On time plz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On time plz - Essay Example Supervisors and managers are under the scope of responsibilities of HR professionals insofar as overseeing the accomplishment of their respective tasks in view of the overall accomplishment of organizational goals. A job is a group of positions having similar or related duties and responsibilities. The tasks and responsibilities of each group are distinctly different from those of other groups. (Martires 446) Before hiring workers, available jobs have to be classified and corresponding job information described mainly in terms of duties and responsibilities. The concept of culture in organization is critical since it influences the philosophy and practices of management which works through people. It is vital that managers understand the people’s values, beliefs, needs and motivation. Managing corporate culture is a skill which every top officer should learn since culture change is a complex and long process involving coordinated efforts by top leadership which is very visible to their subordinates. Executives must change their behavior and through role modeling send signals to their constituents. If the culture is not what the organization members want, it can be turned around to fit the mission and vision, strategy, structure, resources and technology of the organization. The well run corporations have developed cultures that are distinctive and responsible for creation, implementation and maintenance of their world leadership positions. In this regard, all phases of operations, strategy and staffing, and organizational culture have to be considered by human resources for the efficient and effective accomplishment of organizational goals. Part 4: You are the HR staffing specialist at a very successful 25 year old company that manufactures home entertainment products: HDTVs, home-theatre equipment, etc. The manager of the marketing division has just left

The History of Investigative Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The History of Investigative Journalism - Essay Example Some of the important scandals and incidents that have been covered through this form of journalism in history include the Watergate scandal and the Helen Jewitt Trials. More regarding the same has been discussed in this paper. Keywords: investigative journalism, scandal, information. Investigative Journalism Analysing documents and facts require a different kind of expertise; not something that most reporters and journalists may be engaged in doing. Such finding of facts and closely examining them, in the past, gave way to a new branch of journalism altogether known as investigative journalism. Newspapers, services on the internet as well as freelance journalists carry out the practice of investigative journalism in the modern day and age. This is based on researching and making reports regarding incidents and happenings with a view to make the public understand important events better. Today, this form of journalism has become very important and many universities are even teaching the same as a course. This is because in the rapidly growing and developing world that we live in, corruption and illegal activities are widespread to a very vast extent. In the field of crime and politics, investigative journalism has been used the maximum in order to uncover the truth about what exactly happened and the exactitude of facts presented for cases that affect many people and society. According to De Burgh (2009), â€Å"â€Å"An investigative  journalist is a man or woman whose profession it is to discover the truth and to identify lapses from it in whatever media is available. The act of doing this generally is called  investigative journalism  and is distinct from apparently similar work done by police, lawyers, auditors and regulatory bodies in that it is not limited as to target, not legally founded and closely connected to publicity.† Thus, an investigative journalist might spend a number of months reading, researching and trying to understand and kno w more about the topic that he has been investigating and writing about. That is why, they are also referred to as watch dogs because they keep their eyes and ears open at all times in order to unearth absolutely any kind of information that they might need in order to write about the particular events that they have been searching for. An investigative journalist needs to have certain qualities of courage, fearlessness towards dangerous situations that he might be thrust into due to uncovering the truth about certain events, commitment towards his work, and the power to let people remain in anonymity if they wish to, after delivering certain kinds of information. Presently, investigative journalism can be seen through the famous Julian Assange’s Wikileaks, through which he aims to uncover the truth about governments and economies all around the world, curb corruption and other illegal happenings and provide to the public all the information that they need to know about whate ver is happening to the people in power and how they are sweeping secrets under the rug. (Lloyd, John) Various sources have been known to provide information to the renowned website which are then scanned for proof and typed out after research by other qualified investigative journalists, after which the information is presented to the public. In history, the first ever piece written with respect to investigative journalism was the criminal case about Helen Jewett’s Trial. As the murder of the young woman took place in a rather sinister

Managerialism is a set of beliefs and practices

Managerialism is a set of beliefs and practices Explore to what extent the managerialist model of management and leadership adopted in England and Wales has influenced management culture in China and the impact that this has had on my management and leadership style. Introduction Managerialism is a set of beliefs and practices, and it assumes that better management can solve the various problems existing in the public sectors (Pollitt,1993). In either England and Wales or China, Managerialism has been a stable indispensable ingredient in the policy of government in order to operate state schools, in contrast to the traditional bureaucratic ideals, it provides high priority to management and leadership (Pollitt 1993). Leadership, is a complex social phenomenon, and it has been studied and developed over many years. It is a process in which an individual influences the group of individuals to accomplish the common goals and targets. Leadership is born in an organization context, that is to say if there is no organization or group then there can be no leadership. Leadership includes attention to goals, which means leadership impacts in contexts where everybody is moving toward a goal. So leadership seems like a power relationship existing between leaders and followers (Northouse ,2007). Management is defined realistically in the context of an organization. That is to say that management is a process which enables organizations to set and achieve their objective by planning organizing and controlling their recourses, including gaining motivation from their employees. Although it is being argued that the application of some managerialist approaches cause problems, in England and Wales, education is overseen by the Department for Education according to managerialist principles. Almost all state-funded schools are maintained schools funded by the government in which the local authority, Ofsted and the TDA are influential partners. Proponents of the new managerialism in education argue that managerial methods are necessary to respond to the demands of a changed environment with dramatically increased degrees of uncertainty in a knowledge-dependent society. In this paper, I argue that the ongoing changes in education management are better understood in England and Wales as well as in China. I will focus on as follows: To explore and contrast how government in England and China control schools in their respective countries. To compare and contrast how leadership is exercised in schools in China and England. (trait, style, transformational leadership) To reflect on what leadership theory I might be able to apply when I return to China. Literature review 2.1)Managerialism in English Education Managerialism has become the predominant ideology in English educational management. Although there are different definitions of managerialism, as a fad and buzzword, it has been given various names including, New public Management, New Managerialism, Entrepreneurial Governance and Neo-Taylorism (Power 1997 cited in McGrah. 2004) Managerialism was introduced to English education in 1980s and there has been as a belief that effective leadership and management is considered as the most important element for operating successful schools and colleges (Bush 2004 cited in McGrath). Bush (2004) summarised its typical traits as follows: managerialism , Firstly, it empowers managers right to manage, which is raising the process of management above that which is to be managed. Secondly, it uses cost centres and devolved budgets to achieve greater financial control. Thirdly, managerialism uses contracts instead of the high-trust relationship to organise sub-units. Fourthly, managerialism uses performance assessment to link the individuals aim and the objectives of organisation. Last but not least, a virtual-market environment is created , it promotes competition and transforms students into customers. In regards to the features of managerialism mentioned before, better management and leadership have become requirements and a trend. Pollitt (1993:49) stated that managerialism is the acceptable face of new-right thinking concerning the state. It is an ingredient in the pot pouris which can attract support beyond the new right itself. During the last two decades, Bush (1986, 1995, 1999, and 2004) also consistently claimed that effective leadership and management play a crucial role in the successful operation of schools and colleges. Bush (2004:2) suggested successful management requires a clear link between aims, strategy and operational management. In his view there are three aspects which should be clear, that is: formal aims, organizational or individual aims and the determination of aims. Gunter (1997) accepted the same conception that managerialism has to emphasise managerial efficiency rather than the direction at the achievement of educational objectives. Although opposition to managerialism has never stopped, the government continually emphasises the effective management and leadership in schools, colleges and universities as the means by which governmental and organisational goals may be achieved (Simkins cited in Mcgrath 1999). However, the fact that managerialism has affected the development of education and society and the trend has shown that it will continue to play an important role in education system. 2.2) Managerialism in Chinese education In China education is a state-run system of public education run by the Ministry of Education. In the basic education, the Chinese government established a uniform standard for basic education, to control the national curriculum, the system of enrolment examinations, and teacher qualifications level. The Chinese education system is reforming, through studying advanced educational counties and excessive government control is being reduced. Similarity with all most countries in the world, education is a long-term priority in China, it has never been ignored by Chinese government Since the founding of New China, the Chinese government has always attached great importance to education, It is establishing the worlds largest education system (Basic Education in China(2010)). The Ministry of Education (2009) stated that China has been unremitting efforts to explore a path of educational development with Chinese characteristics. It is well-known that education system is controlled by central government who was in charge of basic education and high education before the market economy replaced the planning economy in 1985. In short, the curriculum and leaders and teachers management were all administrated by government. After 1985, the educational system was no longer compatible with the prevailing economic system and social needs, there was a transition that happened in the highly centralized administrative system of education(Su 2004). The National Conference on Education stated that The reforms were intended to expand their management and decision-making powers, this policy gave administrators the necessary encouragement and authority to ensure smooth progress in educational reform. Lee (2006) gave a clear explanation that local governments were given some administrative powers. The basic education was mainly the responsibility of local governments. In higher education and vocational education, colleges and universities were more independent decisions-making power than before. Furthermore, the investment system underwent a gradual change under which the state made unified development plans and provided budgetary appropriations for education. In 1993 after the greatest reform in Education happened in china. The Education Law of the Peoples Republic of China states that the Ministry of Education is responsible for formulating guiding principles for education, establishing regulations, planning the progress of educational projects with expanded administrative scope and power and it is co-ordinating the educational programs of different departments, and standardization educational reforms. In short, The Ministry of Education is highest power of education in China. As followed years, the simplification of administration and delegation of authority were made the bases for improving the education system. This devolution of management from central government to the autonomous regions, provinces, and special municipalities made local governments have more decision-making power. Despite that the new Ministry assumed a central role in the administration of education, the reform decentralized much of the power it previously wielded but decided-power just belongs to local governments. That is to say, the local government establishes curriculum and admissions policies in response to the State Planning Commissions requirements. In summary, local management is running in basic education and excessive central government control over colleges and universities was reduced than before, but the location management is more power to control colleges and universities. 2.3) Compare and contrast Admittedly, government control in education system has been placed at a different level in England and China. Su (2003) analysed that In the Chinese context, the remaking of public play the role of top policy makers, there should be a dilemma in between the state hierarchy and market mechanisms and the controversy of property rights. During the reform era, the top Chinese policy makers have been trying to gain not only a realistic policy making role for the party-state at the macro level, but also feasible approaches in the remaking of public management at the micro levels. Although State Council (central government) still played a central role in the administration of education and the new ministry of education is in charge of all organisations, there has been decentralisation to constituent educational bureaus and local governments. These local organisations have the power to establish curriculum and admissions policies. Education law of the peoples republic of China (Article 14) states that: The State Council and all local Peoples government at different levels shall supervise and manage the educational work according to the principle of management by different levels and division of labour with individual responsibility. Secondary and lower education shall be managed by the local Peoples government under the leadership of the State Council. Higher education shall be managed by the State Council and the Peoples government of province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the central government. Similar reforms china stated later , in England and Wales, the school leaderships are reduced to implement the policies and values of government and its agencies (Bush 2004.p 4). The government is very appreciative of school leadership who continue to give their time and energy to the voluntary work of serving on school governing bodies. Although governments have the constitutional power to impose their will but successful innovations require the commitment of those who have to implement these chances in the England and Wales (Bush 2004.p 4). He explained if the teachers and leaders believe the policies are not suitable for teaching and learning, which should give rise to a lack of passion and enthusiasm to implement an initiative. Therefore, government should encourage schools to have visionary leadership as long as the visions and values of school are close to government imperatives. Bush(2004) argued that to what extent the leadership is able to modify government policy depends on school-level values and vision. Different ideas , Furlong (2002) claimed that the professional status of teachers has been reduced because of increased government control of education. That is to say, in England and Wales, professionalism is allowed to exist only by the grace of central government due to the central monitoring of teacher performance. (Bush, 2004 p5) Governing bodies and individual governors should also review their effectiveness and carry out self evaluation of their own skills and evaluate the skill set possessed by the governing body as a whole so that any skills gaps can be met. Governors should also receive defined information to enable them to challenge and hold the school leadership team to account 2.4 Leadership theories in common use in England schools Undoubtedly, managerialism needs high quality management or leadership and policy maker have placed great emphasis on the good leadership. So the model of leadership has been promoting. Although there is no unified definition of leadership at present, it is different from management. Yukl(2002) and Northhouse (2007) described that leadership is an influenced process where individual influences a group or organization through his or her actions and motivation. Bush(2004) clarified this by suggesting three dimensions to define leadership. that is, leadership as influence, leadership and values , and leadership and vision . Because the significance of effective leadership has been increasingly acknowledged, not true beause its important new therories have been developed researchers never stop to study and analyse leadership theories. In consequence, there are many leadership theories according to different concerns the style approach emphasized on and various social context. However, in England, every leader has their own leadership style which very often can be analysed using trait, style and transformational leadership. Trait theory is leadership theory with long history. It originated in the 19th century, is based on the Great Man theory of leadership. Where from The Great man theory believes that a successful leader should have certain innate characteristics that make them special and concentrate on their success. Trait theory developed out of the Great man theory and emphasises the identification and analysis of the superior qualities of leaders. This theory concentrate on the personality which are innate traits that a leader requires. (Power 1997 cited in McGrath. 2004) As a theory, the traits leaders should hold have been studied since its birth. Although no one has been able to provide the definitive list of traits which are different between leaders and non-leaders, there are seven typical traits that have been considered important. That is: self-confidence, intelligence, helicopter effect (explain it) , persistence, integrity, motivation and responsibility, which emphasise what qualities a leader should have. ( McGrah. 2004)(reference) For the reason that trait theory is still important at present, two strengths should be mentioned. The greatest one is that it is very easy to understand, people likely think about what their leader is and what their leaders should be like. Another great function of trait theory is that trait theory can be used to filter candidates and identify those with leadership qualities. These strengths also affect following new theories, but as a theory, the greatest weaknesses also constrict its development. The greatest weakness is that the definitive list of traits has not been agreed. That is to say, if a new list is identified the recognized leader should be in dilemma, because they likely do not have all the traits specified. ( McGrath. 2004 )(quotation if u copy other words say situation some Compared with trait theory that focus on the personality, style theory concerned with the behaviour. Northouse (2007) comments that generally there are two kinds of behaviour which should be considered. One is task theory which aids goal achievement and other is relational theory which assists interpersonal support. Style theory seeks a way to help leaders to effectively combine these two behaviours. As a theory, the greatest strength is that it established the idea that the leaders style is composed of two major components- task and relationship, more importantly, the key to good readership is finding the right balance, which changes the focus of research to what leaders do and how they act while it provides leaders with an insight into how others see them. However, there are three doubts about this theory. First, how does style of leadership impact on performance and attitude of staff? Secondly, whether there is a style that is effective in all situations? Thirdly, it does not take account of the context or situation in which leadership is exercised (Northouse 2007). Currently, the Transformation Leadership theory (TL) has become popularised in the educational leadership field. Transformation Leadership theory focuses on values, ethics standards and long-term goals. A connection leaders create is characterized by raising the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and followers. Caldwell and Spinks (1992) commented that transformation leadership theory is crucial for self-managed schools. As opposite to them, Bennett et al(2003) argued that because this theory put too much on the top leader as a heroic figure and encourage manipulation of followers, it gave rise to overemphasis on conception of distributed leadership. ( for leadership )Similarly, Bush(2004) discussed that transformational model is popular in the literature but the contemporary policy climate cannot provide enough condition for its growth, because the English system increasingly requires school leaders to adhere to government prescriptions which affect aims, curriculum, content and pedagogy as well as values(Bush 2004,p78). Bottery (2001) holds a the same view that the more centralized , more directed, and more controlled educational system that has dramatically reduced the possibility of realising a genuinely transformational education and leadership. (2001: page) However, transformational leadership theory is consistent with the collegial model in which a challenge should be faced is that leaders and staffs have shared values and common interests. 2.5) Management and leadership approaches used in China Government control, on the one hand, built a solid basis of education; on the other hand, it produced a constriction on leadership. Although being one of the major public policies, educational decentralization is a popular reform of governments around the world including China. Admittedly, there are considerable autonomy and variations in and among the autonomous regions, provinces, and special municipalities, but decentralization is by no means an entirely new policy initiative or a recent policy product. Leadership has to be impacted by local government and it has to adopt diversified strategies to obedience to authority. (reference ? why ) Indeed, in China, leaderships in school are strategic compliers of policy and government. The reason is that what is extent of which the government policy can be changed by leaderships who develop alternative approaches based on school-level. In general, the aim of schools for basic education is to enter higher school and the target of high education is to be in business in China, In face of increasing financial constraints and under increasing pressure of government inspect and social intervention., on balance, leaderships in school have to pursue three Es (efficiency, effectiveness, and economy) to follow the policy of government. 2.6 Reflection: what extent could that trait, style and transformational leadership used in China Despite a fact that government control, to some extent, impacts the development of leadership in China, with managerialism development, leadership theories also exerted influence on leadership style. Trait, style and transformational leadership theories are paid attention more. Exactly, trait theory is the oldest theory and the earliest used in china, this theory is not solely copy of the Great Man theory, but it is based on Great Man theory, summarized the common traits of successful leaders. Up to now in China, likelihood, if an organization wants to look for a leader or someone want to work as a leader in educational institution, the basic qualities as first sieve should be required, these traits are as followed: Intelligence: leaders should have professional knowledge and be intellect to deal with issues and problems. Self-confidence: it is quite different between leaders and their followers. No matter how hard the leaders confront with challenges, leaders should be confident to tackle them, it is not fake it but positive to seek effective way due to a believe you can deal with them. Helicopter effect: China is a country whose thought is more collective, as a leader, she or he should be able to encourage everyones aim to be same with organization. leaders need to motivate not only themselves but also staff. Persistence: as good quality, the leader must have it. As leaders in education, they should meet challenges, obstacles and results that are not expected. Never giving up and keeping forward are ever objectives. Integrity: it come from respect and trust and integrity is foot of respect and trust. Responsibility: leaders should put responsibility before accountability. Reference here who wrote it With popularity of transformational leadership theory in western, this theory is permeating to China. It is part of the new leadership paradigm that give more attention to the charismatic and effective elements of leadership. It meets the needs of todays work groups who want to be inspired and empowered to succeed in times of uncertainty, because this theory focus on the intrinsic motivates and followers development. It provide easier way for leaders to combine the aim of organization and individuals targets. It is more humanism, and it consider emotions, values, ethics, standards and long-term goals and includes assessing followers motives, satisfying their needs and treating as full human beings. That is why this theory is broad researched and applied in China. These three theories have their own strengths and weaknesses, how to exert their advantages and avoid their disadvantages is strategy and tactic. Conclusion : 500 In conclusion, therefore, it can be seen that despite widespread opposition to managerialism. It is common sense that there are two sides for everything in the world, although opposition of managerialism has never stopped, managerialism has become a dominant ideology in educational management either in England and Wales as well as in China. It is a production of development of society even though the application of managerialist approach can cause some problem. However, managerialism emphasizes on managers right to manage. It is typified by a set of practice including the assumptions, techniques, ideas and behaviours, so the practice of management is raised above importance of the function being managed. So the introduction of manageriamlism led to a greater emphasis being place on management and leadership as these skills were necessary to meet the new requirements. Reference here who said quotation According to managerialism, government needs the good management and leadership to control education. However, the government policy cannot be changed by leaderships who develop alternative approaches based on school-level. In other words, governments in England and Wales have the constitutional power to impose their will but successful innovations require the commitment of those who have to implement these changes; while in China, central government controls and manages at different levels. On the one hand it keeps educational development stable; on the other, it limits innovation. Management and leadership As a predominant ideology in educational management, managerialism needs the effective management and leadership which are required by governmenal and organizational. Management is of mind so it is important. As a science, it is concerned with now and here, which means manager need to do things right; while leadership is concerned with future, as a art, leadership is sole and heart, it need to do right things. So management and leadership, in most time, could not be divided. Indeed, leadership theories have provide a dramatically different view of the driving forces behind leadership. As is mentioned before that in England the trait, style and transformational leadership are very often analysed by most leaders even if they have their own leadership style. During the process of development of leadership theory, the researchers and leaders have been looking for the best way to obtain the sense and avoid their weakness. This is why some good strengths of old theory (traits and style theory) are still important for today. With the development of leadership theory, the new theories always fit requirement of age in order to fit effective management and leadership. Areas of weakness in what you have done I have done my best to show the educational management and leadership in England and Wales and China. Because the aims of education are more diffuse and contested. As is known, the educational aims are tied up with peoples values and beliefs, so educational management and leadership should be different with other public areas. In addition, because of the differences of context and tradition in different countries, management and leadership in China and England are in different way, although it is in very subtle, implicit ways. The analysis and discussion have been shown; some of these were somewhat out of date. Although it is not clear which leadership style is the best for England and China, at least, the strengths and weakness mentioned before are meaningful for further research if it is merely reflecting way for me to see my own leadership style. However, in the long run, negative effect of managerialiam and leadership theories should be attractive my eyes. As we know that things will change, but only slowly. Research in these areas is important, the eventual solution would identify the better way to manage schools, colleges and universities in other words, a greater respect for aims of education to look for a fittest management method. (3982)

Brave New World: Helplessness Essay -- Brave New World

Brave New World: Helplessness How can one distinguish happiness from unhappiness if unhappiness is never experienced? It's the bad that makes the good look good, but if you don't know the good from the bad, you'll settle for what you're given. Can people judge their feelings without a basis or underlying "rubric" to follow? Such rudimentary guidelines are established through the maturation process and continue to fluctuate as one grows wiser with a vaster array of experiences. Aldous Huxley creates a utopia filled with happiness, but this is merely a facade to a world which is incomplete and quite empty since the essential "experiences" are replaced with "conditioning." Perhaps this fantasy world was distinctly composed to be a harbinger of our future. An analysis of an "exclusive utopia" designed to heed the present world from becoming desensitized to freedom and individualism and to warn against the danger of an overly progressive scientific and technological society. Huxley commences his story at the source of such world control -- the hatchery. Governed by mottoes of "Community, Identity, and Stability," the "brave new world" he creates is "conditioned" from the start. The test tube babies undergo precise tests, dietary supplements, and encouragement to "produce" the defined castes of "individuals." The central action arises when Bernard Marx, an alpha plus psychologist, becomes continually irritated at the boredom and incompleteness of this highly regulated life. Through his independent thinking he becomes frustrated and feels alone. Such feelings Marx shares with his close friend Helmholtz Watson, who was advantageously decanted in his "test tubular stages" and therefore has an ... ...domination. the Bokanovsky Process, in which one egg is "budded" into hundreds and thousands making a shocking number of "twins" and then the decanting process, the actual birth form the test tube, and finally, the social conditioning processes in which people are "formed" by means of shocks, sirens, and other unpleasant devices to certain stimuli so that they will always evoke certain intrinsic feelings toward those stimuli. The idea of such a "precision-made" society to accomplish work and live in happiness and virtue leaves no room for "imperfection." Such imperfections as Marx, Watson, and the savage however are no threat to the society as apparent in the novel since they are swallowed by the system-- if nobody listens to their ideas, talking does no good. Such automatic suppression of the "rebels" leaves the reader with a frigid feeling of helplessness.

Barnes and Noble Business Assessment

Barnes and Noble Booksellers MGT 499 Barnes and Noble was acquired by Leonard Riggio in 1974 after they had fallen into decline. He started his career selling books early in his college career when he founded the Student Book Exchange or SBX. Once purchasing the rights to the name he quickly began transformations on the once giant retailer, making it into his dream, the worlds largest book store. In addition to all the Barnes and Nobles around today, Mr. Riggio also owns an operates over 600 college campus bookstores, like the one at Wright State University, which is where over 4 million students and 250,000 faculty members buy their books.Internal Environment Barnes and Noble has many strengths which are quickly fading in the ever changing book market. When individuals think of a bookstore these days, typically two come to mind first, Barnes and Noble and their now dead competitor Borders. They had and still have the great strength of partnering with College Campus’s to opera te their bookstores which allows them to connect with the consumers who typically spend the most on books (textbooks). With this being said, we also need to point out Barnes and Noble’s weaknesses.This can be summed up by saying that their lack of innovation failed to keep up with consumer trends and the changing market. Barnes and Noble is now trying to compete in the technology market by the creation and selling of their Nook, which is essentially an IPad where you can download and read books electronically. Barnes and Noble’s current leadership team consist of: Leonard Riggio- Founder and Chairman William Lynch – CEO Michael P. Huseby – Chief Financial Officer Chris Trola – Chief Information Officer Mary Ellen Keating- Senior VP of Corporate Communication and Public AffairsCompetitive ConsequencesPerformance ImplicationsValuableRate Non SubstitutableCostly to Imitate Sustainable C. A. AARNoYesNoYes Temporary C. A. Avg – AARYesYesYes/NoYes Competitive ParityAvg ReturnYesYesYes/NoNo Competitive DisadvantageBelow Avg ReturnNoNoYes/NoNo Mergers and Acquisitions Barnes and Noble has had several mergers and acquisitions, but only a few are extremely important when we look at the financial impact and operations impact they had on the company. In 1987, it purchased B. Dalton Bookseller from Dayton Hudson.This acquisition of 797 retail bookstores made it Barnes and Nobles largest acquisition and opened consumers eyes across the nation to the then second largest bookseller in the United States. Another major one that hit news headlines was in 1999 when Barnes and Noble acquired Babbage’s Ect. , which is now known as GameStop. Barnes and Noble had control of GameStop until 2004 when the game store bought back 6 million shares from the bookstore to gain its independence. The next and most important acquisition occurred in March of 2009 when Barnes and Noble acquired a company called fictionwise which is now known as eBoo k marketplace.This was the first step they made into the digital world of books with their Nook. This was by far their most important acquisition because it was an attempt to meet the demands of the ever changing market by inserting themselves into the digital book market place. The External Environment When talking about the external environment in terms of Barnes and Noble, the company has many strengths and weaknesses. Starting with the demographics, Barnes and Noble attracts a wide range of consumers, from students to elderly for either educational purposes or recreational purposes.The wide range of demographics is because most consumers either have to read for school or like to read for recreation or entertainment. Today, the retail stores draw mainly an older audience while the stores on college campuses attract mainly just college students. The economics of Barnes and Noble go hand and hand with the sales of the company. Not to long ago there was a rumor that Barnes and Noble was going to be bought out by a company named Liberty which causes the stock to spike 30% in one day. It soon there after returned to its $14 dollar range, which was a 16% decrease from previous years caused by the company announcing a . 6 million dollar loss.. There are also other factors at work in the market that are affecting Barnes and Noble negatively. One of the biggest players that impact B and N is Amazon, and their online, digital marketplace of books where the consumer and compare prices and find the cheapest option. Barnes and Noble has struggled to compete and overcome this obstacle since a majority of their previous consumers are now looking in their stores then going to the internet and Amazon to find cheaper prices. When it comes to bargaining power, Barnes and Noble is between a rock and a hard place.They would love to compete with the low prices their competitors offer, but cannot drop below certain prices because they must have some sort of profit margin on the s ale of their books after the authors take their cuts. Competition Barnes and Noble has millions of competitors because anyone with a computer can put a book on the internet to sell these days. However, this being said, there are a few formal competitors out there that greatly impact Barnes and Noble and their bottom-line. The biggest competitor is by far Amazon.Amazon is an online giant that sellers and buyers can place all of their new and used books on the market at their own set prices. This allows a consumer to â€Å"shop† for the cheapest price for the quality of book they desire to purchase. This was one of the major reasons a previous competitor in the industry, Borders, closed its doors not to long ago. Barnes and Noble has identified that they are in a changing market and that they need to adapt to the changes being made around them. This was the goal of the launch of the Nook in 2010.The Nook is a digital tablet that operates on Android software that gives access to the eBook Marketplace. This allows consumers to purchase books at cheaper prices and have them downloaded directly to their tablet for easy reading. Launching the Nook took Barnes and Noble into a different field which they had not previously experienced with other competitors. Now in addition to competing with retail bookstores, Barnes and Noble is also competing with Apple’s IPad, Amazon’s Kindle, RIM’s BlackBerry Tablet, and all other technology companies who are launching their tablet style computers onto the market.So now Barnes and Noble is competing with Apple, Amazon, RIM, EBAY and thousand of other smaller retailers. That is not a group I would like to be competing against. Barnes and Noble’s Struggles On October 29 of 2011, Barnes and Noble announced it 6. 6 million dollar loss or 17 cents per share to the public. This was just months after their biggest competitor in the retail side of the business closed. Some would think the closing of Borde rs would allow Barnes and Noble to grow, but the decline across the table shows that bookstores are a dying industry, and one that a smart investor would most likely not invest in.Fastforward a year to 2012. Barnes and Noble announced that it was projecting a loss of between $1. 10 and $1. 40 per share. As of late Barnes and Noble has been pumping money into the development and marketing of its Nook, the electronic book of the future. The question that needs to be asked here though is can the Nook really support an entire company with it having to compete against the IPad and the Kindle? Although the Nook has created the greatest revenue for the company, it is really all it has going for it.Liberty Technology offered to buy Barnes and Noble for a whopping 1. 03 billion dollars, this just to acquire the rights to the Nook which Barnes and Noble promptly turned down. But although the company is making money selling this tablet, the gap between the number of IPad users and Kindle users compared to Nook users is growing wider every day. Corporate Level Strategy Barnes and Noble’s strategy is extremely easy, offer customers inexpensive books. This is the cost leadership and a differentiation strategy that we learned in class.Barnes and Noble found a hole in the retail bookstore industry, which focused on bigger named, and newer types of books and well known authors that topped the best sellers list, that the bookstores then sold at a extremely high costs. The best seller books were not sources for great gain for Barnes and Noble though. Barnes and Noble found, that the customers wanted inexpensive books, regardless of author of rank on the best selling list. By publishing books internally through their company they were able to increase their profits.Differentiation was also prevalent in the cost leadership strategy because of the companies intense focus on the outside of the top seller list which only accounted for 3% of the companies Today however, althoug h the retail side of the industries corporate level strategy remains the same, the insertion of the Nook has caused the company to take is cost leadership and differentiation strategy and focus it toward the online eBooks marketplace, selling those cheap books through a digital market. International strategyBarnes and Noble has 691 stores covering all 50 states and 641 stores on college campuses, but has no stores in other countries. At this time is has no intention of spreading globally and says that it meets the demand of the international markets by its website. Recommendation Moving Forward At this point in time I believe the best strategy for Barnes and Noble would be to sell off the company to a company like Liberty to maximize profit for the stockholders. Although their current business strategy with the Nook is succeeding, that piece of technology does not have the capability to support an entire company by itself.

ADHD Medications Essay

With the tremendous increase in ADHD diagnosis, altercations have been emerging about whether or not ADHD medications are being overprescribed. Many people feel as though ADHD medications are needed for the condition, but are doctors just â€Å"handing† them out? Medications may be necessary depending on how severe the case is, but some people take advantage of it. As a community, we need to limit the amount of ADHD medications being prescribed by doctors. ADHD medications have been praised drastically for the enhancement of mental performance that is shown. People who have a more severe case of ADHD are generally more motivated to do things once they are put on the medication. â€Å"Some two-thirds of all children currently diagnosed with the condition receive prescriptions for stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall, which have been linked to addiction and psychosis† (Swaine). The effects of ADHD medication vary depending on how large or small the dosage is. â€Å"There’s a very small difference between the right dose and too little or too much medication, so resist the temptation to experiment on your own† (Adult ADD/ADHD). The medication will keep one focused on a task without getting distracted as easily. See more: Distinguish between problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping Essay With ADHD medication, tasks can be completed a lot faster than usual because of the extra focus the medication pushes on someone. â€Å"Research by the Centers for Disease Control also found that more than one in ten school-age children in the US has now received an ADHD diagnosis, amid a sharp rise in reported instances of the condition†(Swaine). Although ADHD medications have positive effects, it also has negative effects. These medications can cause slowing of growth, not  only physically but mentally too. The mind may not develop as well as it usually would. Another negative effect is impaired judgment. This usually occurs when someone is unable to make correct and or right choices in real-life decisions. ADHD medications can control mood swings, but can also cause someone to be more irritable. Emotions can be controlled by ADHD medications, but can also influence someone to act out. Generally, the effects of the medications can help one control the urge to blurt out. This makes it easier to think and process words before actually saying them. â€Å"In fact, there are many signs that your medication is working. They include being better able to pay attention†¦ tending to think before you speak instead of blurting things out†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Adult ADD/ADHD). The sudden urge of kindness can make it so much easier to make and or keep friends. The way our minds think causes us to say things we don’t necessarily mean. This will begin to push people away from one another. Although medication can control many things related to emotional effects, it can also add on negative effects. The use of ADHD medication can cause one to become very irritable towards family and friends. â€Å"The majority of adults who take stimulants experience rebound effects of moodiness, irritability, and restlessness as the level of medication in their bloodstream decreases† (Adult ADD/ADHD). Irritability can then lead to a negative personality change. â€Å"If you’re normally sunny and upbeat and you suddenly become all doom and gloom, it may be time to switch to another medication† (Adult ADD/ADHD). These medications can affect the hyperactivity of an individual not only positively but also negatively. Hyperactivity within individuals who suffer from the condition can generally change, depending on the case. If one is diagnosed wrongly, there is a possibility that the hyperactivity of an individual can increase. In these cases, ADHD is mistaken for immaturity. Some people just never grow up and the immaturity rate they have makes it look like they have a hyperactivity condition. â€Å"Some 6.4 million American children aged between 4 and 17 have received an ADHD diagnosis at some point in their lives, the US government scientists found† (Swaine). Not all individuals diagnosed have the actual condition, but rather act as if the medication is a necessity for everyday  life. â€Å"Dr. Graf said that it was now clear that American parents were encouraging the medication of their children merely to enhance their mental performance rather than to cure an illness† (Swaine). The effects of ADHD medication can be very beneficial. Generally, one who actually has the condition can be less disruptive if they are put on the right medication. An individual can also be less distracted with the use of ADHD medication. Being less distracted and less disruptive can make it easier to get certain tasks completed. The use of ADHD medications continue to increase throughout the years. As a community, we must limit the intake of these medications. We need to be stricter on the behavior of individuals, but we need to decrease the amount of prescriptions being used for the condition. Looking at the positive and negative effects of these medications may cause people to stop taking the medications prescribed by doctors. Works Cited â€Å"Adult ADD / ADHD.† _Positive and Negative Effects of Medication_. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. . Swaine, Jon. â€Å"Fears American Children Are Being Over-medicated as ADHD Rates Soar.† _The Telegraph_. Telegraph Media Group, 02 Apr. 2013. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. .