Review and critical analysis of any four articles Essay

Review and critical analysis of any four articles - Essay Example He is the author of more than twenty books that touch on American elections and politics. In this book, he brought together an anthology of about 13 essays touching on the 2012 presidential elections. The assembled essays are very compelling and most are reinforced with very useful data. In order to comprehensively analyze the highly competitive and hard-fought 2012 elections Larry needed pulled together election experts drawn from across the political spectrum to highlight every facet of the 2012 election. With contribution from other authors, they provided insight that goes beyond the headlines, and later dives into the underlying forces and drifts that swayed the election from its initial developments to its dramatic conclusion. These contributing writers include the following: Professor James Campbell of SUNY-Buffalo; Professor Diana Owen of Georgetown University; Professor Susan MacManus of the University of South Florida; Professor Alan Abramowitz of Emory University; Jamelle B ouie of American Prospect; Nate Cohn of The New Republic; Rhodes Cook, formerly of Congressional Quarterly; Political writers and commentators Kyle Kondik and Geoff Skelley of the University of Virginia Center for Politics respectively; Karen E. ... In the book â€Å"Barack Obama and the new America; the 2012 election and the changing face of politics† the contributors incorporate the controversial roles that unparalleled quantities of cash and media played in deciding on who would be the occupants of the Oval office together with the pivotal seats in the Congress. They also highlight the process of nomination, the futures of the Republican and Democratic parties, and how the latest demographic and geographic electoral assignments would influence the politics of America after 2012. America’s evolving electorate by Nate Cohn As cited by Sabato (122-126) contributors Robert Costa of National Review, publisher of Congressional Quarterly, and a former chairman of the Federal Elections Commission, and Nate Cohn of the New Republic, provide an in-depth analysis on a broad array of topics ranging from patterns of voting to the press coverage to the effects of outside funding. According to the article America’s evol ving electorate by Nate Cohn, the reelection of President Obama was documented to the third consecutive reelection of head of state, following Presidents Bush and Clinton-during the periods of terrorist attacks, war, sharp political divisions, and great financial turmoil. This has not occurred since the White House Tenures of Thomas Jefferson, James Munroe, and James Madison between 1801 and 1825. Since the US is recognized as the world’s superpower, voters recognized that it would face challenges regardless of who is in power. They also understand that presidents can not prevent bad things from happening, but are mainly held accountable on how they handle their

Company Analysis and Evaluation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Company Analysis and Evaluation - Case Study Example The Collins Foods Group is a private company based in Australia with a joint ownership by private investors and management together with employees forming 52% and 48% of ownership respectively. The company's main business includes retail outlets for food service i.e. KFC in Queensland and sizzler in Australia. Collins Food group in Queensland operates from Brisbane where it operates one hundred and fourteen retail outlets and twenty six Sizzler restaurants in within Australia. The earliest KFC restaurant in Australia was established in 1968 and opened in 1969, while the earliest Sizzler was established in 1984 and opened in 1985. KFC has been growing since its establishment and this can be seen in terms of the increased number of retail outlets, more employee, increased profits etc. The company seeks to attain a continuous development in each and every area of its operation as its mission statement describes it "Establish Collins Foods Group as leading restaurant holding company, whi ch operates premier brands where people love to eat and are proud to work." KFC also seeks to better the community in which it operates through its commitment to participate in activities that enhance the community. KFC has a principle that "if you take care of your people they will take care of your customers. If you take care of your customers they will take care of your business" Figure 1: Collins Food Group Pty Limited SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Strong capital base Internal controls for some of our outlets are wanting The state is focusing on subsidizing hotel industry to boost tourism The world economic crisis that has catalyzed inflation and have seen financial industries raised lending rates Strong brand The company is understaffed Internet marketing will help us to reach out the whole global market and hence expanded market Technological advancement may introduce new challenges that may affect the normal business processes. Competent top management and subordinate personnel The regular personnel review might not be very reliable There are many upcoming training and management consultant firms from which the company can outsource this services Big competitors may shift focus and wipe out part of our market position Wide distribution channels A significant percentage of employee turnover Hotel industry expanding providing opportunities to penetrate new markets The upcoming retail food service providers are poaching experienced employees from our company Efficient quality control procedures In case the financial crisis continues to bite people will continue to cut down on their spending habits Efficient staff appraisal system Track record in excellent customer care devoid of top management approval Competitors in the industry might be reluctant to implement new technology Figure 2: Balanced scorecard: Critical Success Factors (CSFs) Analysis Critical success Factor Categories Critical success factors (CSTs) Measurement of the CSFs Understanding of market Sensitivity to volatile market needs Number of active customers Understanding our competitors and their decision making Attainment of a competitive edge above our competitors Innovative response to the needs of the customers Number of new customers Consumer

Links Between Strategic Management and Leadership

Links Between Strategic Management and Leadership 1.1 Introduction 1.1.1 Strategic Management Strategic management is Systematic analysis of the factors associated with customers and competitors (the external environment) and the organization itself (the internal environment) to provide the basis for rethinking the current management practices. Its objectives are to achieve better alignment of corporate policies and strategic priorities. (www.businessdictionary.com,n.d). Strategic management is all about analysing of the position of the business now and where it wants to be in long term and what are the means and plans to get there. It is all about defining the business, objectives, goals of the organization. 1.1.2 STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP Strategic leadership is refers to a managers potential to express a strategic vision for the organization, or a part of the organization, and to motivate and persuade others to acquire that vision. (www.managementstudyguide.com,n.d). Its a leaders point of view, for making a strategy so that all the aims and objectives of the organization can be meet and it helps in achieving success for the organization. 1.1.3 Link between Strategic Management and Leadership Leadership and management are both skills that an organization should possess, courtesy of a chosen leader, with the support of its personnel. A good leadership can be attained through a practice while an effective management is learned through course. A leader is the spearhead of the group going to a direction. And once they have found the direction, manager will take over to have consistency and make the group proposer after being established. Managers decisions are based on the book or ethics that every member constructed but leaders decide based on their institutions. 1.2 MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IN WIPRO WIPRO stands for Western India Pine Refined Oil. It was started as a vegetable oil trading company in 1945 from an old mill at Amalner, Maharashtra, India. This was founded by Azim Premjis father, M.H Preji. Azim, a graduate person in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, when he finished his studies and then came back to India, unfortunately his father died and after that he took on the leadership of the company at the age 21. He restructured it and transformed WIPRO into a consumer goods company that produced hydrogenated cooking oils/fat company, laundry soap, wax and tin containers and later set up Wipro Fluid Power to manufacture hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders in 1975. In 1977, when IBM (International Business Machines) was asked to leave India, Wipro entered the information technology sector. In 1979, Wipro started to develop its own computers, and in 1981 they started to sell their finished products. This was the first in a string of products that have made Wipro one of Indias first computer makers. Wipro Technologies hired managers who held their employees to strict performance standards. In 1980 Wipro moved into software development and started developing customized software packages for their hardware customers. This expanded their IT business and subsequently developed the first Indian 8086 chip. Since 1992 Wipro has begun to grow its root offshore in United States and by 2000 Wipro Ltd ADRs (An American Depository Receipt) were listed on the New York Stock Exchange site. The companys revenue grew by 450% from 2002 to 2007. Then Wipro started a highly appreciated initiative called WASE Wipro Academy of Software Excellence in 1996. Under this program, some of the brightest science graduates are selected and enrolled in an MS (Software Engineering) program in collaboration with BITS, Pilani. MAJOR DIVISIONS IT Services: Wipro provides complete range of IT services to the organization. The range of services extends from Enterprise Application Services to e-Business solutions. Wipros enterprise solutions serve a host of industries such as Energy and Utilities, Finance, Telecom, and Media and Entertainment. Product Engineering Solutions: Wipro is the largest independent provider of RD services in the world. Using Extended Engineering model for leveraging RD investment and accessing new knowledge and experience across the globe, people and technical infrastructure, Wipro enables firms to introduce new products rapidly. Technology Infrastructure called as TIS. In the Indian Market, WIPRO is a leader in providing IT solutions and services for the cooperate segment in India, offering system integration, network integration, software solutions and IT services. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azim_Premji) 1.2.1 Leadership in Wipro From the last few years wipro has exhibit the leadership qualities to the employees as well as to the company. Some of the practical examples are as below: wipro is service oriented and at the same time employee centric. i.e., wipro believes in giving excellent service to its clients and at the same takes a very good care of their employees. 1.3 Conclusion: Nowadays with the advent of globalisation, competition is increasing and the companies are struggling to get better market position. All the companies are implementing strategies so as to maintain the market position. WIPRO has been so much successful because they are applying management strategies in their day to day life and the company employees are following the strategies in a great way. The employees there really cooperate and that is another reason behind the success of the company. Management of strategy is very much important unless the company fails during the implementation and the managers should be efficient. Development of strategy and implementation is not an easy task. Rather its very much complicated. WIPRO became successful because of the efforts of its managers and employees in the execution of strategy. Company acquired good results on the application of the strategy and other companies are following the strategy applied by the successful companies. This report ca n help other companies as they get to know the reason behind the success of WIPRO. As competition is increasing day by day the companies should work really hard in attaining their goals and they should work really hard. Management and leadership in WIPRO is excellent and the leaders are cooperating with the employees in making decisions. The employees are given an opportunity to take decisions by the managers and this gives the employees a good feeling about the company. Thus it can be concluded that the only reason behind the success of the company is its leadership skills and the proper implementation of the strategy. 1.4 Bibligropahy: The Strategic Development of High Potential Leaders, Strategy and Leadership, in press, S. Stumpf, R. Fulmer and J. Bleak. Leadership and beyond: The need forÂÂ  strategic managementÂÂ  skills. Advances in Strategic Management, 1988, Vol. 5., S. Stumpf. Strategic Management definition Readmore:ÂÂ  http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/strategic-management.html#ixzz16CKYbPyy Strategic leadership definition http://www.managementstudyguide.com/strategic-leadership.htm Wipro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azim_Premji) date 20th November 2010 Sooper Articles Find Articles http://www.sooperarticles.com/Â  http://www.parkli.com/Consulting/AppliedStrategicLeadership.asp

Tectonic Activity :: Papers

Tectonic Activity The continents of the world are all separated by different tectonic plates which when collide is called Tectonic Activity. There are different forms of tectonic activity and different processes and landforms, which are involved during and as a result of the collisions. As and when these collisions are going to take place we can't determine because current technology hasn't allowed us to dig as far into the earth to the point of pressures which causes the plates to collide. These pressures are believed to be eruptions of liquid magma deep inside the earth. The plate tectonic theory was first proposed in 1915 by a man named Alfred Wegener, who was one of the first to identify that the continents of earth look like they fit together in a jig saw puzzle, but what separates him is the fact he suggested that the earth had separated over a period of time, introducing the future theory of plates. As Wegener had no explanation of why the earth's crust had separated many geologists turned against his ideas, these people were called anti-mobilists. The only evidence that was proved to help Wegener's theory was that palaeontologists had found fossils of similar species on different continents, which suggests that the same species were once on the same area of land with the only explanation being that they had been separated by the motion of land. As years passed more and more evidence was uncovered to support the idea of plates move constantly over time. After the Second World War seismometers were installed into the earth and showed that

Between the Wars

The event that had significant impacts during the interlude between the First and Second World Wars would be the Great Depression. The effect of this financial crisis, not only in the United States but also in other parts of the world, was apparent both in the domestic front and in the international community. The Great Depression started during the late 1920s and would stretch until the next decade. This historical turning-point was triggered by Black Tuesday, which was the day when the stock markets had a major downturn.(Rothbard, 2000) The impact of this event, both positive and negative, was massive indeed as the country was forced into a state of great recession and then reassessment of economic and social policies. (Mcelvain, 1993) In the ground level, the people experienced difficulties, as employment becomes scarce, thereby leading to poverty and hunger, which was prevalent during that decade. The citizens in the grassroots were the ones that was most affected, for the depres sion was deeply felt by everyone.The length, lasting 10 years, was overwhelming indeed; the extent of the crisis was equally devastating. The agriculture and primary sectors industries experienced economic slumps even bankruptcies, which in turn burdened the people whose wages declined and employment opportunities disappeared. The end of this Great Depression coincided with the start of the Second World War. The implication of the financial crisis was not only social but also political, as policies were forced to be reassessed and eventually changed.The New Deal policy was a result of the crisis. Also, government officials debated the liberal policies in economics, as many abandoned liberal economics, and advocated more protectionist policies. The impact of the Great Depression is far-reaching and vast, as it is political, social and economic. References Mcelvaine, Robert. (1993). The Great Depression: America 1929-1941. United States: Three Rivers Press. Rothbard, Murray. (2000). A merica’s Great Depression. United States: Ludwig Von Mises Institute.

Methods of Government, explained by Mr. Lao Tzu

Mr. Lao Tzu,  I am glad to write this letter to you and I wish you to stay in good health. Being myself interested in the art of state governance I could not fail to be moved by your outstanding writings. Philosophers with such profound views as you have are rare, so, desiring to further dispute certain ideas about government and administration I have found nothing better than to write this letter to you and thusly invite you to discussion. Please accept this letter calmly as it is due to a philosopher, for I have not wished to contest your wisdom, but only to share some views which I have obtained via long years of struggles and dangers. My most sincere desire is to have an advice with you because truth is sprout in discussion. Thereto let me pass to my argument.In your famous Tao Te Ching you write:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"If you want to be a great leader, you must learn to follow the Tao. Stop trying to control. Let go of fixed plans and concepts, and the world will govern itself[1].†Ã‚  I admire this argument but I put it in a little other way for I think that it is better to be adventurous than cautious, because fortune is a woman, and she needs to be beaten and dominated[2]. That what you call â€Å"Tao† I use to call Fortune. Fortune is something what we can not control, but we can benefit from it. Every ruler has a Fortune, but not all of them are fortunate, because some of them are able to benefit from fortune and others are not. And to benefit from Fortune one has to feel it and take effort to obtain every possible necessary result from lucky events. That’s why I say that Fortune loves young. The young can better feel it and they are faster in using it. Using your terms I can say, that Tao flows by itself outside of our will. The one who feels the flow of Tao and moves with it will win[3]. But in order to win he has to move in the direction he needs only using Tao because in case he moves with Tao he will lose his aim of sight and will be a pr isoner of circumstances.Another piece of your writing which attracted my attention is:â€Å"If a country is governed with tolerance, the people are comfortable and honest. If a country is governed with repression, the people are depressed and crafty. When the will to power is in charge, the higher the ideals, the lower the results. Try to make people happy, and you lay the groundwork for misery. Try to make people moral, and you lay the groundwork for vice.[4]†I agree with you entirely that a ruler is always an example for his subjects, however, I would like to notice, that ruling only by example is a much too vague basis for power. There are always people who do not accept any virtues and who are willing to overthrow even the most perfect ruler, at least to take his place. So I think that except for example a ruler is to inspire love and fear to the people, and at that fear is more important than love, because love is changeful and does not depend on ruler’s will, and fear is an instrument which is always available for a ruler[5].   Moreover, I believe that a ruler is to incur evil and forget about virtues in some cases. I mean those vices without which he might hardly save the state; because, if one considers everything well, one will find that something that appears a virtue, if followed, would be his ruin, and that some other thing that appears a vice, if followed, results in his security and well-being[6].You speak about love and fear not as of methods of ruling, but as of ruler’s qualities when you write that â€Å"When the Master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists. Next best is a leader who is loved. Next, one who is feared. The worst is one who is despised.†[7]As I have already mentioned, I believe, that fear is a better foundation for power than love, but now I would like to speak exactly of the ruler’s qualities. To my opinion a ruler is not to be good or bad, he is to be reasonable. What works go od once can be not so good next time. Fortune, or Tao as you call it, may change, so the best ruler is the one who skillfully adapts to the situation and never freezes in his qualities. The ruler has to deal with different people who have different desires and so it is hardly possible for him to be same for all. A ruler has not to follow an ideal, but he is to be realistic[8].You call upon princes to let things happen as they happen when you say:â€Å"Center your country in the Tao and evil will have no power. Not that it isn't there, but you'll be able to step out of its way.[9]†Let me used a term which I am used to and call Fortune that what you call Tao. I believe that this argument is weak, because it assumes that the country is ideal. And what about the countries which are not ideal and which are not in conformity with fortune? I would compare her to one of those raging rivers, which when in flood overflows the plains, sweeping away trees and buildings, bearing away the soil from place to place; everything flies before it, all yield to its violence, without being able in any way to withstand it; and yet, though its nature be such, it does not follow therefore that men, when the weather becomes fair, shall not make provision, both with defenses and barriers, in such a manner that, rising again, the waters may pass away by canal, and their force be neither so unrestrained nor so dangerous. So it happens with Fortune, who shows her power where valour has not prepared to resist her, and thither she turns her forces where she knows that barriers and defences have not been raised to constrain her[10]. So a ruler does have to act in order to bring his principality to perfectness and make it protected even from Fortune itself.Let me conclude my modest letter by this. Hope you were not bored while reading it and you will find it possible to answer my most humble writing.Cordially yours humble servant,Niccolà ² di Bernardo dei MachiavelliWorks Cited:1. Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching, 25th-Anniversary Edition, Vintage, 19972. Machiavelli.   The Prince. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 19983. Mary G. Dietz, Trapping The Prince: Machiavelli and the Politics of Deception, The American Political Science Review, Vol. 80, No. 3 (Sep., 1986), pp. 777-7994. David Hall, Commentary on the Lao Tzu by Wang Pi by Ariane Rump, Wing-tsit Chan, Philosophy East and West, Vol. 31, No. 1 (Jan., 1981), pp. 97-98[1] Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, 25th-Anniversary Edition, Vintage, 1997. Verse 57 [2] Niccolo Machiavelli.   The Prince. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998, p.- 83 [3] Lao Tzu dows not speak so directly, but it is usually mentioned by commentators. For example see: David Hall, Commentary on the Lao Tzu by Wang Pi by Ariane Rump, Wing-tsit Chan, Philosophy East and West, Vol. 31, No. 1 (Jan., 1981), pp. 97-98 [4] Lao Tzu, 58 [5]   See: Niccolo Machiavelli, chap. XVII [6] Lao Tzu, 58 [7] Lao Tzu, 17 [8] For this Machiavelli’s argument see: Mary G. Dietz, Trapping The Prince: Machiavelli and the Politics of Deception, The American Political Science Review, Vol. 80, No. 3 (Sep., 1986), pp. 777-799 [9] Lao Tzu, 60 [10] Niccolo Machiavelli, p.- 119

How to Write a College Essay That Shares Your Passion

How to Write a College Essay That Shares Your Passion When coaching my college essay clients on how to write a college essay, I always tell them to talk about their real passion and to tell their real story – not to talk about what they think other people want them to talk about. In that vein, today, I’d like to share three of my favorite things with you. One is a recipe, one is a book, and one is a blender. They are all related. And they have little to do with job search or LinkedIn, but they have everything to do with commitment and passion. You could say this is what I might write about for a supplemental college essay, if I were writing one. One of the things that is most important to me in my life, besides writing and personal growth, is health and wellness. I’ve written articles that include kale references, and I blogged on July 17th about the value of regular exercise for productivity. What I put into my body is extremely important to me, and I’ve recently been excited by a book I stumbled across: Zero Belly Smoothies It was love at first sight, and have spent many a Saturday afternoon trying out the recipes that grace its pages. The book, which is now my smoothie bible, has not left its spot next to my Blendtec blender since I started my craze. Chocolate Decadence You might not know this, but smoothies are one of the best ways to get nutrients into your system – they make a great breakfast and are also the perfect replenishment after a workout. I drink them for both occasions! The best thing is that they can be both healthy and delicious. Did you know that you can put black beans, avocado, and banana in a smoothie and make it taste like a rich dessert, while getting 25g of protein? I didn’t, until a few weeks ago. And my life has been transformed. To share my joy over the above-mentioned potion, I’m giving it to you here. You can find this delectable recipe and more at Zero Belly Smoothie Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch and Dessert. RECIPE: Chocolate Decadence Smoothie 1/2 banana (preferably peeled and frozen) 1/4 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and quartered 1/4 cup black beans 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/4 cup chocolate plant-based protein powder 6 ice cubes Water to blend (optional) 300 calories, 9 g fat, 34 g carb, 11 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 25 g protein I also particularly like Zero Belly’s Velvety Elvis smoothie, which includes banana, spirulina, and almond butter. What a treat – and it looks like the ocean! But I can’t find it on the internet and dare not violate any copyrights. Plus I really think everyone with any interest in smoothie creations must buy the book. Of course, you’ll need a blender to do these recipes justice. Whole food smoothies, sadly, cannot be made by hand. Not a Blender Fan? You might be lamenting, â€Å"My blender smells like rubber anytime I make it work hard.† Or, â€Å"My blender is so hard to clean!† or â€Å"My blender leaves big chunks of food in my drink. ‘Smooth’ is the last word I’d use to describe the sludge my blender produces.† Or you might be saying mournfully, â€Å"I have an awesome blender I paid hundreds of dollars for and it’s sitting there on my kitchen counter, next to my unused juicer. I’ve given up.† If you have a Vitamix or Blendtec blender and it’s wasting away unutilized, it’s time to dust it off and get it cranking! If you have any other type of blender, and you are inspired to get serious about smoothies, it’s worth investing in a good one†¦ either a Vitamix or Blendtec. In my opinion, Blendtecs are the better value. I’ve had mine for years and love it more every day. Another advantage of smoothies is that you can freeze them and have your supply ready for the week; and if you’re on the go, they make a quick 1-minute meal. (I’m not a fan of savory â€Å"lunch† or â€Å"dinner† smoothies, but give those a try if you’re curious.) One of my favorite tricks is how to bring a smoothie onto an airplane (it starts as powder and turns into a nutrition-packed meal)! If you travel for work, bringing â€Å"smoothie packs† along with you is a great way to stay healthy while on the road. Ask me if you want to know more about that. Not Really a College Essay So I didn’t really write a college-essay-worthy essay here, since I would never want any student to give advice in a college application. But have I gotten my excitement across – and provided some insight on how to write a unique college essay? I hope so, and if I’ve transmitted any of that excitement to you, I’d be happy to share more of my favorite recipes privately. They might just change your life too. And if you want more advice on how to write a college essay, check out my article,  How to Write a Great College Application Essay: 2017-18 Common App Prompts, or check out my college admissions services  and work with me one-on-one.