Admission paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Affirmation paper - Essay Example Besides, I accept that one ought to never stop to learn. Regardless of whether it is learning you do through training or learning one does through composition, an individual is and consistently ought to be in a condition of learning. Without learning one gets stale and it’s neither useful for the individual himself nor is it useful for society. I am an enlisted nurture since 2002 and have been working in various situations as a medical caretaker from that point onwards. I have offered administrations to geriatric and I loved working for the matured people since it gave me a feeling of accomplishment when they rested easy thinking about their lives. I have additionally filled in as a medical attendant at a facility. In addition I have likewise functioned as medical attendant rewarding patients who were on dialysis and as a medications serge nurture. Every one of these encounters helped me learn a certain something or the other about patients and their issues. I need to learn progressively reasonable methodologies through Empire State College. Furthermore I need to accomplish my objective which is to become renal medical caretaker specialist. I think learning at Empire State College can assist me with accomplishing this objective. I have a solid will and uplifting disposition which assist me with cruising through all the troubles and weights that I face as a medical attendant now and again. I have a decent encounter and I have taken in a great deal any place I have worked. I am a striver and being enthusiastic about nursing causes me be a superior medical attendant. Which is the reason, I need to realize what Empire State College brings to the table me so as to carry out my responsibility in a superior manner. I might want to utilize this chance of passageway in Empire State College to prep myself and to have the option to become renal medical attendant specialist, with the goal that I can help the individuals who are enduring and whom I can help in my ability as a medical caretaker. I need to utilize the recuperating power that I have as a medical caretaker in a successful

Cell Structure (Bio slp Mod 1) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cell Structure (Bio slp Mod 1) - Essay Example Moreover, most of prokaryotes are unicellular with a special case of a couple of, for example, cyanobacteria while eukaryotes are multicellular. These are single-celled prokaryotic creatures that contrast from microscopic organisms and eukaryota from multiple points of view. Their size and shape take after that of microorganisms yet contain qualities and metabolic procedures like those in eukaryotes. In contrast to microscopic organisms, some archaea have unpredictable shapes. These are prokaryotic living beings that get their vitality from inorganic sources. They are partitioned into two significant gatherings; ammonium oxidizing microscopic organisms (AOB) that oxidize smelling salts to nitrite, and nitrate oxidizing microbes (NOB), which oxidize nitrite to nitrate. Instances of the AOB bunch are the Nitrosomonas Sp while Nitrobacter Sp have a place with the NOB gathering. These are chemolithotrophs microbes that use ammonium as a wellspring of vitality. They oxidize smelling salts to nitrite. Models incorporate the Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, and Nitrosolobus species. Gram negative microbes are microscopic organisms that have a flimsy peptidoglycan (polymer) network, which involves the cell layer of the life form. Subsequently these microbes don't hold the gem violet color utilized in gram recoloring method. Then again, gram positive microscopic organisms contain a thick layer of this polymer lattice, in this way hold the essential stain in gram recoloring giving them purple appearance. These are natural mixes comprising of carbon and hydrogen components. These mixes are bottomless in nature and happen for the most part as unrefined petroleum. Hydrocarbons, consequently, are the primary wellspring of vitality promptly accessible as an ignitable fuel. This is a logical examine that utilizes the utilization of live living beings to decide the organic movement of a test substance. These tests are helpful in exploring the impacts (poisonousness) of a component accidently presented in a biological system. For example, the impact

Marijuana Use and Depression A Complex Relationship

Marijuana Use and Depression A Complex Relationship Addiction Drug Use Marijuana Print Using Marijuana to Treat Depression By Nancy Schimelpfening Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be. Learn about our editorial policy Nancy Schimelpfening Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on February 07, 2020 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD on February 07, 2020 Depression Overview Types Symptoms Causes & Risk Factors Diagnosis Treatment Coping ADA & Your Rights Depression in Kids Getty Images Europe With states across the nation passing laws allowing for the medical use of marijuana, much debate has ensued over which conditions should qualify patients for approved use. Depression is one such condition that has been discussed, and the research is mixed.  Depression and marijuana use often exist side-by-side in patients, but teasing apart their relationship to one another is a chicken-and-egg problem researcher have yet to solve. Can Marijuana Help Treat Depression? A February 2015 study by researchers at the University of Buffalos Research Institute on Addictions found that chemical compounds in the brain known as endocannabinoids, which are linked to feelings of overall well-being, activate the same receptors as many of the active compounds in marijuana.?? In testing on rats, the researchers found that the production of endocannabinoids was lower in states of chronic stress than under normal conditions. They concluded that the chemicals in cannabis may be a useful treatment in restoring normal endocannabinoid function and alleviating symptoms of depression. Drawbacks of Treating Depression With Marijuana Although there is some evidence that marijuana may have antidepressant properties, many argue there are also some important drawbacks to its usage. There is a well-known phenomenon called amotivational syndrome,  in which chronic cannabis users become apathetic, socially withdrawn, and perform at a level of everyday functioning well below their capacity prior to their marijuana use.?? There are also other studies that indicate that marijuana is associated with an increased risk for depression. Depression and Marijuana Use May Have Same Root Cause Most health care researchers and practitioners accept the theory that genetic, environmental, or other factors are the root cause of depression. Some believe that these same causes can lead to marijuana use. Participants in a 1997 pilot study  reported that one of the reasons they continued to smoke marijuana was that they felt it relieved their symptoms of depression and anxiety.?? Some research indicates that marijuana users (especially regular or heavy users) are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than those who dont use the drug. But research has failed to conclude that there is a causation relationship at play: it is not clear that depression directly results from marijuana use. In some patients with a predisposition to other mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, marijuana use may serve as a trigger for the diseases expression.  There also is some evidence that teenagers who attempt suicide may be more likely to have used marijuana than those who have not made an attempt. As with marijuana use and depression, more research is needed to better understand these associations.  As states continue to pass medical marijuana laws  and refine the criteria for eligibility, more research will likely go further toward exploring the relationship between depression and marijuana use. The 7 Best Online Help Resources for Depression

Medi Gender And Crime - 1771 Words

Media Gender and Crime GENDER AND JUSTICE Over the many years media has had a tremendous impact on society. Media has been responsible for shaping the culture for generations through music, movies and television. It seems logical that since the media has an influence on society’s norms when the media promotes violence and crime the audiences become more likely to imitate those behaviors. The media has been known to contribute to the violent culture through music, art, television and movies (action, suspense and horror); Movies and music where the dominant violent roles were occupied by men and when they involved women they were often accomplices or accessories to the crime. Although they may be amusing they are also exposing the†¦show more content†¦Bonnie Parker was accused of smuggling her imprisoned lover (Clyde Chestnut Barrow) a gun that allowed them to escape and after his escape the couple took united for a crime spree that consisted of robberies, kidnapping and murders. The crime spree eventually end ed horrible with their death resulting from a storm of gunfire during a police ambush. The idea of committing crime in a loyal devotion to your relation seemed to captivate the American audience and inspire couples across the nation. That story served as the foundation for female criminals. The media romanticized the couple so although their actions were violent and horrifying they were idolized as icons in the criminal culture. The fatal attraction of the outlaw couple led them to be one of the most popular criminal couples of all time. Since that era females role in crime have evolved across the board. Women have become more diverse with their criminal offenses. When woman were first portrayed as criminals in the media their role was often as an accomplice and an accessory, rarely as the primary offender. In recent times woman have took more dominant roles as criminals. The media has come to recognize women participation in numerous crime types. Now it is more common than before for a female to have drug charges, gun charges, assault charges, and even murder charges. Sandra Avila was informally known as â€Å"La Reina del Pacifico† which translated into queen of the Pacific. Sandra was a third generation drug

Running Delphi Applications With Parameters

Though it was much more common in the days of DOS, modern operating systems also let you run command line parameters against an application so that you can specify what the application should do. The same is true for your Delphi application, whether it be for a console application or one with a GUI. You can pass a parameter from Command Prompt in Windows or from the development environment in Delphi, under the Run Parameters menu option. For this tutorial, well be using the parameters dialog box to pass command line arguments to an application so that itll be as if were running it from Windows Explorer. ParamCount and ParamStr() The ParamCount function returns the number of parameters passed to the program on the command line, and ParamStr returns a specified parameter from the command line. The OnActivate event handler of the main form is usually where the parameters are available. When the application is running, its there that they can be retrieved. Note that in a program, the CmdLine variable contains a string with command line arguments specified when the application was started. You can use CmdLine to access the entire parameter string passed to an application. Sample Application Start up a new project and place a Button component on Form. In the buttons OnClick event handler, write the following code: procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject) ;begin ShowMessage(ParamStr(0)) ; end; When you run the program and click the button, a message box appears with the path and file name of the executing program. You can see that ParamStr works even if you havent passed any parameters to the application; this is because the array value 0 stores the file name of the executable application, including path information. Choose Parameters from the Run menu, and then add Delphi Programming to the drop-down list. Note: Remember that when you pass parameters to your application, separate them with spaces or tabs. Use double quotes to wrap multiple words as one parameter, like when using long file names that contain spaces. The next step is to loop through the parameters using ParamCount() to get the value of the parameters using ParamStr(i). Change the buttons OnClick event handler to this: procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject) ;var j:integer; beginfor j : 1 to ParamCount do ShowMessage(ParamStr(j)) ; end; When you run the program and click the button, a message appears that reads Delphi (first parameter) and Programming (second parameter).

Keeping Pets Free Essays

The disadvantages of keeping prairie dogs as pets far outweigh the advantages. But the cuteness factor of these unique creatures keep the pet trade moving along with more and more people wanting prairie dogs as pets. Before you take on one of these animals into your care, you should weigh all of the factors of ownership so there will be no surprises once the prairie dog is in your home. We will write a custom essay sample on Keeping Pets or any similar topic only for you Order Now Advantages Without a doubt, the cuteness and uniqueness factors of the prairie dog are what interest people the most. Not very many people have prairie dogs so some individuals might get the thrill of having the only prairie dog or dogs in the neighborhood. Their sweet faces and rounded bodies are adorable which attract many to wanting to own one of these animals. Their compact size also means they don’t take up a lot of space unlike larger animals such as dogs. Besides their constant need for companionship, care for the prairie dog is minimal. They require a clean cage, food and water, and toys for play and exercise. They can be litter box trained and can be fed a high-quality rabbit pellet along with other vegetation. Disadvantages Some prairie dogs do adapt to captivity but not very often. They can become friendly and sociable with humans but when they don’t bond with their owner, they can become stressed and bite. Because these are social creatures, they require a lot of attention from their owner. When left alone, prairie dogs can become depressed leading to behavioral problems. When prairie dogs are handled properly when young, they can socialize and become unique pets. However, many of these animals have been taken from their wild habitat and do not adjust to captivity. This causes many behavior issues such as depression and biting. Because prairie dogs chew, they can escape many types of cages and when loose in the house, they can cause quite a bit of damage. Prairie dogs can also carry diseases. An outbreak of monkeypox was noted in pet prairie dogs in 2003. Plague can also be transmitted to humans through prairie dogs. The chance of this occurring is low however; cases of human plague have been reported to the CDC as a result of contact with prairie dogs. Finding a veterinarian that is knowledgeable with these animals can be difficult. If an owner is faced with a sick prairie dog, they may not have anyone who can diagnose the problem until it is too late. One of the biggest disadvantages of owning prairie dogs is the legality issue. Following the reported cases of monkeypox in 2003, laws were specifically made to ban the capture of wild prairie dogs and restrict the travel of existing captive prairie dogs. The new laws have made it illegal to move prairie dogs from one state to another or even within a state. Some states have made it illegal to own these animals. If you are planning on relocating, you have to receive special permission to do so. The law does allow owners to transport prairie dogs only in the case of seeking veterinary care or movement to a shelter to be euthanized. Overall, prairie dogs are not the best choices for pets. They should not be owned by someone who does not have the time to devote to their care and more importantly, they should not be purchased for children. The numbers of prairie dogs in the wild have steadily been declining in recent years. Many believe that should the promotion of prairie dogs as pets continue, their future could end up like the black-footed ferret – an animal which has reached near extinction in the wild. How to cite Keeping Pets, Essay examples

Strategies for Production and Operations Management

Question: Discuss about the Strategies for Production and Operations Management. Answer: The minimum transfer price of the division has been computed by adding the variable cost of production and the lost contribution. The variable cost, for this particular case, involves the direct materials and direct labour. With the help of transfer pricing rule, an organisation is able to make suitable decisions to transfer goods internally or purchase from outside suppliers (Sahay 2013). Hence, the minimum transfer price, which would be acceptable to the cl4eaning and scrapping division of the organisation, is $65. From the perspective of the divisional manager, the minimum transfer price is the most suitable one to transfer to the processing division of the organisation. This is because the maximum transfer price from the cleaning and processing division has been given as $77. In the words of Shunko, Debo and Gavirneni (2014), if the maximum transfer price is greater compared to the minimum transfer price of a product, it is better to transfer the same within the internal process. The provided case also resembles the same scenario, which necessitates the internal transfer of Cruden to the processing division. Hence, minimum transfer price needs to be highly preferred, as it would help in boosting the revenue and overall financial performance of the organisation, through which the efficacy of the manager would be judged. References: Sahay, S.A., 2013. Financial control and transfer pricing. InEncyclopedia of Finance(pp. 783-794). Springer US. Shunko, M., Debo, L. and Gavirneni, S., 2014. Transfer pricing and sourcing strategies for multinational firms.Production and Operations Management, 23(12), pp.2043-2057.

Service Corporation International

History, Development and Growth of the company Service Corporation International began its operations in 1962. Robert L. Waltrip formed the corporation. At first, it began its operation in Houston (USA). It was set up to offer funeral services, crematoria and cemetery facilities. Service Corporation International has expanded from Houston to North America. It offers funeral services and cemetery facilities mainly in United States and Canada.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Service Corporation International specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Company has set up over three thousand funeral service locations, over five hundred cemeteries and around two hundred crematoria. In addition, it began to offer insurance services in five continents (SCI, 2011). To improve its operations, the company conducts multiple business activities. These activities include branding of services and acquisition of other similar com panies to gain competitive advantage. For instance, Service Corporation International has brought together all its products under one brand name ‘Dignity Memorial’. This was meant to increase service delivery to customers as well as boost its recognition. Service International Corporation has managed to expand steadily due to acquisition of additional funeral homes. The original names of the acquired firms as well as the existing management are retained after the acquisition. The company only ensures that their logo is used to identify all the property it owns. This has enabled it to expand secretly without the notice of its competitors. It has achieved reputation in the market since it is one of the most successful organizations. In this regard, it is rated to be one of the highly equipped providers of funeral and cemetery services. As a result, its market position in the minds of consumer has enabled it to conquer a large proportion of the market. In addition, the lev els of returns have made it diversify in the market. This process has yielded more loyalty from consumers and led it to be listed in the New York Security Exchange. Internal Strengths And Weaknesses Strengths Having examined the company’s development history, it is evident that it has survived all challenges to get to its present position. It is also clear that this company has a good profile that can be analyzed to foretell its future (Mooradian et. Al., 2012). Service Corporation International has numerous internal strengths that include:Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company has a good work force- The Company has a good management system. It has been able to sustain the company through difficult times. For instance in the year 2000, the economic conditions were not favorable, which affected all businesses across the globe. Therefore, the management had t o cut down costs by closing down some of its subsidiaries. During this period, they realized that more than seventy percent of the company profits were from United States and Canada. The company has invested in real and financial assets- Service Corporation International owns numerous assets, which are famous. For instance, it owns the largest cemetery in the world that measures 2500 acres. It also owns Joseph Gawler’s Sons Funeral home in Washington D.C. This funeral home is preferred by famous personalities. These facilities are renown to offer the best services that meets clients’ needs. The company has distinctive brands- The Corporation has good brands, which enable customers to identify its property, products and services. These brands are unique and attractive compared to those of its rivals. As a result, its products and services are popular worldwide. Some of the brands of Service Corporation International includes: Dignity Memorial-This brand was found in 19 99, and operates in 41 states in the United States and 7 provinces in Canada Dignity planning- This brand is utilized in North America Advantage-The brand was designed to provide basic funeral services. Weaknesses Even though this company has portrayed significant strengths, weaknesses can also be raised out of its analysis. This can be given with the help of the controversies and scandals that have been raised against the company. The following issues have challenged the competitiveness of the corporation. In the late 1990’s, it was accused of failing to observe the law. The case was ruled in their favor because its founder was a friend to George W. Bush, the governor of Texas at that moment. The state frustrated the investigations of the matter. The governor and other leaders instructed the investigation to be abandoned. However, some individuals resisted. Consequently, they lost their jobs and were not given benefits as stated in the law.Advertising We will write a c ustom case study sample on Service Corporation International specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Service Corporation International has been accused of inappropriately delivering its services. In 2010, it was accused of having failed to inform the family of a woman that they had buried their member in a wrong grave. In addition, they later exhumed and buried the body correctly without notifying the family. The company also worsened the issue by failing to obtain a legal permit from the state before performing the exercise. A fine accompanied this activity on the company as well as punishments of the staff who were involved in the process. To ensure that the public notice the action, it published the whole issue in the company’s website. This mistake could have terminated its business. As a result, it established means of adhering to the law, and being careful in discharging duties. External Environment Service Corporation Internati onal is in an environment exposed to stiff competition. In this case, multiple corporations offer similar products and services. Forces such as the number of competitors, operational size, market share, profitability, and pricing strategies influence the corporation’s competitiveness (Johri, 2010). Porter’s five forces model can be used to illustrate the external environment forces. The model addresses the forces by analyzing the influence of suppliers, negotiation power of consumers, chances of new competitors entering the industry, degree of rivalry and threats of substitutes. Risk of New Entrants in the Industry A potential entrant refers to a firm that is not currently competing in the funeral and cemetery industry, but poses a threat if given a chance. This is because the penetration of newcomers causes competition for customers in the industry. Service Corporation International has minimized the degree of new companies entering the company through its strong capi tal base. At the same time, operating on low costs restricts new entrants. The marketing team of the corporation has promoted consumers’ loyalty. This process has been achieved through effective modes of product promotion in the industry. As a result, Service Incorporation International is controlling a larger market share. Suppliers’ Bargaining Power This relates to business entities that supply inputs to the corporation. Their negotiation power poses a threat to the corporation by interfering with prices of inputs such as raw materials and other input services. Consequently, suppliers may influence the operating costs. This threat caused by suppliers will lead to propagation of expenses costs to consumers.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The cost managers of Service Corporation International take care of the welfare of its suppliers. Some of the approaches adopted include lucrative prices for consistency, rewards and bonus for supplies. Such business entities are regarded as a threat, and the corporation handles their matters appropriately. Threat of Substitutes The presence of substitutes with the ability to satisfy customers’ needs other than Service Corporation International’s products creates a threat. The corporation has learnt that reasonable prices should be charged for their services. In addition, the prices should fluctuate depending on the market conditions. When the number of companies that offer substitute services is small, the corporation benefits by charging optimum prices for its services. Furthermore, Service Corporation International differentiates its services through a variety of factors. Some of the factors used include geographical locations, demographic factors and attitudinal pr eference. In such a way, the customers have developed a positive mentality towards the corporation as the best choice. Buyers’ Powers The negotiation power of buyers refers to potential effects that consumers have on the prices of a company’s products or services. In this regard, strong consumers can affect the profitability of a company. To survive in the industry, Service Corporation International ensures that its services are of high quality standards. Through provision of reasonable priced services, it attracts consumers. At the same time, market segmentation has reduced the severe influence of consumers in their profitability. Therefore, the corporation continues to expand steadily without any challenge from consumers. Degree of Rivalry Rivalry illustrates the nature of competition for customers and inputs by firms in the same industry. Intense rivalry among well-established companies influences the profitability standards. Some of the factors that cause such a ph enomenon include demand conditions, growth rates and presence of a large customer base. In this regard, Service Corporation International negotiates with other firms in the same industry to establish a market structure for funeral and cemetery services. This initiative has reduced the fluctuations of profits in the corporations. Similarly, other corporations influence on Service Corporations International has significantly declined. The Value Chain Service Corporation International has survived in the market full of competitors. This company has a good system of service delivery. It can be well-explained using Porter’s concept of value chain. Porter has categorized value chain components into two groups: primary activities and support activities. Primary activities are activities done during provision of services by a company. This ensures that consumers are offered with the services. The corporation has carefully developed a strong value chain to gain competitiveness. It is crucial for a company’s survival in a competitive market. In this regard, the corporation has acquired multiple funeral homes that offer varied funeral services for the consumers. This is based on the social, cultural, religious and geographical differences. Some of these activities include upstream logistics, operations, downstream logistics, marketing sales and services. The realignment of these processes ensures that the corporation achieves the targeted objective of competitiveness. This will lead to a greater market share in the industry (Hersey Blanchard, 2002). Similarly, the corporation has a good system of conducting its operations. The other type of porter’s chain of activities called support activities illustrates this approach. Some vital issues that are considered include firm infrastructure, human resource management, technological development and procurement. The firm has a good organization structure with distinct chain of command. The roles of every e mployee have been clearly stated in their corporate governance guidelines. A board of directors that meet the qualifications of the company manages the company. Human resource management has carefully planned the corporation to ensure that workforce attains its set targets. The guiding core values of the department include dedication, excellence, integrity, accountability, innovation and respect. Technological development is also a crucial element of the corporation. Since technology is dynamic, the corporation incorporates new changes to ensure survival in the industry. Lastly, Service Corporation International has a sound procurement department that plans for acquisition of facilities and inputs. All these plans and approaches have enabled the corporation to remain in the peak of the industry (Heizer Render, 2004). The corporation is at the maturity stage of the business life cycle. The progress from this stage will lead to the post-maturity stage. Under this stage, the corporati on can experience three likelihoods. These likelihoods include renewal, steady or decline states. The appropriate state for the company to be is the renewal state. Through adoption of appropriate strategies, the company can renew its services and products to enhance its profitability. As a result, its influence in the market will continue to be felt. SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis model describes strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and treats that a firm experience in the industry. Through the analysis of these factors, a company can be able to forecast future trends of the market. As a result, it can appropriately create strategies for dealing with any expected eventuality. Service Corporation International has the following strengths in marketing the funeral and cemetery industry: The services offered by the corporation are appealing and contending. These attributes have created preference and taste among consumers. Based on this fact, consumers have developed loyalty for the co rporation’s services in the industry. Since Service Corporation International has directed resources to provision of distinctive and innovative services, it has attracted a larger section of consumers. As a result, the volume of sales has steadily increased. Service Corporation International has been able to expand due to its flexibility in adopting new technology. The company has a good research and development team that handles financial and operational matters. The corporation has experience in the industry, which allows it adjust its services over other corporations in the industry. The company has seven brands that identify its services. This enhances marketing as customers easily recognize the services. Branding also differentiates the company’s products from those of other companies. Consequently, it assists in reduction of confusion among different companies’ services. Service Corporation International’s services are affordable to consumers as com pared to its rivals. Thus, the company can add any profit margin on the costs and still be a cost leader in the funeral and cemetery industry. Through this initiative, the expected profits are always high. As a result, the corporation can undertakes diversified investment projects in the same industry to attract more consumers.. Regardless of the above strengths, there are weaknesses within Service Corporation International. These weaknesses include: The previous records of the corporation affect its image among consumers. When the corporation messed up with the body of one of the families, fears began to develop. Furthermore, the favor given by the local government during the presentation of the verdict irritates most consumers. This occurs from the fear of such incidence reoccurring. Inappropriate advertising has affected the corporation market size. Based on its success history in the past, the corporation does not undertake rigorous promotions. The outcome of this incident has l ed to reduction in consumer base. Similarly, the marketing strategies do not cover substantially its various services. The management structure of the corporation does not cover effectively all the subsidiaries in the region. With the multiple subsidiaries, the corporation cannot effectively monitor their operations. In addition, the subsidiaries operate as different entities resulting in variation in service provision. Consequently, consumers are likely to go for those funeral and cemetery services from rivals with precise service specifications. The corporation’s human resource department is full of challenges. Since the department is located in each of the subsidiaries, they are operations are different. As a result, the large number of workforce cannot be easily monitored. This has led to inefficiencies in service delivery. To counter the above mention weaknesses Service Corporation International has viable opportunities in the funeral and cemetery industry. In addition, the opportunities boost the strengths of the corporation (Hamel, 2007). The following are the possible opportunities: The corporation has a substantial amount of base. In this case, it can invest in any type of investment with few limitations. In addition, their performance in the New York Security Exchange enables it to lure customers into their undertakings. This is because it is a sense of financial stability. The growing number of the population implies there is shortage of land to conduct funeral and cemetery services. In this regard, people will resort to commercial cemetery services and crematoria services. Such change of events would be in favor of Service Corporation International. If the company ventures into provision the services at affordable prices, it is likely to win over the market in the funeral and cemetery industry. Most of the services offered by the funeral and cemetery organizations are designed for the rich. If the corporation designs an initiative that favor s provision of services among the poor, the company would increase its customer base. This market would contribute small profits initially but will grow to offer the company substantial profits. In any business environment, all corporations are exposed to threats that may terminate their operations. Service Corporation International is likely to face the following threats in the funeral and cemetery industry: Provision of funeral and cemetery by giant manufacturers- Some providers of similar services as Service Corporation International may dictate the market directions through provision of products and services at relatively lower prices. Shortage of inputs and resources- During times of intense funeral and cemetery provision, Service Corporation International may not have adequate materials to inputs to provide the essential services. In addition, the corporation may experience a shortage of employees to provide similar. This will be caused by labor turnover, retirements or death in service. Consequently, it will expose the corporation to a risk of financial and customers’ loss. Low standards of services- Since Service Corporation International management are responsible for delegating their responsibilities to junior staff. The staff may not comply with the policies and procedures of the corporation. As a result, the company will taint its image in the eyes of the public. This will be a similar experience as it happened in the past. The above strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and treats reveal the nature of the corporation in the industry. Through integration of these elements, the organization will improve its competitiveness. If the corporation minimizes its weaknesses, it will play a great role in boosting its strengths. As a result, the profitability of the company would be high. This will go in line with maximization of stakeholder’s wealth (Graham Bennett, 1998). In a different dimension, the company has to exploit its opportunities at the current moment before they are obsolete. These opportunities are lucrative but seasonal. Based on these facts, the corporation can utilize its strengths to maximize on the available opportunities. The other aspects of threats should be dealt with appropriately. The corporation has to develop risk management strategies that will protect the company in case of any eventuality. Moreover, the corporation has to counter its competitors to survive in the industry. This could be through adjustment of business strategies or change of functional strategies. The Corporate Level Strategy Service Corporation International has a sound corporate management. It has developed its own corporate governance policy that governs its operations. Its corporate policy is as follows: ‘Service Corporation International (SCI) is committed to developing effective, transparent and accountable corporate governance practices’. The corporate governance philosophy adopts practices that are not o nly compliant with New York Stock Exchange (NYSC) and other legislative requirements. In addition, they have a board that constructively and actively engaged in corporate oversight. As a result, the corporation ensures that its services are genuine and effective amongst all its stakeholders. The company operates different lines of business, which includes provision of funeral services, cemetery facilities and crematoria services. The company offers these services in the name of the following brands. Dignity Memorial Brand It was the first national brand that was developed in 1999 to offer funeral, cemetery and crematoria services in North America. They assist in preparation of memorial services for consumers wishing to remember their loved ones. National Cremation Society It was formed in 1973 to offer cremation services. It is the oldest and the largest cremation service provider in North America. This facility provides the highest quality of service in the region. Advantage Servic e Corporation International aims at providing its services to all classes of people in the society. Advantage funeral homes were formed to gather for the needs of the poor. These consumers wish for simple forms of funeral services. Funeraria Del Angel Funeraria del angel is a brand that was formed to gather for the Hispanic group of people. This is because their death service requirement is different. As a result, their population is significant to demand an investment in providing such services to them. This service is also one of the projects initiated to cater for the cultural differences. Making Everlasting Memories Service Corporation International developed a brand that allows people to share memories of their loved ones. The company prepares biographies and other items that friends and relatives. These memories are shared amongst the families from one generation to the next. Memorial Plan In the process of providing services to all classes of people, the funeral services of h onorary people are addressed. A memorial plan has been formed to provide funeral services to those who wish to have prestigious funeral services. It is a new brand, which offers services in southern Florida. The Neptune Society The Neptune society is also called the ‘Trident society’ in some regions of California. It is known as the Neptune society in Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura. The Neptune society offers cremation services to its consumers. Consumers with such a wish are provided with the service. The above seven lines of business operate under Service Corporation International’s management. They are distinct from each other with unique brands having their own logo. However, all properties of the company are identified by the ‘dignity logo’. Even though these brands operate distinctly, they are under one corporate management of Service Corporation International. Thus, Service Corporation International has been able to ex pand and grow since it was founded. It has acquired and merged with other companies in the same industry. Company’s Business-level strategy Service Corporation International is a single-business company. The corporation engages in provisions of funeral services. In addition, it acquires businesses in the same industry to promote its profitability. Some of the competitive strategies adopted by the company include service differentiation, cost leadership, and strategic development. These factors are influenced by the competitive position and life-cycle stage of the corporation (Shim Siegel, 2000). Service differentiation involves the formulation of services, which are unique in the market. In this case, Service Corporation International has invested in varied types of funeral homes. These funeral services address the needs of consumers depending on their social status, cultural backgrounds, geographical locations and religious beliefs. As such, consumers can differentiate the services of the corporation from those of its rivals. This has facilitated growth in the reputation of the company. Similarly, the consumers ranked the corporation among the best in the industry. Cost leadership involves the provision of services at varied prices to consumers. Based on the social classes of consumers, the corporation offers services to meet their needs. The corporation developed different funeral facilities and programs that consumers can make their choices. In this case, the corporation taps any revenue from diverse consumers. In addition, the services of Service Corporation International are relatively cheap compared to its rivals. This has made it one of the most cost-considerate companies in the industry (Freedman, 2007). In addition, the corporation has established functional strategic development. This initiative is aimed at expanding the asset base of the company within the region. Some of the programs that have been incorporated include marketing and researc h development. Through this means, the company is able to acquire more funeral homes. Moreover, it has incorporated comprehensive services that meet the consumers’ needs. Another critical element of the business-level strategies is the customer responsive nature. The corporation has established a set of values that govern the behavior of its employees during service delivery. High level of hospitality and respect are used to attract consumers. Through this act, consumers are given the first priority concerning their demands. This trend has made the company retain and attract more consumers. As a result, the customer base of the corporation steadily grows (Terry, 1999). Structure and control systems The corporation has well-structured and controlled systems of implementing its strategies. In this case, the company utilizes a vertical differentiation. The corporation has its headquarters in Houston and other subsidiaries distributed across North America and Canada. Over time, the company continues to acquire additional funeral homes. The management of all these branches may be challenging, but the company’s vertical differentiation plays a critical role (Williamson, 2004). The top management operates from the headquarters. These individuals are involved in formulation of strategic plans of the organization. The basis of the strategies is obtained from the lower level management. Through consultation made by the middle level managers and the operations managers, the top management can reflect on the real situations at the ground (Dewhurst, 2002). In this case, strategies are formulated to enhance retention of its existing employees and consumers. The human resource management department has established a vertical control system. In this regard, issues are addressed in sequential manners from the top management to the operational management. The vice versa also is functional. This management system assists the corporation to detect strengths and wea knesses in every dimension of its investments. On the other hand, employees will be monitored efficiently to ensure satisfactory service delivery. The challenge of addressing employees’ issues is dealt within the subsidiary levels. The nature of remuneration offered to employees depends on their contributions and position in the corporation. Initially, the managers are rewarded since they are responsible for overseeing departmental activities. On the other hand, employees receive attractive remuneration based on their contribution. The remuneration system consists of monetary and non-monetary benefits. The monetary benefits include salaries, commission and bonuses on the activities done. Non-monetary benefits consist of insurance covers, training programs and other additional benefits. This system of remuneration is attractive among the employees (Wilson Gilligan, 2005). As a result, the employees have high morale for service delivery due to employment security. However, the delivery of services has weaknesses at the lower level of management. Since employees at this level are either on contractual or permanent basis, it is hard to establish their real contribution. In addition, it is difficult to design a system that measures their real efforts due to the overlapping demands of services. As a result, the company’s management delegates such responsibilities to the operational managers. This could lead to interference of the actual expectations of the employees. Another crucial component of the company is marketing. Through designing of an appropriate marketing mix, the corporation’s management is able to influence the market of funeral services. The main product strategy adopted is enhancement of standards and variety of the services. Place strategies aim at providing unique services based on the geographical locations of consumers. In this case, the proximity of consumers to funeral homes has a great impact on the demand for service. Pri cing strategies are another crucial element of marketing. In this regard, the corporation differentiates it products to meet a wide variety of consumers. In addition, the corporation has incorporated market segmentation base on the social statuses of the consumers. Lastly, the promotion strategies are essential for the organization. In this case, the corporation combines advertising and public relations to influence its consumers (Shim Siegel, 2000). Regardless of the above marketing strategies, there are challenges in sourcing finance to achieve the desired goals. At times, substantial amounts of finance are invested on the strategies, but yield no returns. The nature of competition also in the industry interferes with the performance of the corporation. Based on the weaknesses experienced by the company, it is essential to develop an action plan to counter them. The ideal action would involve reengineering of its business processes. This involves creation of diverse and unique se rvices. In addition, it involves improvement of common services offered by the company. As such, it should be distinctive and qualitative. As a result, the weakness would be addressed in a series of phases that may take a period of three years. This implies that the corporation would portray a new set of policies and services offered to consumers (Woodhall Stuttard, 2006).). Financial analysis The financial aspect of the corporation is very important in evaluating its performance and position in the market. Through ratio analysis, one can identify the corporation trend. The ratios at the end of 2011 financial year include: Gross profit margin= Sales Revenue-Cost of Goods Sold Sales Revenue = 2,316,040,000 – 1,837,504,000 2,316,040,000 = 20.66 % Net profit margin = Net income Sales Revenue =146,232 2316040 = 6.31 % Return on Total assets= Net income Available to Common stockholders Total Assets = 144,903 9,327,812 = 1.55 % Return on stockholders’ Equity= Net income ava ilable to common stockholders Stockholders’ equity =144,903 222,956 =65 % Current ratio= Current Assets Current liabilities = 328,093 385608 = 0.85 Quick Ratio= Current Assets- Inventory Current Liabilities =328,093-25,513 385608 = 0.785 Inventory Turnover= Cost of Goods Sold Inventory = 1,837,504 25,513 =72.02 DSO =Accounts Receivable Total Sales/360 = 103,892 2,316,040/360 = 16.15 Debt-to-Assets Ratio = Total Debt Total Assets = 103,892 9,327,812 =0.011 Debt-to-Equity Ratio = Total Debt Total Equity =103,892 222956 = 0.47 Times-Covered Ratio =Profit Before Interest and Tax Total Interest Charges =362,699 133,782 = 2.71 Total Shareholder Returns =Stock Price (t + 1) Stock Price (t) + Sum of Annual Dividends per Share Stock Price (t) = 1(1+1)-1(1) +1 1(1) =200% Price-Earnings Ratio =Market Price per Share Earnings per Share =9.76 0.61 = 16 Market to Book Value =Market Price per Share Dividends per Share = 9.76 0.20 =48.8 Dividend Yield = Dividend per Share Market Price per Sh are = 0.20 9.76 = 0.0205 The financial ratios above indicate the performance and position of the corporation in the market. This analysis indicates that the liquidity of the company is significantly low. On the other hand, the assets held by the company are many. For the stakeholders, they benefit from the reception of annual dividends, which are consistent (SCI, 2011). Market recommendations The challenges facing the company need to be addressed. This involves the development of strategies that counter the problems, and increase future profitability. At the current period, the corporation offers funereal services to its consumers. This involves provision of funeral services such as cemetery and crematoria. As such, the corporation has to diversify the nature of its services. The incorporation should add services such as memorial services, insurance and obituaries. Moreover, the corporation should diversify its investments in other related industries. In this case, it is appropriate for the company to venture into the real estate industry because it has a large capital base. This will improve its performance in the security exchange market (Cadle et al., 2010). The corporate strategy has to be revised to comply with the changes in the industry. In this regard, the corporation has to alter most of its policies and initiatives in the marketing department. Since dynamism in technology offers better means of accessing consumers at lower costs, it is essential for the company to invest in this form of marketing. This reduces the operation costs. Consequently, the level of sales would increase. This is because a large consumer base will be achieved. Another critical element that the organization should reevaluate is the financial management. A strategy should be incorporate to enhance efficient utilization of resources in the organization. Through improvement of accountability and transparency, most of the corporation finance will be utilized appropriately. Similarl y, the finance will be directed to viable investments that will improve its profitability. Research and development is also a vital component of the corporation. This department should be utilized to establish new ventures and investments that are feasible. Some of the areas that should be researched on include services and products. With the improvement of their services and products, the company will be able to make large volume of sales (Hersey Blanchard, 2002). In addition, the services offered within the different funeral homes will be integrated. As a result, all needs of consumers will be addressed at their closest facility. Action plan 1stPhase (Two years) 2nd Phase (Third year and onwards) Functional strategies Thorough implementation of strategies already formulated to offer the company with the desired results. In this case, all its services will appropriately be delivered to the market, while offering services at affordable costs. This involves a serious campaign to overhaul the services offered by the company. In this regard, the company will add other services such as memorial services and obituaries for the customers. In addition, the previous services will be reengineered in a qualitative and quantitative perspective. Marketing The company would organize to conduct marketing on the region through means such as media advertising and public relations Over time, marketing strategies will change. Therefore, the company has to adopt the latest technological facilities to conduct promotion of its services and products. These methods include internet marketing and mobile marketing. Human resource management The organization has to realign its human resource structure. In this case, the management should portray a three-level structure consisting of top, middle and operational management. This will ensure efficiency in services delivery The corporation has to realign its management based on its objectives. In this regard, the management shou ld be decentralized,. As such, each subsidiary will has its own departments. In addition, the financial issues will be the only subject to be consolidated. Research and development This department has a cardinal role of ensuring that the organization survives in the industry. As a result, the company should utilize it to improve the nature and manner of delivering services to the consumers. When the services and products are ideal for consumers’ taste, it is necessary to upgrade them. This involves reengineering of varied types of services that can be offered to consumers. References Cadle, J., Paul, D., Yeates, D. (2010). Business analysis. Swindon: British Informatics Society. Dewhurst, R. F. (2002). Business cost-benefit analysis. London: McGraw-Hill. Freedman, E. (2007). Financial management. Mechanicsburg, Pa.: Pennsylvania Bar Institute. Graham, H. T., Bennett, R. (1998). Human resources management (9th ed.). London: Pitman. Hamel, G. (2007). The future of manage ment. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press. Heizer, J. H., Render, B. (2004). Principles of operations management (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Hersey, P., Blanchard, K. H. (2002). Management of organizational behavior: utilizing human resources (6 th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. Johri, A. (2010). Business analysis. Mumbai [India: Himalaya Pub. House. Mooradian, T. A., Matzler, K., Ring, L. J. (2012). Strategic marketing. Boston, MA: Pearson Prentice Hall. SCI. (2011). Annual report pursuant to section 13 and 15(d). Service Corporation International, 1(1), 1-150. Web. Shim, J. K., Siegel, J. G. (2000). Financial management (2nd ed.). Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barron’s. Terry, G. R. (2009). Principles of management (10 th ed.). Homewood, Ill.: R.D. Irwin. Williamson, D. (2004). Strategic management and business analysis. Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heineman. Wilson, R. M., Gilligan, C. (2005). Strategic marketing management planning , implementation and control (3rd ed.). Amsterdam: Elsevier/Butterworth- Heinemann. Woodhall, G., Stuttard, A. (2006). Financial management. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Macmillan. This case study on Service Corporation International was written and submitted by user Tamia K. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Gay Marriage and Decision Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Gay Marriage and Decision Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Introduction In 2003, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in favour of gays and lesbians, a decision which has stirred mixed reactions from different people worldwide. The practice is spreading fast, and becoming accepted by different countries and states, among them New Hampshire, Columbia, Connecticut, Vermont, California, New York, and Oregon. Other countries though, have strongly opposed the practice, with others passing legislation against it.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Gay Marriage and Decision Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Among those who have written articles on this contentious topic are Poet Katha Pollitt, who supports it and lawyer Charles Colson who strongly opposes this kind of marriage, asserting that it does not only affect those who embrace it but all. The future though, is uncertain about the legality of this issue, which could change at any given t ime. Katha Pollitt Pollitt supports the institution of gay unions and does not think it threatens the marriage institutions in any way. She analyzes the various reasons why people get married which she lists as procreation, men domestication, and the historical justification. According to her, there are couples who only get married when pregnancy occurs, and this alone cannot pass as a justification to marriage. What of the infertile, the impotent, the elderly, or those who indulge in family planning? What of those who get married for purposes of intimacy? Are their marriages illegitimate? These scenarios negate David’s and Jean’s lines of reason, because these marriages are as well valid as are those who are in it principally for procreation (571). Pollitt argues that this is one of the dictatorial and insolent reasons of marriage the writers could give. Supported by statistical evidence, Gilder argues that women literally domesticate men, affirming that most married men exempt themselves from wrong doings such as drug abuse, crashing cars, and committing suicide (571). On the contrary, he still affirms that husbandly failures such as disloyalty, betrayal, domestic violence, and abandonment, still exist in marriages. Pollitt on the other hand views these marriages as a â€Å"barbarian adoption,† and doesn’t feel that women should undertake it, because they haven’t been thriving in it nevertheless. Either, from the same point of view, she doesn’t believe that marriage should be limited to heterosexuals; because same sex marriages do not impose on the male enhancement project in any way. From historical point of view, Pollitt points out that the institution of marriage has revolutionalized with adoption of love, legality, monogamous and voluntary based marriages, as opposed to the old times , where marriages constituted of polyandry, arranged marriages, forced marriages, and child marriages. Gay marriages stand out like a fairy tale in both scenarios.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Critics of gay marriage according to Pollitt, have little consideration for many other factors that have weakened the bond of heterosexual marriages including wobbliness, individualization, the easy of dissolution, and flexibility, among others. She argues that basically, people get married despite their difference in age, cultures, health status, and even against the doctrines of their religious beliefs; so why not give a chance to gay marriages, who accordingly can procreate- as in the case of lesbians or adopt children where gays are involved. She goes further to say that in today’s contemporary society, marriage is not based on some baseless beliefs in social and biological theories, nor is it a societal dispensation, it is, and should be based on love, commitment and stability. According to he r, for as long as marriage exists, it should not be restricted to anyone who wants it. In conclusion, the bottom line of opposition to gay marriages according to Pollitt, lies with religious chauvinism, which strongly opposes gay culture; in fact there exist a an arresting connection of religion with opposition to gay relations. This explains why so many people can put up with civil unions as opposed to religious unions. The religious faithfuls believe that gays and lesbians cannot serve God as diligently, as they have already gone against the doctrines that dictate marriage. But Pollitt argues that marriage doesn’t necessarily have to be blessed by God but rather, what a government permits; according to her, it is entirely owned by the state. Despite that people undertake big church weddings, they still have to seek marriage licences from the state. According to her, gays and lesbians should be allowed to get married despite religious opposition. She concludes by saying that â€Å"gay marriage-it’s not about sex, it’s about separation of church and state† (Pollitt 572). Charles Colson Charles Colson, in his book â€Å"gay marriage: societal suicide† counters Katha’s viewpoint to gay marriages. According to Colson â€Å"marriage is the traditional block of human society† (577). He states that one the main reasons for marriage is uniting couples and procreation, principles which gay marriage negates, the result; crime, births out of wedlock, increased family breakups, among others. To reinforce his argument, Colson says he has witnessed the shortcomings of family breakages during his thirty-year ministry in prisons. Supported by figures, Colson argues that children brought up in family knit relations, are much more likely to be involved in felonies and disastrous life, than those brought up in split families. Further, children brought up in broken homes undergo more behavioural and academic predicaments, a vice w hich Colson argues that it’s largely contributed to by consenting gay marriages. Contrary to critics who don’t believe that heterosexual marriage are weakened by gay marriages, Kurtz argues that they indeed change the culture of marriage and parenthood, a fact that Norwegians have been experienced , through shooting up out of wedlock births and increased cohabiting after their courts imposed gay marriage in 1993.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Gay Marriage and Decision Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Supported by tradition and history, Colson argues that the best environment to bring up children is within a family with both parents and that’s why according to him, same sex marriages should never be legalized. He finalizes by saying that â€Å"marriage is not a private institution designed solely for the individual gratification of its participants† ( 578). He is in full support of the â€Å"Federal Marriage Amendment,† which he says will help abate chaos and crimes (Colson 578). Conclusion Comparing the two writers Pollitt and Colson, their arguments stand valid to any reader of their work. Pollitt arguably supports same sex marriages, basing on state legislation, modernity, and freedom of humanity. Colson on the other hand, opposes the practice and devalues it in line of history, societal morals, and religion, which he is a strong believer. He insinuates that the acts of crime and chaotic life experienced in today’s world, are a result of broken homes which are largely contributed to by same sex marriages. Despite that both arguments pass, we have to agree that same sex marriage is rapidly gaining recognition in most parts of the world despite whether there is legislation in support or not. Its one of the things the world has to adapt to, because it will continue to exist. Some people even argue that, gay and lesb ians are not made, they are born. So what would legislation achieve in that case? Much as Colson asserts that most crimes result from broken homes, it’s not entirely true; there are other causes as well. In conclusion, same sex marriages will happen, either, its one of the disorders the world is experiencing, largely contributed to by individual beliefs and the modern lifestyle. Thus, the choice of what to believe in is a personal choice, which more often than not, is defined by religion and the rule of law. X. J. Kennedy, Dorothy M. Kennedy, and Jane E. Aaron. The bedford reader. 10 Edn. Thornwood: Bedford Books, 2008. Print.

Orientation day Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Orientation day - Essay Example Moreover, the background information established that even graduate students should contact their academic department regarding orientation. Only students enrolled in any online-only major or program did not have to attend orientation. We were aware that failure to attend the Undergraduate International student’s orientation would deny me the opportunity to register for classes and would force me to start classes the following semester. As such, I activated my MyISU Portal prior to registering for International Advising and Registration. The university required undergraduate international students to register for the Indiana State University orientation day before attending. The University of Indiana State University orientation day was on summer 2014. We therefore arrived on campus on Thursday, May 8, 2014 in preparation for the orientation that took place on Friday, May 9, 2014. The events of the University of Indiana State University orientation day started at 8:30 am EDT at the Hulman Memorial Student Union building where all new students gathered. After a brief introduction, one of the University administrators presented the rules and regulations that govern the code of conduct at the University. After the presentation, the University a guide who showed us important buildings of the Indiana State University that included lecture rooms, library, administration block, cafeteria, laboratories, hostels, and sporti ng facilities. We also did Student ID in police department of public safety and attended the immigration seminar that addressed immigration regulations, accommodation and dining services, medical aspects, banking, transportation, student employment, community service and student activities and organizations at the University. Through the program, the new undergraduate students had a chance to meet the

Classical Societies, 500 BCE to 500 CE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Classical Societies, 500 BCE to 500 CE - Essay Example Great, the decline of the Persian Empire, the Roman Republic and the fall of the Roman empire, the rise of Christianity, the Mauryan and Gupta empires in the sub-continent, and the Qin and Han dynasties of China. What made the societies classical are the golden ages that existed because of the times of peace, great strides in development and progress, and ideas that have endured beyond their time. The classical period saw both the clash of the rising Persian Empire with the Greeks and Romans, and its weakening. At the start of the classical period, the Persian Empire formed earlier under Cyrus the Great was already at its greatest extent now under Darius I who led his conquering armies eastwards to the Indus river, central Asia, Egypt, Libya and some parts of Europe. At this time in history, the huge Persian Empire formed an important bridge between Eastern Europe and the sub-continent uniting a diversity of peoples. Throughout the classical period Persia had to contend with continuous wars with other civilizations in close proximity beginning with the Greeks in the Greco-Persian wars. In the battle of Marathon (490 BCE) a huge Persian army had gathered against the smaller number of Athenian forces but failed because the Greeks had trapped them to attack from the mountainside. A later attempt under Xerxes gave the Persians another opportunity at the battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE). This time the Spartans aided the Athenians, but the Persian army was overwhelming and they went on to capture Athens. In another battle of Salamis, a large Persian fleet was destroyed by the Greeks using similar trapping tactics as they had used at Marathon. This loss made Xerxes withdraw most of his forces from Greece, and the remaining Persian army was then defeated again at the battle of Plateau. This ended all Persian hopes of expansion into Europe. There were further wars with the Greeks when Alexander the Great became king. Alexander carried out his father’s plans of

Rise of the Merchant Class in the Middle Ages

Rise of the Merchant Class in the Middle Ages The Middle Ages, which is considered to be the time between 500 and 1500 AD gave rise to a new economic and cultural experience in Europe. The transition from the Classical Age to the Renaissance was a process of evolution. After the barbarian invasions of Europe during the fourth and fifth centuries by the Anglos, Saxons, Goths, and Huns, the great Roman Empire declined. It was only starting in the eighth century that Europe slowly began its cultural, as well as economic, recovery. Politically, several new states emerged starting in the year 900, including the consolidated Scandinavian states under King Sweyn of Denmark; the creation of a Hungarian state; and the states of Bohemia and Poland. These states were very stable monarchies, which helped widen commercial exchange between one another. The Scandinavians traded extensively with the east, the Mediterranean countries, and with Russia. The end of various civil wars in Europe helped countries like Italy make a name for themselves in trade with the Mediterranean. Pisa, Genoa, and Amalfi, were all major commercial hubs. Germany and northern Europe were also able to make use of trade routes to the Mediterranean through Italy and France. Another result of the more settled Europe was the revival of agriculture, which was further stimulated by commercial expansion due to the growing exchange economy. Many cities began expanding, creating the demand for larger amounts of agricultural produce. As a result, previously unproductive lands in countries such as France and Germany were converted to fertile farms, rich with grazing herds. Nobleman with large pieces of uncultivated land offered these lands to peasants for cultivation in return for which they collected payment or rent. This was the beginning of the feudal system in Europe. Under the feudal system, kings gave nobleman large grants of land in exchange for soldiers. In exchange for fighting, the soldiers were given gifts of jewels, horses, and sometimes land, in territories that had been newly conquered, called fiefs. These vassals, or servants to the king had authority over the peasants, called the serfs, who worked on their land. The vassals became powerful local rulers who made their own laws, which the workers on their land were required to obey. Economic progress stimulated by this system gave rise to new towns and a rise in population in areas that were previously unsettled. The rapid increase in population due to the economic revolution resulted in a shortage of land. However, instead of causing a problem, farming and land cultivation techniques improved so that land could be used more efficiently. This also shifted quite an amount of the population away from farming jobs, and into jobs in towns and cities. By the 1100s, these hard working urban citizens formed the middle class and were enterprising, ambitious, and contributed to the success of an early form of capitalism. This medieval capitalism is often referred to as the birth of capitalism. Contributing to the development of the European intellectual, religious, and moral recovery was the setting up of new monasteries, since the church had also suffered due to the numerous invasions in the past. The more settled political climate helped bring back the influence of the church. A few of the great noblemen founded new reformed monastic houses that were more inclusive including the famous abbey of Einsiedeln, the monastic school of St. Emmereram, and the Episcopal school of Bamberg. This reformation of the monasteries broke down regional differences and revived discipline as well as literary and artistic life. The feudal ideas of lordship extended even to the monasteries, as in the case of the abbot of Cluny who was the head of all monasteries founded or reformed by his order. Even though there was much political, economic, and religious progress, new problems were created by all this development. Consolidation of kingdoms created complications for German, Italian, Hungarian, and Polish rulers. In Germany, the economic recovery caused tension between the aristocracy, which was only interested in profiting as much as possible from the revived economy, and the government. In Italy, it led to antagonism between the knights, and their feudal lords, or bishops. However, the social revolution between the knights and the bishops gave rise to powerful new classes that strived to better their positions, leading to nobles and non-nobles. In spite of all of these tensions, people still had jobs to support the growing population in cities and towns. Any commodity that was unavailable in individual fiefdoms, was obtained by barter. Artisans made farm implements, dishes, and clothing, which they exchanged for the grain, wine, and meat produced on the farms. Beginning in the tenth century, a new class of trading people emerged, referred to as peddlers. Peddlers traveled from town to town, supplying the nobility and the peasants with the products they needed. The areas frequently visited by them quickly developed into towns, which emerged as major centers of trade and attracted many merchants who supplied the prospering nobility. As the nobility got wealthier, they were able to afford gems, silks, exotic spices, and other symbols of wealth. The merchants who previously went from town to town, were now traveling to foreign locations such as Egypt, Morrocco, and Turkey. The activities of the traders permanently altered the f ace of European society, leading to a commercial revolution, which was essentially the shift of power from the landlords and nobility to the merchants. Concentration of wealth in emerging cities such as Florence, Venice, London, and Paris attracted merchants worldwide. By the tenth century, extensive trade routes had been established connecting Britain, the European continent, the Middle East, and North Africa, by river and by sea. Asia and the Middle East had several excellent overland trade routes. For instance, the four thousand mile long Silk Road led out of China all the way to the Black Sea in Eastern Europe, through Persia, Afghanistan, and India. Germanys Hanseatic League saved traders time with their larger ships that carried wine and salt to the East in exchange for the grain and timber they bought back. Some traders and merchants began plying the sea routes in search of more goods and profits. Due to its location between the East and Europe, Italy was a vital trading country. Merchants from Venice traded with those from the Byzantine Empire through Turkey, and merchants from Pisa and Genoa traded with cities in North Africa. They brought back African gold and ivory, precious stones, silks, perfumes, and spices from Persia and India, Turkish carpets, Persian ceramics, and Syrian glass and metalwork, all of which commanded high prices in Europe. In the eleventh century, local merchants primarily sold their goods in weekly markets. A network of weekly markets was one of the main components of the booming economic progress that swept across Europe in the Middle Ages. These markets spurred the creation of money, and harbored huge amounts of wealth to the merchants. Fairs, which lasted for weeks and were held at crossroads of important trade routes, were another means by which well-established merchants bought and sold goods. Some of the most important trading fairs included the 12-day cloth fair and the 8-day leather fair, both held in Champagne, France. Since fairs and markets could easily be ruined by undesirable weather conditions, some traders eventually came up with ways to make profits without ever leaving their homes. Using credit, they bought and sold goods through agents at various fairs, giving rise to a form of banking. This contributed to a free flow of money, which enriched the lives of people in all classes of society. This increase in wealth helped patronize artisans, goldsmiths, and retailers. The towns that expanded around the fair sites attracted business and brought about the standardization of currency, weights and measures. The merchant class largely populated the new towns that sprang up, and influenced the economy and social life of their societies. The towns attracted specialists such as grocers, spice merchants, cobblers, apothecaries, and goldsmiths who formed unions called guilds. These guilds set the prices for the goods they produced, as they were the only ones in the area creating this product in the area. Therefore the citizens in this area were willing to pay whatever price they charged. Their control over these prices led to much of their control over the economy. Additionally, they effected and influenced social life with the elaborate feasts and celebrations they held for religious services, holidays, and similar events. With the increase of merchant activities and the rise of the merchant class, it became necessary for them to learn to read, write, do arithmetic, and have a general knowledge of foreign affairs. Local governments and scholars, both of which profited from teaching the children of these merchants, set up schools to take care of the demand for education. The success of the schools in turn, led to the establishment of universities, so that people were able to continue their education if they desired. Some of these universities include Oxford, Cambridge, Chartres, Reims, and the University of Paris. The rising importance of schools broke the monopoly that the church previously had in the area of education. Since merchants made great profits from buying and selling goods, they were considered sinners by the church, because they enriched themselves rather than working for common good. The fear of hell was very real and the church often confiscated merchant estates. To avoid this, merchants began contributing some of the wealth they made to monasteries and churches, and providing funds to charitable causes including hospitals and homes for those without shelter. The rise of the merchant class gained them access to high society and some became famous patrons of the arts, constructing concert halls, churches, and other cultural centers. These merchants spread wealth and culture to the masses and assisted in dissolving the previously existing social structure by creating a society where even a peasant was able to rise in wealth and status. Merchants that joined the ranks of nobility further strengthened their position in society by patronizing the arts even more. They hired artists, musicians, and writers to produce works that still live on today, including works of art such as Madonna and Child, Nativity, and the Wise Man, by renowned artists such as Michaelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo Da Vinci. Some of the extremely successful merchants, known as the merchant princes, sometimes became so powerful they controlled their countries wealth. The Medicis, a family of bankers that lived Italy, are an example of such powerful and successful merchants. As a result of this patronage of the arts, many architectural and artistic gems were produced during this time. Some of the buildings built during the Middle Ages using the Gothic or Romanesque styles used such advanced techniques that these buildings are still existent today. The Chartres cathedral, the Laon Cathedral, and St. Denis, all in France for instance, represent the quality of the churches, houses, and castles built during that time. Also produced during the Middle Ages was some beautiful art work that is often overlooked, including jewelry, pottery, metalwork, carved woodwork, sculptures, and illustrated manuscripts. Most of the art work was created in the setting of the church, such as murals of Biblical stories, chalices, shrines, reliquaries, and statues of angels and saints. The rise of the merchant class also made portraits very popular, along with intricate work for personal use such as woven tapestries, decorated manuscripts, tableware, jewelry, and carved furniture . Inventions and technology during the Middle Ages were in the form of a gradual improvement in the way things were done, rather than a series of dramatic discoveries. It took place in the form of a gradual shift away from mass slavery, the use of wind power, of open fields in agriculture, the use of the wheelbarrow, double entry book-keeping, and finally the use of firearms and printing. The windlass, a rope around a barrel which turned using a crank, was used to lift heavy loads. Water mills and windmills were used to power all kinds of machinery. For instance, a hammer driven by a mill was used in fulling cloth, which is a method of cleaning fabric used in textile production. A new kind of loom was introduced as well as the invention of the spinning wheel, which greatly reduced the time taken to weave cloth, and produce new fabrics. The secrets of producing silk were passed on from Greece to other parts of Europe. Papermaking was brought back from China, greatly reducing the cost an d time to write and produce books. The growth and progress of the European civilization in the middle ages was largely due to the rise of the merchant class. With their ambition and hard work, they paved the way for modern times. Under their leadership, Europe enjoyed a prosperity not known since the Roman Empire. When Europe emerged from the Middle Ages, it had attained a level of sophistication in its universities, literature, art, learning, science and technology, that were unmatched in the world. Significant advances were made in the areas of tenant farming, harnessing the horse to the plough, cloth making, iron working, ship building and navigation. This technical progress would not have amounted to much if it had not been coupled with the intellectual tools that the businessmen of that time used to manage his business and observe and measure fluctuations in the economy. The world of trade had to perfect various systems: from dealing with rates of exchange for goods and services outside their towns or even countr ies, establishing credit procedures, legal bases in keeping with the times, and methods for monitoring and balancing their accounts. All of these eventually became the foundation for our modern system of economic relations. Although it is often ignored in history, the Middle Ages saw the birth of a new cultural experience in Europe, which eventually led to the Renaissance. The cultural heritage of the Middle Ages is still apparent in architecture, art, education, science and technology, that have survived the test of time. Bibliography: Gold and Spices: The Rise of Commerce in the Middle Ages, Jean Favier The Medieval Merchant, Stuart A. Kallen The Middle Ages, Giovanni Caselli The Late Middle Ages, Raintree Steck-Vaughn Library The Medieval World, Mike Corbishley Life During the Middle Ages, Earle Rice, Jr.

Collective Strategy Development Essay

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John Wiley ; Sons is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Strategic Management Journal. http://www. jstor. org Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 9, 375-385 (1988) AND COMPETITIVE MATCHING COLLECTIVE RUDIK. F. BRESSER Baruch College, The City University of New York,New York,New York,U. S. A. This paper discusses possibilities for combining collective and competitive strategies. Combinations can be problematic if competitive intentions are disclosed through the information links resultingfrom collective strategies. After describing how different collective strategies may lead to an uncontrolled disclosure of strategic information, a typology evaluating the feasibility of strategy combinations is developed. The typology’s implications for research and managerial practice are discussed. A recent development in the business policy literature is a concern with strategic planning at a collective level. Collective strategies are attempts by sets of organizations to manage their mutural interdependence and the system dynamics of their interorganizational environments (Astley and Fombrun, 1983a; Bresser and Harl, 1986; Thorelli, 1986). In managing interdependent and dynamic environments, collective strategies can be reactive by absorbing movement within an environment, or they can be proactive by forestalling the unpredictable behavior of other organizations. Firms can use collective strategies in combination with competitive strategies. This paper discusses the extent to which such combinations are feasible. MANAGING INTERDEPENDENCE Organizational interdependence exists whenever one organization does not entirely control all the conditions necessary for achieving a desired action or outcome (Pfeffer and Salancik, 1978). In addition to environmental movement, interdependence can cause problems of decision-making uncertainty for focal organizations. This occurs because the success of activities chosen by any interdependent organization depends on the activities selected by other organizations. Consequently, an interdependent organization may need to consider other organizations’ actions, and it faces decision-making uncertainty if it is aware of its interdependence and has difficulties in controlling the activities of other organizations. Decision-making uncertainty is most likely to be perceived among horizontally interdependent organizations operating in oligopolistic markets. Under these conditions all organizations are aware of their mutual interdependence and have considerable difficulties in controlling each other’s behaviors as they compete with one another for market share (Fombrun and Astley, 1982; Pennings, 1981). Business firms can use both competitive and collective strategies to manage their interdependencies. The literature distinguishes three major dimensions of competitive strategies: price, promotional, and product competition strategies (Khandwalla, 1981). Competitive strategies manage interdependence successfully if they result in advantageous competitive positions, thus forestalling interdependence and reducing decisionmaking uncertainty (Pennings, 1981). For Received 20 October 1986 Revised 21 July 1987 ? 0143-2095/88/040375-11$05. 50 1988 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 376 R. K. F. Bresser Table 1. Coordination mechanisms for collective strategies Coordination mechanism Regulative legislation Contracting Mergers Joint ventures Interlocking directorates Trade associations Collusion and industry leadership Degree of formalization High High High High Moderate Moderate Low instance, product differentiation can create a protected domain for a focal organization with boundaries hard to penetrate by other competitors. However, in complex business environments interdependencies often are obscured from focal organizations so that individually coping with the dynamics of these environments becomes problematic (Emery and Trist, 1965). In these situations, collective strategies can supplement competitive strategies as a means of coping with the variation of interdependent environments (Astley and Fombrun, 1983a). CONCEPTIONS STRATEGY OF COLLECTIVE CONFLICTS BETWEEN COMPETITIVE AND COLLECTIVE STRATEGIES Bresser and Harl (1986) described the dynamic relationship between competitive and collective strategies as being composed of two strategic perspectives that are dialectically related to one another. For instance, when competitive strategies prevail within a market the resulting turbulence and decision-making uncertainty eventually will encourage organizations to use more collective forms of strategizing. However, when collective strategies prevail and create dysfunctions (such as reductions in strategic flexibility, amplified impacts of external disturbances, and attraction of innovative outsiders) which also cause environmental movement and decision-making uncertainty, competitive strategies may again be considered the more attractive methods for coping with interdependence. The dialectical relationship between competitive and collective strategies implies that organizations should remain alert to potential dysfunctions developing from their operating strategies, and that they should maintain a capacity to alternate between more collective and more competitive forms of strategizing (Bresser and Harl, 1986). However, some conflicts between competitive and collective strategies can be anticipated and should be considered before a particular strategy mix is adopted. This paper evaluates combinations between competitive and collective strategies in light of a potential conflict arising from the need to both share and conceal strategic information. Whenever organizations attempt to use both types of strategies simultaneously, i. e. competitive The term ‘collective strategy’ has been defined in two different ways (Astley and Fombrun, 1983a; Bresser and Harl, 1986). On the one hand a collective strategy is defined as a larger interorganizational network which emerges unintendedly. As individual organizational actions aggregate into interorganizational networks an unintended collective strategy emerges that none of the participating organizations could have foreseen. Developments in the telecommunications industry exemplify the emergence of an unintended collective strategy (Astley and Fombrun, 1983b). On the other hand a collective strategy can also be voluntary and intended. Such a collective strategy results from the purposive collaboration of organizations attempting to manage their mutual interdependence. This paper focuses on voluntary collective strategies, developed by oligopolists to manage their horizontal interdependence. Voluntary collective strategies can be based on different coordination mechanisms. Table 1 presents these mechanisms using degree of formalization as the distinguishing criterion (Bresser and Harl, 1986; Fombrun and Astley, 1983). Regulative legislation (resulting from collective lobbying) and contracting represent coordination forms with high levels of formality. Collective strategies based on interlocking directorates or trade associations are characterized by moderate levels of formality, and collusion as well as industry leadership can be classified as informal coordination mechanisms. Matching Collective and Competitive Strategies strategies in one business area and collective strategies in others, a potential for contradictory activities or conflicts arises, because the major advantage of a collective strategy is a major disadvantage from a competitive point of view. With regard to managing interdependence the major advantage of a collective strategy is that it establishes linkages and communication channels through which information about other interdependent organizations can be obtained. Through this information the behavior of other organizations becomes predictable. This makes an environment more stable and less threatening for a focal organization, and thus reduces decision-making uncertainty (Fombrun and Astley, 1983; Pennings, 1981). Precisely this advantage of a collective strategy (stability through predictability) is a disadvantage if organizations wish to use competitive strategies to further their growth goals. Successful competitive strategies require that organizations maintain the secrecy of their strategic plans to forestall imitation (Starbuck and Nystrom, 1981). However, this need for secrecy is jeopardized if interorganizational linkages and communication channels resulting from a collective strategy allow organizations to predict and anticipate one another’s moves in areas where they wish to compete. Thus, organizations face a risk of uncontrolled information disclosure when using collective and competitive strategies side by side. Risk of uncontrolled information disclosure is defined as the likelihood that a disclosure of strategically sensitive information will occur, where the process of disclosue is uncontrolled from a focal organization’s point of view and damaging to its competitive plans. The potential damage resulting from an uncontrolled disclosure of information is particularly salient in oligopolies (the dominant US market structure) because in such markets ompetitors typically are in a position to use sensitive information to exert control over each other’s fates (Pennings, 1981; Scherer, 1980). Evaluating the risk of uncontrolled information disclosure emanating from collective strategies is important for two reasons. On the one hand, such information disclosure tends to render competitive strategic intentions ineffective. On the other hand uncontrolle d information disclosure tends to aggravate problems of strategic inflexibility. Bresser (1984) and Bresser and 377 Harl (1986) argued that organizations adopting collective strategies limit their strategic flexibility because, by agreeing to abstain from certain types of competitive behaviors such as price competition, they curtail their repertoire of available strategic tools. When considering the problem of uncontrolled information disclosure, losses in strategic flexibility resulting from a collective strategy may be even more encompassing. If the managements of organizations realize that the communication links provided by a collective strategy allow for an uncontrolled disclosure of strategic plans, they may be reluctant to pursue competitive strategies even in those business areas that are not subject to a collective agreement. PROCESSES IMPAIRING SECRECY Since potential combinations between competitive and collective strategies face the risk of uncontrolled information disclosure resulting from collective strategy links, they raise the issue of strategic fit (Venkatraman and Camillus, 1984). In order to minimize problems of uncontrolled information disclosure it is necessary to obtain some degree of compatability among possible strategy combinations. Attaining a fit between competitive and collective strategies requires first of all an appreciation of the processes that may impair an organization’s desire to maintain the secrecy of its strategic plans. Table 2 summarizes for each type of collective strategy the particular processes that may lead to an impairment of secrecy, and it assesses the risk of uncontrolled disclosure of information. If collective lobbying leads to protective regulation the activities of regulators may impede competition (Pennings, 1981). Regulators often collect and disseminate a wealth of information about regulated industries. Through these information flows, regulators can allow competitors to forecast each other’s moves even in areas that are not subject to regulatory control. For example, Litwak and Rothman (1970) suggested that the Federal Communications Commission had provided the broadcasting networks with so much information about the broadcasting industry that the networks were able to anticipate their competitors’ behavior and, as a result, effective competition was not possible. The autonomy of 378 R. K. F. Bresser Table 2. Processes impairing secrecy and risk of uncontrolled disclosure by type of collective strategy Type of collective strategy Impairment of secrecy Risk of uncontrolled information disclosure Regulative legislation Contracting Mergers Joint ventures Interlocking directorates Trade associations Collusion and industry leadership Regulators collecting and disseminating information Contracts contingent on information Dissatisfied employees (defectors) Mediation of information Passing on of information due to multiple and indirect communication links Distribution of trade statistics Informal communication High Low Low Intermediate High Intermediate Low regulatory agencies in their information-gathering activities results in high risk of uncontrolled disclosure. Contracting refers to the negotiation of formal agreements among organizations (Thompson, 1967). In general, the information exchanged as a result of contractual negotiations will be focused, avoiding the disclosure of sensitive competitive aspects. However, some contracts such as bank loans may require that focal organizations provide extensive information about their competitive plans. This raises the possibility that information leaks within the information-seeking institution will be exploited by a focal organization’s competitors. Since he disclosure of sensitive information in the context of contractual negotiations is not very common, the risk of uncontrolled disclosure can be considered low. Mergers and joint ventures are two special forms of contracting. Mergers, with the exception of hostile takeovers, are contracts through which two or more organizations comneunder common control. Joint ventures can be viewed as partial mergers which preserve the autonomy of the org anizations involved. Often mergers are accompanied by a host of administrative problems (Lubatkin, 1983). For example, departments and operations must be consolidated and initial inequities in compensation have to be resolved. If such administrative problems remain unresolved, inefficiencies will result, as well as employee dissatisfaction and turnover. The merger between Kennecott Corp. and Carborundum Co. is a case in point (Business Week, 1983). The two companies’ managements quarreled over administrative problems and, after a short period of infighting, most Carborundum executives jumped ship. There is danger that defecting executives may disclose strategically sensitive information concerning the merging firms when they join other organizations within the same industry. However, the risk of uncontrolled disclosure resulting from a merger is considered low. This is because senior executives leaving merging firms often receive generous severance compensation for which they promise continued confidentiality. Additionally, since merging firms often develop new strategic concepts, the information available to departing executives is likely to be quickly obsolete. If a collective strategy is based on a joint venture the risk of uncontrolled disclosure is considered to be at intermediate levels. Although the cooperation provided by a joint venture is restricted to specific, mutual business problems, the regularity and longevity of interactions typical of a joint venture may allow participating firms to improve their intelligence about each other’s competitive strategies. For example, firm representatives engaged in joint ventures can develop friendship ties where they feel free to discuss more general strategic issues. During such discussions sensitive information may be disclosed inadvertently. Interlocking directorates result from organizational co-optation activities whereby organizations appoint external representatives to their Matching Collective and Comnpetitive Strategies boards of directors. Since many directors sit on the boards of two or more companies (Bunting and Barbour, 1971), interlocking directorates emerge which can be used as instruments for managing interdependence and uncertainty by encouiraging cooperation and the formation of collective strategies (Aldrich, 1979; Pennings, 1980, 1981). However, the risk of uncontrolled disclosure is high because the scope and the intensity of intra-industry communication facilitated by direct and indirect interlocks is beyond the control of individual organizations. Therefore, it is very difficult for individual organizations to conceal their competitive strategies when their directors have membership in a network of interlocking directorates. Trade associations provide member organizations with special services at low costs. For instance, they may distribute trade statistics, provide credit references on customers, offer legal and technical advice, or help collect bills (Olson, 1965). In addition, associations can aid in removing decision-making uncertainty resulting from interdependence. Since trade statistics generally include prices quoted in recent sales transactions as well as cost developments, member organizations have the opportunity to coordinate their market behavior and thus implement a collective strategy (Scherer, 1980). The dissemination of statistical information provided by trade associations may impair the desire of focal organizations to maintain secrecy their competitive strategies. While firms regiarding are often in favor of price and cost reporting activities, they run the risk that other sensitive information concerning their competitive strategies may also be disclosed. Trade associations sometimes analyze industry trends regarding product development or marketing strategies, and thus allow competitors to anticipate each others’ moves. A focal organization may have little control over the kind of information being disseminated because trade associations are often dominated by a few powerful organizations. Olson (1965) described the National Association of Manufacturers as largely financed and controlled by a few big corporations, although the association had several thousand members. There is the possibility that such domination leads to activities favoring a handful of member organizations rather than the majority. In addition, the selective services provided by 379 ssociations function as subtle forms of coercion restricting a firm’s flexibility. The exclusivity and low costs of legal, financial or other services operate as strong incentives for joining or remaining within an association even if a focal organization disagrees with some association activities. Thus, when using trade association activities to enforce a collective strategy, a moderate risk of uncontrolled information disclosure is likely. The term collusion denotes express agreements, open or secret, that have the purpose of restricting competition. Most collusive agreements are outlawed in the United States because they encourage monopolistic pricing behavior. Nevertheless, collusive practices are widespread and often effective means of managing interdependence. Their attraction is associated with their high degree of informality which makes it difficult for outsiders to detect conspiratorial agreements (Khandwalla, 1981). Industry leadership is a tacit version of collusion based on imitation. It describes a situation where a specific firm is the acknowledged leader in setting prices, and other firms follow. As opposed to collusive agreements, industry leadership has the advantage of not being contrary to the antitrust laws. It is considered legal as long as it is grounded on voluntary imitation rather than explicit communication (White, 1981). Since collective strategies mediated by collusive agreements are based on informal communication and, in the case of industry leadership, on imitation, the risk of uncontrolled disclosure is low. Colluding firms will share information only in areas where they wish to cooperate while maintaining the secrecy of their competitive plans. The above risk assessments imply that uncontrolled information disclosure is always damaging for the success of a focal organization’s competitive plans. While the dynamics of oligopolistic markets would tend to support this assumption (Scherer, 1980), the degree of damage resulting from uncontrolled disclosure can be viewed as contingent upon several situational variables. Specifically, four situational variables appear important: breadth of information disclosure, quality of information disclosure, asymmetry in interdependence, and event control. These situational variables can facilitate the combination of a ‘high-risk’ collective strategy with competitive strategies, and they can make the adoption of a 380 Matching Collective and Competitive Strategies dimensions. This is relevant for evaluating strategy combinations because an uncontrolled disclosure of information is less troublesome if competitors are unable to capitalize on the information due to their inability to respond rapidly to a focal organization’s competitive moves. Table 3 presents a typology of possible combinations between competitive and collective strategies, and evaluates their feasibility from the perspective of individual firms. Generally, a strategy combination is considered feasible if (1) the risk of uncontrolled information disclosure is low. Feasibility evaluations also take into account (2) the degree of competitor responsiveness typical for a competitive dimension, and (3) typical characteristics of specific collective strategies, namely the number of participants involved and the stability of an agreement. Considering typical characteristics of collective strategies is important because such characteristics can modify feasibility ratings that are based on assessments of the risk of uncontrolled information disclosure and the level of competitor responsiveness. Situational variables, described above, may mediate the damage resulting from uncontrolled information disclosure but do not lend themselves to generalizations and therefore are excluded from considerations leading to the typology shown in Table 3. However, in using the typology, situational variables will have to be taken into account, as is shown in the implications section. In Table 3 the competitive dimensions pricing, advertising and promotion, and product innovation are distinguished for each of the seven collective strategies summarized in Tables 1 and 2. Within each of these competitive dimensions, organizations can relate to each other by using either competitive or collective strategies. Thus, six strategy combinations are possible for each type of collective strategy,’ leading to a total of 42 combinations presented in Table 3. I Since only two values are possible within each competitive dimension, and since the extreme cases (competitive or collective strategies across all competitive dimensions) are irrelevant as they do not represent combinations of collective and competitive strategies, the total number of strategy combinations C for each type of collective strategy can be calculated by collective strategy with low or moderate risks of uncontrolled disclosure problematic. For example, the potential damage resulting from uncontrolled disclosure may be considered low, and thus can facilitate the adoption of a collective strategy where the risk of uncontrolled disclosure is high, when the competitive information that could be disclosed is not very encompassing (breadth of information disclosure), or of questionable quality regarding its reliability and/or timeliness (Adams, 1976; Smart and Vertinsky, 1977). Similarly, if interdependence is asymmetric, with some organizations being in a relatively powerful competitive position (e. . due to their size), uncontrolled information disclosure may not be very troublesome for these powerful organizations because they know that other competitors lack the resources to exploit the disclosed information (Pfeffer and Salancik, 1978). Likewise, damage may be low and containable, if organizations can rapidly and effectively counteract events leading to uncontrolled information disclosure, for example, by changing perso nnel or the content of a collective strategy (Pfeffer and Salancik, 1978). Implications for evaluating the feasibility of strategy combinations resulting from the role of situational variables are discussed below. COMBINATIONS OF COMPETITIVE AND COLLECTIVE STRATEGIES Apart from an understanding of how collective strategies can lead to uncontrolled information disclosure, an assessment of what types of combinations between competitive and collective strategies are feasible requires that different competitive strategies also be distinguished. Three distinguishing dimensions of competitive strategies are pricing, advertising and promotion, and product innovation (Khandwalla, 1981). These dimensions can be classified according to their degree of ‘competitor responsiveness’ (Ansoff, 1984). The term competitor responsiveness refers to the speed with which competitors can respond to variations in competitive conditions. While price cuts usually can be matched instantly, it takes much longer to organize retaliations to a heavy advertising campaign, and even longer to respond to product innovations (Khandwalla, 1981; Scherer, 1980). Thus competitor responsiveness decreases along these three competitive C = (2†³1- 2) where d is the number of competitive dimensions considered. For d=-3 dimensions the number of possible strategy combinations is C=6. R. K. F. Bresser Table 3. Combinations of competitive and collective strategies and their feasibility Dimensions of competition Types of strategy Pricing combinations 1. 1 1. 2 1. 3 1. 4 1. 5 1. 6 2. 1 2. 2 2. 3 2. 4 2. 5 2. 6 3. 1 3. 2 3. 3 3. 4 3. 5 3. 6 4. 1 4. 2 4. 3 4. 4 4. 5 4. 6 5. 1 5. 2 5. 3 5. 4 5. 5 5. 6 6. 1 6. 2 6. 3 6. 4 6. 5 6. 6 7. 1 7. 2 7. 3 7. 4 7. 5 7. IL Competition Regulation Regulation Competition Regulation Competition Competition Contracting Contracting Competition Contracting Competition Competition Merger Merger Competition Merger Competition Competition Joint Venture Joint Venture Competition Joint Venture Competition Competition Interlocks Interlocks Competition Interlocks Competition Competition Trade Association Trade Association Competition Trade Association Competition Competition Collusion/IL Collusio n/IL Competition Collusion/IL Competition Advertising and promotion Regulation Competition Regulation Competition Competition Regulation Contracting Competition Contracting Competition Competition Contracting Merger Competition Merger Competition Competition Merger Joint Venture Competition Joint Venture Competition Competition Joint Venture Interlocks Competition Interlocks Competition Competition Interlocks Trade Association Competition Trade Association Competition Competition Trade Association Collusion/IL Competition Collusion/IL Competition Competition Collusion/IL 381 Product innovation Regulation Regulation Competition Regulation Competition Competition Contracting Contracting Competition Contracting Competition Competition Merger Merger Competition Merger Competition Competition Joint Venture Joint Venture Competition Joint Venture Competition Competition Interlocks Interlocks Competition Interlocks Competition Competition Trade Association Trade Association Competition Trade Association Competition Competition Collusion/IL Collusion/IL Competition Collusion/IL Competition Competition Feasibility of strategy combination Low Low Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate High High High High High High High High High High High Intermediate Intermediate High High High High Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Industryleadership The first group of (six) strategy combinations uses competition in one or two competitive dimensions in conjunction with regulation as the basis for enforcing a collective strategy. The feasibility of all six combinations is rated either at low or intermediate levels. The first two combinations (1. 1 and 1. 2) have a low feasibility rating. If organizations use regulation to harmonize their promotional and product innovation activities, and have competitive flexibility in the area of pricing (combination 1. 1), their chances of competing successfully are slim. This is because 382 R. K. F. Bresser an industry may remain intense. In fact, often firms merge to obtain strategic advantages in the areas of price competition, promotion or product innovation wlhich may increase rather than decrease competitive interactions. When joint ventures serve as mechanisms to enforce collective strategies, feasibility ratings for strategy combinations are similarly favorable. This form of collective strategizing also tends to involve only a few organizations, allowing for competition within a particular area in spite of joint venture activity. fHowever, joint ventures carry a higher risk of uncontrolled information disclosure than contracting or mergers. Thus cautious feasibility evaluations seem appropriate when a focal organization engages in joint ventures in more than one comnpetitivearea, and when the only competitive dimension not subject to collective coordination is characterized by relatively high levels of competitor responsiveness (combinations 4. 1 and 4. 2). In these situations the relatively high number of information links among firms participating in several joint ventures multiplies the risk and potential damage of uncontrolled disclosure. If organizations choose interlocking directorates to coordinate intra-industry activity, they constantly run a high risk of uncontrolled information disclosure. Co-opted directors may intentionally or inadvertently, directly or indirectly, pass on sensitive information to a focal organization’s competitors. Thus, relying on interlocks to enforce collective strategies while simultaneously attempting to maintain some competitive flexibility does not appear feasible. The predominant feasibility rating assigned to the group of strategy combinations using trade associations as a means to develop collective strategies is ‘intermediate’. Although experience demonstrates that the coordination provided by trade associations mostly does not go beyond price and cost reporting (Scherer, 1980), the possibility of trade associations collecting and reporting other sensitive information is always acute. Often individual organizations cannot oppose such uncontrolled reporting of industry developments, especially if the association is dominated by a few powerful corporations. If trade associations do not engage in price reporting, but are used to develop collective strategies in the areas of advertising and promotion, and product innovation (combination 6. 1), a low uick competitor responsiveness can be expected with respect to the pricing dimension, and regulators are likely to disclose sensitive information concerning advertising and innovations. A similar argument applies to combination 1. 2, where competitive conditions exist only with regard to advertising and promotion, a dimension characterized by intermediate levels of competitor responsiveness. Since competitors usually need considerable time to respond to product innovations, combination 1. 3 (with regulation in the other two dimensions) is not quite as problematic as the first two combinations. However, the distinct possibility of uncontrolled information disclosure through regulator activities makes combination 1. 3 feasible only at an intermediate level. Combinations 1. 4 through 1. allow for competition in at least two dimensions. While these combinations provide organizations with a larger arsenal of competitive tools than the first three combinations, they also are considered feasible only at intermediate levels because of the risk of uncontrolled disclosure through regulators. The feasibility of strategy combinations involving contracting as a form of collect ive strategizing generally is considered high because the risk of uncontrolled information disclosure tends to be low. In addition, often (and in contrast to regulation) only few organizations participate in a particular contractual agreement, thus limiting the extent to which competition is constrained. If, within an industry of say eight oligopolists, three contract to standardize product designs, competition with the remaining five oligopolists in the area of product innovations is still possible and likely. The only strategy combination where a less favorable (intermediate) feasibility rating is assigned is combination 2. 1. If extensive contracting in the areas of advertising/promotion and product innovation has considerably lowered the participating firms’ strategic flexibility, relying on price competition as the sole competitive tool does not appear sensible. Price competition is likely to face a high degree of competitor responsiveness. The third group of strategy combinations, using merger activity to realize collective strategies, has high feasibility ratings throughout. The risk of uncontrolled information disclosure is low, and the number of firms involved in a merger is usually quite small, so that competition within Matching Collective and Competitive Strategies feasibility rating seems appropriate. Again, in this situation firms would maintain competition only in an area where high competitor responsiveness is likely. Combinations of competitive and collective strategies using the various forms of collusion and industry leadership are not as problem-free as the risk evaluation in Table 2 might suggest. Although collusive agreements are not burdened with the problem of uncontrolled information disclosure, their combination with competitive strategies appears feasible at an intermediate level at best. Since collusive agreements are informal and difficult to enforce, individual firmns have a strong incentive to chisel-that is to increase their profits by secretly deviating from the agreement (Stigler, 1964). Secret deviations cannot be concealed for long periods of time, and frequently result in collusive conspiracies breaking down and touching off bitter rivalries such as price wars (Scherer, 1980; Weiss, 1961). It is likely that the tendency of collusive agreements towards breakdown will be aggravated if colluding organizations decide to compete in some competitive areas rather than displaying ‘gentlemanly’, non-competitive behavior across all competitive dimensions. A firm’s successful competitive behavior in one area will encourage less successful firms to chisel in other areas that are subject to collusive coordination. Thus combinations of competitive and collective strategies can be expected to be volatile when collusion serves as a means for enforcing collective strategies. This volatility results from the particular characteristics of collusive agreements, and exists regardless of the risk for uncontrolled information disclosure or the level of competitor responsiveness. 383 SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS This paper extends the literature advocating the development of voluntary collective strategies as means to manage environmental turbulence and interdependence (Astley and Fombrun, 1983a; Bresser and Harl, 1986). It assesses the possibilities of combining competitive with collective strategies from the perspective of individual organizations. Such combinations may be problematic because an organization’s ability to maintain the secrecy of competitive strategic plans may be jeopardized by information links established through different forms of collective strategy (Fornbrun and Astley, 1983a; Starbuck and Nystrom, 1981). After discussing how collective strategies may lead to an uncontrolled disclosure of strategically sensitive information, combinations of competitive and collective strategies are classified according to their varying degrees of feasibility. A comparison of the ratings presented in Tables 2 and 3 makes apparent that the feasibility of strategy combination tends to be inversely related to the risk of uncontrolled information disclosure. If the risk and the feasibility ratings are expressed numerically with the values of ‘low’ equaling 1, ‘intermediate’ equaling 2, and ‘high’ equaling 3, a correlation coefficient can be calculated on the basis of all 42 strategy combinations. The resulting coefficient is r = -0. 70, indicating that within the present classification scheme about 50 percent of the variance in feasibility evaluations is accounted for by the risk of uncontrolled information disclosure. However, high risks of uncontrolled disclosure do not generally lead to low feasibility ratings, and low risks do not necessarily imply high feasibility scores , as is demonstrated by the combinations involving collective strategies based on regulation and collusion respectively. The unexplained variation in feasibility ratings suggests additional factors are important in assessing the feasibility of strategy combinations, notably the degree of competitor responsiveness and the particular characteristics of the type of collective strategy employed. Further variation in feasibility ratings can be expected when situational variables such as breadth and quality of information disclosure, asymmetry in interdependence, and event control are considered (Adams, 1976; Pfeffer and Salancik, 1978; Smart and Vertinsky, 1977). This is so because these situational variables can contain or amplify the potential damage resulting from uncontrolled infornmationdisclosure. While situational variables were not considered in the development of this paper’s typology of strategy combinations, they have implications both for research and managerial decision-making that can originate from the typological classification given in Table 3. The existence of situational variables highlights a feature common to all typologies or organi- 384 R. K. F. Bresser information disclosure is of little relevance? 7. How rapidly and effectively can events of uncontrolled information disclosure be counteracted? Answers to these and similar questions can help executives to apply the information provided by Table 3 situationally before adopting a specific combination of collective and competitive strategies. From this process the selection of compatible strategies should result. This paper’s discussion has concentrated on oligopolistic markets because, typically, in such markets competitors are aware of their mutual interdependence, have incomplete control of each other’s moves, and yet the success of each oligopolist’s strategic intentions depends considerably on the activities chosen by other competitors (Pennings, 1981). Obviously, within such a context, the damage resulting from an uncontrolled disclosure of sensitive information is potentially high. While the theory of oligopoly has been developed mainly for domestic, nondiversified enterprise (Stigler, 1964), the issues and ideas discussed in this paper can also be of relevance to multinational and diversified corporations. Due to the dominance of oligopolies, both multinational and diversified firms will often find themselves operating in different national or regional oligopolies. Additionally, managing a match between collective and competitive strategies may be more difficult in interindustry and international arenas than in intraindustry environments because the number of interdependent segments representing a particular coporation’s domain is larger and more complex (Bresser and Harl, 1986; Hawkins and Walter, 1981). Thus, anticipating factors such as the risk of uncontrolled information disclosure and the potential damage resulting from such disclosure may be even more important for multinational and diversified firms than for domestic oligopolists. zational phenomena. Classifications of the type developed in Table 3 are ideal types, based on generalizations derived from common knowledge and common sense (Blau and Scott, 1962; Pugh, Hickson and Hinings, 1969). However, the strategy combinations distinguished represent 42 separate hypotheses regarding the opportunities and risks organizations might encounter when utilizing competitive and collective strategies side by side. The accuracy of any particular feasibility evaluation is an empirical question open to resolution through historical research, where the mediating role of situational variables has to be included in the research design. From a managerial point of view a typology of strategy combinations with varying levels of feasibility can aid in strategic decision-making. The strategic options evaluated in Table 3 can serve as a guide to managers considering a particular strategy combination. In attempting to extrapolate easibility evaluations, decisionmakers would have to assess whether the variables leading to the feasibility ratings shown in Table 3 are of the assumed magnitude, and to what extent deviations would lead to different feasibility assessments. In addition, decision-mak ers would have to evaluate the extent to which situational variables require changes in feasibility ratings. For example, a firm intending to implement a strategy mix similar to combination 4. 3 would have to consider the following questions before deciding whether the feasibility of such a combination is high: 1. Is the risk of uncontrolled information disclosure resulting from the planned joint venture activity really at moderate levels, and how can it be contained? 2. Is there really a low degree of competitor responsiveness to product innovations within this industry? 3. Is competitive flexibility in pricing and promotional strategies maintained in spite of joint venture activity within these competitive dimensions? 4. How encompassing is the information that could get disclosed? 5. How reliable and timely is the information that competitors could obtain? 6. 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