Analysis of Competitive Environment Models and Tools Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Competitive Environment Models and Tools Essay Introduction   Ã¢â‚¬ËœClosed’ systems are described as systems having no relationship, communications and interface to its outside world.   Systems including human organizations, which is self-sustaining (both food producing and waste material recycling) has always been in touched with other organizations and its environment.   Imagine an entity floating in outer space carrying living organisms in it.   And such are producing their own food, energy and raw materials needed for survival.   But such entity will die in the future for it will need to replenish its need, energy to use and food to eat.    This fact makes an entity virtually lonely and survival impossible, thus organizations, social groups and social entities are interconnected. This connections and interactions render them as ‘open’ entities.   This connection allows entities to exchange the necessary things that will allow the survival and sustainability of its existence.   Organizations interact with its environment and other organizations for resources, information and technology, weapons, goods and services.   Thus transformation of organization becomes inevitable.   The point is it is a necessity rather than a requirement for organizations to work with or against other organizations and its environment for growth, survival and development.   A typical example of an entity, which houses everything that it needs and for its consumer: the hypermarkets. Hypermarket is a combination of a supermarket and a department store. It is a huge retail store which house a wide range of products. A well planned hypermarket allows a consumer to purchase everything in this type of facility. Like malls and grocery stores, hypermarkets follows a   on high-volume, low-margin sales model. The size of hypermarket facility covers an average of 150,000 square feet.   Such facilities are located on suburban and highly accessible areas for vehicles to accommodate large numbers of shoppers. (Wikipedia, 2007). In 1957, Carrefour was the first to introduce hypermarkets in 1957 owned by Fournier and Defforey (Wikipedia, sec 1).   This entity targeted a wide range of customers that the concept of housing all the necessary things human beings would possibly need was made in one entity.   Analysing this kind of organization using the different environmental analysis models and tools, we can get rich lessons from   Carrefour. The STEP checklist (Social, Technological, Economic and Political). STEP is simple and has many applications in many fields.   STEP is an acronym, which stands for Social, Technological, Economic and Political Checklist.   This method determines the factors that influences organizations/entities accurately and systematically.   The STEP checklist facilitates ease of determining the factors that influences the organization (Armson et al, 12-13). Social factors include demography, culture and values of an organization, vision and mission. The physical aspects of the society are measured by sociological factors like age, class, trends in migration and emigration, and so on.   Carrefour had integrated a multilevel marketing strategy based on this indicator.   A family as a unit has special need for each member. If Carrefour could bring all these needs in one place, the family need not go on separate ways.   As they acquire the needs, the company of each member is not sacrificed.   Exchange of opinions regarding clothes for each member and the amount of consumption and expenditure is also discussed while they go shopping around. Technological factors refer to machines, discoveries and techniques developed that improve communication, systems, and the general way of life.   Economic factors refer to the financial growth, family income and other economic indicators.   Political factor translates to the rules and regulations, government and system of governance and the political direction of the organization in terms of leadership.   Carrefour in this example had brought in together in one place the advances in technology.   The barcodes that we have, the electronic transactions that we have are all products of the chain reaction in putting together shops in one place.   The need for efficiency and fast movement of goods was conceptualized little by little. The Transformation Model The STEP model is an overview of everything that occurs in an organization.   It determines individual movement of society and its causal agent.   In transformation model, inputs determine the output using a certain ‘transformation’ process. This Input-Process-Output process has been borrowed from Ludwig von Bertalanffy in 1950 in his general systems theory (Wikipedia, par 1, sec. 1).   This theory is an approach that looks into the properties of systems in terms of relationships and processes and those that emerge from these relationships and processes which also conveys the whole. In the point of view of customer relations, Carrefour had encountered a lot of challenges that it evolved into an efficient system of customer service.   A special section perhaps dealing with product complains, product testing and purchase returns was created.   The reaction to its competitors was to move the same. Show the customer concerns and care for their needs as they value their hard earned money.   Other inputs like management had evolved from simple to complex structure.   But as this processes occurred, everything also move with them like customer perception, supplier value-adding activities, government regulations and even lifestyle of the community which they exist. Mintzberg’s ‘Physiognomy’ Physiognomy was used by palm readers to read lines in human hands in relation to the human character.   In this case, we use faces to read characters of organizations.   Mintzberg believes that organizations should forged links or ‘coalitions’.   These coalitions are useful when problems that require resolution arise.   When the different interests relating to the problem represent different groups, power groups are said to arise (Armson et al, 12-13). In addition to this, Mintzberg created ‘cast lists’ of every groups and/or coalition, which could be used as checklist also.   He named key players in these coalitions such as owners, associates, associations, and publics. Economic Sector Analysis Another method of dissecting business environment is the use of sectors and markets in the economics point of view (Armson et al, 14-15).   Economists termed sector (more like industries) in the use of economic activities.   In a sector, similar goods and services are produce such that each is affected by one another.   For example, a growing sector affects other sectors as well as the organizations within that sector.   Whether these effects are large or small, the use of sector analysis allows us to explore organizations in the same sector especially what is distinct in that organization.   Again Carrefour as a hypermarket entity pioneer spurred other hypermarket entities to compete and also join industries to lobby for government policies. References: Armson, Rosalind, John Martin, Susan Carr, Roger Spear and Walsh Tony. The Open University: Managing in Organizations: Identifying Environmental Issues. 1995. p11-15. General Systems Theory. Wikipedia- the Free Encyclopedia.   2006. http://en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/ Systems_theory. Hypermarket.   Wikipedia- the free encyclopedia: 2007 http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/hypermarket â€Å"Carrefour† Wikipedia- the free encyclopedia.   12 February 2007. http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Carrefour

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Has anyone ever deliberately left you? Left you alone, feeling deserted, isolated, and by yourself? Imagine you were abandoned by those who were supposed to love you from the day you were born until this present day. How would that make you feel? In Toni Morrison’s first novel, The Bluest Eye, she examines the causes, effects, and consequences of abandonment through one character, Cholly Breedlove. As well as the ways he eventually destroys himself and also those around him. Even before his birth, Cholly Breedlove has felt the vicious sting of loneliness. Cholly Breedlove was born to a young mother who, after four days of life, discarded him in "the rim of a tire under a soft black Georgia sky" (133). His father decided to leave his mother even before Cholly was born. Fortunately, he was rescued by his Great Aunt Jimmy, who raised him thereafter. He grew an intense love for his Aunt Jimmy, but her death marked the first of many episodes that began a downward spiral of his adolescent life. At Aunt Jimmy’s funeral, Cholly is placed into a traumatic world of racism when two white hunters interrupt him having clumsy sexual intercourse with a young girl, Darlene. He immediately transfers his angry energy to Darlene because he realizes that hating two white men would not be the smartest thing to do in a segregated racist world. â€Å"Never did he once consider directing his hatred toward the hunters. Such an emotion would have destroyed him†¦--that hating them would have consumed him, burned him up like a piece of soft coal, leaving only flakes of as and a question mark of smoke† (119). The white men are out of his reach, and Cholly grows to hate and kill white men. His masculinity was revoked when those two men forced him to continue having sex while they hilariously watched. Cholly abandoned Darlene when he found out she might be pregnant; most likely because he was abandoned by his father as a child. "He had to get away. Never mind the fact that he was leaving that very day†¦Cholly knew it was wrong to run out on a pregnant girl, and recalled, with sympathy, that his father had done just that to him. Now he understood. He knew then what he must do--find his father. His father would understand" (120). After being â€Å"abandoned in a junk heap by his mother, rejected for a crap game by his father, there was nothing more to lose† with Cholly Breedlove.

Japanese Foreign Policy and Economic Aggressions

A major part of Japan†s history from the late Nineteenth Century up to 1914 was military aggression. During this period there were many economic, social and political pressures that facilitated military expansion. Japanese militarism manifested on the Asian mainland in wars, aggression and military presence on foreign soil. Japan†s foreign policy was influenced by it†s government, education, religion and social structure. Economic pressures facilitating military expansion up to 1914. Japan was a new consumer economy that had changed from feudal economy in a very short time period of forty years. This caused many problems and in the 1890†³s Japan was in a severe economic depression and Japan was importing far more than they were exporting. Japan found it difficult to break into established overseas markets where countries had been trading for much longer than Japan. And so Japan was under pressure to expand it†s borders for raw materials and new overseas markets to sell to. Japan also wanted recognition from the western powers as a valuable market. During this time period there was also social pressures for Japan to expand. The traditional Bushido, the fighting spirit of Japan enabled the military to expand, as opposed to if Japan were a more peaceful, pacifist country. A change in social structure meant that anyone could become part of the army from the old class of the Samurai warriors. In 1873 conscription was introduced mainly from peasants to serve three years, with the motto, â€Å"Enrich the country, strengthen the army†. Another social pressure to expand was increased urbanisation. By 1907, Tokyo and Osaka had waterworks and other public facilities, but before this and in many other cities they had no amenities like modern sewerage systems. There was also pollution, a problem encountered by every country during industrialisation especially prominent due to the cramped conditions of Japanese cities. Political pressures also helped Japan to expand up to 1914. There were many changes to the political system that moved it towards a more centralised and democratic system. This meant that there was national power, which led to nationalism within the people of Japan. Despite this nationalism there was widespread discontent within Japan with new land tax on the peasants and low wages for workers in the cities. The government saw expansion as a way to distract them from their problems and focus on wars abroad. Again Japan wanted international recognition as a power, the government saw examples of other strong countries expanding like Britain in India and France in Indo-China. Japan needed this recognition for bargaining power with the Western Powers. Japanese Militarism manifested on the Asian mainland in the Sino-Japanese War(1894-95). This war was over China†s and Japan†s interest in Korea, where both countries wanted to influence the government and prevent Western influence. China had claimed control over Korea for many years, but as it was in such close proximity and was rich in the raw materials of coal and iron, Japan was interested. Japan forced Korea to trade and declare itself independent of China, while China continued to financially assist conservative officials in connection with the royal family. After troubles in Korea both countries sent in troops, but war was avoided by the signing of the Li-Ito Convention(1885). But in 1894 both China and Japan sent forces into Korea on the request of the King due to a rebellion. After this Japan refused to remove troops from Korea and so war was declared on 1st of August 1894. Western countries were amazed at how easily Japan defeated China. China had a large and fairly modern navy, but it†s army lacked trained men and so they lost badly. China did not have the modern warfare methods of Japan which soon had total control over Korea. China agreed to pay a large indemnity to Japan and to give all the trading privileges to Japan. Japanese victory marked the emergence of Japan as a major world power and demonstrated the weakness of the Chinese Empire. Later though the victory was dampened by the Triple Intervention of France, Russia and Germany, which forced Japan to return the Liaotung Peninsula to China. In the Russo-Japanese War(1904-05) Japanese forces also manifested on the Asian mainland. War began on the 8th of February 1904 when Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on a Russian naval base in Port Aurthur. Russia had huge numbers of manpower but the war 8000km from Moscow, linked by only one railway and lacked support of the Russian people. Meanwhile Japan was within easy distance of the battle and although they had few soldiers in comparison they were well led and supported. After a long battle at sea where both parties had suffered high casualties the war was ended by the American President, Roosevelt. Russia was forced to recognise Japan†s intense interests in Korea, transfer the lease of the Liaotung Peninsula to Japan and give Japan power over the railway between Port Arthur to Mukden. Japan was refused their request of indemnity from Russia but was not willing to fight another war for it. The Russo-Japanese War forced Russia to abandon its expansionist policy in the Far East and it was the first time that an Asian power had defeated a European power. In 1910, Japan formally established a protectorate over Korea. The Japanese government assisted foreign policy and was influenced by it. The government was backed by the army, which was important as no government could continue without it. In return the government introduced conscription and provided monetary support. With a successful foreign policy, the government grew more confident in dealings with other countries. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance(1902) was a definite confidence booster for the government. By it, Japan and Britain agreed that if two powers attacked either then the other must help. Education also assisted in and influenced by the success of Japan†s foreign policy. In Japan education became compulsory in 1872, and was centrally run. The Japanese education system glorified the Emperor, and the idea that the interests of the nation is more important than one†s own. Uniformity and nationalism were incorporated into the education system along with obedience to authority, all attributes associated with the armed forces. In turn the education system grew more militaristic and praised Japan†s successes in foreign policy. Religion also helped foster a successful foreign policy. Shinto co-existed peacefully with other religions in Japan until the late 1870†³s when the modernizing government suppressed other religions and adapted Shinto teachings for government propaganda in support of the military. The government stressed that Shinto was the best religion as it wasn†t a foreign religion, like Buddhism and Christianity and so was better for the Japanese. Shinto taught loyalty, respect and obedience to the Emperor. And so the Emperor†s decisions in relation to foreign policy was not questioned. Religion was successfully influenced by Japan†s foreign policy as it became even more obedient to the Emperor and in the land that Japan acquired through their foreign policy, Shinto was spread. Japan†s social structure also assisted foreign policy. Japan†s social structure was organised in such a way that they were not to question authority, and so the armed forces did not have to look for approval of their foreign policy. In Japan it was considered a privilege, not a duty, to fight for one†s country. The social structure was influenced in the way it looked up to the military and as Japan became a world power with annexes in Korea and Taiwan, it boosted confidence and nationalism within all classes of society. Japan was pressured in economic, social and political areas to expand it†s borders. Japan†s military manifested on the Asian mainland during the Sino-Japanese War(1894-95) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05). Nationalism and Militarism filtrated into every aspect of Japanese life, including government, education, religion and social structure.

The Civil War Was The Emancipation Of Enslaved Populations

The most significant outcome of the Civil War was the emancipation of enslaved populations. Discuss some the ways they entered free society and their treatment both good and bad. The American Civil War started in 1861 and it was a war fought within the United States of America between the Union, which was the North, and the Confederacy, which was the South. The war ended in 1865, which was only a 4-year war, however it was one of the most destructive events in American history costing approximately 620,000 soldiers. People died from accidents, starvation and a lot died of diseases in the field. Many still debate why the Civil War started, and there were many causes such as economic problems, political, and social, however as James Mcpherson wrote The Civil War started because of uncompromising differences between the free and slave states over the power of the national government to prohibit slavery in the territories that had not yet become states. When Abraham Lincoln won election in 1860 as the first Republican president on a platform pledging to keep slavery out of the territories, seven slave states in the deep South seceded and formed a new nation, the Confederate States of America. The incoming Lincoln administration and the majority of the Northern people refused to recognize the legitimacy of secession. They feared that it would discredit democracy and create a fatal precedent that would eventually fragment the no-longer United States into several small,Show MoreRelatedThe Glory Field By Walter Dean Myers1265 Words   |  6 PagesSadie Hosler 2 hour 11/09/15 Slavery to Segregation; Civil War to Civil Rights The Glory Field is a novel by Walter Dean Myers that follows the Lewis family through racism and segregation. It starts with Muhammad Bilal being captured from Africa in 1753. It follows through to see young Lizzy escape from slavery on the live Oaks plantation in South Carolina in 1864. 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