Abraham Lincoln Summary

The book Abraham Lincoln, written by James M. McPherson, constitutes not only Abraham Lincoln’s life, but also his remarkable presidency. Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the United States. He also was considered a peacemaker because his passion was to follow God’s law and create every man to be equal. During Lincoln’s first term of presidency in 1860-1864, he followed his passion by abolishing slavery, otherwise known as the Thirteenth Amendment. Following his first term, his second term’s goal is now known as the Fifteenth Amendment.To say the least, McPherson argues the brilliancy of Abraham Lincoln’s ideas and the colossal contribution Lincoln had regarding the United States of America. Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 by Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. Lincoln’s childhood was preserved, and his education was gained through many different schoolhouses since his father was on the move so much. Abe Lincoln’ s love for reading made his father’s relationship with Abe more distant.Since Lincoln did not have love for the plantations or farming, his father grew bitter towards his son’s future. Abe Lincoln’s coming of age required him to realize he was getting old. He decided to marry Mary Todd in 1842. A few years after his father died in 1851, Lincoln volunteered for the militia. This increased his interest in government and the Union. Abraham Lincoln was a Republican with Whig ideology. Lincoln succeeded in his campaign for congressmen and after that, he decided to run for president.Although his campaigns for presidency failed several times, Abraham Lincoln never gave up because he knew it was what he wanted to do. His last candidacy with Senator Douglass was a hard campaign, but Lincoln’s lead in free state votes guaranteed his election as a Republican president. This was only the beginning of a long crucial time for the North and South. The decreasing supplie s at Fort Sumter lead to the start of the American Civil War. The American Civil War was a long lasting war between the Union [northern states] and the Confederacy [southern states].The origin of this war was the quarrel issue regarding slavery. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln stated his view on the purpose of the war. Stating, â€Å"This nation could either be perished from the earth, or might live through this flexible, simple issue, which can only be tried by war† (McPherson 35). Lincoln was not fond of violence, but he knew that this is what it took for the United States to become a country of equality and righteousness. Throughout the war, Abe Lincoln had many commanders that failed him and his hope for winning the war.There was one commander that Lincoln applauded because they had the same military strategy. Ulysses S. Grant was the successful commander that led the Union multiple battles of victory. In fact, Abe Lincoln was so pleased with Grant, Lincoln granted a higher rank for Grant; making him general in chief of all Union armies. As matters bound up throughout this war Lincoln stood tall and firm on his beliefs regarding different issues. One matter rose up about slavery, this was during 1862, the time the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.The Emancipation Proclamation was essentially a document that freed slaves from Confederate territory forever. As a result of the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln and his administration decided to adopt a Constitutional Amendment to abolish slavery. This is now known as the Thirteenth Amendment. Although Abe Lincoln did not live to see the issue of the Thirteenth Amendment, his presidency is the foundation of that Amendment. In November 1865, Lincoln was reelected to be president. However, that term did not last very long.In April 1866, Booth, an egotistic member of the Confederate secret service, shot Lincoln in the head. Few might say Lincoln help too much power, but others would proclaim him as a saint. J ames McPherson contends Lincoln’s phenomenal presidency and his great contribution to the United States of America. Without Lincoln, the nation might have still been divided, and segregation would be more than a controversial topic. Abraham Lincoln is a riveting book that tailgates not only Lincoln’s life, but also his fascinating presidency.

Alara Agri Case

1. Should Taner engage in consumer research for Alara Agri’s prepackaged cherries or should he attempt to persuade German and Belgian retailers to conduct some test marketing in their stores? Taner should engage in consumer research for Alara Agri’s prepackaged cherries because throughout the case, German and Belgian retailers were very pessimistic of the idea of prepackaged cherries, believing that the packaging would deter the consumers in their countries from buying because it does not give the â€Å"farm fresh feel. The German and Belgian retailers also stated that their consumers were more price sensitive, and would not be prone to packaging unlike other countries such as the UK which is an island. German and Belgian retailers were under the assumption that the UK consumer would pay more for packaged goods because they are an island, and it is not as easy to obtain such fruits and vegetables all year round.After reading studies, a Belgian report showed, â€Å"an in-store survey revealed less than 40 percent of consumers are able to state the correct price of a jar of mayonnaise immediately after purchase, more than 20 percent having no idea at all of the price charge. † A German study of consumers at supermarkets found a staggering number of just under 70 percent of purchases were made at the point of sale, and that brand meant a lot, because it distinguished quality items from not. 2. If you think consumer research is appropriate, what are the specifics of your research plan?The specifics that would be most appropriate for the research plan, would have to be having a brand/label test, as well as a price test. The ultimate goal is to propose the plan to the German and Belgian retailers, which is already touchy. The plan is to show a minute cost increase but with a return far greater with the idea of longer shelf life, as well as a brand that would stick. The challenge to overcome is to figure out how to convince the German and Belgian retailers that the cost of convenience and quality would catch on quickly as it did in Europe.The research plan will also include test marketing in the stores, perhaps with a credit to the retailers whose shelf space was wasted as a result of a failed attempt to gain a new base of consumer. All in all, getting the brand name out and getting it to stick with the meaning of quality, with an offering of good faith that if the attempt fails, the retailers would be reimburse to the fullest. 3. If you think test marketing by retail customers is appropriate, what are the specifics of your research plan?Test marketing is absolutely appropriate by retail consumers, because it allows a company to not throw all of their eggs in one basket only to have it fail. It gives the company an opportunity, as well, to determine whether or not it would be appropriate to make such a drastic change in an already established market. In order to do this, we would need retailer willingness of shelf space for any certain amount of time. We would also have to implement a consumer report of customers who picked through cherries, as opposed to customers who picked up the â€Å"punnets† of cherries.This type of comparative data would allow us to show the Belgian and German retailers an analysis of growth, profit, and gross margin, ultimately convincing, or proving the Belgian and German retailers correct. 4. Do you have any other recommendations for Mr. Taner? My only other recommendations is that Mr. Taner prove his brand and quality meet the expectations of those he is trying to convince. Rightfully so, Mr. Taner has all of the tools he needs in order to perform a thorough study which should allow him to obtain shelf space in German and Belgium, on the pretense that his changing of the market is an actual success.

Two Tail Hypothesis Scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Two Tail Hypothesis - Scholarship Essay Example The analysis can be used by the manager to study if there is the significant difference between position and extrinsic job satisfaction in the company. This would enable the manager to make a plan on which strategy to use either Hourly Employee or Salaried Employee in respect of job satisfaction. Since ÃŽ ±=0.05 and confidence level is 95%; t- statistic=-54.60, the critical value is  ±1.96 we reject null hypothesis because p-value 1.67 E-91 is less than 0.05 and adopt alternative hypothesis. The t-test is used when the sample is small; it can be used to test the difference in population mean, that is when the population is n≠¤30 and the standard deviation of the population is estimated from the standard deviation of the sample. Whereas z-test is used when the population means is known together with standard deviation. Researchers do not have enough time to study the whole population. To study the entire population would be tedious and time-consuming; therefore, representative sample from the population is appropriate in the data collection. In statistical inferences, conclusions are drawn about the attribute of the population, e.g. the standard deviation or mean based on sample data analysis. Supposing there was a need to calculate the average weight of the population of youths in America, it would be unreasonable except at massive cost to weigh up each individual and calculate the mean weight. Another scenario is that testing process may be very destructive such that sampling becomes the only sufficient way.

Commercial Rental Market in Midwestern City Research Paper

Commercial Rental Market in Midwestern City - Research Paper Example Per square foot annual rental cost = 43.12 + 7.47 * Occupancy - 3.9 * Wiring1 - 0.9 * Distance to City Center - 0.76 * Distance to Airport + 0.53 * Number of Elevator - 0.35 * Length of Lease - 0.11 * Years to last Renovations + 0.09 * Building Age. For a 3 year lease of 50,000 sqft of newly renovated and wired space that is one mile away from city center and fifteen miles away from the nearest airport, with 75% occupancy, three elevators, four years since last renovations in a ten year old building, the predicted per square foot annual cost of rent is $34, and predicted total annual cost of rent is $1,701,712. An office that is ten miles away from the airport its per square foot rent is valued on the real estate market at $33, while an office that is twenty miles away from the airport is valued at $26, with a discount value of 70% per mile. Similarly, the presence of office wiring is valued at $34.5, while no office wiring at $30.6, with a discount value of 10%. An office with 0.75 occupancy is valued at $29.8 per square foot, while an office with 0.97 occupancy is valued at $31.5. Potential savings are best made by increasing the distan

Burj Khalifa Description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Burj Khalifa Description - Essay Example Burj Khalifa occupies maximum floor area. The travel distance elevator in the Burj Khalifa offers the longest distance in comparison to elevators in all other structures in the contemporary world. Thus, it offers the tallest elevator service in skyscrapers. The building was completed in six years in total. The total amount of concrete consumed in the construction of just the foundations of Burj Khalifa was more than 45000 m3 that weighs above 110000 tonnes. The foundation is made of piles protruded over 50 m into the ground. A total number of piles used in the making of the foundation is 192. According to an estimate, the total volume of concrete used in the construction of the whole structure would be about 330000 m3 along with over 39000 tonnes steel and the whole structures has consumed some 22 million man-hours of construction (â€Å"Burj Khalifa†). The speed of construction grew with the passage of time. In the start, a number of panels produced each day fell between 20 a nd 30. As the construction gained speed, the rate of production of panels increased up to 175 per day. (â€Å"Burj Khalifa†) According to the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), there are three fundamental criteria to judge a structure’s eligibility to be called as a skyscraper, namely the height to architectural top ratio, floor area occupied, and the height to tip ratio (â€Å"Burj Khalifa†).

Fire Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Fire Report - Essay Example Now fires in Tall buildings have become a prominent possible reason for collateral damage of both life and finances. These structures pose an equal threat to the neighboring structures as well. The only reason that designer didn’t previously considered it as a potential threat was that occurrence of these events are very less. But detailed studies after the WTC event have shown immense levels of flaws in the fire protection systems of tall buildings. The recent examples of fires resulting into complete collapse are the WTC 1, 2 and 7. Then the complete collapse of Apartment Block in St. Petersburg, Russia in June 3.2002, then Jackson Street apartments in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in Feb 8,2002. A list of collapses has been provided in the Appendix 2 of all the collapse that was seen in the past. The concept of fire proof construction is that the despite the complete burnout of the structure, the structure must not collapse at any cost. For this there are two steps that are tak en by the standards and other implementation bodies. Firstly the building should be resistant to fire for a certain level which about 3 hrs, this is done to safeguard from the collapse of structure and secondly an effective fire protection system should be in place, which is present for the purpose of detection, fire fighting and for effective evacuation of inhabitants. At present the only International Building Code IBC 2006 solely has prescriptive fire resistance construction regulations and bounds the designer to follow it for protection of structure against fire. IBC is also supported by National Fire Protection Association and other similar organization, which I have discussed in detail in later sections. The Approach of this report would be very similar to the process involved in designing a fire resistant Tall building with effective fire protection system. Characteristic of Tall Buildings As we are well aware of the processes through which the fire protection facility is bro ught into commission, where the first phase is the analysis and requirement determination of the fire protection, then the second is the design of these required systems, the third is the construction and finally the maintenance and operations of these systems. Before the commencement of the design phase of a fire protection system the first and foremost step is to evaluate and analyze the building features and when does it become of detrimental to design a prefect system. What are the different category of buildings and the types of construction. The first and basic categorization is on the basis of number of stories, under which the building which has more than 7 stories is declared as tall building. Then these tall building or high rise building are subdivided into four property classes, where first is Apartment Buildings, second being Hotels, Hospitals and other facilities that care for the sick and Office Buildings being the third and fourth type. On the other hand the discrimi nation is made on the basis of construction material. According to National Fire Protection Association, (NFPA 220, 2006) there are two basic types of construction: it either burns (combustible) or it does not (noncombustible). These types of construction can be further broken down into five categories. Type I is fire-resistive construction which majorly consists of materials such as

Prophecy in Eveline by James Joyce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prophecy in Eveline by James Joyce - Essay Example This may be a prophetic utterance that signals the inability that Eveline displays in following her decision through to its very end. She is unable to take a strong and firm decision as to whether she wants to leave with Frank or stay on with her family. This inability to take a firm decision is then indicative of the modernist inertia that anticipates a painful end to any enterprise that would provide one with happiness. Happiness is then looked upon as a manifestation of meaning that would not be possible according to the modernist ethos. This would be an expression of the ultimate fate that befalls Eveline. Happiness for her is only something that lies in the anticipation. Even this is tinged with pain and the completion of pain is what eventually results. This impossibility of happiness is what the author is highlighting through the prophetic nature of the dialogue that Eveline’s mother utters. The nature of the dialogue also then needs to be analyzed and looked into. The dialogue has been a source of constant bafflement to critics through the ages. The language, which is most probably Irish, is one that Joyce frequently refers to. This is because of the fact that Ireland at this point of time was colonized by England and its language had, as a result, suffered a great deal. Joyce’s articulation is pessimistic in anticipating and conflating the fates of both the language and the protagonist of the story, Eveline. The language and the fact that many would not be able to understand its literal meaning, let alone the connotations of it, also points to the fact that the end the story would not offer an easy resolution. The resolution then is something that is foretold and in this prophecy of doom, there is a great deal of pessimism that Joyce is trying to articulate. This articulation then becomes one that indicates the modernist predicament- one that recognizes the inad equacy of language but still attempts to convey meaning through it. The story â€Å"Eveline† is a part of the collection Dubliners.

Journal Review Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Journal Review - Article Example The identification of these profiles are said to help career counselors in assisting their clients in developing career plans The population consisted of lawyers and computer field men. The samples consisted of 213 workers aged 20-50 years in the computer software and hardware field, specifically 126 men and 87 women. They were from five computer companies and four private law firms in the Tel Aviv area. The vast majority were said to report that they belonged to the upper- middle socioeconomic class. The researchers used cluster analysis and had identified three groups of individuals who differed systematically on attributions of relative importance to work and family roles. The report, however, did not mention about the exact sample size taken from what could have been the population; neither was the response rate reported. The findings reported were that there are three distinct groups of participants who differ systematically in their attributions of importance to work and to family roles and in their significant family- and work-related variables. The research also said that incompatible pressures from the work and family domains have predictably different influences on diverse groups of people characterized by the importance they attribute to life roles. Ad... Additional findings point out that support from the spouse and support from the manager was associated with positive influences between the domains. Differences in attribution to work or family were also related to variation in work and family variables such as hours invested in paid work and the receipt of spousal support. The researchers also said that the research demonstrated that the level of W3F (Work, Work, Work, Family) conflict is higher than the level of F3W (Family, Family, Family, Work) conflict even among dual profile members. The research said that apparently the family domain is more susceptible to interference from work than is the work domain from the family. Do the sampling procedures used justify the findings of the study The findings may boast of having used the most sophisticated forms of analysis, but the sampling procedures have to equal such meticulous care. As earlier mentioned, the report did not mention the exact population size; therefore there is no way to size up the sample and the response rate. On account of this, it is now moot to be debating with the findings and how they were presented. Even then, the study analyzed the responses of married persons only, but it was not explained why. In fact, it had eliminated 29 questionnaires due to respondents' non-married status. What is true, however, is that there are married persons who can be said to enjoy lesser stress because of support in their home functions, while there are singles who are heavily bound with home chores. Clearly, civil status is not an adequate measure for presence or absence of possible stress, hence, the study should have explained its preference for married people. It is possible to be non-married and yet be a parent. Utilized by the

The Case for Starbucks and The Body Shop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Case for Starbucks and The Body Shop - Essay Example This brings the total locations to 12,440 worldwide. The number of weekly customers is 30 million. Starbucks’s success elucidates the fact that making a global brand is one sure way for the firm to survive and grow. The Roddicks' first Body Shop opened on March 26, 1976, in Brighton, the United Kingdom with only about 25 natural handmade products. The rights to the name of the firm were bought from a San Francisco beauty store which still remains today as The Body Time. Since then, the product portfolio has expanded to more than 600 skin and hair care solutions ranging from cosmetics, accessories, bath & body products, fragrances, hair care, products for men, and even an aromatherapy range -all containing only natural ingredients. Realizing that there is a great potential for their product in markets abroad, Roddick embarked on an aggressive semi-environmentalist campaign abroad. The Body Shop experienced rapid growth, expanding at a rate of 50 percent annually. Its stock was floated on London's Unlisted Securities Market in April 1984, opening at 95 pence. In January 1986, when it obtained a full listing on the London Stock Exchange, the stock was selling at 820 pence. By 1991 the company's market value stood at  £350 million. There are more than 1,900 outlets of The Body Shop today located in 500 countries such as Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Denmark, France, and Germany to name a few. The company may have continued expanding under the leadership of Roddick if it wasn’t bought by L’oreal.

Organizational Culture Analysis Essay Example for Free

Organizational Culture Analysis Essay Each organization has a different culture. The culture can help shape how an organization functions and has the potential to set it apart from the competition. There are three levels to culture: observable artifacts, espoused values, and enacted values (Baack, 2012). Each level plays a different part within an organization. State Farm Insurance is the larges mutual property and casualty insurance carrier in the United States. The company was founded over 90 years ago and has had plenty of time to develop their layers of culture. Observable artifacts are the outward viewable signs of an organization. Observable artifacts are viewed not only by the employees of the company but also by outsiders. State Farm has a various artifacts. The company has a recognizable logo and slogan, â€Å"Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there†. These have artifacts are recognizable in most households. On an internal level, yearly there are ceremonies that the company conducts to reinforce the feeling of family. Yearly the company holds Christmas in the Atrium where Santa comes for all of the employees and their families to visit. Annual Easter parties and Founder’s Day celebrations also encourage the neighborly atmosphere, keeping in line with the slogan. According to Baack (2012), espoused values are aspirational opposed to the actual outcome. The values set forth by the company are to act as a guide but are not always achievable. State Farm includes its values within the mission statement, â€Å"†¦quality service and relationships, mutual trust, integrity and financial strength† (State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, 2013). The most recent value set by the company is to be remarkable. Employees not only need to strive to give remarkable service to the agents and the policyholders but also be remarkable in the interactions with fellow employees. The idea of providing remarkable service guides how employees are to work everyday. It defines the product being sold and the interaction with policyholders. The last layer of culture is enacted values. These values are the actual behaviors exhibited by the employees. Rick Darby of Safety Culture (2012) stated, â€Å"the enacted values of an organization†¦may be at a considerable distance from those proclaimed in official statements and public relations material†. In the case of State Farm and being â€Å"remarkable†, employees are having a hard time providing the remarkable service. Slow systems, being short handed, and a disconnect between operation employees and agents, contribute to less than remarkable service. These enacted values differ from what the company would like but not much has been done to rectify the situation. Darby (2012) believed if a great gap was found between enacted values of the employees and the espoused values of upper management, there could be confusion and dissatisfaction. The dissatisfaction found in employees can start to alter the observable artifacts of the company. The recognition of State Farm for being an admired company will stop being awarded if management does not address the enacted value of its employees. The three levels of culture contribute to how an organization is presented to the public. Observable artifacts, espoused values, and enacted values all supply a foundation for the organization’s culture. The culture of the organization is part of what defines their success and growth. State Farm is known as the good neighbor company but needs to address the enacted values of the employees in order to provide the remarkable experience it is striving for. References Baack, D. (2012). Organizational Behavior. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Darby, R. (2012, April). Pyramid Building. Safety Culture , pp. 52-55. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. (2013). State Farm. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from State Farm web site: www.statefarm.com

Lean Manufacturing: Concept Overview and Disadvantages

Lean Manufacturing: Concept Overview and Disadvantages Introduction The most noteworthy evolution of lean accounting in recent years has been a sharpening focus on value. Lean has always been centered on creating value for customers and eliminating non-value adding waste (Asefeso, p 9). Lean accounting has been steadily making it possible for manufacturers to explicitly measure value in financial terms and to focus improvement efforts on increasing value. With many manufacturers now implementing lean, it becomes essential to discover what part of lean accounting has played in the changes made. This paper will give a brief background of lean manufacturing and a general overview of what lean accounting is. I will also explore some problems and disadvantages of lean accounting from various researched articles. Background of Lean Manufacturing Lean is a philosophy that spurred from the Toyota Production System (TPS). TPS was created by Toyotas founder Sakichi Toyodo, Kiichiro Toyoda, and Taiichi Ohno. Much of TPS was also influenced by W. Edwards Demings statistic process control (SPC) and Henry Fords mass production lines. However, the Japanese were not impressed with Fords approach because it was filled with over-production, lots of inventory, and much waiting. Toyota identified these weaknesses in Fords production line and adapted the production line to create a more productive and reliable production line. TPS and lean also use just-in-time inventory where only small amounts of inventory were ordered and very little inventory was left waiting in the production line. This also was very different from Fords production line which usually bought high volumes of materials and had high inventory levels to lower costs. After TPS proved to be successful for Toyota, many companies adapted their production lines to incorporate lean principles. Lean management was first introduced in the United States in the early 1980s after a global study of the performance of automotive assembly plants. Essentially, the primary principle of lean is that it is a tool used in manufacturing to eliminate waste, improve quality, and reduce cost. Waste is eliminated by identifying non-value added activity. The main objective is to supply perfect value to the customer through a perfect value product that has no waste. Eliminating waste along entire value streams, instead of at isolated points, creates processes that need less human effort, less space, less capital, and less time to make products and services at far less costs and with much fewer defects, compared with traditional business systems (What is Lean?). Companies may face certain challenges when applying lean to their production lines. First, lean should be applied to companies that have production lines that are routine, predictable, stable, and can be flow charted. Second, lean implementation may take years and can be very costly in large companies. Depending on how integrated the systems and how disciplined the production line is, it is quite possible that a lean implementation may fail. There are several key lean manufacturing principles that need to be understood in order to implement lean. Failure to understand and apply these principles will most likely result in failure or a lack of commitment from everyone (Key Lean Manufacturing). These principles are as follows: 1. Elimination of waste; 2. Continuous improvement; 3. Respect for humanity; 4. Levelized production; 5. Just-in-time production; and 6. Quality built-in (Key Lean Manufacturing). Management may also be discouraged to adopt lean manufacturing right away because the lean implementation is a long term investment. Most CEOs make decisions that benefit the company in the short run, and may choose not to adopt lean because it may show unfavorable results on the financial statement during the early stages. Lean will cause a decrease in inventory levels, causing assets on the balance sheet to drop which is not always favorable. However, these short term negative results will eventually become long run gains as the company benefits from less inventory holding costs and improved processes. Background of Lean Accounting While most people associate lean to manufacturing processes, it is now taking on a very important key role for companies to adopt lean throughout the other departments of the company. An example of a support function that uses the lean concept is the accounting field. Since accounting is a support department, it should apply lean principles after the manufacturing department has incorporated lean. Accountings main duty is to accurately measure and communicate financial activity, and by adopting lean accounting after successfully implementing lean manufacturing would allow for the accurate measurement of the new production system. Lean accounting evolved from a concern that traditional accounting practices were inadequate and, in fact, a deterrent to the adoption of some of the necessary improvements to manufacturing operations. While manufacturing managers knew that investments in automation and the adoption of lean manufacturing practices were the right things to do, traditional accounting was often an obstacle to such improvements, yielding numbers that only supported investments when they could be justified by reductions in direct labor, with little benefit ascribed to any improvements to quality, flexibility or company throughput (Asefeso, p 10). Lean accounting is the cornerstone of a completely different model of manufacturing management. By itself, lean accounting has limited value, but as the financial basis for the application of logistics, superior management, factory operations, marketing, pricing, and other vital business functions, lean accounting is very powerful. A core principle of lean accounting is that the value stream is the only appropriate cost collection entity within the organization, as opposed to traditional accountings use of cells, cost or profit centers or departments normally based on smaller, functional groupings of work activity (Asefeso, p12). The main idea behind lean is minimizing waste, therefore creating more value for customers with fewer resources. Problems and Disadvantages of Lean Accounting Lean accounting may reduce the manufacturing process to a few numbers, but it does not provide a lot of information. There are several flaws of using the lean accounting approach. Speed gives you an advantage over the competition. No matter if you are first in a market or deliver a product faster, it will improve your competitiveness and hence your revenue. However, it is nearly impossible to determine this advantage quantitatively. How much does it get you to be in the market seven days earlier? One big thing in lean manufacturing is to reduce fluctuations. The more even your system works, the more profitable you will be. However, it is difficult to measure these fluctuations, even more difficult to determine the impact of an improvement on fluctuations, and hence nearly impossible to calculate the monetary benefit of reducing fluctuations. Yet another thing in lean is customer satisfaction, often described as value to the customer. What is the monetary damage if a delivery is delay ed, if a product breaks, if service is slow, or if your people are unfriendly? It is nearly impossible to know. Even more difficult to determine is how improvement measures will actually influence the above. How much does it cost you to provide a better service, how will this influence customer satisfaction, and what is your benefit from this? (The Problems of). Using lean accounting can also lead to bad decisions such as where to put the money when profits are maximized and where to take the money out that has been saved. There are also several disadvantages of using lean accounting. One disadvantage of lean accounting is that it requires a top-down, sometimes monumental cultural shift. Most manufacturing companies have cost accounting systems in place that measure production improvements in terms of short and medium-term cost reductions. However, lean accounting focuses on freeing up resources to increase the product or product lines value to customers and make more money. Senior management must therefore change their thinking from one focused on the bottom line to one focused somewhere between revenues and profits. Without managements full commitment, full implementation of an effective lean accounting system will stall (Wright). Accounting systems traditionally generate internal reports that owners and management both senior and departmental review and discuss. Lean accounting aims to translate the information into numbers that task-based employees in various departments can use. These accounting systems focus on compiling cost-based data. Since lean accounting focuses on value creation, companies often need to completely overhaul their accounting systems, collection and measurement procedures, controls and software. Any system overhaul can be daunting, but the scope of an accounting system overhaul can be particularly exhaustive (Wright). Lean accounting focuses on increasing revenues and profits by increasing the value of a companys products and services. When lean accounting systems focus on value stream instead of cost, they may inadvertently omit costs or ignore issues related to specific costs. Until a company fully captures a product or product lines value stream, accountants may not be able to appropriately price products or determine each products individual level of profitability (Wright). Effective lean thinking and lean accounting require input and involvement by all employees. Many employees in a traditional manufacturing or distribution environment are reactive, following the orders given them. Companies must therefore invest in training, developing and empowering all their employees to help them become proactive. This can be expensive and time consuming (Wright). Unless the accountants understand the way that lean works, in the worst case it seems to them that lean produces losses, not efficiencies. In a typical case, they cannot see the cost advantages. Those who were fighting to introduce lean into their companies reported over and over again that finding a way to reconcile accounting the way lean does it and standard cost accounting was proving to be much harder than it should be (Woods). Lean practitioners think of accounting in cash terms. Lean is against creating data and reports for their own sake. That would be considered another form of waste. In general, lean advocates have a jaundiced view of enterprise software and any general-purpose automation tools. The lean approach measures how well your value stream is working (Woods). The difference between lean accounting and standard cost accounting can be explained in a simple weight loss analogy. When dieting, standard cost accounting would advise you to weigh yourself once a week to see if youre losing weight. Lean accounting would measure your calorie intake and your exercise and then attempt to adjust them until you achieve the desired outcome. While this analogy is oversimplified, it does get to the core difference between lean and standard cost accounting. Lean accounting attempts to find measures that predict success. Standard cost accounting measures results after the fact (Woods). But even when the accounting types and the lean practitioners start to understand each other, problems remain. How can we reconcile the kind of data collection and accounting that lean demands and the standard cost accounting? Duplicated data collection and reporting is indeed a form of waste (Woods). Conclusion While lean accounting is still a work-in-process, there is now an agreed body of knowledge that is becoming the standard approach to accounting, control, and measurement. These principles, practices, and tools of lean accounting have been implemented in a wide range of companies at various stages on the journey to lean transformation. These methods can be readily adjusted to meet your companys specific needs and they rigorously maintain adherence to GAAP and external reporting requirements and regulations. Lean accounting is itself lean, low-waste, and visual, and frees up finance and accounting peoples time so they can become actively involved in lean change instead of being merely bean counters. Companies using lean accounting have better information for decision-making, have simple and timely reports that are clearly understood by everyone in the company, they understand the true financial impact of lean changes, they focus the business around the value created for the customers, and lean accounting actively drives the lean transformation. This helps the company to grow, to add more value for the customers, and to increase cash flow and value for the stockholders and owners (Maskell and Baggaley, p 43). Works Cited Asefeso, Ade. Lean Accounting, Second Edition. AA Global Sourcing Ltd, 2014. p 9, p10 and p12. Key Lean Manufacturing Principles. www.lean-manufacturing-junction.com. Accessed February 25, 2017. Maskell, Brian H. and Baggaley, Bruce L. Lean Accounting: Whats It All About?. Target Magazine. Association for Manufacturing Excellence, 2006. p 43. www.aicpa.org. Accessed February 25, 2017. The Problems of Cost Accounting with Lean. www.allaboutlean.com. Accessed February 27, 2017. What is Lean?. www.lean.org. Accessed February 25, 2017. Woods, Dan. Lean Accountings Fat Problem. Published July 28, 2009. www.forbes.com. Accessed March 1, 2017. Wright, Tiffany C. The Disadvantages of Lean Accounting. www.smallbusiness.chron.com. Accessed March 1, 2017.

If You Want to View Paradise :: Personal Narrative Cane Fields Papers

If You Want to View Paradise When the sugar cane burned a thick pillar of black smoke twisted and grew up from the fields. The beanstalk of cloud was seen from anywhere on the island and for an afternoon everyone stopped their chores, their cars, their machines to exhale at the desecrating monster. The fire lifted soil, plant debris, worker's gloves and t-shirts forgotten in the fields, insects and rats, children forgotten in the fields, all charred to ash, into the air, stirred it up and threw it back to earth to be interpreted by a more creative voodoo. Cane ash cycloned up in the pillar and blew onto nearby communities with the tradewinds. Curled black ash rained down on my brother and me playing basketball in the driveway. The ash, light, tossed in the wind, collected curled in corners like loose pubic hair. The farmers burned the cane purposefully. They followed the flame, directing it to burn row after row. Late into the night they followed the fire in a semi-circle on the upwind side wearing Hula Bowl t-shirts around their faces like bandits to filter the smoke. Train robbers trying to control the steam locomotive with shovels. Trains have a tendency to run away. The fire husked the cane for them and though it burned a portion of the precious sugar it also burned the glass hairs along the stalk that itched skin and throats for days. The cane fields spread in rows like radio waves echoing out from the base of the Waianai mountain range. On these mountains, closer the peaks at the topmost corner, was a preserve, a deathbed for the last pristine area on the island. Here the rarities mingled in an elite cocktail party for the terminally ill. The Ohia Lehua rooted shallow on the cliffsides, its wood trunk dry like beach wood and its blossoms a blood red exploding out like firecrackers from light green dime shaped leaves. Ala ala wai nui crawled out of holes in boulders. It is called a succulent, its leaves absorb water and are thick and peach fuzzed for it. It is strong enough to break rocks but can not conquer a field of pili grass. The Manono's leaves come out two at a time, opposite each other on the same node. They look like cho cho lips, fat lips, puckering up. They are not plants that grow together supporting and encouraging one another to grow.

Monkey, the Novel Essay -- parallels Monkey humans

Monkey, the Novel  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Monkey is created by the author as an individual entity that resembles the characteristic of an ordinary human being. It is quite obvious that the audience would better understand the idea hidden in the literature if the characteristics of the protagonist are closely related to those of the reader. In Monkey , the author carefully parallels the traits of Monkey to the lives of human beings. Then why does the author portray so much resemblance between Monkey and human? The author’s approach in attracting the audience by using symbolism successfully accomplishes the intention in the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All humans feel a need, a hunger for the things that benefit their way of living. Monkey easily symbolizes many ordinary humans in this world. Monkey’s life represents a journey that reflects the lives of most human beings. From the beginning of the novel, Monkey expresses hunger that is overpowered by greed. Similar to human beings,Monkey first seeks knowledge, then power, and finally enlightenment. Monkey’s arrogance brought by greed is displayed when he proclaims, â€Å"why do you not bow down to me as your king?'; . Monkey’s desire to acquire more than the apparent limit is more understandable to the audience, because human beings are able to empathize with this greed felt by Monkey.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All people fight with human nature to alter the natural phenomenon that occurs in life. In comparison, Monkey struggles to alter nature by demanding immortality. H...

Of Mice & Men: Forced Isolation Essay

Everyone in their lifetime desires the comfort of a friend, but will settle for the attentive ear of a stranger. In the novel, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck shows how lonely people were during the 1930’s. He teaches a grim lesson about the nature of human existence, and how the characters in the story had to admit at one time or another to having a profound sense of loneliness and isolation. Although each character had their own secluded troubles, Curley’s wife, Crooks, and Candy, suffered the most from loneliness. Curley’s wife is the only female character in the story who is never given a proper, and is only mentioned in reference to her husband. The men on the farm refer to her as a â€Å"tramp†, a â€Å"tart†, and a â€Å"looloo†, and she represents the temptation of female sexuality in a male-dominated world. Steinbeck depicts Curley’s wife not as a villain, but rather as a victim. Like the ranch-hands, she is desperately lonely and has broken dreams of a better life. For example, she tells Lennie, â€Å"I get lonely. You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley.† (95) This shows how aware she is about Curley’s insecurity, which causes her to converse with the other men in secret. Curley expects his wife to do as he tells her at all times, and expects her to isolate herself from everyone else and to only talk to him. In addition, Curley’s wife also adds after discovering where Curley had gone too â€Å"Think I don’t know where they all went? Even Curley?† (77) Curley’s wife despises the requirements and demands her husband has over her, fully knowing that Curley is unfaithful to her. Using this against her husband, Curley’s wife does the exact opposite of what he tells demands of her, and does as she wants whenever Curley isn’t around, and tries to have the guys understand that all she needs is a friend. Curley’s wife, being a woman, is expected to obey a man at all times, but since she is a free-spirited woman, she has hopes and dreams just like everyone else that she had to give up to spend the rest of her miserable life being isolated. Candy, the old swamper, is a lonely character because he is different from  everyone else and doesn’t really have anybody to call â€Å"friend†. For example, Candy tells George, â€Å"I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, ‘cause I ain’t got no relatives nor nothing.† (59) Candy clearly says in this statement that he is desperate to not spend the rest of his life alone. He was willing to give George and Lennie his life savings to be a part of their American Dream, and clings to the idea of having the freedom to take up or set aside work as he chooses. In addition, Candy continues to persuade George, â€Å"When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me. But they won’t do nothing like that. I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs.† (60) Candy compares himself to his old dog that was shot because he was no longer useful and the guys at the ranch didn’t want him to suffer anymore. He knows that he will get fired from his job soon, because he as well is getting very old and useless, and wished that once he does get fired, one of the men on the ranch will shoot him to put him out of his misery, because he will have no one left to spend his life with. Candy is a hard worker, however, he fears that he will be alone for the rest of his life and tries to do everything in his power to avoid that worrying obstacle. Crooks is a lively, sharp-witted, African American who takes his name from his crooked back. Like most of the characters in the story, he admits that he is awfully lonely. When Lennie visits him in his room, his reaction certainly reveals this fact. â€Å"’Why ain’t you wanted?’ Lennie asked. ‘Cause I’m black.’† (68) At first when Lennie visited Crooks, he turns Lennie away, hoping to prove a point that if he, as a black man, is not allowed in white men’s houses, then whites are not allowed in his. However, his desire for company ultimately wins out and he invites Lennie to sit with him. Like Curley’s wife, Crooks is a disempowered character who turns his vulnerability into a weapon to attack those who are even weaker. Crooks adds, â€Å"A guy sets alone here at night, maybe readin’ books or thinkin’ or stuff like that. Sometimes he gets thinkin’, an’ he got nothin’ to tell him what’s so an’ ain’t so. Maybe if he sees somethin’, he don’t know whether it’s right or not. He can turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it too.† (73) Crooks as a black and handicapped man, is forced to live on the periphery of ranch life. He is not even allowed to enter the white men’s  bunkhouse, or join them in a game of cards. His resentment typically comes out through his bitter harsh intellect, but in this passage he displays a desolate, touching vulnerability. Crooks desire for a friend by whom to â€Å"measure† things echoes George’s earlier description of the life of a migrant worker. These characters each crave the reassurance of a friend at one time or another and are all rendered helpless by their isolation, and yet, even at their weakest, they seek to destroy those who are even weaker than they are. Because of this strong feeling of loneliness, it isn’t surprising that the promise of a farm of their own life filled with strong bonds holds such allure.

With specific reference to Act 2 Scene 1 examine Marlene’s character

With specific reference to Act 2 Scene 1 examine Marlene's character. Consider how the interview process exposed what she is like and the choices she has made. Marlene is a high powered business woman; she has just gained a promotion to managing director of a successful employment agency called ‘Top Girls. ‘ In Act 2 Scene 1 Marlene is positioned in the work environment, this enables the audience to see her perform as she would on a daily basis. This is the first time the audience sees Marlene in the work place you are able to make the observation that Marlene is well suited in this career as she is very ambitious. Act 1 informed the audience that Marlene just received a promotion this shows she is dedicated and successful within this agency. Marlene's charisma does a lot to hide her working class roots which she has obviously tried very hard to conceal from the people around her. You would never make the assumption that Marlene is from an impoverish background however, this is revealed when her sister is introduced in Act 2 Scene 2 and shown in working class society. Marlene has made several choices in life in order to move herself up civilization, which Churchill discloses throughout the play. Marlene is interviewing a young girl, Jeanine, for a job in Act 2 Scene 1. The audience is able to see her brisk interviewing skills here and how Marlene would generally perform in the work place. Marlene is quick to notice Jeanine's faults; this shows her to be a relatively pessimistic person. She is fairly blunt and seems rushed in this scene. This shows she is a busy woman who is committed to her work. Churchill purposely exposes the differences within the two women here even though Marlene was once from the same background as Jeanine, her abandoning of the ‘working class' background is noticeable in this scene as she clearly views Jeanine as being underneath her. This is shown by Marlene using Jeanine's forename, † Right Jeanine, you are Jeanine aren't you? † which is generally informal and disrespectful in this situation. Marlene is very original in her views of other women, she seems very self indulged, even though she helps people get jobs she is very ambitious and constantly looking ahead. As Marlene has no one else to worry about Churchill shows her to be self reliant and not want to let anyone else into her life. Jeanine has different ambitions to Marlene, though Jeanine is not necessarily the ambitious type she does have one desire, to get married. Marlene's character is thoroughly exposed when the idea of marriage and children in introduced. She reacts very negatively to both these aspects and seems to view Jeanine negatively for having this ambition. It is revealed in the Act 3 of ‘Top Girls' that Marlene in fact gave up her own child in order to pursue her career. Marlene has made sacrifices, marriage and children to be in the position she is in now and Churchill portrays Marlene to view other people differently for taking this path, like she believes others should make the same choices as she has. When Jeanine mentions not receiving an engagement ring Marlene responds with, â€Å"saves taking it off. † This shows she believes marriage affects work and possibly should stay undisclosed. This shows she is very dedicated to work, possibly too much so. Marlene is definitely a woman who knows what she wants from life and plans ahead to the future. Jeanine is very much the opposite of this as she is very reliant on other people's views and ideas instead of her own. When Marlene questions her about ten years time Jeanine replies with â€Å"I might not be alive in ten years. † This shows the audience their obvious differences and Jeanine's lack of expectations for herself. Marlene is definitely the type of woman who has planned out her next direction in life with steady consideration. Marlene thoroughly believes in commitment to work in order to receive the things you want. She went in to do higher education in order to pursue a career and distant her self from the working class life, her sister's life. This has been an inevitable choice for Marlene and she seems very independent. Marlene does not have a close connection with anyone. Here distances are brought across while speaking to Jeanine on the idea of marriage and children but also the idea of cutting Jeanine's speech up meaning she does not care about her personal life. I don't believe Marlene leads a great social life as she is very work orientated. Act one shows us she has never really had any partners showing again her self reliance but also her inability to make time for others. We know she has at least had one partner when it is revealed that Angie is in fact Marlene's daughter who she handed over to her sister. Though it is never revealed properly why, you get the impression Marlene would not give up the time to look after her daughter and did not want a child to interfere with her plans in future. She wanted to pick the career path not the child path. Marlene's new middle class background Marlene is definitely in a better financial state than Joyce but Marlene chooses to leave Joyce to take care on Angie. Marlene is not fond of children so the audience is able to identify that this child was not planned and Marlene left her mistakes behind her by moving away and beginning work. When Jeanine is speaking about her marriage, Marlene is swift to change the subject, possibly showing she is lonely and knows what she has missed out on. Marlene has abandoned the idea of ever getting married, to work for this company, receive her latest promotion etc. The play provides negative connotations toward being married and having children in this work environment as Marlene says â€Å"So you won't tell them you're getting married†¦ It would probably help. † Showing it is more difficult to get a good job when you have other commitments. Relationships are a hindrance for Marlene while Jeanine sees her relationship as her main focus in life. Marlene is very enigmatic as she keeps most problems and situations to herself. She is a serious character, especially in the work place. In Act 1 you see a slightly more open and humorous side to Marlene however, this was most likely because of her severe alcohol intake. In this interview process, Churchill portrays Marlene as being straight to the point and says what she thinks so that she does not have to waste time. Her job is a busy one and the way she acts towards Jeanine in the interview shows she does not have time to waste â€Å"We don't have any foreign clients. You'd have to go elsewhere. † Marlene also speeds up the interview so it finishes quickly this may be due to her amount of other work or her disliking of Jeanine, it is unclear because of Marlene's secretive side. Marlene seems to live up to the middle class stereotype. There is no connection with anyone from working class background made; this shows Marlene to be ashamed. She is proud for leaving that world behind but keeps it to herself as she doesn't want people to judge her for whom she used to be. Marlene is presented in many ways. Seeing her in the working environment is very significant as this is how she exposes herself to other people. Churchill wants to shows the differences between the two characters in Act 2 Scene 1. Marlene is apathetic towards Jeanine. She has dissimilar ambitions to Jeanine and slightly frowns upon her for choosing this path that Marlene has been so successful without. The differences here really highlight Marlene's thoughts and her as a character. The choices she has made in order to live a middle class career following life are very significant. Giving up a child is a huge decision and Marlene believes in part she made the correct choice and she is now a very successful business woman. You do receive the feeling that it has affected her on the whole as she quickly switches the direction of conversation while speaking with Jeanine about marriage and children. Also the idea of being very secretive shows Marlene must be slightly ashamed or possibly does not find others very trust worthy. She has changed her image and does not feel the need to mention the past which is mature of Marlene. Overall she is exposed by Churchill as making many significant choices in life which she makes no attempt to change permanently. Marlene is portrayed as being dedicated and successful in the work place and this is largely helped by her steady ambition. She has transformed herself and sacrifices certain aspects of life in order to be successful and have her dream occupation.

Module One: Introduction to Theory

2. Explain the relationships of the concepts of the client, health, environment and nursing. Answer: These four major concepts establish a better direction and understanding of nursing profession. The Nursing Metaparadigm embodies the knowledge base, theory, philosophy, research, practice, and educational experience and literature identified with the profession. These given concepts vary in accordance to the experiences and views of different nursing theorists. . HUMAN BEINGS Human beings are viewed as open energy fields with unique life experiences. As energy fields, they are greater than and different from the sum of their parts and cannot be predicted from knowledge of their parts. Humans, as holistic beings, are unique, dynamic, sentient, and multidimensional, capable of abstract reasoning, creativity, aesthetic appreciation and self-responsibility. Language, empathy, caring, and other abstract patterns of communication are aspects of an individually high level of complexity and diversity and enable one to increase knowledge of self and environment. Humans are viewed as valued persons, to be respected, nurtured and understood with the right to make informed choices regarding their health. For the purpose of study in nursing, biological, psychological, spiritual, intellectual and sociocultural dimensions of human beings and stages of human development are delineated as they affect behavior and health. These dimensions operate within and upon the human being in an open, interrelated, interdependent, and interactive way. The nursing client is an open system, continually changing in mutual process with the changing environment. Recipients of nursing actions may be well or ill and include individuals, families and communities.

Marketing Concept and the possible limitations Essay

Marketing is defined as a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and values with others.(Kotler.P 2002 : 5) The goals of marketing is to attract new customers by promising superior value and keep and grow current customers by delivering satisfaction. There are five core concepts of marketing, which includes needs, wants and demand; products, services and experience; value, satisfaction and quality; exchanges, transactions and relationships; and finally, market and marketing. After World War II, the variety of products increased and hard selling no longer could be relied upon to generate sales. Customers afford to be selective and buy products which can precisely met their changing needs with increased discretionary income. The key questions arose: What do customers want? Can we develop it while they still want it, and how can we keep our customers satisfied? In order to response to these discerning customers, firms began to adopt the marketing concept. This involves focusing on customer needs before developing the product, aligning all functions of the company to focus on those needs, and realizing a profit by successfully satisfying customer needs in long-term. In other words, in the context of marketing concept, company must first determine what the consumer wants, then produces what they wants, then sells the consumer what they wants. In marketing concept, more listening to and eventual accommodation of the target market occurs. Two-way communication is emphasized in marketing so â€Å"learning† can take place and product offerings can be improved. Business must first fulfill consumers’ needs and wants. Marketing concept â€Å"holds that the key to achieving organizational goals consists in determining the needs and wants of target markets and delivering the desired satisfactions more effectively and efficiently than competitors† (online material #5) To illustrate the marketing concept, Peter Drucker, in 1954 said: â€Å"If we want to know what business is, we must first start with its purpose†¦Ã‚  There is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer. What business thinks it produces is not of first importance – especially not to the future of the business or to its success. What the customer thinks he/she is buying, what he/she considers â€Å"value† is decisive – it determines what a business is, what it produces, and whether it will prosper.† (Online material #4) Marketing concept was considered a breakthrough in business philosophy. It’s because it represented the antithesis of the product, production, and selling concepts. The marketing concept holds that businesses should first determine the existing needs in the marketplace and then design and produce a product to satisfy this need rather than taking an existing product and endeavoring to modify demand for it by reducing price or varying promotional technique. Marketing concept plays an important part in an organization. According to the Customer Service Institute, it costs as much as five times as much to acquire a new customer than it does to service an existing one and that the customers tell twice as many people about a bad experience over a good one. According to their studies, 65% of the business of an average company comes from its presently satisfied customers. (Online material #4) There are a range of firms gain success and earns at a very high profit through the use of marketing concept. One of the examples of successful organization implementing marketing concept is JVC. JVC has been building and expanding its mobile electronics capabilities throughout the last decade, and it now markets a complete line of mobile audio equipment and accessories. In the December of 1998, JVC celebrated its success. (Online material #3) JVC launched revolutionary and market-making products like the world’s smallest CD changer, cutting-edge MD-to-CD receiver for audio aficionados, as well as JVC’s loaded  car A/V system. JVC sees customers’ needs and wants and made an attempt to fill their needs and wants, and satisfy them by expanding its product offerings and adding more varied and exciting features. They are very successful in satisfying their  customer that their customers know that with JVC, they are getting the very best sound for their dollar. JVC is so successful with its marketing concepts that they have become a global leader in the development and manufacturing of innovative audio and video hardware, as well as related software products. Another example of successful firm is the Thayer Interactive Group (TIG), an online hospitality marketing firm. TIG sees that consumer behavior has changed. People are using the internet more than ever to make research of different options prior to booking travel, and that they are approaching hotels preemptively. Therefore, TIG targets individuals who are actively looking for lodging solutions at the precise place and time that they wanted to get. Because they know that the consumers nowadays are buying based on â€Å"get more, pay little†, their program offers the industry’s first and only comprehensive suite of Web marketing services designed to administer all aspects of a hotel’s internet presence, AND bypass excessive fees charged by third-party travel sites. TIG even provides a customized â€Å"five-part program† – website development and content management; search engine marketing; guerilla marketing and online advertising; reporting and analysis; and proactive account management. The objective is to deliver the travel consumer directly to individually managed hotel Web sites which allows them to maintain control of pricing and avoid excessive third-party fees.TIG is so successful that it is already generating an average of more than $1 million in incremental revenue per participating hotel. (Online material #2) Other successful firms which have adopted the marketing concept are such as  Procter and Gamble, Wal-Mart, Marriott, Dell Computer etc. The marketing concept is founded upon the assumption that consumers are knowledgeable, intelligent, and rational, and base their product purchases upon a careful consideration of the relationship between their own needs and product attributes. However, do the consumers always know what is â€Å"needed†? In many cases, customers do not know what they want or even what is possible. For example, 30 years ago, how many consumers would have thought to ask for 24-hour Internet brokerage accounts and DVD players? Moreover, by focusing on customers’ needs, marketing concept ignore other important stakeholders. In order to implement marketing concept, a lot of research are needed to be carried out and it is very expensive to do such marketing researches. In U.S., the latest consumerism movement has caused limitations to marketing concept as well. Nowadays, consumers assert their rights to products which are safe, economic, reliable, honestly labeled and advertised, and product’s impact upon the environment. Moreover, consumerists have been very proactive in seeing that these â€Å"rights† are guaranteed, either by the firms selling the products or by the government of the U.S. In this, Peter Drucker blamed the marketers for failing their consumers and publics in using the marketing concept: We have asked ourselves where in the marketing concept consumerism fits or belong. I have come to conclusion that the only way one can really define it within the marketing concept is as the shame it. It is essentially a mark of failure of the concept†¦ (Drucker P. 1969). (Online material #5) It is often taken for granted that the marketing concept is true. The concept is usually expressed as the assertion that firms which are marketing oriented will do better than firms which are not. This assertion is being put to test empirically by Massey University by comparing the financial  results of firms exhibiting high levels of marketing orientation with those of lower levels. The result showed that there is actually no clear association between adapting in line with marketing concept and success. (Online material #1) In order to adapt and implement marketing concept, firms have to be able to meet changing customer needs and wants, as well as competitor strategies. There are a number of firms such as General Motors and Zenith, which lost substantial market share because they failed to adjust their marketing strategies to the changing market. Top management in an organization must ensue that all employees are driven by marketing concept. They must be driven by the marketing concept before they can expect employees to whole-heartedly commit to it. In addition, top management should foster an organizational culture and set organizational values that embody the concept by encouraging cross-functional communication and coordination directed toward satisfying the needs of the customers. Bibliography Armstrong G & Kotler P, 2002, Marketing An Introduction 6th ed, Prentice Hall, New Jersey Online Material #1: Marketing Bulletin,1991,2,1-7, http://marketing-bulletin.massey.ac.nz/article2/article1b.asp [22/9/2003] Online Material #2: Business Editors,2002,Thayer Interactive Group Proves Marketing Concept to Hotel Industry, http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/mOEIN/2002_Oct_7/92536200/p1/article.jhtml?term=%22marketing+concept%22 [20/9/2003] Online Material #3: Business Editors,1998,JVC Celebrates Success in Mobile Electronics With New Image and New Marketing Concept, http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m4PRN/1998_Dec_15/53402065/p1/article.jhtml?term=%22marketing+concept%22 [20/9/2003] Online Material #4: The Research Exchange Vol.5, http://www.ncddr.org/du/researchexchange/v05n01/adapting%20Marketing%20Concept.htm [23/9/2003] Online Material #5: Robert D,Social Responsibility,Consumerism,and The Marketing Concept,1999, http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/Research/1999/SMA/99sma110.htm [24/9/2003]

Microsoft strategic alliance with Nokia

Abstract Nokia is a very big telecommunications company that has experienced serious brand and financial issues in the recent years, and lately forged an alliance with Microsoft to try and save the situation. This paper is going to examine the strategic alliance between the two giant companies by evaluating their external and internal environments. It will also examine three different growth strategies and then select the most appropriate one. From the evaluation of the growth strategies in the paper, product development has been selected and it is the only way that the company can attempt to come closer to its competitors or even beat them in the market. Introduction and Company Background Nokia, which is a Finish Company that manufactures mobile phones, has been in existence since the creation of the earliest mobile devices, and the corporation has managed to take the world by storm by domination of the mobile industry (Roy, 2011, p. 23). The company has a large market and has been producing the best mobile phones over the years. However, things have not been smooth for the company in the North American market where penetration has been an uphill task. This is particularly bad news for the company because it is a region where smartphones have become a necessary commodity for every individual, regardless of their standards of living. The smartphones market went up by as much as 50 percent in the year 2011 and Google has been in the lead in the industry with their Android, a young operating system. The company is well aware of their problem all over the world, and the United States of America in particular. This forced them to hire Stephen Elop, who became the first person from outside Finland to head the company. This new chief executive officer joined the company from a high-ranking position at the Microsoft Corporation in the year 2010. He had a primary task of increasing company’s market share cap on the Asian and North American markets. Being the first person from outside Finland to head the company, he became under a lot of pressure to ensure that the share losses of the market of the company are reversed. Nokia found it difficult to perform in the market for smartphones and that is why they decided to have an alliance with the Microsoft Corporation to try to save the situation (Saylor, 2012, p39). This was the first major step that the new CEO took. The unexpected cooperation with the Microsoft Corporation elicited several debates regarding Nokia as well as about the general smartphones market (Schwarzinger, 2012, p.53). The IDC (International Data Corporation), which is a company for market analysis, and monitors the smartphones market, predicted that the Windows Phones would become the second largest provider of software for smartphones globally (Grant, R 2010, p. 31). The analysis and prediction is based on the strategic alliance between Nokia and Microsoft Corporation. Combined with the projected growth in the sales of smartphones and the predictions given by the ICD, then why is it that there was negative action by the financial market when he news of the two giant companies collaborating came outThis is one of the questions that many financial analysts have been asking themselves. This paper examines the strategic alliance between the two giant companies by evaluating their external and internal environments. It will also examine three different growth strategies and then select the most appropriate one. External AnalysisThe Five Forces Framework of NokiaThe present competition that Nokia is facing in the phone industry has greatly affected its market share. However, it still holds a considerable share of the market in the industry that is ever changing. The microenvironment is the internal factors that affect the customers, staff, competitors and the shareholders (Henry, 2008, p.24). The five forces model is the most appropriate for the evaluation of the microenvironment of Nokia as it takes into consideration the clients, suppliers, competitors as well as the new entrants.The power of suppliers: moderateAlthough the company relies on its suppliers to provide equipment, there are numerous large manufacturers of equipment that they can turn to (Baron, 2008, p53). Currently, Microsoft is the supplier of software for the company and they have a high bargaining power together. In addition, the company is in a good position to bargain as well as negotiate with any mobile phone hardware p roducer because there are a large number of the suppliers of equipment, which are readily and easily accessible should their current suppliers attempt to ask for more money with them. Moreover, the alliance with the Microsoft Corporation is regarded as a coup for Nokia and not Microsoft. The Microsoft Corporation may have more power in the negotiation of price along with the share as the pact is of more significance to Nokia that the Microsoft Corporation.The power of buyers: highThe customers have an increasing power because of increasing variety of alternatives available in the sector of mobile telecommunication. Majority of Nokia’s competitors also offer the same packages and the sector is very sensitive to matters like the prices with clients seeking the best value for their money. Majority of the customers are also tied into the long-lasting contracts and thus having to change from one mobile phone to another is hard and costly for consumers. The sector has a very compet itive market that has a variety of choices, which makes the customers to have much power as they can choose to go to the various competitors of Nokia if they are not contented with what the company is providing.The threat of new entrants: lowThe market of mobile phone is well-established and a lucrative one, and there is a relatively low threat of new entrants, as the technology that is needed to rival the devices that are already existing is very advanced. This is something that cannot be achieved easily by any company. The barriers to entry into the market are very high, as any potential new entrants need a lot of investment in marketing and technology so that they can be in a position of challenging the companied that are already established (Hill, et al, 2009, p.53). The threat of any potential new entrants is not probable as the initial cost that is required to enter the industry is very high and requires a lot of investment in time to be in a position of competing against the organizations that are already established. Currently, Nokia has a 29 percent of the entire global mobile telecommunications market and for any new entrant to get a little bit of their market needs a long-term scheming or even products that are highly innovative as compared to any other seen in the market (McGuigan, et al 2010, p. 41). For this to be possible, the new competitor needs very high investment for marketing and R&D, in order to get positive result.The threat of substitutes: Very lowIt is beyond reasonable doubt that mobile phones are an everyday essential in human being’s lives presently and they would not find it easy to replace, as consumers will not be in a position of having constant contact when they are not near their houses, family members or even friends (Baron, 2008, p.53). Nonetheless, the consumers may make contacts with individuals through other forms of media like email address, home telephones and social networks. However, it will not be easy for peo ple to keep in contact in their daily lives, as the forms of communication are not convenient. Contrary, smart phones come with several functions and specifications, meaning there are many substitutes offered that focus on just a single function. Presently, mobile phones are an everyday requirement in the lives of human beings because of the fundamental functions they are capable of performing and can all be found in a single handset. Only smart phones have the ability to make phone calls, send messages, and browse the internet in a single device. Another thing that makes them an extremely critical device to human beings is the fact that it enables them to communicate constantly and at any place. Thus, the threat of alternatives is very low because a mobile phone is not only for making calls or for sending messages but many some other functions. Without the mobile phones, people will find it very difficult to have a replacement, since it can provide a lot to them all in one device. People also rely on the mobile phones greatly and might not easily find an alternative that has the whole functions of a mobile handset.Competitive rivalry: lowThe competitors of Nokia turned to smartphones and androids early enough while Nokia delayed in releasing their first smart phones, and hence lagging behind competitors like Apple and HTC (Hahn, and Kibora, 2008, p. 12). Their strategic alliance with Microsoft, though offers some lifeline, still needs some time before catching up with the rest. There is high competition from big corporations like Blackberry, LG and Sony Erickson. The industry of mobile phone has very high rivalry and needs huge amounts of investment in marketing and the R&B to be able to compete with the established companies (Stonehouse, et al, 2007, p.43). Nokia had a slow shift into the market of smartphone, and this has left them trailing their competitors. Therefore, there is extremely high competitive rivalry and the company needs to be alert of their r ivals’ threat on their business especially with the Apple iPhone and RIM Blackberry’s rising popularity. Competitive rivalry in the industry is the principal threat to the Nokia Company because they are seriously behind in the market of Smartphone and it really needs a lot of efforts to raise their market share. Internal AnalysisSWOT AnalysisSWOT analysis is the most appropriate tool for the strategic planning analysis by companies’ management. It is a critical tool to the improvement of business because it embraced or followed the concept that success in the digital economy is the deployment of an incorporated value chain that extends beyond and across the business Saylor (McGuigan, et al 2010, p. 17). Nokia is a leading company in the mobile phones industry and its strategic alliance with Microsoft is expected to be a game changer. It is therefore important to look at the company’s internal environment.StrengthsGrant (2010, p.55) says that Nokia currently enjoying more that 32 percent market share in the mobile phone industry, and this is expected to even increase following the new pact with Microsoft as they will be provided with operating system affordably and sufficiently. Both Nokia and Microsoft are well respected and trusted brands as they have been there since the star t of the mobile phones and have been able to retain the trust of customers. Now in their association with Microsoft, they have regained strength in the market of smartphone, as it is a pact that has brought together two giants in their respective sectors. Having a strong brand name is an advantage since it enhances consistency; however, it is no secret that their brand name has had some wavering and now considered promotion of brand (Grant, 2010, p.43). The alliance between the two companies also means that Nokia has a secure and steady supplier market in Microsoft, where there will be enough time to concentrate on innovation, production and marketing. The company has a strong internal R+D. Nokia became one of the first companies to the market despite not dominating the market of Smartphone, the company became one of the because of their exceptional R+D program. The new chief executive officer has brought some new ideas to the organization and influenced its entire image.WeaknessesN okia has had its market share drop from the end of the last year in the industry of Smartphone. They have not been able to realize that Smartphones are a way of life amongst the users currently, with support software for the mobile phones that are very low. These are in the forms of applications, contrary to Blackberry and Apple that both have their individual App World. Nokia has an insight of only building phones that are brick shaped, which gives them lack of prestige in the present market of (Smartphonen, 2011, p.35). There are weak subdivisions in the company; they own as well as manage the Symbian but have abandoned it and instead gone for the windows 7, meaning than Symbian is now making losses (Saylor, 2012, p.54).OpportunitiesThe corporation has the chance of developing their own version of the App store OVI, since their new mobile phones are being launched and hopefully accepted in the market. The company also has an opportunity of developing more products with the Microso ft Corporation and explores more opportunities that might come up from the deal. Diverse self-sufficient and valuable portfolio; Microsoft could also do diversification of their immense portfolio and dispose parts of it that is not profitable in the probable future.ThreatsIf further loss of the share of market for Nokia continues being lost to the other big producers of Smartphones, they would actually consider withdrawal from the industry of Smartphones. The industry of mobile phones is not different from that of fashion with a quite quick turnaround. Nokia are investing lots of funds in trying to have a successful penetration into the market. By the time they succeed in doing so, the market could possibly have again shifted and had another serious breakthrough into another kind of mobile phone (Saylor, 2012, p.57). With the mobile phones software in the present day industry being as critical as the hardware, it is important that the Microsoft Corporation do not have excessive powe r as if the novel devices are a great success. It would not be good for the Nokia Company if Microsoft chose to raise their price on the pact or even walk out of it all together. Issues and challenges facing the company The challenges for Microsoft and Nokia alliance are overwhelming. Microsoft has still not been able to rise above the minuscule share of the market in the United States or even globally, even despite joining forces with Nokia. The Blackberry’s implosion was actually the best chance for Microsoft to get hold of its market share, but that did not happen. The company has to put in a lot of effort to carve out its niche in a world that has been dominated by the Android and iOS (Saylor, 2012, p.59).Missing appsThe Windows Phone still has the same old problem despite now being with more Nokia; that is the lack of a sufficient app ecosystem (Donner, and Steenson, 2008, p.35). Microsoft is not getting anything from Nokia in terms of software that was not already in th e Windows Phone. This is because the strongest mobile software asset of Nokia, which is its maps business, was not part of the agreement. After more than three years into the deal, Windows Phone still does not have table stakes apps as such like the native customers of Instgram and YouTube. The stance in the tablets is excessively bleaker. The Windows RT, which is the version designed for tablets specifically, is a very big flop and the Window 8 applied on tablets has not done any better in the market. The iPhone has successfully turned mobile phones, together with business mobile phones into a wholly consumer business (Saylor, 2012, p.70). This has an implication that the acquisition of Nokia has dragged the Microsoft Corporation into a sector that it should have avoided as much as possible. In other words, Microsoft is not a good consumer organization. Still it is not easy to see what the new CEO who has a good record of accomplishment in the companies he worked before has brought into the Nokia Company.The Xbox ProblemThe Xbox is a one consumer bright spot of Microsoft. Even without taking into account, the Xbox’s sunk cost and the fumbled Xbox One’s release, the segment of Devices and Entertainment is too small, particularly in the profit share that cannot make any significant difference (Goggin, 2011, p.23). With very little expectation for immense growth in the game console and set top box industry, the Xbox is going to make no difference for the company.Reinforce successEvery business requires reinforcement and mobile phone industry is no exception. Another area of power or strength is the web services, especially those serving business and not the ones that are consumer-facing. Although Microsoft is behind Google in several aspects, it is much ahead of Apple, which usually appears as having very little idea about the web services as it is much into the devices (Saylor, 2012, p.73). This is something the two companies have not taken advant age of, and they might realize it a little bit late if the other companies have realized their shortcomings and countered them accordingly.Brand imageFor any business to be successful in the market, brand image must be at its best because it is what consumers will be looking for. This is because everyone wants to consume a product they are well familiar with. For the Nokia Company, its brand image has dwindles constantly to a great deal such that people are no longer comfortable buying and using its products. This is something that might make it difficult for them to regain their initial status as the leading mobile phone maker, despite alliance with Microsoft (Saylor, 2012, p.79). They might pump in a lot of money in an attempt to save the situation but may as well flop if proper marketing and investment in technology is not done to win back its customers. If things do not work out for the company as expected, then it will be a big loss for Microsoft as it entered into a partnershi p with a company that was already going down.Generation of Strategic growth optionsEvery section of an organization is affected by a marketing strategy. It is all about the use of everything at the business’ disposal in creation of value for others. Customers are also included in this but workers as well as shareholders benefit. The marketing strategy’s major purpose is setting out the means by which the marketing objectives that are agreed are to be accomplished. One of the most appropriate ways to analyze the different strategies that can be used by an organization in growing the business is with the ANSOFF Matrix (Schwarzinger, 2012, p. 42). The model takes into account the opportunities of providing available and new products and services within the present and new markets together with the levels of risk that come with them. Below are possible three strategic options that can be employed by the company:Market penetrationThe aim of this strategy is selling products to a market that already exists. This has been proposed because Nokia has an already existing market even though it seems to be losing it at a higher rate. Market development This strategy refers to the completion of market development successfully (Hahn and Kibora, 2008). The method has been proposed because the Nokia Company appears to have lost touch with the huge client base that it enjoyed when it was performing still well. 5.3. Product development This section of the Ansoff matrix aims at being updated as regards the latest technology in the industry. The strategy has been proposed because the company appears to be lagging behind in terms of innovation, and this is where their competitors have fully taken advantage of to win the game (Kovvali, 2011, p.73). Evaluation of strategic growth optionsMarket penetrationThe aim of this strategy is selling products to a market that already exists. Nokia has an already existing market even though it seems to be losing it at a higher rate. For the company to be able to achieve this, there are several things that needs to be done such as: changing the pricing plan; this should be done in a manner such that it is competitor or penetration based. Changing the pricing plan means that they will be reducing prices of their products in an attempt to attract more customers or even maintaining the existing ones. However, in doing so, the quality of the products must also be high as consumers do not only go for the price but they want to enjoy the value for their money. For the prices to be reduced as much as possible and to ensure sustainability, a lot of resources needs to be pumped in, which the company may also not be having, considering the financial crisis that it faced (Kovvali, 2011, p.63). Introduc e discounting; the company can also introduce discounting services whereby customers pay certain amount of money in buying a particular product or quantity. Starting up a different promotion campaign or considering changes on the present one; shifting from one campaign strategy to another or improving on the available one may also help the company in getting the message home, thus attracting more customers. 6.2. Market development This strategy refers to the completion of market development successfully. Nokia Company appears to have lost touch with the huge client base that it enjoyed when it was performing still well. The company has an option of penetrating or developing new markets that its products has not reached. This can be done through targeting a completely new client base and carrying out vigorous product promotions in order to attract them. Some other means through which this can be achieved is researching and selling the products to a different market segment in instances of poor market share and saturation (Kovvali, 2011, p.79). They can also change the periods that adverts are run on television and change the places in which the display of print adverts happen. This is the best way of ensuring that the products appeal to a completely new market. The company can also reduce the present prices of its products to help in attracting a wider range of clients. 6.3. Product development This section of the Ansoff matrix aims at being updated as regards the latest technology in the industry (Bull, 2007). The company appears to be lagging behind in terms of innovation, and this is where their competitors have fully taken advantage of to win the game. The mobile phone industry is just like fashion where trends come up each day and players in the market try to beat each other by being creative and innovation in an attempt to win the customers as much as possible. Companies like Samsung have rose to great heights due to their technological inventions and they are really doing well in the Smartphone market. They have been coming up with new applications that have been appealing to customers and that are why they are really selling (Kovvali, 2011, p. 34) Nokia should pump in a lot of cash and invest heavily in technology because it is the only way to succeed in the business. Description of selected strategyProduct developmentThe selected strategy for at Nokia is product development. Nearly everyone knows that this has been the biggest undoing of the company as they have not been able to keep up with the pace at which technology is growing. Just as said earlier, the mobile phone industry is just like fashion where trends come up each day and players in the market try to beat each other by being creative and innovation in an attempt to win the customers as much as possible. Therefore, the company has no option but to invest in technology if at all they are serious about regaining the lost market share. They should produce some high-tech products with a lot of features that fit specific market segment. With the strategic alliance with Microsoft, the company stands a good chance of recovering as this is an opportunity to get a source of finances that they require to keep up with the new technological development (Saylor, 2012, p.89). Microsoft is also known for its creativity and this alliance puts Nokia in a good position because they will be able to get the best operation systems that are updated to meet the current market requirements. Moreover, the alliance will enable the company to have a pool of new ideas as together two giants that have been leaders in their respective industries for several years. Conclusion It is no doubt that the alliance between Nokia and Microsoft is the best decision ever made by the management because it is a chance of recovering from the fall to try to catch up with the current industry leaders. Pundits see it as a major coup for Nokia, but Microsoft also stands to gain from the pact. Nokia should use this opportunity to venture fully into the Smartphone market by doing product development. They should invest heavily in technology and even employ more staff that can bring meaningful changes. The company has been doing well in the other growth strategies such as market penetration and market development, but has not been doing product development. From the evaluation of the growth strategies above, product development is the only one that has remained and it is the only way that the company can attempt so as to come closer to its competitors or even beat them in the market. The Smartphones market is still growing and there are several opportunities that are yet to be exploited and with Microsoft on board, it only needs proper strategies to conquer the market. However, if proper measures and strategies are not in place then the highly hyped alliance might as well be a waste of time and resources as other companies will continue steadily while Nokia continue to fall steadily. References Baron, N 2008, ‘Adjusting the Volume: Technology and Multitasking in Discourse Control’, in Katz, J. (Ed.) Handbook of Mobile Communication Studies, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass, pp.177-94 Baron, N 2008, Always on: Language in an Online and Mobile World, Oxford University Press, New York. Batson-Savage, T 2007, ‘†Hol Awn Mek a Answer Mi Cellular†: Sex, Sexuality and the Cellular Phone in Urban Jamaica’, Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies, Vol.21, No.2, June, pp.239-52. Bull, M 2007, Sound Moves: Ipod Culture and Urban Experience, Routledge, London. Donner, J, and Steenson, M 2008, â€Å"Beyond the Personal and Private: Modes of Mobile Phone Sharing in Urban India.† In The Reconstruction of Space and Time: Mobile Communication Practices, edited by Scott Campbell and Rich Ling, 231–250. Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers. Goggin, G 2011, Global Mobile Media, New York: Routledge. Grant, R 2010, Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Text Only. John Wiley and Sons. Hahn, H and Kibora, L 2008, â€Å"The Domestication of the Mobile Phone: Oral Society and New ICT in Burkina Faso†. Journal of Modern African Studes 46. Henry, A 2008, Understanding Strategic Management. Oxford University Press. Hill C. et al 2009, Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated Approach. Cengage Learning. Kovvali, G 2011, â€Å"Cell phones are as carcinogenic as coffee†. Journal of Carcinogenesis 10 (1): 18. McGuigan, J. et al 2010, Managerial Economics. Cengage Learning. Roy, D, 2011, Strategic Foresight and Porter’s Five Forces: Towards a Synthesis. GRIN Verlag. Saylor, M 2012, The Mobile Wave: How Mobile Intelligence Will Change Everything. Perseus Books/Vanguard Press. Schwarzinger, A 2012, Porter’s Five Forces Framework – An Analysis of the Swiss TV-Broadcasting Industry. GRIN Verlag. Stonehouse, G. et al 2007, Global and Transnational Business: Strategy and Management. John Wiley and Sons.

Differences between the qualitative and the quantitative data 2111 Essay

Differences between the qualitative and the quantitative data 2111 - Essay Example Qualitative data on the other hand, is the information that relates to qualities that is information that cannot be measured (Taylor, 2005). In this essay, the differences between qualitative and quantitative data will be examined, as well as, their pros and cons. Data that is gathered using quantitative methods yields more accurate and objective information because the information is collected using standardized methods. This data can be replicated and analysed using sophisticated statistical techniques (Creswell, 2014). Data gathered using qualitative methods, on the other hand, does not require the use of statistical methods to analyse the data because it is more suitable for formative evaluations. Summative evaluations requires the use of quantitative measures in order to judge the ultimate value of the project. Qualitative data deals with descriptions where the data that is collected can be observed, but not measured. While quantitative data deals with numbers where the data can be measured (Goertz & Mahoney, 2012). This means that analysing qualitative data is easier because the data is expressed in words and does not require any statistical formula to ensure that the data collected is accurate like in quantitative data. Therefore, it is easier to collected data using qualitative research for people doing social sciences as they analyse the perceptions and views of the people unlike in quantitative data where there is statistical formulas that requires the researcher to have a clear understanding of what they are doing. Data quality and complexity affects the time needed for data collection and analysis (Hartas, 2010). Although technological innovations have played, a major role in shortening the time required to process quantitative data. The time needed to gather quantitative data is considerable in order to pre-test and create questions, as well as,