after graduating from high school. If graduates get a year off after high school they will not get the college experience.School is not Just about learning the essentials; it is about deciding what a student wants to be, and which college a student wants to attend. Students should not take a gap year because they are more likely to forget everything they have learned during their high school years and it also affects their motivation for learning. Students that attend college after high school without taking a gap year have a knowledgeable mind and preserve more of what they were taught in school to participate in their college courses.However, students that take a gap year tend to lose their knowledge and it will be difficult for them to get back on track. Instead of all the suffering and anxiety on making the right choice to which college to apply to, just get it over with. Rather than risking their life and career. In â€Å"The Gap Year,† Hannah Purnell (2013) argues that students are going to forget and move out of formation of the academic skills. It will be a difficult for them and they are not going to be fully prepared on the first day of college after having a gap year.

Japan Political System Essay

Japan is a constitutional monarchy like British government, which is a parliamentary democracy country with ceremonial emperor. The Empire of Japan was dissolved in Japan’s 1947 constitution. After the defeat of Japan in the Second World War, the Japanese political system was being constructed, which is based on the principles of sovereignty that respect human rights and the encouragement of peace. According to separation of powers, the political system of Japan officially divided into executive, legislative and judicial branches. This essay will discuss and classify the political system of Japan, followed by the argument whether Japan is better to describe as a democracy or a monarchy. The monarch, in other words, the Emperor is the head of state and no longer holds a real power. The role Emperor of Japan is the symbol of the country and focuses for unity of the people. The head of government and Cabinet is the prime minister who holds the executive power. The prime minster has the right to nominate the Cabinet members. The Cabinet is composed of prime minster and ministers of state, which is responsible to the National Diet. The main political power is held by the prime minister and the elected members of the National Diet. The prime minister is elected with winning a majority vote in the National Diet through single-member plurality for a 4-year term. Single-member plurality refers the candidate win most votes on the first in the election that only ballot in each single-member district. Legislative power is vested in the National Diet which consists of an upper house, named the House of Councillors, and a lower house, named the House of Representatives. The House of Councillors is composed of 242 members for 6-year term. The House of Representatives is the powerful house in National Diet and comprised of 480 members for 4-year term. The national Diet is designated as the highest organ of state power that the political responsibility is decided by elected legislature. Unlike the political system of Japan in wartime, the political responsibility was rested with the emperor and a cabinet (Ishida and Krauss 1989:39). The Supreme Court is the highest judicial branch that is independent. The judicial members are nominated by the emperor with the agreement of prime minister and cabinet. The major function of Supreme Court is to settle the legal disputes by establishing judicial polices and rules for lower courts. The judicial conference consists of 15 members, which is responsible for decision-making about proposing rules and regulations and in charge of the general secretariats of the Supreme Courts (Itoh 2010:40-41). Japanese political system can be classified as democratic country. Liberal democracy refers a system of government that is elected through free and fair election and limited by law to place on the power of democratically elected government (Hague and Harrop 2010:84). For instance, The House of Representatives in comprised of 480 members. In 480 seats, 300 seats are elected from single-member voters and the other 180 seats are elected 11 multi-member voters by a system of proportional representation. Proportional representation means the number of seats won by a party is proportionate to the number of votes received (Hague and Harrop 2010:184). The House of Representatives can be dissolved by the no confidence vote of the Prime Minister or a Cabinet. 42 seats of the House of Councillors, 146 seats are elected by electoral district system and the remaining 96 seats are elected based on a proportional representation system (Schoppa 2011:47). A half of members from the House of Councillors are re-elected every three years by parallel voting system. Parallel voting is two separate elections without mechanism to get a proportional result (Diamond and Plattner 2006:205). Another feature of liberal democracy is to prevent the government from becoming too powerful. The executive, legislative and judicial powers in Japan’s political system are separated. The judicial is totally independent (Dean 2002:347). Unlike the independent judiciary in most of the western countries, the independent judiciary in Japan is the principle that judicial power of a state is to be implemented independently and fairly by the courts (Goodman 2008:191-193). Even the head of government cannot use his power to control the judicial system. The separation of power of Japan’s government is to avoid the abuse of power. Moreover, based on the Article 20 of Japanese law, Japanese citizens are free to choose their religions. It reflects one of the features of liberal democracy that is to ensure the minorities not being repressed by majority. For example, Christian cannot repress Muslin. All the people deserve equal chance to choose the religion. The advantage of separation of power is to prevent the members of the National Diet or the government become too big and abuse the power. In addition, the different branches will regulate the members from other branches. However, there are some drawbacks. The disadvantage of complying with separation of power affects the effectiveness of implementation of the legislation. The process of implementing the policy is rather rigid. One of the significant features of liberal democracy is that the individual human rights are being guaranteed. According to article 21 the Japanese law, Japanese enjoys wide ranges of rights and freedoms. One of the ‘rights and freedoms of the spirit’ is that Japanese enjoys freedom of assembly and association as well as speech; press and all other forms of expression are guaranteed (Foote 2007:263). These are the examples of rights that should be guaranteed. Nevertheless, some people argue that whether is better describing Japan as a monarchy or a democracy. Japan still has the emperor as the head of state although it is a liberal democratic country with all the features about liberal democracy. A monarchy represents that a government is ruled by only one single absolute hereditary ruler. The ruler held an absolute power in hand. The Japan in pre-wartime was a monarchy. The monarch is the emperor, known as Tenno, who had the whole political power to make the decisions of the whole country. However, the defeat of Second World War led to the Japan’s government reconstructed. The political system reform led to the change from a monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. The form of modern Japan’s government is belonging to constitutional monarchy. That is different from a monarchy. Constitutional monarchy refers to separate out the duties of the head of state and the head of government. The head of state is only ceremonial in nature and their political power is very little, even they no longer have the political power. While the head of government is the prime minister and his cabinets, all the decisions of a country are drawn by the head of overnment and the national Diet. According to Aristotle’s the classification of governments (Kelsen 2009:283), a government ruled by one ruler is monarchy while a government ruled by many rulers is a called democracy. The parliamentary government reflects that the government is ruled by all rulers, which is a democracy. Unlike a monarchy, is ruled by only one ruler. It is clearly show that Japan is better described as a democracy. Aristotle’s classification based on two dimensions which are the number of people involved governing. It captured the extent of involvement in a political system. Besides, the second dimension is whether rulers governed by common interest or in their own interests. Although the emperor of Japan still exists, the emperor has no political power to control the government by himself. Only the head of government can exercise the political power and the national Diet is the highest decision-maker as the national Diet holds the most political power. Moreover, the political system of Japan is divided into three branches, including executive, judicial and legislative branches. Each branches composed of a large group of people to make decisions and handle national activities. All the decisions are made by the constitution instead of the emperor in Japan. As the emperor in Japan has no political power, Japan cannot be described as a monarchy. Overall speaking, Japan is a parliamentary government with ceremonial emperor and it is a liberal democracy based on the theory of Aristotle. Liberal democracy is free to express the views as well as the individual rights are being protected. In addition, people in Japan can enjoy freedom of expressions and they will have a free and fair election to select the preferred government. These are the main features of a liberal democracy. Furthermore, Japan is better to describe as a democracy rather than a monarchy. Since the emperor has no real political power and the government consists of a large group of people to handle different kinds of national activities, such as establish and pass new policy, international cooperation and make decisions. The political power of a country is being separated into different constitutions, which means all rulers, such as legislature, executive council and judicial courts, control the government.

Psoriatic essays

Psoriatic essays The term arthritis comes from the Greeks meaning inflammation of the joint, and is normally a reaction to injury or disease resulting in swelling, pain, and stiffness (Serot). Several million Americans experience this pain and the many restrictions arthritis confines them to daily. Though perceived otherwise, arthritis is not a single condition, yet a combination of 150 different types of arthritis, all of which affect one or more joints in the body, some without inflammation (MayoClinic, 2004). Psoriatic arthritis makes up one very significant part of this arthritis classification. Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease of scaling and inflammation affecting 2-3% percent of the United States population. It occurs when skin cells quickly rise from their origin below the surface of the skin and pile up on the surface before they have a chance to mature. Usually this movement, often called turnover, takes nearly a month, but with psoriasis it may occur only in a few days, mostly showing up on elbows, knees, parts of the leg, face, scalp, lower back, palms, and the soles of feet. It results in patches of thick, red skin covered in silvery scales, otherwise called plaques, usually feeling sore or itchy (Shiel, 2004). Both arthritis and psoriasis, two painful and limiting conditions, combine to create psoriatic arthritis. Out of the approximately six million Americans struggling through the agony of psoriasis, one million of these are additionally coping with psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis is a skin condition marked by a rapid buildup of rough, dry, dead skin cells that form thick scales. Arthritis causes pain and stiffness in your joints, two autoimmune problems, or disorders that occur when your bodys immune system, which normally fights harmful organisms such as viruses and bacteria, begins to attack healthy cells and tissues. The abnormal immune response causes inflammation in joints as well as...

My Most Important Decision essays

My Most Important Decision essays It was the most important decision that I had ever made. It has molded me into the person that I am today. It is the reason why I choose to live my life the way that I do. This one decision has given me a reason to hold on in times of struggle and turmoil. It has allowed me to have unbelievable peace. I have given my life to Christ, and this has changed my life forever. The day I gave my life to Christ was the happiest day of my life. It was such a big moment for me as a teenager. For a while, I had been struggling with the decision to do so. Prior to this big step, whenever I thought I was ready to devote my life to christ, something would stop me. It was as if something didn't want me to go forward with my decision. Something was holding me back with all of its strength. My focus would be taken off of God, and on to something else. There were times when my focus would be on boys. There would always be a boy to distract me and take my mind off of what had been so important to me. Th ere were times when my focus would be on all of my weaknesses. I always felt that there were too many things wrong with me and that I was completely incapable of committing myself. I felt as though I had been standing behind a locked gate, desiring to be on the other side, but not believing it to be possible. For a while, there had been no key available for me. I knew that all I had to do was make this decision wholeheartedly, and then I would be where I wanted to be in life. Yet, it was a fight between what I knew I needed to do and what I wanted to do. It was a battle between the flesh and the spirit. There were many times when my flesh would win the battles. I would do and say things that I knew I shouldn't have. I would lie to and disobey my parents. I would put down and ridicule others. However, even with all of the negative things that I would do, there was always a little voice that would always let me know that what I was doing was wrong. After a...

Important Read This Before You Send SAT Scores to Colleges

Important Read This Before You Send SAT Scores to Colleges SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips No matter how stellar your transcript, no matter how mastered your extracurricular activities, no matter how lyrical your essay- no application is complete without your SAT scores. So how do you make sure your SAT scores are sent properly, at the right time, and with only the scores you are most proud of? Read on for our best advice on the decisions you'll be faced with and what to do in case something goes wrong. In this article,I'll go over the process of sending SAT scores, the ins and outs of SAT Score Choice, when to send SAT scores (and when not to!), and what to do if your scores go missing. I'll also explain the pros and cons of every option and give you my suggestion anytime there are multiple possible ways to proceed. How to Send Your SAT Scores: 2 Methods You can send your SAT scores either when you takethe test or anytime after you get your scores. We'll look at the two methods in more detail below. Method 1: Use Your Four Free Score Reports When you register for the SATand for nine days after you take the test, you can send four free score reports tocolleges and scholarship programs. However, note that you'd be doing this without first seeing your scores. Here's our advice onwhether you should send these free four SAT score reports: Pros: These four score reports are free. A dollar saved is a dollar earned! Cons:You won't know your scores before they get sent out. This means you won't be able to use SAT Score Choice to pick which scores colleges see and which they don't see (more about Score Choice in the next part of this article). Essentially, your scores will be sent out even if they aren't as strong as you'd like them to be. Recommendation:Save some money and time- use your four free score reports to send scores to colleges that want to see all your SAT scores. Note: More and more schools are allowing students to self-report their SAT/ACT scores and only require official score reports if students are accepted. If you're only applying to schools that fall into that category and wait until your acceptances to send an official score report, you'll have to default to method 2, which we'll be covering next. Ben Franklin and his three-pence paper money are proud of your frugality. Method 2: Order Additional Score Reports You can alsoorder SAT score reports through your College Board account anytime after you get your scores. In your account, you can see all of your SAT test dates and scoresand choose which ones to send out. Here's our advice about whether you should send your SAT scores after you see them: Pros:You can see all your scores first, so you can select only your best scores to be sent out (again, I'll address SAT Score Choice in more detail below). Cons: It costs$12 to send a score report to a college, and each report can include a number of test scores on it. In other words, if you want to send three SAT scores to the University of Vermont and two to the University of Hawaii, you'd pay $24. (Students eligible for a fee waiver have unlimited free score reports.) Note that rush reports cost more:$31. Here are our recommendations for when to order additional SAT score reports: Send scores withyour best section results to colleges that superscore the SAT. These schools make a new composite score using your best Math, Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW), and Essayscores from any SATs you took. Send your single highest score to colleges that neither superscore norrequire all your scores,to SAT scholarship programs,andto the NCAA if you plan to playcollege sports. Can You Send Old SAT Scores? To send scores from an SAT you took more than a year ago, you must request them from the archives. Each report costs$31, and each rush report costs an additional $31. You can order old SAT scores in one of two ways (note that youcannotorder them online through your College Board account): Fill out the Archived Score Report Order Form and send it to the following address: SAT Program PO Box 7503 London, KY 40742-7503 Call the College Board at (866) 756-7346.Be aware that there is an additional $15 fee for ordering scores over the phone. Pro Tip: You might run across QA websites that tell you to simply mail or fax a copy of your printed SAT score report to colleges as a way of sending scores for free. Don't listen to these! Most colleges only look at official score reports sent directly by the College Board. You can't simply send schools a copy of your report, even if your deadline is approaching. Faxed a copy of your scores? Might as well have sent them this note. Can YouChoose Which SAT Scores to Send? You can now decide whether you want the College Board to send all your SAT scores to colleges or whether you want to use a program called Score Choice. SAT Score Choice lets you pick which scores you send to schools.You can select individual test dates, but not test sections. In other words, you pick the date of the SAT you want to send, and the College Board will send out scores from that test and that test only. Say you tookthe SATthree times, and the second time you were nursing a fever and just generally having a bad day. Score Choice lets you send only the first and third test scores to colleges- so you can go ahead and consign that second one to the dustbin of history. Score Choice also applies to SAT Subject Tests.You can pick which Subject Test score to send to your target colleges. Here are the pros and cons of the SAT Score Choice policy: Pros Score Choice is awesome for colleges that don’t requireall of your SAT scores. It's also perfect for colleges that superscore- you can send them the test dates that have your highest section scores. It's great forany SAT Subject Tests you’ve taken multiple times,since you just want colleges to get your highest score. Finally, it’s the best way to send your best single SAT score to scholarship programs and the NCAA. Cons You have toread your target colleges' score submission policies very carefully. Failing to send all your scores to colleges that require all of them could land your application in hot water. To make keeping track of different policies easier, check out CollegeBoard's BigFuture site, which lists the SAT score policies for hundreds of US schools. When Should YouSend YourSAT Scores? Now, let's discuss the best timing for sending SAT scores to colleges. In this section, we'll touch on how early to send your scores, when to expect scores to reach your colleges, whether to consider rush ordering your score reports, and finally what to do if you miss a deadline. Should You Send Your SAT Scores Early? The College Board claims that sending scores earlyshows colleges that you're a very interested applicant. If you first take the SAT your junior year, then, should you go ahead and send that score to colleges you're particularly interested in? It's true that some collegesdo sometimes ask to see proof that an applicant sincerely wants to go to their school; this is calleddemonstrated interest.But this is something that usually comes into play after you've turned in your full application, usually as a way to move someone up on a waitlist. Typically, sending SAT scores early does notgive you an edge. Similarly, it doesn't count as demonstrated interest.This is because if you send SAT scores to a college but haven’t applied there yet, the admission staff will simply save them under your name in a general file until your application shows up. And it's not only that. If you send your scores early and are planning to retake the SAT, you won't get the full benefit of Score Choice since you won't be able to compare your early score with ones from later tests you take. Save getting there early for the Harry Potter swag line. When Should SAT Scores Get to the Admissions Office? It will be no surprise to hear that official SAT score reports should get to your schools by their respective application deadline.In order to figure out what this means in terms of when to send your scores, let’s go through the timing of everything that happens after you take the test. Step 1: The College Board Scores Your SAT Scoringusually takes two to three weeks but can take more than five weeks for the June test date. Step 2: Score Reports Are Posted Online and Processed for Sending You can access your SAT score report through your College Board account. If you registered for the four free score reports, these will be sent out to colleges about one to two weeks after your scores appearonline (if you took the SAT without Essay). If you took the SAT with Essay, your scores will be sent out about 10 days after you get them online. As soon as scores are online, you can order additional score reports from the College Board website. Step 3: Colleges Receive Your SAT Scores Most colleges receive test scores electronically through software that files your score with the rest of your application materials. Colleges themselvesselect how often to download new SAT score reports; this is usually somewhere between once per day and once per week(for example, UVA gets SAT scores daily). Remember that there will be a lag between when a college gets your scores and when it adds them to your application file. In most circumstances, the math for ordering SAT score reports goes like this: less than 1 week for ordering scores + 1 week for colleges to get and file scores = order scores at least 2weeks before the application deadline I always hedge my bets, soI’d advise ordering test reports at least three weeks early for safety or, even better, as soon as you're done testing and know which schools you're applying to. Your last possible test date math looks like this: 3weeks for scoring + 3 weeks for ordering tests = take your last test no later than6weeks before the application deadline Should You Rush Your SAT Score Report Order? If you are worried about beating deadlines, youcan pay extra for the College Board'srush service. Here are the pros and cons of doing so: Pros Instead of taking "a few days"to send your scores, the College Boardguarantees SAT scores will be sent out within two to four business days. Cons This service does not speed up how long it takes the College Board to score your test. It also does not speed up how long it takes for colleges to receive your scores. Remember, schools choose the timing themselves, with some getting score reports only weekly. In other words, while your scores are sent sooner, they aren't necessarily going to be seenby schools sooner. Colleges that receive score reports electronically might not view priority reports at all. The service costs $31(but you can rush reports to many schools at once). Recommendation:If your deadline is fast approaching, it might make sense to pay extra to buy yourself a little more time. Just keep in mind that colleges might not see your scores any faster if their delivery preferences aren’t set up for priority reports. Yes, sir- we have our very fastest messenger on it, sir. What If You Miss the Application Deadline? What happens to applications when SAT scores arrive late varies depending on each college's policy. Some schools have a hard and fast rule: late application materials disqualify that applicant. For example, theUniversity of Texas’s policy even overrides the guaranteed admission the school offers to any in-state students in the top 10% of their class. In short, late test scores are a big gamble- you’re essentially betting that your application won’t be considered until further into the process and that therefore your SAT scores still have a chance to get there without issue. For example, here's whatStanford University’s admissions site warns in regard to test scores: â€Å"We cannot delay the review of an application in anticipation of scores that will arrive after the deadline nor can we guarantee that late [SAT] scores will be reviewed." Meanwhile,UVA points out the followingif your SAT scores are late: â€Å"There is a chance that we will have already started the [sic] review your file before those scores arrive. You should still send those scores.... There's a chance that the scores will be seen at some point in the process.† Finally, some schools judge applications on a case-by-case basis.This means that an otherwise excellent application might be put aside until SAT scores arrive, while an application that is clearly not a good fit for the school will be rejected even before scores are received. How Can I Ensure That My SAT Scores Don’t Get Lost? A college is guaranteed to receive your SAT scores either when you select it during SAT registration or when youselect it on the College Board website while ordering additional score reports. Some university systems, such as University of California system, which has many campuses under one umbrella, share scores among campuses. In other words, if you send your SAT scores to one UC campus, your scores will be distributed to all UC campuses. The most likelyreason your target college can’t find your SATscore report is that you picked the wrong school's name on the form.If you registered for the four free reports, check your own score report to confirm that the collegesyou put in are correct. If you ordered reports through the College Board website, log in to your account to double-check the colleges you selected. A good rule of thumb is to wait three weeks after you send your SAT scores to check whether they've been received.Usually, this info is available on the college’s application site, but in some cases colleges will contact you to let you know which application materials aren't in your file yet. If you get a notice from the college that your scores are missing, don’t panic: often, it can take up to a few weeks for received application materials to be logged.Chances are, the school has indeed received your scores but simply hasn’t filed them yet. Feel free to call the admissions office and calmly and respectfully ask them to check whether your SAT scores have arrived or not. If your SAT scores don't turn up- either because they got lost in the mail, were somehow electronically derailed, or were simply misfiled- you can always resend your scores by ordering new ones throughthe College Board website. Can we somehow get the tooth fairy involved with this whole missing-SAT-scores situation? What’s Next? Unsure how to study for your next crack at the SAT? Check out our expert advice and SAT study plan suggestions for taking the test your sophomore and junior year as well as the summer before senior year. Ready to try for a full SAT score? Learn what it takes to get to a 1600 from a perfect SAT scorer. Want to start working on the rest of your college application? Try out our tips on how to craft a versatile one that'll work for many different colleges. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Mrs. Fields Cookies Growth Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mrs. Fields Cookies Growth - Case Study Example The information system configured for Mrs. Fields’ Cookies was actually based on the ‘fit’ between the organizational structure, culture and the organizational goals. It was built distinctively for the operations of Mrs. Field’s Cookies within a given business market (fresh baked cookies) and it addressed the needs and requirements of the firm in forecasting demand, anticipating sales, allocating resources, tracking sales records and measuring the performance of each of the different outlets. Apart from these, the information management system was also equipped with ‘strategic intelligence’ in assisting managers (regional or store managers) making decisions fast without wasting time dealing with paperwork or any bureaucratic procedures. In general, the information system management approach undertaken by Mrs. Field’s Cookies was very enhancing and facilitated the growth and expansion of the firm as it enabled Debbi and Randy to maintain control on the one hand through centralization of operations and management. At the same time, however, employees were left to do work that was essential for business growth and which involved primarily the promotion of sales. The Acquisition of La Petite Boulangerie Within the expansion strategy of Mrs. Cookies Fields’, diversification was attempted through the acquisition of La Petite Boulangerie (LPB). Randy and Debbi show that acquisition as an excellent way of leveraging marketing opportunities by capitalizing on their brand name (according to the case study â€Å"the Mrs. Fields' name was demographically well established, and Randy believed whatever they put it on would sell†) and by extending the concept of a simple cookie store to diversifying into a ‘combination’ store (sit-down cafe). In undertaking LPB, Randy and Debbi sought to further stimulate the growth of the firm by diversifying its initial business and offerings. Their aspirations were ba sically driven by two factors: the first factor relates to the fact that Mrs. Field’s Cookies was a growth-oriented company and therefore opportunities offered were quickly grasped (despite the fact that in the early years Debbi was rather reluctant in growth because of her perceived control loss). In addition to that, Mrs. Fields’ Cookies had already acquired other firms in the past (within the expansion strategy program) and had managed to successfully incorporate them into the business structure, philosophy, and culture of the company (as in the case of the Famous Chocolate Chip Company).  

Kim by rudyard kipling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Kim by rudyard kipling - Essay Example and does not inform of Kim’s future move, it provides closure because the redemption at the end offers a solution to all the conflict the novel raises. The ending of Kipling’s novel is very abrupt and may not seem to be coherent because the narration shifted all of a sudden from the painstaking journey in the hills, mountains and plains to an â€Å"I† voice that presents the River of the Arrows. This form of revelation seems to be supernatural and divine because there is no physical connection between the last location of the characters and the river. The voice said: â€Å"‘The River! Take heed to the River!’ and I looked down upon all the world, which was as I had seen it before –one in time, one in place – and I saw plainly the River of the Arrow at my feet† (Kipling 264). After all the time, energy and effort spent searching, the river is finally here like in a dream. Moreover, the â€Å"I† narration at the end is also confusing because the identity of the speaker is not revealed. At times, it seems like the lama is talking, but sometimes, it looks like that Kim or any of th e other characters may be the narrator. This confusion at the end foregrounds that what happens may be a revelation that does not need further explanation because it is divine. However, despite the confusion and lack of coherence, the result is clear and shows that the lama has found his river and has been cleansed of his sins: â€Å"‘I saw the River below me – the River of the Arrow –and, descending, the waters of it closed over me; and behold I was again in the body of Teshoo Lama, but free from sin, and the hakim from Decca bore up my head in the waters of the River. It is here! It is behind the mango-tope here – even here!’† (Kipling 264) This redemption of the lama is very important to the story and to the meaning it is trying to convey. Despite this disruptive ending, Kipling’s novel provides closure because the redemption at the end proposes a solution to the

Manager should be considered a stakeholder Essay

Manager should be considered a stakeholder - Essay Example Thus, in 1984 Freeman offered a stakeholder theory, claiming that an organization can maximize its value only through common benefits of all the relevant persons and groups. Not only stockholders should complete control over a firm, while investors, employees and suppliers also take part and risks in creation of the business’s success. Stakeholder theory is based on doctrine of Fair Contracts, Feminist Standpoint Theory, and ecological principles. R. Edward Freeman shares his observations concerning business ethics, pointing out to the facts that: â€Å"organizations without a history of mutually accepted shared values tend to come apart during stress†, while â€Å"people in touch with core values can deal with change, ambiguity, stress, and tough times†. He also suggests that â€Å"people tend to avoid the ambiguous yet that is what tends to be the most rewarding† and that â€Å"individuals need organizational support to act morally† (Freeman 1984) . Freeman, Wicks, Parmar (2004) state that capitalism should be understood as â€Å"creating value for stakeholders† (p.366). At that â€Å"the goal of creating value for stakeholders is decidedly pro-shareholders†, while a manager creates shareholder value through creating qualitative products and services for customers, offering excellent jobs for employees, building favorable relationships with suppliers and competitors, and being a good citizen in the community. Finally, under such conditions an organization is not likely to have problems with governments. Creating stakeholder value managers are able to assume potential entrepreneurial risks. First of all, considering all the possible interests and stakeholders you avoid potential conflicts. Further, it is possible to cooperate with suppliers and customers to jointly test new products and services. Working in the name of increased profitability for the shareholders

Thirty to fifty of SCHOLARLY journal articles Business Problem in Essay

Thirty to fifty of SCHOLARLY journal articles Business Problem in Rosenbluth international - Essay Example As stated by Clemons and Hann (1999), companies which are successful find it difficult to change their policies in accordance to the changing business environment. This notion identifies and sheds light on the difficulty and complexity that is associated with the implementation of an effective change management strategy and reorganization of business operations. In the case of Rosenbluth International, this required alteration in company operations has been prompted by the prospects of disintermediation that the organization currently faces, which in turn have been triggered by the continuation of a significant period in the industry of travel brokerage that is essentially marked by a major restructuring of the entire industry (Clemons and Hann, 1999). According to Clemons and Hann (1999), the drastic changes that are being experienced by the travel industry can be associated with dynamics of the competitive environment. ... dustry by analysts highlights the alarming situation for travel agents as hotel chains and airlines intend to raise the scope of their revenue generation by launching electronic distribution systems. Furthermore, Carroll and Siguaw (2003) claim that the popularity of internet-based room reservation has allowed hotel owners to gain complete control over various methods of distribution which is threatening to the wellbeing of Rosenbluth International. Another challenge faced by Rosenbluth is not only rooted in external competitive pressures that are posed by other travel agents but is also caused by the commission cuts which have been introduced by hotels and rental companies thereby, prompting the organization to raise its charges by $10 to $15 (McCubbrey, 1999) to soothe the incurrence of unexpected expenditures. An examination of the case suggests that the challenges being faced by Rosenbluth are largely based on an increase in expenses and a decrease in the revenues being generated by the firm due to the introduction of electronic distribution systems by major travel-based businesses and a reduction in commission caps that are being earned by competing organizations. However, once the case is viewed from a varying perspective it can be comprehended that the issues which Rosenbluth is currently experiencing are also a consequence of the widespread availability of substitute services such as bargain prices and the incorporation of effective and pioneering business models such as reverse auction and auction. Discussion Given the present scenario and the challenges posed by the competitive environment in which Rosenbluth International operates, it would seem most appropriate to install an online reservation system to equip the organization with the technological tools

Modern Arabic Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Modern Arabic Media - Essay Example We have to carefully access each belief by keeping in mind these different criteria's, which will help us, give our responses and will result in a well orientated research from which actions will take place. In short, we can say that culture can be known as the identity of a person, which varies from person to person. (Traditional beliefs and health problems, 1, n.d) When we talk about Arab culture, there are many cultures because of which we can not say that the Arab culture comprises of only one culture, but this comprises of many cultures which is vary vast and rich in communities, groups and cultures. Within the countries there exist many different cultures due to which there are differences amongst themselves, which is not amongst the countries but within the countries as well. Arab is territory which ranges from Morocco across Northern Africa and then to the Persian Gulf. Arab countries are also being termed as Middle East and North Africa. The key component of Arab countries is that they are religious and culturally different having Islam as their most dominant religion. They include different races such as Muslims, Christians and Jews. Religion does play a vital role in the Arab countries and their politics. It has been observed that all Muslims are Arabs and all the Arabs are Muslims which is a wrong conception. Their culture is a civil ized one in which the modern cities combine with the ancient cities. Religion plays a vital role in politics of the country. In the Arab countries women are subordinates of men in the society, which is being varied from country to country. Arabian Peninsula have the most restricted condition over women as compared to other countries such as Egypt and Lebanon, the women have less restrictions and are able to work with men in the society. They respect their families and friends and they act as a center for the Arabs in which Men are always the head of the family. (Arab Cultural Awareness, 1, 2006) Problems faced by Arab Media Today the Arab media is facing problems which include political, social, and cultural problems. It all began after the disastrous tragedy of 9/11, when the US government was shocked by attacks on them and Arab media played a major role to expose all the related information of the environment. The Arab media displayed the entire real picture of the on screen events as well as behind the scene. At that time, the US government was of the point of view that how the Arab media was showing and informing the people's mind. They launched an investigation into this matter to find out the real picture. Americans deeply investigated into the matters at how they are revealing information which has not been revealed before. All this started to cause problems for the Arab media which was researching deep analysis into the matters and providing information against the US Government. (Arab Media, 1, 2005) Cultural problems faced by Arab Media In the Arab countries companies are of the point of view not to leak out any sort of information which can be processed by the journalists. They try and keep things to themselves and do not share their internal information. The companies do not want themselves to

Human Rights According to Adolf Hitler Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Human Rights According to Adolf Hitler - Essay Example The Napoleonic France and Nazi Germany depict authorities that struggled to their death as new states were born. This paper will therefore compare and contrast excerpts from Hitler’s speech and French national assembly declaration of human rights. The definition of human rights has raised numerous controversies in the new era of democracies (Docker 121). It is evident that every regime has its own definition of human rights. In addition, different countries or governments cannot share their ideologies concerning human rights. For instance, the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were initiated in the disguise of human rights. According to the Americans, toppling authoritarian Taliban led regime was a way of promoting human rights in Afghanistan. However, the move might not have had a similar implication to the Afghan people. Similarly, the two excerpts demonstrate the conflicting views of human rights according to Hitler and the French national assembly declaration of man and human rights. According to Adolf Hitler, human right should be an aspect of survival. Thus, every individual should struggle to ensure that he or she lives according to his own definition of human rights. Hitler believed that â€Å"The fundamental motif [theme] through all the centuries has been the principle that force and power are the determining factors... This indicates that citizens need to understand their rights for the government to be able to implement human rights on its citizens. According to the extract on the French national assembly human rights declaration, â€Å"the assembly was organized believing that ignorance, neglect or contempt of the rights of man is the main cause of public misfortune.† This indicates that the French believed in the self-made human rights while the Nazi Germans believed in a regime sustained human rights. Hitler’s’ elimination of the Jewish people was inspired by his definition of human rights (Quist-Adade web). His involvement in World War I was a symbol of his devotion to the human rights of the Germans. Although Hitler came into power through democratic elections, he did not believe that the people had the rights to choose their leaders through elections. His support for a democratic election was a scheme to gain control of the country. After gaining power, Hitler imposed a dictatorial authority over Germany until his death in April 1945. Hitler’s speech indicates his resistance towards democracy. In fact, Hitler can be described as a symbol of anti-democracy. On the other hand, the French national assembly of human right supports democracy. The assembly supports a people driven democracy or democracy that is based on people’s understanding of their human rights. On the other hand, Hitler considered the regime as the paramount determinant of human right. Thus, a regime has the right to impose its own definition of democracy on the people. However, from the French national assembly on human rights, the citizens are vital in the formation of a government. Thus â€Å" they saw government as a creation of the people, when the social contract had been broken, then the

Modern Arabic Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Modern Arabic Media - Essay Example We have to carefully access each belief by keeping in mind these different criteria's, which will help us, give our responses and will result in a well orientated research from which actions will take place. In short, we can say that culture can be known as the identity of a person, which varies from person to person. (Traditional beliefs and health problems, 1, n.d) When we talk about Arab culture, there are many cultures because of which we can not say that the Arab culture comprises of only one culture, but this comprises of many cultures which is vary vast and rich in communities, groups and cultures. Within the countries there exist many different cultures due to which there are differences amongst themselves, which is not amongst the countries but within the countries as well. Arab is territory which ranges from Morocco across Northern Africa and then to the Persian Gulf. Arab countries are also being termed as Middle East and North Africa. The key component of Arab countries is that they are religious and culturally different having Islam as their most dominant religion. They include different races such as Muslims, Christians and Jews. Religion does play a vital role in the Arab countries and their politics. It has been observed that all Muslims are Arabs and all the Arabs are Muslims which is a wrong conception. Their culture is a civil ized one in which the modern cities combine with the ancient cities. Religion plays a vital role in politics of the country. In the Arab countries women are subordinates of men in the society, which is being varied from country to country. Arabian Peninsula have the most restricted condition over women as compared to other countries such as Egypt and Lebanon, the women have less restrictions and are able to work with men in the society. They respect their families and friends and they act as a center for the Arabs in which Men are always the head of the family. (Arab Cultural Awareness, 1, 2006) Problems faced by Arab Media Today the Arab media is facing problems which include political, social, and cultural problems. It all began after the disastrous tragedy of 9/11, when the US government was shocked by attacks on them and Arab media played a major role to expose all the related information of the environment. The Arab media displayed the entire real picture of the on screen events as well as behind the scene. At that time, the US government was of the point of view that how the Arab media was showing and informing the people's mind. They launched an investigation into this matter to find out the real picture. Americans deeply investigated into the matters at how they are revealing information which has not been revealed before. All this started to cause problems for the Arab media which was researching deep analysis into the matters and providing information against the US Government. (Arab Media, 1, 2005) Cultural problems faced by Arab Media In the Arab countries companies are of the point of view not to leak out any sort of information which can be processed by the journalists. They try and keep things to themselves and do not share their internal information. The companies do not want themselves to

Choose your own Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Choose your own - Essay Example sin, alongside his brother Agostino, made the first step towards commercializing their business by opening a studio, whose main function was to make and sell paintings to people that requested them. In their approach, the Carracci’s placed much attention on the typical Florentine style of linear draftsmanship, which was evident in some of the paintings like Andrea Del Sarto, which was done by Raphael. The interest in Carracci’s glimmering colors in their paintings, as well as development of mistier edges was an idea they borrowed from Venetian painters like Titian, whose works they studied in much of their travels. Some of the most famous paintings by Carracci are discussed and illustrated below This painting, one of the best that were done by Carracci is a depiction of a family life where a mother is shown as warning a nightgown of her so just besides a small fire in the room. The picture indicates a home that comprises of the mother together with her two children and a cat, who are looking on as the gown is warming. This painting is believed to be dating back to the 1580s, a time of its development. Carracci has been creative in managing to create a intimacy mood; in fact, this is the approach that Carracci and Ludovico have often used in most of their paintings and artwork. Annibale seem to have mastered the style of using a quick and inspired form of pale washes that appear watery on white surfaces. The use of this approach I very effective since it reveals magical results of tone in the painting, making it authentic and clear. According to this picture, the light from the fire can be described as a major protagonist as far as the composition is concerned. The use of wash by the artist in defining form ranks among the daring works of draftsmanship by Annibale, which indicates his self-confidence in his work. It is important to realize that the use of ink and pen together with the wash make a very permanent picture that one cannot easily erase. This is

Black Codes Essay Example for Free

Black Codes Essay The black codes were a another word for hate, and the reason I say this because the true meaning of The black codes is a law that stops the blacks from having freedom, and later on they would begin to Force them into owing or as I was taught debt. With legal prohibitions of slavery ordered by the Emancipation Proclamation, acts of state legislature, and eventually the Thirteenth Amendment, Southern states adopted new laws to regulate Black life. This was a very serious law for the blacks it was Mean and made them seem like they weren’t people just like they did the grandfather clause and I say This wasn’t a very good matter. This was like the grandfather clause the code is to watch the movement From theirs to the south some laws say black can’t hold guns and cant trade produce and they said this To want them back on the plantation. â€Å"The black codes were passed by the ex-confederate states after the civil war, the purpose of the Black codes were to keep freed slaves in a servitude state, to ensure cheap agricultural labor, and to Keep a white dominate position†. Yes I say they are right because through the research I found this was The one most popular it was well written it talks about cause it talks about what I said in the first Paragraph. Example; Arkansas passed a law prohibiting colored people to Immigrate to Arkansas Another example is Texas required railroad companies to have separate cars for Black and white people And my last example is Arkansas required separate schools for white and black People, they also made a Law called the vagrancy law which meant â€Å"Any person that a law enforcement Officer or judge deemed To be unemployed and not owning property could be arrested and charged as a Vagrancy†. -History. com Radical Republican Reconstruction efforts from 1866-1867, and passage of the Fourteenth Amendment and civil rights legislation, helped to greatly eliminate the Black codes. The Union victory in The Civil War may have given some 4 million slaves their freedom, but African Americans faced a new Onslaught of obstacles and injustices during the Reconstruction era (1865-1877). By late 1865, when the 13th Amendment officially outlawed the institution of slavery, the question of freed blacks status in the Postwar South was still very much unresolved. The Freedmen’s Bureau also helped the former slaves in the workplace. It tried to make sure that The former slaves received fair wages and freely choose their employers. The bureau created special The bureau created special Courts to settle disputes between black workers and their white Employers. It could also intervene in other cases that threatened the rights of freedmen. The South Carolina code included a contract form for black â€Å"servants† who agreed to work for white masters. The Form required that the wages and the Term of service be in writing. The contract had to be witnessed And then approved by a judge. Other Provisions of the code listed the rights and obligations of the Servant and master. Black servants had to Reside on the employer’s property, remain quiet and orderly, Work from sunup to sunset except on Sundays, and not leave the premises or receive visitors without the Master’s permission. Masters could moderately whip servants under 18 to discipline them. Whipping Older servants required a judge’s Order. Time lost due to illness would be deducted from the servant’s Wages. Servants who quit before the end date of their labor contract forfeited their wages and could be Arrested and returned to their Masters by a judge’s order. On the other hand, the law protected black Servants from being forced to do Unreasonable tasks. This is how the 1800’s were they were very mean, cruel and they never thought about anybody But there self and I think that the black codes is just a distraction from what they really and I say that They are all people the black the whites and all the other races it just took them long enough to realize That and I say that is very poorly of them because doesn’t matter what you look like or what you wear Or what your skin color is people are people and we all need to accept that. This is the reason why I Chose the black codes there is no other reason I chose it because people found out the truth that we are A Special in different ways and I like the way we get along to day without racism.

Benefits And Challenges Of Department Stores

Benefits And Challenges Of Department Stores Department stores represent a large retail organization which offers to consumers a large choice of goods and services. Consumers have the opportunity to compare price, quality, and service at different stores at the same time and in a limited place. So the company can profit from individual benefits other sectors. The strategy of F4U is not only to sell quality goods at a reasonable price , but also to offer a unique service .Its prices are neither as cheap as the lower end department store, nor as expensive as the high-end store. F4U will try to bring the immediate attention of consumer through visual effects like layout, displays and colored posters and will place itself directly in front of the shoppers. The company wants, thereby, to entice different target groups and gain those other brands according to the motto good quality, fashion style, best price. In addition F4U intend to retain its consumer through a bonus program and to collect their personal data to build an aggregate profile of individual consumers to target them with special offers and appropriate advertisements. Benefits and challenges of Department stores: Department stores offer to the customer the direct experience to touch and feel the product and judge its quality as well as the possibility of living the purchase as experience (Steinmann 2011:27) .The customer can try the clothes and take them immediately. Whereby the number of returns can be decreased. The face-to-face contact is crucial for many consumers especially for old people or people who dislike shopping online. Another advantage is the longer opening hours compared to specialty retail stores especially on Friday and Saturday. Department stores have also many disadvantages such as the existing of a concrete and inflexible location. Consequently, the location is a crucial factor for the shopping place. In this context, many consumers opine that, the fixed opening hours and parking fees are unfavorable. In addition, the time exposure, due to the travelling time, could be also a problem for some consumers (Heinemann 2008:19) Furthermore, department stores emerge several costs for the company such as lease costs and staff costs. Catalog selling Catalog selling as a channel for F4U Catalog selling is one of the most popular strategies used in Fashion game. The approach involves the creation of a printed catalog with a listing of products for sale. Every product is explicitly described and clearly illustrated with a picture to make the shopping experience as real as possible for the consumer. The catalog contains also a size chart to help consumer choosing the appropriate size. F4U tries, across catalog selling, to expand its clientele and above all to attain consumers, who are not familiar with using the internet or who dislike to walk around the stores for buying clothes. The catalog will comprise different ordering informations. The consumer can choose between ordering by telephone and entering the order at the online site.F4u will also offer its consumers various delivery options .They range from shipment directly to the consumers address, to delivering the goods to a F4u retail store or simply to a Packstation. Benefits and challenges of catalog selling: The catalog shopping approach allows customers to shop comfortable without time pressure .It gives the company the possibility to reach various consumer groups. That may also increase the exposure of retailers to potential clients. The catalog represents essentially the showroom. According to Geller (2002, 148) Response: The Complete Guide to Profitable Direct Marketing if the catalog is the store, the written copy is the salesperson. Instead of waiting for the consumer, the company takes the initiative in presenting its products. Because payment is received in advance, retailers may not need to stock the merchandise and tie up their cash flow. The main disadvantage of catalog order is the difficulty to build trust and customer loyalty. In addition consumer must wait a period of time to get their order. An additional vulnerability is the long lead times. Selling via catalogs could be very expensive because a catalog must be extremely well written and designed to move the shopping desire by consumers. Low response rates and high postal costs may make catalog selling to an unfavorable channel. Electronic commerce Electronic commerce as a channel for F4U Electronic commerce or online shopping is the most effective way to brand your product line or services and to increase your visibility on line. It follows that a properly marketed and visible online business will experience a growth of shoppers and a higher conversion rate (Inci, 2010) .Through a user-friendly and well designed website F4U will become a global presence. The company will also use several tools to raise the visibility of the website and the number of its visitors. This will allow the company to reach new target groups and markets. Like by the catalog selling, the consumer will have to choose between different payment and delivery options. The client can check a product in-store or online, see which stores currently have an item in stock, or verify its availability at a specific store. The Online shop will make it possible for consumers to shop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Benefits and challenges of electronic commerce: Electronic commerce combines a variety of benefits. It allows reaching consumers without a geographic limitation. By these means the size of the market will expand from regional area to the national one or peradventure from national to international. In addition the company can always change the listed prices for several or edit the website in just a few clicks. Using the online selling can reduce many costs like logistical problems, the costs of distribution, of processing or of storing informations. By contrast, the company can increase the quality of services. Furthermore e-commerce makes it possible to generate consumer data and to evolve an individualized consumer profile Electronic commerce has many advantages but also disadvantages. According to Rajarman (2010:11) an important disadvantage is that Many persons go shopping for social contacts, touch and feel and bargaining before buying items. E-commerce will de-personalize transactions. . Other persons are afraid of hackers and avoid giving their credit card numbers. Sometimes the item description is not enough for a decision to buy them because many items need to be felt and touched. Rajarman (2010:12) mentions also that online-business expose the catalogues and prices to competitors. The advantage of secrecy of traditional mode of doing business is lost References Heinemann, G., 2008. Multi-Channel-Handel: Erfolgsfaktoren und Best Practices ( Multichannel trade: success factors and best practices ). Berlin: Springer DE. Inci, D., 2010. optimum7. [Online] Available at: http://www.optimum7.com/internet-marketing/ecommerce/internet-marketing-and-online-shopping.html [Accessed 17 November 2012]. Rajarman, V., 2010. Essentials Of E-Commerce Technology. New Delhi: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. Steinmann, S., 2011. Kundenkontakte und Kundenkontaktsequenzen im Multi Channel Marketing: Ausprà ¤gungen, Determinanten und Wirkungen ( Customer contacts and customer sequences in Multichannel marketing: developments, determinants and effects ). Wiesbaden: Gabler Verlag.

Essay --

My Year of Meats (Ozeki) tells the story of two women in two very different parts of the world, and their tumultuous, life-changing journey with meat over the course of a year. Both characters come face to face with situations that test their beliefs and morals, as well as their resolve. There are many themes and lessons that come out of the two women’s’ journey regarding the media, meat products and capitalism, but one of the majors themes that is present in all aspects of the story is the idea of how ideals are carried through society. At one point or another, both women are faced with a choice to either continue on the path their life is currently on, or go against society and change their course. Ruth Ozeki supports the idea in her book that in order to be truly happy and have a less stereotypical society, each individual member of society must be willing to look at their own lives and change it themselves; otherwise, true change will never happen, and society will never be able to move past its limiting views. Jane Takagi-Little is the first of the main characters to be introduced, and in the beginning of the story she very bluntly points out that, â€Å"One requisite of a good documentarian: you must shamelessly take what is available† (Ozeki 33); however her opinion of what a documentarian should be showing changes and evolves the more she films and interacts with different families. When Jane is asked to write a proposal for a show, My American Wife!, that is sponsored by a major beef corporation called BEEF-EX, Jane does not turn down the opportunity given her tough financial situation (7). Each week the show would look at a different traditional, wholesome American family from around the country, and feature a delicious me... ...er. In the end, My Year of Meats (Ozeki) was the yearlong journey of two different women who decided to go against society and try to make it a better place by changing themselves, finding their own happiness and influencing others to do the same along the way. The purpose of Ozeki carrying this theme through the book is to show that change is possible, but every person needs to start with their own lives as society changes one person at a time, not all at once. Ignorance of problems only leads to the problems becoming worse, and possibly more problems appearing, so it is important to realize and fix them when they are present. This is a very important lesson to be learned from the characters of My Year of Meats (Ozeki), and it is likely a problem that will persist, but through time and effort, society can change, even if it can only be done one person at a time.

Designing High-Performance Jobs

Improving the performance of key people is often as simple—and as profound—as changing the resources they control and the results for which they are accountable. by Robert Simons You have a compelling product, an exciting vision, and a clear strategy for your new business. You’ve hired good people and forged relationships with critical suppliers and distributors. You’ve launched a marketing campaign targeting high-value customers. All that remains is to build an organization that can deliver on the promise. But implementation goes badly. Managers in the regional offices don’t show enough entrepreneurial spirit. They are too complacent and far too slow in responding to customers. Moreover, it’s proving very difficult to coordinate activities across units to serve large, multisite customers. Decision making is fragmented, and time to market is much longer than expected. Excessive costs are eating away at profit margins. You begin to wonder: â€Å"Have I put the wrong people in critical jobs? † But the problems are more widespread than that—in fact, they’re systemic across the organization. This tale of a great strategy derailed by poor execution is all too common. Of course, there are many possible reasons for such a failure and many people who might be to blame. But if this story reminds you of your own experience, have you considered the possibility that your organization is designed to fail? Specifically, are key jobs structured to achieve the business’s performance potential? If not, unhappy consequences are all but inevitable. In this article, I present an action-oriented framework that will show you how to design jobs for high performance. My basic point is straightforward: For your business to achieve its potential, each employee’s supply of organizational resources should equal his or her demand for them, and the same supply-and-demand balance must apply to every function, every business unit, and the entire company. Sounds simple, and it is. But only if you understand what determines this balance and how you can influence it. The Four Spans of Job Design To understand what determines whether a job is designed for high performance, you must put yourself in the shoes of your organization’s managers. To carry out his or her job, each employee has to know the answer to four basic questions: †¢ â€Å"What resources do I control to accomplish my tasks? † †¢ â€Å"What measures will be used to evaluate my performance? † †¢ â€Å"Who do I need to interact with and influence to achieve my goals? † †¢ â€Å"How much support can I expect when I reach out to others for help? † The questions correspond to what I call the four basic spans of a job: control, accountability, influence, and support. Each span can be adjusted so that it is narrow or wide or somewhere in between. I think of the adjustments as being made on sliders, like those found on music amplifiers. If you get the settings right, you can design a job in which a talented individual can successfully execute your company’s strategy. But if you get the settings wrong, it will be difficult for any employee to be effective. I’ll look at each span in detail and discuss how managers can adjust the settings. (The exhibit â€Å"The Four Spans† provides a summary. ) The Span of Control. The first span defines the range of resources—not only people but also assets and infrastructure—for which a manager is given decision rights. These are also the resources whose performance the manager is held accountable for. Executives must adjust the span of control for each key position and unit on the basis of how the company delivers value to customers. Consider Wal-Mart, which has configured its entire organization to deliver low prices. Wal-Mart’s strategy depends on standardization of store operations coupled with economies of scale in merchandising, marketing, and distribution. To ensure standardization, Wal-Mart sets the span of control for store managers at the â€Å"narrow† end of the scale. Although they nominally control their stores, Wal-Mart site managers have limited decision rights regarding hours of operation, merchandising displays, and pricing. By contrast, the span of control for managers at corporate headquarters who oversee merchandising and other core operations is set at â€Å"wide. † They are responsible for implementing best practices and consolidating operations to capture economies of scale. In addition to controlling purchasing, merchandising, and distribution, these managers even control the lighting and temperature at Wal-Mart’s 3,500 stores by remote computer. (The settings for the two jobs are compared in the exhibit â€Å"Spans of Control at Wal-Mart. †) Spans of Control at Wal-Mart (Located at the end of this rticle) Of course, the spans of control will be set very differently in companies that follow different strategies. Consider Nestle, a food company that reformulates its products in response to regional tastes for spices and sweets. In this â€Å"local value creation† configuration, the span of control for regional business managers is set very wide so that they have all the resources they need to customize products and respond to customers. Regional managers take responsibility for sales, product development, distribution, and manufacturing. As a consequence, the spans of control for managers back at the head office are relatively narrow, covering only logistics, the supply chain, global contracts, and accounting and finance. The Span of Accountability. The second span refers to the range of trade-offs affecting the measures used to evaluate a manager’s achievements. For example, a person who is accountable for head count or specific expenses in an operating budget can make few trade-offs in trying to improve the measured dimensions of performance and so has a narrow span of accountability. By contrast, a manager responsible for market share or business profit can make many trade-offs and thus has a relatively wide span of accountability. Your setting for this span is determined by the kind of behavior you want to see. To ensure compliance with detailed directives, hold managers to narrow measures. To encourage creative thinking, make them responsible for broad metrics such as market share, customer satisfaction, and return on capital employed, which allow them greater freedom. The span of control and the span of accountability are not independent. They must be considered together. The first defines the resources available to a manager; the second defines the goals the manager is expected to achieve. You might conclude, therefore, that the two spans should be equally wide or narrow. As the adage goes, authority should match responsibility. But in high-performing organizations, many people are held to broad performance measures such as brand profit and customer satisfaction, even though they do not control all the resources—manufacturing and service, for example—needed to achieve the desired results. There is a good reason for this discrepancy. By explicitly setting the span of accountability wider than the span of control, executives can force their managerial subordinates to become entrepreneurs. In fact, entrepreneurship has been defined (by Howard H. Stevenson and J. Carlos Jarillo) as â€Å"the process by which individuals—either on their own or inside organizations—pursue opportunities without regard to the resources they currently control. † What happens when employees are faced with this entrepreneurial gap? They must use their energy and creativity to figure out how to succeed without direct control of the resources they need. See the exhibit â€Å"Creating the Entrepreneurial Gap. †) Thus, managers can adjust these two spans to stimulate creativity and entrepreneurial behavior. Creating the Entrepreneurial Gap (Located at the end of this article) Of course, spans of accountability vary by level in most organizations—in general, they are wider at the top of a company and narrower at the bottom. The CEO of McDonald’s has a wide span of accountability that encompasses stock price, earnings per share, and competitive market position. A McDonald’s store manager has a much narrower span. She must focus on compliance with standard operating procedures, and she is monitored through detailed input and process measures. The Span of Influence. The third span corresponds to the width of the net that an individual needs to cast in collecting data, probing for new information, and attempting to influence the work of others. An employee with a narrow span of influence does not need to pay much attention to people outside his small area to do his job effectively. An individual with a wide span must interact extensively with, and influence, people in other units. As is the case with the other spans, senior managers can adjust the span of influence to promote desired behaviors. They can widen the span when they want to stimulate people to think outside the box to develop new ways of serving customers, increasing internal efficiencies, or adapting to changes in external markets. In many companies, widening the span of influence counteracts the rigidity of organizational structures based on boxes and silos. For example, although global companies like Procter & Gamble need to be responsive to local customers’ needs, they must also create pressure for people in different operations to look beyond their silos to consolidate operations and share best practices to lower costs. Similarly, firms such as big-box retailers that centralize merchandising and distribution to deliver low prices must ensure that they continue to monitor changing competitive dynamics. Operations managers who are insulated from the marketplace must be forced to interact with people in units that are closest to customers. In all of these cases, it’s up to senior managers to ensure that individuals work across organizational boundaries to test new ideas, share information, and learn. Executives can widen a manager’s span of influence by redesigning her job—placing her on a cross-functional team, for example, or giving her an assignment that requires her to report to two bosses. They can also adjust a job’s span of influence through the level of goals they set. Although the nature of a manager’s goals drives her span of accountability (by determining the trade-offs she can make), the level, or difficulty, drives her sphere of influence. Someone given a stretch goal will often be forced to seek out and interact with more people than someone whose goal is set at a much lower level. Finally, executives can use accounting and control systems to adjust the span of influence. For example, the span will be wider for managers who are forced to bear the burden of indirect cost allocations generated by other units, because they will attempt to influence the decisions of the units responsible for the costs. The more complex and interdependent the job, the more important a wide span of influence becomes. In fact, a wide influence span is often an indication of both the power and effectiveness of an executive. In describing eBay’s Meg Whitman, for example, A. G. Lafley, the CEO of Procter & Gamble, said, â€Å"The measure of a powerful person is that their circle of influence is greater than their circle of control. † The Span of Support. This final span refers to the amount of help an individual can expect from people in other organizational units. Again, the slider can be set anywhere from narrow to wide depending on how much commitment from others the person needs in order to implement strategy. Jobs in some organizations—particularly positions such as commission-based sales in efficient and liquid markets—do not need wide spans of support. In fact, such organizations generally operate more efficiently with narrow spans, since each job is independent and individual contributions can be calculated easily at day’s end. Traders in financial institutions, for example, need little support from their fellow traders, and their colleagues can and should stay focused on their own work (and should be compensated solely for their success in generating profit). But wide spans of support become critically important when customer loyalty is vital to strategy implementation (for example, at exclusive hotel chains) or when the organizational design is highly complex because of sophisticated technologies and a complex value chain (in aerospace or computers, for instance). In these cases, individuals throughout the company must move beyond their job descriptions to respond to requests for help from others who are attempting to satisfy customers or navigate organizational processes. Managers cannot adjust a job’s span of support in isolation. That’s because the span is largely determined by people’s sense of shared responsibilities, which in turn stems from a company’s culture and values. In many cases, therefore, all or most of a company’s jobs will have a wide span of support, or none will. But even within a given company culture, there are often circumstances in which managers need to widen the span of support separately for key business units (for example, to support a new division created to bundle and cross sell products from other units) or for key positions (for example, to facilitate the work of cross-functional task forces). There are various policies that managers can employ to widen spans of support. For example, a focus on a customer based mission typically creates a sense of shared purpose. In addition, broad-based stock ownership plans and team- and group-centered incentive programs often foster a sense of equity and belonging and encourage people to help others achieve shared goals. Firms that are characterized by wide spans of support also frown on letting top executives flaunt the trappings of privilege and generally follow a policy of promoting people internally to senior positions. The slider settings for the four spans in any job or business unit are a function of the business’s strategy and the role of that job or unit in implementing it. When you are adjusting job or unit design, the first step is to set the span of control to reflect the resources allocated to each position and unit that plays an important role in delivering customer value. This setting, like the others, is determined by how the business creates value for customers and differentiates its products and services from competitors’. Next, you can dial in different levels of entrepreneurial behavior and creative tension for specific jobs and units by widening or narrowing spans of accountability and influence. Finally, you must adjust the span of support to ensure that the job or unit will get the informal help it needs. The exhibit â€Å"Four Spans at a Software Company† displays the settings of the spans for a marketing and sales manager at a well-known company that develops and sells complex software for large corporate clients. The span of control for this job is quite narrow. As the manager stated, â€Å"To do my day-to-day job, I depend on sales, sales consulting, competency groups, alliances, technical support, corporate marketing, field marketing, and integrated marketing communications. None of these functions reports to me, and most do not even report to my group. † The span of accountability, by contrast, is wide. The manager is accountable, along with others throughout the business, for revenue growth, profit, and customer satisfaction—measures that require responsiveness and a willingness to make many trade-offs. Four Spans at a Software Company (Located at the end of this article) Note that the span of influence is set somewhat wider than the span of control. To get things done, the manager has to cross boundaries and convince people in other units (whom he cannot command) to help him. So that the manager receives the help he needs, the CEO works hard to ensure that the job’s span of support is wide. An ethos of mutual responsibilities has been created through shared goals, strong group identification, trust, and an equity component in compensation. As the manager noted, â€Å"Coordination happens because we all have customer satisfaction as our first priority. We are in constant communication, and we all are given consistent customer-satisfaction objectives. † Achieving Equilibrium At this point, you’re probably wondering how to determine whether specific jobs or business units in your organization are properly designed. Jobs vary within any business, and firms operate in different markets with unique strategies. How exactly should the spans be set in these many circumstances? After the spans have been adjusted to implement your strategy, there’s an easy way to find out whether a specific job is designed for high performance. It’s a test that can (and should) be applied to every key job, function, and unit in your business. I’ll get to the details shortly, but first, it’s important to recognize the underlying nature of the four spans. Two of the spans measure the supply of organizational resources the company provides to individuals. The span of control relates to the level of direct ontrol a person has over people, assets, and information. The span of support is its â€Å"softer† counterpart, reflecting the supply of resources in the form of help from people in the organization. The other two spans—the span of accountability (hard) and the span of influence (soft)—determine the individual’s demand for organizational resources. The level of an employee’s accountability, as defined by the compan y, directly affects the level of pressure on him to make trade-offs; that pressure in turn drives his need for organizational resources. His level of influence, as determined by the structure of his job and the broader system in which his job is embedded, also reflects the extent to which he needs resources. As I pointed out earlier, when an employee joins a multidisciplinary initiative, or works for two bosses, or gets a stretch goal, he begins reaching out across units more frequently. For any organization to operate at maximum efficiency and effectiveness, the supply of resources for each job and each unit must equal the demand. In other words, span of control plus span of support must equal span of accountability plus span of influence. You can determine whether any job in your organization is poised for sustained high performance—or is designed to fail—by applying this simple test: Using â€Å"Four Spans at a Software Company† as an example, draw two lines, one connecting span of control and span of support (the supply of resources) and the other connecting span of accountability and span of influence (the demand for resources). If these two lines intersect, forming an X, as they do in the exhibit, then demand equals supply (at least roughly) and the job is properly designed for sustained performance. If the lines do not cross, then the spans are misaligned—with predictable consequences. If resources (span of control plus span of support) are insufficient for the task at hand, strategy implementation will fail; if resources are excessive, underutilization of assets and poor economic performance can be predicted. Depending on the desired unit of analysis, this test can be applied to an individual job, a function, a business unit, and even an entire company. When Spans Are Misaligned Consider the case of a struggling high-tech company that makes medical devices. One division was rapidly losing revenue and market share to new competitors because of insufficient sales-force coverage and a lack of new-product development. In another division, created to bundle and cross sell products, managers were unable to get the collaboration they needed to provide a unified solution for a large potential customer. In a third, local managers were making decisions that did not support or build on the company’s overall direction and strategy. These situations arose because senior managers had failed to align the four spans for key jobs and for the divisions overall. In particular, the problems this company encountered reflect three common situations that can limit performance potential. The Crisis of Resources. In some cases, the supply of resources is simply inadequate for the job at hand, leading to a failure of strategy implementation. In the medical devices company, the sales staff had neither enough people to cover the competition (a narrow span of control) nor support from R&D to bring new products to market rapidly (a narrow span of support). A crisis of resources is most likely to occur when executives spend too much time thinking about control, influence, and accountability and not enough time thinking about support. They may, for instance, set the span of accountability wider than the span of control to encourage entrepreneurial behavior. And they may set the span of influence wider than the span of control to stimulate people to interact and work across units. But if the span of support is not widened to compensate for the relatively narrow span of control, people in other units will be unwilling to help when asked. Consider the local subsidiary of a regional investment bank. The managers had few direct resources (a narrow span of control) and relied on specialists from corporate headquarters to fly in to manage deals. Yet their span of accountability was relatively wide, with performance measures focusing on successful deals and revenue generation. Evaluations of the local managers failed to recognize or reward people’s commitment to help others in the organization. As a result, the span of support was too low to support the strategy of the business, which eventually failed. The Crisis of Control. Sometimes the supply of resources exceeds demand, leading to suboptimal economic performance. In highly decentralized organizations where separate business units are created to be close to customers, a crisis of control can occur when the supply of resources (the span of control plus the span of support) exceeds corporate management’s ability to effectively monitor trade-offs (the span of accountability) and to ensure coordination of knowledge sharing with other units (the span of influence). The result is uncoordinated activities across units, missed opportunities, and wasted resources. Consider a large telecommunications company in which regions were organized as independent business units. Because of rapid growth, division managers were able to create fiefdoms in which resources were plentiful. And because of the company’s success, commitment to the business mission was strong. But before long, the lack of effective performance monitoring by corporate superiors caught up with the business. The strategies of the divisions often worked at cross-purposes; there was waste and redundancy. Competitors that were more focused began overtaking the units. The Crisis of Red Tape. This can occur in any organization where powerful staff groups, overseeing key internal processes such as strategic planning and resource allocation, design performance management systems that are too complex for the organization. In such circumstances, spans of accountability and influence are very high, but resources are insufficient and misdirected. Endless time spent in staff meetings wastes resources, slows decision making, and makes the organization unable to respond rapidly to changing customer needs and competitive actions. The demand for resources exceeds supply, and strategy execution fails as more nimble competitors move in. Adjusting the Spans over Time Of course, organizations and job designs must change with shifting circumstances and strategies. To see how this plays out in practice, let’s look at how the job spans for a typical market-facing sales unit at IBM evolved as a result of the strategic choices made by successive CEOs. We pick up the story in 1981, when John Opel became IBM’s chief executive. IBM had been organized into stand-alone product groups that were run as profit centers. Reacting to threats from Japanese companies, Opel wanted to reposition the business as a low-cost competitor. For purposes of increasing cost efficiency, the business was reorganized on a functional basis. The span of control for operating-core units such as manufacturing was widened dramatically, and there was a corresponding reduction in the spans of control and accountability for market-facing sales units (illustrated in the top panel of the exhibit â€Å"Three Eras at IBM†). The company also enlarged its definition of â€Å"customer. † Rather than focus narrowly on professional IT managers in governments and large companies, IBM began marketing to small companies, resellers, and distributors. It created experimental independent business units and gave resources for experimentation without imposing any accountability for performance. By the end of Opel’s tenure, IBM was criticized for confusion about strategy and priorities. As one writer noted, â€Å"IBM settled into a feeling that it could be all things to all customers. However, the effects of these problems were masked by the dramatic and unrelenting growth of the computer industry during this period. In 1985, John Akers took over as CEO. The organization he inherited was configured to develop, manufacture, and market computing hardware in independent silos. Not only were products incompatible across categories, they failed to meet customer needs in a world that was moving quickly from hardware to software and customer solutions. To get closer to customers, Akers created a unified marketing and services group, organized by region. The mission of this new market-facing unit was to translate customer needs into integrated product solutions and coordinate internal resources to deliver the right products to customers. Business units and divisions were consolidated into six lines of business. The span of control for the market-facing sales units widened dramatically. The new marketing and services group was made accountable for profit, and, as a result, many new profit centers were created. Unfortunately, the existing accounting system was not capable of calculating profit at the branch level or for individual customers and product lines. Instead, a top-down planning system run by centralized staff groups set sales quotas for individual product categories. Customer sales representatives thus had few choices or trade-offs; their span of accountability was not wide enough to support the company’s new strategy. To make matters worse, the new profit centers made the company extremely complex and fragmented, a situation reflected in the unit’s relatively narrow spans of influence and support. As the strategy’s failure became evident and losses mounted, Akers considered breaking the corporation into separate entities. Lou Gerstner took charge in 1993. He restructured the business around specific industry groups, narrowing the spans of control and widening the spans of accountability for marketing and sales units. At the same time, he widened the spans of influence by formally pairing product specialists with global industry teams, which worked closely with customers. To widen the spans of support, the company reconfigured bonuses to give more weight to corporate results than to business-unit performance. Sam Palmisano took over as CEO in 2002 and reinforced the positive changes wrought by Gerstner. The new CEO’s strategy emphasized â€Å"on-demand† computing solutions delivered through seamless integration of hardware, software, and services. This involved adopting a team-based, â€Å"dedicated service relationship† configuration at the sales units. To ensure that all employees in such a complex organization would be willing to work across units to build customer loyalty, Palmisano worked to widen spans of support further. In a well-publicized initiative, he returned the company to its roots by reemphasizing the importance of IBM values such as dedication to client success, innovation, and trust and personal responsibility in all relationships. To increase trust within the company and heighten the perception of fairness—necessary actions before people will assume responsibility for helping others—Palmisano asked the board to allocate half of his 2003 bonus to other IBM executives who would be critical leaders of the new team-based strategy. A Precarious Balance As IBM illustrates, complex strategies for large firms usually require that all the spans of key jobs widen, indicating high levels of both demand for, and supply of, organizational resources. But the potential for problems is great in any organization where all four spans are wide and tightly aligned. A relatively small change in any one of them will disrupt the balance of supply and demand and tip the organization toward disequilibrium. In the short run, of course, the dedication and hard work of good people can often compensate for a misalignment. But the more dynamic your markets and the more demanding your customers, the more critical and difficult it becomes to ensure that all four spans of organization design are aligned to allow your business to reach its performance potential. Spans of Control at Wal-Mart The spans of control for a store manager and a merchandising manager at Wal-Mart are quite different. To ensure standardization in operations, Wal-Mart gives the store manager relatively little control. To promote the implementation of best practices, the company gives the merchandising manager a â€Å"wide† setting. Creating the Entrepreneurial Gap By holding managers accountable for more than they control, a company can encourage entrepreneurial behavior. Four Spans at a Software Company The settings for a marketing and sales manager show a relatively narrow span of control and a relatively wide span of accountability. The discrepancy indicates that the company wants the manager to be entrepreneurial. A reasonable span of influence ensures that he has a respectable level of collaboration with colleagues outside his unit to compensate for his low span of control. Company policies designed to provide a wide span of support ensure that his entrepreneurial initiatives will get a favorable response. The dotted line connecting the two spans that describe the resources available to the job (span of control and span of support) intersects with the line connecting the two spans that describe the job’s demand for resources (span of accountability and span of influence). This shows that the supply of, and demand for, resources that apply to this job are in rough balance; the job has been designed to enable the manager to succeed.