THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND PERFORMANCE Essay Example

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND PERFORMANCE Essay Motivation can be a key-contributing factor in employee performance. It is of great importance to an organization to recognize ways in which it can use employee motivation to positively affect employee performance. The methods used by organizations to motivate its employees are essential in determining how they affect employee performance. There are both positive and negative motivational tools that may be explored. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between motivation and employee performance. Motivation is generally defined as the psychological forces that determine the irection of a persons level of effort, as well as a persons persistence in the face of obstacles. When a person has an increased level of effort and persistence in the workplace they tend to be highly motivated and this more often leads to a higher level of performance. However, the reason for an employees motivation may not necessarily be attributed to the organization. It is possible for an employee who is highly motivated to have low performance and the opposite for a lower motivated employee to have high performance. Although possible, most research studies show higher correlation between higher motivation and higher employee performance. There are both positive motivators and negative motivators that can be utilized by the organization. Positive motivators as employed by organizations may include employee benefits such as increased compensation, bonuses, stock options, profit sharing and other such rewards. Employees may be motivated by both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Intrinsic rewards may be the ability to work autonomously, acknowledgement, and an interest in the type of work they are doing. Extrinsic rewards may be employee recognition, monetary benefits, and other such material rewards. Negative motivators may include a bad performance review, verbal and written warnings, suspension, and termination warnings. An employer may use these various methods in which to motivate its employees. Performance is an evaluation of the results of a persons behavior: It involves determining how well or poorly a person has accomplished a task or done a Job. High employee performance leads to greater organizational success. We will write a custom essay sample on THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND PERFORMANCE specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND PERFORMANCE specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND PERFORMANCE specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In order for an rganization to try to acquire higher levels of employee performance via increased employee motivation they must have a strategy to do so effectively. The strategy must ultimately focus on achieving organizational goals while maintaining ways in which to influence motivation, which then inspires employee performance. From the organizational standpoint, there are key factors that impact motivation and its effect on employee performance. One such factor is setting goals for employees that incorporate the vision of the organization. When goals are set for the employee t provides an incentive for the employee and also benefits the organization upon completion relatlve to tne organlzatlons goals as well. Anotner Tactor Is employee engagement. Employee engagement and input allows for a level of commitment from the employee and may serve as an organizations way to be in tune with employee concerns. It is also extremely important to recognize the treatment of employees as a factor of motivating employees and their performance. Employees that are treated well by their organization in turn feel that they are a valued member of the team and ssentially its employer. This contributes to the level of trust that the employee has in the organization and can positively impact how well they perform for the company. Also, it is important to have a clear sense of leadership demonstrated for employees so that they are able to learn from these qualities displayed by successful leaders in the organization. Great leadership helps to motivate employees to perform at high levels and achieve organizational goals, which provide employees with the opportunity to develop within the organization. There are several theories based on motivation provide support for the relationship between motivation and performance. These theories include: Expectancy Theory, MasloWs Hierarchy of Needs, Herzbergs Motivator-Hygiene Theory, McClellands Needs for Achievement, Affiliation and Power, Equity Theory and Goal-setting Theory. Expectancy theory suggests that motivation is high when employees believe that high levels of effort lead to high performance and high performance leads to attaining desired outcomes. MasloWs Hierarchy of Needs says that five basic needs must be et by people in the order from bottom to top with each higher level upward leading to motivated behavior. Herzbergs Motivator-Hygiene Theory focuses of two factors attributed to the workplace: 1) meeting basic expectations 2) leading to increased performance. McClellands Needs for Achievement, Affiliation, and Power identifies three needs for a person 1) achievement 2) affiliation 3) power; of which all three pertain to a persons desire to perform well, have positive interpersonal relationships, and the desire to influence others. The Equity Theory is ones perception of fairness elative to their work outcomes and work inputs. Goal-setting Theory focuses on motivation of workers in order to contribute to overall performance of organization based on goals set. All these theories provide explored background information for employee motivation and its relationship to performance. An employees performance isnt solely based on the level of motivation but has an enormous amount of potential to have the greatest influence. There has been consistent empirical evidence to suggest that motivated employees means better performance. Due to motivation being linked to employee engagement, satisfaction, commitment, and an employees intention to quit, it can be said that these major factors also contribute to performance. Their contribution to an employees performance can be directly linked therefore the way in which they serve as components of motivation shows linkage to employee performance. These indicators play a major role in an employees overall performance. An organization and its managements focus through the utilization of employing ways in which to motivate its employees as a performance enhancement should be a rlmary Tocus. I nere are countless ways In wnlcn tney are aDle to ao so ranging from both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards and employee recognition. However, these are valuable for leaders and their organization to know and actively participate in these activities as the idea of motivating employees is not only of beneficial importance to employees but also to an increased level of performance for company employees and the overall organization. Bibliography Motivation in Todays Workplace: The Link to Performance, SHRM Research Quarterly: Second Quarter-2010 http://www. hrm. org/research/articles/articles/ Owen E. Richason IV, Motivation Employee Performance, Small Business Houston Chronicle http://smallbusiness. chron. com/motivation-employee- performance-1964. html George, Jones. Understanding and Managing Organizational Behavior Sixth Edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education Inc. , publishing as Prentice Hall, 2012. Nohria, Groysberg, Lee, Employee Motivation: A Powerful New Model, Harvard Business Review http://hbr. org/2008/07/employee-motivation-a-powerful-new-model/ aril

buy custom Iraq War Mid-Term Research Paper Example

buy custom Iraq War Mid Iraq, Saddam Hussein and the Unites States Abstract The outcome of the recent conflict between Iraq and the United States is yet to be properly assessed. However, it is undeniable that the war did not begin overnight as it had been preceded by a variety of events, including its rise of Saddam Hussein, his wars with Iran and Kuwait, and, finally, the Gulf War. In order to define the reasons of the conflict, it is important to analyze these events from the point of various theories of international relations. Such ones include, particularly, a human theory (the aggression is a natural human emotion), the theory of realism (in order to acquire benefits for his country, a leader can use any measures, including violence), the theories of globalism (political and economic isolation striped the country and its leaders of any power on the world arena) and cognitive theories (isolation, being combined with dictatorial power leads to the distorted perception of reality and results in unreasonable and dangerous actions). Moreover, this study wil l also allow defining whether the conflict has ended as well as predicting its possible outcomes.

To what extend the online shopping effected the UK economy and what Essay

To what extend the online shopping effected the UK economy and what does it mean for future businesses in the UK - Essay Example Useful statistics will be cited in the presentation to paint a proper picture of the UK online shopping industry. Started 20 years ago, online shopping has vigorously picked up in the UK with the latest research by UK retailer Shop Direct revealing that one in every four people in the UK prefers online shopping as opposed to making physical store visits. The research further revealed that 95% of British people now buy goods through internet retailers. So what are the reasons for this shift in 20 years on? According to Wallop (2013), the following come out as reasons why most Brits prefer online shopping: They have the ability to search and locate the specific good or service they want- From the comfort of their living rooms, buyers can get the specifics of what they want without having to walk into multiple stores. This makes it easier to make a decision and compare among the many available options which good or service suits a consumer. Online shopping is extremely convenient: With retailer websites available all day and night and the efficient delivery systems within the UK, customers enjoy the convenience of being able to shop from any location and at any time of the day or night. This flexibility has significantly contributed to the growth of this mode of buying goods and services. The elimination of crowds and queues: Online shoppers forego the trouble of vesting physical stores that have the disadvantage of being crowded especially during peak shopping seasons. This has made it the most preferred mode of purchase, something that justifies the high statistical findings of UK populace choosing the option. Ability to easily compare prices and see reviews: Before an online shopper settles on a product, they have the advantage of comparing at the click of a button, similar goods from competitor companies and looking at past customer experiences with the goods/service of interest. This helps in properly informing the buyer on the best among the

Evaluating Human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Evaluating Human resource management - Essay Example But quite often a distinction is drawn between the Human Resources Management (HRM) and the labour management concentrating on the industrial relations of the large enterprises. However in the context of globalization the pressures exerted on HRM and labour Management initiatives have really changed the nature and scope of these distinct functions. "Changes in IR practices (rather than in institutions and systems) such as increased collective bargaining at enterprise level, flexibility in relation to forms of employment as well as in relation to working time and job functions have occurred as a result of such factors as heightened competition, rapid changes in products and processes and the increasing importance of skills, quality and productivity." (S.R.de Silva) These factors also seem to have an impact on the policies and practices of the HRM. In this context this paper presents an overview on the problems of labour management to the extent it affects the growth and progress of an organization and the role of the HRM in providing effective solutions to the problems being encountered in the labour management. "Enterprises driven by market pressures need to include in their goals improved quality and productivity, greater flexibility, continuous innovation, and the ability to change to respond rapidly to market needs and demands" (S.R.de Silva). Such enhanced organizational goals increase the efforts and commitment of the HRM in realizing the management goals. For this purpose the HRM has to shift its focus to largely depend on individualism rather than collectivism that result in the alignment of the pay systems to the individual performance and skill sets. Thus realizing the improved organizational goals call for an effective change management, larger involvement of employees, increased commitment from the employee side, provision of more training, soliciting more employee participation to exhibit team work and cooperation which are all the important HR initiatives. At the same time all these can be viewed as potential industrial relations issues needing an effective labour management. With this increased responsibilities "The dominant position towards which HRM is moving points to a "change in power relations and highlights the supremacy of management. The management prerogative is rediscovered but in place of command and control the emphasis is on commitment and control as quality, flexibility and competence replaces quantity, task and dumb obedience. To put it another way: the managerial agenda is increasingly focused on innovation, quality and cost reduction. Human resource management makes more demands on employees, work is intensified .... there is less room for managerial slack and for indulgency patterns." (John Purcell) 3.0 Objectives of Labour Management and HRM: In order to have an appreciation of the ways in which HRM can provide solutions to the labour management issues, it is important to understand the basic objectives of the labour manage

Persuasive Speech-Skin Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Persuasive Speech-Skin Cancer - Essay Example What makes cancer lethal is the fact that an inflicted individual wouldn’t feel its negative effects until it the abnormal cells have already grown so much. Skin cancers, for example, may appear on normal skin, or may develop from moles that were present at birth. For such diseases that only physically manifest in its deleterious stages, one should know the risk factors predisposing us to developing them, the steps that can be taken to ensure that we do not have them, and the treatment options once we are positive for having the disease. In battling any kind of diseases, prevention is always better than cure. To avoid melanomas, one must first know whether he or she is more likely to develop the skin lesion than others. Skin cancers can happen at any age, but elderly individuals are more susceptible to developing melanomas than younger people do. Caucasians, who have fair skin, blue or green eyes, and red or blond hair, also have a higher tendency to develop the skin disease. On the other hand, the type of melanoma commonly seen on soles, palms, or under the nails usually develops in African Americans. Aside from the abovementioned predispositions, it is also especially important for individuals with a past medical history of blistering sunburns, family history of melanomas, occupation requiring prolonged sun exposure, residence in high altitude places or sunny climates, immunodeficiency, or multiple birthmarks, to watch out for skin cancer. For people at risk, it is necessary to avoid tanning devices, arsenic, coal tar, and creosote. Because melanomas can appear on anyone, it is important to distinguish from all other body marks the one most likely to be cancerous. Early detection of a cancerous growth is vital in the success of treatment, and subsequent survival of the patient. Fortunately, self-examination can be performed using the following easy-to-remember ABCD symptoms of melanoma: A for asymmetrical, B for undefined borders, C for mixture of colo rs, and D for diameter of more than 6 mm. Self-examination using these symptoms should be conducted monthly, and an in-depth, formal skin exam by a dermatologist should be requested yearly. Once a suspicious body mark has been found, there is no reason to be depressed. Medical procedures are already present to ensure that individuals with melanomas can combat these cancer cells successfully. First, a biopsy, or removal of the whole or part of the mass, sentinel lymph node biopsy, X-ray, and or CT scan will be done to determine the extent of migration of melanoma. These medical procedures determine the extent of the growth of cancer cells. This is important to allow the patient have an informed decision with regards to the means by which the cancer cells are removed from the body. Through the years, treatment options for skin cancer has steadily increased and improved. Surgery is the treatment of choice for melanomas that have not yet migrated to other parts of the body. If cancer ce lls were found to other parts of the body, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may supplement the surgery to ensure that no cancer cell mass is left inside. These treatment options have high success rates, especially when melanomas are detected in its early stages. In addition, patients can participate in experiments testing novel drugs for cancer. With the continuing advancement of

Role Of Social Networking In Education Systems Information Technology Essay

Role Of Social Networking In Education Systems Information Technology Essay In current days the usage of social media like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and so on is very common. These social networking sites are used by millions of people throughout the world. The emergence of social networking creates a revolution among people for easy communication and knowledge sharing. In this essay we are going to discuss about the usage of social media in modernization of education system and the advantage of implementing social networking in modernization of education system in India. Modernization of education system: In India, education system currently present is mostly based on books and paper. I have a business idea regarding modernization of education system in India. Nowadays the lecturers in colleges teach using board and books for taking classes. According to my idea the concept of book based teaching is modified to e-resource usage in teaching and testing students. This process of conversion of books into e-resource will help the student to learn easily and quickly. This a powerful tool to disseminate the theories and formulas in books to students with proper examples. Current system: In India, all the colleges must be affiliated to some university. In that manner a single university controls over many colleges with same syllabus. All colleges under same university will follow the same syllabus for same subject. So all the students from different colleges have the same syllabus. But the way of teaching is different from college to college for the same subject. There is no common method of teaching for all colleges under same university. There is no communication among the students of different colleges. So socialization among the students gets affected. Assessment system: The syllabus for all colleges being same the exams are also conducted at same day in colleges with same questions to all students taking that subject. But the way of teaching and learning differs. They follow different materials for preparation for exams. As the core material would be text book prescribed by university, but the reference material will be entirely different. So the way of presenting answers different from student of one college to other college. Likewise the assignment also varies from college to college for same subject. There is no particular assessment for assignment. To neutralize this problem, our proposed system will be much better option. In our system the assessment will have common criteria and assignment must be framed by university which should be assessed properly as like exam. Proposed system: To establish a communication medium between students and enhance their opportunity of knowledge sharing we are planning a system. In our system, we need to convert all the teaching hints into PowerPoint presentations. We are going to prepare a general presentation for each subject which will be based on prescribed text book recommended by the university. All the students will be given handouts of teaching materials which will enhance their observation capacity and improve the understandability of concepts. For preparing that presentation we are going to hire professors from many universities. Each topic must have presentation which will be prepared by group of professors and approved by some experts in that area. All the student in all colleges must given access to all materials related to their subject (similar to Moodle in our university).The main thing is many colleges affiliated to same university must be connected under a network which will be maintained by our system. Because o f this connectivity all the students are able to communicate with one another to share their knowledge. Usage of software in the proposed system: The proposed system for universities in India will requires a good software system to run this system. The basic idea for this software is implementing social networking among the colleges which are come under same university. This also unique for all the colleges under same university. The basic reason behind this is just to connect student among different colleges who all are studying the same subject can share their ideas and knowledge learned in the subject. To get some practical ideas related to subject, students will use our system as medium of communication with external system which means students from other colleges. The reason which forces me to think in bringing social networking among students is increase in usage of social media websites by university students. As per the result of survey conducted by university students in social media usage shows that in overall 93% of college students are using social networking sites. Among the social networking sites, Facebook users are majority which occupies 96% of students, You Tube holds second among them which comprises of 84% of students. Blogs (14%), Twitter (14%), MySpace (12%), and LinkedIn (10%) respectively. In initial dayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s students who used the social networking sites just for entertainment purpose. But in current situation the awareness of social media to the students is bit higher, so the usage of social networking sites by the students for education purpose gets increased. So in future the rate will get increased further so that knowledge sharing will get expanded in student level. General use of implementing social networking in business: The main advantage of using social networking in any business are listed Establish communication among the employees at all levels which makes the degree of transparency between management and employees to become high Easy and cost effective tool for marketing a product Possibility to attract people of a particular group Effective and efficient way to improve the contacts around the world Faster way to reach people in cheapest way Easy to know about consumer realistic reviews by joining in consumer community Helps to analyze about competitors currently available in the market Advantages of social networking sites: Most of the students in the educational institution have been using the internet quite often. Social networking has become a revelation among the young generations by which it is easier for them to communicate between each other. Will social networking sites will be helpful if it is implemented along with educational forum like Moodle? There has been a big debate over this topic in the past. Many educational experts express their interest in changing current education system in India. Many researches are going on in the current system of education in universities. The advantages of implementing social media in modernization of education system are as follows Role of social networking sites in education: Social networking sites are related to web-based services that offer us an opportunity to socialize with others peers in the network It will be helpful in making new friends and importantly to meet new people through their general interest The new development in social networking sites are the developed and sustainable relationship between teachers and students in learning and sharing content Most of the students studying in colleges communicate to their peers regarding education through text messages or phone calls, nowadays mobile phones are prohibited in many colleges by the management. So they are in need for some other mode of communication. With the introduction of the social networking sites the students can have live interactions and chats to their peers which will largely benefit the students How the students will be benefitted out of this Social networking sites are web-based services that offer us an opportunity to socialize with others Increased exposure to varied views Utilizing all the study resources properly Increased skill in technology Development of communication skills Increased talent to work on group projects Many students already use these forms of technology, so they may be more engaged in learning if they utilize it They will get chance to share the ideas which they have learned in their subject How it is benefitted for the teachers Increased access to resources Can form partnerships with lecturers in other states or countries Exchange lesson plans and information with students Cheap and effective way to convey details to students Easy to give lecturers in class by having proper resource Organized structure of classes will help them to plan accordingly to cover syllabus in particular period of time Easy to clear doubts of students by creating a forum to their subject Role of social networking in staff recruitment: As per our idea, for the preparation of common materials we need to recruit experts for each subject. For selecting experts from all areas social networking plays a major role. LinkedIn is a major social networking site contains profiles of millions of experts which allow the recruiter to choose the effective and suitable person for each subject. LinkedIn proves to be first social networking sites with lot of profiles with experience in all areas. It paves way for searching experts for all the subjects. Overall benefits of social networking to our system: In overall, the benefits of implementing social networking in our system are as follows Cheap and effective ways of communication from different level of users like students, lecturers, and so on Improve the socialization among students as well as other users of the system Tend to increase the knowledge of students by improve the knowledge sharing Fast method to convey message to all students Improvise the standard of student in whole country Creates opportunity to know about latest technology and current events To get quick access to study resources any time and any where Lot of time consumed by preparing common material Lecturers will maintain records of all the students easily It will reduce the cost of communication to colleges It improves the result of students by having proper material which suits for students at all level Examples with Facebooks, blogs and forums: At Penn State University the library service has been using Facebook as one method of allowing students to contact the librarians with enquiries A survey conducted in 2006 found that more students were using Facebook to contact the librarians than any other method Forums are also a part of Social Software that can be a useful tool in education Forums are also related to Blogs, though a blog is centered around an individual, whereas a forum is centered more around an area of interest The major usage of the forum and blogs are the students can post their blogs and works so that others can comment and advise on it There may be a positive impact on climate within the classroom when students see staff as approachable

A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare Essay -- Papers

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare In the second scene that completes Act I, we are introduced to an extraordinary group of familiar but outlandish comical characters that have been enlightened with the possibility of performing a stage interlude as part of the entertainment at the quick approaching marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. ====================================================================== The Mechanicals are not only thought of as the 'rude mechanicals', they are also thought of as sweet and gentle folk who have had no promoting purpose in their lives until now. ================================================================== Peter Quince play as one of the mechanicals as the Playwright for the amateurs. We are able to tell that he is more experienced in writing as Shakespeare makes him present his prologue which is a masterpiece of writing deliberately ruined to give the play a comical beginning. Shakespeare does this by making Quince seem like a very smart man, the smartest out of the mechanicals and we know this because he is directing the play and not actually featuring it. This shows us the audience that he has a shy character although he seems very excited and open towards the beginning of the play when actually he seems to have Stage fright. ====================================================================== Nick Bottom the Weaver seems however to be very enthusiastic and wants to play all the roles, furthermore he always tends to overact which annoys Peter Quince but ends up acting the part of Pyramus in the Act 5 Scene 1. ==========================================... ...; my soul is in the sky: Tongue, lose thy light! Moon, take thy flight! Now die, die, die, die, die. At the end of the play both Bottom and Flute get up from where they are lying, supposedly dead, and offer to perform an epilogue or a bergamask (a type of dance). Theseus quickly intervenes and tells them they need no epilogue, but rather should only perform the dance, which they do and Puck ends the play. Overall the play within a play is an exciting look into the life of the mechanicals and has a definite dramatic effect on both audience's because of its charm and amusing effects, which too me would have made the audience applause, thus making it a good way to finish the play. This is because it helps break the illusion of the theatre and helps to bring us back down to earth, to the day of the wedding.

Amazon’s Marketing Strategy Essay

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the marketing process of online retailer Amazon.com, Inc. Amazon.com provides a number of retail services as well as web and storage services. The corporate strategy framework, as discussed in Cravens & Piercy’s Strategic Marketing text, will be used to examine the background of the company and define its current position. The corporate framework includes the following: (1) corporate vision (2) corporate objectives toward vision (3) resources (4) business composition and (5) business design. The marketing strategy of the company will be reviewed using Cravens & Piercy’s suggested marketing strategy process. To assess the current marketing problems and opportunities, this paper takes a closer look at the company’s current SWOT analysis, provided by GlobalData. In addition, strategic recommendations will be made for the company’s prolonged growth. Amazon Inc. A company’s market driven strategy â€Å"mandates more effective integration of activities and processes that impact customer value† (Cravens & Piercy, 2009). As well as a consistent market driven strategy, an organization must be creative and innovative in order to compete in the global marketplace. Amazon, Inc. has developed an inventive marketing strategy through the use of the Internet. By becoming pioneers in the e-commerce marketplace, the company has transformed retail. Amazon Inc. should evaluate their corporate and marketing strategies to make use of all available resources. The company has experienced some marketing failures but can still take advantage of existing marketing opportunities. In the 9th Edition of the text Strategic Marketing, Cravens & Piercy write, â€Å"corporate strategies are concerned with how the company can achieve its growth objectives in current or new business areas† (Cravens & Piercy, 2009). When building the framework for a co mpetitive corporate strategy, an organization must first decide the corporate vision. During the summer of 1994, Internet usage showed promising growth. A reported statistic of 2,300% yearly growth encouraged Jeff Bezos, then Senior Vice President for D.E. Shaw & Co., to quit his job and concentrate on a way to gainfully use this information. His long term vision for his company was to revolutionize retail by creating â€Å"the  earth’s biggest online retail store, where everyone could buy anything and everything† (Kargar, 2003). To achieve this goal, Bezos conducted market research that led him to Seattle and directed him to choose selling books online as his main focus. The company was launched in 1995 and by the first quarter of 1996 reported sales revenues of $110 million. The company soon changed from a virtual bookstore into a virtual marketplace by entering new markets that included music, movies, electronics, toys, apparel, grocery and others. Years later in 2006 Amazon.com had become what some called a model of â€Å"the next-generation Internet-based business† (Isckia, 2009). That same year the company introduced their new endeavor, Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), that offered cheap computing power over the Internet. Many believed Bezos’ unconventional wisdom took the company further away from its core vision. However, a closer examination of Bezos creative mindset reveals more of the organization’s well developed corporate philosophy and structure. Moving beyond book selling, the launch of EC2 and Simple Storage Service (S3) are examples of achievements towards the corporate vision. Amazon has been able to implement objectives in the areas of product quality improvement and new-product targets. Cravens and Piercy note that â€Å"a key strategy issue is matching capabilities to market opportunities† (Cravens & Piercy, 2009). Transforming Amazon.com into more than just a retail operation has given the organization the capability to â€Å"compete in different markets, provide significant valued to end user customers, and create barriers t o competitor duplication† (Cravens & Piercy. 2009). With Bezos’ continuous investments in new technological initiatives, investors were concerned about Amazon’s increasing debt and profitability. Kargar reports, â€Å"the company had a weak balance sheet [and] massive negative operating cash flow† (Kargar, 2004). Throughout the company’s financial history there have been many monetary losses. According to Robert D. Hoff and Heather Green, in 2002, â€Å"the company still carried $2.2 billion in long-term debt† (Business Week, 2002). In International Journal of Cases in Electronic Commerce, Pauline Ratnasingham reports that â€Å"Amazon.com shareholders lost 80% of their value in 2000† (Ratnasingham, 2006). Though sales increase rapidly, losses continue to soar as well. Despite the financial failures, in 2006 Bezos’ still believed that his investments would yield big payoffs in later years and that Amazon.com would be a â€Å"meaningful business†¦one day† (Hoff, 2006). As Amazon.com continued to expand, the company’s strategic business units (SBU) consisted of four key divisions: (1) U.S. Books/Music/DVD/Video (2) U.S. Electronics, Tools, and Kitchen (3) Services and (4) International (Ratnasingham, 2006). This business composition makes it easier to focus on separate specific strategies for each unit. The company’s business model also provides a competitive advantage. Amazon benefits from being able to maintain a virtual store front with distribution centers located in low rent areas. In all, a combination of convenience, speed, reliability, discounted pricing, and a wide selection of merchandise creates a synergistic business design that cannot be easily duplicated. When developing Amazon.com’s corporate structure Bezos clearly understood and defined his business strategy. The organization would now need to design and implement a consistent and integrated marketing strategy. An important aspect of Amazon.com’s marketing strategy is their customer-centric approach. Amazon offers lower prices, free shipping, and customer service available 24/7. Also, the customer experience is enhanced through personalized recommendations and customized web pages. The organization’s strength in customer service has been effective in increasing customer loyalty, website traffic, and repeat purchases. Amazon.com uses various marketing techniques that include online advertising, email campaigns, and their Associates Program. The Associates Program, which allows outside websites the ability to make products available to Amazon customers, has proven to be very successful. In 2001 over 700,000 associates were registered for the program. This marketing tool allowed Amazon.com the ability to â€Å"expand its market beyond its own website and concentrate on its strength of order fulfillment and distribution† (Ratnasingham, 2006). Another key aspect of Amazon.com’s marketing strategy is their established strategic relationships with various traditional retailers. These alliances enhance the value offerings of customers, give the company a competitive advantage, and increase the market share for all companies involved. Some of Amazon’s partnerships include Toys ‘R’ Us for toys and video games, the Gap for clothing and Drugstore.com for pharmacy items. The company also has third party arrangements with Target Corporation, Borders Group, Expedia, and others. Amazon profits by providing customers with a diverse array of products while their allies are able to use the technology, services, and  tools of Amazon.com. A significant detail of any organization’s marketing strategy is creativity and innovation. In her article for The Learning Organization, Verna Allee suggests that â€Å"in order to sustain competitive strength and continue growth Western companies need to build innovation into their cultures and structures as an essential condition for value creation† (Allee & Taug, 2006). In 2008, Amazon.com was listed as number 20 in a list of the world’s 25 most innovative companies (Cravens & Piercy, 2009). The new service offering of the EC2 and S3 digital utilities moves the company into competitive opportunities within the software platform marketplace. Bezos’ innovation strategy for Amazon.com includes these five following rules: 1) Measure everything 2) Keep development teams small 3) Don’t be afraid of weird ideas 4) Open up to outsiders 5) Watch customers, not competitors (Hoff, 2006) Amazon.com’s technological advances and Bezos’ forward-thinking has led the company to create ground-breaking products, such as the Kindle and also compete with top online digital music provider Apple ITunes. By encouraging continued innovation, Amazon can secure their place as leaders in Internet-based businesses. Amazon.com is in a position to gain from the various opportunities they have in the e-commerce marketplace. These opportunities include new trends and technological advances. Amazon competes well and has growth in the digital e-book market thanks to their Kindle product. Amazon can continue to invest in technology to sustain profitability. In general, E-commerce is experiencing growth. Amazon.com is in the position to benefit from this rise. The site currently offers payment security, one-click payments, user-friendly features, and other technologies that new web-based businesses will have to compete with. The company also has the opportunity to expand through strategic alliances and acquisitions. For example, GlobalData reports that Amazon.com acquisition of TouchCo earlier this year, â€Å"is expected to bring about cost reduction in the company’s business† (GlobalData, 2010). Overall, Amazon.com employs strong marketing  strategies. GlobalData reports that the company’s emphasis on marketing can be seen in their increased marketing costs in 2009, in comparison with 2008 and 2007 (GlobalData, 2010). However, Amazon.com is faced with some marketing problems. Because the company has a seasonal nature, more shoppers during the holiday seasons, the number of customers accessing the website at one time could cause system interruptions. This could contribute to fulfillment issues and a delay in deliveries. Also, Amazon.com faces the threat of traditional retail stores like Wal-Mart or Barnes & Nobles who now have an online component. Amazon.com now has to compete with companies who have greater brand recognition and more customers. The partnerships the company has made also pose a problem. For example, in 2004 Toys ‘R’ Us bought a case against the company because Toys ‘R’ Us exclusive items were being sold by competitors through Amazon’s website. Also the company suffered increased costs because of their alliance with Drugstore.com. To offset the problems and threats faced by the company, Amazon can benefit from the following strategic recommendations. First, during the off-season Amazon can do aggressive promotional campaigns to include discounts for students and partnerships with university and college professors to be the exclusive vendor for textbooks and suggested reading materials. Also, Amazon’s fulfillment processes should be evaluated to determine what issues are prevalent during the holiday season. Those issues should be addressed and fulfillment centers should be restructured accordingly. The company should re-evaluate their alliances by doing a cost assessment. By determining which costs are insignificant, expenses can be reduced or eliminated. Through the leadership of Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com continues to be the best and first by thinking outside the box. The company has changed the way consumers shop, the way they read, and the way entrepreneurs run their businesses. Bezos accepts his failures, focuses on what works and continues to support new ideas and hopeful initiatives. An evaluation of their marketing and corporate strategies to assess their failures can allow them the ability to make appropriate use of their opportunities. References Cravens, D. W., & Piercy, N. F. (2009). Strategic marketing (9th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Hoff, R.D. (2006). Jeff Bezos’ risky bet. BusinessWeek, 52-58. Retrieved December 14 from ABI/INFORM Global. Hoff, R.D., & Green, H. (2002). How amazon cleared that hurdle: to earn a profit, it cut costsand started growing again. BusinessWeek, (3768), 60-61 Retrieved December 14 from ABI/INFORM Global. Hoff, R.D., Neuborne E., & Green, H. (1998 December). Amazon.com: the wild world of e-commerce: by pioneering – and damn near perfecting – the art of selling online, amazon is redefining retailing. BusinessWeek (3608), 106 Isckia, T. (2009). Amazon’s evolving ecosystem: a cyber-bookstore and application service provider. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 26(4), 332-343. Retrieved December 17 from ABI/INFORM Global. Kargar, J. (2004). Amazon.com in 2003. Journal of the International Academy for CaseStudies, 10(1), 33-52. Retrieved December 11, 2010 from ABI/INFORM Global. Ratnasingham, P. (2006). A swot analysis for b2c e-commerce: the case of amazon.com. International Journal of Cases in Electro nic Commerce, 2(1), 1-22, Retrieved December11, from ABI/INFORM Global.

The dubious history

The dubious history of the heredity environment controversy can be easily traced as far back as the start of the present century with at least some historical evidence placing the roots of this dispute in the time of John Locke. This controversy has continued despite continual reiteration that the critical question is not how much of a trait is due to heredity and how much is due to environment, but rather how environment transact to influence development. This paper will focus on the nature/nurture controversy and the extent to which an individuals intellectual level is determined either by inborn intelligence or by environmental factors. Psychologists and biologists striving to determine how heredity and environment influence the development of intelligence have actively pursed the relative powers of nature and nurture. Before we can go on to discuss the relationships between intelligence and the controversy that exists between the different schools of thought r! egarding inherited or environmental issues we must have an understanding of what intelligence really is. Of all the words used in pressed day psychology, intelligence is one of the most difficult to define and is also one of the most controversial. There is however, a general agreement that intelligence refers to the overall faculties of the mind which concern themselves with the sorting of information in the brain after it has been received by the senses, the perceiving of relationships between this new data and information which is already in memory, and the capacity to make rapid and appropriate decisions as a result of the previous processes. The intellectual faculties of the brain are dynamic and interactive and relate to the capacity of the central nervous system to respond speedily and appropriately in a rapidly changing and potentially threatening environment. Raymond J. Corsini provides us with a somewhat more simplistic definition of the ter...

Wardens and Guardians

Wardens and Guardians Wardens and Guardians Wardens and Guardians By Maeve Maddox A discussion prompted by Daniel’s word of the day ward put me in mind of one of my favorite etymological factoids: the relationship between words like warden and guardian. English suffers a bad rap for its spelling, but the variety of spellings is an inevitable side effect of the richness of vocabulary acquired by borrowing words from different languages at different periods of history. From 1066 until about 1250, English and French were spoken side by side in England. Then, because of political changes, the French-speaking ruling class shifted to English. The words warden and guardian are good examples of the linguistic mingling that went on between the two languages at that time. Old English had the verb weardian to keep guard, and the noun weard a guard, a watchman, a sentry, Old French had the verb guarder, â€Å"to guard.† Speakers of Norman French were people who had been Vikings a hundred years before William of Normandy invaded England in 1066. They brought their own distinctive pronunciations to French. One peculiarity was that Normans tended to pronounce the letter combination gu– as w-. For example, Old French guarder, â€Å"to guard,† became warder in Norman French. However, Parisian French kept the gu spelling and pronunciation. As a result, English ended up with words derived from both forms The OED gives numerous meanings for the word warden, including one that is identical to one of its definitions for guardian. In general usage, however, a guardian is a â€Å"protector,† while a â€Å"warden† is a â€Å"keeper.† A similar pair of words is warranty and guarantee. Both words have the sense of an assurance that a certain standard of quality or integrity will be upheld. As a legal term, warranty means n. a written statement of good quality of merchandise, clear title to real estate or that a fact stated in a contract is true. An express warranty is a definite written statement and implied warranty is based on the circumstances surrounding the sale or the creation of the contract. Law.com A new car comes with a warranty. If anything goes wrong with the car during a specified period, the warranty is a document that entitles the owner to have the problem corrected without charge. The word guarantee is often used as a synonym for warranty. However, a guarantee can be something more concrete. Warring sides might exchange hostages as a guarantee that neither will fight during an agreed period of truce. A parent might confiscate a child’s cell phone as a guarantee that he won’t be texting instead of doing homework. Etymology nerds can have fun looking for modern French words beginning with gu that correspond to English words beginning with w-. For example: war/guerre: Old English wyrre; Norman French werre; Modern French guerre. And of course there’s William the Conqueror whom the French refer to as Guillaume le Conquà ©rant. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Idioms About Numbers"Certified" and "Certificated"50 Plain-Language Substitutions for Wordy Phrases

Develop Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Develop - Assignment Example This includes those functioning in learning & memory, motivation & appreciation and inhibitory regulation over character. Because drug abuse and addiction comes in many ways and interfere with one’s personal life, treatment is difficult. Proper treatment programs involve many components. The components are specific to aspects of the illness and its effects. Treatment must help the victim stop using drugs, maintain a normal lifestyle and become a productive individual in the society, at work and with family. As addiction is a chronic illness, individuals cannot just seize using drugs shortly and be cured. Most victims need prolonged or continuous care to achieve the main goal of sustainable recovery from addiction. When a person is fighting with drug addiction, sobriety may be a difficult goal to achieve. However, recovery is a viable option. It never depends on the situation or failures. Everyone is susceptible to change given the correct treatment, care and appropriate examination of the root causes (John, 2011). Many individuals with a struggle in dealing with addiction, the first step mainly for the addicts remains to be the decision to seek for change. Conflict in the choices an individual makes the biggest and the most vital step towards recovery of drug and substance abuse. There are several things, which the individual requires to comprehend before embarking on recovery phase. Commitment remains the absolute solution for the recovery phase. The activities requiring change include: People with addiction problems may view themselves as not ready for the required change of quitting. Several factors require comprehension before the individual is ready to change. The process is usually a long-term thing and requires time. Commitment, motivation and support are the most vital key factors require consideration. Upon contemplation there are several points that an individual can rely on to achieve full recovery, these are: The change

Persuasive Messages Letter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Persuasive Messages Letter - Assignment Example These schools are a testament to the effectiveness of our simulation programs as educational tools and prove that we deserve our ranking as the premier business educational tool worldwide. Having come from the education sector myself, I believe that we can offer your students the kind of learning experience that cannot be offered by our competitors. I assure you that you will find our information valuable. Please, allow me to offer your office a free review copy of Capstone Business Simulation, our own simulation program. Discover for yourself what the likes of GE, Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson, Caterpillar, Allstate, and Samsung already know. You will not be under any obligation to purchase the Capstone Business Simulation Program even after the evaluation period of the software has expired. Your copy of the software will be in the mail the minute I receive your mailing address. As the CEO of Capsim Management Solutions, I give you my word that all of your contact information shall remain confidential and will not be shared with any third parties. Feel free to call us during regular business hours from Monday - Friday for clarification of any questions or concerns you may have. You may also contact us in order to request for your school name removal from our mailing list if that what you so