Health Care Reform, Leadership, And Different Types Of...

The Institute of Medicine has stated the following in one of their reports, â€Å"The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, emphasizes that strong nursing leadership is necessary to improve patient safety outcomes and that the nursing profession must enhance its leadership role in health care redesign† (Fardellone, Musil, Smith, Click, 2014, p. 506). As described by the Institute of Medicine, leaders in nursing have a vital role throughout the health care system (Fardellone et al., 2014). Nursing is moving in a new direction with help from the health care reform provided by the healthcare system in the United States (Reinhard, 2016). In the paper the following will discussed, regarding the future of nursing: health care reform, leadership, and different types of followers. Health Care Reform Health care reform is referring to the changes in health care policies. This reform is driven by the high cost of health care and the right to health care. Health care is focused on exploring and applying the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act addresses delivery issues within the current health care system and is working to improve them. Research is important in the Affordable Care Act in order to help individuals make informed health care decisions. The health care reform will affect bedside nursing practices, influence advanced primary care nurses and their billing of service, and even move nursing towards a new direction with the new health care system in theShow MoreRelatedThe Relationship Between The Healthcare Leaders Style Of Leadership Behaviors And Its Effect On The Followers S1320 Words   |  6 PagesIn a time of national healthcare reform and financial uncertainty it is imperative that healthcare leaders use resources effectively by investing in quality to reduce costs and increase the quality and safety of care to prevent ‘never events,† such as pressure ulcers, surgical site infections, vascular-catheter associated infection, catheter-associated urinary tract infection, administration of incompatible blood, and falls (Institute of Medicine 2001). However, this requires the development ofRead MoreThe Health Care System Of New Zealand Essay1745 Words   |  7 PagesLeadership is mandatory in all indust ries either it is health care or any other Business. As we already know that leadership is a learning process and without a leader any organization cannot survive. The Health care system of New Zealand has shown the significant changes within past decades and it varies according to historical, political, and social contexts. The history shows that there were huge health differences between the Maoris and non-Maoris, which were due to socioeconomic and lifestyleRead MoreAnalysis of the Leadership Style of President Obama3441 Words   |  14 PagesExecutive Summary President Barack Obama seems to be a transformational leader who wants to achieve a deep change and mobilises therefore a lot of followers. In his election campaign he had three principles: Respect! Empower! Include! He said â€Å"It’s not about me, it’s about you!†. The people felt attracted to Obama and were sure that he will be the perfect President. He received so many donations for his campaign like no president before in the history of the United Stated. He benefited from theRead MoreAnalysis of the Leadership Style of President Obama3428 Words   |  14 PagesExecutive Summary President Barack Obama seems to be a transformational leader who wants to achieve a deep change and mobilises therefore a lot of followers. In his election campaign he had three principles: Respect! Empower! Include! He said â€Å"It’s not about me, it’s about you!†. The people felt attracted to Obama and were sure that he will be the perfect President. He received so many donations for his campaign like no president before in the history of the United Stated. He benefited from the bigRead MorePatient Protection And Affordable Care Act1513 Words   |  7 PagesPatient Protection and Affordable Care Act—Technology The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) was put into place following the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009 and was designed to foster the acceptance and purposeful use of health information technology. With the creation and implementation of a national health care infrastructure related to the electronic health care record system among providers, a revision of the current lawRead MoreThe Work Of Dock And Wald Raised Public Health1513 Words   |  7 PagesAt Henry Street, the nurses resided within the community; therefore, they too experienced the community’s public health problems. In addition, being part of the community enabled them to provide immediate interventions and education on universal precautions. Subsequently, children were less sick and attended school regularly. Infection control was proven to be effective in lowering the infant and children mortality rates. In 1914, Henry Street’s recor ds indicated, community nurses treated a totalRead MoreThe Nhs ( National Health Service )1536 Words   |  7 Pages The aim of this essay is to critic and to develop the change in the NHS. The NHS (National Health Service) establish in 1948 is the public health funded system in United Kingdom which provide the most high care in UK resident. Since being created, there is a constant transformation into leadership and management. For example Griffith’s report (1983) introduces general manager and central role for doctors. Cogwheel report establishes in 1967, is the first report introducing the role of clinicianRead MoreImproving Veterans Access For Mental Health Care Using Transformational Leadership Strategies3515 Words   |  15 PagesImproving Veterans Access to Mental Health Care Using Transformational Leadership Strategies â€Å"Despite many calls for change, mental health care continues to be separate from the rest of health care. Difficulties in accessing mental health care have become a â€Å"de facto† in the US. Although screening for mental illness in primary care has increased in recent years, subsequent treatment remains inadequate and referral for specialty treatment continues to suffer from long delays. In the National ComorbidityRead MoreImportance Of Theory Of Nursing Theory1723 Words   |  7 Pagesknowledge when knowledge was borrowed from other disciplines. In the same context of searching for nursing identity, the theorists refute the ideas of borrowing theories from other disciplines and come up with theories more relevant to nursing and of different nuances, which allow the development of other knowledge stages like subjective knowledge; procedural knowledge; constructed knowledge; and integrated knowledge that foster education and research as a base for practice. During the l ate 1970’s andRead MoreServant Leader By Robert K. Greenleaf1310 Words   |  6 Pages Introduction Servant leadership begins when a leader is selfless and understands the nature of being a servant. The term servant leadership was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in â€Å"The Servant as Leader† essay which was published in 1970. The mindset of a servant leader is one who wants to give back to others first and believes in selfless service. The ability to lead and aspire to be selfless is a skill every leader does not have. Over time, servant leaders like Nelson Mandela and Angela Merkel have

The Case Of Turing Pharmaceutical - 1079 Words

So-called ‘most hated man in America’ hiked price of Daraprim 5,000% Description Turing Pharmaceutical has been sued for 5,000% price increase of Daraprim drug. The company that was headed by Martin Shkreli faces breach of contract charges. Mr. Martin is claimed to have hiked the prices and also faces charges of defrauding. Later on, he had invoked the fifth amendment during the grill by the concerned congress he has been condemning the politicians and the members of the congress. The company, Turing, also facing charges of breaching the contract (Kevin, 2016). The entrepreneur refused to testify the charges of his unethical acts of raising the prices of the drugs in all his associated drug companies last year. The drug, Daraprim, is essential for many people suffering from AIDS. The patients will have to cater for the higher prices hiked by the entrepreneur. He was arrested in December 2015 after his reassignment. Hiking the price have been referred as â€Å"blood money† (Joanna. 2016). The hiking of the prices has been unaffordable. The hiking is said to be 5 000% for Daraprim, that is from $13.50 to $750 a pill (Joanna, 2016). Surprisingly, the hiked prices were done after the company acquired the drugs from another company. The company was expected to provide accurate data on prices which they failed to provide. Martin is said to have been purchasing the medicine from other companies and selling them at abnormal prices. He had promised to lower the cost of the drugs but itShow MoreRelatedThere Was An Ethical Issue Which Arose In The United States1043 Words   |  5 Pagesthe United States of America regarding Turing Pharmaceuticals messed up drug pricing (Timmerman 2015) that has gained a lot of attention in recent times. Ethics is the rules of conduct acknowledged in respect to a class of human actions or a group (Diffen 2016). Ethics is important as it affects not only the organization but the community and society at large (Spooner n.d.). This essay will discuss about how unethical Turing Pharmaceuticals acted in the case of price hiked in a 62-year-old AIDS drugRead MorePharmaceutical Companies And The Pharmaceutical Industry1664 Words   |  7 PagesThese pharmaceutical companies can increase their prices dramatically without the fear of losing profits because there is a lack of competition in their field. Since there is no other companies in the field to compete prices with, companies like Turing Pharmaceuticals can dramatically increase their price to increase their revenue. Even prior to Turing Pharmaceutical’s price increase, there was no competitors and large profits were being made. What is odd about this situation is that despite theRead MoreLeadership Styles Of The Marine Corps1713 Words   |  7 Pagesthe leadership. The boards of directors, stakeholders and the followers have as much as an obligation to the organization as the CEO. Martin Shkreli was the CEO of MSMB Capital, MSMB Healthcare, Retrophin,Turing Pharmaceuticals and has been charged with fraud. Prior to Turing Pharmaceuticals, Martin founded the company Retrophin and had two hedge funds. He was using stock from biotech companies to pay of the debts of his two hedge funds. He ultimately was misleading his investors and lied aboutRead MoreMajor Drug Companies Taking Hefty Price Increases Essay886 Words   |  4 PagesNEW YORK (Reuters) - Major drug companies took hefty price increases in the U.S., in some cases more than doubling listed charges, for widely used medications over the past five years, a Reuters analysis of proprietary data found. Prices for four of the nation s top 10 drugs increased more than 100 percent since 2011, Reuters found. Six others went up more than 50 percent. Together, the price increases on drugs for arthritis, high cholesterol, asthma and other common problems added billions inRead MoreGoogle, Calico, And The Ethical Implications Of New Healthcare1672 Words   |  7 Pagesreaffirm that every human being has the inherent right to life†(Article 10). A situation in which this applies, is the drug, Daraprim, a revolutionary drugged used in the treatment of HIV, being increased by 4000% from $13.50 a pill to $750 by Turing Pharmaceuticals (Johnson). This drug could be potentially life-saving for a disease which was previously guaranteed to cause death. However, many people could not afford it once the price was increased and insurance would not cover it, so many hospitals wereRead MoreThe Pharmaceutical Industry1566 Words   |  7 PagesAlong with saving lives and helping people live an ordi nary life in comfort, the pharmaceutical industry makes billions of dollars every year; money that is invested in research/development as well as lining the pockets of shareholders. However, in the past two years the system has been abused by those hoping to make a hefty profit from buying or acquiring a drug and then raising the price ten or twenty-fold, often with the simple reason of greed or matching what other companies do (Johnson). OccasionallyRead MoreHiv And Human Immunodeficiency Virus888 Words   |  4 PagesIt has been over 30 years since the first known cases of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) which is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) was reported. HIV attacks and disables the body s immune system. The virus attacks, the T lymphocyte (T cell), a type of white blood cell. Formed in the bone marrow the T cell helps the body fight off germs and diseases. Once HIV enters the body, it attacks this cell, copies itself and destroys the cell. Being HIV-positive indicatesRead MoreManipulation Of Patents And Market Pricing940 Words   |  4 PagesHypothesis: The manipulation of patents and market pricing have allowed pharmaceutical companies to raise the prices on drugs necessary for individuals in the US compared. With no competition, the companies are able to exploit the patent system to maximizing profits with no regard to the consumers economic welfare. The price of pharmaceuticals are constantly higher than the rest of the world and the people of America are paying that price. Method of Inquiry: After conducting a thorough analysisRead MoreThe Ethical And Management Issues1466 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction This report will address the ethical and management issues presented in the case studies Seven Eleven, Are organisation’s exploiting ‘non-employees’ and New and challenging HRM issues in China and India. The main ethical issues raised by these case studies are cultural diversity issues, discrimination and employee working conditions. Along with these ethical issues there are also management issues outlined Corporate Greed and an issue Human resource. This resulted in loss of thousandsRead MoreThe Issue Of Prescription Drugs1425 Words   |  6 Pagesactions from pharmaceutical companies, the most recent case being the arrest of Turing Pharmaceuticals’ CEO, Martin Shkreli. Shkreli was arrested on federal fraud charges a week before Christmas, but his infamy stems from his company’s price jack of Daraprim, an anti-parasite drug that is pivotal in the treatment of cancer and HIV patients. In at least 14 states, legislators have introduced â€Å"drug pr icing transparency† bills, which have been designed to gather information from pharmaceutical companies

Effectiveness of Retention Strategies in Abu Dhabi

Question: Discuss about the Report for Effectiveness of Retention Strategies in Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec). Answer: Overview The report published in the previous article states that Abu Dhabi National Exhibition company in 2014 has managed to attain 50% of the Emiratisation in its total workforce. In the circumstance of the present subject, Sale (2015) mentioned that the organisation had increased the employee retention ratio by 44% from the previous year. The management of the enterprise claimed to increase its retention ratio by 51%. The organisation has nurtured its future Emirati business leaders to increase the efficacy of the internal resources. The specific scenario has facilitated the organisation to retain total 103 Emiratis, out of which 45% are the women employees (Younge and Marx, 2015). The current statistics reflect that 47% of the Emiratis staffs represent 68% of the total female workforce of the organisation. The present study emphasises on the effectiveness of the retention strategies in the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC). In the progression, the proposal would make a gap a nalysis of the present topic and strategies regarding the methodological framework would also be discussed. Key research questions What is the significance of current retention strategies in Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company over organisational growth? What is the current employee retention followed by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company? Which factors influence the employee retention strategies in Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company? How are the employee retention strategies interlined with the sustainability and competitiveness of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company? Which strategic initiatives could improve the current employee retention index of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company? Literature review The significance of current retention strategies in Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company over organisational growth The firm, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has increased its employee satisfaction by incorporating several employee training and development programme in the organisation. It has been assessed that that company has improved overall employee satisfaction by 79% in 2015 (static.globalreporting.org, 2016). This result confirms that the implementation of the internal initiatives adopted by the firm is completely aligned with the social sustainability and the employee retention. The employees of the firm can maintain the work-life balance easily while working with the ADNEC so that the employees could increase the organisational productivity. As per the opinion of Vignesh and Babu (2012), the fairness and equity policy adopted by the firm enables the company to provide an attractive working environment which can also assist to improve the overall organisational productivity. This is also helpful to reduce the employee turnover rate of the firm in 2015. Considering the words of Younge and Marx (2015), ADNECs commitment ids also effective to attract highly qualified potential employees to achieve the organisational goals. The health and safety approach adopted by the organisation helps to increase employee engagement towards the organisation (Gberevbie, 2008). Therefore, it could be inferred that the chosen firm Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company has successfully established a potential employee retention strategy to foster the organisational growth. The employee retention policy of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company The management of the specific brand has planned to develop the training programme to increase the professional expertise of the internal members. According to Gberevbie (2008), the management of the specific enterprise has claimed to invest a considerable amount of capital in the development course of its employees. The specific approach has benefited the enterprise to continue its operation with a total strength of 103 Emiratis. Mignonac and Richeb (2012) figured out that the annual strategic plan for the organisation has been carefully established and it is regularly updated with the purpose of meeting the demands of each department. The specific approach facilitated the employees of each department to understand the exclusive roles and responsibilities (Younge and Marx, 2015). Moreover, the training program often facilitates the employees to figure out the operational method that needs to follow to deliver the project with a correct time utilisation process. Moreover, the managem ent has also included the incentive programmes and the ADNEC-Excel London scholarship program for its staffs to impact the knowledge experience through mentoring and workshops. Factors influence the employee retention strategies in Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company Training and development The training and development session of the enterprise has been highly lucrative to provide the accurate professional knowledge amongst the employees. V.B.Devibala et al. (2011) mentioned that the management primary focuses on enhancing the expertise of the employees, thus, exclusive concentrations paid on the employee requirements and the satisfactions. Therefore, the training and developmental module the specific organisation includes the employee efficiency criteria that lead to the high retention ratio (issuu.com, 2016). Therefore, the training and development can be considered as a motivating factor that proficiently clarifies and enhances h professional expertise of the employees of the organisation. Thus, the employees feel free to serve the organisation without much hesitation. Incentive measures In the background of the existing concept, Gberevbie (2008) determined that the particular business ensures the provision of career development opportunities, quality training and performance incentives for the workforce. The above actions allow the nationals to contribution willingly to the management and leadership. In the particular enterprise the employees are trained in the initial phase and later trained expertise are implemented on the live projects (Vignesh and Babu, 2012). As a result of the efficient training, the employees get to utilise the professional knowledge skilfully. Thus, the incentive related program becomes viable for the majority of the employee. Recommendations to improve the current employee retention index of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company Audit In the opinion of Korzynski (2013), it could be inferred that the management of the specific firm has initiated the majority of the employee motivating aspects. However, the auditing work of the organisation is not as strong as the other factors, therefore a frequent verification would be required to maintain the consistency in the employee performance. Through the specific action, the management would identify the flaws of its staffs, hence, further effective programs can be introduced to increase the employee efficacy, motivation and retention. Improving the Research and development prospects (RD) The employee strength of the employee base in the RD department is relatively less. The brand is performing spectacularly in its other domain. However, the work progression in the RD department is moving at a slow pace. Thus, the management is highly required to enhance its employee strength in the specific department. Methodology Research Philosophy There are three types of research philosophy that includes positivism, realism and interpretive. As per the view of Freshwater (2007), the positivism is the methodical philosophy, the interpretive relies more on human feedbacks and realism is required for the objects that are already felt by the human presence. In the existing proposal, the researcher would consider the positivism research philosophy due to its scientific nature. McGee (2007) asserted that the positivism philosophy often facilitates the researcher to recognize the employee conduct, employee motivation, decision making process and the factors that inspire the retention criteria. The assortment of the positivism philosophy would benefit the researcher to justify the research content with scientific approach. Thus, the research content would be verified in the systematic manner. With the support of the specific approach, the researcher would enable to tally the research subject with the framed aim and objectives. Thus, the scientific technique would benefit the researcher to understand the effectiveness of the retention strategies in Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC). Research Approach There are two types of research approaches, these are inductive and deductive. Waite (2011) specified that the inductive research approach helps to establish the new theories and the deductive design determine more on the testing the existing theories. In the present proposal, the researcher requires the approach that examines the viability of the selected theories. Therefore, the researcher would consider the deductive research approach to scrutinise the importance of the secondary theories that would be considered while framing the literature review part. Popping (2012) inferred that the due to the structured layout of the deductive research approach, the framework is considered as the waterfall model. The inductive research might not suit the criteria of the project due to its theory developing nature. Therefore, the deductive research approach would facilitate the researcher to scrutinise the role of the theory in the present study and its alignment with the framed research objec tives and questions. Research design The descriptive, exploratory and explanatory is the basic form of the research design. Considering the opinion of Thomas (2015), an inference can be drawn that the exploratory design is used to collect the background information of the research subject. However, the descriptive research design helps the researcher to derive an outcome on the basis the research objectives and questions. Therefore, the researcher would consider the descriptive research design and derive the conclusion after understanding the criteria like what, who, when, where and why. The descriptive research design would enable the research associate to comprehend the acute concept of the subject and identify the effectiveness of the retention strategy in Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company. Research Strategy The research strategy consists with three components which are experiment, survey and case study (Paynter, 2010). Alignment with the present research content, the researcher would consider the survey session to justify the present subject matter of the proposal. The employee of the organisation would be the quantitative samples. The responses of the samples would be gathered by sending over a close ended questionnaire in the personal mail ids. The survey session serves enough benefit to the researcher to understand the efficacy of the retention policy of ADNEC. Moreover, the research strategy would partly be a case study because the entire secondary database would be collected from the ADNEC. Data collection process Secondary Data Collection The research associate would gather the secondary data from the various books, journals and the other authorized websites of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC). In this present context, Maistrenko (2015) mentioned that journals are the most reliable and dependable sources while collecting the secondary evidence to examine a research. As a consequence, the researcher would evaluate several e-journals and e-books for accumulating the secondary data for the present study. Adding to this, a distinct attention would be on the relevant sources to mitigate the data duplicity issues while collecting the secondary data. Primary Data Collection The quantitative and qualitative data assortment process would be an essential part of the primary data collection process (Thomas, 2015). The framed questionnaires would be provided to the employees of the ADNEC in the personal mail ids. In the addition, the qualitative data for the present study would be gathered from the face-to-face interview process. To satisfy the purpose, the managers of ADNEC would be interviewed to accumulate the relevant information regarding the corporate initiation with respect to the retention aspects. Data Analysis The feedbacks of the employees would be produced through the percentage responses. Then the quantitative data would be analysed in the study by altering the employees replies through the graphs and tables in an effective format (Waite, 2011). The feedbacks would be executed with the support of bar graphs and would be calculated in the MS Excel sheet. In this present context, Paynter (2010) denoted that MS Excel can be identified as the relevant tool to calculate the figurative contents received from the chosen samples. The feedbacks of the professionals would be detailed to re-examine secondary received for the current research subject. In the addition, few genuine deliberations of well-known authors and proposes would be implemented to tally the final outcomes with the existing propositions. Furthermore, it is essential to conduct the data triangulation in a justified way for establishing a potential relationship between the research results (Popping, 2012). The researcher would als o emphasise on the secondary gathered information in order to accomplish the genuine side in the current research context. Sampling process Probability and the non-probability sampling process are the foremost aspects of the sampling process (Maistrenko, 2015). The concerned researcher in the current proposal would deliberate the simple sampling method for selecting the quantitative respondents. The non-probability sampling process would be considered for selecting the qualitative responses. To conduct a bias-free sampling process, the simple random method is considered. The researcher would plan to survey on 60 employees of ADNEC to gather relevant information regarding the effectiveness of employee retention of the specific organisation. Moreover, 5 HR managers would be personally interviewed to collect the qualitative data. Types of investigation In the present project, the researcher would consider both the quantitative and qualitative approach. The quantitative responses would be collected via survey session. The samples would be provided with a close ended questionnaire in the personal mail id. According to Waite (2011), the advantage of the quantitative data is its figurative presentation. Thus, the researcher can easily understand the subject matter and identify the research issue. Moreover, the qualitative data would be collected in the descriptive format. The researcher would collect the information from the professionals. Thus, the chances of data manipulation would be relatively lower. Ethical considerations Thomas (2015) stated that the ethical consideration often direct the project to limit the possibility of data manipulation and misinterpretation. The ethical strategies create a peculiarity between the acceptable and the unacceptable perceptions. In the present research conduction process, the researcher would ensure a free and fair process in the sample selection process. The data that would be collected from the sampled would be maintained with high confidential measures and the corporate related details would not be disclosed to any of the third party. For the security purpose the data would be gathered for the research purpose and would be damaged soon after the completion of the project. Research limitation The time frame would be the limitation of the research as the entire activities would be limited to the time span. It would thus prohibit the researcher from collecting relevant and detailed information on the subject. Moreover, the managers can present a reluctant attitude towards the allocate dates thus, can be extremely busy to sit for the interview. The employee might find the find the survey session to be too lengthy; therefore, the respondents might take too much time to return the questionnaire. However, the data triangulation process might facilitate the researcher to arrive at an authentic conclusion. Outcomes The present research study evaluates on the significance of the employee retention policy undertaken by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company. Evaluating the present study, inference can be drawn that the employee retention policies of the chosen form is considerably lucrative. The women employee base of the organisation is considerably stronger. Therefore, from the above assertion it could be configured that the employee within the employees are highly motivated, thus, the engagement ratio is specifically high. Therefore, the present strategy would serve immense benefit to the brand to increase its retention figure. Timescale Each of the responsibilities declared in the sections carries the relevance in existing subject matter. Each of the activities would be selected with a single week for meeting its deadline, hence, that the present project would receive considerable time tenure to gather and scrutinise the collected information. The final task, the conclusion and recommendations would be done only in the 6th week after the completion of the other tasks. Topics Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Introduction Illustrate the aim and objectives of the study Collection of the secondary data Determination of the research Methodology Accomplish quantitative and qualitative responses. Deduce the primary responses by triangulation process Objective linking and recommendation Table 1: Gnatt Chart (Source: Created by author) References: ADNEC annual report 2014 (2015) Available at: https://issuu.com/adnec/docs/annual_report_2014 (Accessed: 29 August 2016). ADNEC annual report 2014 (2015) Available at: https://issuu.com/adnec/docs/annual_report_2014 (Accessed: 29 August 2016). Beltaos, S., Tang, P. and Rowsell, R. (2012) Ice jam modelling and field data collection for flood forecasting in the Saint John River, Canada, Hydrological Processes, 26(17), pp. 25352545 Chen, S. (2014) The concept of historic authenticity and its Methdology for preservation of historic urban areas in Chinese contexts, Change Over Time, 4(2), pp. 404417. Dhabi, A. (2016) Abu Dhabi national exhibitions company contact details. Available at: https://static.globalreporting.org/report-pdfs/2016/e05cf48451c6dc64fc7f42cbbbd4597e.pdf (Accessed: 29 August 2016). Freshwater, D. (2007) Reading mixed methods research: contexts for criticism, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1(2), pp. 134-146 Garcillan, P. P. and Ezcurra, E. (2011) Sampling procedures and species estimation: Testing the effectiveness of herbarium data against vegetation sampling in an oceanic island, Journal of Vegetation Science, 22(2), pp. 273280. Gberevbie, D. (2008) Employee retention strategies and organizational performance, IFE PsychologIA, 16(2), pp. 129138. Korzynski, P. (2013) Employee motivation in new working environment, International Journal of Academic Research, 5(5), pp. 184188. Maistrenko, O. (2015) Main methods of Qualititative Assessement of social responsibility, The Advanced Science Journal, 2015(4), pp. 5860. McGee, P. (2007) Ethical issues in data collection: A commentary, Research Ethics, 3(3), pp. 8990. Mignonac, K. and Richeb, N. (2012) No strings attached?: How attribution of disinterested support affects employee retention, Human Resource Management Journal, 23(1), pp. 7290. Paynter, R. (2010) Data Mashups as collection management tools, Collection Management, 36(1), pp. 6872. Popping, R. (2012) Qualitative decisions in quantitative text analysis research, Sociological Methodology, 42(1), pp. 8890. Sale, J. (2015) Mapping motivation: Unlocking the key to employee energy and engagement. London, United Kingdom: Gower Publishing. Thomas, J. A. (2015) Using unstructured diaries for primary data collection, Nurse Researcher, 22(5), pp. 2529. V.B.Devibala, V.B.D., Dr.P.Anbuoli, D.P.A. and Tjothimurugan, T.J. (2011) Reason for employee retention, Indian Journal of Applied Research, 4(4), pp. 7981. Vignesh, A.P. and Babu, D.M.S. (2012) Stay interviews: A missing facet of employee retention strategy, Paripex - Indian Journal Of Research, 3(1), pp. 121125. Waite, D. (2011) A simple card trick: Teaching qualitative data analysis using a deck of playing cards, Qualitative Inquiry, 17(10), pp. 982985. Younge, K.A. and Marx, M. (2015) The value of employee retention: Evidence from a natural experiment, Journal of Economics Management Strategy, 4(1), pp. 122124.

Wuthering Heights Essay Summary Example For Students

Wuthering Heights Essay Summary WUTHERING HEIGHTS MAIN CHARACTERSCatherine Earnshaw She is the daughter of Mr. Earnshaw and the sister of Hindley. She is also Heathcliffs foster sister. Heathcliff and Catherine are in love, but she marries Edgar Linton instead. When Cathy died, she wanted both Heathcliff and Edgar to suffer because Edgar never understood why she loved Heathcliff and Heathcliff because he never knew why she married Edgar. Catherine Linton She is the daughter of the older Catherine and Edgar Linton. Her mother Catherine died shortly after she was born. She married Linton Heathcliff and became Catherine Heathcliff. Then after her husbands death she married Harenton and became Catherine Earnshaw. Mr. Earnshaw He was a farmer and father of Hindley and Catherine. He is a kind- hearted man who takes Heathcliff in after he found him lying on the street, although his family protested he still took him in. Edgar Linton He is Isabellas older brother, who marries Catherine Earnshaw and is the father of there d aughter, Catherine Linton. He is a gentle bred, refined man, a patient husband and loving father. We will write a custom essay on Wuthering Heights Summary specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Ellen Dean Ellen is one of the main narrators. She has been a servant for the Lintons and Earnshaws all her life. She knows all of them better than any one else. People that are close to her call her Nelly. Frances Earnshaw She is Hindleys wife. She was a rather giddy woman. She displayed a great fear of death, which tells us why she died of tuberculosis. Harenton Earnshaw Harenton is the son of Frances and Hindley Earnshaw. He marries young Catherine and grows up with his Uncle Heathcliff; his both mother and father die. He is ruff and uncultured having been kept from civilization from so long by Heathcliff. The Wuthering Heights belongs to Harenton even though Heathcliff runs the household. Hindley Earnshaw Is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw, he is also Catherines older brother. He becomes a violent alcoholic after his beloved wife Frances dies. Also Hindley never got along with Heathcliff because Hindley felt rejected from his fathers affection, because Heathcliff the favorite child of Mr. Earnshaw. Heathcliff He is taken in by Mr. Earnshaw and raised along with Catherine and Hindley. Catherine was a moving force in his life, and he hated all those who stood between him and his beloved Cathy. However, he was of unknown descendants and was found in Liverpool starving on the streets. Heathcliff married Isabella, and they had a child named Linton together. However, he only married her for her money. Isabella Linton She is Edgars younger sister, and marries Heathcliff and became Isabella Heathcliff. She and Heathcliff had a son together named Linton. Before she married Heathcliff she was a little foolish, but a pretty young girl. After she married him, she became cruel, just like Heathcliff. She also developed a great hate for him with all her heart. Joseph He is a household servant at Wuthering Heights, and his religion is to be unforgiving to others. Dr. Kenneth He is the local doctor who helps people who are sick or dying. His main concern is for his patients well being. Mr. and Mrs. Linton Are Edgar and Isabellas parents. They spoil their children and also turn young Cathy into a young lady. They are very unsympathetic to Heathcliff when he is a child. Linton Heathcliff He is the son of Heathcliff and Isabella. He had the worst qualities of both his parents. He was also a very weak and cruel person. Linton marries young Cathy, but dies soon after. So Heathcliff inherited all the property and money of the Linton family. .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 , .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 .postImageUrl , .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 , .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4:hover , .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4:visited , .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4:active { border:0!important; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4:active , .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4 .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3bacfc308ba5e7761a8f9880c33b6eb4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Truth To A Ballad EssayLockwood He was one of the narrators of the novel. He was from London and was not particularly sympathetic. Zillah A housekeeper at Wuthering Heights. She was an impatient, but capable woman. CONFLICTOne conflict was between Mr. Heathcliff and Mr. Hindledy, they were enemies because when they were children Mr. Earnshaw (Hindleys father and Heathcliffs foster father) liked Heathcliff better. He was always Mr. Earnshaws favorite and Hindley despised him for that. Hindley felt that Heathcliff just came in and took his fathers affection for him. So after their fathers death Hindley treated Heathcliff very badly, so those two never got along with one another from

Five Writing Tics to Delete in Revision

Five Writing Tics to Delete in Revision Five Writing Tics to Delete in Revision Five Writing Tics to Delete in Revision By Maeve Maddox All writers strew less-than-perfect turns of phrase in their first drafts, unnecessary words and phrases that slow down writing. Here are five stylistic flaws that can be eliminated in revision. 1. Unnecessary prepositional phrases EXAMPLE: After all my hard work, the superintendents compliment was gratifying to me. BETTER: After all my hard work, the superintendents compliment was gratifying. The â€Å"to me† can be inferred by the reader. 2. Adverbs that are weak substitutes for a vivid verb EXAMPLE: The stranger walked threateningly toward us. BETTER: The stranger stalked toward us. I do not share the universal contempt for the -ly adverb, but I do take the time to examine -ly adverbs when I revise, replacing them with an evocative verb if I can think of one. For example: spoke softly = whispered crawled stealthily = crept spoke loudly = shouted 3. Stalling phrases like tried to, seemed to, began to, started to EXAMPLE: The suns reflection seemed to glisten and waver on the water. BETTER: The suns reflection glistened and wavered on the water. EXAMPLE: I took a detour down two short flights of stone stairs and started looking for the Last Chance Saloon. BETTER: I took a detour down two short flights of stone stairs and looked for the Last Chance Saloon. In most cases, these expressions merely stall the narrative. 4. Meaningless just EXAMPLE: He just climbed  to the top and fell asleep. BETTER: He climbed  to the top and fell asleep. EXAMPLE: She just wished the lift would move. BETTER: She wished the lift would move. When the adverb just conveys the meaning at that moment or merely, it has a function: I had just opened the letter when the phone rang. I have just enough flour to make this recipe. When just adds neither of these meanings, leave it out. 5. It as a sentence opener EXAMPLE: It was the comment about the dog that enabled the detective to solve the case. BETTER: The comment about the dog enabled the detective to solve the case. EXAMPLE: It was her lack of skill with small talk that held her back. BETTER: Lack of skill with small talk held her back. Replacing the vague sentence opener it with a noun strengthens a sentence. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Greek Words You Should KnowHomogeneous vs. HeterogeneousThe Uses of â€Å"The†

Eastman Kodak Companys Strategy

Eastman Kodak Companys Strategy Executive Summary The purpose of this management report is to analyze the strategy used by Kodak otherwise known as Eastman Kodak Company. Kodak is the world’s leading company when it comes to imaging innovations and products. Kodak provides imaging technology as well as products and services to the image and photography industries around the world.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Eastman Kodak Companys Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the company’s products and service include retail printing kiosks, digital cameras, picture frames, online imaging services, image scanning equipment and photographic paper. The report will cover background information on the company by looking at the history of the company as well as the industry in which the company operates in. The various environments in which the company operates in will also be assessed in this report by conducting an environmental assessment or a PEST analysis of the political, economic, social and technological environment for the company. The report will also focus on Henry Mintzberg’s 5P’s for business strategies which include pattern, position, perspective, plan and ploy. Introduction Eastman Kodak Company is a US corporation that specializes in the production of photographic products and equipment. The company’s operations have been divided into four segments which include digital and film imaging, graphic communication, commercial imaging and health sector (Kodak Patents 2010). The major Kodak products include Colorburst, Kodamatic, Kodak DCS 100 and DCS DSLR, digital picture frames such as the Kodak smart picture frame, image sensors in digital cameras such as the Leica M8 and the KAF-10500 image sensor, document imaging and scanners as well as movie pictures and TV production (Kodak 2010). George Eastman, who was the founder of Kodak, introduced the first camera to the world in 1 888 that allowed people to capture special moments in still formats. Since then, Kodak has been the main provider of imaging, photography products and services as well as photography equipment such as cameras and picture scanners (Murat 2008). Kodak’s Strategy and Business Industry The company took aggressive steps in 2003 to re-invent itself to be a stronger and diversified company in the photo imaging industry by leveraging its operations to focus on the core businesses to ensure that its customer base had access to quality imaging and photography products/ services (Kodak.com 2004). In 2008, the company experienced a significant growth as a result of a five year restructuring program that would see its business strategy changing to improve revenue and profit margins.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result of the restructuring exercise, revenues from the digital businesses grew by double digits for four consecutive quarters between 2007 and 2008. The decline in revenue for the traditional segment of the company’s business was seen to be in line with the restructuring program which was meant to shift the operations of the business from traditional to more innovative and modern digital businesses (Kodak 2010). The restructuring exercise saw the company investing $4 billion dollars in research and development activities that would see an increase in its digital businesses. The $4 billion investment was also used in acquiring several small businesses that had been successful in the digital imaging industry to improve the company’s market share as well as improve its technological innovations and services. The restructuring exercise saw Kodak developing new business strategies that included expanding the digital segment of the company in both retail and home locations. This would see the development of photo kiosks and mini photo labs as well as the development of printer docks that would ensure the easy transfer of images from digital cameras to printers without the use of a computer (Gia 2008). The photographic equipment and supplies industry has changed in recent times to be known as the imaging industry. The current imaging industry defines companies according to whether they have innovative and novel technology instead of whether they have the best equipment or supplies in the photography industry. The major association that manages the imaging and photographic industry is known as the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A). The purpose of the I3A is to enable the use of imaging activities to simplify and enrich the lives of ordinary people through the use of visual experiences (I3A 2010). The association brings together various members who have invested in the imaging and photography industry to ensure that the appropriate imaging standards have been met. The International Imaging Industry Association is viewed as the global imaging ecosystem that is meant to make the creation and production of visual images easier and simple. Companies such as Kodak, Sony and HP have the power and authority to connect and collaborate with other leaders in the imaging industry to deal with any imaging challenges that might arise (Service Architecture 2010). Internal Environmental Analysis SWOT Analysis Like any other company, Kodak has strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The table below shows a SWOT analysis of Kodak Company (Gia 2008)Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Eastman Kodak Companys Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Strengths Major player in the imaging and photography industry as it is the top three provider of image and photography products and services. Wide product portfolio that covers digital products and online photo galleries. The company has a strong brand name and brand affinity. Kodak has a core competency in both traditional and digital photography and imaging business. The company has the financial capability to invest in research and development activities for new digital products. Kodak has a multinational market presence in over 100 countries around the world. This has enhanced its global distribution capability. Weaknesses Kodak lacks technological leadership as it mostly focuses on competitor innovations especially in the digital industry. The company lacks detailed and clear strategies that can be used to convince stakeholders and investors to invest in Eastman Kodak. The company has weak strategic alliances and partnerships that have not been successful in the past. For example the failed alliance between Hewlett Packard (HP) and Lexmark. Kodak has weak innovation capabilities in its other business segments apart from its digital technology segment. It has a lower financial power when compared to its competitors such as Sony and HP. The company is behind technology wise when it comes to the quality of its digital printers and mini labs as well as its online photo imaging services Opportunities There is an increasing demand for digital photography products and services. There are new emerging markets and countries for Kodak’s business operations which include China, India and Russia. Kodak has the opportunity to expand its product portfolio to meet its customer’s needs. The company has expanded its digital camera and printer market to meet the increasing demand for digital technology. It has also expanded its operations to include online sales as a result of an increased demand in photo online services. Kodak has acquired smaller businesses to gain a market share in the image and photography industry. The company has expanded its operations to cover the expensive digital market for cameras and photo imaging services. Threats The increasing development of devices that incorporate digital camera features has threatened the company’s camera production segment. The shifting tastes and preferences of consumers in today’s constantly changing market has made it difficult for the company to keep up with these trends. The availability of substitute products from companies such as Sony, Fuji Film and HP has threatened the company’s products and services. The digital photography industry has experienced a high growth rate but the profit margins are still very low. The company faces the threat of new competitors from countries such as China and the Middle East. The weak economy and the recent global recession affected the operations and business segments of the company Kodak’s Financial Performance Kodak has been identified by financial analysts to be the second largest company after Canon that produces photographic products and services in the photographic equipment and supplies industry. The company has a market capitalization of $8.1 billio n when compared to that of Canon which has been estimated to be $58.4 billion (Seed 2006).The financial performance of the company as at 2008 saw the company’s net sales decreasing by 9%. This decrease was mostly attributed to the global economic recession whose effects were being felt as early as 2007. The fourth quarter of the company’s financial year of 2008 saw its revenues decreasing by 24 percent which was lower than that of the previous year. The impact of this downturn in its revenues was severe to the company’s financial performance as it usually experienced high sales returns during the last four months of its financial year. The revenue downturn was mostly caused by the declining sales in Kodak’s Film Capture and traditional photofinishing products. This decline in sales was however offset by the company’s increasing sales volume in document imaging and consumer digital imaging products such as digital capture devices and consumer inkjet systems which experienced an increased growth in 2008. The gross profit of the company declined in 2008 due to the decline in its sales volumes as well as the unfavourable price mix in its business segments. The tables below show the net sales, profit margins and income tax benefits of the company for the year ended December 2008 (Kodak Financials 2010). Income Tax Benefit (dollars in millions) For the Year Ended December 31, Loss from continuing operations before income taxes Benefit for income taxes Effective tax rate 2008 ($874) ($147) 16.8% 2007 ($256) ($51) 19.9% For the Year Ended December 31 Change Vs. 2007 2008 Amount ($) Change vs.2007 Volume Price/mix Foreign Exchange Manufacturing and other costs Total net sales 3,088 4.9% 8.6% 14.6% 1.1% n/a Gross profit margin 19.2% -6.3 pp n/a -13.4pp 0.7pp 6.4pp (Source: Kodak Financial 2010) GAP Analysis: Kodak’s Resources and Capabilities The company’s has a variety of resources and capabilities t hat have given its products and services a competitive advantage over its competitors. The table and graph below show the various resources and capabilities of Kodak. Kodak’s Resources Kodak’s Capabilities Code Importance Strength Code Importance Strength Technology R1 8 8 Environmental management C1 8 4 Brand Name R2 9 8 Government Relations C2 4 6 Distribution R3 10 10 Imaging Capabilities C3 8 10 Financial resources R4 7 10 Sales and Marketing C4 8 9 Image sensing R5 10 8 Research and Development C5 10 10 KODAK’S GAP ANALYSIS Technological development C6 7 9 Colour management C7 8 8 Market share C8 10 9 New product development C9 7 4 Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More FAR Analysis When analysing the functional areas of Kodak, two main areas of interest are usually considered; product development and sales and marketing. In Kodak’s product development, the design team is usually focused on creating products that are innovative and more superior to those of the competitors in the imaging market. Digital cameras which are a major innovation for the company have seen a lot of development where designers and developers of the product focus on creating cameras that are easy to use and compatible with other products such as computers and printers (Seed 2006). Kodak has continued to add value to its products by continually investing in research and development activities that will see its innovations being superior and unique to those of its competitors. Kodak’s EasyShare camera line demonstrated the ability of the company to produce a camera that was simple and easy to use as well as of a high quality when compared to the other digital cam eras in the market. The EasyShare digital camera ensured that the company was able to achieve brand recognition and brand affinity within the imaging and photography industry. It enabled Kodak to move away from the traditional line of photography and equipment to a more modern and unique product line (Seed 2006). Under the development segment of the company is production which deals with the actual development of the product designs and innovations. Kodak pursues a high cost strategy when it comes to its product innovations which are meant to ensure that the best materials and designs have been used in the development of high quality digital cameras. The second area of the company deals with sales and marketing where the company employs the use of various marketing tools and strategies to market its products. The photo finishing kiosks are a major marketing tool for the company as they cater for photo editing of customers digital images and they also offer complementary products suc h as free memory cards for storing the digital images as well as free photo printing paper. The online photo sharing sites such as Ofoto are valuable marketing tools for the company as they allow customers to create and share their pictures with other users which increase the appeal for Kodak digital products (Seed 2006). Another segment that works in conjunction with sales and marketing is distribution. As with any other company distribution plays an important role when it comes to making the products of a company available in the market. Kodak places a lot of emphasis of on-time deliveries, inventory management and good supplier relations. The company however pursues a low-cost efficiency strategy in its distribution activities as it has placed a lot of emphasis on product research and development. The company utilises the strategy of placing value of the quality of the product rather than on its availability during its distribution activities (Seed 2006).The diagram below represe nts a FAR analysis of Kodak based on the two areas of focus which are development, sales and marketing Mintzberg’s 5Ps for  Strategy The varied definitions of strategy have made it difficult to pinpoint a specific definition that can be used to explain the concept of strategy. Because of this, Henry Mintzberg came up with the 5Ps that could be used in explicitly defining the term strategy. These 5Ps include plan, ploy, pattern, perspective and position (Frankenberger 2006: McCabe 2010: Davies and Ellison 1999). Plan defines strategy as an intended course of action or guideline that is developed by an organization or company to deal with a given situation (Gane 2007). Plan describes strategies to be actions that are formulated purposefully and consciously in advance to deal with situations that are meant to happen or about to happen (Institute for Manufacturing 2010: Morden 2004). Strategies that are defined by plans are intentionally organized to take place as they ensure that the progress of projects and activities has been predetermined and the expected outcomes have been projected (Tiwari 2009). Strategies that include the use of plans involve developing schedules that can be used in product developments and launches, company acquisitions and mergers, investment activities and financial ventures, human resource training programs and downsizing in companies (Campbell et al 2002). Kodak has developed a planned strategy known as the content strategy that is used in its overall marketing strategy. The content strategy is focused on two aspects one of which is creating content that showcases the products and services that the company uses in its business operations. The tips and projects centre has been identified as the perfect example of the content strategy as it involves the use of inspirational photo essays, imaging projects and photography tips in developing the company’s content for its new product innovations and services (Hoehn 2009). T he second aspect that is considered under the two pronged content strategy is the aspect of distribution which focuses on distributing the created content through the various channels of the company. The company has developed the Kodak distribution channel information portal to distribute the created content (Yunhao 2005). The distribution channels used by Kodak include blogs, social networking sites, company websites and partnership sites The Company also has a distributed publishing model that involves various bloggers and the company’s employees posting their comments about the company’s new products and innovations in the publishing model. Mintzberg and Ghoshal (2003) describe a ploy as a manoeuvre that is used to outwit a competitor, a rival or an opponent in a certain activity or industry. Ploy as a strategy is used as a short term goal for companies because a ploy usually tends to have limited objectives and goals. Ploys are also subject to change within short n otice given their short term nature and also given the varying reasons for using the ploy in the first place (Kew and Stredwick 2005). Ploy’s usually operate within the context of competition and competitive rivals within a specific industry where a company tries to eliminate its competition through the use of ploys such as a reduction in commodity prices and introduction of new products into the market (Chappelet and Bayle 2005: Gronfeldt and Strother 2006). Kodak has used various ploys within the imaging and photography industry to try and gain a competitive edge over its rivals in the same industry as well as increase its market share. Such ploys include the activation of numerous fronts during major sporting competitions such as the Olympic Games and the World Cup, the use of blogs and social networking sites to market its activities, the promotion of the Kodak brand during the season finale of the Celebrity Apprentice show and the showcasing of the company’s prese nce in golf through the incorporation of the Kodak Challenge which is a fantasy game (Hoehn 2009). Mintzberg et al (2005) describe pattern as behaviour of strategy that describes the level of progress that has been made after a particular course of action or form of behaviour has been adopted by an individual or a particular company. Strategies that are patterns have been viewed to just occur as a result of consistent and inconsistent behaviour (Bilton and Cummings 2010). Pattern defines strategy as a stream of planned actions and behaviour that is consistent and intended. Strategy as a pattern is different from that of strategy as a plan because patterns are viewed to be strategies that have been achieved or realised while plans are strategies that have been identified and intended for action (Evans et al 2003: Wagner 2006). Patterned strategies are therefore those actions that have been developed without any intention or deliberation (Bilton 2007: Ehrnreich 2004: Tate 2009). Patte rn strategies are mostly common in small businesses such as scrap dealerships and scrap metal collection agencies. Such businesses operate on the premise of buying as much scrap metal and materials as they can meaning that they do not need any type of strategy or plan to purchase scrap metal (Simons 2005). These businesses however cannot buy old and used plastics because these purchases will be outside their pattern of business behaviour. Such patterns are therefore deemed to be unconscious strategies because businesses do not realise that they are following any consistent pattern (Smith et al 1999). The definition of strategy as a position is described as locating an organization in a particular environment. Strategy through the use of position describes the mediating forces that are used to match the functions of the organization within the industry or environment that it operates in (Marx 2004: Dinsmore and Brewin 2010). Mintzberg views a position strategy to be appropriate when the most important aspect to an organization is how it relates to its competitors, investors, stakeholders and employees. An organization that incorporates the use of position strategy usually seeks to defend a particular position within a certain market segment and industry (Capon 2008: Morris and Pinto 2007). Kodak has developed its position in the photography and imaging industry by being the first company to develop photographic equipment that incorporates the use of sensory technology (Northeast 2007). It has also established its position in the imaging industry by focusing its products and services on specific industries and companies. Kodak has developed products for educational institutions such as Kodak scanners and integrated imaging equipment that are used during course training and practical applications. The company has also developed services for financial institutions that incorporate the use of digitized microfilms used to create, store and protect financial data tha t is irreplaceable in nature. Kodak has also developed products for health institutions and public hospitals that are mostly used in maintaining patient medical records and also for taking body X-rays (Kodak Graphics 2010). The definition of perspective strategy is that it is a chosen position and a perceived notion that the company has of the general world. Mintzberg (2007) describes perspective as a view that an organization has of its internal and external environment. Perspective strategy is important as it enables a company to formulate objectives and goals that can be used to achieve business operations through the optimal use of company resources (Magalhes 2004: Carsrud et al 2007). Perspective determines the patterns of behavior of the company as it outlines the intentions of the employees and the company as a whole. Perspective strategy involves the incorporation of employee’s ideas and intentions into strategic plans to achieve business goals and objectives (Lechner 2005: Clausen 2003: Buytendijk 2010). Kodak practices strategies that are perspective in nature. It has developed distribution channels for its products and services that incorporate the ideas of its workers and employees. These channels include the social networking sites as well as company blogs where employees are able to post their comments about particular products and services that the company wishes to introduce to the imaging market. These opinions and comments are usually published by the company in its distributed publishing channel after which these channels are used in the creation of content analysis for the company’s products (Phillips 2004). PEST Analysis PEST analysis which is also known as environmental analysis is the assessment that a company performs on its external environment. A PEST analysis involves looking at the political, economic, social and technological environment in which a business operates in (Qin 2009: Tovstiga 2010). Despite the fact that many organizations view environmental analysis as an important activity, such an analysis ends up making a minimal contribution to the overall operations of the business. This is mostly based on the fact that many organizations view the environments in which they operate in to be volatile and uncertain. This limits their ability to control the impact of the environment on the company’s operations (Bensoussan and Fleisher 2008). These environments also have indirect effects on the operations of a company which leads to minimal outcomes of environmental analysis (Smith and Raspin 2008). Despite all of these aspects conducting a PEST analysis is an important activity for many companies as it ensures that the company has knowledge of its external environment (Gregory 2000). A PEST analysis usually allows a company to conduct a SWOT analysis more easily because it assesses the external environment of a business. It is therefore important for a business to conduct a PEST analysis b efore it performs a SWOT analysis (Applegate and Johnsen 2007: Grant 2005). Political Environment As the imaging industry continues to undergo new technological innovations and services, the company has been faced with the problem of patent infringement and patent law suits. This has been because the various imaging technology and equipment developed in the industry is similar for all companies which makes it difficult to establish the company that had the original patent (Mendes 2010). Patent infringements are common in the imaging industry because of the similarity of products and services that are produced by each company. As a result of this Kodak was involved in a patent infringement with Sony because of the similarity of cameras and photographic equipment that were produced by both companies (Digital Photography 2004: Gustavson 2009). Kodak launched a patent law suit against Sony for breaching 10 of its patent rights when it came to its digital cameras. The company alleged tha t Sony used technology invented by Eastman Kodak in developing its digital cameras that incorporated the use of image compression and digital storage hardware (BBC 2004). Privacy is another political environment that has impacted on Kodak’s business operations. This has mostly been attributed to the fact that digital technology in the US has become smaller and more compatible with equipment that is used on a regular basis. Digital imaging equipment has been incorporated into equipment and technology that is commonly used by ordinary US citizens. Such equipment includes mobile phones that now have camera features as well as photo editing and image viewer technology. These devices are easily available in the technology market and they have been used for activities that invade the privacy of other people (Seed 2006). Economic Environment The economic environment of Kodak has shown that the company’s products are used by both individual and industrial consumers. Individual consumers have recorded a high purchase of pocket digital cameras developed by the company for their own personal use while the health sector has been identified as a major buyer of Kodak’s imaging and scanning equipment. As much as many people own pocket cameras and photographic equipment, the high inflation and interest rates as well as the recent global recession have made most high end Kodak products to be considered a luxury item for most customers (Khosrowpour 2007). The increasing inflation rates which were as a result of the 2009 economic meltdown saw a decrease in the disposable income which forced many people in the United States and the rest of the world cutting down on their spending. This meant that people only spent on what they could afford and what they considered to be important. This saw a curb in luxury spending which in turn affected digital camera sales in Kodak (OECD 2009). Such high inflation and interest rates will also affect the spending of industri al consumers such as health institutions and government offices that are the main consumers of the company’s imaging and scanning technology (Barnwell 2006). Since companies make their capital expenditures on borrowed funds, they might have to postpone their borrowing because of the high inflation rates. This will mean that they will not have enough money to purchase any of the company’s products (Gwartney et al 2009). The company will also be faced with other economic factors such as decreasing growth in film sales. As the world embraces digital technology, film photography is projected to be obsolete in the next ten years as more people switch towards digital photography and technology. The company’s current strategy has been to invest the revenues it earns from film sales to be used in the development of digital products (Reliable Plant 2010). This strategy will however be difficult to achieve given the current slow film sales that are being experienced in th e digital market. These sales have also been affected by its competitors who have developed far more superior products than the company (Barney and Hestelry 2006). Technological environment The imaging and photography industry is one that experiences fast technological innovations and developments meaning that the company’s technological environment is one that is subject to a lot of changes (Kurtz et al 2010). Such a high degree of technological innovations has mostly been driven by a need to have imaging devices that incorporate the all-in-one features (Worthington and Britton 2006). Consumers in this environment have shown that they prefer equipment that incorporates all features into one device. Consumers now prefer to have mobile phones that have camera and photo imaging features incorporated into them (Schweibenz and Cabral 2010). Many mobile phone makers around the world are developing products that have more advanced camera works into their mobile phones. For example Nokia’s smart phones have digital camera features that allow the users to take digital images as well as create, edit and view these images (Turner 2010). Such technological innovations have therefore had an impact on Kodak’s operations given the high demand for all-in-one devices that mostly incorporate digital camera features (Fullen and Podmoroff 2006). The growth of integration and portability in the imaging market has increased the need to constantly replace technology with newer innovations. Kodak has been faced with the technological challenge of constantly updating its products to ensure that they remain relevant within the imaging industry. While a 1.3 Mp camera might have experienced high sales five years ago, the same cannot be said for the camera now as higher mega pixel cameras are being introduced into the market (Kodak Store 2010). Kodak’s processing kiosks have also experienced slow growth and film sales as a result of the digital printing of ima ges where consumers load their images onto memory cards or mass storage devices for printing. The availability of color and image printers has made it easier for people to print their images at their convenience at cost. This has led to a marked decrease in the number of people that visit the company’s image processing kiosks to have their pictures printed. The technological environment has therefore affected the growth of the company given the high rate of technological innovations in the market that make it easy to create, store and produce a digital image (Kodak Kiosk 2010) Social Environment The social environment has impacted on the business operations of Kodak through the proliferation and increasing use of social networking sites. The world has experienced an increasing growth of Internet communities and networking sites where millions of people join to discuss and share their opinions about certain issues that might be affecting them (Quick MBA 2010). These sites have affected the operations of Kodak because they incorporate features that allow users to edit and upload their photos to these sites. These sites also have photo sharing capabilities that allow users to share their images with other users. Such features limit the need for Kodak photo sharing and photo editing products (Zastrow and Ashman 2010: Thomases 2010). The social environment has also affected the operations of the company because of the cultural diversity and beliefs that various countries hold around the world (Zastrow and Ashman 2010). While many countries have embraced technology such as digital cameras, others view these devices to be an invasion of their privacy especially in countries that limit the photographing of national symbols and statues. This impedes the sale of the company’s products to these countries because of their view of imaging technology as an invasion of personal privacy (Osborne and Brown 2005: Anderson et al 1999). Recommendation In order for K odak to become the world leader in the production of digital imagery products and services the company should intensify its strategic alliances with other companies within the industry to ensure that it increases its market share. The company could also share its brand name and logo with other companies such as Sony, Canon or Fuji film especially in its low performing product lines such as the digital scanners. The company should also consider expanding its operations in countries such as China and India as well as other eastern countries that have continued to experience rapid growth and developments especially in their technological industries. Kodak should also consider acquiring technology firms that have demonstrated an increased rate in the production of technological innovations to ensure that it has up to date digital products. Conclusion The 5P’s for strategy have shown that the company has incorporated the use of various strategies to achieve its business goals and objectives. The PEST analysis has however shown that the company faces a tough external environment that might affect its business strategies and objectives. The company therefore needs to reassess its business strategies and goals to deal with the external environmental factors that might affect its business operations to ensure that it remains relevant in the current competitive environment as well as survive the external pressures. References Applegate, E., and Johnsen, A., (2007) Cases in advertising and marketing  management. Maryland, US: Rowman and Littlefield Anderson, R.E., Carter, I.E., and Lowe, G., (1999) Human behaviour in the social  environment: a social systems approach. New York: Transaction Books BBC (2004) Kodak sues Sony in patent row. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3547689.stm Barney, J. B. and Hesterly, W.S. (2006) Strategic Management and Competitive  Advantage. Pearson Prentice Hall: New Jersey, 2006. Barnwell, H., (2006) CIMA learni ng system test of professional competence in  management accounting. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Bensoussan, B. E. and Fleisher, C.S., (2008) Analysis without paralysis: 10 tools to  make better strategic decisions. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Bilton, C., (2007) Management and creativity: from creative industries to creative  management. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Bilton, C., and Cummings, S., (2010) Creative strategy: reconnecting business and  innovation. Chichester, UK: John Wiley and Sons Buytendijk, F., (2010) Dealing with dilemmas: where business analytics fall short. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons Inc. Capon, C., (2008) Understanding strategic management. New York: Financial Times Campbell, D., Stonehouse, G., and Houston, B., (2002) Business strategy. Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann Carsrud, A.L., and Brannback, M.E., (2007) Entrepreneurship. Westport, US: Greenwood Publishing group. Chappelet, J.L., and Bayle, E., (2005) Strategic and perform ance management of  Olympic sport organizations. Illinois, US: Human Kinetics Clausen, L., (2003) Global news production. Denmark: Copenhagen Business School Press Davies, B., and Ellison, L., (1999) Strategic direction and development school. New York: Routledge Digital Photography (2004) Kodak vs Sony: Patent war. Available at: livingroom.org.au/photolog/news/odak_vs_sony_patent_war.php Dinsmore, P.C., and Brewin, J.C., (2010) The AMA handbook of project management. New York: AMACOM Ehrnreich, K.R., (2004) Like people: the underutilisation of people’s qualities and  capabilities. Amsterdam: Rozenberg Publishers Evans, N., Campbell, D., and Stonehouse, G., (2003) Strategic management for travel  and tourism. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Fullen, S.L., and Podmoroff, D., (2006) How to write a great business plan for your  small business in 60 minutes or less. Florida: Atlantic Publishing Group Inc Frankenberger, S., (2006) Management of regulatory influences on corporate stra tegy  and structure. Germany: Deutscher Universitats-Verlag Gane, M., (2007) Forest strategy: strategic management and sustainable development. New York: Springer Grant, R.M., (2005) Contemporary strategy analysis. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Gregory, A., (2000) Planning and managing public relations campaigns. London: Kogan Page Limited Gia, K.P., (2008) Case study: Kodak at a crossroads: the transition from film-based to  digital photography. Norderstedt, Germany: GRIN Verlag Gronfeldt, S., and Strother, J.B., (2006) Service leadership: the quest for competitive  advantage. California: Sage Publications Gustavson, T., (2009) Camera; a history of photography from Daguerreotype to digital. US: Sterling Innovation Gwartney, J.D., Stroup, R.L., Sobel, R.S., and MacPherson, D., (2009) Economics:  private and public choice. Ohio, US: South-Western Cengage Learning Hoehn, T., (2009) Kodak: why content strategy is the key to marketing. Available at: http://blog.junta42.com/co ntent_marketing_blog/2009/05/odak-why-content-strategy-is-the-key-to-marketing.html Institute for Manufacturing (2010) Mintzberg’s 5 Ps for strategy. Available at: ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/dstools/paradigm/5pstrat.html International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) (2010) About I3A. Available at: i3a.org/about-i3a/synopsis Kew, J., and Stredwick (2005) Business environment: managing in a strategic context. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Kodak (2010) History of Kodak. Available at: kodak.com/global/en/corp/historyOfKodak/historyIntro.jhtml?pq-path=2217/2687 Kodak.Com (2004) Eastman Kodak company 2003 annual report and 2004 proxy  statement. Available at: kodak.com/US/en/corp/annualReport03/letter/letter1.shtml Kodak Graphics (2010) Industry solutions. Available at: http://graphics.kodak.com/docimaging/us/en/industry_solutions/index.htm Kodak Financial (2010) Eastman Kodak Company 2008 annual report. Washington, D.C.: Securities and Exchange Commiss ion Kodak Kiosk (2010) Kodak Picture kiosk. Available at: kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=7959pq-locale=en_US_requestid=39900 Kodak Patents (2010) Camera printers. Available at: http://kodakpatents.org/ Kodak Store (2010) Easyshare digital cameras. Available at: http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/list/Digital_Cameras/categoryID.28887600 Khosrowpour, M., (2008) Utilizing and managing commerce and services online. London : Idea Group Inc. Kurtz, D.L., MacKenzie, H.F., and Snow, K., (2010) Contemporary marketing. Canada: Cengage Brain Lechner, C., (2005) A primer to strategy process research. Germany: Cuvillier Verlag Magalhaes, R., (2004) Organizational knowledge and technology: an action-oriented  perspective on organization and information systems. Massachusetts, US: Edward Elgar Publishing Marx, K., (2004) The role of the social context for strategy-making. Germany: Springer Science McCabe, S., (2010) Corporate strategy in construction: understanding todayâ €™s theory  and practice. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Mendes, G., (2010) What went wrong at Eastman Kodak?: strategic analysis. Available at: https://www.google.com/url?q=http://strategytank.awardspace.com/articles/What%2520went%2520wrong%2520at%2520Eastman%2520Kodak.pdfsa=Uei=pb37TNafM4i28QOvtpWEDAved=0CBoQFjACusg=AFQjCNGT5L68WeTz8SE36uTKcAfU0cbWJg Mintzberg, H., (2007) Tracking strategies: toward a general theory. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press Mintzberg, H., Ahlstrand, B.W., and Lampel, J., (2005) Strategy bites back. New York: Prentice Hall Financial Times Mintzberg, H., and Ghoshal, S., (2003) The strategy process: concepts, contexts,  cases. New Jersey: Pearson Education Morden, T., (2004) Principles of management. England, UK: Ashgate Publishing Morris, P., and Pinto, J.K., (2007) The Wiley guide to project, program and portfolio  management. New Jersey, US: John Wiley and Sons Limited Murat, J.K., (2008) The history of Kodak, how it all started and evolv ed. Available at: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-History-of-Kodak,-How-it-All-Started-and-Evolvedid=974223 Northeast, P., (2007) Kodak’s new digital photo sensor. Available at: suite101.com/content/kodaks-new-digital-photo-sensor-a31444 OECD (2009) The financial crisis: reform and exit strategies. United States : OECD Publishing Osborne, S.P., and Brown, K., (2005) Managing change and innovation in public service  organizations. New York: Routledge Phillips, C., Doole, I., and Lowe, R., (2004) International marketing strategy: analysis,  development and implementation. London, UK: Routledge Reliable Plant (2010) Kodak sharpens focus, plans leaner cost structure. Available at: reliableplant.com/Read/15757/odak-sharpens-focus,-plans-leaner-cost-structure Schweibenz, E., and Cabral, R., (2010) Kodak files New 337 complaint regarding  certain mobile telephones featuring digital cameras. Available at: itcblog.com/20100115/odak-files-new-337-complaint-regarding-certain-mobi le-telephones-and-wireless-communication-devices-featuring-digital-cameras/ Seed, S., (2006) Case analysis: Eastman Kodak Company. United States: Pacific Lutheran University Service Architecture (2010) International imaging industry association (I3A). Available at: service-architecture.com/xml/articles/i3a.html Simons, R., (2005) Levers of organization design: how managers use accountability  systems. United States: Harvard Business press Smith, P., Berry, C., and Pulford, A., (1999) Strategic marketing communications: new  ways to build and integrate communications. London: Kogan Page Limited Smith, B., and Raspin, P.G., (2008) Creating market insight: how firms create value  from market understanding. England: John Wiley and Sons Limited. Tate, W., (2009) The search for leadership: an organizational perspective. United Kingdom: Triarchy Press Thomases, H., (2010) Twitter marketing: an hour a day. Indianapolis, US: Wiley Publishing Tovstiga, G., (2010) Strategy in practice: a practitioner’s guide to strategic thinking. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. Tiwari, R., (2009) Tourism management: managing for change. New Delhi, India: Global India Publications Limited Turner, S., (2010) The little black book of management: essential tools for getting  results now. United States: McGraw Hill Companies Qin, Z., (2009) Introduction to E-commerce. Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag Quick MBA (2010) PEST analysis. Available at: quickmba.com/strategy/pest/ Wagner, S.L., (2006) Governance and organizational dynamics. United States: Medical Group Management Association. Worthington, I., and Britton, C., (2006) The business environment. New York: Prentice Hall Yunhao (2005) Technology for a digital world. Available at: yunhao.com.cn/Case_Kodak.htm Zastrow, C., and Ashman, K.K., (2010) Understanding human behaviour and the social  environment. California, US: Cengage Learning

Cognitive Development Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cognitive Development Theory - Essay Example This test was adopted to be used in the United States in 1905 by a psychologist called Lewis Terman (Morra, 2008). The intelligent quotient has its scoring concept based on the mental age. In this test, the average intelligence of a child needs to match with his/her age. However, a gifted child has his or her performance compared to that of older children while the slow leaners are identified through comparisons with younger children. There are a number of theories of cognitive development, yet there is none that gives explanations to all the cognitive development aspects. The Jean Piaget theory is one of the most comprehensive and influential postulate. Jean argues that intelligence is an enabling agent for one to adapt to an environment. Ones intelligence is shown by his or her response towards a certain stimuli. He was interested in the reaction of children towards the environment (Morra, 2008). The knowledge of a child contains basic units referred to as schemas which organize ex periences acquired in the past and provide grounds in which new ones are understood. Piaget establishes four main stages of development and each of these stages build on the experiences a child acquires from the previous stage. These stages include; 1) Sensory or infancy stage: During this period intelligence is shown through the reflex activity that does not involve the use of symbols. The knowledge develops in a limited manner as a result of reduced physical, interactive activities and various experiences gained. Infants begin learning the world around them by using their senses. They mostly focus on the movement of various objects around them, separate pitch and sounds, perceive colors and anticipate events such as suckling once they see their mothers nipples. 2) Pre-operational stage also known as toddler or early childhood: Here, the child’s intelligence is demonstrated by the involvement of symbols. It is also associated by development of memory and imaginations, improv ement of language, and predomination of opportunistic thinking. However, thinking is demonstrated in an illogical or irreversible manner. Toddlers strive to be independent posing a challenge of their safety to the parents. They also show an understanding of what is appropriate or not. They are knowledgeable on the permanence and displacement of the various objects or people, and starts using different tools and instruments within their reach. 3) Concrete operational stage also referred to as elementary and early adolescence: This stage is characterized by logical interpretation and systematic analysis of symbols that relates to concrete events and objects (Morra, 2008). Reversible mental actions dominate while the egocentric thinking diminishes. At this stage, they acquire imagery, memorizing and social interaction skills. They learn negative actions such as lying, abusing and bullying. 4) Formal operational stage also known as adolescence and adulthood: Abstract concepts and logica l application of symbols describe the intelligence in this stage. Formal thinking and a slight demonstration of egocentrism characterize this people. Their judgments on various occurrences are based on their ability to analyze past experiences. School age children are able to think on what is possible and stop limiting their thoughts to what is real. Their thinking is hypothetical. They are able to comprehend abstract ideas in a logical manner,

Violent video games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Violent video games - Essay Example a popular source of entertainment for many members of society, some critics have raised concerns over their effects on the behavior of their enthusiasts. More especially, they note that violent video games lead members of society to be violent in behavior. This paper will analyze the extent to which violent video games cause their enthusiasts to behave violently. Many video games have scenes that depict violence or aggression as noted by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (2014). For a video game to be categorized as violent, it probably falls under the category teen, mature, or adults only. Under the teen (13+) category, the content descriptors for include: talks on alcohol, comic mischief, and language that is a bit harsh (Hughs 2007). Examples of games under this category are The Sims 2 Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff. Under mature category, the rating takes into consideration the presence or absence of suggestive themes, blood, language that’s strong, violence, harsh humor (Hughs 2007). One example of a video game that falls under the mature category is Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. In the adult category, content descriptors include blood and gored blood scenes, intense violence, nakedness, strong language, strong sexual content, and use of illicit drugs. One video game that falls under this category is Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Hughs 2007). Whatever the category, a video game is considered to be violent in nature if it generally features violence, strong language, and weapons. Weapons used in some violent videos include chainsaws, machine guns, machetes, and grenades that make the killing bloodier (Ferguson & Garza 2011). Some violent video games are event characterized by gang warfare that include killing of police and pedestrians, shooting while driving, and racial factors where white heroes kill back victims as noted by Ferguson and Garza (2011). Some of these have the player advance by the making their killing most horrific.

Three Kings Comparison Essay Example for Free

Three Kings Comparison Essay Art in the ancient times was very important in history and that it was also used to signify some important occasions like during offerings, for example in the Chinese traditions; it was also used for decoration and making of monument for remembrance especially in the roman empire and Egypt. Making of portraits of political and religious leaders became very popular in Roman Empire, the empires that occupied the gulf region and Egypt. The making of portrait sculptures has undergone a notable change and still today the making of sculpture portraits of political leaders is still evident. Creativity and other aspects of art and craft work has been very dynamic since the primitive and ancient civilization period to the modern day and also varying from down-to-earth and sacred to modernist abstract. The history of sculpturing activities date back to about 4000 years ago and it appears to have begun in the are around the gulf valley between river Tigris and Euphrates where strong empires were first established including Persian, Chaldean, Assyrian, Sumerian and Babylon empires. Portrait Sculptures There are many portraits that were excavated in the ancient times and some of the examples include artistic work diorite on marble, hammered gold, diorite and lapis lazuli. The artistic works from the Sumerian art are much idealized in terms of the external features and they date back to 2400 BC. The works of art carried out in the Sumerian era appear to have taken in a lot of creativity and a definite form of architecture and was quite elaborate and also complicated (Bailey 2005 Evans 2007)). Clay was the most readily available material and due to this, it was commonly used for sculpturing since other materials like wood, metals and carving stones had to b e imported from abroad. Other forms of art included drawings and paintings. The subjects of the sculpturing were mainly patricians and particularly the political rulers (emperors). The copies of the sculptures were distributed all over the empire for instance in the Roman Empire, the portrait sculpture entrenched the roman civic intrinsic worth and set the standard for the other nations public portrait sculpture since then (Bailey 2005). The most notable is the portrait of Emperor Constantine. Most of the art work that was obtained during the destruction of the empires in the barbarian invasion and Christian transformation; the materials used to make the sculptures were lime and bronze, the marble was burnt to lime while bronze was melted for other uses. Other important portraits were discovered in the countries that are found in the gulf region and these forms of art were basically Sumerian type and Akkadian types and dated back to 24,000 to 22,000 BC when the Babylon kingdoms flourished in the Middle East (Evans 2007). Tell Asmar Portraits The sculptures described as tell Asmar portraits were discovered in the gulf region that is between river Tigris and river Euphrates (Mesopotamia) at a site known Tell Asmar. The statues were the most realistic of the ancient sculptures and they measured about 42 centimeters average height. The eyes were clearly engraved and appeared to be protruding with clutched hands (Bailey 2005). Initially, most of the portrait sculptures were made using material like soft stone, ivory and even clay. As the Sumerian and Akkadian art developed during the early age civilization, ballast, sandstone, diorites and alabaster became popular materials for use in sculpture making. However some sculptures were identified as being high quality and for these reason the material used were expensive and long lasting; the material for such high quality portraits included gold, silver, copper and several precious stones (Evans 2007). Clay was a material that was used to make pots and terra cotta sculptures while stone was not commonly used since it was scarce and had to be imported from other empires. The portraits discovered at Tell Asmar as mentioned had staring eyes and the men’s statues had a distinct beard. The recent statues than were found in 2700 BC revealed that the materials used were votive stones and were excavated in royal cemetery at Ur. Other sculptures were made from gypsum (calcium sulphate), in the ancient times, gypsum was heated to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit and turned to white powder commonly referred to as plaster of Paris, the powder is mixed with water to make a semi solid substance that can be modeled into a sculpture(Bailey 2005). Some of the statues are preserved in museums. King Tutankhamun Portrait The portrait of king Tutankhamun is widely appreciated form of art that was used for religious purpose during the mummification of the Pharaoh. Tutankhamun was a powerful pharaoh in Egypt in the 18th dynasty which lasted between 1333 BC and 1324 BC. He is identified as the eighteenth dynasty king in the history of Egypt. The discovery of the king’s tomb in 1922 by Howard carter brought about increased interest in the history of Egypt and the works of art. After the death of Egyptian pharaohs, they were preserved by the process of mummification so as to prevent decay (Cox 2004). The making of portrait in Egypt was unique especially the pharaoh mummies. The making of a mummy was a king of magical procedure that lead to instantaneous mummification and loss of life force from the king’s body. Other objects in the tomb of the pharaoh included baskets of doum fruit (it’s a product of palm tree) customarily offered during funerals (Cox 2004). The king’s official seal was made of clay which is assumed to have contained treasures that the pharaoh had to travel with to the heavens in his eternal being. King Tutankhamun commonly referred to as King Tut was very young at the time of his death. This is evidenced by the mammy that was unearthed covered in linen and preserved by mummification. The body was kept in a sarcophagus (a stone box in which a coffin can be kept). King Tut’s sarcophagus was made using yellow quartzite and was made of three coffins made of pure gold. The king’s face was reconstructed from the mummy and the body still lies in the valley of kings where his tomb is and the temperature is regulated to prevent further decay (Bailey 2005). The statues from Sumerian art in Tell Asmar appeared to be realistic, the pharaoh’s mummy is stylish and ideal as it did not make use of other material rather the real body preservation. In the year 2005, a team of scientists developed the facial likeness of the king using computer tonography scan of the Pharaohs skull. King Sargon Most of the early works of art were originally discovered during the early civilization as the works of art are related to the evolution of writing and other historical occurrences like the agrarian revolution. Sargon King ruled Akkadian dynasty in the region famously known as Mesopotamia during the period between 2340 and 2305 BC. This dynasty is believed to have been established by Sargon and it existed for about 160 years following its foundation. Sargon was one of the powerful leaders during his reign and he established a strong Semitic dynasty in the gulf region (Bailey 2005). His portrait was made as a monument to remember him throughout the empire. His rule faced a lot of rebellion and at his death; many believed that it was a punitive measure from the gods. The portrait was made to sit on a hard slab and the hand were clasped in the position of making a prayer and was naked above the waist with a skirt inquisitively made to appear as overlapping to indicate thick coat. This is because the men generally wore skirts weaved from wool and those of higher ranks had a toga like piece of clothe that was used to cover the shoulders (Evans 2007). As expected, the portrait had a long and heavy beard and long hair and these were basically painted black. The eyes were curved out clearly and that they eyebrows could be seen distinctively as emphasized with inlay that was colored. The carvings in the near east and middle east were very attractive and are considered to be very stylish as the features are very distinct and clearly engraved compared to the Egyptian sculptures which were basically slabs. The stylish carving in the Akkadian empire has been attributed to the fact that stones for sculpturing were very rare and therefore the few that could be obtained had to be given maximum attention and highest standard of creativity (Bailey 2005). It is clear that those portraits from Sumerian and Akkadian empire are very stylistic in design and the distinction can be drawn from the Egyptian types which are mostly blocks standing freely and mostly having basic geometric shapes. There being deficiency in stones, the sculptors in Sumerian dynasty and Akkadian empires relied on other alternative material like metals, wax copper and gypsum. These materials required a lot of attention and as such the stimulated sense of creativity idealism and style. Having to model clay, cast metals and heat gypsum to melt them in order to make the sculptures enabled the Tell Asmar people and those from other parts of Mesopotamia learnt to conserved the material hence making to make very good sculptures that utilized the little material that could be obtained(Bailey 2005). Conclusion The creation of sculptures developed different styles of making sculptures during the ancient times and the development of the dynasties in the near and middle east. The significant examples include the Tall Al asmar sculptures which are simply primitive forms of geometry. The progress of this lead to smoothening of curves and indicating naturalism and finally the dynasty showed attempts of portraiture References Bailey D. (2005). Prehistoric Figurines. Representation and Corporeality in the Neolithic. Routledge Publishers. Cox B. (2004). Constructing Kingship in Ancient Near Eastern Visual Culture. Art History. Dartmouth College. Evans J. M. (2007). The Square Temple at Tell Asmar and the Construction of Early Dynastic Mesopotamia. Ca 29000 to 2350 American Journal of Archeology.