Features of Postmodernism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Features of Postmodernism - Essay Example The modernist believed that science had shaken the foundations of traditional authorities and truths. Modern man could find a new, rational foundation for universal truth; science, particularly, would reveal new truth, which, when applied to modern society and institutions, would literally remake the world. Modernism "... held the extravagant expectation that the arts and sciences would further not only the control of the forces of nature but also the understanding of self and world, moral progress, justice in social institutions, and even human happiness." [2]. Looking to man and not God, the optimism of modernism has proven itself ill-founded. The response has been postmodernism. Postmodernism can be illustrated as a worldview by looking at five presuppositions inherent in the postmodern worldview: (1) The quest for truth is a lost cause. It is a search for a "holy grail" that doesn't exist and never did. Postmodernists argue that objective, universal, knowable truth is mythical; a ll we have ever found in our agonized search for Truth are "truths" that were compelling only in their own time and culture, but true Truth has never been ours. Furthermore, if we make the mistake of claiming to know the Truth, we are deluded at best and dangerous at worst. (2) A person's sense of identity is a composite constructed by the forces of the surrounding culture. Individual consciousness--a vague, "decentered" collection of unconscious and conscious beliefs, knowledge, and intuitions about oneself and the world--is malleable and arrived at through interaction with the surrounding culture. ... Individual consciousness--a vague, "decentered" collection of unconscious and conscious beliefs, knowledge, and intuitions about oneself and the world--is malleable and arrived at through interaction with the surrounding culture. Postmodernism then, in stark contrast to modernism, is about the dissolving of the self. From the postmodernist perspective, we should not think of ourselves as unique, unified, self-conscious, autonomous persons. (3) The languages of our culture (the verbal and visual signs we use to represent the world to ourselves) literally "construct" what we think of as "real" in our everyday existence. In this sense, reality is a "text" or "composite" of texts, and these texts (rather than the God-created reality) are the only reality we can know. Our sense of self--who we are, how we think of ourselves, as well as how we see and interpret the world and give ourselves meaning in it--is subjectively constructed through language. (4) "Reality" is created by those who have power. One of postmodernism's preeminent theorists, Michel Foucault, combines the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's ideas about how those in power shape the world with a theory of how language is the primary tool for making culture. Foucault argues that whoever dominates or controls the "official" use of language in a society holds the key to social and political power. (Think, for example, of how official political "spin" control of specific words and phrases can alter the public perception of political decisions, policies, and events.) Put simply, Nietzsche said all reality is someone's willful, powerful construction; Foucault says language is the primary tool in

Evaluating E-Commerce Strategy Development within Organisations Essay Example for Free

Evaluating E-Commerce Strategy Development within Organisations Essay Background The news about the â€Å"New Economy† has triggered many entrepreneurial ventures to exploit on the electronic commerce (e-commerce) opportunities. Ventures such as Amazon and eBay have received significant media attention and investor optimism about the potential of e-commerce. Now that the smoke has settled, both management and academic research have become interested on the impact of e-commerce on those companies that have supplemented their brick-and-mortar outlets with e-commerce initiatives. Several researches have emerged on effect of e-commerce on organisational strategy. Tapscott et al (1998) discusses the organisational changes created by B2B e-commerce and the benefits of deploying e-commerce within the organisation. O’Connell (2000) discusses the effect of e-commerce in the organisational structure in light of the resource-based view and transaction cost theory. E-commerce has been seen as improving efficiency, communication and lowering costs across business processes (O’Connell, 2000; Krovi et al., 2003; Garicano and Kaplan, 2001). In addition, researches have also shown the influence of e-commerce on brand management. Wind Mahajan (2001). discuss how the competitive environment is changing with the increasing number of Internet users and how the new technology is redefining the marketplace. The research presented a conceptual framework delineating the drivers and outcomes of marketing strategy in the context of competing in both physical and electronic marketplace. Part of the emergence of electronic marketplace is the ability of organisations to offer highly customized products to consumers, and the capability to build and to manage customer relationships (Brown, 2000). The aim of the research is to investigate the way in which an organisation develops its electronic commerce strategy over time in light of existing strategic approaches and development found within related literature. The research particularly looks into Marks Spencer e-commerce strategy as the case study for the research. The research looks into how Marks Spencer has developed and implemented its e-commerce strategy. Drawing from strategic management theories, the research specifically focuses on the how an e-commerce strategy is grounded on reducing transaction cost within the organisation and across the value chain. Furthermore, the research also looks into the importance of relationship marketing and how e-commerce is providing organisations with the necessary technology to achieve seamless exchange of information and reduced costs. Strategically, the adoption of e-commerce within an organisation hinges on these two important strategic management theories. In addition, the research is confined within the business-to-consumer (B2C) market, since business-to-business (B2B) relations are frequently characterized by a small number of customers and a strong emphasis on personal contacts between customers and salespeople as their means of marketing communication. Therefore, the research focuses on how consumers view their shopping experience within an e-commerce site, particularly Marks Spencer. The Overview of the Study   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The remainder of this study is as following statement:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chapter 2, Literature Review, will provide a concise concept and explanation of electronic commerce within retail organisation. The review of related literature discusses the concept and application areas of e-commerce within organisation. The review will also tackle the important strategic management concepts such as transaction cost theory and relationship marketing and how e-commerce is enabling organisations achieve increased efficiency, improved communication, and lower costs across its value chain. Chapter 3, Methodology, will describe the research design of this study. The research design of this study is empirical research method using secondary data for quantitative analysis. Chapter 4, Results, will demonstrate the results of this study.   At first, the descriptive statistical data such as maximum, minimum and mean, on the consumer’s perspective on the different service attributes of e-commerce site for Marks and Spencer. Chapter 5, Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations, the â€Å"Summary† section will first provide a comprehensive summary of the major findings of this study. The â€Å"Conclusion† section will highlight the implications of the research findings. Finally, â€Å"Recommendations† will be proposed to help companies to utilize the importance of electronic commerce in their strategic assessment.   In next chapter, related researches in electronic commerce will be reviewed CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW Electronic Commerce According to the International Engineering Forum, e-commerce is â€Å"an emerging model of new selling and merchandising tools in which buyers are able to participate in all phases of a purchase decision, while stepping through those processes electronically rather than in a physical store or by phone (with a physical catalog). (online International Engineering Forum)† E-commerce enables a customer to access product information, select items to purchase, purchase items securely and have the purchase settled financially.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While the notion of e-commerce as the ability of organisations or a person to sell over the Internet is very popular, the research paper will adopt the definition of Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). E-commerce can be defined as â€Å"the total of all applications that pertain to online communications and transaction (OECD, 2000).† The definition better suit our purpose of discussing e-commerce in the context of strategic management. The research views e-commerce holistically, which encompasses the communication between organisations and customer over the Internet, the completion of one-time or on-going online transactions, and e-CRM systems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The emergence of e-commerce in the retail sector is one of the most widely adopted and anticipated development in the industry. Following the success of Amazon, many brick-and-mortar retailers jumped into the dot com bandwagon and established their online presence in the World Wide Web. Many have adopted e-commerce capabilities out of a fear of falling behind competitors or as a result of the general momentum to expand the use of an existing Internet presence. Nonetheless, the main value proposition for organisations adopting an online presence is the prospect of increasing revenue from new markets and using a lower-cost, electronic-distribution channel (online International Engineering Forum).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With a strong demand from organisations in creating an online presence, internet service providers (ISPs) have begun to offer electronic-commerce hosting services. ISPs often position as a outsourced service provider of the customers’ electronic-commerce capabilities, managing the networking and server aspects of the initiatives. Such services are important consideration for the roll-out e-commerce sites as it allows organisations to leverage on the expertise of ISPs and allows organisations to concentrate on their core businesses (online International Engineering Forum).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the customer’s perspective, the main benefit of an e-commerce system is the convenience it brings to consumers, who are constrained by busy schedule and numerous activities. The e-commerce system enables a customer to locate and purchase a desired good or service over the Internet when the customer is ready to make the purchase. Its function is synonymous to a virtual store (online International Engineering Forum).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the merchant’s perspective, the e-commerce system enables the organisation to take advantage of the strengths of online store and increase revenues. One of the key benefits of implementing an online store is the capability to cover greater market reach and a complementary distribution channel to its existing brick-and-mortar stores. However, in order to effectively implement an e-commerce strategy, the e-commerce system must recreate or utilize existing data and business processes. The merchant must recreate the same shopping experience in its online store providing in-store assistance, secure payment process, catalogs and prices about the products and services, inventory management, and transaction capabilities (including credit authorization, tax computation, financial settlement, and shipping) (online International Engineering Forum).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Furthermore, e-commerce not only allows merchants to take advantage of market reach, but it also enables merchants to redefine and enhance an enterprise’s brand strength, customer-service capability, and supply-chain efficiency. An e-commerce site is one of the areas of an enterprise infrastructure that is open to customers via the Web, but it is linked with other information system of the enterprise value chain (online International Engineering Forum).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In implementing an e-commerce site, provision of the basic system requires an Internet connection, a Web-application server and e-commerce application software, and a personal computer for the shopper. Figure 1 illustrates the basic economic drivers and application requirements of an e-commerce marketplace. On the buyers side, consumers are driven to the online retail store through advertisements, interesting features, needed information, and directory. On the sellers side, merchants are driven to the online space because of its ease of entry, increasing website traffic, ability to sell and integrate marketing messages (online International Engineering Forum). Figure 1. Business Drivers in e-commerce strategy E-Commerce Strategies and Business Drivers A number of initiatives implemented within an organisation are driven by a market need. All industries are characterized by trends and new developments that gradually or speedily produce changes important enough to require a strategic response from participating firms. The popular hypothesis about industries going through a life cycle helps explain industry changes but is still incomplete (Porter, 1980 p. 157-162). The life-cycle stages are strongly keyed to changes in the overall industry growth rate (which is why such terms as rapid growth, early maturity, saturation, and decline are used to describe the stages). Yet there are more causes of industry change than an industry’s position in the life cycle (Porter, 1980 p. 157-162). While it is important to judge what growth stage an industry is in, there’s more analytical value in identifying the specific factors causing fundamental industry and competitive adjustments. Industry and competitive conditions change because forces are in motion that create incentives and pressures for change (Porter, 1980 p. 162). The most dominant forces are called driving forces because they have the biggest influence on what kinds of changes will take place in the industry’s structure and competitive environment. The Internet and e-commerce opportunities are unquestionably spawning a sweeping business revolution that altered industry boundaries, opens up all kinds of new business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) market opportunities and threats, sparks competition from new and entirely different breed of enterprises and mandates fundamental changes in business practices (Thompson and Strickland 2001).   In his book The Business of E-Commerce: From Corporate Strategy to Technology, Paul May discusses four business drivers for adopting an e-commerce strategy. First, organisations have the compulsion to catch up with competitors or to gain competitive advantage by being early adopters of the new technology. Organisation’s constant pursuit to gain competitive edge in the marketplace is a primary concern and part of a survival component in the business strategy. Second, organisations need to develop a credible e-commerce channel from its current online portfolio. Third, organisations are constantly looking for ways to reduce cost and increase efficiency within its value chain. E-commerce can be a creative force in delivering reduced transaction cost, increased communication and coordination, and improve business processes. Fourth, e-commerce enables organisations to improve its value chain by creating strategic supplier partnership and delivering customized customer solutions. It allows organisations improve business’ infrastructural capabilities to play as an extended enterprise and not merely a single business entity delivering greater value to its customers (May, 2000). Each of these drivers can be harnessed as a propulsive force for the business, rather than a deflective or immobilizing one (May, 2000). Application areas of E-commerce Six key emerging application areas in electronic commerce can be identified. It can be organized into two important domains: business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B). The application areas include categories in consumer retailing to real-time business-to-business collaboration (May, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retailers were the first adopters of the business-to-consumer e-commerce. Retailers found selling products and services online as a promising channel of distribution for its products and reaching new markets. Nonetheless, B2C e-commerce is now more diversified and classified into three application areas which include retail, auction, and advice (May, 2000). The three application areas of B2C e-commerce are retail, auctions, and advice. Although each has its own distinguishing characteristics, and dynamics, a consistent theme underlies the development of all three. This is the increasing â€Å"busy-ness† of consumer lifestyles: the extension from work life into private life of a culture of ever-decreasing time-frames and ever-increasing obligations. Lack of time and complexity of choice drive the growth of products and services in each of these areas (May, 2000). Business-to-consumer is a term that stresses the direction of delivery: B2C e-commerce is supposedly something done by business to consumers. Yet this domain is founded on intense customer focus. Insight into the conflicting desires and pressures affecting consumers is a powerful ally in building successful strategies in this highly competitive area (May, 2000). Business-to-business, on the other hand, is the umbrella term used to refer to transactions between businesses conducted online, and the business networks and supply chains that make these transactions possible. While B2B activity has always, taken place, the Internet brings with it a new framework, B2B companies no longer need to depend on the traditional one-to-one model for business transactions (Michel, 2003). Procurement, inventory exchange, and real-time collaboration are relatively obscure categories of application, which have the potential to flip many businesses inside-out. Procurement introduces process improvements in the buying functions of organisations and also points the way to a more competitive environment in inter-company trading. Inventory exchange introduces the mechanism of the market to smooth out supply and demand inefficiencies across entire value chain, potentially lowers transaction and carrying costs, and focuses on improving exchange of supplier information. Real-time collaboration allows organisations to cooperate as fluid colonies of actors, undermining the stability of companies who prefer hands-off relationships or who prefer their reality-checks to be presented monthly (May, 2000). e-Commerce application in Retail Industry Retailers are now increasingly adopting electronic commerce as another distribution means of selling products and services. Online channels have also proved increasingly popular amongst retail companies within other formats such as hypermarkets or catalog retailers, who have attempted to expand into the sector to escape from stale growth within their respective markets (Datamonitor 2006). Datamonitor estimates the global Internet retail sector valued at $656.4 billion in 2005, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.3% over the 2001-2005 period. The estimate is based on the total revenues generated through the sale of retail goods via online channels, valued at retail selling price, with any currency conversions calculated using constant 2005 annual average exchange rates (Datamonitor 2006). With the number of Internet users increasing exponentially year-on-year, the industry has experienced strong global growth within the global Internet retail sector. Much of the demand for online purchases is due to the escalating number of working mothers and time-starved consumers who are conveniently seeking ways of shopping without the hassle of driving to a retail store and falling in-line (Datamonitor 2006). At present, drugs and health beauty aids are the sector’s most lucrative segment in 2005, accounting for a total of $154 billion in total revenues or 23.5% of the retail sector’s total value. Computer, hardware, software, and supplies contributed significant revenues in 2005, generating $114.9 billion in revenues or 17.5% of the sector’s total value (Datamonitor, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While analyst do not see a similar spectacular growth in the global Internet retail industry, experts still is optimistic the pace of revenue expansion for the next four years. Industry experts project to the expansion of industry to remain strong valuing the industry at $1.169 trillion by 2010. This translates to 12.2% CAGR over the 2005-2010 period (Datamonitor, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In terms of revenues generated per region, Datamonitor reports that Europe has the largest market share in the global Internet retail sector with 44.4% of total value, followed by the United States and the Asia Pacific with 22.5% and 21.7% respectively (Datamonitor, 2006).

Year Round Schooling Speech -- Education

Year Round Schooling Speech Have you ever thought about what life would be like having to go to school year round? Well kids today feel that with all the pressure and work they have during the school year, they need the 3 month break time period in order to regroup themselves and have a change of scenery. Year round schooling in the past few years has become a trend that is sweeping the nation, and I am going to tell you why year round schooling IS NOT a way to send the children of America through school. Not only does year round schooling affect the children of America but, it also affects the parents of students, the personal growth and maturity of the students, and the experiences that each child should encounter in-order to develop their own self. Year round schooling affects the parents of students almost as much as the student themselves. Now, I know you guys are thinking, how does this affect parents when we are the ones actually going to school? Well according to the American School Board Journal, parents "turn thumbs down" to year round schooling. Parents...

Plagiarism †Impact of Internet Essay

The advent of technology and internet in the last decade has opened up several avenues for unlimited information access. This along with the increasing academic pressures has led students to resort to plagiarism at an alarming rate (Elliot, 2004). The problem of plagiarism in the academic context can no longer be ignored as it is hampering the creativity and intellectual capacities of students. Overall, there has been a growing concern and an increase in awareness to find ways to counteract plagiarism. Thesis Problem Statement It has been said that internet hinders the creativity of students and encourages intellectual laziness. This paper intends to explore the negative effects of internet on the creative thinking abilities of the students and find some ways to counteract it. Internet and Plagiarism While the concept of plagiarism is not new, it is certainly more widespread now than before. Plagiarism basically means copying someone else’s work and claiming it as own without giving due credit to the original author (Jones, 2007). With the advent of technological era, information is easily accessible and the temptation to pass off someone else’s work as one’s own is high. There is no limit to the amount or type of information that is available on internet covering every subject imaginable. While this kind of information accessibility is advantageous in several ways and facilitates learning in some scenarios, it also leads to several problems with plagiarism especially in the academic context. Due to the availability and ease of access of the information without any restrictions, the effort to plagiarise is much less compared to earlier days when students had to go through a laborious process to get access to the relevant resources in order to copy. In this co ntext, the impact of internet on cheating can be considered extremely high and is known as digital or cyber plagiarism. Impact of internet According to the NEC Research Institute, there are more than 1.4 billion pages on the Internet with 25 new pages being added every second (Dyrli, 2000). Due to this huge database of information, it is very easy to find papers and information related to the academic subjects This has led to a rapid increase in the percentage of cheating both intentional and unintended by students. According to a study conducted by the Centre for Academic Integrity of Duke University, plagiarism due to internet has increased fourfold in the last 6 years (Vencat, 2006). Several other studies have substantiated this claim of rising incidents of plagiarism and the blurring of moral lines among students. Reasons and Effects of Plagiarism Before delving deep into the effects of plagiarism and ways to prevent it, it is important to understand the reasons for it. While the availability of information is certainly a forerunner, there are several other reasons which lead to it as well, the main one being the academic pressure to which students are subjected and the emphasis on good grades in today’s competitive world (Elliot, 2004). However, since the focus of this paper is digital plagiarism, the main reasons why internet encourages plagiarism are stated below: 1. Access to unlimited information through websites and search engines. 2. The ease with which content can be copy-pasted as compared to the earlier traditional methods of copying the material by hand. 3. Difficulty in detecting plagiarism due to the sheer amount of information against which a particular essay or paper needs to be compared. 4. Lack of standards and criteria making it difficult to pin down a work as exact plagiarism. Due to all the reasons mentioned above and many others, the incidents of cheating are steadily on the rise since the last decade. While a lone instance of plagiarism is negligible, massive increases such as these indicate a self-destructive trend among the student community and are becoming a cause of worry (Lathrop & Foss, 2000). Cheating students not only hamper their own intellectual growth, they also make it that much more difficult for honest students to get their due. Students may gain admission to courses which they do not deserve by using the grades obtained through wrongful means and this creates a permanent impact on the future of the society. This impact becomes especially dangerous if a cheating student decides to get into fields such as medicine, law etc. Also, if a particular student who plagiarises regularly receives good grades, it might compel others to do the same and hence the problem will continue to spread. Considering all these factors, it has become imperative for the academic community to take a strong stand against plagiarism. Avoiding Plagiarism The anti-plagiarism industry has been gaining more and more prominence in the last few years and educational institutions have started enforcing very strict guidelines to ensure that students do not cheat. Most of the institutions mete out severe punishments to offenders. Having said that, the subject of academic integrity is a debatable topic and since all the information available on internet is considered public, it is difficult to define intellectual property in a precise manner. Creating awareness is the first step towards preventing plagiarism and most institutions are taking steps to ensure awareness among students. There are also several resources available on the internet which give information about what constitutes plagiarism and what does not. Teachers are resorting to the use of plagiarism detection softwares to catch offenders. As mentioned before, there are several reasons which ultimately culminate in plagiarism. Apart from the ones mentioned in the previous section, there are also several internal factors which lead students to cheat. Procrastination, poor planning and time management, peer pressure, lack of subject knowledge etc are some of the contributing factors (Elliot, 2004). Sometimes, students are genuinely not aware of the intricacies of citing works and thereby make mistakes which constitute accidental or unintentional plagiarism. However, the fact that the plagiarism was unintentional does not make it acceptable and is still considered wrong. To avoid plagiarism, it is important to tackle the root of the issue. While the institute and teachers can play an important role in creating awareness and challenging assignments which encourage creative thinking, at the end of the day, the moral responsibility lies with the students and it is up to them to understand the consequences of cheating and make an effort consciously to avoid it (Martin, 1984). There are several ways in which students can contribute towards reducing such cases. It is important to create self-awareness by studying all the plagiarism related policies and literature provided by the university and also to understand the consequences of not following the rules as most of the universities subscribe to anti-plagiarism softwares lately. Along with policies, it is also important for students to understand the ethics behind the policies. There are several writing formats and referencing styles followed by universities which provide guidelines on giving credit to the original source and students should familiarize themselves with the ones accepted by their own institutes (Kirszner & Mandell, 2004). It is a good idea to ask for help whenever there is any confusion about citing. Also, it is of utmost importance for students to develop good time management skills and plan their coursework in a proper manner as lack of time is one of the main factors for cheating. A good internal schedule with enough time allocated for understanding the subject matter can go a long way in preventing the temptation to cheat. By gaining a good understanding of the subject matter, it is possible to analyse what has been written on the subject by others and extract the relevant data from it rather than blind copying. Last but not the least, it is extremely important to cite all the information which has been borrowed from other sources (Neville, 2007). Developing Creative Thinking During his days as the editor of the Forbes magazine, Malcolm Forbes once said that â€Å"Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one†. This quote aptly describes the actual intent behind the design of academic subjects and the related coursework. It has been said that the ability to think and react logically is critical for a person’s personal as well as professional success. While the internet or any other literary resource might provide the information and the facts relevant to a coursework, they do not serve the actual purpose of a course. Most of the times, the aim of a coursework, be it an essay or a dissertation is to test the subject knowledge and critical thinking abilities of the student. Mere copy pasting does not in any way, reflect the thinking abilities of a student. The internet can be a powerful source of data and information as long as the student learns to process the data and understand the information independently.   Th e information available can be used more productively if the students relate it to the task at hand and build upon it. There are several ways to develop critical thinking abilities though it is not possible to simply learn them. Every assignment can be broken down into logical chunks which encourage thinking and analysing on the students’ part. Students can also participate in class room discussions to the maximum possible extent to understand various viewpoints and relate them to one’s own views. Participating in discussions and taking notes at appropriate places ensures that the original authors are always credited for their work. This also encourages asking questions and raising doubts as and when they arise thereby helping the students understand the subject better. Understanding the subject ensures that students do not blindly accept the facts presented by someone else without questioning the logic behind it or without asking for evidence (Martin, 1984).

Mrkh

Depression, anxiety and low self-esteem in woman with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH) Abstract Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH) is a rare syndrome that not only causes physical conditions but emotional. The psychological effects of woman diagnosed with MRKH have never been fully discovered. The hypothesis and or purpose of this study is to evaluate self-report measures of psychological distress in woman with MRKH syndrome compared to woman without MRKH syndrome.A group of woman with MRKH will be assessed through anxiety, depression, and self-esteem scales to determine any psychological distress MRKH had on them when they first received the diagnosis up until later on in life. Similar studies and theories believe that coping with infertility can be taxing and cause psychological issues throughout a woman’s life. I belief observing woman when diagnosed with MRKH as well as following up with woman after dealing with the initial shock of this syndrome will give insight to being able to give proper coping skills to not only woman with MRKH syndrome but woman with infertility issues.Keywords: MRKH, anxiety, depression, infertility, menstrual disorders Introduction MRKH is a rare condition found in approximately 1 in 5000 female births, and it is typically diagnosed in mid-adolescence (Leidolf, 2006). The psychosexual development and the identity, femininity, body image and self-esteem of the patients can be significantly impaired by receiving this type of information about their bodies (Laggari, et al. , 2009). Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome is a condition that involves congenital absence of the vagina, fallopian tubes, cervix and/ or uterus.Some women have uterine remnants, or horns. External genitalia are normal. Chromosome karyotype is 46XX(normal female). The incidence rate is approximately one in 5000. Other symptoms involved to varying degrees are kidney abnormalities, skeletal problems and hearing loss. The cause is somewhat unclear, but the Syndrome occurs during the 4th-6th week of fetal development (Heller-Hoersma, Schmidt, Edmons, 2009). MRKH syndrome is divided into two types; type I Rokitansky sequence and type II MURCS association.Isolated utero-vaginal aplasia is referred to as Rokitansky sequence or to type I (isolated) MRKH syndrome. Incomplete aplasia and/or associated with other malformations, is generally referred to as MURCS association (or type II MRKH syndrome) (Camborieux, Guerrier, Morcel, 2007). Many components go into each case found with MRKH syndrome. Surgery may be in order to have a correctly functioning vagina in many cases. There are many different elements that can affect woman with MRKH syndrome physically and psychologically.Menstruation is considered to be one of the archetypal symbols of femininity and thus constitutes a phenomenon of great significance in the nature of woman (Laggari, et al. , 2009). Living in a world where fertility is a virtue can cause many c onfusing thoughts for those who are infertile. Adolescent girls struggle when trying to figure out who they are as kids and as women. Magazines, Television and Role Models stress the importance of becoming a mother and giving birth.Seeing pregnant women on a day-to-day basis as well as displayed as beautiful in the media shapes a certain image in girls’ minds. When diagnosed with MRKH many women feel confused, angry, and hurt. Adjusting to the diagnosis of MRKH is a difficult and traumatic process for these women, leading them to question their identity as women and to experience a sense of confusion regarding their gender, their bodies, and their social and sexual roles (Leidolf, 2006). Being diagnosed as abnormal can lead to many questions about ones identity.Many women who struggle with infertility difficulties struggle with psychological difficulties. MRKH syndrome is a rare disorder and has been limitedly studied. Looking at the connection between psychological stress wi th woman who have MRKH and those who do not will give insight to many syndromes that deal with infertility issues for example polycystic ovary syndrome. Studies that have been taken have shown a strong connection between anxiety and depression with woman with MRKH syndrome. Limited sample sizes have caused strain in the past studies.A past study states; â€Å"very little is known about the short and long-term psychological impact of MRKHS in females, but several clinicians have suggested that the physical malformations, absence of menstruation and infertility and the subsequent surgical intervention may all contribute to narcissistic damage in these patients† (Laggari, et al. , 2009). Finding out this information can help doctors prepare in helping woman cope with the struggles of infertility. In women with MRKH is it not only the struggle with infertility but also the conflict of identity.Many of these patients may also become depressed questioning themselves over their gend er and doubting their ability to fulfill the female role as adults in the future. They report that infertility is the most difficult part of the condition for young woman to accept (Laggari, et al. , 2009). Doing two personal interviews with patients with MRKH syndrome really helped get into the eyes of how one dealt with the overwhelming feelings of being diagnosed with this syndrome as a teen, and dealing with and living with MRKH as an adult.This interview will help in the preparation for the study we hope to perform for the future. Having such a rare disorder makes it not only difficult to study but difficult to find participants. Finding those with MRKH syndrome around the world willing to participate in this interview was very helpful. A set of interview questions was produced to ensure the best quality answers. Fake names were used to ensure the privacy of patients. Interview Questions 1. How old were you when you found out you had MRKH syndrome 2. How did you find out you ha d MRKH syndrome . What were the feelings/emotions you felt when you found this out? 4. Was there anything that doctors could have improved on? 5. Was there a support system available? Or something you would have liked to see? 6. Was there anything that would have made finding out and dealing with having MRKH easier? I asked two participants of different ages. Both woman were asked the same questions; Alicia fifty years of age, and Jessica twenty-two years of age. Alicia was diagnosed with MRKH at the age of fifteen, she found out due to â€Å"not having a normal size vagina. â€Å"Only a dimple sized vagina. † When she found out she was devastated, the doctors were pocking and prodding at her not having a support system treating her like some kind of experiment. â€Å"Today I am very thankful and try to be of any help to girls who are struggling with what I went through, never wanting a girl to have to go through it alone like I did. I know how hard it can be and believe a strong support system is very important. † Jessica is only twenty-two years of age and found out she had MRKH at fourteen years of age due to a lack of menstruation.Jessica said she was very confused, she thought something was wrong with her because she was different from all of her friends. After she found out she had MRKH she was overwhelmed but glad she didn’t feel so lost and alone. Jessica said she still went through a great deal of depression and grieving but it was great having a support group and having many girls that were going through the same thing. I found it very interesting to see the differences in answers between Alicia and Jessica due to their difference in age.Even though MRKH syndrome is still a very rare syndrome the doctors dealing with this syndrome are trying to improve on the support systems to keep improving on the psychological effects that this emotional syndrome can have on women. Methodology Section Recent studies have been performed trying to evaluate self-report measures of psychological distress in woman with MRKH syndrome compared to woman without MRKH syndrome but have none have fully succeded. Past studies have struggled with finding a significant sample size.I plan to contact woman with MRKH syndrome not only in the United States but also the United Kingdom. Having a bigger range will help get a more significant sample size. The four main MRKH doctors will be contacted in hope they will participate in this study. Helping find patients through this source will not only be helpful but more successful. I hope to find a central location to perform this study. Boston, Massachusetts is one of the central hubs for the MRKH community and believe it would be a great location for the experiment to take place.Before the experiment was to start I believe all the woman should be informed that there is a support system available at all times, if they are in any way uncomfortable they do not need to feel pressured to answer a ny questions, and or can return as they please not having a time limit. I believe that this is a very difficult subject and should be treated with the utmost care. Dealing with infertility and identity issues can cause great psychological stress on a woman. I believe looking at anxiety, depression and self-esteem would be a good start to looking at the psychological effects MRKH syndrome has had on women.Using The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), which is a widely used questionnaire and is the depression rating scale that is most often used with adolescents. BDI consists of 16 items, designed to assess the cognitive behavioral effective and somatic components of depression, and the severity or self-reported depressive symptoms (Laggari, et al. , 2009). The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), which is used extensively to assess global anxiety that varies across situations and anxiety that is stable across time and situations. The STAI is composed of two separate self-report scales (Laggari, et al. 2009). Rosenburg Self-Esteem scale is 10 items being rated strongly agrees to strongly disagree. This questionnaire observes how one views one’s own worth. Using these scales will let us observe the difference between woman with MRKH and woman without MRKH. Because MRKH is such a stressful syndrome the belief is the results will show significantly higher ratings in depression, anxiety, and self-esteem in woman with MRKH syndrome. It is important to following up with the woman who participated in the study years after the diagnosis.Looking to see the hopeful progress a woman has made in dealing with the diagnosis is important to helping women in the future. Using similar scales to assess their psychological state would be beneficial to track their progress. Reviewing and comparing both scales will then give an accurate depiction of the psychological effects that MRKH syndrome can have on a woman. I believe it is very important to make sure that a woman is stab le enough to participate in these studies after being diagnosed with MRKH.Many women have been known to go through severe depression and even attempt suicide after dealing with infertility issues, needing time to go through a proper grieving process. We want to get accurate measures, but want to make sure that participants are emotionally stable after leaving the experiment. References Laggari, V. , Diareme, S. , Christogiorgos, S. , Deligeorglou, E. , Chrisopoulos, P. , Tsiantis, J. , & Creatsas, G. (2009). Anxiety and depression in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome and Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 30(22). 3-88. Laure Camborieux, Daniel Guerrier, Karine Morcel. (2007). Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 13. Leidolf, E. (2006). The missing vagina monologue†¦and beyond. Journal of Gay Lesbian Psychotherapy. 10(2), 77-92. Heller-Boersma, J. G. , Schmidt, U. H. , & Edmons, D. (2009). Psychological distress in women with uterovaginal agenesis (Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome. MRKH). Psychosomatics; Journal of Consultation Liason Psychiatry. 50(3). 277-281. Parker, L. (2012, November). Personal Interview Taylor, T. (2012, November). Personal Interview

Greasy Lake by T. C. Boyle Essays

Greasy Lake by T. C. Boyle Essays Greasy Lake by T. C. Boyle Essay Greasy Lake by T. C. Boyle Essay Essay Topic: Easy In the coming of age, young adults and adolescents experience with numerous positive and negative things, in doing so they gain hands-on life experience and knowledge of important life lessons that shape and mold them into the adults they become in the future. many if not all young people coming into the age of majority explore different things in life and want to step out of the traditional societal norm during this phase they may indulge in drugs alcohol and many other mischievous activities for in doing so they learn from their mistakes and grow into better mature adults. in the short story greasy lake by author t.c. boyle the above statements can be shown indefinitely. the story follows the adventure of three boys and their one night of juvenile exploration into the greasy lake, the characters are intent on proving that they are bad and in the process they have a most unfortunate chain of events, which lead them to change their ways and hopefully take a different path in life. th roughout the story the young men boast on how bad they are and the main character gives us some details about the other boys badness but they soon learn that they are not cut out for that bad lifestyle in the first passage of the story the main characters elaborately recalls his adolescents and how him and his friends at the time were dangerous characters reminiscing on a time when it was good to be bad The protagonist, who remains unnamed throughout the story, and his two friends, try to reciprocate what a typical â€Å"bad boy† is and what they would typically do.T.C. Boyle states â€Å"watch a girl take off her clothes and plunge into the festering murk, drink beer, smoke pot, howl at the stars, savor the incongruous full-throated roar of rock and roll against the primeval susurrus of frogs and crickets. This was nature.†As if this is what felt natural to them.Hunting down this kind of fun.Seeing that all of these words are used in the past ten :

Free Willy Why we should free captured Whales essays

Free Willy Why we should free captured Whales essays Many people have heard about Keiko, the killer whale, who starred in the movie Free Willy. After seeing the movie, audiences discovered that the friendly whale in the movie was in a tank too small and in bad health because of that and other complications that come with being taken from its natural habitat to a place where it can't meet it's own needs. Soon a foundation was set u[ and money started pouring in from children and their schools to come up with a plan to one day free Keiko. The tank/habitat cost "$7.3 million to build and $9 million for staff, veterinarian, care, food, utilities and other costs for the first two years alone" (Oregon Coast Aquarium). With all the problems in the world with humans and animals, it is hard to see this much money going to help just one whale. There are different types of animal stories that people hear about. There are the wonderful stories about adorable animals that do something amazing or need our help. There are also stories about animals that are used in good and bad experiments. When you hear about the treatment of some animals for research, you feel like forgetting about research. One such story was in 1988, three gray whales got stuck in freezing waters in Alaska, the whales were at risk of drowning because the holes in the ice that they were using to breathe were slowly freezing over. a large rescue was put together that ended up involving the National Guard and the U.S. and Soviet governments to get the whales free (Luke 87). Another story is of a mother cat that risked burning to death to save her kittens from a burning building. She and her kittens needed a home, which they got after the news coverage of the amazing act of the mother. The first story is amazing because two separate governments (which haven't been able to get along for the most part of the last 50 years and have only recently started to become friendly) came together to help three animals that needed some ou...

5 Tips for Writing a Stellar Vanderbilt Supplement Essay

5 Tips for Writing a Stellar Vanderbilt Supplement Essay SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Vanderbilt is one of the United States’ highest-ranking colleges. With an acceptance rate of just 10 percent, it’s ranked as extremely competitive. It’s no surprise- Vanderbilt is known for having a wealth of appealing programs, including its school of medicine, the Peabody College of Education and Human Development, and Blair School of Music. Because it’s extremely competitive, you’ll need to set yourself apart as a prospective student. That doesn’t mean just your grades and impressive extracurriculars; it also means writing a killer essay to go along with your application. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about Vanderbilt’s supplemental essay, including some ideal topics, some pitfalls to avoid, and even some analysis of past Vanderbilt essays that have worked. The Vanderbilt Supplement Basics Vanderbilt’s application is fairly straightforward. They accept multiple application formats, including both the Common and Coalition Applications, as well as Questbridge. What application you use is up to you. There are many reasons to choose one or the other, but regardless of which application you pick, you’ll still be answering just one supplemental essay prompt from Vanderbilt. Choose whichever application works best for you. In addition to the essays required for your Common, Coalition, or Questbridge Application, Vanderbilt requires one supplemental essay. There’s only one prompt with a 400-word limit, so you won’t have to choose between prompts. However, having just one prompt means that you’ll need to put a lot of attention into making your essay as good as it can be. You only have one chance to prove yourself in your essay, so make it count! A little latte art never hurts. What Is the Vanderbilt Supplement Essay Prompt? Vanderbilt has just one prompt for their supplemental essay, which must be answered in 400 words or less. Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. The question is straightforward- Vanderbilt is asking you to discuss one of your extracurriculars in depth. This doesn’t just demonstrate to the admissions office that you’re dedicated to your interest, but also that you have passions outside of school. Vanderbilt wants to know that you’ll bring something besides academics to campus, and this is the space to tell them about it. Keep in mind that Vanderbilt isn’t looking for a list of activities or just a short discussion of one of your extracurriculars. They specifically ask for one, but you have 400 words to cover- which means you should spend some time unpacking not just the activity itself, but why you do it and why it matters to you. Be thoughtful; really think about your activities and why you do them beyond that they look good on your college application. Don’t just pick the extracurricular activity that you think Vanderbilt would want to hear about. If you’re a champion Mathlete but you really feel fulfilled when you’re making short films with your friends over the weekend, you should be writing about the short films. If your short film was played at a local film festival but you find more meaning in the time you spend knitting, write about knitting! It’s not about being impressive here. Plenty of other applicants will be discussing their charity work or science team victories. Use this space to discuss yourself, and why the things you do matter to you. If the most impressive thing in your repertoire and the thing that’s most personally meaningful line up, great! But don’t feel like you can only write about things like academic success, leadership roles, or entrepreneurship. Write about what’s meaningful to you and Vanderbilt will see your personality- which is really what they’re looking for- shine through. Reading Vanderbilt essays that worked is like planting a seed for your own success. Vanderbilt Essays That Worked: Analysis Vanderbilt doesn’t use the same prompts from year to year, but that doesn’t mean that looking at past successful essays can’t be useful. Consider this one from an accepted Vanderbilt student: â€Å"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed,† Maria Montessori once said. School was about letting my curiosity lead me and teaching myself at my own pace. For example, at the start of 7th grade, I was handed the Algebra I book and told to complete it anytime in the next two years. I was intrigued to have a real textbook, but a bit overwhelmed, as the math looked like a foreign language. After reading a chapter, I’d take a stab at the problem set right away. It wasn’t about getting the problems right or wrong; it was about trying to understand the material. As frustrating as this process was, each time I conquered a new idea, my exasperation was transformed into new energy. I learned how to solve problems independently and to know when to ask others for help. ... When I did get to high school, I was surprised at how well prepared I was. My two strongest skills, time management and the ability to work well independently and in groups, mad e the transition easy for me. The Mesa Sands experience shaped me outside the classroom, too. One of my strongest qualities is trustworthiness. Because my school did not have a set structure or rules, I’ve in effect worked under an honor code from the time I was three years old. This essay was written for a different prompt, but the fact that it was successful shows you that it contains features that Vanderbilt likes to see. The writer of this essay discusses their education at a Montessori school, which doesn’t take the same approach to education as many other schools. Throughout, they refer to the school’s teachings and how they shaped their learning, not just but the things they were taught, but the way that they were taught. Not everybody had this same educational experience, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use some of the same ideas in your own work. The writer draws a clear line between how they were brought up and the person they are now- you could do a similar thing by connecting the person you are with the activity you’ve chosen to write about. What have you learned about yourself because of what you do? The writer is also able to discuss academic strengths without referring to their GPA, which Vanderbilt is no doubt already familiar with. Instead, they discuss their strengths as traits, like adherence to an honor code, trustworthiness, and time management. More importantly, they write about where those traits come from- something you could easily do by referencing the importance of the activity you choose. What’s most important to take away from this essay is the way that the writer connects the experience of attending their unique school to the person they became. No matter what your education was or what activity you choose to write about, you can do a similar thing in your own essay! Don't be afraid of multiple drafts- they make the difference between a good essay and a great one. 5 Key Tips for Writing Your Vanderbilt Essay Vanderbilt is a prestigious school, but there are some essay standards that hold true no matter where you’re applying. Follow these steps to write an essay that’s sure to impress! #1: Start Writing Starting is the step that sounds the easiest, but it’s actually the hardest. No matter what you have to do to start writing, whether it’s freewriting, brainstorming, or just pumping out a first draft as fast as you can, you need to do it. At this point, don’t worry about quality or being impressive. Just get words down on paper so that you can edit them into shape later- if you spend too much time worrying about starting with a perfect beginning, you’ll never make it past that point. #2: Edit Step two is when you can start worrying about quality. Read your essay aloud and see if you can spot problems with word choice and flow. If you’re struggling to read it, change words and add punctuation as necessary. Also think about your overall point. Does it make sense? Are you able to trace your logic all the way through without a problem? If not, find ways to connect your thoughts from beginning to end. Be thorough in cutting extraneous words. 400 words isn’t a lot, and you’ll want to make sure you’re making your essay count by picking vibrant, active verbs and clear language. Don’t worry about being flowery or busting out the thesaurus, but do be sure that your wording doesn’t feel tired or dull. #3: Seek Feedback One of the best ways to find holes in your logic or other issues in your essay is to get others to give you feedback. Find people who want to see you succeed, but preferably not those who aren’t going to give you criticism if you need it. Teachers and other mentors are a good choice, if they’re available. Don’t feel like you have to use every piece of feedback you receive, but do consider all of it. Your essay should always be your own work, so try to rephrase suggestions in your own words or rewrite confusing passages how you would write them, not how others suggest. #4: Take a Break With deadlines looming and other essays to write, it may be tempting to just rush through after getting feedback and fix everything. But take some time away from your essay, focusing on other college application duties or on other things entirely. Anywhere from a couple days to weeks to months can be good for improving your essay, though do leave yourself time to revise.Taking a break lets your mind forget what you’ve already written, so that when you come back to revise you do so with fresh eyes. This way, you can see holes in your logic or places where your language isn’t as tight as it could be. You’ll never be able to completely shed your attachment to your essay, but spending some time away from it can give you a whole new outlook on your work! #5: Revise Now that you’ve had some time away and you have notes to incorporate, it’s time to revise. Revision can be something you do multiple times, combing through your essay for errors and places to strengthen it, but eventually you are going to have to turn it in. Don’t get caught up in perfection- focus on making your essay the best you can. Check it for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors to be sure it’s clean and easy to read, and send it off! What's Next? Starting your essay is often the hardest part. If you're unsure where to begin, check out this guide to starting a college essay perfectly, and don't be afraid to just dive right in! A good essay is just one part of a successful Vanderbilt application. If you want to really wow the admissions office, be sure your grades and test scores are up to snuff, too! Vanderbilt University may not be an Ivy League school, but that doesn't mean your application can't be Ivy League-ready. Use these tips for getting into Harvard to shape your college application, and you'll have no problem getting into any school you choose! Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

The Persistence of Memory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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The Social Security Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Final Project Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

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Analysis of wheter or not domestic terrorism is still a threat in the Essay

Analysis of wheter or not domestic terrorism is still a threat in the United States - Essay Example The attacks of 9/11 have shown the world that no power is immune to attack and loop holes exist in any security structure. In this essay we will determine if domestic terrorism is still a threat to United States of America or not. A brief history of domestic terrorism will be presented and main threats will be highlighted. The definition of domestic terrorism has been transformed many times in United States of America. The latest definition of domestic terrorism has come in the USA Patriotic Act which defines domestic terrorism as those which "(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; (B) appear to be intended— (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and (C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States† (Section 802 of USA Patriotic Act). There is a long history of domestic terrorism in United States of America. From 1970’s there have been gangs that were involved in criminal activities. The definition of domestic terrorism given above is too broad therefore in this section we will discuss terrorism acts and gangs that are located within the geographical limits of United States of America. Many gangs have committed acts of domestic terrorism o A or have the potential to do so in near future. Some of them are given below. Alpha 66 is a gang that was formed in 1960s by Cuban exiles in the country. This group was responsible for many bombings and assassinations in Miami in 1970s. Alpha 66 is an anit-communist group that is against Fidel Castro and his Cuban administration. The group is mainly known for targeting the Pro-Castro speakers. The amount of ammunition this group

Is the death penalty effective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Analysis of wheter or not domestic terrorism is still a threat in the Essay

Analysis of wheter or not domestic terrorism is still a threat in the United States - Essay Example The attacks of 9/11 have shown the world that no power is immune to attack and loop holes exist in any security structure. In this essay we will determine if domestic terrorism is still a threat to United States of America or not. A brief history of domestic terrorism will be presented and main threats will be highlighted. The definition of domestic terrorism has been transformed many times in United States of America. The latest definition of domestic terrorism has come in the USA Patriotic Act which defines domestic terrorism as those which "(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; (B) appear to be intended— (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and (C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States† (Section 802 of USA Patriotic Act). There is a long history of domestic terrorism in United States of America. From 1970’s there have been gangs that were involved in criminal activities. The definition of domestic terrorism given above is too broad therefore in this section we will discuss terrorism acts and gangs that are located within the geographical limits of United States of America. Many gangs have committed acts of domestic terrorism o A or have the potential to do so in near future. Some of them are given below. Alpha 66 is a gang that was formed in 1960s by Cuban exiles in the country. This group was responsible for many bombings and assassinations in Miami in 1970s. Alpha 66 is an anit-communist group that is against Fidel Castro and his Cuban administration. The group is mainly known for targeting the Pro-Castro speakers. The amount of ammunition this group

Recommendation report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Recommendation report - Assignment Example The director of the Global Client Collaboration department at Steelcase, Inc. asked for a research that would analyze the effects of current global economic crises (2012) on multinational corporations and evaluate possible solutions for the case of Steelcase, Inc. that would assist it to survive this economic environment. Steelcase is a company that manufactures furniture whose head office is in Grand Rapid, Michigan and is the biggest manufacturer of office furniture in the globe. The company has about eighty locations and over eleven thousand employees all over the globe in locations including Malaysia, Mexico and Romania, which are responsible for supporting the local Steelcase dealerships and offices. It also operates show rooms referred to as WorkLife Centers all over the US, Asia and Europe with manufacturing facilities being located in Europe, the Middle East, North America and Asia. The company is mainly involved in designing and producing furniture , wall surfaces, technolog y tools, architectural products as well as ergonomic among other products. It sells its products online through more than eight hundred dealers in various locations while also offering workplace consulting services in some of its locations of operation. The economic and financial crisis resulted from issues in the US’s financial sector in 2007 that were characterized by unsound lending activities by financial institutions as well as unsatisfactory management of risk that prompted an extraordinary devaluation of assets along with credit squeeze as far as interbank lending was concerned. In a short time, the calamity escalated into a worldwide economic tremor that soon affected the real economies. In numerous economies, the crisis was an imported aspect since the countries in regions outside the US were affected in mid-2008 largely through export markets collapsing. The

Web Service Implementation Essay Example for Free

Web Service Implementation Essay Christiansen, S. (2002) once described ‘web services’ as â€Å"a potential political intrusion† (p. 15). When we think what does this sentence mean and when we add the fact that â€Å"web services are hot -by their nature- and not easy to make them workable in practice† like Siddhartha, P. (2002, p. 587) mentioned; then we could be able to imagine some of the potential hurdles that need to be overcome to successfully implement web services. Web services –by their nature- belongs to IT projects category. That’s why it is important to realize the reality of IT projects. A â€Å"41% of IT projects failed to deliver the expected value and more than ? of IT projects were canceled† (Needmuchwala, A. , [2008], p. 3) not to mention that â€Å"only 11% of organizations consider technology as a strategic weapon† (p. 3). Despite the fact that ‘web services’ do not require high costs to be implemented like other IT systems or solutions (ERP systems for example), the way to implement web services isn’t a bed of roses. And if we add those information –mentioned above- to the fact that â€Å"only 20% of companies gained significant experience with web services technologies† (Altova, 2008), the picture will be clearer that there are some implementation hurdles to be overcome such as the â€Å"technological, organizational and cultural obstacles that stand in the way of implementation† (Saugatuck, 2007, p. 3) First of all, ‘implementation’ is only a phase in managing IT solutions (web services in this case). And if the ‘strategic planning’ phase was successful and was done collaboratively by both top business management and IT department, taking into consideration all possible hurdles or challenges, the ‘implementation phase’ will be easier than with a weak plan. However, despite â€Å"the advances made in web services standards, achieving the seamless interoperability among heterogeneous platforms for the participating entities –which is required for successful implementation of web services- could be tricky† as Siddhartha, P. (2002) mentioned (p. 587) What softens the situation is the fact -mentioned by Aponovich, D. (2002)- that â€Å"none of these hurdles is insurmountable, each one of them could cause (1) potential delays to implementation or (2) adding barriers in the way to get maximum business value of web services (or return on a web services investment)†. Also, (Valentine, L, 2004) mentioned the fact that â€Å"lack of standards in such technology won’t be ‘a deal breaker’† –maybe- because the extra coding process required for this standardization won’t be too dramatic. The five hurdles mentioned by Aponovich, D. (2002) was (1) lack of experience in architecting web services, (2) difficulties in managing the organizational culture change, or â€Å"the ever-present hurdle, resistance to change† as Provost, D. (2004, p. 19) mentioned- (3) lack of standards, (4) lack of perceived business cases, and (5) difficulties in managing relationships with other organizations† There are numerous examples for companies (or sites) that overcome these hurdles and successfully implemented web services with a real business value or return on investments (ROI). Amazon (http://www. amazon. com/) and eBay (http://www. ebay. com/) are two examples for those sites. In Amazon’s case, â€Å"partners needed better data access but the process of collaboration was expensive and brittle† (Dumbill, E. , 2003) that’s why Amazon decided to provide web services. Certain issues were taken into consideration right from the planning phase that’s why Amazon succeeded in addressing these issues and finding the appropriate solutions. First of all, Amazon aligned the web services with their business strategy and â€Å"decided to pursued ‘revenue’ based on the successful relationship with Amazon’s associates and seller† (Dumbill, E. , 2003). Secondly, to guarantee success, â€Å"the license was important to sustain Amazon’s business model† (Dumbill, E. , 2003). The third issue was concerning protocols; Amazon â€Å"provided both SOAP and XML over HTTP (REST) and let developers decide between them† (Dumbill, E. , 2003). The fourth issue was â€Å"to create a software platform and they address this by borrowing best practices† (Dumbill, E. , 2003). The final issue was to â€Å"successfully provide support for developers by using a combination of some tools such as discussion board, weekly chat, regular newsletter, software development kit, and online FAQ† (Dumbill, E. , 2003). The most important is that Amazon â€Å"provided openness with developers to foster creativity and focused on effectiveness by ensuring data freshness and preventing excessive server load† (Dumbill, E. , 2003). Finally, it is obvious that the main factor, that leads to a successful implementation for web services, is the â€Å"the full participation and engagement of the business† (Jahnke, A. , 2004). Or in another word, to have melting the whole business into what Brynjolfsson, E. (2003) called ‘the digital organization’. And this ‘digital organization includes: â€Å"(1) automation of tasks, (2) skilled labor, (3) decentralization of decision making, (4) improving the information flow across the organization, (5) adopting performance-based incentives programs, (6) more emphasis on the effectiveness of training and recruiting, and having employee and customer satisfaction† References Altova. (2008). Altova Web Services Solutions. Retrieved October 30, 2008 from http://www. altova. com/solutions/web_services. html Aponovich, D. (2002). Five Barriers to Implementing Web Services. Jupitermedia Corporation. Retrieved October 30, 2008 from http://itmanagement. earthweb. com/erp/article. php/965371 Brynjolfsson, E. (2003). The IT Productivity GAP. MIT. Retrieved October 30, 2008 from http://digital. mit. edu/erik/Optimize/pr_roi. html Christiansen, S. (2002). The Business Case for XML Web Services. In XML 2002 Proceedings. IDEAlliance. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://www. idealliance. org/papers/xml02/dx_xml02/papers/04-02-01/04-02-01. pdf Dumbill, E. (2003). Making Web Services Work at Amazon. O’Reilly Media, Inc. Retrieved October 30, 2008 from http://www. xml. com/pub/a/2003/12/09/xml2003amazon. html Jahnke, A. (2004). Why is Business-IT alignment So Difficult?. CIO. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from http://www. cio. com/article/32322 Needmuchwala, A. A. [2008]. Evolving IT from ‘‘Running the Business’’ to ‘‘Changing the Business’’. TATA Consultancy Services. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from http://www. tcs. com/SiteCollectionDocuments/White%20Papers/DEWP_05. pdf Saugatuck (2007). SOA Governance: Necessary Protection for a Strategic Business Investment. IBM. Retrieved October 30, 2008 from http://www-935. ibm. com/services/us/cio/flexible/saugatuck_ibm_soa_governance_jun07. pdf Siddhartha, P. (2002). Web Services Interoperability: A practitioner’s experience. Springer Berlin. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from http://www. springerlink. com/content/q4w6ru7mbde4xfa7/ Valentine, L. (2004). CIO Focus on Internet, Web Services. CIO Today. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://ciotoday. newsfactor. com/story. xhtml? story_title=CIOs_Focus_on_Internet__Web_Servicesstory_id=23743

Strategic Issues Facing Lockheed Martin

Strategic Issues Facing Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin is a global security Company that employs about 136,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. It was formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. It has its Headquarters in Bethesda, MD (Maryland). The Corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion, a backlog of $78 billion, and cash flow from operations of $3.2 billion. Lockheed Martin is one of the biggest Defense Contractors in the world. One of the biggest news in 2010 was that the United States had decided to buy up to 2443 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. The F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, is the U.S. defense departments costliest weapons purchase at up to $382 billion over the next two decades. This makes it the biggest military deal ever. All this helps to pose an interest in this company. Cost Surge: The Lockheed Martin F-35 program is facing manufacturing inefficiencies, part problems and at least six engineering technical challenges as stated by the U.S Government Accountability Office (GAO). As such costs have grown and scheduled extensions are likely. Companys contribution to the National Economy A large part of Q2 GDP performance, +0.39% of total GDP growth 1.6% for the U.S owes thanks to wars and general defense. The defense sector of which Lockheed Martin is a part has contributed heavily to the countrys overall GDP. Lockheed Martin is also involved in other public activities. Companys contribution to the Regional Economy Lockheed Martin is a global security organization with its reach in countries and regions like Canada, United Kingdom, Africa, Europe, and Middle East, the Americas, Asia Pacific and Australia. Lockheed Martin has customers around the world and has partners in more than 50 countries outside the United States. Furthermore it has helped countries like Turkey by enhancing their defense capabilities. Recent Strategic Choice Lockheed Martin completed the divestiture of its Enterprise Integration Group business to Veritas Capital on November 23rd, 2010 for $815 million and also plans to sell off PAE in 2011. Source of Information on the Company:Â  www.lockheedmartin.com (355 Words) Executive Summary This assignment basically tells about the Defense Industry, discussing one of the major Defense contractors in detail in the world and other variables linked to the industry and the company alike. This project covers a lot of areas, using various tools for the purpose of analysis based on facts and our judgment. There are a few models used in this project to assess the state of the company and the industry alike; the first being the Industry Life Cycle which specifies where the defense industry currently stands whether it is introduction, growth, maturity or decline. Another model used such as the Key Factors for Success is used to determine basically what factors any given company needs to survive in the defense industry. Another one would be Porters Five Forces which determines the forces affecting the company. These are models based on factors relating to the industry. The other three models used are based on the company itself including SWOT which analyzes a companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; SFAS which take the most critical two factors of the lot; and TOWS Matrix which helps to devise new strategies in regard to SWOT factors. After an in depth analysis, the current company performance is assessed based on efficiency, effectiveness and return to investors in regard with their recent strategic choice. Review of options is the next step in the project which takes into account the strategies formulated in the TOWS Matrix and determining which ones are the most important or critical to implement. The next area which is implementation of strategies provides an overview of if the future strategies can be deployed effectively and efficiently based on factors like structure, systems and policies. And the last part of the project determines the usefulness of all the six models used in the project. (300 Words) The Defense Industry as you see is in the Growth phase of the Industry Life cycle. A few leading firms in the industry and the ones that are surviving are huge firms like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. These leading giants continue to innovate and create new products and services and refine old ones in order to stay in the game. The defense industry is basically a never dying industry due to the global conditions and national security challenges faced by the different nations of the world. Companies like Lockheed Martin have been there for 16 years now. There are several reasons on why the Defense Industry is in the growth stage. To begin with, despite the time the defense companies have been around, they continuously monitor customer needs and introduce new products and technologies into the market. This leads to increase in sales and growth. For example, the recent development of the F-35 fighter jet which was made possible with the collaboration between Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems has given the defense industry a new source of life. It is a new innovative product, which will intrigue customers to buy it and hence resulting in increased sales and ultimately growth. Technology development, innovation and engineering are the core areas of the defense industry. Companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing analyze these areas and respond accordingly. They keep up with changing times by introducing new products and technologies keeping the Defense Industry well in the Growth phase. Moreover it can be said that the Defense Industry is in the High Growth part of the Growth phase. Why it can be said so is because although the sales are increasing, the increase in sales is not exceptionally high. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the Aerospace and Defense sector in the period 2005-2009 was 8.7%. The sector grew by 0.4% in 2009 compared to 10.4% in the previous year. As said before, the Defense Industry is a never dying Industry and it continues to grow year by year by providing new technologies, weapons and advanced warfare systems. These Key Factors listed above are very important to survive in the Defense Industry. Taking Innovation and Technological advancement first, these are two of the most important factors for success in the Defense Industry. The giants in the industry like Boeing and Lockheed Martin have to keep up with changing times by providing or innovating new technologies and products. The National demands for defense technology are very high. And hence, the defense companies need to have advanced technology and innovative and creative personnel in order to deliver to the nation and hence succeed in the defense sector. The quality of the products is also very important. Customers can switch between defense contractors if they are not satisfied with the quality. The reliability of the products is also an important factor in the Defense Industry. As the products are designed for Warfare, product reliability is very crucial. Cost effectiveness is also among the most important factors in the Defense Industry. Every country has a defense budget. The Defense companies have to comply with the budget. Companies also need to have a skilled workforce in order to deal with complicated tasks including the likes of manufacturing military aircrafts. Diversification is also a very important factor to survive in the defense industry. Companies like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Boeing are heavily diversified into related markets including manufacturing naval shipbuilding, aircrafts, helicopters etc. Also, Defense companies need to have government contacts in order to carry out Lobbying. Overall Lockheed Martin is fairing pretty well in the Defense Industry. Although, compared to Boeing and Northrop Grumman, it has a few shortcomings in areas like being Cost Effective; it is handling the other key factors very well. It is well above the average level of operations in the defense sector. Porters Five Forces Threat of New Entrants (Low): The threat of new entrants is quite low in the Aerospace and Defense Industry. Few factors like very high capital requirements to sustain operations, having highly differentiated products act as entry barriers into the industry. The defense industry has a few big firms including Lockheed Martin, Boeing etc. who are very well established. Their products are highly differentiated, acting as a barrier; also the customers are reluctant to switch to a new companys product because personnel have to be trained again in order to use the new products raising switching costs. Companies in the defense industry need to have a huge amount of capital in order to sustain activities like building military aircrafts, naval ships etc. A new company will not have a large customer base and hence wont achieve economies of scale in order to reduce per head costs. Rivalry among Existing Firms (High): The rivalry among existing firms in the Defense industry is quite high. The leading Defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman have intense competition over winning defense contracts. As the firms in this Industry are few, they analyze each others move very carefully and issue counter moves accordingly. Firms in the defense sector use innovation and new technology to in order to differentiate their service and deliver better than the competitor which ultimately increases competitive rivalry. Threat of substitutes (Low): There are actually no real substitutes for the defense industry. The military aircrafts, equipments, and other systems cannot be replaced with anything else. For example, considering the commercial aircraft segment in the Aerospace and Defense Industry, there are alternatives like Rail Transport which may act as a possible threat due to factors like global warming and carbon footprints. But, the Defense Sector doesnt have any substitute. For example, a countrys Air Force cannot be replaced by zero emission gliders; it has to be military aircrafts. It is because they cannot serve the same purpose. A nations Defense Sector cannot be substituted as they are the only ones who can serve the National Security purpose. Bargaining power of Buyers (Low): The bargaining power of buyers is low in the Defense sector. Although, the buyers have some financial muscle as they are mostly Government organizations, this power is somewhat diluted as the government needs the defense systems and programs. It is very important to the government. Now, companies in the Defense Industry like Lockheed Martin dont just provide military aircraft and hardware like missiles and other weapon systems but also cater to the repair and logistic needs of their buyers. This means that it increases switching cost for the buyers and hence reduces buying power. The differentiated products provided by the Defense companies also decreases buyer power. For example, a product specially designed by Lockheed Martin like the Exoskeletal Load Carrier HULC cannot be designed by Boeing and vice versa. Bargaining power of Suppliers (Low): The bargaining power of suppliers is low in the Defense Industry. Firstly, there are many suppliers to choose from. Also, there is no switching cost considering the suppliers which makes the power of the suppliers weak. The supplier costs also dont form a large part of the organization. In the defense industry, the defense companys major costs are in regard with RD, advanced technology and skilled workforce rather than supplier price. The major suppliers of the defense industry like Steel and aluminium manufacturers cannot forward integrate and compete directly with the defense companies. For Example, a steel manufacturer cannot build complex aircrafts and weapons. This further reduces supplier power. Relative power of Stakeholders (High): The relative power of stakeholders is pretty high in the Defense Industry. Stakeholders like the Government, customers and suppliers can affect the company majorly. Taking into consideration the government, the government has strict laws and regulations for each company to follow. In case of a breach or due to any other viable reason, the government has the power and to match it the authority to terminate contracts and transactions. This may lead to losses in the company. The suppliers and customers can also affect the company. Internal Factors Strengths: Lockheed Martin has quite a number of strengths. Having a well diversified portfolio has enabled Lockheed Martin to not be over dependent on a single market segment and also serving a large customer base. Lockheed Martin is strong financially as per the stats given over the years. It had shown an increase of 5.8% in revenues in 2009 compared to the fiscal year 2008 and is also the largest defense contractor by revenue as of FY2009. In addition, it is one of the leading companies in providing tactical and transport aircraft and other defense systems. Lockheed Martin serves a very large customer base, which provides for economies of scale. And also the company is very advanced technologically, its recent achievement being the JSF F-35 program. Weaknesses: Lockheed Martin also lags in a few areas. In 2009, about 85% of the net sales were made to the US government. This shows over dependency on one customer which would affect its growth. Another area it has to consider is cost. It is not really a cost effective firm. A recent example would be the high developmental costs for the JSF F-35 project. Plus, the employee attitude is poor in Lockheed Martin. And the turnover rate is also pretty much near high. Lockheed Martin also ranks no. 1 in federal misconducts. This affects the reputation of the company and the scenario of future contracts. External Factors Opportunities: One of the opportunities that Lockheed Martin can capitalize on is the rise in defense spending by the US. The DoD has seen consistent growth within the last ten years as it grew from $300 billion to almost $550 billion. Further, the congress agreed to fund military operations in various countries. Also, the US space and military market has witnessed strong growth and the trend is likely to continue. Another point could be the space business initiatives. Lockheed Martin is a prime contractor for a number of space business initiatives initiated by NASA. More initiatives will create new business opportunities for Lockheed Martin. One other point is the easing of export controls by the US with India in order to trade with the country. Another one would be the cyber security needs which are increasing globally to deal with cyber warfare. Threats: There are quite a number of threats that Lockheed Martin is facing. Lockheed Martin deals with numerous government agencies and entities, and as a result has to face regulations relating to disclosure of cost and acquisitions. Also, Lockheed Martin has to deal intensely with competitors like General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman and BAE systems in regard to competitive factors such as technical superiority, reputation, price, etc. Also, The Company is involved in environmental and potential proceedings relating to soil and groundwater contamination, disposal of hazardous waste etc. which impact the companys profitability. Substitutes like the Russian MIG fighter jets and others can act as a possible threat to the company. Also, Lockheed Martin has to keep up with changing times by innovating new products and services and acquiring new tech to keep up with rapid technological changes. Strategic Factor Analysis Short: The fact that the US military market is going to grow may be viable for a short period or an intermediate period. So the company has to look for other viable opportunities which would be there for a long term. For the short term, it is definitely an opportunity which the company should capitalize and ultimately as a result it will benefit the company in different ways like for example increase in sales. Intermediate: A factor like not being dynamic is in the intermediate segment. Not being dynamic or not being very agile to change is a weakness which will affect the company in medium term. This is because issues like these need to be addressed in the medium term at least if not in the short. If not done so, the company may not be able to deliver accordingly and lose out to the competition. Same is with the factor of substitutes. They can be there for an intermediate term. Lockheed Martins main competitors like Boeing and Northrop Grumman are always there with new innovations and products. So, in order to stand up to the competition, Lockheed Martin has to bring in new technologies and unique products every time. As discussed earlier, the rivalry is intense and companies come out with new and unique products to stay ahead in the game. Long: Factors in the long run considers all the four; strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Considering financial performance, a company like Lockheed Martin earns about 80% of its revenues from military sales. It receives many of the defense contracts and if delivered as supposed to, it will stay in a good position financially. It is also in a position to acquire some other firms. An example would be Gyrocam Systems LLC on 31st august, 2009. Also, all the companies have to be advanced technologically in order to meet the demands of the customer. They have to provide distinctive products which are not possible without advanced technology. Factors like export control easing by the US towards India are also in the long run. Once eased, it will trade with the nation for quite some time. Government regulations also stay for a long time. TOWS Matrix Strengths (S) Financial stats New Technology Well balanced Portfolio Economies of scale Strong market position Weaknesses (W) Dependence on the U.S government Cost management Not agile to changing conditions Employee attitude Contract misconducts Opportunities (O) Rising defense spending Growing military and space market Space business initiatives Export-control easing Cyber Security needs SO Strategies Expand business into India by acquiring firms Use advanced technology to deliver new and unique products to the growing market WO Strategies Reduce the dependence on US government by expansion into other countries Change employee attitude to deliver better products Threats (T) Government contracts and regulation Intense competition Environmental compliance costs Substitutes Technological changes ST Strategies Regular and timely Upgrades of systems and technology to stay competitive Acquisition of firms to gain new technology in order to deal with substitutes WT Strategies Be dynamic to keep up with rapid technological changes Reduce costs in order to comply with the regulations SO Strategies (Maxi-Maxi): SO strategies are formed considering the use of a companys strengths to capitalize on the opportunities. According to the figure above, I have devised two strategies which will do so. As the US has eased its export controls towards India, Lockheed Martin can expand its business there by acquiring firms and so on. This can be done as the company is financially strong and is in a position to do so. Another strategy that can be used is that Lockheed Martin can use its advanced technologies and systems to capitalize on the opportunity of the growing military and space market by offering new and differentiated products. ST Strategies (Maxi-Mini): Now, ST strategies are formed by considering the use of a companys strengths to minimize the threats. Two strategies have been devised. The first one is to regularly upgrade the systems and technology of Lockheed Martin in order to deal with threats like rapid technological changes. In the defense sector, big players like Boeing and Northrop Grumman may have better tech compared to Lockheed Martin and so in order to compete it has to have timely upgrades of its own technology. Also another strategy to be considered would be an acquisition strategy. In the defense sector there are quite a number of substitutes. Lockheed Martin can acquire more firms in order to gain access to new technologies and minimize the threat of substitutes. These strategies are possible because of the strong financial position of Lockheed Martin. WO Strategies (Mini-Maxi): WO strategies are formed by considering the capitalization of opportunities by overcoming weaknesses. One of the strategies that can be considered is reducing the dependence on the US government by expanding overseas. Recently, US eased its export controls towards India, which means Lockheed Martin has the opportunity to make sales in the latter. This can reduce the over dependence on the US government for sales. Another would be changing employee attitude by providing a better work environment, which in turn will help to develop better products for the growing military and space market and hence increasing sales. WT Strategies (Mini-Mini): WT strategies are formed by considering the minimization of weaknesses and avoiding threats and are basically defensive. One of the strategies would be to be more dynamic to changing conditions. By being more dynamic, Lockheed Martin can stay up with changing times and avoid the threat of rapid technological changes. By analyzing the conditions and acting, for example, Lockheed Martin upgrading its systems and technology, the company will be able to stay competitive. Another would be to effectively reduce costs by using methods that are efficient, so as the excess costs are not transferred to the final products. In case of Lockheed Martin, it has to comply with government regulations regarding costs and any default may result in termination of contracts and transactions. Assessment of current Company performance Efficiency: Lockheed Martin was very efficient in its recent strategy of divesting its business in EIG (enterprise integration group). It also plans to sell most of its PAE business unit. Lockheed Martin was very efficient in using the Divestiture strategy. Lockheed Martin had an after tax gain of $184 million ($0.51 per share). Not many resources were required to do so as EIG was a very high quality segment of their business associated with the support of organizations like the National Reconnaissance Office, other elements of the intelligence community. Lockheed Martin did not require much effort and resources in order to carry out their divestiture strategy. Effectiveness: Lockheed Martin was very effective in carrying out the divestiture strategy. There were many prospective buyers for the business unit. Lockheed Martin effectively made the sale to Veritas capital without much hassle from either side. The cash generated from this transaction was effectively deployed in various ways like in the specific 4th quarter of 2010; 13.2 million shares were repurchased for $916 million, discretionary contributions of $840 million to the pension trust, cash dividends totalling $269 million which is an increase from the previous year in the same quarter and expending capital of $426 million. Return to Investors: Lockheed Martin paid a total dividend of $269 million in the fourth quarter which shows a $29 million increase from the payout in the 4th quarter of 2009. Also the total dividend payout in 2010 being $969 million showed an increase of $61 million over the previous years total payout. It clearly shows that Lockheed Martins profits had gone up in 2010 by quite a good margin. The corporation was paying out more dividends makes it clear, that quite some money was being made by it. The share value also went up after the divestiture was completed by $0.51 per share. Review of Options Lockheed Martin can consider the use of various strategies devised above in order to deal with major threats and weaknesses by using opportunities and strengths. One of the most critical strategies that should be considered as an important option by Lockheed Martin is the expansion strategy. Adopting this strategy will help Lockheed Martin to capitalize on a valuable opportunity and at the same time, help it to reduce its excess dependence on the US government. Lockheed Martin can expand in to other countries by using either acquisitions or maybe they can enter into a Joint Venture with some other companies. Another strategy could be the acquisition strategy. Lockheed Martin can consider acquiring firms in order to get new technology. This will help them to stay very competitive in the market, deal with the competition and at the same time help them to deal with a major threat of substitutes. Another strategy that would be recommended is being more dynamic to change. By being more dynamic, Lockheed Martin will analyze the market constantly and keep up with changing trends and factors like rapid technological changes. Being a defense contractor, it has to keep up with such changes in order to keep up with the competition. Another one would be the changing of employee attitude towards the organization and work. This can be done by providing a cooperative and healthy work environment and proper training of personnel. This in turn will benefit the organization in the long run by providing dedicated and motivated personnel which will help to produce higher quality products and services. Implementation of Strategies Structure: Now, in order to carry out the most critical strategies that are stated above, the company should analyze their structure and make changes if they have to. The current horizontal structure of Lockheed Martin can well serve the purpose. Lockheed Martin gives all the employees initiative to work and deliver better results. There is an immense sense of team work and team spirit. Lockheed Martin enables its employees to make decisions at their respective levels and hence shows decentralization of power to a certain extent. It is useful in motivating employees and efficiently catering customer needs. Systems: Lockheed Martin basically has all the system facilities to deliver the strategies. In order to deliver the expansion strategies Lockheed Martin needs to develop software(s) and systems for the place where they are expanding. Lockheed Martin has all the necessary systems in place in order to deliver the most critical strategies. It can enhance its capabilities by upgrading systems factors like software(s) and machines in order to cater better to the strategies. Policies: In order to comply with the strategies above, Lockheed Martin should adopt a recruitment policy. Specially in using the expansion strategy, Lockheed Martin needs to employ new workers in order to sustain such strategies. Employing dedicated and motivated personnel would surely benefit Lockheed Martin. Another policy that can be adopted by Lockheed Martin is a reward policy. Lockheed Martin can reward individuals by using factors like pay increments and bonuses. Cooperative teamwork and appropriate rewards will help to change employee attitude and motivate them to deliver better products. Usefulness of Models Industry life cycle: The industry life cycle was very helpful in assessing the specific stage of the life cycle in which the defense industry currently is. More importantly it has helped in analyzing the fact that why the defense industry is in that specific stage. Industry life cycle is an important tool in the analysis of an industrys life. It has given us an in depth view of where the industry is and also what the companies in the industry are doing to stay alive. Key factors for success: The second model is very useful in assessing the most critical factors that a company needs to survive in the specific industry, in this case the defense industry. It was useful because it gave us an overview of the industry in regard with the factors required to succeed in it. It told us what a company needs to survive, how their competitors are fairing in the core areas and which areas can the company make changes. Porters five forces: Porters five forces helped us to analyze the six crucial and constant forces that affect the industry. It has helped us to analyze how the industry is affected by these six forces and what stand do the companies have in consideration to these forces. SWOT: SWOT analysis was very useful as it helps is assessing the companys internal factors; strengths and weaknesses and external factors; opportunities and threats. It helped us to look into the company in depth to find out where it lags and where it excels. Also it helped us to look into valuable opportunities which the company can capitalize on to grow or expand and also threats which the company faces. SFAS matrix: The SFAS matrix is basically derived from the SWOT. But what makes it very useful is that it helped us to choose the most critical factors of the four points; strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It has helped us to analyze what are the critical strengths and opportunities for our company and how long are they going to stay there. Also, It helped us to analyze our weaknesses and threats and how much time we should take to address them. Overall, it was a very important tool in assessing the critical factors to which the company should respond accordingly to grow and stay competitive. TOWS matrix: Another model derived from SWOT. This was very useful in basically formulating the best strategies possible for our company that they can deliver in accordance with the four factors.