IOM and Nursing Transformation Essay Example for Free

IOM and Nursing Transformation Essay The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is an American, not-for-profit, non-governmental, unaffiliated, organization created for the sole purpose to serve as an advisor to the government and every sector in society in order to make better informed health care decisions. Established in 1970 the IOM organization has been answering the nation’s most pressing questions about health care over the past 4 decades. October 5, 2010, the IOM in collaboration with The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), released its recommendations on nursing in the United States. The report entitled, â€Å"The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health† explore the need for health care nursing professionals to evolve and prepare for the dynamic work environment in which they will take part, providing an action-oriented blue print for the health care professional as a guide to practice (Institute of Medicine, 2010). The IOM report continues to have an immense impact on nursing care today, transforming primary practice, education, and the leadership roles of health care provider. Within the IOM report, 4 key messages were provided as follows, 1. Nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training. 2. Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression. 3. Nurses should be full partners with physicians and other health care professionals in redesigning healthcare in the U.S. 4. Effective workforce planning and policy making require better data collection and an improved information infrastructure (Institute of Medicine, 2010, p. 4). On the grand scale, nursing is by far the largest force in health care, by sheer numbers the impact nurses make in health care is astounding. Nurses are vital to the change and success of health care reform. The IOM cites the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a new law signed into effect March 23, 2010, by President Obama. The ACA allows the public better access to care, stronger Medicare, more affordable coverage, and stronger consumer rights and protections (THE WHITEHOUSE.GOV, n.d.). What The ACA means for nursing practice is, with insurance becoming more readily accessible to the public, it is inevitable that patient loads will increase causing a higher demand for educated and skilled nurses. New rules mandating patients and practitioners meeting face-to-face at the start of care and mandating regular check-ups as preventative care will also increase demand for nurses. To meet this growing need for health care professionals current and prospective providers look to provide motivation. Funding has been made available to nurses as an incentive to pursue advanced degrees and become lifelong learners by creating stricter regulation for continuing education requirements. Employers are becoming extremely cognizant of the growing demand and are willing to provide career assistance, and tuition reimbursement in order to remain competitive in the healthcare industry as well as increase employee retention. Education is vital to achieve the goal of the IOM desiring to increase the number of BSN educated nurses from 50% to 80% by the year 2020(The Forum of Nursing Workforce Centers, 2012). With education, comes responsibility. As part of the vision of the IOM, nurses should become full partners in collaboration and shall become leaders, whether it be formal or informal. Leadership should be integrated in all aspects of nursing, â€Å"from the bedside to the boardroom† (Institute of Medicine, 2010, p. 221). Leaders aren’t just policy makers and managers anymore, they are mentors, teachers and advocates, for their patients as well as each other. As leaders nurses should collaborate with multidisciplinary team members to provide safe and effective care, sharing their knowledge, skills and critical thinking expertise. Being an informal leader also involves mentoring peers and acting as a resource, fostering an environment conducive for growth and success as well as professional development. Addressing the call to action by changing practices to meet the recommendations is vital to the transformation of nursing. To meet this call to action, my first goal is to obtain my Bachelor of Science in nursing degree. Education is the foundation the gives us the ability to grow and thrive in our profession successfully. I challenge myself to continue with my education and going forward continue on the path as a lifelong learner. I vow to seek opportunities available to me to enhance my knowledge and skill base whether it is through my employer, my state required continuing education credits (CEU’s), or a nursing organization such as my membership with the American Association of Critical Care nurses (AACN). I will continue to collaborate with all team members, be an advocate and to be a mentor and a resource to my peers, and promote education and learning through them as well. And finally I will accept this call to action by challenging my other peers and cohorts to do the same. References Institute of Medicine. (2010). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Retrieved from http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12956page=R1 THE WHITEHOUSE.GOV. (n.d.). http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/healthcare-overview#healthcare-menu The Forum of Nursing Workforce Centers. (2012). http://nursingworkforcecenters.org/Resources/files/StateImpactOfIOMReportOnNursing.pdf

Soft Drink Industry: Competition and Structure

Soft Drink Industry: Competition and Structure This work aims to study the way the soft drink industry, a major part of the global beverage industry. The research will provide an introduction of the soft drink industry. Using Porters 5 Forces framework, the research seeks to map the structure of the industry. The research will further analyze the macro-environment of the industry using the PESTEL framework to identify changes in the industry. In addition, the research seeks to identify the structural drivers of change within the industry. The study undertaken intends to focus also on learning about the current stage of industry life cycle and what are the driving traits that make this industry worthwhile. From the above scenarios, the research will identify the most likely scenario for the future of the industry INTRODUCTION The Soft Drink Industry consists of establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing non-alcoholic, carbonated beverages, mineral waters and concentrates and syrups for the manufacture of carbonated beverages. Principal activities and products: Aerated waters; Carbonated beverages; Mineral and spring waters; Soft drink concentrates and syrup; and Soft drink preparation carbonating. (Hrsdc, 2005) The soft-drink battleground has now turned toward new overseas markets. While once the United States, Australia, Japan, and Western Europe were the dominant soft-drink markets, the growth has slowed down dramatically, but they are still important markets for Coca-Cola and Pepsi. However, Eastern Europe, Mexico, China, Saudi Arabia, and India have become the new hot spots. Both Coca-Cola and Pepsi are forming joint bottling ventures in these nations and in other areas where they see growth potential. (Fargos, 2005) Soft drinks are the largest beverage market segment in the global market and are forecasted to reach approximately $550bn in 2013 (business insights, n.d). The key players in this industry are: Coca -Cola Company Pepsi Co Cadbury Nestle Porters Five Forces Bargaining Power of Buyers Different level of bargaining power exist among the group of buyers Vending machine no buyer bargaining power Fast food chain- more bargaining power Bargaining Power of Suppliers Bargaining power of suppliers is weak. The ingredients are easily available and there are many suppliers, reducing companys switching cost. Many substitutes for sugar can be used like corn syrup ,sweetener. Threat of Substitutes The threat of substitutes can be reduced by expanding the products such as non carbonated drinks like juice ,tea, coffee and plain water. Alcohol is a threat too esp. as these companies dont manufacture alcoholic beverage. But due to social, time and health constraints its moderated. Rivalry among Competing Firms one could characterize the soft drink market as a duopoly between Coke and Pepsi, resulting in positive economic profits. There is intense rivalry between coca-cola and Pepsi. there is no price differentiation and consumer has no brand loyalty. Threat of New Entrants It would be nearly impossible for a new bottler to enter the industry because of the tremendous market presence of Coke, Pepsi, and a few others .Soft drink industry require substantial capital investment, which would deter entry. Further existing bottlers had exclusive territories in which to distribute their products PESTEL ANALYSIS (P)olitical Factors Non-alcoholic beverages fall within the food category under the FDA. The government plays a role within the operation of manufacturing these products in terms of regulations. There are severe penalties set by the government on companies if they try to violate the laws. (Pbawa, n.d.) (E)conomic Factors There is a deep impact of Recession on Soft drink industry. If cost of raw material rises than production costs will increase. The companies are vulnerable to exchange rate fluctuations, resulting in a drop in profits through foreign currency earned versus production investment. (S)ocial Factors Many people are concerned about their healthier lifestyles. They are switching to bottled water and diet colas instead of beer and other alcoholic beverages. Consumers from the ages of 37 to 55 are also increasingly concerned with nutrition. They are becoming more concerned with increasing their longevity (T)echnological Factors The new technology of internet and television which use special effects make some products look attractive. This helps in selling of the products. Introduction of cans and plastic bottles have increased sales for Coca-Cola as these are easier to carry .As the new technology in packaging system rise the production higher. (E)nvironmental Factors Soft drink industry degrade the environment by transport and fuel wastage ,industries production and waste process. They are required to have more eco friendly products and practices now. While coca cola and pepsi both are emphasizing on recycling of cans. (L)egal Factors Legal restrictions are put in place so that companies products do not fool and harm the consumer. Companies are required to aware the consumer about negative health impact of soft drink and also mention the ingredients and warning on product. Structural Drivers of change Social/demographic The consumer has slowly become more health conscious. . Changing consumer demographics resulting in changing consumer tastes and increased demand for healthier products. There is a increased in competition from other non-alcoholic beverages, such as energy drinks and sports drinks. Packaging and distribution The majority of soft drinks are sold in aluminium cans and PET plastic bottles. They are also sold in bulk through soda fountains. Bottles, most of which comprise PET plastic, Only a very small portion of soft drinks are still packaged in glass bottles .Companies are trying to make packaging more eco friendly such as many companies have introduced re-sealable packs which can be resealed after drinking. The industry distributes its products through supermarkets and grocery stores, drug stores, convenience stores and gas outlets, mass merchandisers and warehouse outlets. The foodservice and hospitality industry, in particular fast food outlets, is another method of distribution. Vending machines also provide a distribution channel for these products. Now the companies can directly sell to the consumer, reducing their dependence on distributors, decreasing costs and increases direct contact with the consumers. (Hrsdc, 2005) Industry Life Cycle The soft drinks market is now in the matured stage of the life cycle. Growth in the industry has remained stagnant. It is natural for product to go in decline stage but coca cola and Pepsi Delay this decline by constantly developing the product or brand in order to extend the cycle. Coca Cola has maintained its leadership for several years. The reason behind is that it constantly developing its brand image and reinforcing the core product benefit of taste and refreshment to ensure that brand remain in maturity stage. . As in a mature industry, it is characterised by high competition, price wars and competitive advantage through economies of scale. As in their domestic market is saturated so many companies are now turned towards overseas markets. Another way to extend the product in a life cycle is to adapt it as consumer s needs change. For example when consumers attitude towards health and diet is changing than coca cola has introduced diet coke. Also these companies have aggressive and high advertising spends in order to maintain a reminder of their products in the minds of the consumers. (Irish Times, 2000) Future Scenario The soft drink industry can have 3 possible scenarios in its long term future which are as follows:- Health conscious Now days consumer are more concerned about their health. Consumers are also aware of the negative health impact of soft drinks (esp. carbonated), like lowering bone density, obesity etc. So consumers are looking to the healthier options. So may be the soft drink industry will decline or will be rooted out of the market. Due to the negative image of the soft drink industry ,there may be some restriction or limitation on supply just like hard drink industry. There may be age or quantity restriction like in alcohol or tobacco. This may lead to drop of sales for soft drink industry. Or it could carry on at the same rate as now with steady and predictable growths. There already is a growing demand for healthy juices, fruit drinks, cereals etc. thus the industries should continue product innovation and expansion of their product line. Diversification and Market share As saturation is taking place in soft drink industry , companies will start diversifying into new product categories and markets. Also, having a diverse product line will make the industry very stable, which is appealing to investors and creditors. Soft drink industry could diversify into many segment. .. So they should diversify according to the consumer needs. Kids segment will be another market that companies will directly begin to target because this is the market where soft drink industry get most of it sales. So there may be low calorie drinks that will do good for the kids and will be the trend in all households. Soft drink industry also diversify on alcoholic beverages. They will make the combination of little percent of alcohol with soft drink which is already popular to attract the hard drink customers. As alcohol is a substitute threat for soft drink this would minimize their risk. Another Possible future is, to expand their global market share. This is very important to sustain because it is the source of the majority of their profits. If they lose global market share, their profits will decline dramatically. So soft drink should take over the local drinks in different countries. Each country has its own local product based on traditional flavours and tastes. The soft drink companies could expand into this new market too. So soft drink industry should acquire local companies and manufacturing these drinks on a mass scale. Special drinks By continually introducing new products, soft drink industry will be able to increase their profits and allow the company to continue to grow. They should introduced special drinks to attract the customer . The global soft drinks market is estimated to reach a value of around $ 49.9 billion by the end of 2014. As with all functional soft drinks (FSDs), the original target segment who initially bought this concept 16 to 30 year olds are growing older and entering a different lifecycle that requires less energy stimulation. Maintaining interest in the sports drinks sector will be vital in order for steady growth to continue. Sports drinks glucose enhancing drinks and all others that specifically boost certain needs of the body Along with new and innovative flavours, which also require a level of familiarity and recognition is important for competing in the saturated soft drinks industry. Consumers also want to see that the product is naturally good for them . The more portions of fruit or vegetables a drink contains so that it tastes good over a normal soft drink Most Likely Scenario The most likely scenario will be the diversification and expansion for the future of the industry. As this industry is already in saturated stage so this scenario will be very helpful. There will be some stage when people get bored with the soft drinks. . Diversification and expansion will create more scope for innovation, profits and new market in these sectors individually by sharing of customers and resources and also enhance performance of the core industry. If the industry wants to keep moving and doesnt want to slipped in decline stage than industry have to adopt the diverse and expand strategy in other segments to keep profit going.

Rehabilitation, Treatment, and the Management of Offenders: Can Punishment Cure?

Rehabilitation, Treatment, and the Management of Offenders: Can Punishment Cure? Abstract This paper will discuss how the authors of three particular articles, Megan Comfort, Mona Lynch, Kelly Hannah-Moffat and Paula Maurutto, interpret the rehabilitative processes for criminal offenders. The authors’ arguments of who is responsible for this rehabilitation vary widely. There will be a brief summary of each author’s argument and the essay will conclude in explain which authors argument is most comprehensive in explaining who the responsibility of rehabilitation falls on. Key words: Punishment, Rehabilitation, Rhetoric, Responsibility ] The Best Seven Years I Could’a Done: The Reconstruction of Imprisonment as Rehabilitation By Megan Comfort The Best Seven Years I Could’a Done by Megan Comfort is about the rehabilitation process experienced by many low-income men in the United States. Rehabilitation is defined as restoring someone to a useful role in society (Rehabilitation, 2009). Comfort says that the men who are incarcerated in California turn to prison as a way to achieve healthier relationships and to improve themselves. Since rehabilitation programs are scarce, the individual becomes responsible for their own improvement. We can see that people report making the best of their situation even when there are not sufficient programs available to help them get clean. However we can see that the lack of these programs can be a risk towards reoffending. Even though there are some programs available, the offenders claim that these programs lack anomity and would rather spend their time behind bars because they are able to establish goals that they want to achieve once they are released. Thus, the responsibility of r ehabilitation is shifted on to the individual, and we can question if the role that parole agents play is of any significance at all. Comfort also finds that these men engage in a period of acting as if their experience in the penitentiary is effective in preparing them for re-entry into society. However, after these men are in fact released from the penitentiary, they realize the negative repercussion of not effectively being rehabilitated. In contrast, rehabilitative treatment in the forms of therapy, job training, and education can show much more favourable outcomes for an individual being reintegrated back into society. Rehabilitation as Rhetoric: The Ideal of Reformation in Contemporary Parole Discourse and Practices By Mona Lynch Mona Lynch talks about the shifts in the purpose of parole throughout history. She marks three strong changes in parole history in which each era has a different view on who is responsible to improve the parolee. The three eras of parole are marked thus; the disciplinary era, clinical era, and the managerial era. Lynch discusses the first two as being a combined responsibility of the state, community, and the individual to help them become normalized into society. In the third era, she states that the responsibility is shifted on to the parole agent and the offender to help him improve. We can see that there is a shared responsibility. Lynch goes on to say that there is little investment put into rehabilitative measures and programs to assist the parolee to improve. In conclusion we can see that the issues that the agent would help the individual with are actually being addressed as the poor choices of the individual, and while there are programs in place to help fix the poor choices the individual has made, they are actually used as coercive tools against the parolee. We can see that the rhetoric of rehabilitation is expressed as placing unrealistic demands on the individual to normalize themselves, and if he does not succeed it is considered their own fault, and the agents are able to use coercion when they believe it is necessary to protect society from deviant behavior. Shifting and Targeted Forms of Penal Governance: Bail, Punishment and Shifting and Specialized Courts By Kelly Hannah-Moffatt and Paula Maurutto Shifting and Targeted Forms of Penal Governance by Hanna Moffat and Paula Maurutto discusses rehabilitation in Canadian specialized courts. They state that rehabilitation today is much different from the past. Throughout the history of the criminal justice system, rehabilitation took on the purpose of providing therapy to the individual offender, but today it operates on two levels. The first is to provide therapy to the offender through job training and counselling and the second purpose of rehabilitation is to exercise control. The latter purpose can be seen as being intrusive. The criminal justice system is combining rehabilitation and punishment as a punitive measure. They argue that rehabilitation does not serve a single purpose but it is binary. In conclusion we can see that rehabilitation is very messy because it is both a combination of punishment and therapy and also takes the role of being coercive and controlling. The Responsibility of Rehabilitation Rehabilitation has shifted in form throughout history and has gone from being therapeutic to taking on a controlling and coercive appearance. Many people argue about which form of rehabilitation is most effective but the purpose of rehabilitation is to figure out why an individual committed a crime, and focus on those aspects to foster a permanent change. It is part of a larger modernity. There are many articles about who should take on the responsibility of rehabilitation and through this analysis I will outline how the authors Megan Comfort, Mona Lynch, Hanna Moffatt and Paula Maurutto write about the subject. Then I will conclude with which author presents the most comprehensive argument for who should take on rehabilitation responsibility. To begin with, Mona Comfort says that jail fails to rehabilitate an individual back into society because the prison system does not have programs in place which could assist the offenders in becoming normalized into society. She says that the prison only serves the purpose of being a â€Å"primary means of service access† where these men who are denied social welfare are now able to get a hold of it within the penitentiary (Comfort, 2008). These men act as if the prison will help them re-enter society because they are able to establish goals that they want to achieve. However, Comforts studies show that tens of thousands of released prisoners who relapse and reoffend are a blunt testimony that the California Department of Correction or Rehabilitation is wearing very few rehabilitative clothes† (Comfort, 2008). Even though men believe that the prison will make them â€Å"clean†, studies prove that they more often than not will reoffend because the programs to help them become â€Å"normalized† in jail were non-existent or inadequate. In contrast, Mona Lynch writes that rehabilitation is more present in penitentiaries than Comfort would argue. She states that although rehabilitation has changed into being more â€Å"managerial†, it still holds onto some past ideologies so we can look at it as merely re-invented. It is holding the old rhetoric but doing it in different or modern ways. In the past it took on a therapeutic form but today it is binary in being both therapeutic and coercive. In her opinion, rehabilitation is a combined responsibility of both the offender and the parole agent, but there is more emphasis on the offender â€Å"wanting† to improve. She also writes that rehabilitation appears important for the agency to portray to a number of audiences, including the public, the clients, and the agents responsible for putting goals into actions. The commitment however does not extend past this rhetoric (Lynch, 2000). Finally, Hannah-Moffat and Maurutto see rehabilitation in a different form than Comfort, but somewhat similar to Lynch. They see rehabilitation motivated by therapeutic and preventative goal and they rely on relationships with community groups to create a range of interactions with the court and the offender (Hannah-Moffat Maurutto, 2012). The way that rehabilitation has shifted from being just therapeutic, then to coercive, and then into a meshing of the two, is a new feature of the Canadian criminal justice system. They write that rehabilitation is a shared responsibility, and it extends beyond the prison. It takes the combined efforts of professionals and the community to work together to re-integrate an individual back into society. One can also argue that this type of rehabilitation would be fairer in terms of seeking the best program to treat the specific needs of the offender, and will be more successful in reintegrating them into society as a result. In Maurutto and Moffattà ¢â‚¬â„¢s argument, rehabilitation is able to be a life-changing experience rather than just an effort to change a person’s deviant personality. In conclusion we see there is a variation in the arguments presented by Comfort, Lynch and Maurutto and Moffat. However, in my opinion I believe that the latter two authors who argue that the state and community should work together to make the individual more responsible is more comprehensible than the other two arguments. Although Comfort states that the responsibility falls on the offender, studies show that they will risk reoffending if left to their own devices. This does not then seem realistic to make the individual responsible for their own rehabilitation, because the purpose of punishment is to deter an action that deviates from the societal norms. She also argues that the prison does not offer programs and even when they do that they’re counting on you not to use them (Comfort, 2008). Instead the state decides to spend $35, 587 a year to imprison an offender, forgetting that they could use those funds to re-integrate the offender. The individual is made responsible a nd they leave the prison with â€Å"no additional skills or information to help him enter society (Comfort, 2008). It is therefore not effective to not make the state responsible because the individual cannot find a job on his own and he is left seeking the criminal justice system to help him get clean, but this only provides him with temporary access to social welfare. On the other hand, Lynch’s argument that there is a shared responsibility between the parole agent and the offender is more comprehensive and potentially effective than Comforts because there is an external assistance system set up to rehabilitate the offender. There is also the implementation of punitive punishments. The reason why Comfort’s argument in making the individual responsible does not bode well is because you cannot expect someone who is deviant to be responsible. However with parole agents taking on part responsibility, it seems more likely that rehabilitation will have a greater success rate. Lynch argues that in the past, parole served the purpose of being therapeutic and today it takes on both therapeutic and coercive roles. This is more of an effective argument because the purpose of jail is to punish as well as to help them get back into society. The new era of parole is more effective because the state is protecting society from risky offenders while helping them get back to being normal and productive in society. In conclusion, this model is not completely casting off a segment of the population, rather crime punishment and disciplinary action are working together to make combined efforts to help make the offender responsible (Lynch, 2000). However, the argument made my Hannah-Moffat and Maurutto offers an even more comprehensive argument for who should hold the responsibility to rehabilitate the individual. They argue that rehabilitation happens the moment you are charged, and since there are specialized community groups working with the offender, they are able to address the underlying holistic needs of the offender in order to ensure successful completion of a treatment program (Hannah-Moffat Maurutto, 2012). Conventional courts are criticized for failing to address effectively chronic social programs which is why if the specialized courts take the responsibly they are better equipped to target specific needs (Hannah-Moffat Maurutto, 2012). The whole process of how best to rehabilitate specific cases and individuals would begin the moment the charged person entered the courtroom and would not wait until they entered jail itself. Each method starts rehabilitation at a different time in the individuals interaction wi th the criminal justice system, but in the third one it starts from the beginning; the moment the individual is charged. This is almost more of a preventative style of rehabilitation and a hybrid. In conclusion, using Hannah-Moffat Maurutto’s ideas on the responsibility to rehabilitate an offender being shared between specialized courts, community programs and the individual is better because it takes on preventative therapeutic practices but they have not eroded the traditional form of punishment (Hannah-Moffat Maurutto, 2012). The opportunity to participate in these programs is beneficial for the parolee because â€Å"their charges may be withdrawn, or they may get an absolute or conditional discharge† (Hannah-Moffat Maurutto, 2012). This seems more effective because the courts are working together to normalize the offender and this allows them to not have the stigma of being a criminal. The offender can find a job without the trouble of their record following them. Therefore having specialized courts and therapeutic programs, and the individual work together to help rehabilitation is more comprehensive compared to having an individual take on full responsib ility or having the state take on sole responsibility. Working individually, neither party can be trusted to make the right or rational choices for the prisoners, thus a binary response is needed for joint liability and oversight. References Megan Comfort (2008). â€Å"The Best Seven Years I Could’a Done: The Reconstruction of Imprisonment as Rehabilitation.† In Pat Carlen, Imaginary Penalties, Cullompton, Devon: Willan. Pp. 252-274. Coursepack. Mona Lynch (2000). â€Å"Rehabilitation as Rhetoric: The Ideal of Reformation in Contemporary Parole Discourse and Practices.† Punishment Society 2(1): 40-65. Stable URL. Kelly Hannah-Moffat and Paula Maurutto (2012). â€Å"Shifting and Targeted Forms of Penal Governance: Bail, Punishment, and Specialized Courts.† Theoretical Criminology 16(2): 201-219. Stable URL. Rehabilitation. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rehabilitation

John Steinbeck :: Essays Papers

John Steinbeck John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902 in Salinas California, shortly after the end of the Civil War. His mother was a schoolteacher in the public school system in Salinas. Steinbeck grew up in the fertile California where he found the materials for most of his novels, and short stories. Steinbeck demonstrated a great imagination, which was kindled by writing at a very early age partly due to his mother, the schoolteacher, whom read to him at a very early at the many great works of literature. During his teen years, Steinbeck played various sports in high school, worked numerous part time, dead end jobs, and wondered around the fertile valley. The lessons, and observations he made while wandering provided much of the material for his later works. Steinbeck entered Stanford University in 1920, and even though he attended the school until 1925, he never graduated. Lacking the desire to acquire a formal degree from the Stanford University, Steinbeck wandered to New York to pursue a writing career. While working on his writing, and while receiving an endless supply of rejection slips, Steinbeck worked odd jobs. The New York American newspaper was where Steinbeck held a job, writing various articles, for some time before the newspaper went bankrupt. The failure of the newspaper and endless supply of rejection letter forced Steinbeck to return to California, broken but still hopeful. Steinbeck’s first novel, Cup of Gold, was published in 1929, two months before the horrific stock market crash, causing the novel to nearly unnoticed with barely fifteen hundred copies selling. 1930 was a very important year for Steinbeck in two areas. First he married Carol Henning and the newlyweds settled in Pacific Grove, which he often wrote of. There, Steinbeck met Ed Ricketts whose friendship strongly influenced Steinbeck’s works. During the Great Depression of the nineteen thirties Steinbeck knew many people who were considered to be the cross section of society, and shared many of the problems of the times with them. His father like many men, helped is family through the depression with a small house and twenty-five dollars a week. Throughout the depression era Steinbeck wrote of people struggling to make ends meet around the California, Mexico region. One of Steinbeck works, Tortilla Flat, marked a turning point in Steinbeck’s literary career.

Creating A Writing Technology :: Teaching Writing Education Essays

Creating A Writing Technology â€Å"Enhanced separation of the known from the knower is probably the most fundamental value of writing, from its beginnings to the present. Between knower and known writing interposes a visible and tangible object, the text (Ong, 327).† LOT 509 PLEASE PUT DRYWALL INSIDE THE GARAGE Above is what I wrote using my creative writing technology. I am a general contractor and have my own construction/home improvement company. The company is called Rock Water Construction. With my full school schedule I haven’t had the time to take on huge jobs. However I am able to take on Drywall jobs that don’t require a full days work to complete. I recently ordered drywall to be delivered on Thursday to finish a basement that I had been working on. Due to the upcoming weather predictions that called for rain, I decided to have the drywall put into the garage until I was able to move it to the basement, in order to protect it from the rain and also theft. I requested this from the drywall company and knew that it needed to be put into the garage, however if the driver didn’t happen to read the instructions on the invoice, the driver would have left the drywall by the curb. I was able to separate the known, (the drywall needed to be placed in the garage), from the knower, (my mind) through the tangible object (the sign) that contained my text. The house that I am working at is in a new subdivision so lot numbers are a lot easier to locate for the delivery drivers. â€Å"There were other graphite deposits around the world, but their ore was not particularly pure. Impure ore crumbled or produced a scratchy line†¦with his supply of English graphite permanently embargoed, the French pencil-maker Nicholas-Jaques Contà © learned to produce a workable writing medium by grinding the local graphite, mixing it with clay and water, and forcing the mixture into wooden casings (Baron, 44).† Normally I would use a permanent marker or spray paint on a piece of wood to make my sign, however since I had to create a writing technology I chose to use charcoal and a piece of scrap drywall to create my â€Å"text†.

New Product Development Process Essay

For every successful new product, many new product ideas are conceived and discarded. Therefore, companies usually generate a large number of ideas from which successful new products emerge. I work as a strategic manager in Solarland Co., Ltd. This company does business of electronic appliances. As a Strategic Manager, I have been directed by my BOD to introduce a new product in Bangladesh. I want to introduce a Solar Based LED TV which will be run with solar system, which is without electricity people will be able to watch TV. So I have gone through my knowledge which I gained from my Strategic Management course and then make a draft of my proposal for them. The draft of my proposal for introducing a new solar based LED TV is discussed below. 1. Idea Generation The new product development process begins with idea generation. Strategic management is all about selling an idea. So as a Strategic manager I have created the new product idea of Solar Based LED TV. I have created this idea as I want to capture a new market where people do not have enough electricity or else they will also be able to safe electricity cost. This new product can define the overall character and mission of our company. 2. Idea Screening Idea screening, the second step, considers the new product idea of developing a Solar Based LED TV. At this stage I consider not only the firm’s manufacturing, technology, and marketing capabilities, but also how the new idea fits with the company’s vision and strategic objectives. During screening the idea I consider some facets which are very important like: What are the purposes of the organization? What image should the organization project? What are the ideals and philosophies that the organization desires its members to posses? What is the organizations business? How can the organization best fulfill its corporate objectives? 3. Concept Development and Testing The third stage, concept development and testing, requires formal evaluations of the product concept by consumers, usually through some form of marketing research. As a strategic manager, to build up a self-concept is very important. Self-Concept refers to the distinctive competence or major competitive advantages of the company. In case of concept testing, the existing strategic plan should be compared with the best plan which can be developed at any given point in time. So the best conceivable plan becomes the standard. The degree to which the existing plan varies from the standard and the cost of that variation compared to the cost of revising the plan will determine whether corrective action should be taken. Figure 1: New Product Development Process and Strategic Factors 4. Business Analysis The business analysis stage is next. At this point the new product idea is analyzed for its marketability and costs. After passing the first three stages an idea may be discarded once marketing and manufacturing costs are analyzed, due to limited potential for profitability or commercial success. I can do it through Porter Five Forces analysis. Figure 2: Factors of Industry Analysis Threat of new entrants Profitable markets that yield high returns will attract new firms. This results in many new entrants, which eventually will decrease profitability for all firms in the industry. Unless the entry of new firms can be blocked by incumbents the abnormal profit rate will trend towards zero (perfect competition). So I will analyze the threat factor of new entrants. For my new product I found that potential threat of new entrants are very low. Threat of substitute products or services The existence of products outside of the realm of the common product boundaries increases the propensity of customers to switch to alternatives. So I need to assess whether there is any existing or potential substitute of our new product. As this new product will work without electricity, so threat of substitute product is very low. Bargaining power of customers (buyers) The bargaining power of customers is also described as the market of outputs: the ability of customers to put the firm under pressure, which also affects the customer’s sensitivity to price changes. The buyer power is high if the buyer has many alternatives. We can take measures to reduce buyer power, such as implementing a loyalty program. Bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers is also described as the market of inputs. Suppliers of raw materials, components, labor, and services to the firm can be a source of power over the firm when there are few substitutes. Suppliers may refuse to work with our firm or charge excessively high prices for unique resources. So we need to be careful about that. 5. Prototype Development The fifth stage, prototype development, at this stage the concept is converted into an actual product. A customer value perspective during this phase means the product is designed to satisfy the needs expressed by consumers. We may use quality function deployment (QFD) as we develop the prototype. QFD links specific consumer requirements such as versatility, durability, and low maintenance with specific product characteristics (for example, adjustable shelves, a door-mounted ice and water dispenser, and touch controls for a refrigerator). The customer value perspective requires the new product to satisfy customer needs and meet desired quality levels at specified production costs. 6. Test Marketing In Test marketing we will test the prototype and marketing strategy in simulated or actual market situations. Because of the expense and risks associated with actual test markets, we need to use them with caution. If the product tests poorly, it will be pulled back and re-conceptualized or discarded. 7. Commercialization Commercialization, the final stage, is when the product is introduced full  scale. The level of investment and risk are highest at this stage. At this stage we will consider consumer adoption rates, timing decisions for introduction, and coordinating efforts with production, distribution, and marketing. STRATEGIC FACTORS INFLUENCING NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Organizational Structure and Culture Organizational structure, leadership, and team building influence the speed and efficiency with which new products are introduced. Structure influences efficiency, autonomy, and coordination. New product innovation requires structure that optimizes direction and guidance. Structure that facilitates internal information exchange, decision making, and materials flow is essential. A â€Å"fast-cycle† structure allows more time for planning and implementing activities to gain competitive advantage. This type of structure also cuts costs because production materials and information collect less overhead and do not accumulate as work-in-process inventory. Autonomy refers to the amount of decision making allowed at lower levels of management. The coordination of the engineering, product designs, manufacturing, and marketing functions in the new product development process is vital. Leadership Leadership influences strategy, culture, and the firm’s overall ability to undertake new product development. Top management can demonstrate involvement in the development process by providing career advancement for entrepreneurial skills and encouraging broad employee participation. Clarity and vision are crucial to ensuring that new product ideas are good strategic fits for the company. The degree to which leadership allows trial and error and promotes individual initiative positively influences the development of new products. This acceptance of risk and support for an entrepreneurial spirit within the organization are crucial in order for innovation to flourish. New products emerge in a variety of ways and their development does not always proceed in rational and consistent manners. It is necessary for leadership to view the process as iterative and dynamic, and to foster adaptation and flexibility. Management flexibility and responsiveness to  change also are needed. This type of leadership is particularly important to the project manager who must coordinate and integrate the various parts of the new product development process so that a coherent system emerges that produces a product with compelling value. Initiative encourages creativity and problem-solving skills. Team Building Teams provide mechanisms for breaking down functional biases created by a strict adherence to structure. The amount of interdepartmental conflict in the organization, the social cohesion among team members, and the frequency and directionality of interdepartmental communication influence team building. Through shared understanding of the objectives and purposes of the project, as well as the tasks required in the development process, teams can shape the project and influence how work gets done in the organization. Now a day technology continues to change and create new opportunities and threats. Customer requirements and expectations continue to shift and create new demands. Old channels of distribution are becoming obsolete and new channels are opening new opportunities. Some competitors are falling by the wayside while others are surging to the forefront by making new and unexpected moves to gain advantage. The very structure of industry is changing. A key to success in this tumultuous environment will continue to be the ability to sustain a competitive advantage through innovation. However, speed, efficiency, and quality in product development will be paramount. Building capabilities in all aspects of product creation and implementation, overcoming uncertainty and facilitating decision-making, ensuring these innovations are strategically linked to the firm’s vision, and doing this on a continuous basis is the challenge of new product development in the next century.

Marketing Environment Essay

Before we start with marketing environment it is important to know what a market is and how can marketing be defined as. A market is any structure that allows buyers and sellers to exchange any type of goods, services and information. †¢The market facilitates trade and enables the distribution and allocation of resources in a society. †¢Markets allow any tradable item to be evaluated and priced. A market emerges more or less spontaneously or is constructed deliberately by human interaction in order. †¢Marketing can basically be looked upon as the interaction between marketing mix variables and environmental variables. †¢It is only with the help of marketing variables, that the market managers tackle the environmental variables. †¢Marketing is an ongoing process of planning and executing the marketing mix for products, services or ideas to create exchange between individuals and organizations. According to Kotler â€Å"Marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtains what they need and want through creating, offering and exchanging products of value with others†. The American Marketing Association defines marketing as:- â€Å"The performance of business activities that direct the flow of goods and services from producers to consumers or users†. †¢Marketing tends to be seen as a creative industry, which includes advertising, distribution and selling. †¢ It is also concerned with anticipating the customers’ future needs and wants, which are often discovered through market research. †¢Essentially, marketing is the process of creating or directing an organization to be successful in selling a product or service that people not only desire, but are willing to buy. In the words of Stanton â€Å" Marketing is a total system of interacting business activities designed to plan ,price, promote and distribute want satisfying products and services to present and potential customers†. Therefore good marketing must be able to create a â€Å"proposition† or set of benefits for the end customer that delivers value through products or services. Government agencies, political parties, pressure groups and laws create tremendous pressure and constraints for marketing management. †¢Laws affect product design, pricing and promotion. Irrespective of the political ideologies, intervention in the marketing process has become common in every nation. †¢The legal environment is also referred to as public policy environment. The vast government network of laws and regulation, policy decisions, government bureaucracy and the legislative processes have varied impact on marketing strategies. †¢Multinationals like Coca Cola and IBM had to flee India during 1977 due to a hostile political environment. The positive political situation has permitted these corporations to again operate in the country. The impact of political and legal forces may be summarized as under: ? Substantial amount of legislation regulating business exists to protect consumers from unfair business practices, to avoid unfair competition, to safeguard small firms and to conserve foreign exchange. ?Marketing managers are required to get full knowledge and understanding of political and legal forces for achieving their goals. Political factors include government regulations and legal issues and define both the formal and informal rules under which the firm must operate. For example †¢Tax policy †¢Employment laws †¢Environmental regulations †¢Trade restrictions and tariffs †¢Political stability †¢Study and knowledge of economic forces is essential to preparing effective marketing plans. †¢Anticipation of future economic conditions will enable the firm to devise appropriate marketing strategies. Under economic environment, a marketing manager generally studies the following factors and trends: †¢Trends in cross national product and real income growth †¢Pattern of income distribution †¢Variations in geographical income distribution and trends †¢Expenditure patterns and trends Trends of consumer savings and how consumers like to hold their savings †¢Borrowing pattern, trends and governmental and legal restrictions †¢Major economic variables Economic factors affect the purchasing power of potential customers and the firms cost of capital. For example †¢Economic growth †¢Interest r ate †¢Exchange rates †¢Inflation rates †¢Economic conditions affect marketing directly because such organizations are themselves a part of the market place. For instance, the costs of all inputs positively respond to upward swing of economic condition. †¢This will affect the output price and consequentially affect the sales.