Terrorism Is A Growing Real World Situation - 2080 Words

Terrorism is a growing real world situation which is having a deepening impact on many facets of international business. A Gallup Survey of December 2015, that followed the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, named terrorism as the top problem confronting Americans (Gallup.com, 2015). Annual terrorism statistics from United States (US) Department of State (state.gov, 2015), which are required by law, show businesses were targeted 1127 times in the year 2014, the 4th highest type of target, as depicted in Table 1. Globalization of business across national boundaries in the world economy is a reality (Hill, 2000) and the intensifying threat of terrorism on international business is an undeveloped research area worthy of additional study with heightening practical and academic implications. Research Motivation Academic and personal motivation Terrorism Overview - Unfortunately terrorism has a long evolving history dating back to piracy on the high seas. 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The Effects Of Child Abuse On Children - 1951 Words

Child Abuse is a huge social problem that affects children from all walks of life. It can have detrimental long-term negative consequences that forever change the lives of millions of people. It’s extremely important to understand the impact it has on the mental and social well-being of young adults and try to prevent the ongoing cycle of violence. As a society, we need to become more aware of how serious this problem is and try to intervene before the consequences affect future generations. Theories have been proposed to try and explain these different effects and how it contributes to negative behaviors throughout their development and many of these theories have provided valuable information to help answer some of these research†¦show more content†¦The study hypothesized that physical abuse would relate to violent delinquency, more so than the effects of other risk factors. In the first study (Lansford et.al, 2007) a community sample of 574 African American and Caucasian children were followed from the age of 5 the age of 21. Children were recruited from random from 3 different school districts in Tennessee and one in Indiana. Abuse was measured through extensive interviews with participants through the age of 21 and follow-up assessments were conducted annually. Violent delinquency was measured using self-report and also through official court records of their violent offenses. Nonviolent delinquency and aggression were measured by examining official court records, self-reported arrests, self-reported externalizing problems, and romantic relationship violence. After examining this data, an investigation of the information showed that adults who had been physically abused in the first 5 years of life had a higher risk of being arrested as juveniles for violent, nonviolent and status offenses (Lansford et.al, 2007). This data was measured using analyses of covariance and adjusted means. Lansford (2007) shows that physically abused youth were also less likely to have finished high school, more likely to have been fired from their job in the past year, and impregnate or be impregnated as a teen by someone they were not married to. Lansford (2007) also suggests that they were

Paraphrasing Apple and Nokia

Question: Write about theParaphrasingfor Apple and Nokia. Answer: Introduction The key objectives of the projected study will aim to carry out detailed analysis and discussions pertinent to several strategies and relevant policies through comparison of the situation specific to companies like Apple and Nokia to sustain their existence and pursue their dominance over the market. in this regard, Apple is considered as a reputed company that is rapidly expanding its business. Contrarily, Nokia may be recognized as a leading organization from the past decade around the year 2007 that has gradually lost its prominence owing to the entry of novel brands and organization in the cellular phone industry (Parasuraman, and Zinkhan, 2002). In order to regain its lost glory and fame in the gadget related technological industry for Nokia, numerous ways have been improvised and dealt with throughout the entire length of the study discussions. In this respect, the contributions of the strategies and policies are noteworthy to add to the value of the organization and its repute . Analysis and Discussions Regarding Strategies Followed by Apple For the sake of survival and penetration in the highly competitive market associated to consumer electronics, Apple has resorted to adopting several diverse and unique strategies. Of the strategies and policies followed by the company to be among the top names in the mobile phone and computer industry, the ones that are associated to these two industries are of particular significance. Primary emphasis is laid on the customer satisfaction through promulgation of appropriate marketing strategies, designing of the products, differentiation of products and setting of design standards. All these initiatives on the companys part pave the way for emerging as the best manufacturer of phones and personal computers (Wilkie, and Moore, 2003). Possession of a plethora of vital elements by Apple adds to the advantage for the company. The elements include a designing firm, a publishing company, a media platform, a powerhouse of software, computer manufacturer and others. Specific Strategies Followed by Apple Include: Ignorance of the Criticisms The marketing strategies as laid down by Apple refers to turning deaf ears and ignoring the criticisms that are rampant in the marketing industry, instead suggestions have been made to focus on the performance and doing the job appropriately (Leonidou, Katsikeas, and Samiee, 2002). The company has driven its agenda on accomplishing their goals of manufacturing their products as per their conception. The pivotal focus rests on the cost of production because as per the opinion of the company, the consumers are ready to pay as long as they are getting something at fulfill their purposes and demands. Thus innovation is the key to their success ad brand promotion that are carried out prior to every product launch. Designs more than Just Ordinary Attention is paid in designing the products and making them more appealing and beautiful to the customers rather than making them just ordinary. All the software components and design features attributed to the phones, personal, computers, iPads and laptops are so unique and attractive that instantly grabs the fancy of the customers and prompts them to purchase and use them across their lifestyle. A kind of pleasure is derived from buying and utilizing such products having beautiful designs (Aladwani, 2001). Undertaking measures and implementing designs that are out of the box are a constant endeavor of the company and in order to accomplish such tasks the UVP or unique value proposition method that aids in manufacturing of both unique as well as beautiful designs are put forward by the company. Consideration of the product in its entirety instead of a sole feature of the product is highlighted by the company to capture the attention of the consumers (Cova and Pace, 2006). Less Investment in Advertisement As far as the philosophy of the company is concerned, they believe that good products do not require branding, promotion or endorsements to increase their salability. Quality is the determining factor for their purchase and marketing of the goods. Rather than focusing on branding, placement of the products are given more importance in the company. Real ad economical brandings are fostered from the feedbacks by the social media content and customers. Apple chief target is to reach out to its potential audience through a natural and non-manipulated mechanism (Gummesson, 2005). The procedure to achieve this objective observes the actions from the insiders and influencers who are capable of taking the company to the target audience. Further promotion of products is carried out through utilization of free trail programs and testimonials. Simple Marketing and Simple Product As the common notion goes the more, the merrier, however this idea does not always holds true. Simplified design and limitations in turn might account for harboring the projected benefits out of a product. Rejection by the users following over burdening with technologies in a particular product often occurs because of lack of knowledge for application and increased amount of confusion due to hefty technicalities. However, Apple does not follow this trend blindly and instead make effort to allay the apprehension o the users through mitigating the hi-tech allocations and software. Simplification is also achieved through diminishing the marketing of the products. Therefore it is perceived that effective marketing is not the sole resolution for attracting the potential customers and the massage is clearly conveyed to other companies competing in similar industries (Varadarajan, 2010). Data and information provided in abundance and more than what is required may bewilder the customers and direct them in wrong ways. Customers enjoy the benefits procured from simplification measures that are adopted in course of the marketing strategy process. In keeping with this legacy, the websites for Apple are also very less captivating with limited access to information turning them simpler. Knowledge and Interaction with the Customer The stores of Apples are also simple in terms of their designs and illustrate the images of their coveted products carrying adequate information related to the product specifications and other technical details. Apple is considered as a name to reckon who value their customers and leave no stones unturned to cater to the satisfaction of their users (Binsardi, and Ekwulugo, 2003). The professionals attached to Apple are competent enough to make interaction and engage in fruitful professional communication with the potent users in a comfortable and compelling manner devoid of any confusion. The prudent and pragmatic approaches followed by the Apple staff in making the customers understand their products are don in a subtle and insightful way. They resort to explaining things like The iPods are capable of performing dual activities, one serving the basic function as a music player and the other as a storage device. The iMac meets up to the expectations pertaining to the pleasure and excitement of the customers apart from serving the purposes of a normal computer. The latest technology of iPhone launched by Apple is a seamless amalgamation of technologies to provide dual advantages specific to smart phones and Apple computers. The websites serve as a useful resource of providing synopsis and succinct information about the company and their associated products (Luo, and Bhattacharya, 2009). Endeavors for Providing Improved Services to Customers Unlike any other brand, the product version as offered by Apple is unique and distinct in its presentation. Extensive research and deeper analysis have gone onto crafting and creating these products in a manner to appeal the customers. Innovation is another pillar in their brand name where refined and updated version of the elements of the designs is utilized to prepare the devices. The company strives relentlessly to deliver optimal service for its valued customers without failing their expectations and cater to the value for money philosophy as the customers are investing their money to buy the products (Madhavaram, and Hunt, 2008). The services that are provided through the Apple stores follow a decent and humble discourse. Moreover the stores are designed in a fashion to inspire the purchase and attract the customers. Warm lights, monochromatic color schemes coupled with large windows provides enough space and aesthetics thereby enhancing the visibility of the Apple products that are kept in display in the store. Thus the company tries to provide a unique and distinctive experience to its buyers (Bloch, 2011). Building of a Community of Users and Consumers The fan followers of Apple have accentuated over the years and some of the fans are even the permanent and loyal users of this brand. The fan base is not limited to a particular place and encompasses customers spread globally. The enthusiasm and fanaticism of these customers account for novel impetus for the company (Parasuraman, and Grewal, 2000). Development of a brand personality and a respectable name falls under the aims of the company. Critical Discussions on the moves that could have been taken by Nokia to sustain their dominance in the technological industry Nokia was a prominent name in the technological industry dating back to the year 2007 accounting for about 350 million handsets. Back then, Nokia also introduced a service o music system that had the provision of downloading any sort of music. Initially Nokia tried to expand its business being an internet company, but later on shifted to being a leading mobile phone brand and since then is continuously making progress to attain its projected goal of standing as an internet company as well. As per the opinion of the Nokia owners, the only other brand that is capable of providing tough competition to the handsets brought to the market by Nokia is Apple (Verhoef et al. 2009). Other developing companies that are in competition with Apple bears the brand names of Motorola, Nokia, Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Philips and others. Adoption of simple strategies together with the flexibility in the individual brands is the forte of Nokia. Therefore in order to continue with this sustained performance and dominance in the industry, this strategy might be helpful. However the introduction of newer brand and organizations in the market has culminated in the shrinkage and narrowing of scopes for the products. In this context, innovations and following of effective marketing strategies is considered crucial to reach to the desired level of professional excellence and satisfy the demands of the target audience. The lost glory may also thus be regained by the Nokia Company, in this manner (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson, 2012). Positioning of the company is important to encounter challenges and develop effective strategies. Implementation and framing of the policies must resort to analyzing the opportunities and threats relevant to the company. For sustenance in the markets, the company might undertake mergers and acquisition. Development and manufacturing of products and services must be done in accordance with the proper grasping of innovative ad market tested ideas from the leading organizations. For future procurement of profits and revenues, the company must analyze and explore all the possible market opportunities. Company may divert their targets towards the emerging markets for phones and other gadgets. For the initial boosting of the company revenues and profits, development of software and applications may be chosen as a viable option. Cross selling of the phones manufacture by Nokia to the enterprises, business organizations and other clients may also be considered. Conclusion Post completion of the present study it may be stated that marketing strategy is the vital step that facilitates the brands to etch their names in the good book of the customers in addition to simultaneous maintenance of market name and reputation. For the sake of survival in the competition, brands like Nokia or Apple must frame effective marketing policies. Consideration of the brand image must also be made to account for providing customer satisfaction and sustaining the goodwill of the company to remain ahead of others in the competition relevant to the technology market.

Professional Learning and Development Program

Question: Discuss about theProfessional Learning and Development Program. Answer: Introduction There are numerous factors that influence an organizations performance. One of these factors is employees. For any organization to performance efficiently and competitively, it must have well qualified, experienced, motivated and consistent employees. It is quite challenging for an organization to get employees with all these characteristics unless it develops internal strategies for realizing them. One of the strategies that many organizations use to increase their employees competence and effectiveness is having professional development programs (Looper, 2016). These programs enable organizations to equip their employees with the latest knowledge and right set of skills thus making them more competitive and successful in the industry they are operating. It is also important for employees to remain competitive because the professional landscape is ever changing. For instance, the use of technology has become very crucial in all professions especially engineering. There are new technological tools being developed and launched almost every other day. Most of these tools can help organizations to increase their performance and competitiveness. So the best strategy that organizations can use to keep their employees updated with such technological developments and capitalize on their benefits is by having a professional learning and development program (Wilcox, 2005). These programs also help employees to understand current and projected trends and changes in the market so that they can help their employers respond to these fluctuating market conditions accordingly. Previously, professional learning and development was largely emphasized in schools. It means that those in teaching profession were the ones who usually enrolled for, developed or implemented professional learning and development programs. This is what led to the famous professional learning communities (Provini, 2012). These communities were aimed at improving the performance of students and schools in general by training teachers on how to improve their teaching knowledge and skills. However, this has changed over the years and now professional learning programs have become a necessity for many organizations. In fact, in some places it is mandatory for certain professionals to have a professional learning plan (Utah State Board of Education, 2016). These programs are being used to nurture employees skills, motivate and retain staff and improve overall productivity at workplaces (Sarita, 2016). Therefore the beneficiaries of these programs are both the employees and the organizatio ns involved, as discussed by The Peak Performance Center (2016). All professions and professionals have something to benefit from professional learning and development programs. This makes the programs useful in all workplaces. For instance, teachers who enroll for professional learning and development programs have significantly impacted their students learning (Timperley et al., 2007). The task here is to develop a professional learning program for my previous workplace. This company has a proven track record of success in engineering industry in Australia. Being part of their project team in engineering department for three and a half years, I learnt a lot regarding creating opportunities for employees to learn and develop their professions while working. It is for this reason that I because interested in professional learning and development programs. As an engineering educator, I have vast knowledge and experience in regards to professional learning and development programs. Therefore the program developed here is from my personal experience at my previous workplace. From my experience, it is very important to ensure that the professional learning program developed is effective and produces positive results to the organization. To achieve this, it requires proper planning and involvement of all relevant stakeholders. Therefore it must start by understanding the procedures of planning, developing and implementing a professional learning program. The first step that the company should do is to analyze the importance, applicability or relevance of the program to the company. Developing and implementing this program should be seen as an investment for the company. Since the program aims at expanding the knowledge and skills of employees, developing a program that will achieve these objectives has to start with identifying its potential benefits. Some of the expected benefits of the program include: addressing employees weaknesses, maintaining employees knowledge and experience consistency, boosting staff morale and satisfaction, and improving staff performance (Frost, 2016), among others. Understanding potential benefits of the program will also make it easier to give it the necessary attention and adequate resources when implementing it. Therefore it has to start with looking at how employees and the company in general will benefit from the program. After identifying and analyzing the potential benefits, it is also important to share them with all stakeholders in the organization, including employees. This will help in preparing stakeholders in advance so that when they are called for to participate at different stages of the program, they will be supportive. The second step is to explore the target employees. It is important to acknowledge that different employees have different weaknesses, strengths and capabilities. Having the same professional learning program for all employees may not produce good results. For example, the specific needs of the companys employees in human resource department may be different from those in project management department. In this regard, it is more sensible to have different learning development programs for the two groups of employees. The aim of exploring target employees is to understand their needs. The company has many employees in different departments and so their needs are also probably varied. At this stage, relevant department can ask their staff to list down their weaknesses, strengths and what they need so as to improve their performance and productivity. According to (Duke, 2016), the process can be made easier by preparing self-assessment forms and giving them to employees to fill. The forms should require employees to list their skills, interests, personalities and values. These forms should also be prepared based on the skills, technologies and opportunities available for the employees and whether they will help the organization achieve its needs and objectives. It is important to note that giving employees a chance to list training needs that will improve their performance is one way of telling them to analyze and determine their career progress. These employees will take time to look at how their careers have been progressing in the past few years thus being able to know whether they are on the right track. So they will use this opportunity to identify their strengths, weaknesses and areas that need improvement. Some employees may also use this opportunity to express their wish of changing the department they are working in, such as from finance department to human resource department. Identifying the specific areas that need to change indirectly means improving their productivity at workplace. So this step will play a key role in enhancing the effectiveness of the professional learning program. The third step should be to set goals. This comes after evaluating the current situation of the organization i.e. company and employee needs. For the program to achieve the desired goals, it must have goals. As discussed by (Shala, 2013), there must be an ultimate goal and sub-goals. The goals should be as specific as possible, which can be achieved by using the SMART (specific, measureable, achievable, realistic and timely) strategy (Bowen and McDonough, 2013). For example, the company can use the program to aim at training 50 employees for the first half of the year and thereafter double the number for the remaining half of the year. Having such a goal will help the company to know the exact amount of resources required during the first six months and last six months of the training for that particular year. Setting goals also helps the company to identify any specific gaps in the knowledge or expertise of its employees, which may be preventing them from attaining their full potential at work. The company deals with different types and sizes of projects and clients thus these gaps will always be there. Knowing the gaps is also essential in designing a more specific program. The deadline for each goal should also be realistic so that everything is done painstakingly. The fourth step is to research the most suitable training course for implementing. There are different courses available and each is suitable for meeting varied needs. What is important is to select a course that will be effective in achieving the target goals. The company can decide to develop its own course from scratch, because it has the capability and/or resources, and use it to train employees internally. According to Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, (2014), the most important thing is to ensure that the professional learning and development program chosen contains all effective elements. If the company cannot implement the selected course internally, it can look for available places where the course is offered and enroll their employees there. Some of the factors to consider when looking for a place to train employees externally include: location, duration of course, cost, and proven track record of execution, among others. Whether the course comprises of formal classes or online classes, it is very crucial to ensure flexibility because in most cases employees will be required to continue with their jobs while attending the course. The company can use its network to create or identify the most suitable course for its employees. The fifth step, which many people or organizations ignore, is to analyze costs. This is a crucial step because if the company cant meet the cost, the program cannot be effectively developed and implemented. It is worth noting that implementing a professional learning and development program requires substantial amount of resources (Warren, 2006).Some of the costs incurred include: equipment, tools or material costs, travel expenses, technology costs, downtime, instructor fees (especially if instructors come from outside the organization), and reduced employee productivity, among others. Remember that your employees may have to split the time between performing their normal tasks at the organization and going for the program training. So their level of production is likely to reduce when they are through the program. All costs associated with the program should be analyzed so as to find the best strategy of balancing them with the benefits of the program. Considering the qualified sta ff that the company has in its finance department, this should be an easy step for the company. The sixth step is to start implementing the program. This step comes after the organization has performed cost benefit analysis of the program and decided that the program is worth implementing. Basically, implementation involves employees going through the selected training course/program. The best way to know whether the program is being implemented effectively or not is to check attainment of sub-goals. It must be remembered that failure to achieve sub-goals will inhibit attainment of the ultimate goal. The benefits and goals of the program should be the main motivators to keep those involved committed throughout the process. As noted by DuFour (2004), it is important to ensure that the environment enables employees to learn, there is collaboration among all stakeholders, and focus is put on results. Ullman (2009) also argues that there should be trust among participants, learning teams should be given adequate time and the program has to be wide-ranging. Last but not least, the programs progress must be monitored and evaluated along the way. This will help in ensuring that everything is done on schedule and also gives updates on nearness to achieving the target goals. Monitoring the progress will also help the organization to identify new challenges or opportunities and make necessary changes to improve the programs effectiveness. The company can assign the monitoring task to head of departments in conjunction with the person in charge of professional learning and development program. Both the company and employees have to be ready for challenges that come along because nothing can go as perfectly as planned. The challenges should be used as learning opportunities. All difficulties or setbacks have to be recorded followed by establishing approaches of overcoming them. The company should celebrate any milestone attained along the way and reward participants who complete the program successfully. Additionally, the program has to be reevaluated after a certain period of time, such as six months. Reevaluation is important in ensuring that the program and its implementation process are aligned with employees and organizations needs and objectives. The reevaluation should be done in conjunction with progress monitoring. This is because the monitoring report is what should form the basis of suggesting changes, if any. Reevaluation is of great importance especially if the organization is implementing the professional learning and development program for the first time. The best way to do evaluation is by checking progress and success indicators (objectives). As stated by State of Victoria (2005), the importance of professional learning program across the world cannot be overstated. A professional learning and development program is an explicit approach that an organization develops and implements so as to improve the professionalism or competence of its employees. This program gives the organization the guidelines it has to follow to boost its employees professional growth, which translates into improved performance of the organization. Hence the program aims at identifying the needs of the company and formulating a strategy to meet them. If this program is developed properly and implemented effectively, both employees and the organization benefit significantly (Killion, 2008). I have no doubt that if I had a chance to go through a professional learning and development program while still at the company, my professionalism and productivity would have improved significantly. From my experience as an engineering educator, developing an effective professional learning and development program should follow this guideline: analyzing the importance, applicability or relevance of the program so as to know its benefits; exploring target employees/learners to understand their needs; setting goals; researching for the appropriate training course; analyzing costs; implementing the program; and monitoring progress. The program also requires necessary support system for it to be implemented effectively (Killion, 2013). Therefore professional learning and development programs are worthwhile for implementation not only in educational institutions but in all organizations. References Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2014, Designing Professional Learning report, Sydney: Australian Government. Bowen, R and McDonough, M, 2013, Sample Smart Professional Development Goals, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.brighthub.com/office/home/articles/72258.aspx DuFour, R, 2004, What is a Professional Learning Community? Viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may04/vol61/num08/What-Is-a-Professional-Learning-Community%C2%A2.aspx Duke, 2016, Professional Development Plan, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.hr.duke.edu/managers/performance/development/ Frost, S, 2016, The Importance of Training Development in the Workplace, viewed September 17, 2016, https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-training-development-workplace-10321.html Killion, J, 2008, Assessing impact: Evaluating staff development, Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Killion, J, 2013, Professional learning plan: A workbook for states, districts, and schools, Oxford, OH: Learning Forward. Looper, L, 2016, How Professional Development Programs Work, viewed September 17, 2016, https://money.howstuffworks.com/business/professional-development/professional-development-programs4.htm Provini, C, 2012, Best Practices for Professional Learning Communities, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/best-practices-for-professional-learning-communities.shtml Sarita, H, 2016, Ways to Promote Professional Development in the Workplace, viewed September 17, 2016, https://smallbusiness.chron.com/ways-promote-professional-development-workplace-45524.html Shala, M, 2013, 6 Steps to Create a Professional Development Plan, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.recruiter.com/i/6-steps-to-create-a-professional-development-plan/ State of Victoria, 2005, Professional Learning in Effective Schools: The Seven Principles of Highly Effective Professional Learning, Melbourne: Leadership and Teacher Development Branch. The Peak Performance Center, 2016, Benefits of Professional Development, viewed September 17, 2016, https://thepeakperformancecenter.com/business/performance-management/professional-development-program/benefits-professional-development/ Timperley, H, Wilson A, Barrar H Fung I, 2007, Teacher Professional Learning and Development, Wellington: New Zealand Ministry of Education. Ullman, E, 2009, How to Create a Professional Learning Community, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.edutopia.org/professional-learning-communities-collaboration-how-to Utah State Board of Education, 2016, Teaching and Learning Licensing, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.schools.utah.gov/cert/License-Renewals/Professional-Learning-Plan.aspx Warren, J L, 2006, Professional Community and Professional Development in the Learning-Centered School, Washington, DC, National Education Association. Wilcox, J, 2005, Developing Professional Skills, UK Centre for Materials Education, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.materials.ac.uk/guides/developing.asp