Gender Role and Sexuality Essay

I can fortunately and happily say that I personally have not experienced unequal treatment in regards to my chosen career, educational path or previously held jobs. What I do still see currently being stereotyped are gender roles and the way they are allowed or not allowed to sexually express themselves in the public eye. From my experience it is more acceptable for men to compose music about sex, be in main stream media selling sex, have successful careers in sex, and everyday unequal expectations in dating, sex and relationships. Men have more sexual freedom in the world today. Men are encouraged and in most cases applauded on the discussion of how many partners they have had in the past and the specifics of each experience, yet woman are still expected to hide their sex from the world in fear of ridicule and isolation. In our society today woman who are overly sexual or dress in form fitting clothes or lack thereof are automatically stereotyped as the promiscuous type. Why the double standard? I don’t agree at all with displaying private sexual acts to the general public to gain fame and wealth and in by doing such corrupting children and destroying the beauty of sex but I don’t believe that we should have to hide that women are as much sexual beings equally as men. I feel religion and culture play major roles in the history of sexual repression of woman. Even dating back to the Puritan who believed that anything resulting in pleasure was a sin, women’s freedom to express their sexuality has been suppressed in fear of domination because we are just as powerful as men. Growing up in a strict catholic home I was always taught to act like a lady in public. Exactly what was meant by that I wasn’t fully sure but I knew its underlying symbolism was repressing my sexuality. I wasn’t allowed to wear spaghetti straps, mid drift shirts, shorts above my knees, or make up till I was 18 years old. Sex was not spoken of in my household at all, and if it happened to be seen in a movie or on television I was instructed to cover my eyes because sex was forbidden. Being a sexy woman was seen as vulgar. If I had male friends I could not talk on the phone with them or play outside of school with them without a parent or chaperone. On that contrary my younger brother was encouraged to dress well, wear cologne and have many female friends. It was a symbol of popularity. In my father’s Hispanic culture the young men were pampered and treated as kings with double standards. The women were there to serve them. We are not allowed to be sexy or let alone discuss sex in anyway shape or form. As an adult now I can understand why I completely rebelled against the stereotypes created by my religion and culture. It’s not fair to make women feel less than human than men. We are sexual creatures who share the same desires and needs. I now embrace my sexuality. I’m not afraid to be who I am, and say how I feel. Being a single mother in society today puts me in another stereotype as well. Having a child out of wedlock is still looked down upon, and more so with the mother. We are labeled as â€Å"promiscuous†, â€Å"unholy†, and â€Å"irresponsible†, but to me I loved a man for 8 years and wanted to create a life with him. Unfortunately the abuse I endured was too great to allow after the child was born, so I chose to leave. On the other hand the single father is praised and labeled as â€Å"hard working†, and â€Å"honorable†. In news and media woman are portrayed as sex objects in order to entice society. It draws women in because they either want to be like them or look like them and it draws men in because they love the visual stimulation. Sexuality is used as a shock value for ratings. Are sexy woman who love their bodies and the way it makes them feel really that shocking? Instead of conditioning our young woman to hide their sexuality we should be teaching them healthy ways to explore and express their human desires of sexuality in a safe, healthy way.

External environmental influences Essay

The external environmental factors described in the following essay have a direct or indirect influence on HRM. To be effective, HR managers must monitor the environment on an ongoing basis; assess the impact of any changes; and be proactive in implementing policies and programs to deal with such challenges. Economic Environment The economic environment has a major impact on business in general and the management of human resources in particular. Economic conditions affect supply and demand for products and services, which, in turn, have a dramatic impact on the labour force by affecting the number and types of employees required, as well as an employer’s ability to pay wages and provide benefits. When the economy is healthy, companies often hire more workers as demand for products and services increases. Consequently, unemployment rates fall, there is more competition for qualified employees, and training and retention strategies increase in importance. Conversely, during a downturn, some firms reduce pay and benefits in order to retain workers. Other employers are forced to downsize, by offering attractive early retirement and early leave programs or by laying off and terminating employees. Unemployment rates rise, and employers are often overwhelmed with applicants when vacancies are advertised. In most organizations today, productivity improvement is essential for long-term success. Through productivity gains, managers can reduce costs, conserve scarce resources, and increase profits. This leads to a win-win situation, since higher profits often result in better compensation and improved working conditions, thereby enhancing the employees’ quality of work life and their motivation to further improve productivity. Australia’s relatively low productivity growth rate and high labour costs are of grave concern, since competition with foreign companies has become increasingly important. Australia’s economic success increasingly depends on the ability of Australian employers to meet international quality and  productivity standards and become more cost-competitive. This applies to firms selling products and services in the domestic market, in which foreign competition is increasingly a factor, as well as those with international markets. Labour Market Conditions The labour market is the geographic area from which an organization recruits employees and where individuals seek employment. In other words, it is the area in which the forces of supply and demand interact. The labour market is often different for various employee groups within an organization. While clerical and technical employees are generally recruited locally, the labour market for senior managers and highly specialized employees is often national or even international in scope. One measure of an organization’s effectiveness is its ability to compete successfully for high calibre human resources. Many factors motivate candidates to seek employment with a particular organization, including type of business/industry, reputation, opportunities for advancement, compensation, job security, and working conditions. Location and climate and other aspects of a firm’s physical surroundings, such as housing, commuting, and living costs, can help or hinder a firm’s ability to attract and retain employees. Recent population shifts to the coastal and small towns and rural areas can be attributed, at least in part, to the desire of many individuals to work and live in what they perceive to be a more desirable physical environment. Such shifts alter the demand for and supply of individuals in local labour markets, a factor that firms must always take into account when deciding where to establish a new venture, expand, or downsize. Because the labour market is not controlled or influenced by any one factor, it is unstructured and often unpredictable. Nevertheless, organizations must constantly monitor and track trends affecting supply and demand of human  resources. By doing so, they can gather information about the prevailing pay rates for employees with particular talents or skills, and estimate how difficult it is likely to be to attract and recruit staff. Labour market conditions should also be monitored to determine present and emerging trends (such as the changing composition of the labour force) as well as changing values and expectations, so that policies and programs can be adapted and/or designed in order to recognize and take advantage of these trends. Globalization Globalization refers to the tendency of firms to extend their sales or manufacturing to new markets abroad. For businesses everywhere, the rate of globalization in the past few years has been nothing short of phenomenal. â€Å"The bottom line is that the growing integration of the world economy into a single, huge marketplace is increasing the intensity of competition in a wide range of manufacturing and service industries.† Production is becoming globalized, too, as firms around the world put manufacturing facilities where they will be most advantageous. Also, there are increasing numbers of multinational corporations–firms that conduct a large part of business outside the country in which they are headquartered and that locate a significant percentage of their physical facilities and human resources in other countries. Many organizations are locating new plants in areas where wages and other operating costs are lower. For example, Australia’s Hewlett Packard’s computers are assembled in Singapore. While cheaper labour is one reason for transferring operations abroad, another is to tap into what Fortune magazine calls â€Å"a vast new supply of skilled labour around the world.† Many multinational firms set up manufacturing plants abroad, not only to establish beachheads in promising markets, but also to utilize that country’s professionals and engineers. This globalization of markets and manufacturing has vastly increased international competition. Throughout the world, organizations that formerly  competed only with local or national firms–from airlines to automobile makers to banks–are now facing an onslaught of foreign competitors. From boosting the productivity of a global labour force to formulating selection, training, and compensation policies for expatriate employees, managing globalization and its effects on competitiveness will thus continue to be a major HR challenge in the years to come. Demographic Trends and Increasing Work-force Diversity Demographics refers to the characteristics of the work force, which include age, sex, marital status, and education level. Demographic changes occur slowly and are well measured, which means that they are known in advance. The fact that Australia’s labour force is becoming increasingly diverse is one of the major challenges confronting HR managers today. Diversity refers to â€Å"†¦ any attribute that humans are likely to use to tell themselves, ‘that person is different from me,'† and thus includes such factors as race, gender, age, values, and cultural norms. Population Growth The single most important factor governing the size and composition of the labour force is population growth. Currently, the fastest growing groups in the Australian work force are women, visible minorities, Aboriginal people, and persons with disabilities. Age The baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1965, began crowding into the labour market in the late 1960s. The sheer number of â€Å"boomers† helped to expand the economy and made it easier for HR departments to focus on issues such as cost containment, since recruitment and selection, while important, were not the most critical problems. During the 1990s, individuals in this â€Å"population bulge† experienced a great deal of competition for advancement. This challenged managers to find new strategies for forging career paths, such as lateral moves, to keep this group motivated and satisfied. The  oldest of the baby boomers are now in their mid-fifties. Life expectancies have increased and fertility rates have declined, the average age of the population is increasing substantially. Since some baby boomers have already taken advantage of generous early retirement programs and many more will be retiring over the 25 years, pension plan and social security benefits issues are starting to present a very serious concern for employers and governments, given the smaller labour force available to support the retirees. Many organizations with a primary interest in the younger age group, such as retail establishments and fast-food chains, have already started to feel the impact of the fact that the population from which they have traditionally gained customers and part-time workers is starting to shrink dramatically. Some employers have undertaken initiatives to attract older workers, especially those who have taken early retirement, by offering job sharing and expanding the number of part-time hours available. For example, McDonald’s Restaurants of Australia is another organization that is actively recruiting seniors, as well as directing advertising efforts to appeal to the senior market. HR specialists must remember that many HR policies, benefits plans, and reward systems that attract and motivate employees in one age group may not appeal to those in another due to differing values and priorities. Education The level of education of the Australian labour force is increasing at a significant rate. more Australians are pursuing higher education, through a variety of institutions ranging from universities and colleges/TAFEs to trade schools, private-sector organizations, and professional associations.  growth in the number of cooperative-education programs, designed to enable students to gain work experience while still attending school, and of  distance-education opportunities, which mesh Internet technology with the fundamental need to continue learning. Given the higher expectations of the better-educated labour force, managers are expected to try to ensure that the talents and capabilities of employees are fully utilized and that opportunities are provided for career growth. In today’s economic climate, doing so is not always possible. Visible and Ethnic Minorities The proportion of visible and ethnic minorities entering the Australian labour market is growing, in jobs ranging from general labour to technical, professional, and skilled trades. Ethnic diversity is also increasing. Thus, HR specialists must ensure that policies and programs are developed in their organizations to accommodate and celebrate the diverse cultural characteristics of visible and ethnic minority employees, something that requires much more than ensuring compliance with human rights legislation. Women The growing presence of women has been one of the dominant trends in Australia’s labour force since the 1950s. Factors contributing to the dramatic increase in female participation rate include smaller family size, increased divorce rate, the need and desire for dual family incomes, increased educational level, and the availability of more-flexible working hours and part-time jobs. The employment rate for women has also continued to climb. Recent studies have shown that women have moved into occupations in which the unemployment rate is low, while men tend to be clustered in jobs in which the risk of unemployment is much higher.73 There is still strong evidence that women are underutilized in the Australian work force, however. Aboriginal Peoples Indigenous peoples are still facing considerable difficulty in obtaining jobs and advancing in the workplace. Persons with Disabilities Despite the fact that human rights legislation in every Australian jurisdiction prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, Australians with disabilities continue to confront physical barriers to equality every day. Inaccessibility is still the rule, not the exception. Even though studies show that there are no performance differences in terms of productivity, attendance, and average tenure between employees who classify themselves as having a disability and those who do not, persons with disabilities continue on average to experience high rates of unemployment and underemployment, and lower pay. Overall Impact of Increasing Diversity Managers must be extremely aware that related to the work-force diversity described above are significant value differences about the overall importance of work, what aspects or characteristics of a job are most important, tolerance of discipline in terms of hours and pace of work, attitudes toward authority, and definition of loyalty. Employees increasingly expect to exercise more freedom from management control, and are more demanding and questioning. More people are seeking jobs that are attuned to their personal values and provide the opportunity for them to bring their personalities to work with them,87 as well as flexible work arrangements and other programs that will enable them to balance their work and personal lives.88 Policies and practices must be adapted to embrace the diversity of the dominant values represented in an organization’s work force. Trends in the Nature of Jobs and Work Major changes have been occurring in the nature of jobs and work, in part as a response to a number of the environmental challenges already discussed. Telecommuting, is the use of microcomputers, networks, and other communications technology (such as fax machines) to perform in the home work that is traditionally done in the workplace. Many firms are using more contingent employees–defined as workers who do not have regular full-time or part-time employment status–to handle vacation and leave coverage, peak-period demands, extra workload, and specialized tasks or assignments. Included are contract workers, seasonal workers, casual and non-regular part-time employees, temporary employees, independent contractors (freelancers), consultants, and leased employees.108 Contingent workers currently account for about 12 percent of all jobs in Australia, a figure that is expected to reach 25 percent by 2010.109 There are more regular part-time employees in Australia than ever before. These are individuals who work fewer hours than fulltime core employees, typically during peak periods (such as evenings and weekends in retail stores and restaurants). Approximately 33 percent of all employed women work part-time: two-thirds of them by preference, and the other one third because they were unable to obtain full-time employment.112 The fact that part-time workers are often paid less than their full-time counterparts–and may not have benefits coverage–has raised some major equity concerns. Small businesses, classified as firms with fewer than 50 employees, whether sole proprietorships, partnerships or corporations, are a large and increasingly important part of the Australian economy. A Service Society Employment trends in Australia have been experiencing dramatic change. The primary sector, which includes agriculture, fishing and trapping, forestry, and mining, now represents only 2.8 percent of jobs. While the secondary  sector (manufacturing and construction) has grown In common with trends in Western Europe and the U.S., the sector of the Australian economy accounting for the greatest growth in recent decades is the tertiary or service sector, which includes public administration, personal and business services, finance, trade, public utilities, and transportation/communications. While much of this growth is attributable to rapid technological change (initially in the form of automation and more recently in improvements in IT), part is due to an increase in outsourcing of particular activities by primary- and secondary-sector firms to decrease costs and increase efficiency. Subcontracted functions range from building maintenance to provision of security, cafeteria management and laundry services to payroll and training and development. Since all jobs in this sector involve the provision of service, often in person but increasingly through the design, installation, and maintenance of service-providing technologies (such as automated banking machines and cable television), effectively managing and motivating human resources is critical. Although there are some lesser-skilled jobs (in housekeeping and food services, for example), many service-sector jobs demand knowledge workers, employees who transform information into a product or service, whose responsibilities include planning, problem solving, and decision making. Knowledge Work and Human Capital Management expert Peter Drucker has said that â€Å"the foundation of an organization is not money or capital or technology–it’s knowledge and education (human capital). By 2005, knowledge workers will be the single largest group in the labour force.†116 He is not alone in this belief. Many experts believe that the distinguishing characteristic of companies today and tomorrow is this growing emphasis on human capital. Jobs today in all sectors demand a level of expertise far beyond that required of most workers 20 or 30 years ago, which means that human capital is quickly replacing machines as the basis for most firms’ success. Furthermore, it is not  unusual for more than one-quarter of sales to come from products less than five years old. As a result, â€Å"innovating–creating new products, new services, and new ways of turning out goods more cheaply–has become the most urgent concern of corporations everywhere.†11 For managers, the challenge of fostering intellectual or human capital lies in the fact that knowledge workers must be managed differently than workers of previous generations. New HRM systems and skills are required to select and train such employees, encourage self-discipline, win employee commitment, and spark creativity. Apple computers is one organization that has learned how to encourage creativity and access the skills and ideas of all of its employees:118 Technology It is mainly through technological innovation that firms develop new products and services and/or improve existing ones in order to remain competitive, and gain the productivity and quality needed for competitive advantage. Manufacturing advances, such as robotics and computer-aided design / computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), have eliminated many blue-collar jobs, replacing them with fewer but more highly skilled jobs. When robots were introduced in the automobile industry, for instance, there was a major decrease in the demand for welders and painters, but a new demand for technicians who could program, install, and service automated equipment.89 Due to computer technology, similar changes have been occurring in the nature of office work. Optical scanners, computerized x-ray scanners, and Magnetic Resonance Imagery (MRI) are technological advances that have caused major occupational changes in the medical field over the past few decades, and such advances are being made every d ay. Currently, for example, a few doctors are attempting to revolutionize heart surgery using computer assistance and robotic arms.90 The overall impact of the technological changes affecting almost every field is that labour-intensive blue-collar and clerical jobs have been decreasing, while technical, managerial, and professional jobs are on the increase. This shift in employment opportunities has many implications for organizations: jobs and organization  structures are being redesigned; new incentive and compensation plans are being instituted; revised job descriptions are being written; and new programs are being instituted for employee selection, evaluation, and training/retraining–all with the help of HR specialists. Unfortunately, the training of the Australian labour force has not kept pace with the rate of technological change and innovation. Consequently, there is a scarcity of skills in certain fields. Many Australian firms, such as Telstra, inevitably have to look outside of Australia to fill their high-tech openings, which is rather disturbing given the fact that there are currently about 1.1 million Australians seeking employment. While much of the impact of information technology has been positive, it has also led to some organizational problems. For many employees, it has created anxiety, tension, resentment, and alienation. Unions have consistently expressed concerns about job displacement and health hazards, such as those related to video display terminals. All of these issues must be addressed through effective HRM practices such as information sharing, counselling, ergonomic refitting, job redesign, and training. Information technology has also hastened what experts call the â€Å"fall of hierarchy,† or promotion of egalitarianism. Power and authority are spread more evenly among all employees. For example, with â€Å"distributed computing,† every employee with a personal computer on his or her desk can tap into the firm’s computer network and obtain needed information. Expecting employees to make more decisions has implications for selection, training, and compensation. Questions concerning data control, accuracy, right to privacy, and ethics are at the core of a growing controversy brought about by the new information technologies. Sophisticated computerized control systems are used to monitor employee speed, accuracy, and efficiency in some firms, including IBM Australia. More and more firms are also monitoring employee e-mail, voice  mail, telephone conversations, and computer usage, and some now monitor employee behaviour using video surveillance.94 Reasons for such monitoring include eliminating time wastage, deterring abuse of company resources, protecting network security, preventing misappropriation of company resources, ensuring compliance with health and safety standards and regulations and other legislation, and monitoring employee behaviour and performance. Employers considering monitoring employees should be aware that doing so may present both practical and legal problems: such monitoring may have counterproductive results such as increased job stress, decreased morale and productivity, lowered employee self-esteem, and decreased trust in and respect for the employer Setting up and maintaining a monitoring system may involve significant economic costs surveillance of employees in the workplace raises the controversial legal issue of employee privacy rights. Human Resources Information Systems Changing technology has also had major implications for HR departments. Over the past few decades, many firms introduced a Human Resources Information System (HRIS) to store detailed information on employees, HR policies and procedures, government laws and regulations, collective agreements, etc. HRIS computer applications include: salary and benefits administration; tracking statistics on absenteeism, grievances, and health and safety; collecting data for government statistical reporting and employment equity purposes; advertising jobs and recruiting candidates; and communicating with employees. Computers are now being used not only for storage, retrieval and analysis of information but for broader applications, including basic report production, long-range forecasting and strategic planning, and evaluation of HR policies and practices. Such systems can decrease time lost to comparatively non-productive work like data entry and employee scheduling, thereby providing time for HR department employees and managers throughout the firm  to focus on more strategic issues. Today, many Australian firms, are utilizing computer technology even more extensively by introducing a Human Resources Management System (HRMS), defined as an information management system accessible to staff at all levels, designed to ensure that the organization’s human resources are recruited, selected, developed, employed, deployed, and supported effectively. Functional applications include succession planning, pension plan projections and eligibility monitoring, interactive employee retirement training, and more. Self-service applications for employees and managers ensure that information reaches those who need it, with one-time data entry, less maintenance, and improved quality and accuracy. Government Various laws enacted by governments have had and will continue to have a dramatic impact on the employer-employee relationship in Australia. In one recent survey, 70 percent of the HR specialists responding cited changing regulatory requirements as a major factor altering their work environment. The legal framework for employment includes: constitutional law, particularly the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; acts of parliament; common law, which is the accumulation of judicial precedents that do not derive from specific pieces of legislation; and contract law, which governs collective agreements and individual employment contracts. Such laws impose specific requirements and constraints on management policies, procedures, and practices. Some of the employment-related legislation is aimed at prohibiting discrimination in various aspects and terms and conditions of employment, such as human rights, employment equity, and pay equity. Other laws require employers to meet certain obligations, such as occupational health and safety, employment standards, and labour relations. Still others make various payments mandatory, such as Workers’ Compensation, Employment Insurance, and the Australia Superannuation Plans. All of the laws mentioned above and their regulations have important  implications for all managers, since they must: Stay abreast of legislative developments is a major ongoing responsibility. Often, the HR department staff members play a major role in helping other managers to remain current by circulating reading material or holding seminars. Develop and administer policies and practices that ensure compliance to avoid loss of government contracts, suits by affected employees or regulatory bodies, fines, and bad publicity. Try to ensure that compliance does not interfere with the efficient and effective accomplishment of their other responsibilities. This means finding ways to comply with regulatory requirements with as little cost and disruption as possible. For example, many firms have developed manuals, videotapes, and self-administered quizzes, such that employees can study independently at home or at work during off-peak times, and submit their completed quizzes for evaluation and verification of training completion. Bibliography 1. Baron, J.N. and Kreps, D.M. (1999) ‘Consistent human resourcepractices’,California Management Review, 41(3), pp.29-53. 2. De Cieri, H. and Kramar, R. (2003) Human Resource Management in Australia; strategy, people, performance, McGraw Hill Australia. 3. Dessler, Griffiths and Lloyd-Walker (2004), Human Resource Management, 2nd ed, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W. : Prentice Hall Australia 4. Heneman, H.G, Donald P. Schwab, D.P (eds) (1978), Perspectives on personnel/human resource management, Homewood, Ill : R. D. Irwin, 1978 5. Lansbury, R.D. and M. Baird (2004) ‘Broadening the horizons of HRM: Lessons for Australia from the US experience’ Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 42(2), pp.147-155. 6. Mirabal, N. and De Young, R. (2005) ‘Downsizing as a Strategic Intervention’ Journal of American Academy of Business, 6(1), pp.39-45. 7. Nankervis A., Compton and Baird (2005) Human Resource Management: strategies and processes, 5th ed.,Thomson, Southbank, Victoria Australia 8. Stone, R. J, (2005) Human resource management, Milton, Qld.: John Wiley & Sons Australia, ch 1 9. Travaglione, A. and Marshall, V. (eds) (2000) Human Resource Strategies: An Applied Approach, Irwin/McGraw Hill, Roseville. 10. Todd, T and Crake. A, Human Resource Management 237, lecture notes (2005) 11. Young, S. (2000) ‘Outsourcing: Lessons From the Literature’ Labour and Industry, 10(3), pp.97-118.

Cause Marketing

I chose to research the topic of cause marketing to benefit the nonprofit cancer community, specifically nonprofit cancer survivor camps for children, teens and young adults. These camps have not used this fundraising strategy and I believe they could benefit from it greatly. This research will provide the tools and understanding of how to design a custom program with for-profits which will fit their marketing and business goals, while raising profits for the camp’s operational costs. Introduction to Cause Marketing Cause Marketing is the cooperative efforts of a for-profit business and a non-profit organization for mutual benefit. (Wikapedia) The company puts the power of its brand and marketing behind the nonprofit’s cause to generate profits for both. (Daw, p. 1) The for-profit has the ability to reach consumers the nonprofit would not be able to for donations, while making the for-profit appear more socially responsible to consumers. â€Å"Numerous studies have shown cause-related marketing has helped increase a company’s profits. (Wikapedia) It also raises awareness for the nonprofits cause and reaches more supporters while increasing funding for the cause. â€Å"Today, more and more companies are realizing they can no longer afford to be anonymous benefactors or disengaged citizens. † (Daw, p. 28) In recent years the term has come to describe a wider variety of marketing initiatives based on the cooperative efforts of business and charitable causes. However it is important to differentiate cause marketing from corporate philanthropy or sponsorship, it is in fact an intersection of the two. Sundar, p. 208) The objective of all cause-related marketing programs is sales and a promotional campaign is undertaken to that end. Sponsorship and corporate philanthropy is a fixed amount of money which is negotiated and donated in advance to a nonprofit organization for an event or program. (Sundar, p. 208) In return for sponsorship the nonprofit uses its marketing to promote a companies involvement and support of the cause. For example, the company’s logo will appear on the nonprofits marketing materials for an event. Overview of Findings Studies done by Cone Inc. a marketing communication agency that tracks American attitudes towards corporate support of social issues, have brought cause marketing data into sharp focus. (Sundar, p. 207) In the Cone Corporate Citizenship Study the consumers’ answer to the statement, â€Å"I am likely to switch from one brand to another that is about the same in price and quality, if the other brand is associated with a cause. † has been staggering. In 2001 81% agreed they would switch brands, in 2004 86% would switch and in 2006 89% stated they would switch brands if associated with a cause. Cone Case Studies 2001, 2004, 2006) â€Å"Cone research reports†¦have identified key motivators that are driving changes in the corporate sector: employees, communities, and consumers are all demanding that companies play an active role in building community and demonstrate what they stand for. Cause related shopping is the second and third means of providing charitable gifts for those who planned to give a charitable donation over the holiday season. (Daw, p. 2) In fact the British Business in the Community 21st Century Giving Research showed that 83% of those who participated in a cause initiative said it enabled them to support a charity more that they would have otherwise done. (Daw, p. 32)This is dramatic indicator of consumer attitudes and an important differentiator for product marketing.

How the marriage changed in my culture due to the discovery of oil Essay

How the marriage changed in my culture due to the discovery of oil - Essay Example However, before marrying, he had to find a new residence where he could move with his wife. Looking for a new residence was never an issue 20 years ago when my father got married. My father lived with his parents even after marriage until his family got bigger. The family only moved to a new place more than five years later because my father’s large family could not be accommodated further. Illustration given shows how our culture transformed from a patrilocality residence to neo-locality residence in the Emirates culture. Economic reasons caused the change in the residence in the UAE. Economic soundness in the Emirates culture enabled newly married couples to live independently. Unlike olden days when the UAE culture encouraged traditional businesses such as fishing and livestock farming that were held as family businesses, most of the modern families are currently employed in the oil industry. Traditionally, an extended family could own a particular business collectively but discovery of oil in the region led to foreign labor that saw everyone going for independent job. Family members no longer remained with their families because they would move freely to seek greener pastures without worrying about family business. In a nutshell, oil discovery led to economic growth that eventually provided labor to many young people who no longer cared about their family businesses. Married couples can now move to their chosen areas of residence because funds are available to sustain them. UAE’s oil discovery has seen family status changing from an extended to a nuclear

Hip Hop Japan Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hip Hop Japan Reflection - Essay Example However the female performers had to struggle to make their position since the males had a dominated place in the hip hop music industry. The different rap music pieces created involved issues like the education, sex, victimization of teenagers and terrorism. Condry had done significant research before he could actually write the book (Condry, 50-205). The present study focuses on different topics of linguistic and cultural anthropology that Condry’s research had presented to the public thereby creating a reflection on his studies. 1. Topics of Discussion: A. Race: The term race clearly classifies the human beings into different groups based on their characteristics, demographics, culture and other associated factors. Race is significant in relation to the research conducted by Condry since he reflected the work of the Japanese musicians in association with the racial meanings. According to the writer, the hip hops of Japan have argued on the significance of any differences am ong humans based on races. As there have been â€Å"debates surrounding the appropriation of so-called black style†, the hip hops presenting clear arguments through their work prove to have significance for the society (Condry, 20). The Japanese hip hops were inspired and indulged in â€Å"new cultural politics of affiliation† and the hip hops maintained their â€Å"core values† when they named themselves as the â€Å"yellow b-boys† (Condry, 20). B. Sociolinguistics: Sociolinguistics takes into consideration any effect that the different aspects of the society might have and the different languages having their impacts on a society. This topic has special significance in the Hip Hop Japan story since Condry reflected the use of the Japanese language in the creation of the hip hop music. The language was not expected to prove to be successful in creation of such rap music. Language and identity has been strongly connected by the works of the Japanese hip h op musicians. Condry through his writing focused on the debated raised and argued by the Japanese in regard to the â€Å"English-language and Japanese rock in the late 1960s† (Condry, 21-22). Thus Condry’s research presents a significant association of the story of hip hops in Japan with the topic of sociolinguistics. C. Soft Power: The term soft power would refer to achieving or obtaining something without the use of any hard power or force or exertion. This term has an association with the study of the hip hop Japan conducted by Condry. The success of the hip hops in Japan followed a story of struggle that reflects the soft power of the rap musicians in gaining the audiences â€Å"over time† (Condry, 20). The hip hops of Japan had to make the audiences understand and realize the meaning of ‘hip hop’ before they could actually accept them. Once they overcame that phase, the next stage was to respond to the question â€Å"What makes hip-hop Japanes e?† (Condry, 20-21). Thus there were issues of debate in this context as presented through the writing of Ian Condry. D. Globalization: Globalization strictly declares the relationship between different people, different businesses, and different industry fields spreading across the globe and not staying restricted to a local region. The hip hop Japan written by Condry significantly presents the concept of globalization being a part of the rap musici

Paul and the Law- Paul's view on the Law Research Paper

Paul and the Law- Paul's view on the Law - Research Paper Example The church cannot be denied to have such power as to gather people as a force which can go against the government when the church does not agree with the leadership. Likewise, the government could be a strong force which could dissolve a church. Thus, the two oftentimes have to come up with solutions to bridge the gap and bind their forces to promote good leadership. America once experienced leadership under the government and the church and also witnessed many changes as the state tried to separate itself from the church. In this respect, it is interesting to look into this matter and examine the biblical principles concerning the government, which circumscribe the law and the role of the church or religion. In this paper, the focus will be on the perceptions of one man who was an expert in law—not only the Jewish law but also the Roman law, and at the same time converted to Christianity— Paul the Apostle. The Law As a Right Paul had always been a zealous Jew who, acco rding to the Bible, became a persecutor of the early Christians. In fact, before he was converted to Christianity, he stood approving the demise of Stephen who was stoned to death by people, believing that he was teaching things contrary to Jewish laws (Archeological Study Bible, Acts 7.60). When Paul was arrested after his conversion, he presented himself before Agrippa and confessed how he had been a Pharisee from childhood. He said that he did not simply persecute the followers of Jesus Christ but also imprisoned and killed them. In his argument before the Roman ruler and the Jewish officials, Paul not only presented the circumstances of his conversion but also used his knowledge of the Roman and Jewish laws to show that he was not worthy to be imprisoned. From this, it could be concluded that Paul looked at the law as a God-given mandate which should also be followed even by the great workers of the church, whether it is to their advantage or disadvantage. He presented his case before the appropriate audience whom he believed would be able to do something about his situation, and took advantage of his knowledge of the rules and regulations of the government and the church in order to show his innocence and demand an appropriate action. As a result, he was able to convince Agrippa with his speech about his innocence, so that the latter thought Paul could have been freed if only he had not appealed to Caesar. In addition, when Paul was arrested together with Silas in Philippi because Paul drove out the spirit of divination from a servant girl, he refused to be released without being escorted. Paul argued that he was a Roman citizen who was wrongly imprisoned because he did not undergo the lawful process of being heard. Therefore, since he was put to public shame for being imprisoned, he claimed for his rights as a roman citizen. During his time, Romans were considered a special breed of human beings who had extensive privileges. They were not supposed to be abused or manhandled the way ordinary people were treated (Vos 551–552), just as the imprisonment suffered by Paul. As a Jew turned Christian and as a Roman citizen, Paul did not simply let go of the circumstances and play his part passively. Rather, he took advantage of

Reversing Heart Disease by Dr. Dean Ornish Article

Reversing Heart Disease by Dr. Dean Ornish - Article Example Low calories slow metabolic rates which makes it difficult to lose weight. In Reversal diet, fewer calorie consumption increases instead of decreasing metabolic rates. Thus, consuming lot of fat gives us a quintuple whammy (Ornish, 250). Reversal diet allows egg white which has high protein. Other than this, protein consumption remains low since animal products are not allowed (Ornish, 247,252). Blood cholesterol comes from animal products like meats, poultry, fish and dairy. Moreover, saturated fat found in animal products is also converted into cholesterol by the liver (Ornish, 254). Dr. Stamler and his colleagues have found out that people with cholesterol levels higher than 180 have increased the risk of heart disease. He has concluded that range of safe cholesterol levels is very small (Ornish, 255). An average person consumes 40 to 50 percent of their calories as fat. The ideal amount that should be consumed is less than 10 percent of calories as fat (Ornish, 246). Saturated fat increases our blood cholesterol level unlike polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat (Ornish, 256). Hydrogenation is the manner by which fat is made more saturated. Therefore, there is more saturated fat in moderately hydrogenated oil (Ornish, 257). Epidemiological research tells us high cholesterol and saturated fat increase blood cholesterol level leading to higher risk of coronary heart disease (Ornish, 258). HDL is considered as â€Å"good cholesterol† while LDL as â€Å"bad cholesterol†. People practicing American diet have the same risk of coronary heart disease.

Rehabilitation Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Rehabilitation Plan - Research Paper Example Leaders from different origin should come together and discuss to the public the importance of encouraging physical education among the youths as a tool for the advancement of economic, societal and personal health condition to an individual. Leaders need to improve the level of development and improve the relationship between the people in charge. Committed leaders also take into consideration the process of engaging with other stakeholders to discuss together major issues that need to be improved within their locality in a significant manner. On the other hand, leaders and their representatives need to conduct significant meetings within their communities due to the fact that they understand best their cultures and need to act as mediators to their subjects (SDCMHC, 2010). Committed leaders are always after stress free state to all members of the society. Mental health can be improved by the involvement in constructive activities that can be organized by leaders. Community leaders, however, need to organize good strategies for improving the ethnicity and cultural range by building, strengthening, developing and problem solving amongst members of the community. Through maintaining all these factors by a leader, both the youths and the adults will get an opportunity to improve their psychological nature of thinking and improvement of physical health by organizing tournaments for rehabilitation purposes. Both the CS4L and SDCMHC agreed that all should provide respect, training, development, employment opportunities and cultural competence to ensure positive production at all levels with regardless of color, race, origin, religion, sex, marital status, political differences and disability among others to foster rehabilitation processes within and between the members of the society (SDCMHC, 2010). Key leaders should be well conversant with the cultures of the community involved

Person who made substantial contributes to or signifcantly employed Essay

Person who made substantial contributes to or signifcantly employed economic principles - Essay Example Mises’ relentless accounts of economic phenomena all led to a singular conclusion—a recurring theme throughout his greatest treatises that â€Å"the only viable economic policy for the human race was a policy of unrestricted laissez-faire†¦ with government strictly limited to the defense of person and property within its territorial area† (Rothbard). In the face of growing tides of statism and collectivism running through economic philosophies of his contemporaries in the first quarter of the 20th century, Mises remained resolute in his insistence upon a free, uninhibited marketplace. But aside from his heterodox views, Mises made significant contributions to economics as a universal discipline, among which are the three (a monetary theory of the trade cycle, a priori epistemology, and the impossibility of rational economic calculation in a socialist economy) to be discussed here. The first of these contributions was, of course, his monetary theory of the trade cycle. By this theory, introduced in The Theory of Money and Credit, he states that â€Å"whatever constitutes money in a market must originally have derived its value from a non-monetary use† (North, 2001). This theory is a so-called â€Å"regression theory† in the sense that it makes a statement about the beginnings of money’s use in society. Mises’ theory of money formed the basis of F. A. Hayek’s 1974 Nobel Prize, â€Å"awarded for†¦ pioneering work in the theory of money and economic fluctuations and for†¦ penetrating analysis of the interdependence of economic, social and institutional phenomena† (Machlup, 2003, p. xv). A piece of this Misean theory of money is the observation that money is not pursued for its own sake, but rather in pursuance of purchasing other goods, and business cycles are the inevitable result of unbacked expansions of cred it. Because, as the theory goes, money is not an

Brand management Essay Example for Free

Brand management Essay 1) What is the product mix of Trung Nguyen? What are the key attributes of its coffee? How do these attributes help Trung Nguyen to differentiate itself from its competitors? The product mix refers to the total composite of products offered by Trung Nguyen coffee. It consists of different product lines, various product items in each product line and within each item is the product depth. Firstly, the product line is a group of product or service items that are closely related because they are sold to the same consumer groups, are marketed through the same types of outlets, have similar usage or fall within given price ranges. Thus, Trung Nguyen Coffee’s product lines are: Trung Nguyen Coffee, Passiona Coffee and G7 Instant Coffee. The Passiona Coffee targets at consumers looking for low-caffeine coffee and especially women, while the G7 Instant coffees are made for people who are too busy to brew a cup of coffee themselves. Trung Nguyen Coffee has 3 different product items, namely Creative Coffee, Blend Coffee and Espresso Coffee. Passiona Coffee consists of 2 product item, Passiona roasted coffee and Instant Passiona coffee. As for the G7 Instant Coffees, the product items are G7 Pure soluble, G7 Cappuccino and G7 Instant 3-in-1 coffee. Lastly, product depth is the number of variants in a product item. Trung Nguyen’s product depth of Creative coffee includes the Weasel Coffee and Legendee Coffee. Also, some variations of G7 Cappuccino are the Mocha G7 cappuccino and Hazelnut G7 cappuccino. Different sizes of coffees are considered as product depth as well. For example, the G7 Instant 3-in-1 coffee is sold in 3 different sizes: a box of 18 cafe sticks, a bag of 22 sachets or a bulk pack bag of 100 sachets. Table1: Summary of product mix of Trung Nguyen | Product lines| | Trung Nguyen Coffee| Passiona Coffee| G7 Instant Coffee| Product items| -Blend coffee-Espresso coffee-Creative coffee Product depth: Weasel coffeeLegendee coffee| -Passiona roasted coffee-Passiona instant coffee| -G7 Pure soluble-G7 cappuccinoProduct depth:Mocha G7 cappuccinoHazelnut G7 cappuccino-G7 instant 3-in-1Product depth:box of 18 cafe sticksbag of 22 sachetsbulk pack bag of 100 sachets| Key attributes refer to the most important characteristics of a product. Trung Nguyen makes its point of difference through its key attributes like using the best coffee beans, unique brewing style and the new coffee concept. Trung Nguyen has a unique selling point because some coffees offered cannot be found anywhere else. Its coffees are authentically Vietnamese. For example, the Weasel coffee is produced based on the legend in Vietnam. To differentiate itself from its competitors, these key attributes must communicate benefits for consumers. The coffee offered by Trung Nguyen is of a higher quality compared to other coffee brands because they use the best coffee beans sourced from four of the world’s best coffee-growing regions. In addition, Trung Nguyen is awarded with the EureGAP certificate for its good agricultural practices such as having consistently good quality coffee beans and using environmentally friendly technologies. Coupled with their oriental secrets, consumers would prefer Trung Nguyen because their coffee is brewed much more aromatic and rich. Trung Nguyen used their new concept of coffee to set up a â€Å"Creative Coffee House† in order to differentiate itself and gain market share. It is now well-known for the innovative clubhouse whereby customers can enjoy coffee in a beautiful and sentimental ambience while experiencing Vietnamese cultural events and exhibitions. For consumers who value such innovative product services, they will choose Trung Nguyen’s coffee over the other â€Å"grab a coffee to go† coffee styles. 2) What are the roles of branding? What are the benefits of branding to sellers and buyers in the coffee market. The role of branding is to create an identity for the product. The identity created can have some personalities and can gain brand equity. Benefits of branding Some benefits of branding for sellers of the Trung Nguyen coffee are that they are able to accentuate the bases of differentiation from its competitors due to its distinct identity. They can obtain legal protection like trademarks to avoid copycats of their brand. The counterfeit products are capable of stealing Trung Nguyen’s sales when consumers are unsure of how the real packaging of coffee looks like. There is also a chance for the counterfeit coffee to ruin Trung Nguyen’s reputation. Consumers who bought the counterfeit coffee by mistake may view Trung Nguyen to be of a lousier quality instead. All this would be effectively prevented by branding because counterfeiting is an offense. Brand equity is created by branding and careful marketing. Trung Nguyen can in turn earn higher profits as consumers are willing to pay a higher price for this particular brand of coffee. Also, brand equity can lead to higher economic value of the brand, whereby it becomes an asset for Trung Nguyen when it wishes to sell its brand. Last but not least, Trung Nguyen can achieve brand loyalty through creating preferences towards their brand. If Trung Nguyen coffee is able to sustain a consistently good quality coffee product, consumers would remember the brand, spread the word around and continually purchase its coffee. On the buyers end, they may reap the most benefits from Trung Nguyen’s branding. Coffee is a convenience product and it is important to make it easy to find. Consumers will be able to correctly identify the products in a short period of time due to Trung Nguyen’s branding thus becoming more efficient shoppers. Furthermore, consumers may gain assurance of product quality and performance. Employees need to ensure products offered are of consistently good quality and so are specially trained to deliver this promise. Consumers will remain loyal to Trung Nguyen coffee because they are satisfied with this brand and have no need to search for another. 3) What constitutes the brand identity of Trung Nguyen? What is your evaluation of this identity? How can the brand identity be improved? Brand identity is the noticeable elements of a brand and also what the organization wants consumers to perceive the brand as. It constitutes of â€Å"Trung Nguyen† as its name, the logo and its tagline â€Å"Explore creative inspiration† A successful brand name should reflect the personality and values of the brand, be simple, memorable, positive and emotional. A logo is the image that embodies an organization. It is one of the most prominent branding elements that consumers will think of when someone mentions the company. A good brand logo should be memorable, futuristic and consistent and be able to portray the benefits to its target audience. The tagline must be simple and easy to remember. It also needs to remain short since the tagline is always incorporated into many marketing pieces. Evaluation of brand name: Consumers associate Trung Nguyen to â€Å"Central highlands† which refers to Dak Lak, the county capital of coffee where green coffee is grown. This gives an advantageous association between Trung Nguyen and high quality and fresh coffee beans. Also, the brand name represents the uniqueness and richness of the Vietnamese culture. However, the name Trung Nguyen does not hold any meaning for non-Vietnamese. This may alienate consumers from other parts of the world. Another bad point could be that its name is hard to pronounce for non- Vietnamese consumers. Possible improvements: Because the company’s name has been around since 1996 when it was founded, it cannot be changed otherwise the company has to build up brand awareness from scratch all over again. Thus, the company should work hard in educating people and let them understand the positive association between Trung Nguyen and â€Å"Central highlands†. For example, they could use their existing Internet website and include this under the â€Å"learn more† option. People visiting the website can then learn about the association and slowly adopt Trung Nguyen as their favourite coffee. Evaluation of logo In my opinion, the logo might be a little small and insignificant. Psychological influences such as selective exposure and retention affects consumer buying behaviour. For example, the appealing cup of coffee printed on its packaging of Creative coffee may distract the consumers from the brand name. The logo is also unattractive and boring due to the usage of dull and non-contrasting colours. The font used in the logo has little stylistic variations making it rather boring as well. Possible improvements Firstly, the logo should be scaled to a bigger size. Also, the marketing manager of Trung Nguyen can make use of brighter and more contrasting colours to make its logo more outstanding and attention-catching. The font could be changed to something cursive. This can better capture consumer’s attention thus leaving a deeper impression and resulting in better brand memory and recognition. For example Coca Cola, with its logo in a strikingly bright red background and white cursive words, is very successful at making sure that every consumer remembers it. Evaluation of tagline: Trung Nguyen’s tagline â€Å"Explore creative inspiration† consists of only 3 simple words hence should be relatively easy for everyone to remember. However, Trung Nguyen tagline is still quite foreign to people across the globe as they do not use much above-the-line marketing. Possible improvements Through the print media and mass media, Trung Nguyen can improve this aspect of its brand identity. The marketing manager could set up a Facebook page and make it known to people. Maintaining a Facebook page is relatively low-cost as compared to constant TV advertisements. Because millions of people are using Facebook, it is very effective for Trung Nguyen to get their brand identity across. Another point of improvement also through the mass media is through its online website. Perhaps the tagline can be added in the â€Å"history of Trung Nguyen† tab as it is currently not. On top of that, they can make use of emotional branding to elicit a favourable emotional response. Adding emotional words like â€Å"Happy†, â€Å"Healthy† and â€Å"Beautiful† could boost sales of their coffee. As consumers become increasingly aware of health and beauty these days, Trung Nguyen can market more of their Passiona coffee which is enriched with collagen, vitamin PP and other rare oriental herbs through its tagline. 4) What is the branding strategy of Trung Nguyen? What are the advantages and risks of this branding strategy? Trung Nguyen uses an umbrella branding strategy. Different types of coffees have a sub-brand which combines the corporate brand with a new brand. Trung Nguyen’s Passiona Roasted coffee and Trung Nguyen’s Espresso coffee are 2 examples. Advantages of umbrella branding: Capitalizing on the existing brand equity of Trung Nguyen, it can sell newly introduced products quickly. Consumers who have had a good experience with its coffee will transfer this favourable attitude to new items. For instance, Trung Nguyen’s Creative coffee may have been developed earlier than Passiona coffee. Consumers who liked Creative coffee would have a higher chance of buying the Passiona coffee because they are under the same brand and so would also be of an equally good quality. Furthermore, the Passiona coffee can be set at a higher price as consumers are willing to pay more for brand value. This can bring about additional profits for Trung Nguyen. Another advantage of using an umbrella brand is a lower advertising and promotion costs. Trung Nguyen only needs to come up with a single advertisement because its coffees share one identity. Also, because Trung Nguyen is used on all of the products, level of brand awareness is easy to raise. To name an example of a successful sub-branding strategy, Gatorade has developed and introduced Gatorade Frost, Gatorade G2, Gatorade energy bar, etc into the market and stayed popular being the leading sports drink brand in many countries. Risks of umbrella branding: In every marketing strategy there is bound to be a down side. Some risks of umbrella branding are that the failure of one type of coffee may affect the sales of the whole Trung Nguyen branded products. It is inadvisable to put all the eggs into one basket. For instance, if the production G7 Mocha had some discrepancy that caused the coffee to be too sweet, consumers may feel that the rest of Trung Nguyen packet instant coffees are as sweet and so switch over to Nescafe coffee instead. Secondly, sales of one product item may come at the expense of other items offered in the same product line. Lastly, the meaning of Trung Nguyen may also be diluted with an umbrella branding strategy. Apart from coffee, Trung Nguyen also has other product such as Green Tea, Oolong tea, etc. However, Trung Nguyen refers to Dak Lak, the county capital of coffee and so offering tea as an alternative beverage is not so relevant to the brand name.

IKEA Background and Analysis

IKEA Background and Analysis IKEA began operating in Sweden in 1943. The founder of IKEA is Ingvar Kamprad who is from Sweden. The previous CEO of IKEA is Mikael Ohlsson, replaced by Peter Agnefjall in 2013. IKEA is a private limited company that own by an organization controlled by Kamprad family. IKEA is an international home furnishing retailer that sells good quality design in low price furniture, bathroom, kitchen and accessories around the world. Originally IKEA only sold wallet, pens, watch, picture frame and jewelry. IKEA has grown to be largest global furniture retailers. IKEA is cooperating with more than 1,500 suppliers around the world, which is around 50 countries in designing their own furniture. IKEA trade internationally which have 341 stores in 38 countries. (Germany, United stated, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Canada, Russia, China and others) The mission of IKEA is Offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. ÂÂ  The vision of IKEA is to create a better everyday life for the many people. Our business idea supports this vision by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them The objective is to produce affordable price of product for the customer who cannot afford to buy expensive product. Ensure the customer found what they are looking for in the store at a low price. B) An analysis of how the culture is transmitted to the employees. IKEAs employees are the most valuable resources in the organization. When employees are productive, it will help increase the growth rate. IKEA is dedicated in becoming an excellent employer for thousands of employees around the world. IKEA offers a safe and healthy environment as well as advancement opportunity for every single one of its employees. IKEA contains human rights and respect for each employee and they work in a living and strong company culture. Employees value teamwork, modesty, ease, cost-awareness and rational. They are always ready to learn and improve. IKEA encourage employees to question accepted solutions, test new ideas and see mistake as a way to grow and develop. IKEA uses VOICE (a company-wide survey) to monitor how the employees opinion on various aspects of their employment at IKEA. Every year, IKEA will ask employees to fill in the survey to inquire their dissatisfaction and what kind of motivation do they need. Based on the results from the survey can help to define areas to improve at IKEA. The IKEA Leadership Index quantifies how employees look into their managements. IKEA continue to provide a safe and healthy working environment for all their employees because the safety of employees and customers is always a main priority at IKEA therefore employees should have an adequate training before they have access to the safety gear and equipments. All employees within the retailer and distribution must undertake safety training prior to work at IKEA. Therefore, each IKEA outlet must have a risk manager who is responsible for local safety routines based on the IKEA Group Risk Manual. IKEAs employees business travels are provided with latest travel-risk information and a 24 hour global emergency service. IKEA builds strong relationships with employees to make them feel that they belong in their workplace. Well-functioning internal communication is a process which helps the employees ability to perform their tasks, to learn and develop effective leadership. Every manager has the responsibility to ensure their employees have the ability and tools to receive and understand the information given. Managers in IKEA receive support from tools and specialists available as part of the basic leadership training programmed. The IKEA Intranet consists of multi-channel such as newsletters, easily accessible notice boards and plasma screens, regular meetings and closed-circuit radio. IKEA has a web-enabled service that allows the employer to connect with employees from different countries with limited access to receive news and information about various IKEA activities. Employees in different ages or different stages in their lives might have different abilities and demand. Therefore, IKEA provide a fair working hour, responsibility, to every employee according to demographics. C) Discuss on how external and internal environment influences the organizational culture. Economical IKEA have the low cost of production therefore the price of the product is reasonable. Mainly is because the product is made in China. IKEA have better expansion to other market because IKEA have long term brand name recognize globally. Technology IKEA use the innovation of technology and systems in order to shorten the queues, tracking and scheduling the product. IKEA using environment friendly product as a potential for innovation of technologic IKEA inventor new technology that can shorten the queues that can save time The IT department will keep updating the catalogue to the website of IKEA in order easier for customer to get the latest information about the product. IKEA provide online shopping for the customer to make order directly. Customers just place a product to add to cart. By using this way it enables customers and staff saves the time. Rivalry within the industry In Malaysia there is handful of competitor in the furniture industry. Besides that, there are many of retailers in the market. There are Tesco, The court and Carrefour. On top of this many retailers some are import from China and India. Therefore they can sell at lower price in the market. This shows that the competition of the competitor in this industry is pretty high. Bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers in IKEA is low. IKEA has good relationship with suppliers around the world and most of them are from China which consist of 1380 suppliers in 54 countries IKEA has its own manufacturing company like Swedwood Manufacturer. Therefore it is clear that IKEA can threats the suppliers to enter into their business. Bargaining power of buyers Customers like to compare the price among the retailers. Therefore price war will happen against each other. Customer direct purchase from China also involved in the direct competition market. So the consumers have many alternatives. Bargaining power of buyer is high. Because they got many choices which manufacturers they can buy from. Threats of new entrants There are no entry barriers in the industry. But the strength of competition may repulse the potential entrants. Because they have recognize their brand name globally. Retailers only can operate a small business, they do not have enough capital besides that they lack of good relationships with the supplies, and therefore they do not have the strength to compete with IKEA. Therefore the threat of new entrant is high, if competitors want toÂÂ  invest a lot in their business for a long term. Threats of substitutes As the styles are changing according to trends. The industry move from wood to plywood, plastics even iron. As the market is becoming more concerned about environment friendly therefore many firms are practice for go green. As the basic functional demand of customers have remain the same.ÂÂ  Therefore there are no threats of substitutes. Internal environment: Training Giving employee 2 weeks of training before start work. Training is being conducted by senior manager and learning and development trainers from IKEA stores across the country. Incentive and benefits Full time employees are given full medical and dental insurance (include spouse and family members.) Paid maternity or paternity leave Employees are entitle to a discount on purchase in IKEA Salary IKEA abolish junior pay rate and introduce a new pay structure whereby ensuring one rate of pay each position regardless time with IKEA or age. Human Resources IKEA recruit employee through interview HR does the recruitment and training for the advantage of IKEA. HR is held responsible to maintain and reinforce the culture in IKEA. IKEA employees come from different background that is being shared to develop and transform their vision into a reality. HR needs to ensure that employees and managers are capable of working together towards attracting, expanding, and stimulating a pleasurable work experience. Change in Leadership Style Transformational leadership which include 4 elements. /democratic and paternalistic style. /autocratic leadership style Intellectual stimulation Inspirational motivation Individualize consideration Idealize influence Internal management IKEA practice informal management style. IKEA have to adapt their business style according to the countries culture. Performance appraisal This is the process whereby the employer evaluates the employee based on their job performance during a specified amount of time. Employee that achieves a good performance shall be rewarded accordingly. IKEA practices VOICE and leadership index too