Memories Of The Gulf War Syndrome - 1619 Words

9 MEMORY LOSS IN GULF WAR SYNDROME Katherine Krishun What Causes Memory Loss in Gulf War Syndrome? Chemical Exposure or Stress? PSY 101/112 10/24/2016 Gulf War Syndrome is a chronic multi symptom illness affecting 250,000 of the 697,000 1991 Desert Storm Gulf War veterans. Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans may also suffer from this syndrome. The Veterans Administration â€Å"refers to these illnesses as â€Å"chronic multi symptom illness† and â€Å"undiagnosed illnesses†. We prefer not to use the term â€Å"Gulf War Syndrome† when referring to medically unexplained symptoms reported by Gulf War veterans. Why? Because symptoms vary widely† (Gulf War Veterans Medically Unexplained Illnesses, 2016). The illnesses included in this syndrome are: chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, functional gastrointestinal disorders, and undiagnosed illnesses including fatigue, cardiovascular disease, muscle and joint pain, respiratory disorders, headaches neurological and psychological problems, and sleep disorders. Research is being done on the correlation of combined chemical exposure plus stress and their effects on memory. Many veterans suffer from PTSD and some researchers believe that the Gulf War Syndrome (GWS) symptoms are in response to the stress associated with PTSD alone. Other researchers believe that along with stress, there are neurological deficits linked with chemical exposures. Prior to entering the theatre of operation, veterans were givenShow MoreRelatedThe United Kingdom s War Essay1465 Words   |  6 PagesKingdom’s war memorials in the twentieth century Memorials show an interesting aspect of the political and cultural memory of war in the United Kingdom over the course of the twentieth century is because there was a drastic change in what memorials looked like, who funded them, and the inscriptions carved in them. Each of these changes illustrates how the individual need and desire to mourn overtook the political desire to show the triumph of the state. The First and Second World wars as well asRead More Gulf War Syndrome Essay3736 Words   |  15 PagesGulf War Syndrome The Gulf War Syndrome was identified after the Gulf War in 1991. Thousands of troops from the US, British, and Canadian developed symptoms after the war. This Syndrome has been researched since the end of the Gulf War and still not all the answers have been found. 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Common Components Of Digital Database Management Applications

A DBMS can also provide many perspectives of a single database schema. A perspective characterizes what information the client sees and how that client sees the information. The DBMS gives a level of reflection between the reasonable diagram which characterizes the legitimate structure of the database and the physical construction that portrays the records, files and other physical instruments utilized by the database. At the point when a DBMS is utilized, frameworks can be adjusted all the more effectively when business prerequisites changes. New classifications of information can be added to the database without aggravating the current framework and applications can be protected from how data is organized and put away. Obviously, a†¦show more content†¦It is used to access or manipulate records or rows within a relational database. Primary key is the field containing a unique label identifying a record or row in a table. Each table has a least one primary key. Keys should be meaningful to the data being stored. Examples: employee ID number, Social Security number Queries: Queries are the searches initiated by users to retrieve information from the database. It consists of sets of variables or keywords formatted in a query language. - SQL is one of the query language. (Parrish, 1997) Example of SQL query: SELECT title FROM songs, artists, WHERE songs.artists=groups.ID AND groups. Name= ‘Madonna’ Database models: Database models represents the way data is stored and determines how data is retrieved and manipulated. There are four main database models. They are: Flat, Relational, Hierarchical and Network. (Johnson., 1997) (Nicolai, Database Security and Review, 2016) Object Oriented Databases: Object-oriented database management systems allows storing and retrieving objects and complex data types such as CAD files, Artificial intelligence objects, XML-compatible objects, General multimedia (audio and video). Originally, we’re not widely adopted to object oriented databases when released in 1985. But, used in specialized areas today. Database type is determined by data that will be housed in it. (Kim, 1990) There are

Viewing Mrs. Dalloway Through the Lens of “Modern Fiction” Free Essays

In â€Å"Modern Fiction,† Virginia Woolf comments on the flaws of modernist writers such as Wells, Bennett, and Galsworthy.   Their narrow focus on the material and lack of affinity for the spiritual or realistic, is evidence enough that they have fallen short in the literary sense.   In Mrs. We will write a custom essay sample on Viewing Mrs. Dalloway Through the Lens of â€Å"Modern Fiction† or any similar topic only for you Order Now Dalloway, Woolf explores connections with truth, reality, and that which is above the material through her narrative techniques, complex imagery, and provoking themes, thus emphasizing through Mrs. Dalloway what she has so adamantly called for in â€Å"Modern Fiction.† Woolf possesses the ability to create a work of fiction that evokes a pleasant reading experience for the reader without utilizing a central plot.   In Mrs. Dalloway, Woolf chooses to explore the narrative possibilities of bringing several characters through one single day in time.   This narrative technique works well in a text that mainly focuses on Mrs. Dalloway’s world view, her inner workings, and her exploration and sensory experience of the world surrounding her. The organizational structure of the novel challenges Woolf to create characters that are deep enough to be realistic while dealing with only one day of their lives.   Woolf creates within the character of Clarissa the inherent sense of the magnanimity of living one day in time.   Clarissa â€Å"had a perpetual sense, as she watched the taxi cabs, of being out, out, far out to sea and alone; she always had the feeling that it was very, very dangerous to live even one day† (16). Through Clarissa, Woolf creates a sense of the complexity each day is capable of bringing to individual characters, thus calling her readers to â€Å"look within life†¦examine for a moment an ordinary mind on an ordinary day.   The mind receives a myriad impressions—trivial, fanstastic, evanescent, or engraved with the sharpness of steel† (3).   Clarissa, through her sensory perception of the world around her, feels the danger of living even one day. Woolf’s embrace of the realistic and spiritual aspects of the world, asserted in â€Å"Modern Fiction,† are set up within this novel so that those views will be challenged.   Through the character of Clarissa, struggling through one day in time, Woolf compels the reader to consider the possibilities beyond the material world.   This narrative technique moves the action forward, and simultaneously delves into the life and inner workings of Clarissa, baring her soul to the reader and opening up the possibilities and realities of the spiritual world. Woolf also employs imagery that similarly challenges the reader to explore the possibilities of what lies beyond the material.   The imagery of death is quite prevalent in the text, and these images are mainly viewed through Clarissa, as she makes sense of her life.   Critic Jacob Littleton, in his article, â€Å"Portrait of the Artist as Middle-Aged Woman,† asserts that because Clarissa possesses a â€Å"heightened view of existence,† she always possesses a â€Å"preternaturally vivid awareness and fear of the termination of the existence she loves so much† (38). Clarissa’s â€Å"fear of termination† resonates most clearly in her isolated attic bedroom.   The image of her bedroom symbolizes loneliness and death, and serves as a place where Clarissa frequently contemplates these subjects.   Her bed, â€Å"no longer the marriage bed symbolizing fertility, is symbolized by her fertile mind as shrinking into her world in a way that other outlooks available to her do not† (40).   She has no one but herself in which to rely, and this is evidenced through her continual fascination with the concept of death and the end of existence. Clarissa’s transcendental theory, which she uses as a reference to inform herself of the realities of the spiritual realm, causes her to surmise that â€Å"since our apparitions, the part of us which appears, are so momentarily compared with the other, the unseen part of us, which spreads wide, the unseen might survive, be recovered somehow attached to this person or that, or even haunting certain places after death†¦perhaps—perhaps† (79). The image of the spiritual transcending death through means of apparitions is another powerful image within the text, and interlocks with the image of death and presents itself simultaneously. In the case of Septimus, Clarissa is able to feel a connection with him after he has died that seems to transcend death.   She assimilates herself with him after he took his life.   She knows that â€Å"she felt glad that he had done it; thrown it away†¦He made her feel beauty; made her feel the fun.   But she must go back.   She must assemble† (185).   Mrs. Dalloway sees herself in Septimus, even though she has never encountered him face-to-face; she sees something in Septimus that she desires for herself. Woolf, through Clarissa’s transcendental theory and interactions with the image of Septimus, uses Clarissa’s experience to assert her own views on the spiritual aspect of reality.   There is something far above the material that causes Clarissa to feel this affinity with Septimus.   There is something beyond herself that calls her to him, thus causing her to desire his fate for her own.   The power of the imagery of death and the ability to transcend it is fully realized in the doubling of Clarissa and Septimus. Lastly, Woolf uses themes that connect reality with the spiritual realm in an attempt to further her thesis in â€Å"Modern Fiction,† for fiction to be modern and worth reading, it must explore that which is above the material world.   Woolf’s main concern in the novel seems to be the inner workings of Mrs. Dalloway, her thought processes, and how she engages with the world surrounding her.   Woolf juxtaposes Clarissa’s internal self with her external world, thus setting up one of the most prevalent, resonant themes within the text, and it is â€Å"against this system that Woolf places a world of private significance whose meaning is wholly irreducible to facts of the external world† (37). This struggle between the internal and external surrounds not only Clarissa, but her double, Septimus, and thus permeates the novel.   Personality, according to Ellen Bayuk Rosenmann, in her article, â€Å"The Invisible Presence,† seems to be a â€Å"private fact,† which is far â€Å"alienated from public and political culture† (77).   Society at large is able to neither appreciate nor understand the inner workings of the soul, and thus stands at a distance. Woolf asserts in â€Å"Modern Fiction,† that â€Å"Whether we call it life or spirit, truth or reality, this, the essential thing, has moved off, or on, and refuses to be contained any longer is such ill-fitting vestments as we provide† (3).   In essence, the separation between the internal (soul) and the external (material world) is not navigable.   Mrs. Dalloway is forced to break down the material barriers that bar her from knowing herself, and delve into the depths of her soul to find the spiritual, the truth. Another fascinating theme within the text is the intriguing concept of human interaction.   Characters within the novel are being continually merged together through their experiences and through their own imaginations and memories as well (Littleton 39).   One of the most interesting examples of this is the relationship between Mrs. Dalloway and Septimus.   Clarissa never visually sees Septimus, yet he is the most significant part of her day.   Clearly, Woolf is merging the two characters together, yet she blurs the lines a bit, thus furthering her assertions in â€Å"Modern Fiction,† that â€Å"life is not a series of gig lamps symmetrically arranged; life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end† (4). Septimus is a part of Clarissa’s consciousness, even though she does not realize it.   His life has a large impact of Clarissa, and he is the sole character that compels her to remain true to her soul. Critic J. Hillis Miller, in his article, â€Å"Repetition as Raising the Dead,† explains that â€Å"no man or woman is limited to him or herself, but each is joined to the others†¦diffused like a mist among all the people and places he or she has encountered† (173).   The characters are connected on various levels, and Woolf shows this connection quite acutely through the lens of Lady Bruton as she muses about the way in which Hugh and Richard remain with her after they leave, â€Å"as if one’s friends were attached to one’s body, after lunching with them, by a thin thread, which†¦became hazy with the sound of bells, striking the hour† (112). This statement furthers Woolf’s ideal that there is an inherent spiritual connection within human beings, a â€Å"thin thread† which connects humanity.   The interaction between the characters is remarkable, as Woolf continues to assert that there is a spiritual connection between human beings that surpasses any material, physical connection (8). Through means of narrative technique, fascinating imagery, and compelling themes, Woolf continues to assert her thesis in â€Å"Modern Fiction,† that fiction must be concerned with the reality of life, its inherent truth and spirituality.   If fiction is only willing to explore the material, it will do a disservice to humanity, for there is a world beyond the material that begs to be explored.   In Mrs. Dalloway, Woolf explore this other world, and brings to light fascinating possibilities that lie far beyond that realms of the material. Works Cited Littleton, Jacob. â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway: Portrait of the Artist as a Middle-Aged Woman.† Twentieth Century Literature. Hempstead: Spring 1995. 41:1, 36-48. Miller, J. Hillis. â€Å"Repetition as Raising the Dead.† Virginia Woolf. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea, 1986. Rosenmann, Ellen Bayuk. â€Å"The Invisible Presence: Virginia Woolf and the Mother Daughter Relationship.† Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1986. Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. New York: Harcourt, 1925. Woolf, Virginia. The Common Reader. 1st edition. 1925. How to cite Viewing Mrs. Dalloway Through the Lens of â€Å"Modern Fiction†, Essay examples

Globalization Strategies Brand Expansion

Question: Discuss about the Globalization Strategies Brand Expansion. Answer: Introduction In todays era of business development, globalization is considered as one of the most important aspects of business. Globalization is a specific process where a business starts to expand internationally or develop business opportunities on an international scale (Dunning 2014). Todays advance businesses do not want to restrict their business operations in a particular area or country, as they want to expand their business internationally. Globalization helps the business organizations to earn more revenues and to increase the profitability of the business. It can be seen that there is a deep relation between globalization and expansion of businesses (Wild, Wild and Han 2014). Both these activities are based on each other. A business cannot expand internationally with effective globalizations strategies. In order to expand a business internationally, various kinds of business environmental effects of the host country needs to be confirmed as the success of the businesses vastly depend s on them. After the analysis of the external business environments, the businesses needs to chose proper expansion strategies like localization, international, transnational or global. After the completion of all these steps, the process to establishment the businesses are started. Hence, all the stages are important stages (Cavusgil et al. 2014). PESTEL Analysis of Singapore In order to launch the new cold drink, named Clarissa, in Singapore, the organization needs to know the impact of various external business factors of Singapore that can have an impact on the business of Clarissa. In order to do this, PESTEEL analysis is one of the appropriate tools. There are six major factors in PESTEL analysis; they are political, environmental, social, technological and legal (Yksel 2012). All these aspects are discussed below: Political Factor: Political situation of a country is one of the major external factors that decide the fate of an existing or new business organization. The stable political condition of a country is favorable for any business organization. On the other hand, the unstable political condition of a country is one of the hindrances that affect the growth of the business organization. however, the political condition of Singapore is mostly favorable for the existing as well as new business organizations. The extent of political risk is quite low in Singapore. According to the report of the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, Singapore enjoys the lowest amount of political risks in Asia continent (Tremewan 2016). The power to elect the political representative to run the country in on the hands of the people of Singapore as it is a democratic country. Since, the time of independence, the people of Singapore has been enjoying relative political stability. It can be seen that the stan dard of living of the people of Singapore has been improved due to political stability. Most importantly, there is a fare business opportunities for the new business organizations in Singapore. However, it can be seen that there are restrictions in the free speech of opposition parties in the country. Overall, it can be said that the political condition of Singapore is stable and it is perfectly suitable for new businesses (Fozer et al. 2017). Economic Factor: The success of a business largely depends on the economic condition of the country. Favorable economic condition of a country is responsible for the success and expansion of the businesses in the country. It is evident that Singapore has a vibrant free-market economy. The consumers and the open market set the prices of various kinds of goods. There is not any rule of government intervention in the businesses (Saad 2012). On the other hand, the force of supply and demand is free from any kinds of rules and regulation of the government. The per capita income of Singapore was $51855.08 in the year of 20115 that was the highest in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This indicates the growth of the economy of Singapore. The legal and financial business framework of the country supports the economic development of it. Due to the recent attempt of the government of Singapore to diversify its economy, many industries have flourished like tourism industry, ph armaceutical industry, food and beverages industry and others. Cheaper labor costs from the neighbor countries help Singapore in the cost saving. However, some economic constraints are affecting the economic growth of the country; they are the shortage of labors, the continuous rise in the labor costs, the decline in productivity and others. Thus, it can be said that the economic condition of the country is suitable for new businesses (Qu and Meng 2012). Social Factor: Various kinds of social factors are available for the successful expansion of any kinds of business in a country. There is not any exception of this fact in Singapore. Singapore is similar as other eastern countries in terms of social cultures and values. People of Singapore uses to follow traditional family values and cultures. However, young generation of this country has a tendency of follow the eastern culture. The people of Singapore are hardworking people and they work hard in order to fulfill their materialism desires (Payne 2015). Hence, they have a tendency to work hard. This aspect indirectly increases the national productivity of the country. It increases the purchasing power of the country and the businesses can be benefitted from this. It can be seen that the literacy rate of the country is very high. For the purpose of social development, the government uses to provide various welfare services. Two of the major social development agencies of Singapore are the Ministry of Community Development and Singapore Council of Social Services. Hence, it can be observed that the various social factors are favorable for the expansion of new businesses (Lee 2012). Technological Factor: In the era of twenty-first centuries, technology is a driving force behind the success of any existing or new businesses. Technology plays an integral part in the business development of Singapore. The technological development of Singapore is a significant one. The technological advancement of the country is vastly responsible for betterment of the lifestyle of the people of Singapore. One of the major drivers for the technological development of the country is internet. The internet is playing an integral part in the technological development of the country as it has eased communication and has increased the connectivity. Apart from this, innovation is another driving force behind the company (Yue and Zubillaga-Pow 2012). Due to technological advancement, businesses have been successful to implement better facilities and as a result, the cost of production has decreased along with the increase in productivity. Technological advancement has allowed people and b usinesses of Singapore to connect with the rest of the world. The infrastructure for IT industry in Singapore is commendable. On the other hand, the E-Commerce and eB2C businesses have been flourished. The growing IT infrastructure of Singapore is one of the reasons that many multinational companies are setting up their regional operations in Singapore. Most importantly, the government is also moving towards electronic government era. Hence, from the above discussion, it can be said that the technological advancement of Singapore is suitable for setting up new businesses (Chatterji 2016). Environmental Factor: The ministry of Environment and the Anti-Pollution Unit of Singapore is working continuously to maintain all the environmental factors of the country. It has been seen that 30% of the mangrove forests of Singapore is lost (Dryzek 2013). On the other hand, many species are in danger. The Water Pollution Control and Drainage Act help to control the water pollution. In addition, the other environmental acts of the country help to restrict pollution from different sources. A new company needs to comply with many laws and regulations before setting up the business in the country. Hence, it can be said that the environmental rules and regulations are strict (Tietenberg and Lewis 2016). Legal Factor: Another important external environmental factor is the legal factor or the legal laws and regulations. As per the government of Singapore, there must be transparency and market favorable laws and regulations for the growth of businesses in the country. The government thinks that there is a strong need for legal regulatory frameworks for business development and economic growth (Bell 2012). There are some major regulations of Singapore to support businesses; they are Electronic Transactions Act, Intellectual Property Rights, Amendments to the Evidence Act, Content Regulation, Import and Export Procedures and various taxation related acts. All these acts ensure the smooth running of the businesses in the country. One of the major legal initiatives of Singapore was the introduction of E-Commerce acts in the year of 1996. All these acts are favorable for the expansion of any new business (Bin Abbas 2012). Selection of Strategy In the era of twenty-first centuries, globalization is an important aspect for every business organization. The importance of globalization is significant to those companies that want to expand their business in the other countries. In this aspect, the business needs to analyze various aspects of the host country that can influence the business both positively and negatively. In case of globalization, it can be seen that there are four kinds of business strategies; they are Localization, International, Transnational and Global (Harrod and O'Brien 2012). Before the international expansion of any business, the organizations need to select the most appropriate globalizations strategies. All these four globalizations strategies are discussed below: Localization: Localization is an important strategy of globalization. Localization is the process of adoption of various products in the worldwide market. This is a crucial aspect of international business. The main aim of localization strategy is to feel the people that the particular product is planned and procedure for them and adapted to their needs, cultures and languages. Many companies all over the world are adopting this strategy, as this is an effective strategy in order to launch a new product in a new country. The success rate of this strategy is high (Bandiera, Mancino and Ricci 2012). International: In the process of globalization, international strategies are the important strategies for the expansion of any business internationally. In simple words, international strategies are the strategies that help the organizations to sell their products or goods in the other countries. One of the major reasons of the development and implementation of international strategies is that it has the capability to yield more business opportunities. There are four major benefits of adopting the international business strategies; they are increase in the market size, opportunity for greater returns from major capital investments or from new investments, the opportunity for greater economy of scale and the opportunity for competitive advantage (Killing 2012). Transnational: Transnational strategy is another important strategy in respect of globalization. This is considered as one of the complex international business strategies as the development and d adoption of this strategy is a complex one. With the help of transnational strategies, the business organizations try to hold a middle position between multi-domestics strategies and global strategies. The main reason behind the adoption of this strategy is to maintain efficiency with the need to adjust preferences of the locals. Hence, it can be considered as one of the major strategies for globalization. Businesses with transnational strategies have foreign operation investments, central corporate facility, RD division and others (Abbott and Snidal 2013). Global: Global strategies are the most important strategies for the purpose of globalization. The main characteristic of global strategy is to allow the business organizations to market and sell their products in the international market. There are three major areas of global strategies; they are global strategies, multinational strategies and international strategies. Business organizations can achieve the organizational goals and objectives with the help of global strategies. The organizations that want to expand their businesses or want to introduce new products in the market, global strategy is appropriate for them. It has been seen that the companies that adopted the global strategy use to change their products majorly according to the condition of different markets. However, the overall strategy remains the same irrespective of any country. Hence, it is an effective strategy (Smith 2014). The above discussion sheds lights on the four types of globalizations strategies; they are Localization, International, Transnational and Global. As per the provided information, the soft drink brand Clarissa is going to be launched in Singapore. However, the main existing business is the country of Vietnam. In this regard, it is essential to have a proper globalizations strategy as the successful launch of Clarissa vastly depends on the effective implementation of these strategies. As per the provided information, the host country is Singapore. Thus, for the launch of Clarissa, the localization strategy needs to be chosen. There are some specific reasons behind the selection of localization strategy. Clarissa is going to be launched in only Singapore. Hence, the company does not needs to make globalization s strategies for all other countries. Since the main objective of localization strategy is to make the people feel that the products are made for them looking at the taste and pre ferences of them, localization strategy is the perfect strategy for Clarissa. There are some advantages and disadvantages of the localization strategy. Both are discussed below: Advantages: There are some major advantages of localization strategy. They are: Since, the organizations are localized in a particular area, the product of the organization become popular in that particular area. This affects the sales of the products positively. Due to have production faculty in a particular area or country, the opportunity of employment become more. Due to the process of localization, the cost of production becomes lower and the quality of the products become higher. Both the producers and customers become beneficial from this. At the area of localization, other subsidiary industries grow up in order to supply various kinds of needs to the business organizations. This process leads to the economic development of those areas (Reinke and Beinschob 2013). Disadvantages: Apart from these advantages, there are some major disadvantages of localization strategy. They are discussed below: When an industry is localized in a particular area, the people of that area along with the economy of that area become highly dependent on that business. This is a major disadvantage. The process of localizations gives birth to many social problem like congestion, accidents, strikes, emergence of slums and many others. Due to the target in a particular area or country, the other areas become underdeveloped. This is a major disadvantage of localization strategy (Yang and Wu 2015). These are the major advantages and disadvantages of localization strategy. However, it can be seen that the portion of advantages is greater than the portion of disadvantages. Marketing of the Product As per the above discussion, localization strategy needs to be taken into consideration at the time of launching Clarissa in Singapore. There are some certain steps involved in the process of marketing Clarissa. All the steps are interconnected among each other. These steps are discussed below: Step 1: The first step is to know the geographical positions of the customers. It needs to be determined that that the places of the customers in order to know their social and cultural backgrounds. In addition, this will help the organization to make effective strategies. Step 2: The next step is to find out the taste and preferences of the customers of Singapore. It can be seen that the customers from different areas of Singapore have different taste and preferences. The management of Clarissa needs to ascertain this in order to make the product more acceptable to the customers. Another important aspect is language. The company needs to know the language of the customers. Step 3: The next step is to ascertain the number of people of Singapore that are not converting in the customers of Clarissa. It is obvious that not all the people of Singapore will become the customers of the products as people has different taste and preferences. This is an important step as this step helps to find out the loopholes in the localization strategy of the products. This process provides scope to make improvements in the business strategies. Step 4: The next step is to understand that which market will be more profitable for the marketing of Clarissa. It is obvious that not all part of Singapore is going to be equally profitable. This analysis will provide the organization to make focus and cost leadership strategies. Due to the identification of these profitable and non-profitable places, the company can emphasis on places accordingly. Step 5: This last step is the combined result of all the above stages. In this step, the marketing strategy of the product needs to be made and the product needs to be launched in the respective areas of Singapore. The outcomes of above four stages help the organizations to know the buying behaviors of the customers. This is a crucial aspect for the marketing of Clarissa (Terpstra, Foley and Sarathy 2012). Conclusion The above study sheds light on the various aspects of globalization and international business. The main objective of the study is to analyze and evaluate the various aspects of business expansion. As per the provided information, a business organization of Vietnam is going to launch a new soft drink, Clarissa, in the market of Singapore. Based on the PESTEL analysis on Singapore, it has been seen that Singapore is a good place for the expansion of any business. The stable political condition and the continuously growing economy of this country helps the new organization to grow. In addition, technological advancement of this country is one of the major drivers of the success of news businesses in the country. After that, based on the evaluation of four kinds of globalization strategies, it is suggested that the company should go for Localizations strategy of globalization in order to expand the business in Singapore. This globalization strategy is selected because this will provide the business organization better understanding over the consumers and various markets of the country. It is a fact that the company is going to launch Clarissa only in Singapore. Hence, at this point, the adoption of global strategies will be expensive for the company as it is a vast strategy. For this reason, localization strategy needs to be selected for the successful expansion of the company along with the successful launch of Clarissa in Singapore. References Abbott, K.W. and Snidal, D., 2013. Taking responsive regulation transnational: Strategies for international organizations.Regulation Governance,7(1), pp.95-113. Bandiera, F., Mancino, M. and Ricci, G., 2012. Localization strategies for multiple point-like radar targets.IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing,60(12), pp.6708-6712. Bell, G.F., 2012. Religious legal pluralism revisitedThe status of the Roman Catholic Church and her Canon law in Singapore.Asian Journal of Comparative Law,7(49), pp.49-84. Bin Abbas, A.N., 2012. Islamic Legal System in Singapore, THe.Pac. Rim L. Pol'y J.,21, p.163. Cavusgil, S.T., Knight, G., Riesenberger, J.R., Rammal, H.G. and Rose, E.L., 2014.International business. Pearson Australia. Chatterji, M. ed., 2016.Technology transfer in the developing countries. Springer. Dryzek, J.S., 2013.The politics of the earth: Environmental discourses. Oxford university press. Dunning, J.H., 2014.The Globalization of Business (Routledge Revivals): The Challenge of the 1990s. Routledge. Fozer, D., Sziraky, F.Z., Racz, L., Nagy, T., Tarjani, A.J., Toth, A.J., Haaz, E., Benko, T. and Mizsey, P., 2017. Life cycle, PESTLE and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis of CCS process alternatives.Journal of Cleaner Production. Harrod, J. and O'Brien, R. eds., 2012.Global unions?: theory and strategies of organized labour in the global political economy. Routledge. Killing, P., 2012.Strategies for joint venture success (RLE international business)(Vol. 22). Routledge. Lee, K.Y., 2012.My lifelong challenge: Singapores bilingual journey. Singapore: Straits Times Press. Payne, M., 2015.Modern social work theory. Oxford University Press. Qu, X. and Meng, Q., 2012. The economic importance of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore: An extreme-scenario analysis.Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review,48(1), pp.258-265. Reinke, C. and Beinschob, P., 2013, September. Strategies for contour-based self-localization in large-scale modern warehouses. InIntelligent Computer Communication and Processing (ICCP), 2013 IEEE International Conference on(pp. 223-227). IEEE. Saad, W., 2012. Causality between economic growth, export, and external debt servicing: the case of Lebanon.International Journal of Economics and Finance,4(11), p.134. Smith, P., 2014. BIM implementationglobal strategies.Procedia Engineering,85, pp.482-492. Terpstra, V., Foley, J. and Sarathy, R., 2012.International marketing. Naper Press. Tietenberg, T.H. and Lewis, L., 2016.Environmental and natural resource economics. Routledge. Tremewan, C., 2016.The political economy of social control in Singapore. Springer. Wild, J., Wild, K.L. and Han, J.C., 2014.International business. Pearson Education Limited. Yang, Y.K. and Wu, S.L., 2015. An exploratory study to understand the internationalization strategies of social enterprises.Journal of Social Entrepreneurship,6(1), pp.31-41. Yue, A. and Zubillaga-Pow, J. eds., 2012.Queer Singapore: Illiberal citizenship and mediated cultures(Vol. 1). Hong Kong University Press. Yksel, I., 2012. Developing a multi-criteria decision making model for PESTEL analysis.International Journal of Business and Management,7(24), pp.52-66.

Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope Essay Example

Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope Essay NANYANG BUSINESS SCHOOL MBA 2012-2013 TRIMESTER 1 B6018 LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR Course Coordinator/Instructor: Assoc. Prof Lim Beng Chong Office: S3-B2B-63 / E-mail : [emailprotected] edu. sg Class Schedule: Wed evenings 6:15pm 9:30 pm (or Saturday mornings 9:00 am -12:00 noon for extra/postponed sessions) Class Venue: NTU @ one-north SR 502 COURSE DESCRIPTION A leader is a man (woman) who has the ability to get people to do what they don’t want to do, and like it – Harry S. Truman (1954) Few organization and management issues have attracted as much interest and research work as leadership. From politics to the business world to military institutions, people are always searching for that someone, whom they called LEADER, to lead and inspire the people to achieve success or to bring about change. So what is leadership? There are many definitions of leadership in organizations. Almost every author of books has one. Bass (1990), after reviewing the literature, suggests that there are at least 12 different approaches to the definition. What is your definition of leadership? What type of leader are you? How can you be a better leader to your work team or organization? I hope you will begin to think about these questions as you embark on your leadership journey with me in this course. Essentially, effective leaders are those who can mobilize others to get extraordinary or exceptional things done in their work teams or organizations. In today’s organizations, managers are not only responsible for the planning, organizing and controlling functions in their work teams or organizations; they have to accomplish these goals by leading their people. We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Hence, their success as managers is dependent on their ability to motivate and inspire others. In other words, being leaders of their people. From this perspective, success and failure as managers rest squarely on the ability of the managers to understand and manage people at work. Therefore, critical to leadership success is a good knowledge of managing people in organizations or a good grounding in the fundamentals of work behaviour in organizations. Given the above, this course will bring together the leadership literature and the insights on human nature at work from Organization Behaviour. The learning objectives are: †¢ Increase participants’ understanding of people at work as well as of organizations as complex systems by examining organizational behaviour at 3 levels: the individual (self and others), the work team and the larger organizational context. †¢ Increase participants’ understanding of leadership processes and how these are intertwined with an understanding of organizational behaviour. Develop participants’ repertoire of leadership capabilities through greater self-awareness a deeper understanding of the impact of their actions on others – and building leadership habits to better equip them to lead and take effective actions in today’s organizations. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 1 COURSE OUTLINE â€Å"The Law of Intentionality – Growth doesn’t just happen† Life is now in session. Are you present? Maxwell (2012) The appendix provides a summary of the topics that would be covered for each session. The approach to all sessions will be grounded on participation-centered learning and the course design includes a range of participation-centered activities such as case studies, group exercises and assignments, peer conversations, debates, self-reflection activities and talks by invited guest speakers. [See attached Course Outline table] READINGS PRE-CLASS PREPARATION The study of leadership and work behaviour, given its multidisciplinary nature, entails a fair amount of reading in preparation for the classes. Pre-class readings are essential and participants are expected to prepare the case studies or exercises prior to discussion in class. Two books have been prescribed and each covers different topics and levels of analysis. The relevant chapters for reading from each textbook and additional readings will be given in the detailed course outline. RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS IVANCEVICH, J. M. , KONOPASKE, R. and MATTESON, M. T. (2011). Organizational Behavior and Management 9th edition. McGraw – Hill Internation. New York. ULRICH, D. (2010). Leadership in Asia. McGraw-Hill OPTIONAL REFERENCES JOHN MAXWELL (2007). The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership. Thomas Nelson DANIEL LEVI (2007). Group Dynamics for Teams. 2nd edition. Sage Publication ROB GOFFEE and GARETH JONES (2006). Why should anyone be led by you? Harvard Business Press PARTICIPATION ASSESSMENT Class Participation/Sharing. The course is designed to provide ample opportunities for participants to contribute to the class learning by participating actively in the various class activities and by offering proactively their own experiences and insights for the benefits of other participants. This will constitute an important component of participants’ continuous assessment (10% of the total marks). â€Å"The law of Contribution – growing yourself enables you to grow others† – Maxwell (2012). Class Quizzes. Weekly seminars may commence with a short quiz to assess participants’ basic understanding of the concepts and key terms in the prescribed readings for that week. The purpose is to help participants develop a habit of continuous learning- a critical leadership habit. Hopefully, by the end of the course, participants will have built up a repository of knowledge on leadership and organizational behavior. Again, this will constitute another component of the participants’ Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 2 continuous assessment (10% of the total marks). â€Å"the law of Consistency: motivation gets you going – Discipline keeps you growing. † Self Case Study (real life leadership/OB challenge). John McDonnell once said, â€Å"Every problem introduces a person to himself†. As a leader/manager, you are likely to encounter different types of work situations – both positive and negative. As leaders, we can make the mistake but not lose the lesson. Hence there is much to be learned from one’s experiences especially from less positive ones. The objective of this individual assignment is to provide an opportunity for participants to learn from their experience at work or working with others by overlaying the concepts and theories covered during the course on the real life challenges. (10% of the total marks). The law of Pain: good management of bad experiences leads to great growth. † Reflection PaperLeadership Journaling. As we embark on this learning journey together, I strongly encourage course participants keep a journal to note their reflections and thoughts throughout the course. These reflections and thoughts on leadership and organizational behaviour can form the basis for the reflection paper (less than 1000 words) to be submitte d at the end of the course (10% of the total marks). â€Å"The law of Reflection: learning to pause allows growth to catch up with you. Up to 4 x Mini-Group Assignments. Working in teams is part and parcel of organizational life. As leaders, we are expected to lead a team of diverse individuals to achieve a common goal. Many times, we are also members of other teams. Hence being able to lead and willing to be led is an integral part of being a manager. These mini-team assignments are designed to allow participants to work together to achieve a common goal. Hopefully, they can apply the science of leadership and OB in the process and hone their leadership skills (20% of the total marks). The law of influence: the true measure of leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less. † Final Examination. The examination will be an open-book exam of two and a half hours. Summary of Course Assessment and Requirements: B6018 Max pts Class Participation / Sharing 100 Class Qu izzes 100 Self Case Study (real life leadership/OB challenge) 100 Reflection paper/leadership journaling 100 Up to 4 x Mini-Group Assignments 100 Final examination (open-book) 100 Total 600 ? subject to changes by the instructor during the course % Final score 10 10 10 10 20 40 100 Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 3 ASSESSMENT PLAN Learning Goal Course Learning Objectives Assessment Method -class Quizzes -Self Case Study -Reflection Paper min-group assignments -Open-book examination -Self Case Study -Reflection Paper mini-group assignments -Open-book examination -Peer assessments of the skills demonstrated during Mini-group assignments Acquiring Applying Knowledge To gain an understanding of various concepts of leadership and organisational behaviour, such that students can use the â€Å"most useful† concepts for their professional lives. Assessment Rubrics* Written Assignment Rubric Critical/Creative Thinking To show critical/creative thinking in the evaluation of written ideas and case examples about leadership/OB. Written Assignment Rubric Teamwork and interpersonal skills To improve students’ skills for working with others. Peer Assessment Rubric Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 4 Written Assignment Rubric Criteria Acquiring knowledge and Critical Thinking Description This refers to the breadth and depth of understanding and analysis of the subject/content. Quality of answer assessed by well-considered and supported assertions, arguments, explanations, logic and inferences drawn from accurate interpretation and appropriate use/citation of literature. Range Poor Answer and/or literature cited do not address the question well. Answer is descriptive rather than analytical. Arguments are implicit rather than explicit. Logic and inferences are not clear. Average Answer and/or literature cited generally address the question. There is analysis and arguments but they are weak and broad. Arguments and logic are piece-meal and not integrated. Some issues are discussed adequately and others, less adequately. Minimum description of appropriate application of knowledge, experience and insights. Good Answer addresses the question directly. Literature is appropriately cited to support assertions and arguments. Writing is generally logical and integrated. Nonetheless, answer falls short of the highest standard in some ways, e. g. possible lines of assertion or argument may be missed or neglected. Well argued application of knowledge with clear and logical linkage to personal experience. Relevant insights and new ideas that have considered the practical constraints. Nonetheless, answer falls short of the highest standard in some ways, e. g. , lapses in one or more arguments, inadequate description. Excellent Answer addresses the question directly with breadth and depth. Literature is appropriately cited to support assertions and arguments. Writing is relevant, logical, and well integrated. Mark Awarded Application of knowledge and Creative thinking This refers to the appropriate application of knowledge and linkages to personal insights and experience. Creative insights and ideas are welcome when they are relevant and anchored to realistic/practical challenges. Inappropriate application of knowledge. Inadequate description of experience and insights. Little or no insights. Irrelevant or impractical ideas. Very well argued application of knowledge and boundaries, with clear and logical linkage to personal experience. Relevant insights and new ideas that have considered the practical constraints. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 5 Quality of Writing – clarity of expression Quality of Writing – Organization and Formatting This refers to how effectively arguments, ideas and thoughts put forth in the essay are communicated and comprises word usage, sentence usage, paragraphing and fluency of expression. This refers to the overall organization, integration and flow of the essay. Format following the submission guidelines and proper use of footnotes/endnotes; references and bibliography. Has difficulties expressing ideas. Expresses ideas fairly clearly and coherently. Expresses ideas fluently and eloquently. Expresses ideas very fluently and eloquently. Has some limitations organising the ideas and following submission guidelines. Satisfactorily organized. Integration and flow can be better. Some lapses in following submission guidelines. Well organized, integrated and flowing. Format follows guidelines almost completely. Very well organized, integrated and flowing. Format follows guidelines completely. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 6 Teamwork Interpersonal Skills Rubric (For Peer Rating) Learning Objective: The ability to work effectively with others in a group setting. Your ratings will not be revealed to your team members. Group Name: _______________________________________________ Name of Rater: ______________________________________________ Fill in your members’ names below and Rate on a scale of â€Å"1† to â€Å"6† for each trait Name1 Name2 Name3 Name4 Traits Roles and Responsibility Behaves professionally by upholding responsibility and assuming accountability for self and others in progressing towards the team’s goal. Communication Identifies appropriate mechanisms to coordinate and correspond with team members. Performance Scant Unclear about his/her own role; refuses to take a role in the group; insists to work individually and has limited coordination or communication with others. Evaluation: Scant 1 2 3 4 5 Scant Modes of communication are not appropriate, causing confusion and miscommunication among team members. Evaluation: Scant 1 2 3 4 Scant Does not recognize conflicts or is unwilling to resolve conflicts. Evaluation: Scant 1 Substantially Developed Always fulfills responsibilities; performs his/her role within the group with enthusiasm and demonstrates willingness to work collaboratively. Name5 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Modes of communication are appropriate, and maintains timely communication and correspondence with team members. 5 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Consistently resolves conflicts through facilitating open discussion and compromise. Conflict Resolution Resolves conflicts using a variety of approaches. Contributions Contributes positive input for the team; effectively utilizes one’s knowledge and expertise. 2 3 4 5 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Actively attends and participates in all activities and provides meaningful contribution in articulating ideas and opinions. Scant Largely disinterested in working in a group and refuses to participate; observes passively or is unwilling to share information with other team members. Evaluation: Scant 1 2 3 4 Scant Rarely listens to others and does not acknowledge the opinions that differ from his/her own. 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Engages in respectful relationships with all other members in the team. Embraces and accepts diverse points of view without prejudice. Relationship Maintains cooperative interaction with other team members regardless of individual /cultural differences and respects diverse perspectives. Evaluatio n: Scant 1 2 3 4 5 6 Substantially Developed Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 7 Self Case Study The law of Pain: Good management of bad experiences leads to great growth. † Maxwell (2012) The objective of this individual assignment is to provide an opportunity for participants to learn from their experience at work or working with others by overlaying the concepts and theories covered during the course on the real life challenges. There are two parts to this individual assignment. a. Part 1. To be handed in on Week 3 of the course. The participants will describe some of the challenges/issues/problems about people’s behaviors they encountered at work or when working with people. As a guide, try to limit to not more than 3 challenges. Part 1 should not be more than 1500 words. Try to identify for yourself what you want to learn from this course which will be useful in helping you understand and deal with people you work with in an effective manner. While the list of questions below may not exhaustive, I hope it will help you identify some of the potential issues/problems/challenges you may want to consider: o Think about a conflict which has arisen with one of your co-workers o Do you or your company have any major problems in motivating your or its work force? o How effective is your work group? o Describe your relationship with your boss – do you find it satisfying/dissatisfying? Are there problems in the way in which people use power and influence in your company? o How is change brought about in your company? b. Part 2. The complete assignment is to be handed in during Week 10. In total, this should be no more than 4000 words. The assignment should have the following sections a. Part 1 i. Title of the case ii. Description of the case (from week 3) iii. Why it happened the way it did? iv. What was done about it? b. Part 2 i. Your own analysis of the situation ii. What theories, concepts and frameworks covered in LOB course that may be useful here? iii. Based on your analysis and the theories, concepts and frameworks highlighted, how should the case be resolved? iv. What is your biggest takeaway from this case as a leader? Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 8 OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Late Submission of Assignments Penalties will be imposed for late submissions that are not supported with valid reasons. A penalty of 10 marks will be imposed for each day that the assignment is submitted late. For example, a mark of 65% would become 55% if the assignment is submitted a day late and 45% if it is two days late. In order to ensure equity, students are reminded to stay within the word limit set for each assignment. Academic Integrity Truth, Trust and Justice are at the core of NTU’s shared values. Good academic work includes to a very large extent, honesty and ethical behaviour. The quality of your work as a student is therefore subjected to adhering to principles of academic integrity and to the NTU Honor Code, a set of values shared by everyone in NTU. The content of assignments submitted for grading purposes must be that of your own. You should therefore be diligent in identifying and acknowledging the sources of information used in completing your work (full details must be provided in your reference section). If you feel that the use of the exact wordings from a reference source is the best way to present the ideas, then you must use quotation marks and acknowledge the source. If you choose to summarise the words from a reference, the source must also be acknowledged, as this is not an original piece of work from you. Submitted work must be your own effort and must not duplicate (in whole or in part) the work of others (including other students). As a student, the responsibility falls on you to be familiar with and to apply the principles of academic integrity in all the work you do at NTU. Hence you will need to proactively familiarise yourself with the strategies to avoid all forms of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, academic fraud, collusion, cheating, etc. Detailed information can be obtained via the academic integrity website at http://academicintegrity. ntu. edu. sg. Pleading ignorance or claiming that one is unaware of the requirements for maintaining academic integrity does not excuse academic dishonesty. As members of the NTU family, this is a responsibility that students and faculty staff alike must uphold at all times. Use of edveNTUre (Blackboard) The edveNTUre system (Blackboard) will be used to facilitate the posting of assignments, course materials and announcements, as well as for interacting with your coursemates and myself. Do ensure that your personal particulars especially your hand-phone number (if you have one) is updated in edveNTUre. This will allow you to receive urgent messages e. g. change in timing for lessons, via SMS from me. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 9 Overview of Class Schedule Date Mar 13 Mar 20 Mar 27 Mar 3 April 10 April 17 April 24 April 2 May 8 May 15 May 22 May Topic Overview of Organizational Behaviour and Leadership Process Know Yourself: You as a leader (I) Know Yourself: You as a leader (II) Understanding Others: Your Followers (I) Understanding Others: Your Followers (II) Dialogue with A Group Executive Chairman Ov erview of Team Effectiveness Leadership in Teams Overview of Organizational Effectiveness Leadership in Organizations Conversation with a Leadership Coach Conclusion: Leadership in An Age of Uncertainty Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 10 Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope Essay Example Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope Essay NANYANG BUSINESS SCHOOL MBA 2012-2013 TRIMESTER 1 B6018 LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR Course Coordinator/Instructor: Assoc. Prof Lim Beng Chong Office: S3-B2B-63 / E-mail : [emailprotected] edu. sg Class Schedule: Wed evenings 6:15pm 9:30 pm (or Saturday mornings 9:00 am -12:00 noon for extra/postponed sessions) Class Venue: NTU @ one-north SR 502 COURSE DESCRIPTION A leader is a man (woman) who has the ability to get people to do what they don’t want to do, and like it – Harry S. Truman (1954) Few organization and management issues have attracted as much interest and research work as leadership. From politics to the business world to military institutions, people are always searching for that someone, whom they called LEADER, to lead and inspire the people to achieve success or to bring about change. So what is leadership? There are many definitions of leadership in organizations. Almost every author of books has one. Bass (1990), after reviewing the literature, suggests that there are at least 12 different approaches to the definition. What is your definition of leadership? What type of leader are you? How can you be a better leader to your work team or organization? I hope you will begin to think about these questions as you embark on your leadership journey with me in this course. Essentially, effective leaders are those who can mobilize others to get extraordinary or exceptional things done in their work teams or organizations. In today’s organizations, managers are not only responsible for the planning, organizing and controlling functions in their work teams or organizations; they have to accomplish these goals by leading their people. We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Is Having an Irrational Sense of Hope specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Hence, their success as managers is dependent on their ability to motivate and inspire others. In other words, being leaders of their people. From this perspective, success and failure as managers rest squarely on the ability of the managers to understand and manage people at work. Therefore, critical to leadership success is a good knowledge of managing people in organizations or a good grounding in the fundamentals of work behaviour in organizations. Given the above, this course will bring together the leadership literature and the insights on human nature at work from Organization Behaviour. The learning objectives are: †¢ Increase participants’ understanding of people at work as well as of organizations as complex systems by examining organizational behaviour at 3 levels: the individual (self and others), the work team and the larger organizational context. †¢ Increase participants’ understanding of leadership processes and how these are intertwined with an understanding of organizational behaviour. Develop participants’ repertoire of leadership capabilities through greater self-awareness a deeper understanding of the impact of their actions on others – and building leadership habits to better equip them to lead and take effective actions in today’s organizations. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 1 COURSE OUTLINE â€Å"The Law of Intentionality – Growth doesn’t just happen† Life is now in session. Are you present? Maxwell (2012) The appendix provides a summary of the topics that would be covered for each session. The approach to all sessions will be grounded on participation-centered learning and the course design includes a range of participation-centered activities such as case studies, group exercises and assignments, peer conversations, debates, self-reflection activities and talks by invited guest speakers. [See attached Course Outline table] READINGS PRE-CLASS PREPARATION The study of leadership and work behaviour, given its multidisciplinary nature, entails a fair amount of reading in preparation for the classes. Pre-class readings are essential and participants are expected to prepare the case studies or exercises prior to discussion in class. Two books have been prescribed and each covers different topics and levels of analysis. The relevant chapters for reading from each textbook and additional readings will be given in the detailed course outline. RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS IVANCEVICH, J. M. , KONOPASKE, R. and MATTESON, M. T. (2011). Organizational Behavior and Management 9th edition. McGraw – Hill Internation. New York. ULRICH, D. (2010). Leadership in Asia. McGraw-Hill OPTIONAL REFERENCES JOHN MAXWELL (2007). The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership. Thomas Nelson DANIEL LEVI (2007). Group Dynamics for Teams. 2nd edition. Sage Publication ROB GOFFEE and GARETH JONES (2006). Why should anyone be led by you? Harvard Business Press PARTICIPATION ASSESSMENT Class Participation/Sharing. The course is designed to provide ample opportunities for participants to contribute to the class learning by participating actively in the various class activities and by offering proactively their own experiences and insights for the benefits of other participants. This will constitute an important component of participants’ continuous assessment (10% of the total marks). â€Å"The law of Contribution – growing yourself enables you to grow others† – Maxwell (2012). Class Quizzes. Weekly seminars may commence with a short quiz to assess participants’ basic understanding of the concepts and key terms in the prescribed readings for that week. The purpose is to help participants develop a habit of continuous learning- a critical leadership habit. Hopefully, by the end of the course, participants will have built up a repository of knowledge on leadership and organizational behavior. Again, this will constitute another component of the participants’ Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 2 continuous assessment (10% of the total marks). â€Å"the law of Consistency: motivation gets you going – Discipline keeps you growing. † Self Case Study (real life leadership/OB challenge). John McDonnell once said, â€Å"Every problem introduces a person to himself†. As a leader/manager, you are likely to encounter different types of work situations – both positive and negative. As leaders, we can make the mistake but not lose the lesson. Hence there is much to be learned from one’s experiences especially from less positive ones. The objective of this individual assignment is to provide an opportunity for participants to learn from their experience at work or working with others by overlaying the concepts and theories covered during the course on the real life challenges. (10% of the total marks). The law of Pain: good management of bad experiences leads to great growth. † Reflection PaperLeadership Journaling. As we embark on this learning journey together, I strongly encourage course participants keep a journal to note their reflections and thoughts throughout the course. These reflections and thoughts on leadership and organizational behaviour can form the basis for the reflection paper (less than 1000 words) to be submitte d at the end of the course (10% of the total marks). â€Å"The law of Reflection: learning to pause allows growth to catch up with you. Up to 4 x Mini-Group Assignments. Working in teams is part and parcel of organizational life. As leaders, we are expected to lead a team of diverse individuals to achieve a common goal. Many times, we are also members of other teams. Hence being able to lead and willing to be led is an integral part of being a manager. These mini-team assignments are designed to allow participants to work together to achieve a common goal. Hopefully, they can apply the science of leadership and OB in the process and hone their leadership skills (20% of the total marks). The law of influence: the true measure of leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less. † Final Examination. The examination will be an open-book exam of two and a half hours. Summary of Course Assessment and Requirements: B6018 Max pts Class Participation / Sharing 100 Class Qu izzes 100 Self Case Study (real life leadership/OB challenge) 100 Reflection paper/leadership journaling 100 Up to 4 x Mini-Group Assignments 100 Final examination (open-book) 100 Total 600 ? subject to changes by the instructor during the course % Final score 10 10 10 10 20 40 100 Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 3 ASSESSMENT PLAN Learning Goal Course Learning Objectives Assessment Method -class Quizzes -Self Case Study -Reflection Paper min-group assignments -Open-book examination -Self Case Study -Reflection Paper mini-group assignments -Open-book examination -Peer assessments of the skills demonstrated during Mini-group assignments Acquiring Applying Knowledge To gain an understanding of various concepts of leadership and organisational behaviour, such that students can use the â€Å"most useful† concepts for their professional lives. Assessment Rubrics* Written Assignment Rubric Critical/Creative Thinking To show critical/creative thinking in the evaluation of written ideas and case examples about leadership/OB. Written Assignment Rubric Teamwork and interpersonal skills To improve students’ skills for working with others. Peer Assessment Rubric Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 4 Written Assignment Rubric Criteria Acquiring knowledge and Critical Thinking Description This refers to the breadth and depth of understanding and analysis of the subject/content. Quality of answer assessed by well-considered and supported assertions, arguments, explanations, logic and inferences drawn from accurate interpretation and appropriate use/citation of literature. Range Poor Answer and/or literature cited do not address the question well. Answer is descriptive rather than analytical. Arguments are implicit rather than explicit. Logic and inferences are not clear. Average Answer and/or literature cited generally address the question. There is analysis and arguments but they are weak and broad. Arguments and logic are piece-meal and not integrated. Some issues are discussed adequately and others, less adequately. Minimum description of appropriate application of knowledge, experience and insights. Good Answer addresses the question directly. Literature is appropriately cited to support assertions and arguments. Writing is generally logical and integrated. Nonetheless, answer falls short of the highest standard in some ways, e. g. possible lines of assertion or argument may be missed or neglected. Well argued application of knowledge with clear and logical linkage to personal experience. Relevant insights and new ideas that have considered the practical constraints. Nonetheless, answer falls short of the highest standard in some ways, e. g. , lapses in one or more arguments, inadequate description. Excellent Answer addresses the question directly with breadth and depth. Literature is appropriately cited to support assertions and arguments. Writing is relevant, logical, and well integrated. Mark Awarded Application of knowledge and Creative thinking This refers to the appropriate application of knowledge and linkages to personal insights and experience. Creative insights and ideas are welcome when they are relevant and anchored to realistic/practical challenges. Inappropriate application of knowledge. Inadequate description of experience and insights. Little or no insights. Irrelevant or impractical ideas. Very well argued application of knowledge and boundaries, with clear and logical linkage to personal experience. Relevant insights and new ideas that have considered the practical constraints. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 5 Quality of Writing – clarity of expression Quality of Writing – Organization and Formatting This refers to how effectively arguments, ideas and thoughts put forth in the essay are communicated and comprises word usage, sentence usage, paragraphing and fluency of expression. This refers to the overall organization, integration and flow of the essay. Format following the submission guidelines and proper use of footnotes/endnotes; references and bibliography. Has difficulties expressing ideas. Expresses ideas fairly clearly and coherently. Expresses ideas fluently and eloquently. Expresses ideas very fluently and eloquently. Has some limitations organising the ideas and following submission guidelines. Satisfactorily organized. Integration and flow can be better. Some lapses in following submission guidelines. Well organized, integrated and flowing. Format follows guidelines almost completely. Very well organized, integrated and flowing. Format follows guidelines completely. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 6 Teamwork Interpersonal Skills Rubric (For Peer Rating) Learning Objective: The ability to work effectively with others in a group setting. Your ratings will not be revealed to your team members. Group Name: _______________________________________________ Name of Rater: ______________________________________________ Fill in your members’ names below and Rate on a scale of â€Å"1† to â€Å"6† for each trait Name1 Name2 Name3 Name4 Traits Roles and Responsibility Behaves professionally by upholding responsibility and assuming accountability for self and others in progressing towards the team’s goal. Communication Identifies appropriate mechanisms to coordinate and correspond with team members. Performance Scant Unclear about his/her own role; refuses to take a role in the group; insists to work individually and has limited coordination or communication with others. Evaluation: Scant 1 2 3 4 5 Scant Modes of communication are not appropriate, causing confusion and miscommunication among team members. Evaluation: Scant 1 2 3 4 Scant Does not recognize conflicts or is unwilling to resolve conflicts. Evaluation: Scant 1 Substantially Developed Always fulfills responsibilities; performs his/her role within the group with enthusiasm and demonstrates willingness to work collaboratively. Name5 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Modes of communication are appropriate, and maintains timely communication and correspondence with team members. 5 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Consistently resolves conflicts through facilitating open discussion and compromise. Conflict Resolution Resolves conflicts using a variety of approaches. Contributions Contributes positive input for the team; effectively utilizes one’s knowledge and expertise. 2 3 4 5 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Actively attends and participates in all activities and provides meaningful contribution in articulating ideas and opinions. Scant Largely disinterested in working in a group and refuses to participate; observes passively or is unwilling to share information with other team members. Evaluation: Scant 1 2 3 4 Scant Rarely listens to others and does not acknowledge the opinions that differ from his/her own. 6 Substantially Developed Substantially Developed Engages in respectful relationships with all other members in the team. Embraces and accepts diverse points of view without prejudice. Relationship Maintains cooperative interaction with other team members regardless of individual /cultural differences and respects diverse perspectives. Evaluatio n: Scant 1 2 3 4 5 6 Substantially Developed Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 7 Self Case Study The law of Pain: Good management of bad experiences leads to great growth. † Maxwell (2012) The objective of this individual assignment is to provide an opportunity for participants to learn from their experience at work or working with others by overlaying the concepts and theories covered during the course on the real life challenges. There are two parts to this individual assignment. a. Part 1. To be handed in on Week 3 of the course. The participants will describe some of the challenges/issues/problems about people’s behaviors they encountered at work or when working with people. As a guide, try to limit to not more than 3 challenges. Part 1 should not be more than 1500 words. Try to identify for yourself what you want to learn from this course which will be useful in helping you understand and deal with people you work with in an effective manner. While the list of questions below may not exhaustive, I hope it will help you identify some of the potential issues/problems/challenges you may want to consider: o Think about a conflict which has arisen with one of your co-workers o Do you or your company have any major problems in motivating your or its work force? o How effective is your work group? o Describe your relationship with your boss – do you find it satisfying/dissatisfying? Are there problems in the way in which people use power and influence in your company? o How is change brought about in your company? b. Part 2. The complete assignment is to be handed in during Week 10. In total, this should be no more than 4000 words. The assignment should have the following sections a. Part 1 i. Title of the case ii. Description of the case (from week 3) iii. Why it happened the way it did? iv. What was done about it? b. Part 2 i. Your own analysis of the situation ii. What theories, concepts and frameworks covered in LOB course that may be useful here? iii. Based on your analysis and the theories, concepts and frameworks highlighted, how should the case be resolved? iv. What is your biggest takeaway from this case as a leader? Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 8 OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Late Submission of Assignments Penalties will be imposed for late submissions that are not supported with valid reasons. A penalty of 10 marks will be imposed for each day that the assignment is submitted late. For example, a mark of 65% would become 55% if the assignment is submitted a day late and 45% if it is two days late. In order to ensure equity, students are reminded to stay within the word limit set for each assignment. Academic Integrity Truth, Trust and Justice are at the core of NTU’s shared values. Good academic work includes to a very large extent, honesty and ethical behaviour. The quality of your work as a student is therefore subjected to adhering to principles of academic integrity and to the NTU Honor Code, a set of values shared by everyone in NTU. The content of assignments submitted for grading purposes must be that of your own. You should therefore be diligent in identifying and acknowledging the sources of information used in completing your work (full details must be provided in your reference section). If you feel that the use of the exact wordings from a reference source is the best way to present the ideas, then you must use quotation marks and acknowledge the source. If you choose to summarise the words from a reference, the source must also be acknowledged, as this is not an original piece of work from you. Submitted work must be your own effort and must not duplicate (in whole or in part) the work of others (including other students). As a student, the responsibility falls on you to be familiar with and to apply the principles of academic integrity in all the work you do at NTU. Hence you will need to proactively familiarise yourself with the strategies to avoid all forms of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, academic fraud, collusion, cheating, etc. Detailed information can be obtained via the academic integrity website at http://academicintegrity. ntu. edu. sg. Pleading ignorance or claiming that one is unaware of the requirements for maintaining academic integrity does not excuse academic dishonesty. As members of the NTU family, this is a responsibility that students and faculty staff alike must uphold at all times. Use of edveNTUre (Blackboard) The edveNTUre system (Blackboard) will be used to facilitate the posting of assignments, course materials and announcements, as well as for interacting with your coursemates and myself. Do ensure that your personal particulars especially your hand-phone number (if you have one) is updated in edveNTUre. This will allow you to receive urgent messages e. g. change in timing for lessons, via SMS from me. Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 9 Overview of Class Schedule Date Mar 13 Mar 20 Mar 27 Mar 3 April 10 April 17 April 24 April 2 May 8 May 15 May 22 May Topic Overview of Organizational Behaviour and Leadership Process Know Yourself: You as a leader (I) Know Yourself: You as a leader (II) Understanding Others: Your Followers (I) Understanding Others: Your Followers (II) Dialogue with A Group Executive Chairman Ov erview of Team Effectiveness Leadership in Teams Overview of Organizational Effectiveness Leadership in Organizations Conversation with a Leadership Coach Conclusion: Leadership in An Age of Uncertainty Leadership Develops Daily, not in a Day – John Maxwell 10

The Applications of Technology in the First Decade of the TwentyFirst Century essays

The Applications of Technology in the First Decade of the TwentyFirst Century essays The Applications of Technology in the First Decade of the Twenty-First Century A quote I heard many times when I was in high school and which I now know traces back to Sir Francis Bacon, one of our earliest scientist or philosophers as they were then called, is the statement "Knowledge Is Power." Today, I believe that the fuller, more correct statement is to say, "the application of knowledge is power." The study of science, and technology subjects will broader our opportunities in life. As we continue to advance to the 21st century- now lesser than 30 days away-we are well aware that technology is possibly the hottest industrial commodity around the world today. In the years ahead, it will be an increasingly critical factor in determining the success or failure of businesses. It is the fuel many of us are looking at to help us win this race to the 21st century. To do that, we should make technology matter. In this paper I am going to share my technology forecasts. I try to focus on my new forecasts a decade into the future - the first decade of the 2 1st century, because that is how far most businesses need to be looking ahead. There has never been a neutral or value-free, technology. All technologies are power. They evoke economic and social consequences in direct proportion to their dislocation of the existing economy and its institutions. I believe that technologies such as: biotechnology and genetic engineering, intelligent materials, the miniaturization of electronics, and smart manufacturing systems, and controls, will be the hottest technologies in the next decade. I am going to put together a list of what I think as the top ten innovative products that will result from those technologies. Number one on the list is something we call genetic. There are pharmaceutical products that will come from the massive genetic research going on around the world today. In ten years, we will have new ways to treat many of ...

REFLECTION ON RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGICAL CHOICES IN THREE ACADEMIC Essay

REFLECTION ON RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGICAL CHOICES IN THREE ACADEMIC ARTICLE ON THEORY OF COMPLIANCE - Essay Example This write up presents the analysis of three articles dealing with different ideas regarding customer compliance. Casabov and Da-Cuhna (2004) evaluated whether call center services are comprised of client centricity or by control of customer by employees. Dellande and Nyer (2007) studied the impact of public commitment to customer compliance, while Dellande, Gilly and Graham (2004) evaluated the providers’ role in gaining compliance. Casabov and Da-Cuhna (2004) studied two Brazilian call centres seeking to determine whether the service interfaces fortitudes were customer guided or depended on the control of employees over the customers. The enquiry adopted the use of direct surveillance and semi structured interviews to collect the information. The information was collected from managers, overseers and technicians. The researchers carried out 33 interviews and two-week observations in two call centres. The study indicated that control was extensively practiced and did not resu lt in prolonged customer dissatisfaction. Dellande, Gilly and Graham (2004) evaluated the role of service provider in ensuring compliance. They used weight loss subjects from Lindora Comprehensive Weight Control. Lindora uses a platform based on medicine to regulate weight. The program has clinics throughout southern California. Data was collected by use of questionnaires disseminated to nurses and patients, use of archival data, and interviews. The data analysis method used was the PLS structural equation method given the complex mathematical nature of the data presented. They found out that provider expertise determined client’s role clarity, which in turn affected compliance. Attitudinal homophily was a significant factor in influencing compliance. Further, they concluded that role clarity, and role ability influence compliance. Dellande and Nyer (2007) evaluated the effect of public pledge on acquiescence. The study seeks to investigate the role of open commitment in gain ing client acquiescence. The study collected data using 3 x 2 full factorial designs employing three levels of commitment. They engaged the use of median split to generate two ranks of SNI (low and high). The subjects were drawn from an online marketing introductory course. 102 students participated but 96 completed the study. The researchers evaluated the effect of an open declaration to conserve paper on the students’ continued conservation of papers during the term. The researchers found out that people who made an open declaration to conserve papers conserved more papers that those who made private declarations and those who did not make any pledge. Further, those who made private declaration conserved more than those who did not make any pledges. Part two: Methodological evaluation of the articles Casabov and Da-Cuhna (2004): Employee Control in Call Centers The methodology employed in the article tackling the call centers service deliveries in two Brazilian call centers employed the use of exposed surveillance, where the researcher were strategically placed to view the reactions of the customers for two weeks. The study also engaged the use of semi-structured questionnaires to 33 employees of the two call centers. The respondents included call centers managers, their supervisors and the operative staff members. The sample size in qualitative researches has been debated by various scholars in an attempt to identify the ideal size. Stead, Struwig and Struwig (2001, p.

Strategic human resource management in tourism and hospitality Essay

Strategic human resource management in tourism and hospitality - Essay Example The SHRM approach focuses on long-term HR issues and macro-concerns such as organizational culture, values, commitment, and structure, among other things. In this view, Strategic HRM guides organizational decisions concerning personnel recruitment, training, development, performance management, and appraisal; personnel relations strategies, policies, and practices are also a key concern to SHRM. Unlike the traditional HRM, SHRM is an integrated approach in that its HRM strategies are integrated both with the business strategy and with one another. Strategic HRM plays a very crucial role in the tourism and hospitality industry because it leads to efficiency in service delivery and a multiplicity of competitive advantages for industry players (Baum, 2006). Some of the major challenges facing organizations and managers in the highly competitive tourism and hospitality sector are to do with recruiting, developing and maintaining a committed and competent workforce. To keep the workforce well managed, well-motivated, and focused on providing high-quality products and services to the increasingly demanding and discerning customers is another major concern for organizations and managers in the Tourism and Hospitality industry. ... Other major issues of great concern to long term HRM planning include changes in organizational structure and culture, matching resources to future requirements, development competitive advantages, management of knowledge, and change management. Strategic HRM enables the organizations to meet human capital requirements and to develop process capabilities i.e. the ability achieve outcomes more effectively. The aim of long term HRM is to identify all issues relating to the workforce that affect or they are affected by the strategic direction of the organization (Nickson, 2012); this enables the organization to make remedial interventions beforehand. In this respect, critical concerns of HRM such as choice of top management and formation of healthy human resource relations are crucial to every organization. HRM underscores the need for planning, matching HRM activities, and policies to business strategies; it also underscores the need for organizations to consider utilization of their w orkforce as a strategic source competitive advantage. McDonalds Restaurants SHRM McDonalds is one of the many organizations operating in the tourism and hospitality industry in general and the food industry in particular; McDonalds began in the USA back in the year 1955 with a single restaurant. Since it opened to date, McDonalds has become the world’s largest and fastest growing Quick Service restaurant with over $30 billion worth of sales (Chirantan, 2013). Today, McDonalds operates about 21,000 stores in over 101 countries in the world with plans of expansion in the future by opening an additional 3200 stores (Business2000, n.d). The food industry is a highly competitive sector that requires all players to maintain high standards of service, customer satisfaction, and hygiene.

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Riordan Manufacturing - Essay Example The first and the foremost requirement is to keep track of the information regarding past sales and this is deemed important as it helps keep track of the income and sales in addition to enabling the company to provide better services to the customer. Another important aspect is that the migration towards the CRM system will reduce the storage costs by huge margins. In addition to storing information concerning past sales, the company is also desirous of having all details concerned with market surveys to be stored in the new information system that is proposed to be developed as it enabled the company to refer past trends with ease and accuracy thereby enabling it to take the appropriate decisions. A major requirement of the new software system is that it must provide an integrated environment wherein all salespersons would be able to maintain their individual information, but the data would always be available so that need of the customer can be better anticipated. The company is also desirous of using the new system that is

Music value chain

Music value chain 1. Introduction The music industry has been facing radical changes during the last few decades due to the introduction of IS technologies which have reshaped it in depth. More particularly the music value chain has been experiencing an intensive change and evolution in many aspects: the distribution to consumer is more direct, intermediating parties are reducing and prices are constantly changing. The internet, an open information system, legally and illegally paves the way to the creation of a fresh music product, offering more choices to consumers. Consumers are now able to listen to music in electronic forms: MP3s and ringtones are procured in a large scale through internet. The IS delivery vehicle has undoubtly added value to the consumers. But what about the â€Å"Big 4† music companies?[1] How have they accepted this major shift in their business industry? Have they tried to resist or more essentially are they able to resist and is that kind of reaction to their best interest? The industry that celebrated its success in the Nineties now has to restate its position. The numbers are alerting: â€Å"Die Welt† newspaper reports a 16% dropping turnover for sound storage media. Nonetheless the music industry story has not yet ended. It is rather being written from the beginning. Since the old business model does not function at all under the shade of the IS, companies have to use the new technologies and cope with the fast pacing development. In my opinion what is most of the times considered as danger could be proved a great opportunity. The music industry is not perishing; it is just reforming. People will always need music and music companies will continue to exist as long as they decide to adapt to the new IS reality. We are referring to a reformation of something that could be an entirely innovative business opportunity. Apple with the first online music store, i-Tunes, paves the way to a new era and steals a big piece of the music market pie. 2. The music industry: A continuously reshaping industry The music industry history is mainly a story of innovation that goes back to the 18th century. Music creation is as old as human existence but the effort to market and commercialize music counts only a few centuries; In the mid 18th century composers like Amadeus Mozart started searching ways to sell their music and performances to the general public. In the 19th century sheet music, a hand-written or printed form of musical notation, was the core product sold by the music industry but it conveyed an important limitation: it was addressed to a particular audience, people who could read music notation. In the 20th century the sheet industry was replaced by the â€Å"record industry†. The source that led to this reshaped environment was technological innovation. The label corporations commonly known as the â€Å"Big 6†: BMG, EMI, MCA, PolyGram, Sony and WEA, dominated the music industry. Today the â€Å"Big 6† have transformed into the â€Å"Big 4† after Sony merged with BMG. The following graph depicts each labels share[2]. The most important stages in music industrys evolution in the 20th century were: The introduction of cassettes (around 1960). The introduction of walkman: The era of transportable music begins (around 1980s). The introduction of CDs: CDs opened a window of wide capabilities for music consumers. (1990). At this point the music industry boomed: the market growth was huge and mark ups were fairly large. Nevertheless the CD fairy tale would soon come to an end: After 1995 the market started inevitably shrinking. The increasing internet penetration along with the large price decline of hardware and software enhanced the IT industry development. The music industry was not unaffected by the emerging transmission possibilities of digital information, which could take the form of music information as well. It was time for digital distribution and digital production to take the lead. The technological improvements created a safe ground for entrepreneurs to step in: They had the tools and it was about time to put them together and create the opportunity. Further on we will refer to two successful business models that give us a good idea of what the future music industry will be all about: Napster and Apples i-tunes. 3. Recent trends and challenges emerging from the use of IT and IS in the music industry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As stated the music industry has been experiencing a variety of challenges because of the fast pacing technological development. New forms of competition have entered the business game antagonising the â€Å"Big 4† and deeply transforming the music value chain. All major stakeholders in the business -artists, consumers and companies- have been affected in numerous ways. The music companies are on the side of the losers: They have tried to resist and have won some battles but they knew from the start that eventually the war would be lost. The technological development cannot be stopped as the earth will not stop revolving around the sun. a. Digital technologies. Which where the core technological developments that have led to the reformation of the music industry? According to Nguyen-Khac T. Q.[3], the parallel evolution of the following four technologies has created an amazingly new business environment: Software development has enabled a fast exchange of data through internet. Compression technology and encryption solutions are only some of the tools currently used by consumers. Additionally, the use of user friendly operation systems (like Windows in contrast to MS-Dos) has enabled people of different backgrounds, ages and abilities to take advantage of all benefits offered by a PC. Hardware development. Personal PC was not always a massive product due to its high cost. Throughout the years prices declined thanks to the decreasing costs that led to massive production (economies of scale). Transportation technology development and more essentially the appearance of internet. The innovation of P2P and network technology. The impact of the above development has been severe for the music industry. A demonstrative example concerning the way P2P affected the music industry was Napster. The illegal download platform Napster was a file sharing service which took advantage of the P2P file sharing technology. The way P2P works is depicted below.[4] Napster became popular in college campuses. The main idea was that each person connected to the network had to share a portion of his private music library in exchange to download everything anyone else had made available. The transaction costs were limited to the connection fee. The result was that all of a sudden an enormous library of music, of all kinds, was created. RIIA brought Napster to court and Napster eventually lost the trial however its pattern has been the source of inspiration for other similar concepts. Although Napster was shut down the decline of the â€Å"Big 4† revenues did not stop. In contrast it was enhanced by the negative publicity emerging by the law sue against Napster. In addition to Napster and P2P networks, the general hardware and software development has enabled consumers copy and save digital music data for private use on their computers. This phenomenon was called piracy but some consumers have considered it as a fair game since the music companies have gained millions for decades now by imposing prices with high profit margins taking advantage of the oligopoly they have created. Moreover consumers in the past were obliged to buy songs in the form of â€Å"album batches†, paying an entire album even though they were truly interested to obtain 2 or 3 songs which were worth spending money for. The use of new technologies enables consumers to resist to this type of constraints, imposed by the music companies. The music companies have iteratively launched campaigns against piracy nevertheless they cannot bend the existing consumer behavior which is based on the perception that exchanging music is a non harmful procedure containing no ethic al dilemmas. b. New technologies leading a new business model: The traditional model versus the new e-value chain model. Under the shade of IS and IT the music value chain has been transformed to an â€Å"e-chain†. In the traditional model there was a tangible product the CD but in the new model the product is intangible; it is the information itself. In the Australian Conference on Information Systems the following conceptual model was presented.[5] As depicted, in the new model, the MP3 file -now considered as the product- is distributed to consumers through online music stores, mobile content providers or artist websites. Moreover music can now be recorded in home studios instead of professional recording studios and be distributed in the already described ways instead of being sold in the form of CDs, through retail stores. The benefits acquired by this new model concerns mainly consumers but also the â€Å"music product† suppliers. First of all the cost of production is substantially reduced and the manufacturing costs are completely eliminated. Also intermediaries, mainly distributors are kicked out of the supply chain since they are not needed. All these changes have as a result a minimum cost for the music provider, easy and fast access to the product for the consumer who also has the chance to pick products (music tracks) in an appealing price and according to his preferences. This dynamic and flexible structure will eventually lead to the proliferation in the number of people involved in the supply chain. Additionally the role of the consumer and artist is now more essential. It is not anymore a game of four since there are no barriers (high production cost, competitive advantage due to full vertical integration) to enter this reformed music industry. c. Current market trends: The financial impact of IT and IS on the ‘Big 4 As previously analyzed the â€Å"Big 4† have developed an aggressive strategy against the new business environment emerging from the development of IS and IT. Even though they managed to shut down Napster practically they are unable to stop the creation of similar models. Even worse they insist on retaining the traditional model and hesitate to take the next step. Agility seems to be one of their least considerations and thats why it is no surprise each year their revenues are dramatically declining. Even if the music market is facing a shrinking trend, the digital sales piece of the pie is getting larger. According to IFPI revenues for cassettes, CDs and vinyl in the world dropped 25%, from $38.6 billion in 1999 to $29 billion in 2007.[6] Analysts at Forrester Research state that â€Å"music sales in the US will decline to $9.2 billion in 2013, from $10.1 billion in 2008†[7]. 4. The future While the music companies remained oblivious to the technological changes the music economy was reshaping and a company unrelated to music made the decisive step to create an innovative business model based on online legal distribution taking advantage of the benefits provided by mp3 files. This company was Apple who literally took the bread out of the mouth of the music companies. In 2003 it officially launched the first online music store: i-Tunes. The price model used was very attractive to consumer: each download cost 0.99 cent. Apple managed to offer a one stop shop to customers by exploiting the internet and digital distribution options. This awe inspiring impetus in the music industry panicked the music companies. They tried to defend their market share against digital distribution through law sues and merges instead of being flexible and adoptive to the increasingly transforming environment and making use of the new tools offered by the development of IT and IS. That enabled Apple to made the check mat move. The core competencies of Apples platform are speed, usability and cost effectiveness. Apples success was remarkable; in its first two online weeks it sold over two million songs[8]. This fact was largely due to the highly integrated system used. The music companies, now more than ever, have to create their own business model of an online music supply pattern. The use of IT in music industry can be considered an order winner for Apple whereas for the â€Å"Big 4† an emerging necessity to keep them in business. Current trends show that the use of IT will become an order qualifier. While executives of the music companies like John Rose, a former executive of EMI appear reluctant, believing that nothing ensures â€Å"that digital economics can make up for the drop in physical†[9] Atlantic, a unit of Warner Music Group claims that half of its sales come from digital music product sales. The future belongs to the digital music business and even if the core product music tracks in the form of mp3- does not make up for the losses from CD sales there are many supportive products such as: ringtones, ringbangs, subscription services that can compensate. 5. Conclusion As analyzed the use of IT and IS has brought a revolution in the music industry: Customers attain more bargaining power since the monopoly of â€Å"The Big 4† converted into a world of many â€Å"dot† choices. The exploitation of the benefits created by the recent developments has proved profitable; i-Tunes and Atlantic are the most prominent examples. Hence, there is a great opportunity ahead, if innovation is perceived to generate revenues and if more direct distribution options are used to cut off costs. The music companies have a negative perception about the use of open information systems in selling music and tried ineffectively to fight back. Instead they should have tried to respond to the challenge and reform their business model in order to survive in the music market. Being reluctant to adopt the new technology only gives way to companies such as Apple to take the lead along with their business share. 6. Bibliography Arango T., November 26 2008. â€Å"Digital Sales Surpass CDs at Atlantic† New York Times. Emerson G. M., 2007. â€Å"The Apple iTunes Music Store: How Apple Got it Right†, Advertizing and marketing report. http://www.admarketreview.com/public_html/air/ai200308.html (Glen Emerson Morris has been a senior consultant for Yahoo!, Ariba, WebMD, Inktomi, Apple, and Adobe.) Moloney, Belinda; Cybulski, Jacob; and Nguyen, Lemai, â€Å"Value Perception in Music Information Systems† (2008). ACIS 2008 Proceedings. Paper 73 Nguyen-Khac T. Q., 2003. The music industry in a dilemma (research paper for the ITS conference Helsinki, August 2003. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_industry#History Sony BMG, Universal, Warner, EMI World music market sales shares, according to IFPI (2005) from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_industry#History Nguyen-Khac T. Q., 2003. The music industry in a dilemma (research paper for the ITS conference Helsinki, August 2003 Nguyen-Khac T. Q., 2003. The music industry in a dilemma (research paper for the ITS conference Helsinki, August 2003. Moloney, Belinda; Cybulski, Jacob; and Nguyen, Lemai, â€Å"Value Perception in Music Information Systems† (2008). ACIS 2008 Proceedings. Paper 73 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_industry Arango T., November 26 2008. â€Å"Digital Sales Surpass CDs at Atlantic† New York Times. Emerson G. M., 2007. â€Å"The Apple iTunes Music Store: How Apple Got it Right†, Advertizing and marketing report. http://www.admarketreview.com/public_html/air/ai200308.html Glen Emerson Morris has been a senior consultant for Yahoo!, Ariba, WebMD, Inktomi, Apple, and Adobe. Arango T., November 26 2008. â€Å"Digital Sales Surpass CDs at Atlantic† New York Times.