Reducing Mental Health Stigma - 1854 Words

Reducing Mental Health Stigma As a member of college society, what are you doing to prevent mental health stigma? We live in the world where it is a great deal to be accepted by others and get approved, and college is the place where most students rush to get this acceptance. It is a beginning of independence and new experiences for students. Most students leave their house and start the first step of building a whole new future; no parents are there to tell them what is right and what is wrong, what should be done and when it should be done. Students start to become responsible and make better decisions for themselves. This change in part of life comes along with a lot of negative consequences. Like educational stress, part-time jobs, and additional accountability and responsibility of students in making decisions what the society believes is the best. These relatively new changes in life cause a lot of students to suffer mental illnesses such as depressions, anxieties, different disorders, and stresses. Even though having a mental illness is a big problem for college students the stigma they experience from the college community causes a big psychological and physical damage, directly and indirectly. Directly it affects their social interactions and involvement in the community, and indirectly it affects their self-esteem. While we expect stigma to be less among the educated and young generation, it turns out that mental health stigma is more common and frequent amongShow MoreRelatedReducing Mental Health Stigmas1195 Words   |  5 PagesReducing Mental Health Stigmas According to the National Alliance of Mental Health, 1 in 5 adults in the United States of America experience mental illness in a given year (NAMI, 2017). Out of those adults, not all will seek out mental health services. If there are services in the community being offered, why are the services not utilized more often by these individuals? There may be many barriers that preventRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness1602 Words   |  7 Pages21st centuries have seeked to improve care and reduce stigma around those with mental illness. This began in 1942, when Harry Truman signed the National Mental Health Act, which requested the formation of a National Institute of Mental Health. Shortly after this, in 1949, the National Institute of Mental Health was established (â€Å"National Institute of Mental Health†). During the company’s 60 year lifespan they have focused on research about mental illness, educating the public, and improving the livesRead MorePostnatal Depres sion ( Pnd ) Essay1295 Words   |  6 PagesPostnatal depression (PND) is an isolating and debilitating mental health disorder that effects an estimated 13-15% of new mothers within one year post-delivery (CDC, 2008; Gaynes et al., 2005). PND can be experienced as a vast array of symptoms such as anhedonia, excessive crying, mixed anxious mood, sleep disturbance, and even suicidality (Kantrowitz-Gordon, 2013). Further, mothers with PND typically report difficulty bonding with their infant and a reduced ability to express love and warmth (LetourneauRead MoreThe Stigma of Mental Illness1656 Words   |  7 Pagesclinical diagnosis might exacerbate the stigma of mental illness. In Corrigan’s study clinical diagnosis adds groupness for the collection of people with mental illness which worsens the level of prejudice (Corrigan 34). Corrigan states that this ultimately leads to overgeneralization, as there is an assumption that all individuals diagnosed with the same mental disord ers behave the same way (Corrigan 34). According to Corrigan the stereotypic description of mental illness perceives to the public thatRead MoreEffects Of Stigma Toward Mental Illnesses1711 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Mental illness is one of the most stigmatized medical conditions in society. People diagnosed with mental illnesses experience a difficult social life, where most of the community members harbor prejudicial attitudes toward them. Undoubtedly, having a mental illness profoundly affects how an individual interacts with the rest of the community in various issues. More often than not, the social consequences of mental disorders are negative since persons with the illness are naturallyRead MoreTragedy of Tormented Teenagers: Mental Illness Hits One in Four1429 Words   |  6 PagesMany young Australians suffer from mental illness and are exposed to serious risk of harm. It is found that more than one in four teenagers suffer a mental illness and most are not identified or treated (Mcdougall, 2013). Mental illness is the largest risk factor that causes suicidal behaviour and serious psychological distress in young people (Australian Government, 2013). According to Mcdougall (2013), the l ife expectancy for people with mental illness is 15 to 20 year lower than other AustraliansRead MoreMental Illness And Its Effects1095 Words   |  5 Pagesare affected by mental illness are violent or unpredictable. Now, this opinion is not entirely erroneous, but it does create an extremely one-sided and unfair outlook for those suffering from a mental illness. Those who negatively stigmatize mental illness cause an immense harm. Stigma is a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. If people today would talk about mental illness more, that communication could lead those suffering from mental illness to feel asRead MoreThe Stigma Associated With Mental Health1641 Words   |  7 PagesMost people with mental health illness feels diminished, devalued, and fearful because of the prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory behaviours that society held towards them. The stigma associated with mental health illness often marginalized and disenfranch ises the affected individuals and families in the society, which means that they â€Å"may experience discrimination in areas of health care, employment, education, justice, and housing†(1). The feeling of fear to be discriminated against limitedRead MoreAlicia Kate O. Borja. English 27 A. Andre Dominic Peralta.1260 Words   |  6 PagesAlicia Kate O. Borja English 27 A Andre Dominic Peralta Reducing Stigma in Mental Health Conditions Background on Mental Health Mental Health is often used as a representation of mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and others. According to the World Health Organization (2016), mental health is a state of well-being wherein an individual has the capacity to realize his or her own potential, can manage with the normal stresses of life, can work efficientlyRead MoreMental Health And The Media982 Words   |  4 PagesMental Health and the Media Mental illness in general carries an enormous stigma. People have respect for and take seriously physical ailments but when it comes to mental illness there is still immense discrimination. The stigma that comes from having a mental disorder such as, bi-polar depression, schizophrenia, or panic disorder comes with an enormous societal cost and can cause people not to talk about it. They may feel ashamed, embarrassed or fear stigma. Not seeking treatment causes people living

Social Innovation as a Concept Coursework Example

Essays on Social Innovation as a Concept Coursework The paper "Social Innovation as a Concept" is a brilliant example of coursework on marketing. Social innovation is a concept that shows paradigmatic rejection of the technology-based application of innovation as enshrined in the traditional focus. This kind of innovation has transcended beyond boundary limits to inform the development and political policies. This is a shift that enshrines the importance of societal assets and social relations reconfiguration. Social innovation is presented in the literature as a powerful theme in both economic and social science developments and practices enshrining its focal role in socio-political research and practice (MacCallum, et al. 2008). As such, literature has defined it as the use of â€Å"new and creative ideas to generate environmental or societal needs† (Davila, et al. 2006) which point-out an emphatic need on social relations and focus on human needs (MacCallum, et al. 2008). Its success or performance indicators are measured ag ainst a broad range of societal and environmental outcomes.Informed by such a background, this paper will attempt to explore specific social innovations. It will entail a comparative analysis of two innovations seeking to explore the inherent similarities and differences. The resultant benefits and challenges will also be focused upon. The innovations will be presented as case studies. The innovations in this paper’s focus include the emissions trading initiatives and other market-based instruments such as the use of taxation and subsidies. Emissions can be regulated by the use of absolute caps or allowable intensities (Stavins 2004).The emissions trading innovation is as much social innovation as it is environmental and sustainability issues, economic, political and scientific. From a social economics and resources perspective, treating resources as commons shared by a variety of users has a likelihood of overexploitation. This is so in the absence of regulations and rationi ng. As such, the environment, more so the atmosphere, has a likelihood of being excessively polluted prompting a need for a form of control. Emissions trading is an innovation of such a form of rationing. Contrasted to traditional and previously used environment sustainability regulations, emissions trading is an innovation in which the regulating body sets a specific allowable emissions level. As such, this innovation acknowledges that atmospheric emissions are an inevitable environmental issue of concern as long as there is a production that uses energy. It is, therefore, a regulatory innovation that allows emitters of atmospheric pollutants considerable flexibility in planning and implementing how to do emissions regulations (Tietenberg 2006). This flexibility revolves around the alternatives of either making reductions from a combination of various sources in a plant or having reductions from another facility (Tietenberg 2006).

Economy in the century Free Essays

This would eventually spur conflict, but it also proved well for the English. New power was thrust upon the country, and the English were in need of funds, quickly. Luckily, during the dawn of the English empire, a new land (with new economic opportunities) needed colonization. We will write a custom essay sample on Economy in the century or any similar topic only for you Order Now The new world was an expected source of income for citizens of the UK and the Crown itself. From 1550 to 1600, the population of England exploded. This â€Å"surplus population† led to a severe economic depression, partly because of farmers enclosing’ croplands for sheep grazing, which forced many small farmers off of their properties. The depression hit the woolen industry, and thousands of farmers took to the streets and ended up unemployed and penniless. Immigration allowed for a new start, so the potential colonists thought. The practice of primogeniture also contributed to the homeless problem. This allowed for the eldest sons to inherit the entire estate, and it left other sons and daughters without land or money. The idea of new economic flow and land enticed many of these people, as well as a thirst for adventure and religious freedom. The country of England itself was enamored with the idea of the introduction of new crops that they were unable to grow in their own farms. Many small investors also appeared, hoping to liquidate their companies quickly and make profit. However, this didn’t always work. In addition, England expected to benefit in being a â€Å"parent nation† for a new settlement. Eventually, the institution of slavery would also prove profitable. England expected a trade hub to come from these new colonies, and this proved true. A charter was settled, namely the charter of the Virginia Company, and Immigration began. This was a smart choice for King James – a charter was a very low cost for what appeared to only prove beneficial. These new settlements were going to be a source of economic gain. This would eventually prove false (at least, In the beginning) however, In the moment It was very plausible. When the settlers arrived, many didn’t find the lands that they had expected to. Many died, many became Ill, and there was many attacks from local Native American tribes. Most settlers already had passed away from new diseases and malnutrition, especially because the new colonists searched for gold Instead of food. There was a war against the Phaeton tribe, and It left 347 settlers dead, Including the famed John Role. These wars continued and died and eventually, the Photostats fell to disease, disorientation, and disposable. After separate states evolved, trades began. The Columbian exchange proved to be a major part of both the Crown’s and America’s economy. Tobacco, rice, and many other crops flourished and were quickly absorbed by England, and this created a sizeable profit for the country. Therefore, both the Crown and the settlers had expected that America was going to be a profitable endeavor, and to a certain extent, It was. All the settlers were eventually comfortable with the same rights as Englishmen, and the Crown had profited In trade and a healthy decrease from a surplus population. I believe a strong case can be made for the economic ebb and flow of England and the America and hat the new country was an expected source of Income for both colleens and the Crown. PUSH – Economy in the 15th century By Koala-Ann Verona and the Crown itself. From 1 550 to 1600, the population of England exploded. This â€Å"enclosing† croplands for sheep grazing, which forced many small farmers off of their the charter of the Virginia Company, and immigration began. This was a smart choice would eventually prove false (at least, in the beginning) however, in the moment it had expected to. Many died, many became ill, and there was many attacks from local ND malnutrition, especially because the new colonists searched for gold instead of food. There was a war against the Phaeton tribe, and it left 347 settlers dead, including the famed John Role. These wars continued and died and eventually, the Photostats fell to disease, disorientation, and disability. After separate states going to be a profitable endeavor, and to a certain extent, it was. All the settlers were profited in trade and a healthy decrease from a surplus population. I believe a strong that the new country was an expected source of income for both citizens and the How to cite Economy in the century, Papers

Art Work Analysis Essay Example For Students

Art Work Analysis Essay The name of the artwork that I have chosen to analyze is Home, Sweet Home by Winslow Homer. Homer first came to national attention during the Civil War with his accurate, vivid sketches of life at the front. As an artist-reporter he accompanied the Army of the Potomac in the Peninsula campaign in Virginia, observing camp life and some combat. While Homer drew a few traditional military scenes, such as bayonet and cavalry charges, he mostly depicted the utterly unheroic day-to-day activities of ordinary soldiers behind the lines. Homers Civil War drawings and paintings showed not only accurate down-to-earth details of soldiers everyday lives but touched on themes of isolation, morality and natures adversity, which he dealt with in his later art. To this day, these wartime images remain powerful reminders of this nations most tragic conflict. In the extraordinarily richly painted Home Sweet Home (circa 1863), the sky and background resemble a classical landscape with its cloudy blue coloration and small groups of figures in the Background. When I took a closer look and upon further research I found out that, one of the dark figures turns out to be a brass band playing the popular Home Sweet Home tune of the title? In contrast, the foreground is divided off by the light brown of a hanging cloth which merges into the darker browns of the tents and earth the whole scene seeming to concentrate on two soldiers in blue uniforms. As others have observed and stated it is to be perceived listening to the music. Their thoughts Im sure are of distant homes. But Homer subtly subverts that idea. They gaze down on what has now become their home with their army gear outside a small low tent with a single boot sticking out from the dark interior. I like to appreciate the little details that Homer throws in that make it all that much more realistic like the metal pot steaming away on glowing embers, or the two hard biscuits that lie on a metal plate. My feelings about this visual art would best be described as realistically appreciated; I truly feel that Winslow Homer captured the essence of the trying days of soldiers that might not be full of battle or loss. He managed to capture what life was like for them on the good days all while the hints of home sickness and loneliness peered through. I couldnt agree more with the statement made by Paul Mitchell, in an art review about Winslow Homer when he said The vitality, freshness of vision, largeness of form, resonant color harmonies, superb decorative values and the elemental themes underlying his art make Winslow Homers works as alive today as when he created them a century ago. I can certainly relate to this statement especially with the war in Iraq currently, and being a soldier myself.

Battle of the Monongahela in the French and Indian War

Battle of the Monongahela in the French and Indian War The Battle of Monongahela was fought on July 9, 1755, during the French and Indian War (1754-1763) and represented a failed attempt by the British to capture the French post at Fort Duquesne. Leading a slow advance north from Virginia, General Edward Braddock encountered a mixed French and Native American force near his objective. In the resulting engagement, his men struggled with the forest landscape and he fell mortally wounded. After Braddock was hit, the British ranks collapsed and the looming defeat turned into a rout. Fort Duquesne would remain in French hands for four more years. Assembling an Army In the wake of Lieutenant Colonel George Washingtons defeat at Fort Necessity in 1754, the British decided to mount a larger expedition against Fort Duquesne (present-day Pittsburgh, PA) the following year. Led by Braddock, the commander-in-chief of British forces in North America, the operation was to be one of many against French forts on the frontier. Though the most direct route to Fort Duquesne was through Pennsylvania, Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia successfully lobbied to have the expedition depart from his colony. Though Virginia lacked the resources to support the campaign, Dinwiddie desired the military road that would be built by Braddock to pass through his colony as it would benefit his business interests. Arriving at Alexandria, VA in early 1755, Braddock began assembling his army which was centered on the under-strength 44th and 48th Regiments of Foot. Selecting Fort Cumberland, MD as his departure point, Braddocks expedition was beset with administrative issues from the outset. Hampered by a lack of wagons and horses, Braddock required the timely intervention of Benjamin Franklin to supply sufficient numbers of both. Braddocks Expedition After some delay, Braddocks army, numbering around 2,400 regulars and militia, departed Fort Cumberland on May 29. Among those in the column was Washington who had been appointed as an aide-de-camp to Braddock. Following the trail blazed by Washington the year before, the army moved slowly as it needed to widen the road to accommodate the wagons and artillery. After moving around twenty miles and clearing the eastern branch of the Youghiogheny River, Braddock, on Washingtons advice, split the army in two. While Colonel Thomas Dunbar advanced with the wagons, Braddock rushed ahead with around 1,300 men. The First of the Problems Though his flying column was not encumbered with the wagon train, it still moved slowly. As a result, it became plagued by supply and disease problems as it crawled along. As his men moved north, they met light resistance from Native Americans allied with the French. Braddocks defensive arrangements were sound and few men were lost in these engagements. Nearing Fort Duquesne, Braddocks column was required to cross the Monongahela River, march two miles along the east bank, and then re-ford at Fraziers Cabin. Braddock expected both crossing to be contested, and was surprised when no enemy troops appeared. Fording the river at Fraziers Cabin on July 9, Braddock re-formed the army for the final seven-mile push to the fort. Alerted to the British approach, the French planned to ambush Braddocks column as they knew the fort could not withstand the British artillery. Leading a force of around 900 men, most of which were Native American warriors, Captain Lià ©nard de Beaujeu was delayed in departing. As a result, they encountered the British advance guard, led by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gage, before they could set the ambush. Armies Commanders British Major General Edward Braddock1,300 men French Indians Captain Lià ©nard de BeaujeuCaptain Jean-Daniel Dumas891 men The Battle of  Monongahela Opening fire on the approaching French and Native Americans, Gages men killed de Beaujeu in their opening volleys. Attempting to make a stand with his three companies, Gage was soon outflanked as Captain Jean-Daniel Dumas rallied de Beaujeus men and pushed them through the trees. Under heavy pressure and taking casualties, Gage ordered his men to fall back on Braddocks men. Retreating down the trail, they collided with the advancing column and confusion began to reign. Unused to forest fighting, the British attempted to form their lines while the French and Native Americans fired on them from behind cover (Map). As smoke filled the woods, British regulars accidentally fired on friendly militia believing them to be the enemy. Flying around the battlefield, Braddock was able to stiffen his lines as makeshift units began to offer resistance. Believing that his mens superior discipline would carry the day, Braddock continued the fight. After about three hours, Braddock was hit in the chest by bullet. Falling from his horse, he was carried to the rear. With their commander down, British resistance collapsed and they began falling back towards the river. Defeat Becomes a Rout As the British retreated, the Native Americans surged forward. Wielding tomahawks and knives, they caused a panic in the British ranks which turned the retreat into a rout. Gathering what men he could, Washington formed a rear guard which allowed many of the survivors to escape. Re-crossing the river, the beaten British were not pursued as the Native Americans set about looting and scalping the fallen. Aftermath The Battle of the Monongahela cost the British 456 killed and 422 wounded. French and Native American casualties are not known with precision but are speculated to have been around 30 killed and wounded. The survivors of the battle retreated back down the road until reuniting with Dunbars advancing column. On July 13, as the British camped near Great Meadows, not far from the site of Fort Necessity, Braddock succumbed to his wound. Braddock was buried the next day in the middle of the road. The army then marched over the grave to eliminate any trace of it in order to prevent the generals body being recovered by the enemy. Not believing that he could continue the expedition, Dunbar elected to withdraw towards Philadelphia. Fort Duquesne would finally be taken by British forces in 1758, when an expedition led by General John Forbes reached the area. In addition to Washington, the Battle of the Monongahela featured several prominent officers who would later serve in the American Revolution (1775-1783) including Horatio Gates, Charles Lee, and Daniel Morgan.

Medicine And Human Welfare Essays

Medicine And Human Welfare Essays Medicine And Human Welfare Paper Medicine And Human Welfare Paper Maimonides (1135-1204), Jewish philosopher and physician, born in Cordoba, Spain. He was also known as Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, or, from the initials of his name, Rambam. Following the capture of Cordoba in 1148 by the Almohads, who imposed Islam on Christians and Jews alike, Maimonidess family decided to emigrate. After years of wandering they finally settled in Cairo. There Maimonides eventually became the chief rabbi of Cairo and physician to Saladin, sultan of Egypt and Syria. The contributions of Maimonides to the Medicine and human welfare. Humanitarian aid is almost always political. Its governments and organizations with clear political agendas who dispense most humanitarian funds. A close look at foreign aid indicates that the self-interest of the donor rather than altruism usually motivates such programs. The French directed economic aid, primarily to former African colonies, for years in order to further a Francophone community. Meanwhile, European aid programs to the Palestinians are a way to exercise a diplomatic role in a conflict in which most of the shots are called by the Americans. FOREIGN AID is seen as buying influence. While establishing a clear connection between economic dependence and political compliance is problematic, such a link is on the minds of decision makers. Secondly, decisions on financial aid are hardly based on a meticulous comparative analysis of the respective needs of various hard-hit groups around the globe. Aid programs are only minimally related to an objective evaluation of the economic situation of potential recipients. Simply put, it is not the poorest that get the most money. For example, Palestinians receive substantially larger amounts of money per capita than do far more destitute populations in Africa the Sudan, for instance. There are many countries whose populations suffer far more than do the Palestinian Arabs on such key indices as life expectancy and average caloric intake. Thirdly, rendering financial aid strengthens the donor political organizations and states dispensing it. This is precisely why several European states toy with the idea of sending money directly to Mahmoud Abbas, representing the good guys, rather than to Hamas, perceived (for the time being) as the bad guys. The fact that Abbas chaired a corrupt and inept government seems irrelevant. FOURTHLY, there is the CNN effect, which is responsible for eliciting a significant portion of the humanitarian aid provided. Disasters that attract the attention of the media for extended periods are inevitably viewed as good tools for public diplomacy. Such disasters are capitalized upon to announce generous offers of foreign aid (not always fully delivered) in order to enhance national reputations. The Palestinians, now partly under economic siege, have a clear interest in playing up the idea that they face a humanitarian disaster. Its a way to overcome political obstacles and speed up delayed financial contributions. Of course, generous donations (usually from Western states) do not always reach the intended recipients. Some leaders in the less-developed world are ingenious at siphoning aid away from those who truly need it. Many top-ranking Palestinians have enjoyed the fruits of the donors gullibility. Moreover, in war-torn societies it is the guys with the guns who usually end up with the food supplies and other goodies provided by well- intentioned foreigners. Food and medicines sent to the Palestinians will invariably end up in the hands of the armed militias. THE PAVLOVIAN response of sending money to societies unable to put their houses in order must therefore be questioned. Maimonides, the great Jewish scholar of the 11th century, established a clear hierarchy of philanthropic acts. In his view, the most valuable philanthropic deed involves aid directed at enabling the recipient to become economically independent. His insight is validated by the history of humanitarian aid in the past century, which shows that outside economic aid is only as good as the ability of a recipients economy and government to use it prudently and productively. Thus it is not at all clear that sending more money to the dysfunctional Palestinian economy will do any good. After all, millions of euros transferred to the PA since the 1993 Oslo Accords have been squandered and misused. Indeed, the Palestinian arena provides a telling example of an utterly dysfunctional welfare institution, UNRWA, whose stated goal is to set the Palestinian refugees on the road to self-reliance and sustainable human development. The expectation that UNRWA will help the refugees rebuild their lives and stop living on charity remains unfulfilled. Surprisingly, according to the organizations own figures, the number of refugees has grown, from hundreds of thousands in 1948 to over 4 million in 2004. These numbers indicate a colossal failure on part of UNRWA to turn the refugees into self-reliant individuals. We know that welfare can be addictive. In the case of UNRWA, its activities have created a multi-generational dependence. UNRWA has, in fact, become the main tool for not solving the refugee issue. UNRWA has subordinated the welfare of the people it is supposed to be helping to the political needs of Israels enemies by ensuring that the refugees stay addicted to foreign welfare. In the final analysis, humanitarian aid should be dispensed judiciously, while making sure that it does not preserve poverty and dependence. Addiction can be treated in several ways. Cold turkey is one approach, and the Palestinians should be induced to try it. REFRENCES GILBERT MURRAY, W. R. INGE, J. BURNET, SIR T. L. HEATH, D’ARCY W. THOMPSON, CHARLES SINGER, R. W. LIVINGSTON, A. TOYNBEE, A. E. ZIMMERN, PERCY GARDNER, SIR REGINALD BLOMFIELD

The Government Policy and the Fast Food Stores Research Paper

The Government Policy and the Fast Food Stores - Research Paper Example Food served in a fast food restaurant usually cater to what may be regarded as â€Å"meat-sweet-diet† that is often from a limited menu. Almost all foodstuffs offered in fast food restaurants are cooked in advance and kept. Some of such foods are packed in readiness for order and are usually made ready for take away although, seats may be provided for customers who intend to take or eat their food within the premise. The fast food restaurants are part of chain of restaurants or franchise operation that supply standardized ingredients or partially prepared or made foodstuffs and supply to other restaurants through managed and controlled supply chain. The United States citizens have raised concern on the increasing health problems have a result of fast food and junk food offered by the fast food restaurants. The government should not regard fast food and junk foods as the leading cause of some health problems in America especially when dealing with obesity but rather the governm ent should enlighten citizens that such health problems may be due to their own contribution, as well as due to the combination of environmental factors and genetics. Despite the increasing media concern and coverage on obesity and overweight and the health problems that are associated with these two health problems, the citizens are not yet working the real cause. The obesity in the United States is a recent phenomenon, and yet the fast food restaurant started operating as long as 1912 (Christopher 111). However, the public are still forming their opinions of what might be the cause of such ill health problems. Some of The Americans are proposing that taxes should be increased on sugary of snacks with high fat content in order to reduce the escalating cases of obesity. However, this will not be the cure of obesity (Jay 270). American should wake up to the reality that junk and fast foods are just like any other foodstuffs that when consumed irresponsibly, they may lead to ill healt h or health problems like obesity. The current environment that Americans and their children are growing in is already a threat to their health. The lifestyles among the Americans have become boisterous, and nobody wants to be responsible for his or her own health. Instead of the government getting concern with the fast food and junk food, it should introduce and support exercises that are highly opposed by the current generation and their offspring (Teresa 511). Relating to the opinion of many Americans, the attitude towards fast and junk foods determines how belief and attitude affect policy changes that are in support of junk and fast foods. Most the Americans believe that junk food and fast food are the major cause of obesity. However, this may or may not be true. According to one side of argument, the concept of moral failure may be the major cause of obesity in that being obese may be a personal choice (Glanz et al. 31). Despite the fact that obesity affects an individual†™s self-reliance, it may be a true reflection of laziness, lack of self-control, and indiscipline. Therefore, obesity is due to personal irresponsibility that may be justified by discrimination within self as opposed to consumption of fast food (Nicole et al 25). The Understanding that obesity results from individual or personal contribution or lack of individual motivation may render the government policy aimed at regulating fast food

Immigration Reform and Workers Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Immigration Reform and Workers Rights - Essay Example Coupled with the ease of access, it has to be mentioned that the evolution of global connectivity has transformed the Earth into a large and single entity. This helps in a great way in the faster spreading of various kinds of globalized trends. With the emergence of markets in the developed as well as developing economies, the opportunities related to personal growth, development and chances of wealth maximization has become highly skewed to various cities around the world, which has become the hotbed of business activity. As a result, it has become a normal trend for the masses located in various regions around the world with low economic prospects to migrate to regions, cities or even nations which promotes a better opportunity for earning a decent living and a satisfactory lifestyle. II. Problems Talking in regards to the shift of population that is happening to the more developed regions all over the world, it can be said that there are significant challenges that are emerging in various cities in regards to managing the public system as well as overpopulation. Talking on this note, it can be said that the United States, which is a hotbed of economic growth and development is facing a tremendous problem in the recent times in regards to the issues of migration of masses from neighboring countries and regions. Discussing the matter in a more crisp manner, it can be said that the United States is facing a significant problem on the lines of Immigration Reform Issue. The Immigration Issue of US has widespread effects on the businesses, government as well as individuals living in the American society. A. The emergence of the problem: It can be said that the present crisis in regards to immigration problems in the US, has a significant association with the nation’s political past. Immigration reform was a major issue in the year 200 as the US economy was growing and the unemployment rate was low. The push coming from Immigration supporting group along wit h the existence of loopholes in the immigration law resulted in the process of emergence of a temporary solution. With the change of economic scenario of the nation in the recent times, the temporary solution has snowballed into a major crisis [1]. B. Problem Associated with Immigration Reform: It has to be said that there are critical problems that are associated with the root of immigration reforms. It has to be said that large majority of the immigrant population are illegal and poor immigrants with scanty education. If the reform is being passed on the favor of providing nationality, serious issues might be faced by the nation because of the inability of the migrant population to commute in English, as well as their ability to pay taxes [2]. C. Abuse by employers: Given the demographic background of the migrating population, it has to be said that the American employers provide random visa programs to generate their own benefits. This results in abuse of the migrant working popu lation which further triggers the need for an immigration reform [3]. III. Proposed Solution It has to be said that a solution to the immigration problem is very necessary. However, while designing the solution, the issues of visa abuse as well as the problems of migration reforms need to be addressed properly so as to prevent further bouncing of the same issues in the near future.  

Innovation,, Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Innovation,, - Assignment Example These computer-related programmes make it easier to ask ‘what if’ questions, make any technical changes or to add enhanced features to any existing design, with alterations in manufacturing made easy using visualisation and graphics (Lieu & Sorby, 2009). If consumer safety advocacy groups can be enticed to ask for this new technology, then government agencies tasked with road safety will be interested and call for early adoption. Other factors can significantly impact the adoption of this new proposed technology, such as the availability of research funding and the eventual equity funding to have a start-up firm. The adoption of air bags took thirty years from initial patent application to making it a standard safety feature today (Pressler, 1998). A special steering wheel will cost about US$25 and the heart-rate monitor will cost an additional US$50 (depending on the brand and model), so the two important devices will total approximately US$75 to produce or manufacture. The car alarm rigged to the heart-rate monitor will cost an additional US$25, a microcontroller will cost about US$100 and the GPS device will cost around US$100, so these four important devices (steering wheel with heart-rate monitor, microcontroller, car alarm, and GPS device) will cost a total of US$300, with another US$100 for direct labor costs for the installation. The entire device will substantially go down over time when expertise is acquired in making it, called the learning curve in economics (Jaber, 2011). A positive thing about this new technology is an expected reduction in car or motor vehicle accidents caused by drowsiness (sleepiness), sudden heart attacks or drunken driving (as a breath analyser will be incorporated into the device). People who suffer from hypertension will also be benefitting from this new device. In addition, older people who still want to drive will be safeguarded by the heart-rate monitor, which will serve as a health warning device for any ch anges in their heartbeat or blood pressure. Driving while sleepy is a very dangerous condition, but most drivers usually just ignore this sign because they think (erroneously) that they can still manage to drive safely while in truth, their reflexes slow down and judgment is impaired. There are many ways to avoid such accidents, but the only effective countermeasure against this is to stop driving (Surani & Subramanian, 2011). So, the heart-rate monitor is a preemptive device intended to proactively prevent accidents despite the judgment of people it is safe to drive when, in fact, they are putting themselves in harm’s way and commit errors posing them at risk. The foremost drawback of this new device is the cost because it will definitely add a significant premium to the total purchase price of a vehicle. It is worth noting this had been the same argument put up by people who oppose adding new features or resist adopting a new technology (Postman, 2011), but people have seen the wisdom of using safety features included in a vehicle in order to enhance driver and passenger safety. This is a common initial objection to the proposal (back then) of installing air bags on all vehicles, in which air bags were first offered as just options but later were made required standard features. It is reasonable to expect the same objection to the heart-rate monitor, and the maker of this device will have to undertake a serious marketing campaign to

Course : Thematic Independent Study

Course : Thematic Independent Study Topic : Strategic planning Essay 1 question : How does strategic planning create a competitive advantage for an organisation? Name : Tamryn du Preez Supervisor : Kunofiwa Tsaurau Due Date : 18 October 2010 Words : 4 160 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction. pg 4 Definition of strategic planning.. pg 4-5 Preparation for strategic planning.. pg 5-6 Timing.. Who should be involved? .. Input.. Preparatory work. Planning the agenda/process Strategic planning process pg 6-7 Gathering Information.. Developing mission statement. Setting goals and objectives. Identifying actions and allocating resources. Implementing the plans Monitoring the progress.. Evaluating the progress.. Contributions of Strategic Planning pg 7-9 1.5.1 Financial Benefits. 1.5.2 Nonfinancial Benefits.. Strategic planning techniques pg 10-11 SWOT analysis Scenario Planning.. PEST analysis.. Forecasting Competitors analysis Sensitivity analysis. Strategy planning at different levels.. pg 11-12 Corporate level Business Level Operational level Types of strategic planning time horizon.. pg 12-13 Long-term planning.. Intermediate planning.. Short- term planning.. Components of strategic planning pg 13 Strategy and culture Internal and external.. Balanced scorecard perspectives Market focus.. Conclusion pg 14 Referencing and Bibliography. pg 15-16 1.1 INTRODUCTION: Today many organisations face challenges to keep up with the rapid changes in the world. These changes are taking place mainly because of technology, which creates and leads to a faster contact between people, economic markets, governments and larger organisations. This advancement pace of technology does bring in its benefits and its disadvantages. Therefore it is vital that organisations always remain aware of the changes in their environment and adapt accordingly in order to remain competitive and to distinguish it from the competitors by creating a competitive advantage. This study reviews the literature of strategic planning in order to gain insight on how an organisation can lead to a competitive advantage. In order to gain a thorough understanding of the topic the study will identify how strategic planning will help a management team understand exactly what strategic planning is, how to plan strategically and how to ensure that strategic planning is implemented in your organisation. The importance of this topic is to identify how strategic planning is important not only for the survival or growth of an organisation but also on how it can help the organisation lead to having a competitive advantage over the competitors that choose not to follow a process for strategic planning. The strategic planning process is a step by step course set in place in order to help guide the organisation in been successful. This review also clearly identifies how strategic planning contributes to the success of an organisation and how it can be seen as a competitive advantage. It provides a deeper understanding of strategic planning techniques that are used to help managers make the best possible decisions with information that is available to the company. LITERATURE REVIEW This is the main body of the essay and it reviews all the academic literature related to the subject of strategic planning. The aim is to review the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings as well as theoretical and methodological contributions of strategic planning. 1.2 Definition of strategic planning: Strategic planning is an organisations process of defining their strategy or their direction, and making decisions on allocating resources in order to pursue the strategy, this includes capital and people (Bradford R.W and Duncan JP, 2009). Different business analysis techniques can be used in strategic planning. Strategic planning is the formal consideration of an organisation future course (Bradford R.W and Duncan JP, 2009). Strategic planning is a sets out the overall direction for the business, is broad in scope and it covers all the major activities within an organisation (Boddy D, 1988). According to Shapiro J, 1996, strategic planning is the overall planning that facilitates a good management Process. According to Geyer Y, 2006, strategic planning is a process that an organisation follows that is disciplined and thorough. Geyer Y, 2006, indicated that strategic planning takes note of the internal dynamics of an organisation and the external dynamics of the world. Strategic planning analyses whether the organisation is effective in its objectives and goal (Shapiro J, 1996). According to Shapiro J,1996 strategic planning establishes whether the organisation needs to change its direction in order to fulfil is purpose or create a competitive advantage. McNamara C, 2002, added that strategic planning identifies where the organisation wants to be at some point in the near future and identifies how it is going to get there. The strategic part of the planning process continues to adapt to the current changes of the organisation (McNamara C, 2002). Strategic planning is considered to be a comprehensive plan that is designed to connect all of the firms decisions and their activities (McNamara C, 2002). Strategic planning is the ability to make decisions for the future, and is considered to be a systematic assessment of the benefits and costs, and clear rules for decision making (McNamara C, 2002). 1.3 Preparation for Strategic Planning: Authors Shapiro, J. (1996), Ducker P. (1996) and Gibson C.K (1995) proposed how preparation is critical to result in good planning. These authors all concurred that without preparation it is difficult for an organisation to maintain their strategic focus. According to the authors, timing, who should be involved, input, preparatory work, and lastly planning the process should be prepared and this is critically discussed below. 1.3.1 Timing The questions to ask here according to Timing is, When do you need to do a strategic planning process? How often do you need to do a strategic planning process? At what point in an organisational or project cycle do you need to do a strategic planning process? How long should a strategic planning process be? (Shapiro J, 1996). 1.3.2 Who should be involved? The key questions to be asked is who will participate in the strategic planning process and who should facilitate the strategic planning process (Shapiro J, 1996). The management team of the project or organisation needs to be understood by all the staff and board members and they should all be involved in the planning process (Shapiro J, 1996). According to Ducker P, 1996, administrative staff should be involved because they need to understand the organisations issues and problems. 1.3.3 Input According to Shapiro J, 1996, strategic planning process looks at the big picture, it is useful to get external input into the process. It is easy for those involved in the work of the project or organisation to lose sight of the overall picture and to think about the issues from the point of view of our own work only (Shapiro J, 1996). Ducker P, 1996, added that getting someone with a wider view and wider concerns may open doors to new ideas and ways of thinking. 1.3.4 Preparatory work This is a review of an organisations work and of the internal functioning that is needed to be done (Shapiro J, 1996). According to Shapiro J, 1996 the review of the work can be done by an external evaluation before the strategic planning process in order to feed into it. The review of the internal functioning of the organisation can be done by an external review conducted to find the right people that will come with useful information (Shapiro J, 1996). 1.3.5 Planning the process According to Shapiro J, 1996, it is important to know what an organisation wants to achieve and what has to be done to achieve these outcomes. It is also important to know what additional issues need to be dealt with in the time available (Shapiro J, 1996). Preparing for the strategic  planning  process  helps an organisation ensure that when they implement the strategy it is a success (Gibson C.K, 1995). 1.4 Strategic planning process: According to the authors Boddy D, 2005 and Wirth R.A, 2009 the planning process can be viewed as a circular flow of topics and action steps. Boddy D, 2005 mentioned seven steps in the strategic planning process which includes gathering information, developing a mission statement, setting goals and objectives, identifying actions and allocating resources, implementing the plans, monitoring the progress and evaluating. These seven steps are critically discussed below. Figure 1 Strategic planning process Evaluating the progress Gathering Information Develop mission statement Monitoring the process Setting goals and objectives Implementing the plans Identify actions and allocate resources Source: David Boddy, (2005), Third Edition, Management An Introduction, Pearson Education Limited, Europe. 1.4.1 Gathering Information According to Boddy D, 2005, this is any information that an organisation can use to guide their choices in building a strategic plan. The information can be collected internally or externally (Boddy D, 2005). Gathering information can collected as primary information that has not yet been conducted or secondary information, which is data that has already been collected (Boddy D, 2005). 1.4.2 Developing a mission statement According to Boddy D, 2005 this is a broad definition of an organisations operation and scope, it aims to distinguish it from other organisations. A clear plan depends on the ultimate purpose of the task (Boddy D, 2005). By developing a mission statement it is a way of the organisation to express a realistic vision of what the future could be if the plan were to succeed (Boddy D, 2005). 1.4.3 Setting goals and objectives These are set in order to identify the desired outcome for the individuals, groups, and the entire organisations (Boddy D, 2005). According to Boddy D, 2005, the goals and objectives turns the generalities of the mission statements into a specific commitment- what is to be done. Goals and objectives provide a focus for an organisation and it used to measure the actual performances (Boddy D, 2005). 1.4.4 Identifying actions and allocating resources According to Boddy D, 2005 this is the part of the planning process that involves deciding what actions need to be taken in order to achieve the objectives and it identifies who will do them. The fifth step is implementing the plan. This step also includes one to decide on possible actions which are affected by what the firms objectives are (Boddy D, 2005). 1.4.5 Implementing the plans Boddy D, 2005, emphasised that a good plan is not worthwhile until something happens and people implement the plan, by acting to make the plan visible. David Bobby added that planning helps by inducing confidence in a process, leading to high levels of acceptability from those involved. Planning is a necessary part of success, but it is not sufficient if it is not put into action (Boddy D, 2005). 1.4.6 Monitoring the progress and evaluating the result Boddy D, (2005) stated that the final stage in developing a plan is to set up a system that would allow people to monitor the progress towards the goals. Boddy D, 2005, added that managers can evaluate progress by using a programme overview chart. The overview chart gives a snapshot of the progress and indicates the areas where there are issues and it shows the expected completion date (Boddy D, 2005). 1.5 Contributions of Strategic Planning: According to the authors David FR. (2001), Hayes B. (2003), Zuckerman A. (2000), Shrader, C.B. (1993) and Almond K. and Barlow J, (2002) there are principle benefits of strategic planning that helps an organisation formulate better strategies through the use of a more systematic, logical and rational approach to a strategic choice. These authors have mentioned the financial and non financial benefits which are critically discussed below. 1.5.1 Financial benefits of strategic planning According David FR, 2001, strategic planning allows an organisation to be more productive rather than reactive in shaping its own future; it also allows an organisation to initiate and influence activities. Researchers indicate that companies using a strategic planning concept are more profitable and successful than those that do not use the concept. Businesses that are using strategic planning concepts have shown an improvement in their sales, profitabilitys, and in their productivities compared to those firms that are not using a systematic planning activity (David FR, 2001). Firms that use the planning system theory generally exhibit superior long-term financial performances relative to their industry (David FR, 2001) The Strategic planning concept and tools provided that there is a cost effectiveness that yields better interest deposit rates (Hayes B, 2003). According to Bill Hayes, 2003, strategic planning has shown to result in an improved or an increased customer service due to the firm been able to produce high quality performances. This is because the companies using a strategic approach are able to make more informed decisions with good anticipation of short and long-term consequences (Hayes B. 2003). According to Zuckerman A. 2000, strategic planning has helped companies to identify and prioritize their opportunities for financial improvement, mainly revenue-generating plans. This in turn has showed to offer the greatest opportunity for significant long-term benefits (Zuckerman, A, 2000). The relationship between strategic planning and company performance lies at the very heart of the discipline, yet no clear summary statement has been made about the numerous empirical findings dealing with this subject (Shrader, C.B. 1993) 1.5.2 Nonfinancial benefits of strategic planning According to David FR, 2001, strategic planning helps avoid financial demises and it also offers other tangible benefits, such as enhanced awareness to the external threats, improved understanding of the competitors strategies, reduced resistance to change, it shown to provide a clearer understanding of performance-reward relationship, and it increases employee productivity. The strategic planning process also helps with identifying and rationalizing the need for change to all managers (David FR, 2001). According to David FR, 2001 strategic planning has allowed organisations to financially identify what it is they want to accomplish in the long-term. Strategic planning allows the management team to assess future assumptions and alternatives. The management team can look at the company as a whole rather than just been focused on their individual responsibilities. Individuals in the credit union will strive harder to achieve objectives they help set. Strategic planning has helped companies to improved their planning eliminates ambiguity and enhance the teamwork and culture (David FR, 2001). According to the authors Almond K. and Barlow J, 2002, strategic planning has helped increase the ability of management to make decisions that will assure long-term financial institution survival and growth of the firms. Strategic planning has also increased the firms ability to control long-range direction, as it has allowed the board to focus on key strategic issues, as opposed to management problems (Almond K. And Barlow J, 2002). According to Almond K. and Barlow J, 2002, strategic planning serves a variety of purposes in organizations, including to: Clearly define the purpose of the organization and to establish realistic goals and objectives consistent with that mission in a defined time frame within the organizations capacity for implementation. Communicate those goals and objectives to the organizations constituents. Develop a sense of ownership of the plan. It has resulted in the firms using the most effective organizations resources by focusing the resources on the key priorities (Almond K. And Barlow J, 2002). According to David FR, 2001, strategic provided firms with a base from which progress can be measured and establish a mechanism for informed change when needed. Strategic planning also has helped managers to listen to everyones opinions in order to build an agreement about where the organization is going (David FR, 2001). Almond K. And Barlow J, 2002, states that strategic planning has provided a clearer focus for the organization, thereby producing more efficiency and effectiveness. Almond K. And Barlow J, 2002, also mentioned that strategic planning can benefit you company as it can be seen as the glue that keeps the board members together. Strategic planning produces great satisfaction and meaning among planners, especially around a common vision (David FR, 2001). David FR, 2001, also added that firms using strategic planning has indicated results of increases in productivity from increased efficiency and effectiveness, strategic planning also has helped management solves major problems in the organization by been able to address different strategies. According to David FR, 2001, strategic provided at the end of the day allows an organization to be more proactive than reactive in shaping its own future. Historically, the principle benefit of strategic planning has been to help different organizations to formulate better strategies for their business through the use of the more systematic, logical and rational approach to strategic choice (David FR, 2001). 1.6 Strategic Planning Techniques: According to the authors Boddy D. (2005) Bacal R. (2002) and Salem M. Al Ghamdi, (2005) there is a wide range of strategic planning techniques available to gather information for strategic planning. There are six planning techniques identified by these authors and they are the SWOT analysis, scenario planning, PEST factors, competitive analysis, forecasting, and sensitivity analysis. 1.6.1 SWOT Analysis According to Boddy D. (2005) a SWOT Analysis is an analytic tool that is used to help summarise the organisations main strengths and weaknesses that are relative to the external opportunities and threats. Bacal R, 2002 added that it helps identify the external and internal factors in order for the business to know the environment better. Boddy D. 2005 added that managers need to focus only a few trends and events that are likely to be important for the business growth. 1.6.2 Scenario planning Bacal R, 2002 stated that scenario planning is a fancy term for a very logical process the what if process. Boddy D. (2005) added that it is not an attempt to predict the unpredictable but it is a way to consider multiple and equal plausible futures for an organisation. These scenarios are not just based on a hunch; they are logically consistent but different from each other (Boddy D. 2005). 1.6.3 PEST Analysis According to Bacal R, 2002, the PEST analysis is another tool that is similar to the  SWOT analysis, but is more focused on the external environment and the important factors out there that can affect the present and future of a business. The PEST acronym stands for: political, economic, social and technological (Boddy D. 2005). These factors can affect your business either directly or indirectly (Boddy D. 2005). 1.6.4 Competitive Analysis According to Bacal R, 2002 a competitive analysis involves looking at those companies that compete in the same market place as you do. Bobby D. (2005) stated that organisations need to look at the critical aspects of a strategy that must be achieved to secure a competitive advantage. A competitive analysis is really a subset of doing an environmental scan (Bacal R, 2002). 1.6.5 Forecasting According to Boddy D. 2005, forecasting is predicting the future of the business. Forecasting is based on the analysis of past trends such as input prices, sales patterns or demographic characteristics (Boddy D. 2005). All forecasts are based on assumptions and managers can assume the past trends will continue (Bobby D. 2005). According to Boddy D. 2005 forecasts rely on extrapolation of past trends and therefore organisations need to question their inherent assumptions as they interpret the results. 1.6.6 Sensitivity analysis According to Boddy D. (2005) this is a method that is used to test the assumptions of key variables in a plan in order to increase the confidence in the choices a business wants to make. According Bacal R. (2002) sensitivity analysis can be useful to provide recommendations for the decision makers. Sensitivity analysis helps enhance the communication to the decision makers and increases them understand the system (Boddy D. 2005). 1.7 Different levels of strategic planning: According to the authors Burk Wood M. 2004 there are three different levels of strategy namely corporate level at the top, business level is the middle section and lastly operational level which is the lower level. Each level has different responsibilities and goals and this will be critically discusses below (Burk Wood M, 2004). Figure 2 Organisational levels Corporate Level Business Level Operational Level Source: Marian Burk Wood, (2004), Marketing Planning principles into practice, Pearson Education Limited, England. 1.7.1 Corporate level The Corporate Level looks at the companys Vision, goals, philosophy and the culture of the organisation and determines planning accordingly (Burk Wood M, 2004). Corporate strategy refers to the overall strategy for a diversified company (Burk Wood M, 2004).It is concerned with the mix of businesses the company should compete in, and the ways in which strategies of individual units should be coordinated and integrated (Burk Wood M, 2004). 1.7.2 Business level According to Burk Wood M, 2004, strategic planning at this level is concerned with the firms mission, business goals and the firms competencies. Burk Wood M, 2004, added that an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions are used to gain a competitive advantage. This is done by exploiting the core competencies in a specific product market which is done on business level (Burk Wood M, 2004). 1.7.3 Functional level Occasionally, plans will be made at the  functional  level, to allow managers to specialize and to increase managerial accountability (Burk Wood M, 2004). Burk Wood M, 2004 stated that at a functional level managers will be concerned with coordinating manufacturing, marketing, human resources, finances, research and development, and information systems (Burk Wood M, 2004). 1.8 Types of strategic planning: According to Morton L.P, 2009 and Lenehan P.F, 2002, strategic planning is the long-term process that determines the path for business owners to reach their goals. The other two business planning processes are more short term (Linda Morton, 2009). Below the time horizons long term, intermediate term, and short term will be critically discussed. 1.8.1 Long term planning According to Lenehan P.F, 2002, the long-term planning process should strengthen both management and the board of directors. The objective is to have everyone leave the off-site meeting with an understanding of the game plan for the next 5 years, which will be updated at an annual off-site planning meeting (Lenehan P.F, 2002). 1.8.2 Intermediate planning Linda Morton states that Intermediate-term planning  includes strategic objectives and has a time horizon of from one to two years. It outlines how the strategic plan will be pursued (Morton L.P, 2009). In marketing, intermediate plans are most often used for campaigns, with the goals and purpose of the campaign supportive of one of the business long-term goals (Morton L.P, 2009). 1.8.3 Short term planning Short term planning  includes operational objectives for specific departments and individuals and has a time horizon of one year or less (Morton L.P, 2009). A short term plan allocates resources and outlines objectives to meet the intermediate plans and the strategic planning process (Morton L.P, 2009). Morton L.P (2009) stated that short term planning allocates those resources day-to-day for business development. 1.9 Components of a strategic plan: According to Oslen E, 2007 there are several different components of strategic planning that needs to be explained to your planning team. The components are strategy and culture, internal and external, the balanced scorecard perspectives, and market focus (Oslen E, 2007). 1.9.1 Strategy and Culture According to Oslen E, 2007, an organisations culture is made up of people, processes, experiences, ideas and attitudes. A strategy is where the organisation is headed. A company cannot have a strategy without a culture or vice versa. The culture is the core of the business, and if it is not in order, the best strategy in the world cannot work for the company (Oslen E, 2007). 1.9.2 Internal and External According to Oslen E, 2007, the strategy is external when you gathering information from a companys customers, competitors, industry and environment. The external information can help a company identify the opportunities or threats that they might face. Through employee surveys, board assessments and financial statements are ways to identify the companys strengths and weaknesses that are internal (Oslen E, 2007). 1.9.3 Balanced scorecard perspectives According to Oslen E, 2007, the balanced scorecard is a framework that is used to develop the firms goals and objective in four areas. These areas are financial, customers, internal business processes and the employees (Oslen E, 2007,). The financial, internal processes and employees are the internal factors of the balanced scorecard whereas the customers are the external perspectives (Oslen E, 2007). 1.9.4 Market focus According to Oslen E, 2007, the growth of a market comes from focusing on the customers and delivering superior value to them consistently year after year. Built into a companys strategic plan is market-focus framework, this is vital because it ensures that the company is focused on growing (Oslen E, 2007). According to Oslen E, 2007 by focusing on the market a company will understand the needs of the customers. CONCLUSION: A strategic plan is simply a tool to be thought of as a guide or map. It has a starting point which is todays conditions and environment. It has an ending point, where the company wants to be in terms of success in the future. Strategic planning is a process that answers the question of how is the best, most likely way to be successful as defined by the stakeholders and allowed by the customers and embraced by the employees. While there is one way presented on how to conduct the strategic planning process it is by no means the only way. The process has to fit the culture, resources and style of the company. It must reinforce the confidence of management to make consistent, workable decisions. The benefit of a strategic planning discipline is that it facilitates effective decision making, better selection of tactical options and it leads to a higher probability of achieving the owners or stakeholders goals and objectives. High quality information is critical to the success of the strategic plans of any organisation. All other factors can be in place, but if the information is inconsistent in any way, then success is much less likely. If success is achieved it may well be at a high cost. High quality information must be acknowledged as one of the organisations main concern. Adopting a continuous development and improvement approach to the information gathering and interpretation process is essential.  

The State of Our World Depicted in the Book, Natural Capitalism: Creati

The State of Our World Depicted in the Book, Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution Each word in the title of the book Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution carries powerful undertones. For example â€Å"industrial revolution† carries a negative connotation for me; I picture smoke stacks pouring out pollution and darkening the cities and six year old children working fourteen hours a day in factories for little pay. I simultaneously recognize the remarkable amount of inventions and technologies that were developed during and following the Industrial Revolution and its vast impact on the world and on the United States, which places great value on the idea of capitalism. Considering my preconceptions simply based on the words of the title of the book, I was intrigued to read the first chapter of the book and to see what could be environmentally â€Å"natural† about capitalism and what a new industrial revolution would involve. Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins, and Hunter Lovins, the authors of Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution, offer a persuasive and powerful outlook on the state of our world currently and in the future through intertwining logical arguments, emotional appeals, and establishments of personal credibility. The chapter opens with an appeal to emotions. The book describes a scene to imagine - a more peaceful and world with more parks, cleaner air and water, societal harmony, better quality of life, and lack of income taxes (1). This beginning passage is an effective way to draw readers into the book because it intrigues them and causes them to desire the world to which they are being introduced. The opening prepares the readers ... ...pe (regarding a service and flow economy). These and the other examples given in the chapter demonstrate to the reader that changes for the better are possible and have been already taking place and yielding results. I feel that Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution is persuasive and well-written. The progression from a fantasy to how to achieve that fantasy specifically is effective. The use of emotional appeals to back up the logical claims and arguments were balanced and placed in good places. I am persuaded to learn more about how the ideals of this book are being played out in the world, and I want to support proponents of valuing natural capital in their efforts. Works Cited Hawken, Paul, Amory Lovins, and Hunter Lovins. Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revoution. : Little Brown and Company, 1999.