Walmart negotiation strategies - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1282 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/07/26 Category Business Essay Level High school Topics: Walmart Essay Did you like this example? Walmart is one of the major and more important retailers around the globe operating in more than 11,000 stores in over 25 nations (Hunt, Watts Bryant, 2018). The company was inaugurated in 1962 and has achieved significant progress due to its succesful business strategy (Hunt, Watts Bryant, 2018). Walmart operates both physical and online stores to enhance convenience for its global consumers. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Walmart negotiation strategies" essay for you Create order The company realized annual revenue of $500 billion in the fiscal year, of 2017 and boasts over 2.1 million employees from different parts of the world (Hunt, Watts Bryant, 2018). Although Walmart is a leading company, it operates in a highly competitive market and shares its customers with competitors such as Tesco, Costco, Woolworths, Carrefour, IKEA, Amazon, and Target (Hunt, Watts Bryant, 2018). In any case, Walmart has possessed the capacity to keep up its cost authority procedure that enables the organization to hold clients by offering quality merchandise at moderate costs.Walmarts slogan, Everyday low prices, gives the company a competitive advantage in the retail industry. This low-price strategy allows Walmart to capitalize on its size to realize economies of scale. The company has depended heavily on cost leadership to become a household name across the globe. Walmarts business strategies have also been centered on sustainability to conserve the environment and minimize indirect costs. In addition, Walmarts business strategies aimed at establishing a one-stop shopping by providing a broad assortment ranging from grocery to household wares. Walmart has over 60,000 diverse suppliers and it incorporates different negotiation strategies to bargain. Walmart aims at empowering its suppliers thereby establishing great partnership to guarantee the quality of goods. Walmart has maintained its traditional mission statement, We save people money, so they can live better (Hunt, Watts Bryant, 2018). This mission statement is geared towards lowering the cost of living to enable people to make extra savings to enhance their lives. Walmarts mission statement appeals mostly to the middle-class consumers who make up a large percentage of the overall customers in the retail industry. Walmarts vision statement aims at provided quality products at low costs while maintaining sustainable production. In order to maintain its cost leadership strategy, Everyday Low Prices, Walmart is compelled to incorporate various negotiation strategies with its suppliers to purchase large quantities of products at lower prices. The bargaining power of suppliers in the retail industry is relatively lower due to the existence of numerous suppliers (Lianos Lombardi, 2016). These suppliers also engage each other in stiff competition in order to win the tenders and supply their goods to the retailers. Some of the suppliers are compelled to offer their products on a discount to attract retailers (Lianos Lombardi, 2016). Thus, this means that a retail company such as Walmart has an advantage over the suppliers and can influence their decisions significantly including their prices. The sheer size of Walmart is another factor that impacts its negotiation strategy with the suppliers (Chatterjee, 2017). Walmart is a leading retail company with over 11,000 stores in different countries and therefore, the company buys goods in bulk. This is quite attractive to suppliers hoping to conduct business with Walmart. Walmart can also switch between suppliers at minimal costs. However, Walmart deals with some large suppliers, and thus, it are important to implement an effective negotiation strategy. Walmart should capitalize on its relatively strong bargaining power to influence the suppliers prices. An important aspect of negotiation strategy is to ensure options; Walmart should have a list of its suppliers and conduct research on their history to determine their prices, reliability and the quality of their goods. Having options means that Walmart is not limited to a few suppliers and thus, this helps the company to appear strong instead of needy during its negotiations with suppliers (Wang, 2016). Ensuring diversity of the suppliers is also key in lowering the prices of goods. By having options, Walmart suppliers will most likely lower their prices to avoid losing the business opportunity. Walmart should also look at the bigger picture and instead of focusing on the suppliers aim at controlling the entire supply chain (Allen Burrell, 2015). Thus, Walmart should use its bargain power to control the costs of transport and reduce its expenses (Stump, Joshi Kim, 2015). This woul d allow Walmart to transfer its cost saving to the customers in terms of lower prices thereby enhancing customer loyalty. Walmart negotiation strategies should align with its mission and vision statement. It is therefore important for the company to develop positive relationships with the suppliers and empower them. Hence, Walmart should deviate from exploiting its suppliers as this can tarnish its reputation and have a negative impact on its business operations. Thus, when negotiating with suppliers, it is necessary for Walmart to bargain reasonably and set a non-exploitative minimum. Walmart should be socially responsible by offering its customers the best quality. Since Walmart has significant bargaining power over its suppliers, it should use it for the benefit of the customers. For instance, Walmart should set rules and regulations meant to control the quality of products supplied by the vendors (Wang, 2016). Thus, the company should conduct investigations on the production techniques used by the suppliers to ensure they are sustainable. By doing so, Walmart will help its suppliers minimize polluti on and conserve the environment. Lastly, Walmart needs to set up a negotiation team with the skills necessary to win over its competitors. Walmart should ensure that it clarifies its objectives to the suppliers (Allen Burrell, 2015). However, it should have realistic expectations to ensure its objectives are attainable. This would help the company ensure that the suppliers understand its vision and purpose and therefore, provide products that are in alignment with its goals. Walmart is a powerhouse, and thus, it has the capacity to make calls when dealing with its suppliers. However, effective negotiation strategies are necessary to meet its objectives. The above strategies would help Walmart to buy goods from its suppliers at relatively lower prices and thus, transfer that to the customers in terms of reduced prices. Walmart can also be able to secure goods on credit since it purchases in bulk. Walmarts negotiation strategies would also ensure that suppliers meet the company standards in terms of quality and timely delivery. Walmart should emphasize sustainable production of goods, especially groceries to safeguard the consumers. Walmart has strong bargaining power over its suppliers. As such, Walmart can easily switch between suppliers without having to incur losses. However, Walmart usually deals with large companies, and therefore, its bargaining power diminish slightly. Walmart should capitalize on its bargaining power to set explicit rules and regulations and force the suppliers to adhere to them at all times. This includes the need for sustainable production of goods in order to reduce pollution and prevent customers from including indirect costs in terms of effects of climate change. In order to strengthen its bargaining power, Walmart should have options and a negotiation team to make sure its objectives are clarified and communicated to the suppliers. However, although Walmart has considerably strong bargaining power, it should avoid exploiting its suppliers as this can damage its reputation and affects its sales negatively. Walmart goal should be to empower all its shareholders including suppliers a nd customers. Thus, its negotiation practices should be fair to all the parties. A key element in negotiation strategies is a clear purpose. Therefore, it is vital for Walmart to enhance its relationships with the suppliers. A successful negotiation strategy communicates the values of the organization to ensure all the parties understand what is required of them. However, the focus of Walmart should be control of its overall supply chain in order to reduce costs and transfer the savings to the customers by offering goods at lower prices compared to its competitors. This is crucial in attracting new customers and maintaining customer loyalty.

Power, Authority, and Influence Brandmarker Case Study. Essay

Power, Authority, and Influence BrandMarker Case Study. SUBMITTED BY: S. L. REAMS MGT302 :: Org. Behavior and Teamwork Module 2 – Case Assignment Trident University 05 August 2013 CEO Tom Morris and his team are about to face consequential challenges. The first obstacle that needs to be overcome by Tom Morris and his team is the replacement of the old head of the division, John Goodwin. Since the latter has spent his last ten years as head of the Corporate Identity Marketing Division, it may seem quite obvious that a change with regard to this position is not an easy one to get used to. It can be assumed that the CIM team has been growing stronger together over the last decade, not only on a performance†¦show more content†¦This unrest could affect employees on many varying levels. It may divide the workforce into two categories; those who support the change and those who prefer the current way of business which could possible lead to an 8% increase in employee dissatisfaction due to the breakdown of interpersonal relation between peers. (Chapman, nd) This could also change the company policies and administration, as well as a large quantity of the work itself. Thereby, leading to a possible 40% increase in employee dissatisfaction. If change is not made, the company does face a loss in prosperity and hindered growth. (Chapman, nd) Initially, Tom Morris needs to identify the risks and rewards of both courses of action in order to begin to find a solution. If the current working order is suitable and showing mediocre performance, then the need for immediate and drastic change is not completely necessary at this time. Therefore, leaving more time to delve further into the issue. I would also recommend to Tom, that he needs to sit and speak personally with his employees and try to understand the corporate change from their perspective and understand why it is that the employees resist change. There could possibly be factors that can be easily overlooked from the CEO chair. Once this is understood then its mandate depends on the future of the company to determine whether it is beneficial or detrimental. Tom could also

Case Study-Barclays Free Essays

BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS I. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, CASE INTRODUCTION AND KEY POINTS Introduction The case covers the introduction of Matt Barrett as CEO of Barclays and the changes he introduced to the organization to maintain its competitive position within the retail financial services industry. In an increasingly competitive environment, Barclays is losing ground due to its lack of data-driven actions and small global presence. We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study-Barclays or any similar topic only for you Order Now The case outlines the actions taken by Barrett to transform some of the key characteristics of Barclays’ corporate structure, and concludes by presenting the challenge he will face in getting management buy-in in order to implement his vision. The key challenges that Barclays faces include: market consolidation, the emergence of the Euro and European Central Bank, increased reliance on IT and web-based platforms, and the rigidity of its own corporate structure. II. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS Summarize the external environment, including conditions in the general, industry, and competitor environments. a. The General Environment Definition: The general environment is focused on the future and can be analyzed by considering the STEEP framework: Social/demographic, Technological, Economic, Environmental/geographic and Political/legal/governmental factors at play. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Social/Demographic Technological Economic Environmental/Geographic Political/Legal/Governmental Discussion Question 1: Perform a STEEP analysis to understand the general environment facing Barclays. How will Barclays be affected by external factors? In particular, what will the effect of globalization be in terms of threats and opportunities? Social/Demographic Segment ? English is becoming increasingly the world-wide language of business offering Anglophone Barclays opportunities to expand into international markets with reduced language barriers. BARCLAYS |1 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS Technological: ? ? ? Increased world-wide reliance on IT and the emergence of web-based solutions in 2000 will elevate Barclays’ need to diversify portfolio offerings. Barclays’ must update its â€Å"woefully inadequate† Management Information Systems (MIS) and begin to automate labor intensive processes to reduce costs. In order to enter new markets to increase revenues and satisfy institutional investors, Barclays must invest in increased technology capabilities. Economic: ? ? ? Robust economic environment due to tech boom will increase liquidity in the marketplace. As a result, acquisitions will be more costly than in a down economy. However this will also cause capital to be more accessible. Market trends towards consolidation will pressure Barclays to regain its industry leadership position through acquisition. Globalization and world economy flattening will require Barclays to become a global company expanding its offerings beyond its current UK focus. Environmental/Geographic: ? Geographic borders and distances between countries are shrinking with increased technology and a globalized economy. This will both require and facilitate Barclays’ global presence. Political/Legal/Governmental: ? ? Emergence of the Euro and strengthening of the EU will reduce FX exposure for the European markets and stabilize European economies. European Central Bank will control interest rates in Europe making Barclays more vulnerable to its decisions (versus the decentralized banks prior to the Euro emergence). With an ever increasing number of banks operating across both political and geographic borders, Barclays must expand its reach beyond the UK to remain competitive and avoid a potential takeover. In doing this, Barclays must consider a set of threats and opportunities that are involved with operating outside the UK: Threats 1. Operating a multinational corporation involves managing across multiple cultures, languages, and economic environments – Barclays’ organizational structure must be flexible enough to adapt to these. . Low brand recognition internationally would make competition against local institutions costly. BARCLAYS |2 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS 3. Relocation abroad requires high infrastructure costs. 4. Locating Barclays’ and its customers’ assets across multiple currencies exposes both to fluctuations in exchange rates. 5. Failed expansion into foreign market might damage brand image and alienate n ew customers. Opportunities 1. Increased global reach and brand presence. 2. Diversified risk. 3. Possibility to create new revenue streams through new customer acquisition. 4. Gain first mover advantage in emerging markets. 5. Increases attractiveness of Barclays to multinational corporations. b. The Industry Environment Definition: An industry is a group of firms producing products that are close substitutes. In the course of competition, these firms influence one another. Typically, industries include a rich mixture of competitive strategies that companies use to pursue above-average returns. In part, these strategies are chosen because of the influence of an industry’s characteristics. Compared with the general environment, the industry environment often has a more direct effect on the firm’s strategic competitiveness and above-average returns. The industry environment is the set of factors that directly influences a firm and its competitive actions and competitive responses. Porter’s 5 Forces Model is a powerful tool for understanding the dynamics amongst the five key factors that determine an industry’s level of rivalry and profit potential. [Outlined below, High=H; Medium=M; Low=L] 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Threat of New Entrants (or barriers to entry) Supplier Power Threat of Product Substitutes Buyer Power Intensity of Rivalry Discussion Question 2: Use Porter’s Five Forces Model to analyze the retail financial services industry in the UK. Given this analysis, is the industry attractive or unattractive? The below Porter’s 5 forces analysis shows that the retail financial services industry in the UK is a potentially attractive industry due to low threat of new entrants, supplier power, and substitutes. On the other hand, medium buyer power and high rivalry within the industry could inhibit return possibilities. Threat of New Entrants (or barriers to entry): Low ? ? High infrastructure costs Barclays has high brand recognition within the UK, less so in its other markets BARCLAYS |3 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS ? ? Regulatory and security issues make market entry complicated for smaller players NOTE: Mergers of existing banks, if considered ‘new entrants’, must be addressed given the consolidation trend existing in the market. Smaller regional banks could pull customers away from Barclays if they were to merge and offer more extensive services but retain local roots and connections. Supplier Power: Low ? Switching costs among IT suppliers low in a fragmented industry Threat of Product Substitutes: Low ? Traditional, paper based, systems have become outdated and are no longer feasible. Asset management advice is preferred by customers over DIY Buyer Power: Medium ? ? Price sensitivity of retail consumer (major revenue stream for Barclays) relatively high compared to that of corporate client Switching costs of retail consumer (major revenue stream for Barclays) relatively high compared to those of corporate client Intensity of Rivalry: High ? ? Customer loyalty and brand recognition make switching of banking provider less likely Large number of competitors within the retail banking space NOTE: Competition within the industry is based on both price and services The Competitor Environment c. Definition: The competitor environment is the final subject of analysis required to gain a full understanding of the company’s external environment. A competitor analysis focuses on each company against which a firm directly competes and involves gathering and interpreting information about its competitors. Competitive rivalry is the ongoing set of competitive actions and responses that occur among firms as they maneuver for an advantageous market position. Especially in highly competitive industries, companies constantly jockey for advantage as they launch strategic actions and respond or react to rivals’ moves. It is important to understand competitive rivalry because it influences a firm’s ability to gain and sustain competitive advantages. 3 I’s Framework Leveraging the 3 I’s framework provides a thorough overview by grouping competitors into three buckets: immediate competition, impending competition, invisible competition. BARCLAYS |4 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS 1. Immediate Competition: Immediate competitors to Barclays are considered to be the major financial institutions located in the UK such as Lloyds TSB and RBS. These institutions are gaining increasing presence over Barclays due to their lower cost structures and improved efficiencies. 2. Impending Competition: Impending competitors to Barclays include international financial services firms such as Credit Suisse First Boston, and smaller firms operating in one of Barclays’ business categories such as investment advisory firms (Zoete Bevan, Wells Fargo Nikko). . Invisible Competition: Barclays’ invisible competitors include smaller UK based businesses that focus solely on a product offered by one of Barclays’ divisions, such as smaller mortgage lending businesses (Woolwich). III. INTERNAL COMPANY ANALYSIS Summarize internal company factors including: capabilities and weaknesses, value chain activities, strategy, and financial situation. a. Outline the company’s internal capabilities and weaknesses. Definition: Capabilities exist when resources have been integrated to achieve a specific set of tasks and are frequently developed within a specific functional area. In addition to identifying the company’s opportunities and threats from the external environment, another important objective of the situation analysis is to evaluate strengths and weaknesses as input for developing the company’s strategies. Discussion Question 3: What are the main capabilities of Barclays? Does Barclays have a core competence? Barclays’ main capabilities include retail financial services and corporate banking within the UK. The company’s core competencies (i. e. trengths relative to competitors that give it a competitive edge) include: a strong brand presence within the UK, a strong domestic franchise, new innovative leadership under Matt Barrett, and outstanding (276%) market cap growth from 1995-2000. BARCLAYS |5 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS Discussion Question 4: Create a SWOT analysis to understand Barclays’ strengths and weaknesses. Does Barclays have a sustainable competitive advan tage in the retail financial services industry? If so, what is the source? Strengths 1. Strong brand presence within UK 2. 76% growth in market cap from 19952000 3. Strong domestic franchise 4. Strong new leadership with strategic vision (Matt Barrett) Opportunities 1. Opportunity to expand into global markets (Barclays Global Investors only 2% of business) 2. Ability to strengthen existing brand presence within Europe (10% of sales and profits) 3. Streamline cost sharing among business units (HR, IT, Finance, etc. ) Weaknesses 1. Cost to income ratio significantly higher than competition (business units operate as silos) 2. Narrow focus (61% of revenue from RFS, capital division focused on debt products) 3. Limited global presence (80% of profits from UK) Threats 1. Management reluctance to embrace new strategies, demoralized staff 2. Competitors have lower cost advantage 3. Stronger global presence of international competitors 4. Dissatisfied institutional investors 5. Inadequate IT systems can inhibit growth Barclays’ competitive advantage includes its: strong presence within the UK market both in terms of locations and brand recognition, strong innovative leadership, and international presence. Barclays’ business strategy has focused on growth within the UK and has not invested enough capital into international expansion. In a globalizing economy with rising multinational financial corporations, the lack of a strong international presence is something that could significantly hurt Barclays in the long-term, and even turn it into a takeover target as institutional investors continue to lose faith in the company. b. Conduct a Value Chain analysis to identify value-creating activities. Definition: By exploiting its core competencies, a competitive firm creates value for its customers. Value is measured by a product’s performance characteristics and by its attributes for which customers are willing to pay. Companies with a competitive advantage offer value to BARCLAYS |6 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS customers that is superior to the value competitors can provide. Value is created by innovatively bundling and leveraging resources and capabilities. A value chain analysis provides information relative to primary (inbound/outbound logistics, operations, marketing sales, and service) and secondary (firm infrastructure, human resources mgmt, technological developments and procurement) activities. A value chain representation of Barclays’ primary and support activities is presented in the diagram below. This information can be used to establish a business strategy which targets select activities to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Primary Activities ? ? ? ? Inbound/Outbound Logistics: N/A Operations: o Strong focus on Retail Financial Services (RFS), account for 61% of revenue o Sold cash, equities, and corporate finance businesses to focus on debt products Service: N/A Marketing and Sales: o Strong focus on UK market and low global presence o Reliance on UK brand recognition Support Activities ? ? ? HR Management: o Executive committee not performing as decision making team o Higher than average staff expenses put heavy strain on cost structure Technology Development: o Management Information Services (MIS) system is outdated and inadequate Firm Infrastructure: BARCLAYS |7 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS o Divisions operating as silos (each has own HR, IT, etc. ) o Lack of data driven decision making processes o Introduction of the Euro and the European Central Bank affect Barclays’ exposure to foreign exchange as well as interest rate changes both for the company itself and its clients Procurement: N/A Discussion Question 5: Which components of Barclays’ value chain have made the company successful thus far? What changes to Barclays’ organizational structure and focus are necessary for Barclays to remain competitive? Barclays has become a major player in the banking industry through strong brand presence within the UK, earning it one out of every five personal customers, and a clear focus on Retail Financial Services (RFS). However, both its UK presence and RFS focus have failed to provide a sustainable competitive advantage for the company. In order to remain competitive within the banking industry, Barclays must examine and redesign various components of its value chain including: 1. Focus on Retail Financial Services: a. Barclays must expand its focus beyond RFS by creating new product offerings for corporate customers and further expanding internationally to give newly acquired corporate customers global access. 2. Outdated and inadequate MIS system: a. In order to manage its internal functions efficiently, Barclays must adopt technological innovations and update its MIS system. 3. Lack of data driven decision making: a. In order to compete in an industry driven by statistics and analytics, Barclays must emphasize data driven decisions throughout its corporate structure. 4. Fragmented core divisions: a. Operating fragmented core divisions such as HR and Finance creates additional costs as well as bureaucracy and inefficiencies. Barclays must consolidate these shared services. BARCLAYS |8 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS c. Financial Analysis Definition: Financial analysis is used to assess the viability, stability and profitability of a company or operating division. The analysis is done using quantitative historical performance found in the financial reporting documents (Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Statement of Cash Flows). The goal of the analysis is to understand a company’s financial health through its profitability, solvency, liquidity, and stability. Given the financial information provided in the case, it is clear that Barclays is lagging behind its competitors in cost control measures, and has allowed both PPE and Staff Expenses to rise above its competitors’ average. Operating expenses as % of income In addition, an analysis of the company’s divisions and their respective earnings contribution reveals that Barclays heavily relies on its Retail Financial Services division for a large portion of its earnings; this suggests that diversification might be needed. NOTE: Further analysis into the average contribution of each revenue stream for other players in the industry is needed before diversification can be en tirely justified. BARCLAYS |9 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS IV. STRATEGY FORMULATIO N Summarize Barclays’ strategic position as it relates to its current strategy and the components thereof. a. Summarize Barclays’ current strategy. Barclays’ current strategic objective is to drive profits by consolidating internal functions and expanding its international presence. The company is a major player in the UK financial services and retail banking industry but has lost ground internationally despite rapidly rising market capitalization. Fragmented internal divisions and a lack of aggressive expansion have brought up the need for extensive managerial and structural changes to the firm. This prompted the hiring of a new CEO, Matt Barrett, who established a series of restructuring goals for Barclays to remain competitive. b. Strategic Analysis Definition: Conduct an analysis of Barclays’ business strategy by using the 4 P’s Framework. The 4 P’s Framework is used to understand a company’s strategy based on its Position (Mission, Values, and Vision), Priorities, Payments (what it will spend its money on to reach those priorities), and Performance (how it will measure success). By completing the framework, we can analyze a company’s current, future, or recommended priorities as well as set forth a path in order to achieve goals and measure accomplishments. Use the 4 P’s Framework to analyze the firm’s past/current/future strategy. 1. Position a. Mission: To provide innovative products, excellent careers, positive community contributions B A R C L A Y S | 10 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS b. Values: Fact based decisions, customer service, and value maximizing strategy c. Vision: To be one of the most admired financial service organizations in the world 2. Priorities: 1. Develop cross-group synergies to lower costs and improve efficiency 2. Expand reach of Barclays brand abroad through strategic alliances/acquisitions 3. Continue to diversify existing business portfolio 3. Payments: 1. Invest in adequate IT systems 2. Invest in human capital initiatives to align incentives and boost morale 3. Invest in marketing and strategic alliances/acquisitions in underserved regions/segments 4. Performance: 1. Shareholder returns vs. peer institutions 2. Customer and revenue growth (double profits in four years) 3. Increased profit due to lower costs and increased efficiency (reduce costs by ? 1bn) Discuss possible recommendations that Barclays could follow going forward to improve the performance of the company. Determine the decision criteria and also analyze the pros and cons of each recommendation. In order to remain competitive within the marketplace, Barclays must: 1. i. ii. iii. 2. i. ii. 3. i. ii. iii. Develop cross-group synergies to lower costs and improve efficiency by: Rebuilding core infrastructure to consolidate HR, IT, and Finance groups across individual divisions Reducing costs by 18% (? bn) Realigning incentives to reward value-add decisions; Expand Barclays brand abroad though: Increased brand presence in Europe to enter top 5 ranking Strengthening of the brand in US and Africa; Continue diversifying the existing business portfolio by: Expanding Barclays product and service portfolio to strengthen weak or underrepresented areas to serve affluent/high net worth segments Decrea sing reliance on Retail Financial Services by strengthening Barclays Capital and Barclays Global Investors divisions Entering new markets by acquiring major players (e. g. Woolwich). B A R C L A Y S | 11 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS Question Reduce staff expenses Option / Hypothesis Reduce labor costs by increasing automation Decision Criteria ? Cost/Benefit analysis ? Effect on employee morale ? Technology capabilities ? Revenue growth ? Barriers to entry ? Effect on current resources ? Revenue Pros †¢ Long term cost reduction †¢ Streamlining of processes †¢ More control over information flow and analysis †¢ Does not cannibalize existing revenue streams †¢ Increase global reach and brand presence †¢ Diversifies risk †¢ Existing customer loyalty and brand presence †¢ No need for customer acquisition Cons †¢ High up-front cost †¢ Lengthy implementation period †¢ Technology risk †¢ Negative effect on employee morale †¢ High cost †¢ High risk and FX exposure †¢ No trial period †¢ Culture clashes, integration logistics †¢ Might stretch resources too thin †¢ Requires investment in infrastructure and human capital †¢ Requires new expertise Diversify target markets Increase revenue through new market entry with current product suite Diversify product offerings Increase equity and investment banking focus of Barclay Capital division growth ? Barriers to entry ? Effect on current resources B A R C L A Y S | 12 How to cite Case Study-Barclays, Free Case study samples

Motivation and Self-managed Work Teams free essay sample

?External Locus of Control Individuals with a belief that what happens to them is due to luck or chance. The belief that events in one’s life, whether good or bad, are caused by uncontrollable factors such as the environment, other people, or a higher power. Which Factors influence perception? Attitudes Moods Motives Self-Concept Interest Cognitive Structure Expectations Perception is: A process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment. Terminal Values: Prosperous Life, Exciting Life, Accomplishment, Pleasure, Equality, Friendship What Is Important to Managers: Sense of Accomplishment, equality, and Self-Respect According to Rokeach, Terminal_____ values refer to desirable end-states of existence. Instrumental Values: Ambitious, Broadminded, Capable, Cheerful, Clean, Honest, Responsible Hard working-broadminded, capable. What are intrinsic factors of motivation? Internal desires to perform a particular task, people do certain activities because it gives them pleasure, develops a particular skill or its morally the right thing to do. Examples: Achievement, Recognition, Work Itself, Responsibility, Advancement, Growth. What are extrinsic factors of motivation? Factors external to the individual and unrelated to the tasks they are performing. Examples include: Policy and administration, Supervision, Relationship with supervisor, Work conditions, Salary, Relationship with peers Motivational factors are intrinsic factors, like advancement, recognition, responsibility, and achievement, that are directly related to job satisfaction. The absence of motivational factors does not cause dissatisfaction; rather, a state of neutrality. Cognitive evaluation theory A version of self-determination theory which holds that allocating extrinsic rewards for behavior that had been previously intrinsically rewarding tends to decrease the overall level of motivation if the rewards are seen as controlling Motivation: any internal condition, although usually an internal one, that initates, activates, or maintains an organisms goal directed behavior. Self-determination Theory : a theory of motivation that proposes that three basic, organismic needs (competence, autonomy, and relatedness) characterize intrinsic motivation. Motivation that focuses on 5 levels of needs? Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: (low to high) Self-Actualization, Esteem Needs, Social Needs, Safety Needs, Physiological Needs. McClellands Theory of Needs: 3 NEEDS : states that workers are motivated by three needs: need for achievement, need for power, and need for affiliation. The most successful managers will have an appropriate fit between their job and their dominant need. Equity Theory: Individuals compare their job inputs and outcomes with those of others and then respond to eliminate any inequities. -a theory that attempts to explain relational satisfaction in terms of perceptions of fair/unfair distributions of resources within interpersonal relationships Goal Setting Theory: This theory states that goal setting is essentially linked to task performance. It states that specific and challenging goals along with appropriate feedback contribute to higher and better task performance. a theory that states that people will be motivated to the extent to which they accept specific, challenging goals and receive feedback that indicates their progress toward goal achievement. Self-efficiency and Goal commitment Specific and clear attainment of goal According to the goal-setting theory of motivation, goals should be difficult but attainable Five Stage Group Development- Forming Uncertainty stage Storming Intragroup conflict Norming Cohesiveness, relationships develop Performing Fully functional Adjourning Wrap up, prepare to disband Group Role: A set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit. Group Norm: Acceptable standards of behavior within a group that are shared by the groups members Role Identity: refers to the attitudes and behaviors that are consistent with a role Role expectations: describe how others believe you should act in a given situation.. common class of norms appearing in most work groups: Performance norms, Appearance, Arrangement. Define Work Group and identify how it interacts : A group that interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions to help each group member perform within his or her area of responsibility. summation of each group members individual contribution. Goal Share information Synergy -Neutral (sometimes negative) Accountability Individual Skills Random and varied Group cohesiveness can be increased by doing what? 1. make the group smaller 2. encourage agreement with group goals, 3. increase the time members spend together 4. increase the status of the group and the perceived 5. difficulty of attaining membership in the group 6. stimulate competition with other groups, 7. give rewards to the group rather than to individual members 8. physically isolate the group Formal Group: A designated work group defined by an organizations structure. a group in which the structure, goals, and activities of the group are clearly defined Informal Group: a group that managers or nonmanagerial employees form to help achieve their own goals or meet their own needs Problem –Solving Name the 4 most common types of teams in an organization. problem-solving teams- only make recommendations (5-12 team members) 2. self- managed work teams- solve problems but implement solutions and take responsibility for outcomes. (10-15 members) 3 cross-functional teams -employees from about the same hierarchical level but different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task. 4. virtual teams- use computer technology to unite physically dispersed members and achieve a common goal. Brainstorming: a group problem-solving technique in which members sit around a let fly with ideas and possible solutions to the problem Problem-Solving Teams: groups of 5 to 12 employees from the same department who meet for a few hours each week to discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment Cross-Functional Teams: Employees from about the same hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task Virtual Teams: teams that use computer technology to tie together physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal Organizational demographythe degree to which members of a work unit share a common demographic attribute, such as age, sex, race, educational level, or length of service in an organization, and the impact of this attribute on turnover. What is the advantage of a non-cohesive group? When performance norms are low, productivity may be higher than a cohesive group. 4 Key Components of effective teams: 1 . Context -adequate resources, effective leadership, a climate of trust, and a performance evaluation and reward system 2. Composition -the ability and personality of team members, allocation of roles and diversity, size of the team, and members preference for teamwork. 3. Work Design autonomy, skill variety, task identity, task significance 4. Process member commitment to a common purpose, establishment of specific team goals, team efficacy, a managed level of conflict, and minimized social loafing. Social Loafing: The tendency for individuals to put forth less of an effort when working in a group than when working alone. the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable Group Think: occurs within a group of people, in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an incorrect or deviant decision-making outcome. Group members try to minimize conflict and reach a consensus decision without critical evaluation of alternative ideas or viewpoints, and by isolating themselves from outside influences. The act or practice of reasoning or decision-making by a group, especially when characterized by uncritical acceptance or conformity to prevailing points of view decision making by a group (especially in a manner that discourages creativity or individual responsibility) Work Team: a group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common mission, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. Self-Managed Work Teams: groups of 10 to 15 people who take on responsibilities of their former supervisors Define WORK TEAM and identify how it interacts. A group whose individual efforts result in performance that is greater than the sum of the individual inputs. potential for an organization to generate greater outputs with no increase in inputs. Goal Collective performance Synergy -Positive Accountability Individual and mutual Skills Complementary Synergy is an attribute of work teams which results in a level of performance that is greater than the sum of the individual inputs. A company switched from assembly lines to self-managed work teams. What can team members do to improve the synergy and success of their teams? Assign individual roles rather than mutual team roles Organizational Culture: Advantages of a Strong O. C. : 1. provides stability to an organization, 2. ees have the same opinions about the orgs mission and values as leaders, 3. the orgs core values are both intensely held and widely shared. 4. should reduce ee turnover because it demonstrates high agreement about what the org represents -unanimity of purpose builds cohesiveness, loyalty, and organizational commitment. 5. less of a need for mgmt to be concerned with developing formal rules and regs to guide ee behavior. What does a positive organizational culture emphasize? building on employee strengths, rewards more than it punishes, and emphasizes individual vitality and growth. 7 primary characteristics of an organizations culture: 1. Innovation and risk taking 2. Attention to detail 3. Outcome orientation. 4. People orientation 5. Team orientation 6. Aggressiveness 7. Stability Organizational culture is descriptive, whereas job satisfaction is evaluative. When does an organization experience culture creation success? the founders personality becomes embedded in the culture. How do organizations transmit their culture to their ees? 1. stories (history), 2. rituals (repetitive activities of key values), 3. material symbols (what is important), and 4. language ( acronyms and jargon)

ZipCar Marketing Strategy

Abstract Zipcar is a company that allows incorporation of members to benefit from car sharing services. The company management is capable of attracting influential companies and businesses to its business.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on ZipCar Marketing Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Cambridge, Antje Danielson and robin chase found it in 2000. Its target markets are Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, London, new York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, san Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Washington D.C. and Vancouver. By 2010, the company had attracted 8000 vehicles and 560,000 customers in urban centers. Each member pays a registration fee of $25 and $60 for services provided annually. A Zip card enables the customer use the car prepared in the order. The company caters for the gas, insurance, maintenance, parking and any other expenses incurred in the cause of using the car. The aim of the company is to reduce the costs incurred in transportation by allowing its customers to use other means of transportation such as walking and cycling and to preserve the environment by allowing sharing of one vehicle by many customers reducing pollution and jam caused by vehicles. Services and customers are inseparable hence, the company has to evaluate, analyze and implement marketing strategies to ensure survival and penetration of the company services in the target markets. Introduction The company attracts and maintains its customers through providing quality services to its customers. It offers 30 different models of cars at a time to provide a variety of products that cater for the different tastes and preferences of their customers. Due to the diversity of the customer needs and wants the company uses online and telephone to communicate to its customers and to offer instant services (Kirsner 1). This enables the company to provide its services an hour after the order is done and ease in payments of its customers by calculating the expenses according to the needs and wants of its customers. The company aims to increase their market share and at the same time maximize their profits (Kirsner 1).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The chief executive requested for research on the company’s environment, competitors, and customers to enable implementation of marketing strategies that enable the company to survive in the competitive market. The report is due on June 30, 2011. ZipCar Corporation ZipCar is the world’s leading company in car sharing services. Its services have won the attention of the media. Journals that support the company include Business Weeks, Time magazine, Wall Street journal, and New York Times. For example, the Business Week’s journal declared the company as the best leader of 2006 in car sharing network. The chief exec utive officer of the company, Scott Griffith holds senior positions in the influential companies such as Boeing Company, information America, an Atlanta based provider of online, public record information, business strategy and investment firm, Parthenon group, boutique, and public record information. The company has joint ventures with transit agencies, universities, and influential cities and state governments to broaden their services and increase awareness of their services to potential customers. The company ownership and management is by its shareholders. For instance, the chief executive officer (CEO) holds 3.92% of the company and 2.4 million shares (Kirsner 1). Methodology A current market analysis is done to enable the company penetrate and survive in the target markets. It focuses on the target market, competitors, and future performance of the company’s products and services (Stull 42) Market analysis questionnaire Due to the increasing competition in the car shar ing market, the company wants to find a solution that enables the company survive in the target market. The company wants to improve its profits by attracting and maintaining more customers and balancing its expenses. These solutions boost the company’s profits, which consequently leads to the growth of the company (Ireland 124). Analysis of the situation Study design The research used deductive approach to collect quantitative and qualitative data that is able to draw conclusions on measurable evidence. The aim of the study is to analyze the consumers buying process and its effects on the overall operations of the business (Kotler 57).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on ZipCar Marketing Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Focus group discussion The group discussion comprise of 3 customers and employees of ZipCar and hertz global company in an attempt to find solution on how to attract and maintain mo re customers to zip car company and test the accuracy of the information provided by the company and the customers (Kotler 54) Study population and sampling The study involves the management of ZipCar Company, its main competitors, and the consumers of the product or service. Systematic sampling avoids bias and to focus on the potential sources of information (Basenese 1) Data collection Primary data Face to face interviews: Interview guides ensured all the areas of the study are covered and all the necessary information is collected. It involves structured and unstructured questionnaires to boost the researcher’s interaction with the respondents (Gitman 168). Observation: The researcher collects supplementary data without bias on the information available for the researcher. The researcher collects information from experience and behavior conveyed by the respondents (Koontz 121). Secondary data: The relevant data on books, journals, magazine, papers, magazines, and previous lessons on marketing strategies is collected (Kotler 54) Data analysis methods The research collected qualitative and quantitative data analyzed in numerical and descriptive perspectives. A review of the books, magazines, papers, journal, and previous lessons provides data for interpretation and analysis of data relevant to the research objectives. The data undergoes preparation using statistical techniques to convert it into a form suitable for analysis. The techniques are data editing and data coding (Kotler 65). Findings Pestle analysis They are legal, political, social-cultural, technological changes, demographic, and natural forces influenced by external and uncontrollable factors like competitors, changes in interest rates, cultural factors, and government regulations.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The macro environment of any business is the major economic externalities beyond the business’s scope of influence, which influence the business decision-making and have an effect on performance and strategies. The factors exist in the whole economy as opposed to the economy of a specific business (Kotler 59). Political environment: The political environment involves the pressure groups, government agencies and legislations that limit the activities of an organization. It is a constitutional duty of governments to draft public policies that govern commerce. Recent legislations focus towards protecting competitor companies from each other, buffering consumers from unfair business practices and shielding interests of society against unrestrained business behavior. There is also an increased emphasis in the international market on social responsibility and ethics. Zipcar Company provides insurance in case of accidents of its vehicles to comply with the government laws and regula tions (Koontz 120). Economic environment: The economic environment involves those factors that affect the purchasing power and spending patterns of consumers. Given the current economic recession, both corporate and individual consumers are shoppers that are more careful. The economic classes skew and the general population divides into the affluent and the less prosperous. These classes highly influence the spending patterns in the market. Zipcar helps its members save some money when they use other means of transport when not in need of a car (Gitman 166). Social environment: Social environment includes institutions and other forces that affect the basic values, behaviors and preferences of the society. A marketer may want to capitalize on the changing values people have on themselves, others, organizations, society, nature and the universe; for example, they affect the consumer satisfaction and decision-making. The university, journals, magazines, and other influential organizati on boost the image of the company attracting more customers to the company (Stull 45). Technological environment: Technological environment consists of forces that affect the technology of creating new products, markets and opportunities in organizations. This environment is perhaps the one with most influence in this industry. In the marketing planning, the marketer should be keen the opportunities being availed by technological changes and avoid products that are likely to get outdated rapidly. The company provides zip cards to enable their customers access their services, for example, paying bills and opening the door of the car. The company uses internet and telephone to communicate to its customers (Koontz 119). Natural resources: Natural resources include natural resources such as raw materials or energy sources needed by both the organization and the consumer. The company caters for expenses of fuel (Kirsner 1). Demographic environment: Demographic factors include the study o f human population in terms of size, location, race, and occupation. The company focuses their target market in the urban centers on working class consumers (Basenese 1). SWOT analysis Strengths: ZipCar Company has ability to recognize customer needs and wants more than the consumers themselves expect. This makes the company to offer quality products and services to enhance customer experience, awareness, and relationship with their customers. The company has joint ventures with influential organizations creating a positive image and pride of their products and services. The company’s reliance on technology in its activities of reservations, maintenance, billing, and customer services improves customers’ satisfaction and sense of belonging. Extension of services to the disabled people increases its market share (Kirsner 1). Weaknesses: The diversity of its markets gives room for misunderstandings and mismanagement of the company. The company incurs more expenses as the number of customers increase. Investments cater for the demands of its customers but there is no guarantee of revenue enough to cover the costs incurred. The company’s shareholders demands and expectations on payments are very high limiting the growth of the company (Basenese 1). Opportunities: The chief executive officer of the company, Scott Griffith holds senior positions in influential companies attracting more potential consumers to the company’s products and services. The company produces quality and variety of products that attracts and maintains more customers enabling the company improve its market share. The target customers are in diverse markets hence the capability of improving its profits once the company penetrates in the market. The company targets the working class since they use vehicles on daily basis and people spending leisure on weekends to ensure maximum utilization of its resources to maximize profits. Universities provide a good foundation for future development of the company as the graduates seek for their services. The company parks their cars in high exposure areas such as subway stations in the city increasing the awareness and attraction of the company’s services (Gitman 167). Threats: Diversity of the target market increases challenges of competition to the company due to the increase in the number of competitors. New entry companies whose car sharing services form a small portion of their overall profits has greater chances of fast growth in the business increasing competition in the market and later the price lowers. Rising price of fuel, insurance, and maintenance terminate the proceedings of the company leading to more expenditure of the company. This consequently leads to rise in the price of their services loosing some of their customers not willing to spend on that service (Basenese 1). Market Segmentation Geographical segmentation: ZipCar Company established its target market in 21 countries. They t arget city centers where there is large exposure of customers. Demographic segmentation: ZipCar Company targets the working class since they use vehicles on daily basis and can afford to purchase their services. The company targets universities to create future potential customers from the graduates. Psychographic segmentation: ZipCar Company provides vehicles for leisure during weekends. It also provides services to long distance travelers incurring the expenses of insurance, fuel, and maintenance of the vehicle. Behavioral segmentation: ZipCar Company provides quality and variety of products to cater for the different tastes and preferences of their customers to ensure customer brand loyalty. Consumer behavior Consumer behavior are all the buying habits and patterns reflected by an individual, group or society towards a given product or service (Kotler 56) Trends influencing consumer behavior Instant society: Customers of ZipCar make orders one hour before they reach the service d estination to find their services ready for use (Kirsner 1). Technology: The customers have zip cards to open the vehicles and for billing their expenses to satisfy their expectations on the company’s services (Kirsner 1). Consumer freedom of choice: The consumers make their own decisions on the company to purchase its services. Zipcar creates a good customer experience relationship, and freedom of expression to ensure brand loyalty. Since the customers travel to the service provider, they make choices about the company to purchase the service (Kirsner 1). Increased consumer awareness: Consumers are more educated and informed about the rights and needs that the company has to satisfy hence provide quality services to its customers that attract and maintain them (Basenese 1). Increased levels of economic development: Customers know how to budget on their expenses hence match their satisfaction with the price before they make their purchase decision (Kirsner 1). Changes in soci al cultural factors: ZipCar Company only offers its services to its members to ensure security of their vehicles due to collapse of morals in the society. The customers need vehicles to travel to leisure destinations on weekends due to increased social networking. The company relies on influential organizations and people to help attract customers to their organizations (Basenese 1). IE-marketing activities: Customers make orders while still far from the company to have their services ready on time and to make travelling plans at ease (Kirsner 1). Conclusion This is a sensitive market hence every marketing strategy used by the company reflects in its overall operations. Car sharing reduces parking commotion in cities and provides services to its customers. Since the benefits are intangible, the company focuses on satisfying their customers to maintain and improve its market share. Consumers’ great influence is value, utility, and benefit of the product or service. The decisio n- making process involves stages that the marketer can influence and intervene to attract customers. Recommendations The marketer should trigger the need of the consumer and know the time to emphasize its product or service to consumers to survive in the market. The marketers should put efforts to establish its distribution channels and the location of the business to access more customers to improve profits. Markets should have a comprehensive marketing strategy to produce better results and acquire customer loyalty. The company should take time to analyze its competitors in order to formulate and implement programs that are customer focused. The marketer should identify changing goals of consumer trends in future consumer behavior to ensure a good future performance of the company. The researcher should conduct effective and reliable market research to help the company making the right decision in the process of marketing its product or service. Works Cited Basenese, Louis. Zipca r, Inc.: steer clear of the â€Å"winner’s curse† (Part 2). 2011. Web. Gitman, Lawrence. The future of business: the essentials. Boston: Cengage Learning. 2008. Ireland, Duane. Entrepreneurship: successfully launching new ventures. Upper Sandle River: Pearson Prentice Hall. 2006. Print. Kirsner, Scott. A little zipcar history, as company files for initial public offerings. 2011. Web. Koontz. Essentials of management 8E. New York: Tata McGraw-Hill Education. 1990. Kotler, Philip. Principles of marketing. French’s Forest: Pearson Education Australia, 2009. Stull, Craig. Tuned in: uncover the extraordinary opportunities that lead to business breakthroughs. New York: John Wiley and Sons. 2008. Print. This report on ZipCar Marketing Strategy was written and submitted by user Kyra T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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Battle of Derna During the First Barbary War

Battle of Derna During the First Barbary War The Battle of Derna took place during the First Barbary War. William Eaton and First Lieutenant Presley OBannon captured Derna on April 27, 1805, and successfully defended it on May 13. Armies Commanders United States William EatonFirst Lieutenant Presley OBannon10 US Marines and soldiers200 Christian mercenaries200-300 Muslim mercenaries Tripoli Hassan BeyApprox. 4,000 men William Eaton In 1804, during the fourth year of the First Barbary War, the former American consul to Tunis, William Eaton returned to the Mediterranean. Titled Naval Agent to the Barbary States, Eaton had received support from the US government for a plan to overthrow the pasha of Tripoli, Yusuf Karamanli. After meeting with the commander of US naval forces in the area, Commodore Samuel Barron, Eaton traveled to Alexandria, Egypt with $20,000 to seek out Yusufs brother Hamet. The former pasha of Tripoli, Hamet had been deposed in 1793 and then exiled by his brother in 1795. A Small Army After contacting Hamet, Eaton explained that he wished to raise a mercenary army to help the former pasha regain his throne. Eager to retake power, Hamet agreed and work began to build a small army. Eaton was aided in this process by First Lieutenant Presley OBannon and eight US Marines, as well as Midshipman Pascal Peck. Assembling a ragtag group of around 500 men, mostly Arab, Greek, and Levantine mercenaries, Eaton and OBannon set off across the desert to capture the Tripolitan port of Derna. Setting Out Departing Alexandria on March 8, 1805, the column moved along the coast pausing at El Alamein and Tobruk. Their march was supported from the sea by the warships USS Argus, USS Hornet, and USS Nautilus under the command of Master Commandant Isaac Hull. Shortly after the march began, Eaton, now referring to himself as General Eaton, was forced to deal with a growing rift between the Christian and Muslim elements in his army. This was made worse by the fact that his $20,000 had been used and money to fund the expedition was growing scarce. Tension Among the Ranks On at least two occasions, Eaton was forced to contend with near mutinies. The first involved his Arab cavalry and was put down at bayonet-point by OBannons Marines. A second occurred when the column lost contact with Argus and food became scarce. Convincing his men to eat a pack camel, Eaton was able to stall until the ships reappeared. Pressing on through heat and sand storms, Eatons force arrived near Derna on April 25 and was resupplied by Hull. After his demand for the citys surrender was refused, Eaton maneuvered for two days before initiating his attack. Moving Forward Dividing his force in two, he sent Hamet southwest to severe the road to Tripoli and then attack the western side of the city. Moving forward with the Marines and the other mercenaries, Eaton planned to assault the harbor fortress. Attacking on the afternoon of April 27, Eatons force, supported by naval gunfire, met determined resistance as the citys commander, Hassan Bey, had reinforced the harbor defenses. This permitted Hamet to sweep into the western side of the city and capture the governors palace. Wounded, Yet Triumphant Grabbing a musket, Eaton personally led his men forward and was wounded in the wrist as they drove the defenders back. By the end of the day, the city had been secured and OBannon hoisted the US flag over the harbor defenses. It was the first time the flag had flown over a foreign battlefield. In Tripoli, Yusuf had been aware of the approach of Eatons column and had dispatched reinforcements to Derna. Arriving after Eaton had taken the city, they briefly laid siege before assaulting it on May 13. Though they pushed Eatons men back, the attack was defeated by fire from the harbor batteries and Hulls ships. Aftermath The Battle of Derna cost Eaton a total of fourteen dead and several wounded. Of his force of Marines, two were killed and two wounded. OBannon and his Marines role has been commemorated by the line to the shores of Tripoli in the Marine Corps Hymn as well as the adoption of the Mamaluke sword by the Corps. Following the battle, Eaton began planning a second march with the goal of taking Tripoli. Concerned about Eatons success, Yusuf began suing for peace. Much to Eatons displeasure, Consul Tobias Lear concluded a peace treaty with Yusuf on June 4, 1805, which ended the conflict. As a result, Hamet was sent back to Egypt, while Eaton and OBannon returned to the United States as heroes. Sources Smitha, Frank E. . First Barbary War Overviewfsmitha.com/h3/h27b-pirx.html. Jewett, Thomas. Terrorism in Early America. https://www.varsitytutors.com/earlyamerica/early-america-review/volume-6/terrorism-early-america.

Open topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Open topic - Essay Example This paper argues for morality of current laws that allows for abortion. Deontology ethics offers one of the bases for evaluating morality of abortion. According to the ethics, an act is moral if it is consistent with existing rules in a society and this means that reviewing such rules as the constitution are fundamental to understanding morality of abortion. Important to the abortion debate is the constitutional provisions for human rights and its protection thereof from contravening legislations. The Ninth Amendment of the constitution provides that citizens’ rights are supreme and no law can be made to create some rights that can infringe the former category of rights. Examples of the protected righst are rights to privacy and autonomy in decision-making. Pregnancy issues meet the privacy definition and should remain at a woman’s description, subject to the existing laws. Further, the same laws provide that such a right is supreme, no law should be made to contravene it, and this means that calls for illegalization contravene deontology ethics. While some people may argue that the defined rights in the Ninth Amendment also protect the fetus, such arguments can only be valid if the same constitution offered definition of fetus and provided for its rights. The Fourteenth Amendment however offers a solution to this problem through its definition of people who are entitled to rights under the constitution. One of its provisions is the phrase that ‘people who are born or are naturalized in the United States’ and this does not include fetus because it is not yet born. Consequently, the constitution, as an element of existing laws, protects a woman’s decision to have or not to have an abortion and arguments against such a position is Deontologically unethical (University of Minnesota 1). A person also has right to private property and this rationale grants a woman the right over her body and her body parts. The fetus is considerabl y part of a woman’s body as long as it is in her womb and this means that the woman has right over decisions affecting the fetus because of privacy and autonomy principles (University of California 1). Utilitarian approach to morality on abortion also guides the debate on whether abortion is moral and should be legalized or not. According to utilitarian ethics, an actor is moral if it offers net benefits to a majority of members of the society and immoral if its net effects are harmful to most of the involved stakeholders. Considering the case of an unwanted pregnancy, the child, the mother, and people in the environment are the involved stakeholders. An abortion terminates the child’s life but meets the interest of the expectant woman and the immediate society that already considers the child as unwanted. Forcing the woman to have the pregnancy however exposes her to rejection and rejection of the child that the woman may also reject and this leads to psychological ha rm to all the stakeholders. In such a case therefore, allowing for abortion benefits the expectant woman and the society while not allowing abortion identifies harm for all the stakeholders. Abortion would therefore be moral. The fetus is also not yet a human being and this means that it lacks feelings. Consequently, no harm can be attributed to abortion with respect to the fetus as a victim. This further means that a woman’s interest is important in an abortion case and the abortion should be legal

Transport Demand Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Transport Demand Management - Essay Example The question is what is TDM? There has never been one single key definition of TDM. Some have defined it as an overall term for the strategies that lead to a better proficient utilisation of transport resources. Others have defined it as an all-encompassing term given to strategies that enhance the transport system’s efficiency. It has also been defined as a wide range of measures that transfer or decrease roadway utilisation, hence, boosting the life and efficacy of the whole transport system (Zhou, 2008). Thus, it is evident that TDM is not a linear but an all-inclusive term that can be explained from different perspectives. Over the years, the measures used in TDM have involved alternates to drive-alone like transit. Such alternatives are attained through the availing of disincentives and incentives to alter travel features among commuters. At present, these measures now involve programs and policies to solve issues like the choice of location, time, route, and information using technology. TDM is been viewed with an ever growing importance due to the rise of traffic congestion in suburban areas as urban areas are faced with complications in the expansion of highways and environmental issues like air pollution get bigger (Weiner, 2012). TDM measures can be grouped into organisational and operational, financial, and infrastructure. Of these three groups, infrastructure can be regarded as the most visible of them all. Why is this so? It is so because it involves the building and changing of the structures that are used in transport. As a measure, there is a belief that using infrastructure as a measure in TDM produces expected results as it directs the usage of transport means much more easily even without the use of new policies. As a measure, it has received widespread support among all industry shareholders. In the UK for example, the Roads for Prosperity publication received nationwide support. The program aimed at taking

Audience Analysis and Adaptation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Audience Analysis and Adaptation - Assignment Example However, Mrs Bush shares her experience of coming to Wellesley 10 years back. She identifies with the students by describing how she was struck by the natural beauty of the campus and then tells a story about Wellesley students where she stresses on the spirit of the college. This way she relates with the students. She very wisely talks about human connections and their importance in our lives. She addresses the concerns of the audience by speaking about the success of a family and loving children. Mrs Bush says that she wishes the winner of the annual hoop race to realize her own dreams – not society’s dream – and not just be the first to get married or the first to become a CEO. By speaking in their interest and addressing the issues related to their lives, she defuses the hostility they held against her. If Mrs Bush would have been delivering the speech at some other higher education institute, she would have probably not have stressed too much about her personal life. She would have interacted more with the students so as to relate with them. Infact, she would have highlighted the achievements of the institute and spoken about how she would have loved to be a part of the institute. She would have spoken more about the issues related to nation and society so as to draw their

Types of Earthing Systems

Types of Earthing Systems Introduction Purpose of earthing in an electric power system is to limit, with respect to the general mass of earth, the potential of current carrying conductors, which are part of the equipment, and non- current carrying metal works, associated with the equipment, apparatus and appliances connected to the system. Type of Earthing Systems There are four main type of earthing systems. These include: TN systems Point directly to ground, the exposed conductive parts connected to this point the installation of the protection of conductors. Two types of TN system are approved for new installations in South Africa. These are defined according to the arrangement of neutral and protective conductors, as follows: TN-S system: in which throughout the system, a separate protective conductor is used; TN-C-S system: in which the neutral and protective functions combined in a single command chain of system. TT system Which one point is directly earthed, the exposed-conductive-parts of the installation being connected to earth electrodes electrically independent of the earth electrodes of the power system. The TT system is not permitted for new installations in South Africa, but still exists in many of the older areas. IT system Which has all live parts isolated from earth, or one point connected to earth through an impedance, the exposed-conductive-parts of the electrical installation being earthed independently or collectively or to the earthing of the system. The IT system is not used for the public distribution of electricity, but is used in private installations, mainly for reasons of continuity of service. Three phases IT systems with a distributed neutral can in certain circumstances result in hazardous conditions. This latter type of IT system is to be deprecated. The problems of voltage variations between phase and neutral that can result from a break in the neutral, are common to all types of low voltage distribution systems. The increasing usage of the TN-C-S system has however introduced a further dimension to the consequences of a loss of the neutral conductor. TN-C-S system Mainly for economic reasons, across the globe, the TN-C-S power system is becoming more and more widely used for the distribution of low voltage electrical power. The concept of combining the neutral and protective functions in a single conductor immediately resulted in the elimination of one of the five distributed conductors that are required for a three phase TN-S system (three phases, one neutral and one protective conductor). In a TN-C-S system, the separate protective conductor (PE) for each consumer, is created by simply tapping off a second parallel conductor from the PEN conductor at a location that is close to or at the point of supply to individual consumers. The parallel conductor in the installation then becomes the neutral conductor. The main disadvantage of the TN-C-S distribution system is this unprotected hazardous condition that could arise in the event of a break in the PEN conductor. This hazard continues to exist independent of the presence of any protection devices that may be installed. In the event of a break in the PEN conductor, all exposed conductive parts will remain live irrespective of the operating state of the main switching or isolating device whether it is ON (closed) or OFF (open). Current practice of bonding in HK Types of low voltage system as defined by the IEC and IEE are identified by the connections to earth of the source (system earth) and the exposed conductive parts of the electrical installation (equipment earth). If these earth terminals are not boned together by a metallic conductor the system is classified as TT, and the path for earth fault currents is then through the actual earth or ground,. If the terminals are bonded together with a reliable and low impedance metallic connection the return path will not be through the earth and the system is classified as TN-S. The terms on which the CLP Power Hong Kong Ltd. and the Hong Kong Electric Co., Ltd. will supply electricity are subject to the Electricity Supply Ordinance, and the regulations and conditions laid down in the common set of Supply Rules published by both companies. By virture of his application for electricity supply or his obtaining electricity from the Company, a consumer is bound by and shall abide by the Supply Rules and other terms and conditions. Supply Rule 407.1 requires that for every electrical installation the consumer must provide his own earth electrode system by which the exposed conductive parts of his installation are connected to earth. That is, all exposed conductive parts of the installation shall be connected by protective conductors to the main earthing terminal of the installation and that terminal shall be connected to earth electrode(s) via an earthing conductor. This means that every installation is connected to be part of a TT system. Rule 407.3.f. (iii) further states that where the supply is taken direct from the Companys transformer or via underground cable, the Company may allow the consumer to provide a bonding conductor between his main earthing terminal and the Companys transformer earth or metallic sheaths of the service cable. Therefore, the installation will be operated as part of a TN-S system. However, this rule also states that in the measurement of the earth fault loop impedance or testing the operation of protective devices, the said bonding conductor must be disconnected, i.e. the design and commissioning of the installation must assume a TT system.

Sports Narrative - Wrestling :: Personal Narrative Essays

Personal Narrative- Wrestling CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, echoes through my head as I walk to the middle of the mat. "At 160lbs Aidan Conner of La Junta vs. Rodney Jones of Hotchkiss." All I can think of is every bead of sweat, every drip of blood, every mile, every push up, every tear. Why? All of this: just to be victorious. All in preparation for one match, six minutes. For some these six minutes may only be a glimpse, and then again for some it may be the biggest six minutes of their life. Many get the chance to experience it more than once. Some may work harder and want it more than others, but they may never get the chance. All they get is a moral victory. Every kid, every man comes into the tournament with a goal. For some is to win, for some is to place, others are just happy to qualify. These six minutes come on a cold frigid night in February at a place called the Pepsi Center. Once a year this gathering takes place when the small and the large, the best of the best, come to compete in front thousands of people. I am at the Colorado State Wrestling Championships. Ever since the previous season I had my standards set high. I had placed fifth, which was all right for the time being, but I knew as time went on I needed to push myself and increase my level of wrestling. I decided that I would do whatever it took, through thick and thin. I traveled to small local tournaments in Colorado, and a couple out-of-state tournaments, I even traveled to Delaware. It didn't really matter how I did at these tournaments because it was just all practice until February. So, I lifted and wrestled just about every chance I got. It was all in preparation for one match, six minutes. Starting the season as the second ranked wrestler in the state, I was just where I wanted to be, noticed, but not the "top dog". I did well during the season; not losing to anybody in the 3A classification. I didn't do quite what I wanted, but I wasn't going to complain. A broken hand after the second weekend of competition didn't help any, but I fought through it and kept my eyes set on one opponent, one goal, one match, six minutes.