scope limitation - 1048 Words

SCOPE, LIMITATIONS, and DELIMITATIONS By Marilyn K. Simon and Jim Goes Includes excerpts from Simon Goes (2013), Dissertation and Scholarly Research: Recipes for Success. Seattle, WA: Dissertation Success LLC Find this and many other dissertation guides and resources at www.dissertationrecipes.com Scope The scope of the study refers to the parameters under which the study will be operating. The problem you seek to resolve will fit within certain parameters. Think of the scope as the domain of your research—what’s in the domain, and what is not. You need to make it as clear as possible what you will be studying and what factors are within the accepted range of your study. For example, if you are studying the ill effects of†¦show more content†¦Thus, we may not know whether the findings will generalize to other people, situations, or conceptualizations of the variables. Within particular bounds, significant findings from an experimental study may infer a general cause, but the presence of other unmeasured variables can limit that inference. Limitations of Survey Instruments Surveys that are distributed with time constraints were noted by Delva, Kirby, Knapper, and Birtwhistle (2002) as problematic in that people who struggle with real or perceived time constraints are less likely to respond to surveys because these possible respondents feel overworked – they just do not have the time to complete the survey. Surveys often also suffer the limitation of forcing respondents into particular response categories, thereby limiting the range of responses. Unlike an interview, where respondents can ask clarifying questions, respondents are usually limited to the text in the survey itself for direction about how to complete it and where to respond. Delimitations The delimitations of a study are those characteristics that arise from limitations in the scope of the study (defining the boundaries) and by the conscious exclusionary and inclusionary decisions made during the development of the study plan. Unlike limitations, which flow from implicit characteristics of method and design, delimitations result from specific choices by the researcher. Among these are the choice of objectives andShow MoreRelatedScope And Limitation2224 Words   |  9 Pagestoo increases. Slow retrieval of data: the information of student and details are stored in different parts of the site and so takes a long time to retrieve the data. It takes a long time to find the information about a relevant person. 1.2. Scope The scope of the project will illustrate the business model architecture of Student Accounts and Record Management System (SARMS) that will corresponds to solution proposed to the school, project development requirements, system requirements, developmentRead MoreScope and limitation of a hotel reservation system1652 Words   |  7 PagesScope and Limitation for Online Reservation System Scope and Limitation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Femar Garden Resort and Hotel still uses a manual procedure in keeping records of their clients and past, current and upcoming reservation of event and rooms. In making a reservation the client must fill-up some forms such as waiver/ gatepass and the reservation form before proceeding to the cashier for payment. This type of process best applies to walk-in customers only since they have the privilege of looking aroundRead MoreScope and Limitations of Student Information System9805 Words   |  40 PagesSTUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS: 2008-2009 MANUAL Student Academic Affairs Office College of Education University of Illinois August 4, 2008 Prepared by Heather L. Johnson Baseler Technical Information Specialist ii SIS Manual: 2008-2009 T ABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (SIS) ..............................................................VII BACKGROUND ..........................................................................................................................Read MoreCorporate Diversification2256 Words   |  10 Pagescreate value when: economies of scope exist among the multiple businesses in the organization, and exploiting these scope economies can be done more efficiently by the firm than by shareholders on their own. The general discussion on value creation in diversification sets the stage for the next important pasture for the instructor – outlining the key elements of economies of scope. What are Valuable Economies of Scope? It is important to define economies of scope first and clarify what it meansRead More Religion Has No Place in Public Schools Essay1020 Words   |  5 PagesFirst Amendment which discusses the prohibition of an established religion and allows the free exercise of religion. Thomas Jefferson had written a letter discussing the separation of church and state, which has resulted in many debates over the limitations of religion in the public schools (Hamburger). There is research that supports both the arguments that students can benefit academically from the influence of religion and from keeping religious teachings separate from public schools. Early inRead MoreCopyright Challenges Of The Modern Digital Economy Essay1615 Words   |  7 Pagesto stake a claim to the copyright material. This case found that the author could not assign third party copyright without approval from the beneficial owner. For ‘fair use’ to be effective, it must ensure that it is used to remove unnecessary limitations to use of material, while maintaining protection for material that is owned and should be safeguarded from exploitation. By maintaining flexibility ‘fair use’ is designed to adapt to the shifting digital environment and better respond to futureRead MoreInternal Control Audit Standards1079 Words   |  5 Pageswell. ââ€" ª The three paragraphs: introductory, scope and opinion should be modified by stating the division of the responsibility. b. Because of a relatively short period of time since a control weakness has been remediated, the auditors do not believe that sufficient evidence can be obtained with respect to the operating effectiveness of the entity’s internal control over financial reporting. In this case, there is a scope limitation, which makes it difficult for the auditor to issueRead MoreZZZZ Best Company: The Backlash Essay845 Words   |  4 Pageslimited the scope of the audit. The agreement restricted the auditors from validate evidence from the site visit with any independent third-party such as contractors, insurance companies, the building owner, or any individuals involved in the project. This was a major scope limitation regarding the case; however, since Ernst amp; Whinney auditors agreed to the terms, they might have thought otherwise. Ernst amp; Whinney dropped ZZZZ Best as a client not because of a scope limitation but becauseRead MoreDifference Between A Review And An Audit1238 Words   |  5 PagesZZZZ Best Case 1. Difference between a Review and an Audit. The review is much less in scope than an audit, it mostly involves inquiries of client’s personnel and analytical procedures and is usually performed on a quarterly basis, whereas audits are done annually. However, the main difference is in the level of assurance that the reports are providing. While both required to perform inquiry and analytical procedures, the review produces limited assurance, that there are no material modificationsRead MoreZZZZ Best Case Study: Understanding Audit and Review1205 Words   |  5 Pages Upon the performance of those procedures, the auditors of ZZZZ Best Inc. had obtained evidence in order to draw reasonable conclusions on which to base the audit opinion. However, these evidences are subject to limitations due to factors not controlled by the auditors. First limitation of the evidence is its insufficiency to support the occurrence, reliability and relevance of events and transactions. Mere paperwork is not enough to prove an event to have e xisted. It also needs inquiries from people

Resolving Ethical Dilemmas - 767 Words

Resolving Ethical Dilemmas Calvin L Harris Jr. ETH 316 15 November 2012 Marlon Spencer Resolving Ethical Dilemmas Ethical issues are inevitable because we live in a world of diversity. Diversity brings many beliefs, attitudes and personalities. As a result, ethical issues are common. They come in many shapes, sizes, and favors. Even though ethical issues cannot be prevented, ethical issues can be resolved because sound decisions can by considering ethical lenses to address and resolve ethically issues. For instance, the ethics game simulation presented two common ethical issues. The first involved determining whether to use information obtained by one employee to discipline another employee for violating the NDA†¦show more content†¦According to this view, an ethical action is one where the act creates the greatest good for the greatest number. On the other hand the rights/responsibilities lens focus on duty. According to this view, an ethical action is doing one’s duty and following ethical standards of action. The relationship Lens focuses on the processes or systems needed for an ethical organization. According to this view, an ethical action is one that will sustain integrity-building environments. The reputation lens, on the other hand, focus on character. According to this view, an ethical action is one that is consistent with a good character. Both the relationship lens and the reputation lens have the individual as the primary concern. http://www.ethicsgame.com/Exec/CorpGame/DilemmaA.aspx These lenses had a great influence on my decisions because they helped me to analyze the situation from different viewpoints to determine the best course of action. For instance, the rights/responsibilities lens help me to identify my obligations, whereas the results lens help me to see the impact of my decision on each stakeholder and the criteria for each stakeholder‘s happiness. Moreover, the relationship lens helped me to see that the basic liberties of all people must be protected and the reputation lens help me to see the virtues that are important for leadership. These concepts can be related to any workplace. The concepts from thisShow MoreRelated1.1.Objective Evaluation Of All Available Options. According1626 Words   |  7 Pagesbears testimony to the fact that time and again large-scale disasters happened due to the lack of ethical standards of some leaders or the other. We come to know from his research that there are two approaches to handle ‘ethical dilemma’: 1) before deciding on the course of action, assess the practical consequences likely to follow and 2) whatever be the likely consequences, do what you consider ethical. The first school of thought argues that if there is no harm, there is no foul. The second claimsRead MoreHandling Disparate Information Of Leo872 Words   |  4 PagesHandling Disparate Information #1 This is an ethical dilemma as it is reported that Leo is harassing the ethnic minority clients and present them with harsh and derogative terms. There is also no element of integrity in Leo because he is trying to deceive the supervisor and his Dr. Vaji on his conducts during the role-playing exercise and the actual supervision. The APA Ethical Principles that help frame the nature of this dilemma are the principles of showing honesty in all professional relations;Read MoreDecision-Making within the Healthcare Industry: The Importance of Individual Ethics949 Words   |  4 Pagesthat is because often ethical dilemmas occur at lower decision-making levels, and this means that the decision is being made by one person, facing a difficult situation that must be resolved quickly. Another reason that individual ethics are important in health care is that often a manager is unaware that there is an ethical dilemma. Thus, by failing to recognize the ethical dilemma, the manager is resolving the dilemma by his or her actions without realizing that an ethical decision is being madeRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of Performance Enhancing Drugs1005 Words   |  5 PagesEthical dilemmas often face a challenge on deciding what the right action to take is, and therefore are quite complex. Nevertheless, there are situations in which majority of individuals feel there is a clear acceptable choice. Specifically, the use of performance enhancing drugs through the public eye, are often not sanctioned as acceptable. With â€Å"the number of professional athletes using steroids [†¦] estimated to be fewer than 1%† (Petersen Kristensen, 2009). Throughout this paper the scenarioRead MoreApplying Ethical Models Of The Accounting Field General Accepted Accounting Standards Advisory Board Essay905 Words   |  4 PagesApplying Ethical Models In the accounting field General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are main Code of Principles developed by Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASB). Term GAAP has a specific meaning for all accountants and auditors. However, in cases when GAAP procedures will not provide a resolution of the accounting issue the accountant faces a moral dilemma. This is a situation whether there are several conflicting rules or because there are no GAAP rules (J. Wiley SonsRead MoreEthics Case Study: Clinical Psychologist Essay1244 Words   |  5 Pagesclinical psychologist is faced to ethical dilemmas of teaching a class that he is not competent in teaching, as well as a conflict of interest with the department chair that understands his dilemma, but wants him to abandon his principles and compromise ethics. American Psychologist Association (APA) developed ethical principles and codes to assist psychologist when they are faced with ethical dilemmas. Utilitarianism and Kantâ⠂¬â„¢s Formalist Theory are two models of ethical reasoning the psychologist canRead MoreWorkplace Ethical Dilemma Essay1301 Words   |  6 Pages+ Workplace Ethical Dilemma Tanya W. Cooper BSHS/332 Professional, Ethical and Legal Issues in Human Services April 16, 2012 Kathleen Roberts Everyday individuals are faced with issues associated with ethical dilemmas. Ethical dilemmas involve an individual’s behavior toward a moral standard, which may have been established from previous generations and passed along. In upholding the standards taught individual may be forced to take a particular action involving a decision when a behaviorRead MoreEthical Dilemmas : Ethical Dilemma1418 Words   |  6 Pageshealthcare clinicians have or will encounter ethical dilemmas during their clinical operations. Consequently most of them get not training on how to solve the situation. The clinical professionals should be trained on how to resolve ethical dilemma cases, since they are vulnerable to this kind of cases. Ethical dilemmas affect the psychological decisions one makes since they dread transgressing on other imperative moral decisions. Cases of ethical dilemmas affect almost every person regardless of theirRead MoreAnalysis of Leadership Ethics, by Lamar Odom 1176 Word s   |  5 Pagesthe most appropriate decision when a leader experiences a complex ethical dilemma or situation (â€Å"Professor Odom’s Book Examines Ethics in Leadership†, n.d.). The author wrote the book in order to provide insight on ethical decision-making from a practical perspective. He noticed a void in students’ and corporate executives’ understanding of the essential tenets of ethical leadership and initiatives on how to respond to basic ethical paradigms. While recognizing that the book is not a comprehensiveRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of A Family Nurse Practitioner1375 Words   |  6 PagesOn a daily basis we deal with the needs and wants of our patients, this alone provides an ethical dilemma. What we think is best and what our patients want could in fact create an ethical dilemma, however, when we have an ethical dilemma, it is our responsibility to get to a decision with caring, respect, an open mind and honesty to our patients (Parker , 2007). In making a decision regarding an ethical dilemma it is our responsibility to use a framework model to guide us in making an informed decision

Bajaj auto free essay sample

The project report entitled Strategic Management Cycle of Baja] Auto Ltd . has been submitted to Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad in partial tultlllment tor the award of degree of Master of Business Administration. I the undersigned hereby eclare that this report has been completed by me under the guidance of Prof. Jignasha mam (Faculty Member, Shayona Institute of Business Management, Ahmedabad) The report is entirely the result of my own efforts and has not been submitted either in part or whole to any other institute or university for any degree. Date: Place: Ahmedabad PREFACE As it is always said that if you give some-one theory knowledge it will make person understandwell. But if you give some-one theory as well as practical knowledge then it will help the person to understand and remember that always. In the same way to get practical knowledge,the report which we prepare not only make us understand the various functions but also gives us different vision regarding them and along with it gives us experience of practical assignment and managers work. By preparing report on Analytical Study on Strategic Management Cycle of Baja] Auto Ltd. we have tried to develop skill to understand well and also how to implement theoretical knowledge work. For this we are thankful to Gujarat Technological University for including such a project as practical studies in the syllabus of M. B. A. Acknowledgement The succession completion of this report would not have been possible without co- operation and support of our professor , friends and our institute. We forward gratitude to respected director of our institute. We are heartily thankful to the management for providing us the opportunity to make a study to practical in their organization. We express our sincere thanks to the company who have given us all the information on-line. We are also thankful our professor out with whose help, this becomes possible and who provided full guidance, co-operation and valuable suggestion bout company report. We are also thankful to our college friends and all those who have helped us directly or indirectly in the preparation of this report. Executive Summary In our project we nave conducted a research on now baJaJ auto ltd works By using stretegic management their different moves.. Hence on the basis of the Information we have found out our finding and have done an in-depth analysis on Strategic Management Cycle of Baja] Auto Ltd.. It is followed by recommendations and conclusion. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 . Objective of SM 2. Introduction of ABC Co. 3. History of ABC co. . Strategic Thinking i. Vision i. Mission iii. Corporate Purpose v. Values: (Standard of Conduct, Law, Employees, Consumers, Shareholders, Business Partners, Community Involvement, Public Activities, the environment, innovation, competition, business integrity etc. ) 5. Strategic Planning i. Strategy adopted by ABC Co. i. Action plan by ABC Co. iii . Responsibilities of ABC Co. CSR (Internal as well as External) iv . Michael Porters 5 Forces analysis v. McKinseys7S Model VI. SWOT Analysts of ABC co. PEST Analysts ViiiBCG MATRIX 6. Analysis of Strategies of ABC Co 7. Strategic Implementation i. Resource Allocation 7. Strategic Evaluation i . Balance Scorecar 1. OBJECTIVE OF SM . Statements of vision tend to be quite broad and can be described as a goal that represents an inspiring, overarching, and emotionally driven destination. Mission statements, on the other hand, tend to be more specific and address questions concerning the organizations reason for being and the basis of its intended competitive advantage in the marketplace. Strategic objectives are used to operationalize the mission statement. That is, they help to provide guidance on how he organization can fulfill or move toward the high goals in the goal hierarchy-the mission and vision. As a result, they tend to be more specific and cover a more well- defined time frame. Setting objectives demands a yardstick to measure the fulfillment of the objectives. If an objective lacks specificity or measurability, it is not very useful, simply because there is no way of determining whether it is helping the organization to move toward the organizations mission and vision. 2. INTRODUCTION OF BAJAJ GROUP : The Baja] Group is amongst the top 10 business houses in India. I s tootprint stretches over a wide range of industries, spanning automobiles (two-wheelers and three-wheelers), home appliances, lighting, iron and steel, insurance, travel and finance. The groups flagship company, Baja] Auto, is ranked as the worlds fourth largest two- and three- wheeler manufacturer and the Baja] brand is well-known across several countries in Latin America, Africa, Middle East, South and South East Asia. Founded in 1926, at the height of Indias movement for independence from the British, the group has an illustrious history. The integrity, dedication, resourcefulness nd determination to succeed which are characteristic of the group today, are often traced back to its birth during those days of relentless devotion to a common cause. Jamnalal Baja], founder of the group, was a close confidant and disciple of Mahatma Gandhi. In fact, GandhiJi had adopted him as his son. This close relationship and his deep involvement in the independence movement did not leave Jamnalal Baja] with much time to spend on his newly launched business venture. His son, Kamalnayan Baja], then 27, took over the reigns of business in 1942. He too was close to Gandhi] nd it was only after Independence in 1947, that he was able to give his full attention to the business. Kamalnayan Baja] not only consolidated the group, but also diversified into various manufacturing activities. The present Chairman of the group, Rahul Baja], took charge of the business in 1965. Under his leadership, the turnover of the Baja] Auto the flagship company has gone up from INR. 72 million to INR. 120 billion, its product portfolio has expanded and the brand has found a global market. He is one of Indias most distinguished business leaders and internationally espected for his business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit. 3. HlSTORY OF BAJAJ AUTO LTD Baja] Auto is a $2. 3 billion company founded in 1926. It is fourth largest two- and three-wheeler manufacturer. Baja] Auto has three plants in all, two at WaluJ and Chakan in Maharashtra and one plant at Pant Nagar in Uttaranchal. The company is into manutacturing ot motorcycles, scooters and three-wheelers. In India, Baja] Auto has a distribution network of 485 dealers and over 1,600 authorised services centres. It has 171 exclusive dealers for the three-wheeler segment . lt has total 3750 rural outlets in rural areas. The company has opened 11 retail stores for bikes across the country, exclusive for high-end and performance bikes. It has opened these stores under the name in cities like Pune, Nashik, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Navi Mumbai, Chandigarh, New Delhi, Faridabad and Mangalore. The Baja] brand is well-known across several countries in Latin America, Africa, Middle East, South and South East Asia. It has a distribution network in 50 countries with a dominant presence in Sri Lanka, Colombia, Bangladesh, Mexico, Central America, Peru and Egypt. It has technical tie up with Kawasaki Heavvy Industries of Japan to manufacture latest models in the two-wheeler space. Baja] Auto has launched brands like Boxer, Caliber, Wind125, Pulsar and many more. It has also launched Indias first real cruiser bike, Kawasaki Baja] Eliminator. Baja] Autos has in all three plants, two at WaluJ and Chakan in Maharashtra and one plant at Pant Nagar in Uttranchal, western India. WaluJ Baja] range of motorcycles and three-wheelers Chakan Baja] range of motorcycles Pant Nagar Baja] range of motorcycles Achievement 1945- On November 29 Baja] Auto came into existence as BachraJ Trading Corporation Private Limited. 1948- The company commenced sales in India by importing two- and three-wheelers. 1959- Baja] Auto obtained the licence from the Government of India to manufacture two- and three-wheelers. 1960- The company became a public limited company and conducted Bhoomi PooJan of the Akurdi Plant. 1970- Baja] Auto rolled out its 100,000th vehicle. 971- The company introduced its three-wheeler goods carrier. 1972- The company introduced Baja] Chetak. 1975- Baja] Auto Maharashtra Scooters entered into a Joint venture. 1976- The company introduced Baja] Super. 977- Baja] Auto introduced rear engine autorickshaw and achieved production and sales of 100,000 vehicles in a single financial year. 1981- Baja] Auto launched Baja] M-50. 1984- On January 19, the foundatio n stone laid for the new plant at WaluJ, Aurangabad. 1985- On November 5, the WaluJ plant inaugurated by the erstwhile President of India, Giant Zail Singh. The company commenced production at WaluJ, Aurangabad in a record time of 16 months. 1986- The Baja] M-80 and the Kawasaki Baja] KBIOO motorcycles were introduced. The company produced and sold 500,000 vehicles in a single financial year. 990- The Baja] Sunny was introduced. 1991- The company introduced Kawasaki Baja] 4S Champion. 1994- It launched Baja] Classic. 1995- On November 29, Baja] Auto turned into a 50-year old company. It signed agreements with Kubota of Japan for the development of diesel engines for three- wheelers and with Tokyo RD for ungeared scooter and moped development. The Baja] Super Excel is introduced while Baja] celebrated its ten millionth vehicle. The same year one million vehicles were produced and sold by company in that financial year. 1997- The Kawasaki Baja] Boxer and the RE diesel Autorickshaw are introduced. 998- The company commenced production at Chakan plant. It rolled out Kawasaki Baja] Caliber from its WaluJ plant. Baja] Auto launched Legend, Indias first four- stroke scooter from Akurdi plant. The same year Spirit was launched. 1999- Caliber motorcycle notched up 100,000 sales in record time of 12 months. 000- The company launched Baja] Safire. 2001- Baja] Auto launched its latest offering in the premium bike segment Pulsar. The same year Eliminator was launched. 2003- Baja] Pulsar DTS-i was launched. The company sold 107,115 motorcycles in a month. The company launched Baja] Wind 25, The World Bike in India. It launched its Caliber 115 Hoodibabaa! in the executive motorcycle segment. 2004- Baja] Discover DTS-I, new Baja] Chetak 4-stroke with wonder gear and Baja] CT 100 were launched. Baja] unveiled new brand identity, new symbol, logo and brandline. 005- Baja] Discover, Baja] Avenger DTS-I and Baja] Wave DTS-I were introduced. 2006- Baja] Platina was launched. 2007- RE GDi autonckshaw, Bajaj XCD 125 DTS-Si, Bajaj pulsar 220 DTS-Fi, 200 cc Pulsar DTS-I and Baja] Kristal DTS-i were launched. The company also underwent through revamping of its organisational structure. 008- Baja] Platina 125 DTS-Si was launched. 2009- Bajaj pulsar 150 180 upgrade and Bajaj XCD 135 DTS-Si were launched 2011- April, Baja] Records its best year ever of 2010. HISTORY OF RAHUL BAJAJ Rahul Baja] Chairman, Baja] Auto Limited. Mr. Baja] (b. June 10, 38) is recognized as one of the most successful business leaders of India. He heads the Baja] Group of Companies which is a leader in a variety of manufactured products and financial services in India and abroad including motorized 2 and 3-wheelers, home appliances, electric lamps, wind energy, special lloy and stainless steel, cranes, forgings, infrastructure development, material handling equipment, travel, general and life insurance and investment, consumer finance asset management. Mr. Baja] holds an Honours Degree in Economics from Delhi University, a degree in Law from Bombay University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Mr. Baja] is the Chairman of the Board of many companies. He was elected to the Upper House of Parliament (RaJya Sabha 2006 2010). Mr. Baja] has received many prestigious awards and recognitions, notable being the award of Padma Bhushan by he Government of India in 2001, Alumni Achievement Award by the Harvard Business School and Life Time Achievement Awards from Economic Times, Ernst Young and CNBC TV18. Mr. Baja] was appointed Knight in the Order of the Legion of Honour by the President of the French Republic. Mr. Baja] has been conferred Honorary Doctorates by 7 Universities including IIT Roorkee. The Project Report On Strategic Leaders Page 4 Mr. Baja] was the President of Confederation of Indian Industry (Cll 1979-80/1999-2000). He was President of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers SIAM) and Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industry And Agriculture (MCCIA) and Chairman of the Development Council for Automobiles and Allied Industries. Mr. Baja] was appointed by the Government of India the Chairman (1986- 89) of the Government owned domestic carrier, Indian Airlines. Mr. Baja] was nominated by the President of India the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay during 2003-06. Mr. Baja] is a Member former Chairman of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum, Geneva and a Member of Harvard Business Schools Global Advisory Board. He is also a Member of the International Advisory Council of the Brookings Institution, Washington DC and a Member of the Executive Board of Indian School of Business. Mr. Baja] spear-heads the CSR initiatives of the Baja] Group which include Jamnalal Baja] Foundation and Shiksha Mandal and a number of social organizations including Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust and Ruby Hall Clinic, a large hospital in Pune as their Chairman.

The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management an Example of the Topic Business Essays by

When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management Roger Lowenstein is a well-known business enthusiast and writer of different business-oriented books that are primarily a self-help orientation for early business entrepreneurs who are still new to the field. The expressive manner of the author in terms of presenting his ideas has made it certain that capitalism and its management is one of the key elements that are presented through the fields of business development and improvement in the said industry. Furthermore, it could be observed that the approach of the author has been focused on the particulars of the business primarily the finances and the management that the administrations are placing on the said assets of the organizations. Need essay sample on "When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Content and Summary The primary content of the book is focused on the finances of the business and the way that they are being managed by the administration. Financial resources are one of the most important resources for a business entity. This is mainly because this resource can actually be used in the acquisition and mobilization of most of the other valuable supplies for the business namely the work force and the land and building. In addition, the financial aspect of the business entity can also be used for expansion purposes, increasing of production and development of the business itself. Some of the primary sources of the financial aspect of the business entity are its investments or capital and its profit. Capitals sources are mainly for long-term usage because these are equity in nature however, financial profits are very useful due to the main fact that most of it are liquid assets thus they are easily convertible and used. Nevertheless, for expansion purposes, more capital is very much needed thus the business entity must resort to other sources such as debt and equity instruments. Debt instruments are mainly financial sources that are borrowed from other sources such as other enterprises or financial institutions with specific agreements enticed with it. Debt instruments can also vary from its market nature such as either liquefied money or physical assets, which are both invested into the business entity to increase its financial resources. In addition, debt instruments can vary from either with a long-term or short-term agreement with regards to its payment and maturity. Most long-term debt instruments are corporate bonds or loans while for short-term there are the commercial papers and certificates of deposit. In this financial instruments, the debtor has the options to either utilize the debt or can also sell it to others to gain profits thus making the debtor entity to also be creditor. On the other hand, equity instrument is another financial instrument where the business entity will resort to selling or crediting their assets or business equity to gain profit with the accumulated interest. In this option, one of the most valuably used items are the stock securities and/or stock options. However, this method is continuously monitored and controlled by the business entity because unrestrained selling of equity stocks can result to seizure of the equity of the business with regards to the owned percentage of claim by the buyer or buyers. Both of these instruments are done with considerable and valuable agreements concerning their payment methods and interest. For the equity instrument, the business can draw additional financial resources from the agreed interest in the transaction and in the debt instrument, the business entity can use the loaned asset to fund development projects which are beyond the present financial capacity of the business entity. Because of which, using debt instrument is a more reliable option for a business entity that is expanding its operation because the resources are easily acquired in this transaction. Business process is obviously and evidently cyclical in nature where the assets or the business entity is invested to undergo production and then produce profits which will be then added again to the business equity to be reinvested again to generate more profits. For purposes of expansion and business developments, more assets must be invested to fund the increase in the resource demand of the production process thus the business entity must resort to other financial instrument to cope up with the necessity which is either using debt instruments or equity instruments. Businesses, whether small-scale or large scale, need to face the challenges of becoming successful in the future. Indeed, through the implementation of the different elements of success in the business operations, it could be expected that the business group could attain the best possible results for its system and its people within the years of its operation. It could be noted that taking care of the concerns of the people force affects most of the organizational operations that brings success to the entire business. A Reflection on the Reading The main reason behind aiming for a larger market is to primarily gain a higher rate of revenue from the target clients of the company. To be able to do so, the importance of putting effort in creating possibilities by which the company could increase the value of the quality of their end-products and at the same time increase the value of the said produced items is indeed necessary. What are the examples of the said values? One is quality, another is practicality and third [as of tailoring jobs] the presentation of the end-products. The fact that the organization aims to serve their clients at the best way possible for them to do so, the administrations should see to it that the company members understand of this stress on the quality production that is aimed by the organization. Once the quality control of the end-products is heightened, it could be expected that the employees would be more careful of what they are primarily producing for their clients. In turn, a better reputation could be earned by the organization thus giving them the chance to demand for larger value of monetary returns from the clients that they serve. The demand that they are to place upon the shoulders should be reasonable enough for paying, if not, the effective distribution of the products or even inviting of the clients would not be truthfully applied at all. Administrational Learning Upon understanding of the suggestion written herein, it could be expected that the administration would put further appreciation of the employees efforts thus motivating them to create more productive and effective changes of dealing with the business operations of the organization. By doing so, they are not only increasing the possibilities of increasing the quality of their products but also increasing the capability of the organization to build up a reputation that is considerably inviting to a new expanded market that the organization shall serve. (C) Identifying the opportunities for reduced cost The cost being referred to in this section of the discussion certainly entails the organization in finding ways by which the production expenses that they spend on every fulfillment of client order that the complete be reduced in such a reasonable way that the companys organization would be made possible of taking more orders and sending them in high quality results without actually spending too much on the projects. Through this, the company is sure to gain a higher rate of revenue from the business operations that they pursue. Doing so shall also increase the capabilities of the organization in producing more items that are appointed to them because of being resourceful enough in using their materials the best way that they could. Doing so would really challenge the capabilities of the employees in retaining the quality of the products while using a little bit lesser than the usual amount of the resources that they used to utilize in finishing their projects. However, as challengin g as it may seem, this particular requirement shall also then be a guide for the administration to follow which in many ways would help them discover better potentials of their employees in making the said procedure possible. Administrational Learning As leaders of the company, the administrative sectors should use this particular situation and requirement of business success in finding great alternatives to the materials that they are currently using. Not compromising the quality of the products completed by the company while lowering the costs of the resources used for business completion is certainly not an easy task to deal with. Certainly, the administration then should find a way by which to train their employees in becoming more innovative as well as resourceful in their job so that no material is being used in an unreasonable procedure. Reference: Roger Lowenstein. (2001). When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management. Random House Trade Paperbacks.

Batter My Heart free essay sample

Perhaps, he used that term in relation to Ezekiel 24:11 Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten In It, that the scum of It may be consumed. Done didnt particularly display a specific setting however one could assume based off of his knowledge of the Tarantella God-head (which Is the Father, Son, and Holy Spiral) that he Indeed knew God and may have even been a Christian. The true setting may be implied differently based upon the reader.As I read this poem, I thought it was a prayer more so than a poem. It seemed to me that he was addressing God but also searching for a response from God. In this sonnet, the quatrain or four lines went together. Upon reading it, one could assume that each thought is one in itself, however based on the syntactical structure of the poem in the first stanza; the sentence was not concluded until the last line of the poem. We will write a custom essay sample on Batter My Heart or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page According to Pearson this poem is an attempt at opening the door to a better Christian life after being overthrown by the flesh.The mood of the poem Is contradicting. It seems as though in the beginning of the poem the speaker Is very direct with what he wants. Batter my heart, three-persons God ; for you As yet but knock; breathe, shine, and seek to mend; That I may rise, and stand, rhetoric me, and bend Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new. The speaker seems to want to be made new. With the terms and expressions used, for example, break, blow, and burn, one would believe hat he was ready to divorce anything that he needed to in order to be pleasing in the eyes of God. L, like an usurped town, to another due, Labor to admit you, but O, to no end. Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend, But is captivated, and proves weak or untrue. The mood changes when the speaker has an epiphany. Its almost as if he desired all of these things to happen in his life, but the voice of God was too weak to stop him from doing all of the things that he knew were wrong. Although he never went Into detail on what those things were, it was apparent that they had a throng hold on him. It brings me to the story of Paul In Romans 7:15.Paul discussed the war between his spiral and his flesh. Although his spiral wanted to rule, obviously, his spiritual ears were keener to the fleshly voice than the spiritual. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do l. The speaker another analyst. The speaker says in the second stanza l, like an usurped town, to another due, Labor to admit you, but O, to no end. Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend, But is captivated, and proves weak or untrue. Basically at this point he recognizes that he is a lost cause.He knows exactly what he should be doing, however, he is too weak spiritually to fight against his fleshly desires. Meet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,But am betrothed unto your enemy ; Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again Clearly at this point the speaker feels entrapped by this wrong that he endeavors in. He feels married to Gods enemy and the only way that he can get a divorce is by God forcing the divorce. Pearson explained this by saying that because only God could truly grant a divorce it would take God to operate the two. This is called imagery.He used the imagery of marriage to describe his binding to sin. Finally the speaker uses a paradox/contradiction when he basically says I cant be free unless you captivate me. Thats ironic but also contradicting. How can one be free if they are captivated? He even went as far as to say that the only way I can be pure is if you rape me. Because he used the term again in the previous stanza, one could say that he has already been down this road and has gotten himself once again involved with this thing that easily besets him and his time it is worse.In conclusion, if I were to ask myself what the outcome was I would say that he probably never allowed himself to truly be free. Its almost like he was asking God to take away his cross instead of asking for strength to carry it. I would describe him as an unstable person who has struggled repeatedly with the same issues and now has to find enough security in God to know that if he would draw near to God, God will draw near unto him but not the other way around. God did all that he was going to do on the cross and now it is his turn to follow God.

Dynamo Sportswear Case Essays

Dynamo Sportswear Case Essays Dynamo Sportswear Case Essay Dynamo Sportswear Case Essay Dynamo Sportswear Inc (Product Management) l. Time context Mr. Gerard Cruz, the owner and manager or Dynamo Sports Inc. Talked with his brand manager Joe Santos In getting a new product line Incorporated In their sportswear business. As for the present, all of their product line has been successful though they cater more in the mens division. The owner had the idea of adding a womens section and is willing to invest millions in the span of three years that he is projecting it but would want to be successful. The brand manager is given six months on planning this project. II. Problem Statement Becoming Success In Introducing a New Product Line The owner and general manager of Dynamo Sports Inc. , Mr. Gerard Cruz Is planning to add a new product In the company which Is the new female line. He Is not sure whether to alma at the upper bracket to downward or do It In reverse. What the Mr.. Cruz wants is to make sure they succeed and become dominant in this new market. The company does not have any difficulty and have nothing to worry with the seasonality of their new product since their manufacturing facilities could produce year round. They are also financially stable. Mr. Cruz gave Mr.. Santos six months to plan it and have it launch. Ill. Statement of the Objective Have the new product line launched In the time frame given, which Is six months. And make sure that It became successful. IV. Areas of Consideration 1. Make a plan of the project within the given time frame. 2. Look at key factors in the market that will help in making the new product line successful 3. Understand and know the perceptions of potential customers in the new product line that will be launch. V. And VI. Alternative Courses of Action (ACS) and Analysis of CA CA 1 . Mr.. Santos should know and test how the market Is, the pricing and telling of the launching of new female line. A. By having this new line, you will increase the market share. B. Developing to try a new market that presently does not exist. Disadvantages: a. Failure to understand the present market may end up in not having the line. B. New market may not become successful since people will not embrace it. CA 2. Understanding and knowing customers wants and attitudes. Advantages: a. Knowing what the new customers want in this new line. B. To determine and know the perception of customers. A. Failure to know what customers want. B. Was not able to determine the perception of customers and might not incorporate in plan VI. Conclusion: I conclude that using CA #2 can somehow help in making sure that the launching of the new product line will become successful. Since this involved the know of the market that the company will be entering and also taking in consideration what the customers wants. This means that the new product line will be able to meet up with the expectations of the customers it will cater with. VIII. Plan of Action. 1 . Make a reasonable and sound plan of action within time frame. 2. Have people work on knowing what the customers, in this case women, wants, their attitude towards female sportswear, what they needed and their perception on this products.

Dynamo Sportswear Case Essays

Dynamo Sportswear Case Essays Dynamo Sportswear Case Essay Dynamo Sportswear Case Essay Dynamo Sportswear Inc (Product Management) l. Time context Mr. Gerard Cruz, the owner and manager or Dynamo Sports Inc. Talked with his brand manager Joe Santos In getting a new product line Incorporated In their sportswear business. As for the present, all of their product line has been successful though they cater more in the mens division. The owner had the idea of adding a womens section and is willing to invest millions in the span of three years that he is projecting it but would want to be successful. The brand manager is given six months on planning this project. II. Problem Statement Becoming Success In Introducing a New Product Line The owner and general manager of Dynamo Sports Inc. , Mr. Gerard Cruz Is planning to add a new product In the company which Is the new female line. He Is not sure whether to alma at the upper bracket to downward or do It In reverse. What the Mr.. Cruz wants is to make sure they succeed and become dominant in this new market. The company does not have any difficulty and have nothing to worry with the seasonality of their new product since their manufacturing facilities could produce year round. They are also financially stable. Mr. Cruz gave Mr.. Santos six months to plan it and have it launch. Ill. Statement of the Objective Have the new product line launched In the time frame given, which Is six months. And make sure that It became successful. IV. Areas of Consideration 1. Make a plan of the project within the given time frame. 2. Look at key factors in the market that will help in making the new product line successful 3. Understand and know the perceptions of potential customers in the new product line that will be launch. V. And VI. Alternative Courses of Action (ACS) and Analysis of CA CA 1 . Mr.. Santos should know and test how the market Is, the pricing and telling of the launching of new female line. A. By having this new line, you will increase the market share. B. Developing to try a new market that presently does not exist. Disadvantages: a. Failure to understand the present market may end up in not having the line. B. New market may not become successful since people will not embrace it. CA 2. Understanding and knowing customers wants and attitudes. Advantages: a. Knowing what the new customers want in this new line. B. To determine and know the perception of customers. A. Failure to know what customers want. B. Was not able to determine the perception of customers and might not incorporate in plan VI. Conclusion: I conclude that using CA #2 can somehow help in making sure that the launching of the new product line will become successful. Since this involved the know of the market that the company will be entering and also taking in consideration what the customers wants. This means that the new product line will be able to meet up with the expectations of the customers it will cater with. VIII. Plan of Action. 1 . Make a reasonable and sound plan of action within time frame. 2. Have people work on knowing what the customers, in this case women, wants, their attitude towards female sportswear, what they needed and their perception on this products.

Psychology Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Psychology Research - Essay Example art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets†, they could provide a more truthful answer without fear of retribution or disapproval (Matthew 16:14, King James Version). When Jesus further quizzed the disciples about what they thought, the disciples knew that the first answer was not right. Thus â€Å"Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God† (Matthew 16:16, King James Version). In which Jesus rewarded him with a blessing stating â€Å"Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven† (Matthew 16:17, King James Version). Jesus would have made an excellent interrogator. The methods he used are used today when interviewing a criminal or trying to get to the truth about a matter. He first asked whatever one else thought. This gives the individual being questioned a way to tell the truth without being embarrassed or looking guilty. When the disciples gave the wrong answer, then Jesus pressed them for what they thought. This allows a person to explain themselves. Finally after giving the answer being sought by Jesus, the disciple that answered was praised. Another point is Jesus questioned a crowd (at least twelve). That gives a sense of competition to get the answer right, sort of peer pressure. In the end, the statement of being â€Å"Son of man† was confirmed by Simon Peter. Jesus not only sublimely planted the answer, but made Simon Peter think it was his

Evidence base practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Evidence base practice - Essay Example So, as a team, we are under a supervision of a superintendent who is in charge of all the professionals working under him. The nursing practice guideline in our facility strongly advocates for rational decision making based on facts and evidences that can be relied upon at all times (Tschudin, 2011). One is always required to act on well-researched evidence while discharging their duties both in the emergency and operation rooms. These are critical areas that do not need one to rush in action, but to be a patient, consultative team player who acknowledges and is ready to seek the opinion of other professionals (Melnyk, 2011). The management of the hospital emphasizes these points since it is what can help in delivering patient-oriented services as we strive to satisfy their diverse needs. After all, a nurse should also be ready to discharge duties of a researcher who looks for knowledge, apply and disseminate it to others for the sake of improving the patients’ health

Sport Scale Essay Example for Free

Sport Scale Essay ABSTRACT The primary purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to assess sport fan motivation. Also, the new measure was employed to examine the relationship between sport fan motivation and ethnic identity. One hundred sixty nine college students from two southeastern institutions participated in this study. Data were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Bivariate correlation, t test, ANOVA, and descriptive statistics. The Fan Motivation Scale (FMS), developed in this study, consisted of six components with 22 items. The number of items under every component range from 5 to 2 items (quality of the game 4 items, escape 5 items, boredom avoidance 5 items, social 3 items, entertainment 3 items, and sport atmosphere 2 items). In addition, two hypotheses were tested in the current study. The first hypothesis was that ethnic identity is positively related to sport fan motivation. The second hypothesis assumed that there was a difference between African Americans and European Americans in their ethnic identity. The results revealed the FMS is a reliable measure with an overall alpha score of 0.90. Significant differences were found between participants in the total FMS and some of the subscales based on gender and ethnicity. However, the outcomes of the samples examined in this study do not support the first hypothesis. Therefore, no significant relationship was found between sport fan motivation and ethnic identity. Regarding the second hypothesis, a significant difference was found between African Americans and European Americans in their ethnic identity. vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Sports have become an increasingly important part of our society. Sports fans represent a significant percentage of sport consumers, because 70 percent or more of Americans watch, read, or discuss sports at least once a day (Iso-Ahola Hatfield, 1986). From 1985 to 1998, attendance has significantly increased at the four major sports in the United States. Major League Baseball (MLB) had the largest increase in the number of people attending games (24. 2 million, a 50% increase), followed by professional basketball (10. 3 million, a 89% increase), professional football (5.7 million, a 40% increase), and professional hockey (5. 6 million, a 49% increase). The number of people attending college sporting events has also increased during this time period (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000). Additionally, more television programming time is being devoted to sporting events. The ESPN was the fifth highest ranked television network in 2000, in terms of revenue, it was estimated to be $2. 1 billion (McAvoy, 2000). With the increase of interest in sports has become an increased interest of sports fans as consumers. Sport teams and companies are very interested in attracting as many consumers as possible to purchase game tickets or products. Therefore, sport marketers should acknowledge the factors that drive fans to follow sport by attending, watching on television, or purchasing products. However, understanding the notion of sports fans is not simple because their attitudes and behaviors are not determined by a single motive or factor but rather occur for a variety of reasons (Mashiach, 1980). Statement of the Problem There has been a growing interest in the study of sport fan motivations in recent years to better understand fan behaviors (Bilyeu Wann, 2002; Funk, Mahony, Nakazawa, Hirakawa, 2001; Funk, Mahony Ridinger, 2002; Funk, Ridinger, Moorman, 2003; Gantz, 1981; Kahle, Kambara, Rose, 1996; Lee, 2002; Mahony, Nakazawa, Funk, James, Gladden, 2002; Pease Zhang, 2001; Trail James, 2001; Wann, 1995; Wann, Bilyeu, Brennan, Osborn Gambouras, 1999; Wann, Brewer, 1 Royalty, 1999; Wann, Schrader Wilson, 1999). Some of these studies have introduced measures of different consumption motives of sport fans. In addition, researchers have examined the relationship between fan motivation and other variables such as team identification, involvement, gender, and race. The measures used in previous studies to assess fan motivations vary in length and number of components. However, some of the components are used in all or most scales such as the entertainment component, the family component, and the friends component. They also share very similar items with regard to similar components. Items used in most previous scales often begin with the words â€Å"I like†, â€Å"I enjoy†, or â€Å"I feel† which raises a validity issue for the measures because the aforementioned words represent satisfaction and attitude rather than motivation. Fan satisfaction relates to the happiness and pleasure associated with the outcome of a sporting event while fan attitude represents the opinion and feelings an individual has about a sport team or sporting event. On the other hand, sport fan motivation refers to the reasons that drive individuals to support sport teams, be loyal to them, buy team/sport related products, watch and attend sporting events. The Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to assess sport fan motives. Also, the new measure was utilized to examine the relationship between fan motivation and ethnic identity. The Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework of this study includes the discussion of two concepts. First, the Fan Motivation Scale and its content will be introduced. Second, the notion of ethnic identity and why it should be correlated with sport fan motivation will be presented. The prior research (Wann, 1995; Funk, Mahony, Nakazawa, Hirakawa, 2001; Bilyeu Wann, 2002) identified various motives that could drive fans to attend sporting events. Some of these motives are related to personal needs (entertainment and financial 2 gain), social needs (bonding with family and group affiliation), and psychological needs (self-esteem and achievement). In attempt to measure the motives of sport fans, the researchers introduced different scales. These scales comprised different number of motives ranging from 7 motives with 16 items to 18 motives with 54 items. The length of some of the scales was not the only problem. The major concern for previous scales is in the content validity, the extent to which items used in the scale accurately represent fan motives. In fact, all previous scales included items that are more related to attitude and satisfaction then motivation. The reason for this problem is the lack of clear definition of sport fan motivation. The current study is going to view sport fan motivation as the reasons that drive individuals to support sport teams, be loyal to them, purchase team/sport related products, watch and attend sporting events. In addition, this study will employ a review of related literature and the prior effort made on fan motivation scales to develop valid and reliable measures of sport fan motivation. The proposed Fan Motivation Scale (FMS) will measure six motives: social, entertainment, escape, aesthetic, psychological, and amotivation. The social motive assesses the extent to which individuals participate in sporting events as spectators because they desire to spend time with their families (Gantz, 1981; Wann, 1995). Also, to some individuals, group affiliation is an important motivation of being a sport fan. Sport spectating provides a fan with opportunities to share time with others who enjoy the same activities. A fan may want to keep contact with a group of fans and seek refuge from a feeling of alienation (Branscombe Wann, 1991; Smith, 1988; Wann, 1995). The entertainment motive includes items that represent the desire of some individuals to have a good time and enjoy the excitement associated with sporting events. Some fans might enjoy a sport because of its entertainment value. Sport spectating provides fans with leisure pastime activities similar to watching movies or television. One advantage of sport spectating is that few special skills, if any, are required (Zillmann, Bryant Sapolsky, 1989; Wann, 1995). The escape motive of sport fans assesses the desire of sport fans to escape or diverge from their everyday lives. Attending a sporting event gives many people an 3 opportunity to temporarily forget about their troubling, dissatisfying, or boring lives (Smith, 1988; Lever Wheeler, 1984; Wann, Schrader Wilson, 1999). The aesthetic motive of sport fans appeals to those that are motivated by the aesthetic value of the sport. Some fans enjoy sports because of the competition between highly skilled athletes. The beauty, grace, and other artistic characteristics make some people enjoy sporting events (Milne McDonald, 1999; Wann, 1995). The psychological motive is a factor that motivates sports fans and gives them a feeling of accomplishment and achievement when the fans’ favorite team or player is successful. Sports fans tend to associate themselves with a successful team or player in order to create and sustain a positive self-concept (Branscombe Wann, 1991; Milne McDonald, 1999; Sloan, 1989). Amotivation refers to the state of lacking an intention to act. When amotivated, individual’s action lacks intentionality and a sense of personal causation (Ryan Deci, 2000). Amotivation results from not valuing an activity (Ryan, 1995), not feeling competent to do it (Deci, 1975), or not believing it will yield a desired outcome (Seligman, 1975). Some individuals might go to sport events and watch sport games because they have nothing else to do, bored, and want to kill time. These types of reasons had been neglected in previous studies of sport fan motivation. As mentioned earlier, prior research has examined the relationship between fan motivations and other variables such as sport involvement, team identification, and some demographic factors of selected sport fans. However, the ethnic identity of sport fans has been ignored in the literature. It might be assumed by some researchers that the race factor is enough representation of an individual’s ethnic background. It is, however, only part of the concept. Ethnic identity is defined as â€Å"a process of coming to terms with one’s ethnic-racial membership group as a salient reference group† (Smith, 1991, p. 182). Smith (1991) defined an ethnic group as â€Å"a reference group called upon by people who share a common history and culture† (p. 181). According to Gordon (1985), culture influences our social standards, values, cognitions, social perceptions, attributions, feelings, and sources of motivation. Individuals develop their ethnic identity through their social interaction with others. Through their interactions they begin to view themselves as others view them 4 (Stryker, 1980). Ethnic identity is viewed as part of social identity and it was defined by Tajfel (1981) as â€Å"that part of an individual’s self-concept which derives from his knowledge of his membership of a social group (or groups) together with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership† (p.255). An ethnic group is composed of a number of individuals who share a sense of group identity based on their unique culture, which include values, morals, and various customs, as well as shared origins. In the larger society, ethnic groups tend to maintain a sense of peoplehood (Dublin, 1996; Kornblum Janowitz, 1974; Portes, 1996). Forty years ago, Tumin (1964) defined an ethnic group as â€Å"a social group which, within a large cultural and social system, claims or is accorded special status in terms of complexity of traits which it exhibits or is believed to exhibit† (p.123). Distinguishing between ethnic groups is not always simple. Some ethnic minorities, such as African Americans, may have obvious physical differences that set them apart from other ethnic groups within the United States, but many biracial individuals present an ambiguity because they belong to two or more ethnic groups, which makes ethnicity a subjective construct (Root, 1992). Studying ethnic identity is very important because it is the foundation for what an individual believes about himself or herself. Given the significance of ethnic identity, many researchers have been studying this construct. Phinney (1990) reviewed 70 studies of ethnic identity published between 1972 and 1990. She found that most of the studies have used one of three theoretical frameworks to examine ethnic identity. The first framework is the social identity theory which ethnic identity is considered a component of social identity. Social theory refers to the need for an individual to be a member of a group that provides him or her with a sense of belonging that contributes to a positive self-concept. The second framework is the acculturation prospective. The concept of acculturation refers to changes in the cultural attitudes, value, and behaviors that result from interactions between two distinct cultures (Berry, Trimble, Olmedo, 1986). These kinds of changes are normally the concern of a group of individuals, and how it relates to the dominant or host society. Ethnic identity can be an aspect of acculturation in which the focus is on the individuals and how they relate to their own group as a subgroup of the larger society (Phinney, 1990). The third framework is developmental framework, where ethnic identity is viewed as a process by which people construct their ethnicity. 5 Erikson (1968) indicated that identity is the outcome of a period of exploration and experimentation that normally takes place during adolescence and leads to a decision of commitment in various areas, such as occupation, and religion. This view of ethnic identity suggests age as a factor is strongly related to developing one’s ethnic identity (Phinney, 1990). Phinney (1990) mentioned that most studies have focused on certain components of ethnic identity. These components include self-identification as a group member, a sense of belonging to the group, attitudes about one’s group membership, and ethnic involvement (social participation, cultural practices and attitudes). Self-identification represents the ethnic label that one uses for oneself. The ability of children to label themselves with the right ethnic group was the addressed in a study by Aboud (187). Another issue was the relationship between incorrect labeling and poor self-concept (Cross, 1978). Adults are expected to know their ethnicity but the issue is what label one chooses to use for himself or herself. However, some ethnic groups have a little choice in what ethnic title they can use for themselves often because of their distinctive skin color or culture (language, dresses, customs, etc. ) which distinguishes them from other groups. Additionally, some individuals have two or more ethnic backgrounds and they identify themselves as members of more than one group. Ethnic self-identification is an important but complex component of ethnic identity (Phinney, 1990). The feeling of belonging to one’s own group is an important element of ethnic identity. Some researchers have tried to assess the sense of belonging by either asking people how strong was their relationship with their groups or how separate they feel from other groups (Driedger, 1976). Members of every ethnic group can have positive or negative attitudes toward their own group. Some of the positive attitudes related were pride in and pleasure, satisfaction, and contentment with one’s group (Phinney, 1990). Negative attitudes include dissatisfaction, displeasure, discontentment, and a desire to hide ones identity (Driedger, 1976). People who display no positive attitudes or express negative attitudes can be seen as denying their ethnic identity (Phinney, 1990). In addition, the involvement in the social life and cultural practices of one’s ethnic group is considered a strong indicator of one’s ethnic identity. The social and cultural practices 6 that represent the involvement component include language, friendship, social organizations, religion, cultural traditions, and politics (Phinney, 1990). Phinney (1992) developed the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) with the purpose of assessing ethnic identity among various ethnic groups. The scale was designed to measure three components of ethnic identity: affirmation and belonging, ethnic identity achievement, and ethnic behaviors. Roberts, Phinney, Masse, Chen, Roberts, and Romero (1999) examined the validity of the MEIM and conducted factor analysis with a large sample. The outcomes suggest that the scale measures two components of ethnic identity: ethnic identity search and affirmation, belonging, and commitment. Ethnic identity search refers to a developmental and cognitive component. Affirmation, belonging, and commitment represent the affective component. However, the scale has been proven to be a valid and reliable measurement and it will be used in the context of this study. More discussion of the scale is provided in the method section. Researchers have indicated that positive relationships do exist between ethnic identity and self-esteem, self-concept, psychological well-being, achievement, and satisfaction (Phinney, 1992; Roberts et al. , 1999; Delworth, 1989). However, it is the purpose of this study to examine the relationship between ethnic identity and motivations of sport fans. According to Phinney (1990) some studies have used sport as a cultural item to measure ethnic identity. Pons, Laroche, Nyeck, and Perreault (2001) indicated that the choice of a particular sporting event represents a strong cultural meaning for the individual. Some ethnic groups tend to identify with a specific sport, for example, soccer in the Italian community and hockey among the French Canadian. Pons et al. , (2001) stated â€Å"ethnic groups do not all react to sporting events in the same way; they differ in the means and the pace of their integration into the host culture† (p.238). African American consumers tend to attend historically Black college/university sports more frequently than they did any other sport. The level of ethnic identification of African American fans has significant affect on their attendance frequency to historically Black college/university sports (Armstrong, 2002). Moreover, previous studies showed differences in motivation between African American and European American sport fans based on ethnicity (Wann, Bilyeu, Brennan, Osborn, Gambouras, 1999; Bilyeu Wann, 2002; Armstrong, 2002). 7Ã'Ž Therefore, it is expected that there is a relationship between sport fans’ motivation and ethnic identity. Research Hypotheses H1: Ethnic identity is positively related to sport fan motivations. H2: There is a difference between African American and European American in their ethnic identity. Operational Definitions Ethnic Identity: â€Å"part of an individual’s self-concept that derives from his or her knowledge of membership in a social group (or groups) together with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership† (Phinney, 1992, p.156). Sport fan: refers to someone who is enthusiastic about a particular sport team or athlete (Wann, 1995). Sport fan motivation: refers to the reasons that drive individuals to support sport teams, be loyal to them, buy team/sport related products, watch and attend sporting events. Delimitations This study is delimitated to: 1. Investigate the ethnic identity and motivations of sport fans in general. For that reason, no specific group of fans (i. e. , basketball fans, football fans) was examined. 2. The student at Florida State University (FSU) and Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University (FAMU), therefore, the findings cannot be generalized to populations other than the population from which the sample was drawn. 8 Limitations This study is limited to the following: 1. The outcome of this study depends on the participants’ honesty and cooperation in answering the questions. 2. Due to the nature of this study as self-administrated surveys, the researcher’s access is limited to the classes gained via permission to attend and meet. Assumptions This study is based on the following assumptions: 1. The surveys used in this study are clear and understandable for the participants. 2. The participants will answer the questions honestly and accurately. 3. The surveys are valid and reliable. Significance of the Study The sport marketers are in a high competition within the sport industry and also with outside competitors. Young generations are attracted through technology to new types of entertainment such as computer/video games and the X-Games. â€Å"These new entertainment options have already attracted a significant amount of attention from the so -called X-generation† (Kwon Trail, 2003, p. 1). Therefore, sport marketers should be concern about the future of the sport industry. In order for sport marketers to maintain their consumer base and to attract young generation, they should explore and examine the consuming behavior of sport fans and the factors that might influence their behavior. According to Gramann and Allison (1999), â€Å"the increase in the ethnic diversity of North America is one of the most powerful demographic forces shaping U. S. and Canadian society† (p. 283). Therefore, studying ethnic identity as an important social characteristic of sport fans is important to sport marketers. The importance of studying ethnic groups among sport fans is reflected by the increasing percentage of minority participation in professional sport, especially African American. African American athletes represent 25 to 75 percent of athletes on the rosters for the three popular sports (baseball, basketball, football) (Gano-Overway Duda, 2001). 9 The goal of this study was to introduce a new measure of fan motivation which will assist practitioners in the sport industry to understanding the driving factors for sport fans to attend sporting events, support sport teams, or buy team/sport related products. Also, the relationship between motivations and ethnic identity of sport fans was examined. The outcome of the study should provide practitioners with valuable information to assist them in understanding the various motives of sport fans based on their ethnic identity. Therefore, sport marketers should be able to improve their plans and strategies to maintain their fan base and fulfill the desires for their target market. 10 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW The purpose of this chapter is to review the literature on ethnic identity and motivation of sport fans. It should be noted that to date, no research has combined and analyzed the interaction of the two identified variables. As such, the first section of this chapter focuses on the research that has been done on the ethnic identity of sport fans. The second section discusses motives of sport fans as well as scales that have been used to assess these motives. Ethnic Identity and Sport Fans Ethnicity as social and cultural characteristic of sport fans has been ignored in the literature although the race factor, which is the physical aspect of ethnicity, has been utilized for comparison between ethnic groups. However, Armstrong (2002) examined the influence of ethnic identification on Black consumers’ attendance at historically Black college/university (HBCU) sports. To assess ethnic identification, Armstrong used a self-report measure in which participants were asked to identify their ethnic group based on ethnic categories (Black/African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian, and â€Å"other†) and to rate the intensity of their identification with their ethnic group on a scale from 1 (weak) to 5 (very strong). The hypothesis was that the identification of Black consumers with their ethnic group would have a significant influence on their attendance frequency at HBCU sport events. The findings offered support for the hypothesis indicating a positive relationship between ethnic identification and attendance frequency. In another study, Armstrong (2000) examined the influence of ethnic identification on African American students’ processing of persuasive sport communications (i. e. , advertisement, promotional messages, developmental campaigns, and announcements). The ethnic identification of the respondents was measured using a 13-item scale developed by Whittler, Calatone, and Young (1991). The scale assesses two major factors of ethnic identification (cross-race attraction and political and social 11 relations among Blacks). The outcome of the study revealed that ethnic identification has an effect on participants’ reaction to racial heuristics in the communication. African American consumers are more likely to have a positive reaction to a persuasive communication if the message were culturally relevant and delivered by a Black spokesperson. Pons et al. (2001) looked at the impact ethnic identity could have on the consumption behavior and orientation of sport consumers. They measured language (3 items), religion (3 items), and social participation with one’s own ethnic group (6 items) as three dimensions of ethnic identity. The orientation of sport consumers has three dimensions. The first dimension refers to sporting events as a provider of sensations in which consumers have an emotional attachment to the event or the product. The second dimension represents individuals’ need to understand the sporting event, which lead to better appreciation for the event. The third dimension of orientation toward sporting event refers to the socialization opportunities presented for sport consumers. The consumption behaviors include purchase of sporting good, tickets, and time devoted to sporting events. The results offered support for the idea that ethnic identity has a positive impact on the consumption and orientation of sport consumers. In regard to the race of sport consumers as part of their ethnicity, researchers have found a difference between Blacks and Whites concerning their sport involvement (Spreitzer Snyder, 1990). Sport involvement included seven dimensions â€Å"watching sports on television, listening to sport on the radio, reading the sport pages of the newspaper, watching/listening to sports news on radio/television, reading sports books, reading sports magazines, and talking about sports with friends† (Spreitzer Snyder, 1990, p. 51). The findings revealed significant effect of race on sport involvement regardless of respondents’ social background characteristics (i. e. , age, sex, education, income, town size). Blacks tend to be more involved in sport than Whites. The authors argued that the findings reflect a distinctive subculture within the black community. Rudman (1986) examined the relationship between race, social structure, and sport orientations. The main goal of the study was to see whether factors that affect sport orientations are race-dependant. The results showed Blacks to be more likely than Whites to become vicariously involved in sport outcomes and to incorporate sport into their daily 12 lives. Based on the overall analyses, the author argued that social and economic conditions provide a better explanation of differences in sport orientations. He used the term â€Å"culture of poverty† to indicate that socioeconomic positions are more likely to make boor blacks and boor whites see sport as an opportunity to enhance social prestige and economic position. At the college level, Armstrong (2001) examined ethnic minority students’ consumption of college sport events. The ethnic minorities included African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and â€Å"Others†. She looked at the degree of ethnic minority students’ interest in sport spectating, the frequency in which they attend university sponsored sport events, and the factors that influence their decision to attend campus sport events. Eight factors were tested to see their influence on the students’ attendance. The factors are the price of the tickets, academic commitment, significant others, friends, watching the event on television, the option to spend money on other things, not knowing when tickets are available, the quality of the opponent. The factors identified had no significant influence on students’ attendance. The findings indicate that ethnic minority students generally had a favorable attitude towards sport spectating. However, about 44% of the student stated that they never attend a campus sport event, 41% stated that they seldom attended, and 15% have attended often. The author contended that minority students had a favorable attitude toward sport spectating but they never or seldom attend sport events on campus because they view these events as directed to a specific group (i.e. , dominant ethnic group). For minority students to be motivated to attend, the sport event has to be socially and culturally relevant to the students’ ethnic background. In professional sport, Zhang, Pease, Hui, Michaud (1995) and Zhang, Pease, Smith, Lee, Lam, Jambor (1997) indicated that factors such as game promotions, amenities, and schedule convenience influenced ethnic minorities’ attendance differently and more significantly than they did Whites’. Therefore, sport marketers should emphasize the sociocultural factors (i. e., offering different ethnic foods at the concession stands, playing different ethnic music, making announcement in different languages) in promoting sport consumption of ethnic minority consumers (Armstrong, 2001; Hofacre Burman, 1992; McCarthy Stillman, 1998). 13 In a direct connection to the current investigation, previous studies have found differences on the motivations of sport fans based on ethnicity. Wann, Bilyeu, Brennan, Osborn, Gambouras (1999) investigated the relationship between sport fans’ motivation and race. A sample of 65 Euro-Americans and 32 African Americans completed the Sport Fan Motivation Scale (SFMS). The SFMS, developed by Wann (1995), includes eight motivational factors (eustress, self-esteem benefit, diversion from everyday life, entertainment value, economic value, aesthetic value, need for affiliation, and family needs). The findings indicated that Euro-Americans reported higher motivation than African Americans. The authors argued that certain motives might be applicable to only a subset of races. In a recent study, Bilyeu and Wann (2002) examined the racial differences in sport fan motivation between African Americans and European Americans. First, 50 African American participants completed a demographic questionnaire and an interview with the researcher to discuss their motives for being a sport fan. Second, the motives discovered from the interviews were sent to African American psychologists and sociologists for validation. Third, the new motives were added to the SFMS, then the African American and European American participants were asked to complete the SFMS. The findings suggested that three new factors be added to the SFMS: â€Å"representation (e. g. , people of the same background), similarity (e. g., people they have things in common with), and support/perceived greater equality (e. g. , people they want to succeed)† (Bilyeu Wann, 2002, p. 93). Armstrong (2002) indicated that previous investigations of motivation for sport consumption were not applicable to Black consumers because the samples used in these investigations were predominantly White. Therefore, she added a cultural affiliation motive to the SFMS, developed by Wann (1995), and administered it to a sample of only Black consumers of sport. The findings supported the hypotheses that cultural affiliation is a viable motive for Black’s sport consumption. In addition, the factor structure of the SFMS with the inclusion of the cultural affiliation motive differed from previous studies (Wann, 1995; Wann, Schrader, Wilson, 1999). Therefore, the Black Consumer’ Sport Motivation Scale (BCSMS) was introduced including the following factors: eustress, group recreation, aesthetics, cultural affiliation, group entertainment, escape, and 14 personal (economic/psychological) investment. At the conclusion of the study, the author stated, â€Å"behaviors and motives related to sport consumption may also be influenced by the social and psychological manifestations of culture† (Armstrong, 2002, p.329). In summary, although research on ethnic identity for sport fans is very limited, a strong relationship was found between sport consumers’ ethnic identity and sport consumption and orientation. Also, the differences found on the motivations for sport fans based on ethnicity, should indicate a strong relationship between sport fans’ motivation and ethnic identity. However, it is the goal of this investigation to examine this relationship.

The Role Of Electronic Communication Today

The Role Of Electronic Communication Today Introduction Communication plays a very important role in our daily lives. When we interact with others we use different means of interaction. Communication has advanced from simple speech and cave paintings to the World Wide Web and many types of touch screen technology. With the recent creation of electronic communication, we finally could talk to each other at any place around the world in real time instantaneously. Another wonderful advantage it gives to us is the ability to use our time more to efficiently. However, electronic communication has drawbacks as well. For example makes it easier for bad people to make their deed more organized and efficient. History of Communication We have advanced significantly in our ability to communication. The first forms of communication our ancestors had were cave painting and face to face meeting. A form of writing was invented in 3500 B.C., which helped keep track of information, historical events, and tell about the citys laws. Our alphabetical letters (a, b, c, ect.) were invented in Ancient Egypt around 2000 B.C. The main problem for our ancestors was long distance communication. Mail. Our ancestors used a mail system for a long time, a system we still use today. They used it so they didnt have to travel every time which is very costly, immensely time consuming, and dangerous. Mail is pretty simple: you just write a letter, and give it to a post office closest to you to send. The post office used horses and ships to deliver the mail to the destination. Ships were the fastest types of delivery, but they used horses for areas without sea. A good example of a local mail system is the Pony Express that was used by the 13 colonies to deliver mail and news in the mid 1700s. The Pony Express was a delivery service of mailmen that travel by horse. The world also used ships to send information faster than by land, however it took take months to get to their destination. Telegraph. The telegraph was the first device that let us use electronic communication. Samuel Morse invented the telegraph in 1837, but the first commercial telegraph was invented in 1844 in the U.S.A. It was like a fax machine except there was no keyboard, it sent dotted messages, and it was wired. However, it was the first to have immediate replies. Soon businesses realized that the telegraph could really improve their business, but it was really expensive for two reasons. The first reason was that it was big and new, the second reason was that it needed a lot of wiring across the country that costs a fortune. What really helped the spread and popularity of the telegraph was the American Civil War. Since the North needed better advantages over the South, they needed the telegraph to send fast orders to the troops fighting in the west, on the border, or in the North. After the war more people got familiar with the telegraph and the wiring in the North was already there. In 1866, th ey even successfully made a cable from the U.S. to Europe that made fast electronic communication from North America to Europe possible. iPhone. Now, about 150 years later, we have excellent ways to communicate like the telephone, cell phone and the Internet with a laptop. Technology is continuously advancing. A recent advancement in electronic communication is the iPhone. The iPhone is a smart phone that is a touch screen and has the ability to access information on the Internet. Thanks to this phone we can save time and energy. The iPhone has a lot of awesome new features like the thousands or even tens of thousands of wonderful apps that are either free or cost $10 or less. It also has an excellent GPS system that even tells how much traffic each road has. The iPhone is a technological breakthrough. I once had an iPhone for one month, and out of all the cell phones I had, the iPhone was by far my favorite. Positive Effects and Aspects Well start with the positive aspects and effects. Now we use electronic communication for reasons including: Communication Saves time and energy A reminder Gaming Communication. First, it really improves are means of communicating to each other. First, communication gives us the ability to stay in touch anywhere at anytime. Also, it is more reliable and faster to transport important documents or news by mail or memory stick. Last, you could have immediate replies no matter where you are. Saves Time and Energy. First, the iPhone could give us direction in an unfamiliar area. Second it is easier to find and correct mistakes messages thanks to computers spell checks. It also increases the process of learning. A great example is how you taught me how to type correctly and faster when we are in two different states. They even have a really helpful touch screen computer ordering system, however it is in a couple restaurants. I went to one of these restaurants it was very good. You have the possibility to look at all the option on the menu, put topping, and order it anytime you wanted. It even has games on it you can play while you wait. The iPhone even makes the polices job easier. In the news, I heard this crazy report that someones iPhone was stolen and with a portable tracking system, the police found the thieves. Thats not the only case, there is another case when some thieves were stealing from a car, and the phone in his pocket accidentally calls 911, and thanks to t hat the police caught them. Good Reminder. Phone, email, and other types of electronic communication have special calendars and/or alarms that could remind you about: Appointments Meeting Family matters Special occasion Gaming. Games have always have been fun. Over the years gaming has advanced to a whole new level. In the 1990s they have made gaming systems that you can play storyline against computer. Now in the 21st century, you can play games against and talk to people around the world. For example, I have met a nice Canadian that lives in the second largest French-speaking town in the world, Montrà ©al. I have never met him face to face, but I have known him for well over a year and a half. Negative Aspects or Effects Of course if there are positive effects, there are negative effects from this technologic advancement: Your reputation is more vulnerable Over reliance Helps criminals also Problems with touch screens It increases the efficiency to Ruin any Reputation. Since the Internet is so vast, it is harder to keep information secret. A great example is how a teacher got fired for posting to her friends on Facebook that she hated her job and that her students parents were spoiled. If you make a mistake and send it, there are no ways you can stop it and it is easier for people to find your mistakes. A common example is a vending email, and you or someone else accidentally press send, and its immediately in the persons computer, since emails have search commands, so they could find that email a lot faster. You May Become Reliant on Technology. Reliance is not that big of a deal, but it could cause long-term problems. For example, a friend of mine has a portable GPS system and he uses it when he drives. A consequence of that is he doesnt even remember his friends addresses because he keeps using the GPS. Im a good example as well. When I was a little kid, I used to need to remember numbers, but with the addition of phone contacts in cell phones, I dont need to remember a single number. Now I dont know any of my friends numbers, only the numbers I remember are the ones I remembered when I was little kid: My parents cell phone numbers Our home number My parents office number 911 My dad has the same reliance as me, for most of his life, he remembered every number of his family and friends, but now all he remembers is their names in his contact list. It Could Help the Criminals as Well. The Internet is so helpful that it is even makes it easier for people to commit crimes. A great example is how terrorist use the Internet to find people to join their cause and it is a lot easier to send their messages without getting caught. It is also a lot easier to steal someones ideas and/report you just need to do three things: Search Copy Paste The Internet also made it possible for hackers to exist. Hackers go into any account steal the money, identity information, ect, and use it to profit themselves or frame others they dont like. It even helps people publish top-secret files. A great example is how Wiki Leaks published thousands of top-secret files about Afghanistan for the whole world to see, including terrorists. Touch screen problems. A touch screen is usually helpful, but there are problems with it. First, you need to clean the screen pretty often because when you touch it, it leaves fingerprints, which could block your sight or make it harder for the touch commands to work. Second, it is a lot more fragile, because glass is weaker than metal. Last if you scratch it, you need to either change the screen or just always look at the scratch. Conclusion All in all electronic communication is a great human achievement. We have gone a great way in our new breakthrough the iPhone. Although the advancement electronics has many drawbacks, it benefits have really helped our ancestors and us get to a new, better age. Now there are many types of advanced electronic communication that wed of never expected.

The Natural

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