SWOT Analysis Carvel Corporation

SWOT Analysis Carvel Corporation 1) Analysing Your Business The basic design school model most closely associated with the name of Andrews is a prescriptive conception. It is intended as a practical guide for dealing with a complex environment in which there are external as well as internal contexts relevant to the enterprise. The approach is best encapsulated in the SWOT model (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), probably the most commonly applied method in strategy making. It is often reproduced in à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ow charts which separate out the key steps in strategy making. SWOT analysis is a technique specifically designed to help with the identification of suitable business strategies for an organization to follow. It involves specifying and relating together organizational strengths and weaknesses and environmental opportunities and threats. In practice this is often an activity that is not carried out well. It is all too easy, having identified all the important points, not to know what to do with the data generated. Many organizations evaluate opportunities utilizing an analysis framework referred to as a SWOT. SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats. The ultimate goal of a SWOT analysis includes, on one hand, the matching of vital operational strengths with major environmental opportunities. On the other hand, it provides a basis for improving weaknesses or at least minimizing them and avoiding or managing environmental threats to operations. Ideally, a SWOT study helps identify a distinctive competence, something the organization does exceptionally well. There is one format for evaluating internal strengths and weaknesses in light of external opportunities by considering the application of major organizational resources. Each factor-capacity, personnel, marketing, finance, and management-is rated in relation to an opportunity on a quantitative basis. This approach is used to analyze resources as strengths or weaknesses in relation to opportunities in the organiza tions environment. For each strength and weakness identified, strategy implications are drawn. Analysis of strengths and weaknesses flows logically from the identification of the resources relative to the opportunity. From the information gathered from the external analysis, we seek to establish which influences represent opportunities, and which are, or might develop into, threats. When these are considered alongside the internal strengths and weaknesses, we are able to construct a swot statement. A swot statement is a summary of the internal and external analyses. The swot factors are not strategies; they are observations resulting from the previous analyses. The strengths and weaknesses are based on the internal analysis of an organization and the opportunities and threats are based on the analysis of the environment which is external to the organization. One key distinguishing characteristic between the strengths and weaknesses on the one hand and the opportunities and threats on the other is the degree of control that managers may have. With the internal strengths and weaknesses managers can often exert control whereas with regard to the opportunities and threats, managers are less likely to be able to control such factors. If for example the organization has strong balance sheet strength) this will have resulted from managerial decisions. If, instead the organization is seen as being over-staffed (a weakness), managers can address the issue through reducing staff numbers. Conversely, by way of example, changing government policies, product changes by competitors or a war breaking out (all of, which might produce opportunities or threats to an individual organization depending on the circumstances) are beyond the control of managers. The SWOT represents a position statement stating where the organization is at the time of the analysis in relation to its environment. It is not the strategy itself and should not involve making statements about what should be done next. Instead it provides a firm platform for planning for the future of the organization, i.e. formulating the strategy which is the next stage in the strategic process. In presenting the SWOT a number of rules should be followed: Too much detail should be avoided so that the key points can be clearly seen. Keep each point short and to the point so that an overview can quickly be gained. The detailed justifications for the points presented in the table should be presented separately. Many of the points presented in the SWOT may be relative rather than absolute and consequently a matter of some judgement. Thus it is difficult to say at exactly what level a high level of financial gearing becomes a weakness or a share of a particular market becomes strength. The SWOT should not concentrate solely on hard facts (such as financial measures or market growth statistics) that can be measured or proved. Softer factors such as organizational culture or the leadership skills exhibited by managers may be more difficult to measure but they are nevertheless important for organizational performance. The analysis should prioritise and combine points. The most important points should be shown first and points that are not key or strategic in nature should be excluded. In some cases it may be necessary to combine smaller points to make one large overarching point. For example, if a SWOT is partly based on a financial analysis of an organization which indicates a strong financial position, the SWOT should not have individual points on high level of profitability, low gearing, adequate liquidity, etc., for to do so would confuse the presentation. The point presented in the SWOT should be that is that the organization has a strong financial position. The justification for making such a point would be provided by the assessments relating to profitability, gearing liquidity and so on. The process sometimes involves an additional stage of condensing the strengths, weaknesses; opportunities and threats (SWOT) into a survey of the key issues. These are the most pressing or most important elements of the SWOT statement those which require the most urgent action or which the strategy should be particularly designed to address. Once we have established the organizations internal strengths and weaknesses, and its external opportunities and threats, the challenge becomes to select a strategy that will address the weaknesses and threats whilst at the same time, will build upon its strengths and exploit its opportunities. It is important to understand that a detailed internal and external analysis is a necessary pre-requisite for the SWOT information it emerges from the internal and external analyses. The second stage in the strategic process involves taking the important information gathered from the strategic analysis and using it to make an intelligent and informed selection of the most appropriate course of action for the future. It is at this stage that we come to appreciate the importance of the strategic analysis. If we have gained insufficient or flawed information from the analysis, then we cannot be sure that the strategy selection we make will be the right one. Selection therefore begins with an examination of the strategic analysis. Once we are acquainted with it, we normally generate a list of the options open to the organization, paying particular attention to how each option will address the key issues. After this, we evaluate each option using a number of criteria. Finally, the most appropriate strategic option is selected. A strategy is a plan that integrates an organizations major goals, policies, decisions and sequences of action into a cohesive whole. It can ap ply at all levels in an organization and pertain to any of the functional areas of management. Thus there may be production, financial, marketing, personnel and corporate strategies, just to name a few. If we look specifically at marketing then there may be pricing, product, promotion, distribution, marketing research, sales, advertising, merchandising, etc. strategies. Strategy is concerned with effectiveness rather than efficiency and is the process of analysing the environment and designing the fit between the organization, its resources and objectives and the environment. The strategic process refers to the manner in which strategy is formulated. There are several approaches. First, the rational approach, making use of tools such as SWOT analysis and portfolio models. Second, the flexible approach, which employs multiple scenario planning. The creative approach reflects the use of imagination in planning. The behavioural approach reflects the influence of power, politics and personalities. And finally, the incremental approach is based on small adjustments or changes to previously successful strategies. 2. COMPANY HISTORY Carvel Corporation had one of the oldest and most endearing histories of all the ice cream companies in the U.S. In 1934 Tom Carvel, a Greek immigrant, parlayed a flat tire on his ice cream truck into what would become a multimillion dollar franchise business. As the story had it, after a flat tire forced Tom Carvel into an abandoned parking lot one summer afternoon in 1934, Mr. Carvel quickly realized he could sell far more product in a stationary location than he ever could in the streets of Hartsdale, NY. Mr. Carvel soon borrowed $100 and opened the first Carvel Ice Cream store. Mr. Carvel used a combination of fresh ice cream and innovative products and manufacturing techniques to establish himself as the local, family-oriented ice cream parlor in the New York City area. In 1947, Mr. Carvel franchised his first store and proceeded to become one of the pioneers in fast food franchising. In fact, it was only after Tom Carvel refused his partnership offer that Ray Kroc used Mr. Carvels store design as the model for his McDonalds chain. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, the gravely voiced Mr. Carvel used his folksy and savvy style to dominate the greater New York area. By standardizing procedures and providing franchisees with exclusive product designs and marketing material, Mr. Carvel expanded all along the East Coast. By the early 1980s, there were over 800 Carvel stores in operation along the East Coast and in some Midwestern states such as Ohio and Wisconsin. Included in the company chain were over 40 stores in California. However, by the mid 1980s, the recess ion and the strain on Tom Carvel to manage his business began to take its effect on the franchise. Sales and quality control began to decline, and events forced Mr. Carvel to consider changes. In 1989, at age 88, faced with diminishing sales and increasing store closures, Tom Carvel reluctantly sold his company to Investcorp, aBahrainian-based investment banking group. The Investcorp strategy centered on acquiring previously gainful companies whose profitability had diminished in recent years due to recession. Following that strategy, between 1988 and 1992 Investcorp had purchased Macys, Sax Fifth Avenue, Tilecorp, and Carvel. By infusing new capital and bringing in a new management team headed by CEO Steve Fellingham, the former president of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Investcorp focused on growth and revamping Carvels listless image. Management was forced, however, to walk a fine line between creating a new, vibrant image for Carvel and alienating long-time, loyal customers who had grown up with Mr. Carvels occasionally awkward but always folksy style. In 1992, Carvel introduced the Ice Cream Bakery concept to its customers. Under this program, the company continued to offer long-time favourites such as Cookie Puss and Fudgie the Whale, but also introduced a new product line that featured specialty cakes and novelty ice cream treats for special occasions. By focusing on creating Carvel ice cream as a bakery dessert item, Carvel hoped to reduce both the cyclical sale pattern of the company and the perception that an ice cream cake was only for special occasions. To this end, Carvel instituted its current mission statement: Working together, we will make Carvel the leading choice for unique, quality frozen desserts by consistently exceeding customer expectations. In 1993, the company initiated its grocery store program in which Carvel displayed its own dedicated freezers in the bakery departments of supermarkets up and down the East Coast. By 1994, in the face of industry-wide declines, Carvel decided it was time to bring its Ice Cream Bakery to the Peoples Republic. 3. PRODUCT LINE Carvel Corporation offered a wide variety of ice cream products. The companys fundamental product, though, remained its soft serve ice cream and fountain line. Included in this category were: cups and cones shakes floats sundaes hard ice cream-soft ice cream that is frozen in the shock box in tubs so that it can be scooped and served as traditional ice cream. In order to promote the everyday nature of the business, though, management had introduced 4. COMPETITION Carvel Beijing faced a very fragmented market in Beijing. Generally speaking, several domestic and international companies had penetrated the market and achieved moderate brand awareness. However, no brand had yet to break from the pack and establish itself as the market leader in ice cream. The following breakdown describes the most dominant of these fragmented players: Walls was a Holland-based company and one of the market leaders in Europe and Australia. In Beijing, Walls product line was limited to cups, cones, and various other novelty treats. Mainly, their distribution was limited to roughly 3,000 rollhards from which they sold novelty ice creams, namely cups and cones. Walls was also available in several supermarkets. As one of the first western ice creams in Beijing, Walls still enjoyed the benefits of its first mover status. Beijing customers still considered Walls to be the preeminent Western ice cream in Beijing, simply due to breadth and duration of its presence. On average, Walls sold its products for  ¥4, but recently it had raised its prices to  ¥5. It was estimated that Carvel had taken much of its market share from Walls. Buds was a San Francisco-based ice cream company that enjoyed a wide presence and brand awareness in Beijing. Although only a regional brand in the U.S., in China, Buds enjoyed the reputation of being the pre-eminent American brand because it was the first American brand to appear in the PRC. To date, in a country where consumers still prized a companys tradition and longevity, both Baskin Robbins and Carvel had not yet been able to dispel Buds image. Like Walls, Buds did not have any retail store outlets. Instead, Buds sold only from nearly 600 rollhards scattered throughout Beijings markets and supermarkets. Buds only produced cup and cone products, and its prices matched those of Walls. Small cups were  ¥4.2, hard ice cream was  ¥6, and pints sold for  ¥23. Baskin-Robbins represented the most significant long term competition to Carvel Beijing for several reasons. First, Baskin- Robbins was Carvels chief rival in the U.S. and its products enjoyed more national brand awareness than Carvels. Secondly, Baskin- Robbins was the only competitor in Beijing that produced an all ice cream cake and had retail stores in which to promote them. Finally, Baskin-Robbins had a longer and broader presence in Beijing and appeared to have the positioning strategy that Carvel had targeted. Baskin-Robbins presence was mainly limited to its two retail stores. Like Carvel, Baskin- Robbins offered its customers a true ice cream parlor experience. While Carvels cakes were of better quality, Baskin-Robbins relied on its tradition of hard ice cream cones and fountain products to drive sales. Currently, Baskin- Robbins charged  ¥9 for a single scoop ice cream cone and  ¥107 for a cake comparable to Carvels small round. Baskin-Robbins did not have any wholesale outlets at this time. 5. SWOT ANALYSIS (S)trengths Carvel had the best ice cream cake in Beijing and one of the best ice creams. Carvel had received positive reviews from its customers. Training and operations had progressed well and the company was ready to increase production. (W)eaknesses Vaguely defined management roles and objectives hampered definitive marketing policies. Inability to source inputs locally continued to hamper the bottom line. Too many potential customers still did not know of Carvel Beijing. (O)pportunities Carvel was looking into involving the foreign embassy community in its sales promotions as a means of increasing both sales and potential outside business contracts. The approaching summer allowed Carvel to have a seasonal grand opening to reintroduce the brand to first time customers. Wang Mengs offer to use 6,000 New Continent vendcarts offered Carvel the opportunity to increase greatly the brands exposure at minimal cost. (T)hreats The cash flow and sales problems threatened to scuttle the proposed business plan for 1995. The competition, including Wang Meng, were quickly realizing the potential of ice cream cakes in Beijing, and Carvels competitive advantage in this area would be challenged. The dynamic political and economic environment in China presented inherent uncertainty. Beijing residents enjoyed a wide variety of dessert products. Besides ice cream products, there were numerous bakeries that offered a variety of traditional Chinese-designed cakes and pastries. These flour-based cakes were richly designed with traditional Chinese figures and styles and sold on average from  ¥100 to  ¥250 for an ornate wedding cake. Other traditional treats included pastries with a sweetened jelly or fruit paste filling. Chinese also enjoyed various types of traditional dried fruits, and they often ended each meal with a platter of fresh fruit and tea. There were also many styles of Chinese and Western candies. Furthermore, a traditional sweet treat called suan niu nai literally meaning sour milks), a yogurt-like product, was sold throughout the city for  ¥1.5. Chinese of all status enjoyed suan niu nai at all hours of the day, but it was more closely associated with the less affluent segments of society. Finally, the growth of McDonalds, Burger K ing, and Kentucky Fried Chicken had presented Carvel with other possible substitute products. More and more consumers were trying these fast food giants own desserts, such as apple pies, shakes, and their own ice cream cups and sundaes. In short, there were a wide variety of dessert and snack treats from which Chinese consumers could choose. What concerned Phil Fang, though, was that all these alternative treats were cheaper and more widely recognized than his product line. 6. CONCLUSION Having done this analysis, Fang had to plot his strategy for the rest of 1995 and beyond. More important, he had to make some very tough decisions on where he wanted to position Carvel Beijing as it entered its first and, arguably, most important summer in Beijing. Among the most pressing issues he had to face were: how to price the product: competitively or as premium product how to design and position the cakes: as American products or as more traditional Chinese products how to confront the financial problems: with short term or long term policies how to respond to Wangs vendcart proposal how to produce the mix: as the original American mix or as a less sweet mix more appealing to traditional Chinese tastes What complicated these decisions were the problems associated with a multinational joint venture: issues of personality, culture, and the joint venture agreement itself. In the end, though, it was Phil Fang who would have to overcome these challenges and seize upon the unique chance to create the first truly national brand of ice cream in the Peoples Republic of China. A good strategy is designed to fit organizational capability with environmental opportunity. It is best summarized by the SWOT approach and has very close links with the case study approach pioneered by the Harvard Business School. This school sees strategy as based on the classical approach. It is the rational product of a senior manager, usually the chief executive officer, consciously and deliberately à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ nding a à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ t between the internal strengths and weaknesses of an enterprise and the external threats and opportunities it faces. A strategy is viewed as an explicit, simple and unique conception. Formulation precedes implementation and is separate from it. There is often a range of options from which the strategy to be implemented is chosen. The one which provides the best à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ t or best design is chosen. Changes from Macro Environment Many changes from the macro environment have the potential to cripple even the best of strategies and must therefore be wa tched. Managers should note any changes in the environmental factors cited above as conducive to innovation. Potential changes in exchange rates, especially unanticipated large ones, central bank policies that raise interest rates, and taxation laws, along with demographic and sociopolitical changes, all have the potential to impact firm strategies. Managers should examine them carefully for potential threats and opportunities. In particular, they should examine the potential impact of changes in tax policies concerning the Internet. This analysis of a firms current performance, appraisal of its business model, appraisal of its competitors business models, analysis of industry attractiveness, assessment of its macro environment, projection of the evolution of the Internet, and a forecast of its environmental changes is sometimes called a strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis.

My Philosophy of Education :: Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Philosophy of Education The single word â€Å"teacher† does the profession no service. A teacher is really a combination of the most important professions in the world: doctor, mother, philosopher, motivational speaker, scientist, counselor, and so much more. Besides the parents, an educator is the biggest influence in a child’s life. The age span in which children are in school is the most impressionable years of their lives. A student’s educational experience can mold the events of his or her future. That is why I want to become a teacher. I want to be a mold for younger generations, and I hope for students to remember a knowledgeable and ethical teacher. The overall purpose of education is to provide the knowledge and some of the experience that a student needs to survive today. The world is harsh and fast-paced for newly graduated young adults to enter blindly. All the student has to take is the educational background that he or she has been provided. It is imperative that critical thinking and problem-solving strategies are taught. In this way, I am a Progressivist. I believe education should be relevant to the future and to life in general. Decision-making is a hard task for even the most experienced. A young adult leaving home for that first time has no idea what decisions to make. Educators should teach students about life applications such as: cooking simple foods, changing a tire, or balancing a checkbook. I also hold an Essentialist idea of the classroom. I want to be the authority figure and I want the respect of the children. I not only want it for myself, but for other adults also. Children need to b e taught to respect others and to show general consideration. It seems like this type of teaching has been left out of learning programs and now even young children are involved in fights at school. I believe knowledge is relative—dependent upon person, place, and time. This is why I also believe that the role of the teacher is so important. Children learn by example and are extremely impressionable.

Kafkas The Trial :: Kafka Trial Essays

Kafka's The Trial Kafka's The Trial follows a man, K., as he is arrested and released for an unknown offense and attends a series of bizarre trials. He tries to comprehend and extricate himself from an outrageous course of events, which transpire suddenly in his life. K. is persecuted by this unimaginable court, which seems to hold a quasi-authoritative place in society. K.'s life seems to spiral out of control while he and the reader struggle to understand what is going on. Kafka uses this piece to criticize bureaucracy, even in a seemingly democratic society. Kafka believes that bureaucracy is endangering the freedoms of the individual in modern society and that it is extremely detrimental to society in the long run. It is not readily identifiable what geographical location Kafka is referring to in The Trial. Based on the rest of the novel's bizarre twists and turns it seems that Kafka did not want to nail down any concrete location to weight down his surrealist story. While there is no link with any known location (other than perhaps Kafka's hometown of Prague) the surroundings are modern and urban. In The Trial, K spends most of his time in various buildings with very little mention of any identifying characteristics. Kafka seems to center around middle class urbanites for the most part. Kafka tackles the evils of government and bureaucracy, concentrating on the social implications of these man made authorities on the individual. Reification seems to serve a pervasive role in Kafka's The Trial. Reification is when something abstract is given material worth by a society It seems that Kafka is questioning how the legal system has been given so much authority and power making it a material entity. In 1912, when Kafka penned The Trial, the rise of the republic was evident around Europe. There was a renewed emphasis on realism and rationale, which also makes an appearance in The Trial. When published, Kafka's novels "evoked the hopelessness of individuals confronting a relentless, machinelike society in which they are minor cogs". As the threat of war swirled in Europe (World War I was just on the horizon), anti Semitism and nationalism surrounded Kafka. In the arts, the rise of modernity created a challenge to positivism that could not be silenced.

During the month of Kartik in the Bikram Sambat calendar Essay

During the month of Kartik in the Bikram Sambat calendar (late September and early October), the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the country. The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the kingdom of Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood. Dashain commemorates a great victory of the gods over the wicked demons. One of the victory stories told is the Ramayan, where the lord Ram after a big struggle slaughtered Ravana, the fiendish king of demons. It is said that lord Ram was successful in the battle only when goddess Durga was evoked. The main celebration glorifies the triumph of good over evil and is symbolized by goddess Durga slaying the terrible demon Mahisasur, who terrorised the earth in the guise of a brutal water buffalo. The first nine days signify the nine days of ferrous battle between goddess Durga and the demon Mahisasur. The tenth day is the day when Mahisasur was slain and the last five days symbolise the celebration of the victory with the blessing of the goddess. Dashain is celebrated with great rejoice, and goddess Durga is worshiped throughout the kingdom as the divine mother goddess. In preparation for Dashain every home is cleansed and beautifully decorated, painted as an invitation to the mother goddess, so that she may visit and bless the house with good fortune. During this time the reunion of distant and nearby relatives occur in every household. The market is filled with shoppers seeking new clothing, gifts, luxuries and enormous supplies of temple offering for the gods, as well as foodstuffs for the family feasting. Thousands of sheep, goats, ducks, chicken and water buffalo are prepared for the great slaughter. All types of organisations are closed for ten to fifteen days. Labourers are almost impossible to find; from the poor to the rich, all enjoy the festive mood. Anywhere you go the aroma of ‘Vijaya Dashami’ is found. The first nine days of Dashain are called nawa ratri when tantric rites are conducted. In Nepal the life force is embodied in the divine energy and power of the female, depicted as goddess Durga in her many forms. All goddess who emanated from goddess Durga are known as devis, each with different aspects and powers. In most mother goddess temples the deity is represented simply as a sacred Kalash, carved water jug or multiple handed goddess holding murderous weapons. During these nine days people pay their homage to the goddess. If she is properly worshiped and pleased good fortunes are on the way and if angered through neglect then misfortunes are around the corner. Mother goddess is the source of life and everything. The first day of Dashain is called Ghatasthapana, which literally means pot establishing. On this day the kalash, (holy water vessel) symbolising goddess Durga often with her image embossed on the side is placed in the prayer room. The kalash is filled with holy water and covered with cowdung on to which seeds are sown. A small rectangular sand block is made and the kalash is put in the centre. The surrounding bed of sand is also seeded with grains. The ghatasthapana ritual is performed at a certain auspicious moment determined by the astrologers. At that particular moment the priest intones a welcome, requesting goddess Durga to bless the vessel with her presence. The room where the kalash is established is called ‘Dashain Ghar’. Generally women are not allowed to enter the room where Dashain puja is being carried out. A priest or a household man worships the kalash everyday once in the morning and then in the evening. The kalash and the sand are sprinkled with holy water everyday and it is shielded from direct sunlight. By the tenth day, the seed will have grown to five or six inches long yellow grass. The sacred yellow grass is called ‘Jamara’. It is bestowed by the elders atop the heads of those younger to them during the last five days when tika is put on. The jamara is taken as a token of Goddess Durga as well as the elders blessing. As days passes by regular rituals are observed till the seventh day. The seventh day is called ‘Fulpati’. On this day the jamara to be used by the royal household is brought from their ancestral royal house in Gorkha about a hundred and sixty nine kilometres away over the hills north west of the valley of Kathmandu. A parade is held in the Hanuman Dhoka Royal Palace. The fulpati, i. e. the procession bearing the jamara and other items necessary for the tika, is brought from Gorkha after a three day walk and most of the government officials are eagerly waiting for the fulpati parade to arrive at Rani Phokari in the afternoon. Rani Phokari area is filled with hundreds of government officials meticulously attired in the traditional formal dress. In fulpati, the royal kalash filled with holy water, banana stalks, jamara and sugar cane tied with red cloth is carried by Brahmans from the ancestral royal house on a decorated palanquin under a gold tipped and embroidered umbrella, led by the military platoon of the royal priest. The government officials also join the fulpati parade. Whilst the fulpati parade is heading towards the old royal palace, His Majesty the King observes the ceremonies taking place in Tundikhel, the army parade ground in the center of the city. There a majestic display of the Royal Nepalese Army is held. Guns are fired and the entire valley echoes with the resonance sound of it. The firing continues for ten to fifteen minutes to honour the fulpati. By the time the function ends the royal fulpati is already taken inside the Dashain ghar in Hanuman Dhoka Palace. With this the Dashain feasting starts. The eighth day is called the ‘Maha Asthami’. The fervour of worship and sacrifice to Durga and Kali increases. On this day many orthodox Hindus will be fasting. Sacrifices are held in almost every house through out the day. The night of the eighth day is called ‘Kal Ratri’, the dark night. Hundreds of goats, sheep and buffaloes are sacrificed at the mother goddess temples. In the darkness of the night Durga temples, army barracks, and old palaces all over Nepal hold sacrifices for the mother goddess. The sacrifice continues till dawn. The old palace in Basantapur Hanuman Dhoka, is active throughout the night with worships in almost every courtyard. While the puja is being carried out great feasts are held in the homes of common people where large amount of meat are consumed. The ninth day is called ‘Nawami’. The Taleju temple at Hanuman Dhoka is opened for the public only once a year on this day. Thousands of people go and pay their respect to the goddess day. Temples of mother goddess are filled with people from dawn till dusk. On this day the official military sacrifices are held in the ‘Kot’ courtyard at Hanuman Dhoka. The government allows foreigners to witness this function so hundreds of tourists and diplomats eagerly gather here. Animals mostly black buffaloes are slaughtered by hundreds to honour Durga the goddess of victory and might and to seek her blessing. Military bands play war tunes, guns boom and officers with beautifully decorated medals in full uniform stand there. When the function ends the courtyard is filled ankle deep with blood. On this very day the god Vishwas Karma, the God of creativity is also worshiped. All factories, vehicles, any machinery instruments and anything from which we make a living are worshiped. We also give sacrifices to all moving machinery like cars, aeroplanes, trucks etc. to get the blessing from goddess Durga for protection for vehicles and their occupants against accidents during the year. The entire day is colourful. The tenth day is the ‘Dashami’. On this day we take tika and jamara from our elders and receive their blessing. We visit our elders in their home and get tika from them while our younger ones come to our home to receive blessing from us. The importance of Dasain also lies in the fact that on this day family members from far off and distant relatives come for a visit as well as to receive tika from the head of the family. This function continues for four days. His Majesty also receives tika from the royal priests and then gives on tika to his loyal subjects. Thousands of loyal Nepalese people as well as foreigners also receive tika from His Majesty the King as this is said to be auspicious. After four days of rushing around and meeting your relatives Dashain ends on the full moon day, the fifteenth day. In the last day people stay at home and rest. The full moon day is also called ‘Kojagrata’ meaning ‘who is awake’. The Hindu goddess of wealth Laxmi is worshipped. On this day the goddess Laxmi is given an invitation to visit each and everyone. After Dashain the nation settles back to normal. After receiving the blessing of goddess Durga, people are ready to work and acquire virtue, power and wealth. Dashain thus is not only the longest festival but also the most anticipated one among all the festivals of Nepal.

Radiation Therapy

1. What concepts in the chapter are illustrated in this case? What ethical issues are raised by radiation technology? Basic concepts that are covered in this case are responsibility, accountability and liability. Ethical issues that are raised by radiation technology is when scientist is finding ways to use radiation therapy to destroy cancerous cells while making sure that healthy cells are not being harmed. An incident occurred where Mr. Jerome-Parks â€Å"experienced deafness and near-blindness, ulcers in his mouth and throat, persistent nausea, and severe pain. (Laudon, 2012, p. 131). Organizations did not take the time to properly train doctors and medical technicians therefore incidents like Jerome-Parks happens. The machines that are used to ‘cure’ patients are not being appropriately updated and watch carefully. In this case study we can see that the technicians are not being fully responsible and being careless, and doctors that are not getting the full trainin g for operating the machine. 2. What management, organization and technology factors that was responsible for the problems detailed in this case?The management, organization and technology factors were responsible for the problems detailed in this case because they failed to provide extensive training for doctors, technicians, and machine operations as well as insufficient staffs. They should have thought of creating a mandatory checklist for employees each time the machine was being used. The lack of knowledge on the machines, the lack of reporting these incidents for future references instead the doctors and technicians do not troubleshoot the problem unless it is serious and by that time the patient(s) is already injured.The machines were not well designed, there was software glitch and â€Å"the complexity of new Linear accelerator technology has not been accompanied by with appropriate updates in software† (Laudon, 2012, p. 132). 3. Do you feel that any of the groups inv olved with this issue (hospital administrators, technicians, medical equipment, and software manufacturers) should accept the majority of the blame for these incidents? I feel as if they are all responsible for this issue because if the medical equipment, software manufacturer and technicians were the first people who would be experiencing the machine.The software manufacturer designed the software so they should have known if there was any error that was missed during the trial and error stage. If there was they should’ve continued with more research until the software was nearly perfect because it is what operated the entire machine. The software was the main source of machine to operate because those software engineers were hired for a reason and they had responsibility in executing the errors and debugging them. This also would go on to the medical equipment and technicians because these technicians should already have knowledge on what is right and what is wrong.Technici ans are the one that tries out the machine at the hospital first they are the one that have the main knowledge on how these machines should be operating. All these three should be responsible for this issue since they are part in creating the machine and testing it out. 4. How would a central reporting agency that gathered data on radiation-related accidents help reduce the number of radiation therapy errors in the future? Having a central reporting agency that gathered data of radiation-related accidents could prevent future overdoses, misadministration, and deaths or near deaths.These data can train future and present doctors from doing these incidents, allows the agency to monitor the use of the machine and especially creates a safety environment. If these accidents were to occur more than once than the managers are the MIS could take in the machines for a more detailed examination, changing the policy and procedures. Also reporting the radiation therapy errors can used to teach future doctors, technicians, medical operators about it so they would not make the same mistake again. At the same time this can save many lives that was once put into danger due to the lack of knowledge, carelessness, and laziness. . If you were in charge of designing electronic software for a linear accelerator, what are some features you would include? Are there any features you would avoid? If I were in charge of designing electronic software for a linear accelerator some features I would include: a check list that is embedded within the machine ensuring that everything goes smoothly, a safety button which allows the machine to alert the doctor or technicians that something went wrong and will automatically shut down if the machine seems to malfunction that can do harm to a patient.Making sure that the software is doing its job in saving people’s lives, the software will go through multiple of examination until it is working at its potential. Every time the system seems t o malfunction it will be sent back to the manufacturing for fixing. I would avoid what happened to those patients that died because of the manufacturer’s error. Anything that was at fault will be avoided and things will be done properly and precisely to ensure every part of the machine is working. Work Cited Laudon, Kenneth and Laudon, Jane. (2012). Management Information Systems: Managing the digital film (5th ed. ). Pearson Education Canada.

Energy Efficiency – a Replacement to Load Shedding

Load shedding is one of the biggest problem faced by everyone in Pakistan, no matter they are domestic or commercial consumers. Pakistan is facing a serious energy crises and it may get worse if not addressed seriously and promptly. Everyone is curious about the role of government in dealing with this issue and relieving consumers through immediate supply side solutions such as new power sources. Government is playing its role in establishing new power plants and potential of utilizing unleashed sources such as coal and renewable resources i. e. ind, solar etc. Domestic and commercial consumers contribute more than 60% in the total electrical energy requirement of Pakistan. Currently, maximum energy deficit is 5500 MW in summers and immediate solutions are unable to meet this deficit in near future. It is not recommended to a consumer to compromise on comfort by not operating some of the high priority appliances but slight change in behavior may contribute much more than expected. Main electricity demand contributors are cooling and heating appliances used by domestic and commercial users. In order to quantify the impacts of such appliances, research has been carried regarding the usage of air conditioners in Pakistan. Consumers have been suffering from crises in form of load shedding for hours in a day no immediate solution seems to be viable in extended summers. They tend to blame government and utility companies for not reducing load shedding. Energy could be made available for extended hours but a mass level awareness about efficient usage of energy is required. Illegal connections, usage of inefficient and unnecessary appliances at peak demand time has worsened the situation and utility companies seem helpless about it. They are not left with any other option to reduce demand except through load shedding. Air conditioners are one of the major contributors in peak load in summer. They comprise 15% of the total peak load requiring at least 3000 MW for the country. A survey regarding usage of air conditioners was floated as a part of this research and 300 domestic and commercial consumers responded to the survey. One of the conclusions of the survey indicated that 21 0C is the average control temperature for AC in households. From the same survey consumers were asked about the maximum control temperature used in household. The maximum average temperature was found to be 26 0C. In order to investigate the influence of this control temperature on household energy consumption and peak load demand, an experiment was carried out on two similar buildings in Karachi. Two rooms of the dimension of 12 X 16 X 12 ft were used for this purpose. One room was operated at 21 0C control temperature for 24 hours period while other at 26 0C. Observations and results indicated that a total of 0. 45 KWhr saving was recorded in the room having AC operating at 26 0C. If this saving is extrapolated to expected number of air conditioners in Pakistan, then a total of 14. 5 GWhr of electrical energy could be saved in a single day. In terms of power this can easily curtail a total of 607 MW out of peak demand, which is equivalent to some of the largest power plants in the country. If similar energy conservation techniques are applied for refrigerators and other cooling appliances then savings could be of much significant level. Due to ongoing gas load shedding scenario, consumers may start turning towards electrical heating appliances, which may potentially add up in electrical energy demand in near future. Large scale awareness is required at each level of consumption. Peak load shifting, discouraging illegal connections and utilizing energy in efficient way are our few life lines. A single consumer contribution may seem insignificant but as a whole it can contribute towards reduction of significant peak load.

Understanding Theories

In addition, this essay examines different stakeholder perspectives in relation to the harries and their issues, and it concluded by focusing on what type of knowledge, capability, and skills a manager requires in order to deal with these specific issues. Coca Cola was founded during the year 1887, by Doctor John Phenomenon, a pharmacist from Atlanta. John established a company which immediately began building its global network, he was known as the man who achieved a â€Å"global success through an intelligent risk†.Over the years, the company's success rate continuously increased, and the deep emotional bond between Coca-Cola and its consumers grew even more powerful and more global (Coca Cola, 2014). In 2014, Coca-Cola advised that the previous year $2. 8 billion in stock was purchased, however they had planned to increase that amount to between $3. 0 billion and $3. 5 billion for the full year, due to positive sales, this is a clear indication of the company's success (Reu ters, 2013).The Coca-Cola Company, is the world's largest beverage company, operating in more than 200 countries, across America, Europe, Eurasia, Africa and the Pacific. This multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non- alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (Coca Cola, 2014). The secondary sector, international organization, has not been owned by a single individual in almost 100 years. It is a public company that trades its shares on the New York stock exchange – meaning it is ‘owned' by thousands of shareholders and investors worldwide (Coca Cola, 2014).Coca Cola is known as one of the world most successful beverage companies to date, currently operating with over 700 000 employees across the globe, including Mutter Kent; the chairman of the board and chief executive officer (Coca Cola, 2014). The agency and contingency theory are both of significance to Coca Cola. The Contingency theory is a class of behavioral theory that claims that there is no â€Å"one best way' to lead an organization, organize a corporation or make a decision. Instead, the appropriate organizational structure depends on the contingencies facing the organization (Travis Spread, 2012).Coca cola does not have control over the contingencies that are continuously arising within its internal and external environment; this includes political changes, such as the increased health standards for bottling. The contingency theory was chosen as it typifies that implementation of the appropriate organizational structures, depending on the contingencies the organization is facing, will result in business success. The managers at Coca Cola are aware that companies whose characteristics fit with the contingencies in the current situation will perform more effectively compared to an organization whose characteristics do not.Hence, implementation of this theory has allowed managers to adopt certain characteri stics of the organization, such as the structure, to suit contingencies within their environment. The agency theory is concerned with resolving problems that can exist in agency relationships; that is, between principals and agents of the principals (Investigated, 2013). Generally, in large companies, with managers acting on behalf of their owners, many issues will arise in relation to the principle and the agent. Managers tend to misbehave if the interests of them and the company owners diverge (Eisenhower, K.M, 1989, page 58). The agency theory is of crucial importance to this study, as it highlights ethical and commercial issues which arise from an agent/principal relationship. As seen with Coca Cola, 2013 entailed substantial pay cuts to most top executives, due to over one fourth of the shareholders voting against them. As a result, many executives became denominated to work in favor of shareholders, who they believed were only acting in their own self-interests. In the article â€Å"Theory of the Firm: Managerial Behavior, Agency Costs and Ownership Structure† Jensen, M.C & Neckline state that if both parties to the relationship are utility maximizes, it is almost certain that the agent will not act in the best interests of the principal Nonsense, M. C & Neckline. W. H, 1976, Page 5). The authors propose that many complications can arise as a result of a number of costs, including monitoring costs, in such a relationship. Jensen and Neckline then typify, that the principal may limit these divergences by implementing appropriate incentives for the agents and â€Å"and by incurring monitoring costs designed to limit the aberrant activities of the agent† Nonsense, M.C & Neckline. W. H, 1976). â€Å"The Academy of Management Review' by Kathleen M. Eisenhower, is a second study on agency theory, which states that there are two main problems that the agency heron is concerned with resolving. The first problem is the problem of risk sharing, whic h is the problems that arise when the principal and agent have different attitudes towards taking risk (Eisenhower, K. M, 1989, page 64). Due to different risk tolerances, the principal and agent may each be inclined to take different actions, which will result in the â€Å"agency problem†.The second problem, known as the agency problem, is the problems which arise, when the goals of the principle and the agent are not aligned. These problems both arise as a result of ‘information asymmetry. Eisenhower highlights these problems in order to remind us that regardless of what we think, organizational life is based on individuals acting in their own self-interest (Eisenhower, K. M, 1989, page 64). Leg Donaldson, in his 2001 paper ‘The contingency theory of organizational design', provides a comprehensive, in depth analysis of the contingency theory.He states that a successful organization is not one that adopts the maximum level, but instead, the appropriate level of structural variables, that depend on some level of the contingency variable (Donaldson, 2001). He then proceeds with explaining that a company may only increase its performance levels by adopting strategies depending on the contingencies the organization is facing (Donaldson, 2001). Similarly, in his paper, ‘Complex Organizations: A critical essay, Charles Proper also stresses the importance of the contingency theory within organizations.According to Proper, organizations should adopt organic structures, based on the internal and external contingencies the company is faced with (Proper, 1979). He states that business structures should be developed according to each individual organization, rather than upon some universal principles or procedures (Proper, 1979). Proper strongly believes that complying with the contingency theory will result in the business achieving utmost success. A number of issues in relation to management and the organization have been raised, as a result o f the agency and contingency theories.The agency theory was initially designed in order to assist in the understanding of the agent/principle relationship. Williamson (1985) identified opportunistic behavior as a norm within organizations, stating that agency problems are more than likely to occur. He specified that managers often act opportunistically, and that trustworthiness is no longer common. Jensen and Neckline (1976), supported Williamson claim, they believe it is generally impossible that management will act in favor of the principle, as their main focus is to maximize their own wealth.Coca Cola proved this to be true in 2013, when Californian managers were sued for underpaying their employees in order to reduce expenses (D. Blackburn. 2013). Jensen and Neckline (1976) also believe that the agency theory may also initiate moral issues between the agent and other takeovers, such as the public. As seen with Coca Cola, India, 2002 entailed an agency issue between management an d the public. Communities across India living around Coca-Cola's bottling plants experienced severe water shortages, as a result of Coca-Cola's massive extraction of water from the common groundwater resource.The public criticized the company, stating that Coca Cola is willing to damage the nation, for their own â€Å"self-interest† of cost cutting. The company refused to amend their procedures until they were forced to by government. (Blackburn, 2013 ) Drain and Van De Even (1985) believe that environmental uncertainty can occur as a result of the contingency theory. They believe that an issue with the theory is that there are no pre-developed structures that an organization can adopt if internal and external contingencies, unexpectedly occur.In order to avoid these issues, Drain and Van De Even (1985) state that an organization must develop structures that it can quickly implement if internal and external contingencies, unexpectedly occur. In 1981, Coca cola began to lose m arket share to Pepsi, as the company had developed a new racketing procedure, which did not appeal to the public. Coca Cola failed to develop alternate plans if contingencies within the external market, such as increased competition occur. As a result, by 1983, Coca Cola's market shared, decreased to an all-time low of Just below 24%.Due to this disastrous situation, Roberto Goutiest, Coca Cola's chairman at the time, decided that in the future, the company will rule out all contingencies and possibilities, and have further plans, if their current procedures fail. In his article â€Å"Contingency theory: Science or Technology' Stephen C. Beets insinuates that over the years, many criticisms/limitations of the contingency theory have developed. He states that one criticism of the contingency theory is that â€Å"the causation of certain contingencies are assumed, but not explained† (Beets, 2011).The assumption is that because a set of environmental conditions and organization al design characteristics were found to be correlated that this is the best fit (Beets, 2011). Stephen (2011) then continues to explain that decisions should not be made based on this assumption, instead informed decisions must be made, based on glacial reasoning of each unique situation. Morehouse (2007), believes that the theory fails to explain why some people are more effective leaders in some situations than others.Shah (1979) adds on to Northerners claim, he states that the theory has not identified what an organization should do, when there is a mismatch between the managers and the current situation within the workplace. Similarly, in his text ‘Management and organizational theory, Jeffery A. Miles makes aware many limitations of the agency theory. Miles suggests that empirical research as failed to support basic tenets of the theory, including ways to mitigate the agency problem (Miles, 2012). Hence, researchers are now asking for re-examination of the theory so that research can move into new and different directions.Miles (2012), made reference to Proper (1986) who claimed that the agency theory does not clearly address any organizational problems, as well as Hirsch and Friedman (1986) who invited agency theory as excessively narrow, focusing primarily on organizational stock price. Different stakeholders have different views regarding the contingency ND agency theories. Assassinates (1989), highlights that perspectives will differ amongst all stakeholders, regarding risk sharing, which is one of the main problems within the agency theory.Assassinates (1989) stated that managers tend to avoid taking risks, as they fear the possibility of failure, which may result in damaging the organization. On the other hand, other stakeholders, such as shareholders of the company, may support the idea of ‘risk sharing, as certain risks may result in increased profits for the company, hence, maximizing their shares. As stated prior, Jensen, M. C and Ne ckline (1976) believe that managers (agent) tend to make decisions that will result in maximizing their own utility. In doing this, agents will significantly benefit, as their own wealth may substantially increase.On the other hand, shareholders of the company (principles) will generally oppose these decisions, as they fear that they aren't receiving a fair share and getting the best possible investment from the company. Similarly, Woolworth, being the agent of Coca Cola, attempted to boost its own profit margin, by decreasing Coca Cola's prices, before lacing them on the shelves. Woolworth attempted to maximize their own utility, by decreasing costs of Coca Cola, with the intention of gaining more customers, hence improving their market share.Coca Cola felt as though Woolworth breached their contract terms, as they were gaining an unfair leverage http://www. Afar. Com/p/ business/companies/clash_of_the_titans_woolies_coke_KJLlpFFlJfabEGgdeAnswO . Similarly to the agency theory, sta keholders also have opposing views in relation to the contingency theory and its issue of ‘environmental uncertainty. Managers may appreciate the idea of environmental uncertainty, as it creates a spontaneous environment, which may work in their favor. Managers are able to adopt the business strategies that they know will be effective, due to past experiences.On the other hand, other stakeholders, such as employees may not appreciate environmental uncertainty, as continuously changing management structures, may require employees to attain new skills. Hence, employees will be required to spend more time in the training and development process, thus, resulting in increased costs for the business, meaning less pay and/ or benefits for employees. In earlier years, Coca Cola in India saw that environmental contingencies, such as economic decline, were forcing other Indian companies to change their employee pay rates.As a result, Coca Cola changed their employee pay rates, in line w ith the other Indian companies. The Indian companies' success rates began to increase due to cost cutting, however Coca cola experienced a significant level of employee's voluntarily leaving the company, as they became denominated and felt mistreated (Coca Cola, 2012). Managers/leaders must ensure that prior to managing an organization; they have an understating that perspectives will differ, amongst all stakeholders within the company.Managers must ensure that they reason logically and fairly rather than emotionally, this will guarantee that they do not act in their own â€Å"self-interest'. Therefore, they must pay attention to his/her personal as well as other people's assumptions, perspectives, and biases. This process should be approached with integrity, open-mindedness, honesty, and accuracy. It is also important for a leader/ manager to uphold ethical and moral standards, in doing so employees with feel as Hough they are being treated Justly.As a result, managers are not onl y increasing efficiency, but also nurturing skills, developing talent, inspiring results, and erasing all employee concerns regarding any issues of mistreatment, such as underpay. Further to this, managers must not only treat employees fairly, but also, all other stakeholders within their company, such as shareholders, customers, suppliers, and so on. In doing so, leaders will ensure that they gain positive relationships, which will result in improving the market share of the company, hence, gaining a significant nominative advantage.