Groupwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Groupwork - Essay Example Group dynamics are increasingly becoming a topic of interest because of online, social interaction made possible by the internet. Although this model refers to the overall pattern of the group,it should be noted that individuals within a group have distinct ways of working. If distrust persists, a group may never even reach the norming stage. Group-dynamic games are experiential education exercises which aid people in learning about themselves, develop and enrich interpersonal relationships, and assess how groups function from a group dynamics or social psychological point of view. Group dynamics can be understood as complex from an interpersonal relationships point of view because it may involve relationships between two people ,relationships between a person and a group or relationships between groups . Group-dynamic games are specifically designed for the purpose of furthering personal development, character building, and teamwork via a Group-dynamic milieu. The group leader may sometimes also be the game leader, or between peers, the leadership and game-rules can vary. Some games may require large spaces, special objects and tools, quietness or many before-game and after-game requirements. existing games may need modification when aged, frail or disabled people are involved. The use of group dynamic activities have been used for years in conflict resolution, anger management and team building and many other areas such as drug rehabilitation and drama therapy. The propensity of children for peer-group

Facilitating the Project Lifecycle the Skills & Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams Essay Example for Free

Facilitating the Project Lifecycle the Skills Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams Essay One of the most important aspects to put into consideration when taking up a project is project risk management. A project risk is an event / condition, which is uncertain that, upon it occurrence brings either a positive or a negative impact on the project. A positive manager should consider this as one of the ten knowledge areas where competence is highly regarded. Risk management is critical, especially to organizations working I multi-project environments and the maturity for risk is high. A wide range of risks is apparent when working in projects involving construction among other engineering work. These risks are mostly attributed to government policy, diversity in stakeholders’ aspirations and the challenges of adding multiple projects. For a good risk management process, there must be a clear statement and understanding of roles and responsibilities, proper skills on technical analysis and the prevailing organizational factors should support the project. Project risk management involves identifying, assessing and prioritizing of risks: and thereafter putting resources to use in order to reduce, monitor and control those risks that could affect the project negatively and increase realizing of opportunities. This report seeks to outline the knowledge acquired on management of risk in projects. Discussion               All organizations exist for their own different purposes, and that of public engineering organizations in the construction business, the purpose is to deliver a service, which brings a beneficial result in the public/ stakeholders interest. Decisions to pump resources into investments on capital infrastructure are prompted by needs that are meant to enhance the achievement of the major purpose. According to Flanagan and Norman (1993), the benefits of efficient risk management are evident especially in projects involving capital infrastructure because they are dynamic in nature and bring positive cost implications from the construction related decisions. Risk management should be taken as an intrinsic part of capital infrastructure investment decisions mainly because, as project ventures get more elaborate, the role of risk management is exemplified. In regard to this realization, some countries have enacted government policies on constructors emphasizing on th e need to incorporate risk management in capital infrastructure schemes. Risk is therefore, in many occasions, viewed as a condition or event whose occurrence will have adverse effects on the project and may hinder the attainment of set objectives. Hence, risk management relates decisions to such probable harmful effects.                  This philosophical approach to risk management enables the process to be broken down into four fundamental sub-processes. These involve identification, analysis, response and monitoring. The former step of identification is the most critical step because it has the biggest effect on decisions emanating from the process of risk management. Reviewing risk management, in his article, Williams (1995), notes that there is little structured work in publication about typical risks. According to Chapman (1998), as much as risk identification is critical on the risk assessment and response phases, very little empirical evidence is available at this early phase. The heavier task in risk management remains in the analysis and response to the risk, yet the reasoning stands that unless the risks are identified, they cannot be analyzed and responded to.                  For most engineers, the need to have a set out program is critical for it provides an umbrella under which all current projects fall so that an outcome can be delivered massively in general, and greater than the total sum of all others. A program is usually temporary, and flexible; created to direct and oversee the implementation of a set of related projects and activities for the deliverance of beneficial outcomes that relate to the organization’s strategic objectives. Several projects are undertaken under this umbrella. This explicitly differentiates between program management outcomes and project management outputs. However, there is a link between projects and strategy through the program. Risk management is becoming an increasingly important process due to external pressures in existence. However, good risk management is seen as a critical attribute of organizational success in the field of engineering. The assumption that programs are merely extensions of projects should cease to exist because many will tend to reflect program risk management to project risk management (Allan, 2008). Program management is a broad extension of the varied, yet related, projects.                  On projects, it is important to define one or more objective functions like capital expenditure and completion time to represent it to measure the probability of achieving the set targets. Risk management then goes on to model the project’s objectives against the projects variables like costs and the quantity of inputs. These variables are usually uncertain as time goes on, hence the uncertainty of a hundred percent achievement of the objectives set. The most ideal situation would be identifying and characterizing the variables in advance providing that they will remain unchanged by time. This would make it easy to estimate the possible risks and the consequent variance of the project’s objective(s). However, not all project variables can be identified as new variables might surface as the project goes on while the probability of occurrence of the initial variables may vary. The impacts of the initial variables, both positive and negative, m ay change too hence making risk management even more hard (Drummond, 1999).                     Certainty and uncertainty of realizing a project’s objectives are measurable, only ideally. The possibility of a project not breaking even could be considered as a representative of the whole project, and then used in turn to evaluate against variable and try and reduce the risks involved as well as become a basis for decision-making. Some projects may proceed normally in a stable environment, hence making the uncertainty high at the time it is conceptualized. Pro-active planning and making prudent decisions will see the uncertainty reduce. However, uncertainty in complex projects within a changing environment will not necessarily reduce/ diminish as time goes by Chapman (1998). It is necessary to keep on checking on the project’s variables and re-evaluating of the objective function’s status to facilitate adjustments in the project’s strategies. Uncertainty surrounds many parts of a project; hence early resolution of vari ables may not be possible always. Variables change over time leading to exposure to new threats and risks along the way. This fact should not be refuted and a lot of work is required in the planning evaluating phases, where most of the critical work is done. In spite of all the uncertainty and complexity surrounding risk management and project management, it is important to seek methods of improving the project’s base value (Drummond, 1999).                  Conceptualization, planning, and implementation of a project is a complex process that requires management based on set strategic objectives, which vary from time to time. The objectives should be integrative and holistic in the sense that it caters for social, political, environmental, and community aspects. Traditionally, planning in project management should form the basis of planning, alongside other functions of project management including; human resource, time, scope, integration, quality and procurement. These should be the fundamental factors f consideration along each phase. A variety of guidebooks, protocols and codes of practice in the engineering field have been made available for use in risk management in project management. In the United Kingdom, the ‘Orange book’ is a framework that is set to offer guidance on basic risk management concepts and as a resource for developing risk management processes and implementing them I the public sector. It is also aimed at using a risk based decision-making on investment. There have been many more publications and publications aimed at dictating hoe risk management should look like. These guidelines have offered a basis upon which projects are appraised and their investment viability tested. This has enhanced the process and shifted its reception and perception from project risk management to a risk management strategic level (Melton, 2011).                  In engineering and construction professions, program management and project management came to existence due to the changing procurement environment. In the United Kingdom, procurement of infrastructural assets was done in a sequential manner, which involved a clear differentiation in the project life cycle phases. Currently there are three major procurement systems, that is; prime contracting, Design and Build procurement and Private Finance Initiative. These methods were because of the need to adopt integrative and collaborative project delivery methods. The procurement systems have features like framework agreements, the use of specifications that are output based, and more importantly, emphasis on the lifelong value of the structures (Shehu and Akintoye, 2009). The office of Government Commerce has facilitated the change in construction procurement in the public sector too. The agency’s main agenda is to ensure that policies are followed and en hancing promotion of the best performance practices. These systems ensure that the project undertaken are of high quality and are in regard to the set policies and guidelines. These sanctions in the public works and construction sector have acted as strategic risk management tools for they ensure quality assurance as well as proper quality management.                  Project management should incorporate the use of a strategy-based management approach. This will facilitate the integration of planning, risk management and decision-making hence ensuring real time real time realization of an optimum of the project’s strategic objective against its variables. The project’s promoters are not always the investors. Investors are not always actively involved in the management of the project, but invest resources into the project hoping to get dividends. The promoters’ objective, on the other hand, is to deliver a facility that will ensure a long term balanced and financially viable business entity. The project is therefore a compromise between the attainment of investors’ interests and that of the community. Project development should be based on a set of strategic objectives, which stamp the project as a business and entwining project decisions to strategic business decisions. Amid all risks, the project should be planned proactively with regards to its variables and with a focus on the life cycle objective functions (Westland, 2007).                  The life cycle objective functions are functions such as: financially related functions- such as the project’s net worth, satisfaction of customers- those affected by aspects such as safety, project utility, operability, and quality, lastly, due diligence must be adhered to- that is, statutory concerns and policies should be observed especially when the project is located in highly populated areas or is adjacent or near ecological systems deemed to be sensitive (Janet Tammy, 2005). This factor also goes hand in hand with the ethical code that is supposed to guide the execution of projects. Proactive planning of the project ensures that project uncertainty is minimized in real time. Effective risk management ensures that there is typical conceptualization of projects and their subsequent implementation using strategic objectives. It also ensures any further variables are assessed and managed accordingly to optimize the project’s strategic ou tcome, that which of a business entity. Since projects are subjected to changes in objectives and variables due to external factors, it is important to incorporate a continuous risk management process that involves continuous risk and uncertainty management process conducted in real time to bring value to the project manager. Strategies made from risk analysis should be seen as a basis upon which decisions are made going forward. Objectives of the life cycle should be used as the vessel for analysis. Reflective assessment                  Engaging in exhaustive personal research and involvement of the same with groups has incapacitated adequately with sufficient knowledge on managing projects as an engineer. I have come to evolve from a mediocre project manager, thinking that technicalities were all I needed, to a project under-taker equipped with the relevant skills. Undertaking projects with my group and alone was not like undertaking them with my professor. Comparing personal projects and those done in groups, with those guided by the professor, flaws are clear to point out. In my first group project, our then project leader, whose name I will not disclose for discretion purposes, was too impulsive at times and objectives were not achieved as expected because of poor decision-making, even on the most obvious issues. The project resulted in high costs in execution unlike what had been anticipated and took longer. However, it is from the mistakes that my group and I learnt the importance of risk management in project management as an important tool to facilitate proactive planning, rather than responding to results. Another lesson learnt from that experience was the need to incorporate continuous analysis as a way of implementing risk management to ensure real time solutions. However, it is through solving these and other hurdles that the learning process in the field has been enhanced and increased my knowledge. The short yet detailed experience coupled with the many articles and critiques I have encountered have inspired me to get to want to explore more on the field by undertaking and managing more projects to experience more than I have. By initiating and overseeing projects as well as assuming responsibility for achievement of objectives and integration will boost my intuition and judgment on decision-making for future projects and for professional expertise. I know trying to venture into projects of high magnitude is a risk, but the ability to tackle the risk itself is way beyond the risk management of the process and a success would ultimately mean victory on both ends. References Allan, N., Davis, J., 2006. Strategic risks — thinking about them differently. Proceedings of ICE 159 Drummond H 1999. Are we any closer to the end Escalation and the case of Taurus? International Journal of Project Management Flanagan, R., Norman, G. (1996). Risk management and construction. Oxford [u.a.], Blackwell Science.Means, J. A., Adams, T. (2005). Facilitating the Project Lifecycle the Skills Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams. Hoboken, John Wiley Sons. http://www.123library.org/book_details/?id=9130. Melton, T. (2008). Real project planning developing a project delivery strategy. Amsterdam, Butterworth-Heinemann. Shehu, Z., Akintove, A., 2010. Major challenges to the successful implementation and practice of programme management in the construction environment: a critical analysis. International journal of project management Westland, J. (2007). The project management life cycle: a complete step-by-step methodology for initiating, planning, executing closing a project successfully. Williams, T., 1995. A classified bibliography of recent research relating to project risk management. European Journal of Operational Research Source document

Myphone Business Plan For Mobile Phone Shop

Myphone Business Plan For Mobile Phone Shop The purpose for this business plan to study the feasibility to establish a mobile phone showroom in Abu Dhabi City, the capital of United Arab Emirates. The showroom will offer Nokia mobile phones as main product. Along with that we will offer a wide range of accessories and relevant spare parts. MyPhone provides both mobile phones products and services to make them useful to private users. We are especially focused on providing customer satisfaction to our esteemed customers. The products include both hand held mobile telephone sets and servicing the products after sales along with giving the necessary training and support. The only way we can hope to differentiate well is to define the vision of the company to be a technology ally to our clients. We will not be able to compete in any effective way with the chains using boxes or products as appliances. We need to offer a real alliance. The benefits we sell include many intangibles: confidence, reliability, knowing that somebody will be there to answer questions and help at the important times. The definitive worldwide standard for wireless communications has just broken through the 200 million-customer barriers. However, the GSM industry is one of the most impressive success stories of the 1990s and currently generates more than $100 Billion a year in subscriber revenues alone. We have some major mobile phone distributors in the city, such like Emirates Computers, Juma Al-Majed and Jumbo Electronics. If our strategy works, we will have differentiated ourselves sufficiently to not have to compete against these stores. Our strategy hinges on providing excellent service and support. This is critical. We need to differentiate on service and support, and to therefore deliver as well. Our business is a retail store. The ideal place for the prospected Showroom will be at the new constructed shopping center in Tourist Club Area at East Side of Abu Dhabi City. In order to hold costs down as much as possible, we concentrate our purchasing with Nokia Regional Office in Jabel Ali at Dubai. We are going to have four major employees: Manger, Sales Lady, Technician and accountant. There are some factors that will affect severely on the growing of our proposed business, such like: Customer is looking into factory guarantee for replacement the defected sets. Nokia corporation will grant us immediately this kind of warranty. Usually customers are insisting in buying only the original spare parts and accessories. Therefore we are going to offer only original spare parts and accessories to gain the customer satisfaction. Index Business Overview: Vision Statement: Products: Key Features of Products: Production of Product: Company Industry: Overview of the Industry Community: Major Competitors: Comparative Advantages: Future Products Services: Operations: Location Premises: Purchase: Resources: Management: Management Structure: Professional Services Employee Training: Risks Plans to Minimize: Implementation Schedule: 1) Business Overview: 1.1 Vision Statement: MyPhone is such a vendor. It serves its clients as a trusted ally, providing them with the loyalty of a business partner and the economics of an outside vendor. We make sure that our clients have what they need to run their private and business life as well as possible, with maximum efficiency and reliability. Our ambitious is mission critical, so we give our clients the assurance that we will be there when they need us. 1.2 Products: MyPhone provides both mobile phones products and services to make them useful to private users. We are especially focused on providing customer satisfaction to our esteemed customers. The products include both hand held mobile telephone sets and servicing the products after sales along with giving the necessary training and support. In mobile phones, we support three main lines: The less feature mobile telephone set, which is our smallest and least expensive line, initially positioned by its manufacturer as low-income users. We use it mainly as a cheap mobile phone for workers and non- professional people. The Power User is our main up-scale line. It is our most important mobile telephone set for high-end individual as classified for medium range of income, because of they are the majority of the users, and they are requiring sets with more features and large capacity batteries. However, we will offer a luxury type of mobile telephone set with extreme fancy looking and elegant design, for the upper class of the society and manly for the Ladies who are impressed for such model as part of their prestige in the society. In service and support, we offer a range of walk-in service and guarantees through our well capable workshop and professional technician. 1.3 Key Features of Products: The only way we can hope to differentiate well is to define the vision of the company to be a technology ally to our clients. We will not be able to compete in any effective way with the chains using boxes or products as appliances. We need to offer a real alliance. The benefits we sell include many intangibles: confidence, reliability, knowing that somebody will be there to answer questions and help at the important times. These are complex products, products that require serious knowledge and experience to use, and our competitors sell only the products themselves. Unfortunately, we cannot sell the products at a higher price just because we offer services; the market has shown that it will not support that concept. We have to also sell the service and charge for it separately. 1.4 Production of Product: As we are attending to be as a distributor only for one of the major brand of Mobile Phone in the market Nokia. Therefore we will import or stock directly, and it will not be any kind of production in our firm. Moreover, our business will depend on retailing and not on production. 2) Company Industry: 2.1 Overview of the Industry Community: The Industry: GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications): The definitive worldwide standard for wireless communications has just broken through the 200 million-customer barriers. Achieving this milestone of 200 million subscribers to GSM services is the powerful result of the continuing need for people to communicate and access information on the move. With four new customers every second, the latest figures exceed, yet again, all industry predictions and demonstrate the persistently dramatic growth of GSM throughout the world. As at the end of 1997, there were more than 200 million mobile phone subscribers worldwide and the global sales volume was over 100 million units, an increase of about 50% from the previous year. By the end of the year 2001, it is believed that the global subscriber base will have grown to approximately 600 million. Coupled with the subscriber increase, the mobile phone sales volumes are growing due to the rise of the replacement market. GSM has established itself as the worlds leading digital wireless standard, and it is believed that the current growth rates will continue for the foreseeable future. At present levels, it is confident in the predictions that by the year 2005, it will have achieved between 700 million and One Billion GSM customers worldwide. The GSM industry is one of the most impressive success stories of the 1990s and currently generates more than $100 Billion a year in subscriber revenues alone. Its impressive growth rates are once again attributed to soaring global markets and the sustained penetration of new emerging markets. In all the markets it has been starting to see a widespread take-up of a host of GSM value added services, beyond voice usage, including data and text applications. This demonstrates how GSM is an evolving technology that offers exciting new services and opportunities for subscribers. The future is even more exciting, as the development path for the GSM standard is clearly mapped out and presents an exciting era of applications and services that will stretch the bounds of the imagination. It is moving closer and closer to the delivery of third generation services, which will see multi-media applications, internet access and access to real-time video, via GSM-based networks and handsets. This will ensure that GSM continues to be the standard of choice and heralds continued massive customer growth in the years to come. The Emirates Telecommunication Corporation Etisalat: The UAE has a prominent status in the field of telecommunications as its achievements are reaching the quality and standards of the developed countries. The demands for telecommunications facilities in the UAE are growing at a phenomenal rate. The local Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (ETISALAT) which is 60% state-owned controls this sector and 40% owned by private UAE investors. Since its creation in 1976, Etisalat has increased the number of telephone lines from 50,000 to over 850,000 and plans to raise switching capacity by an annual rate of 100,000. In the UAE, demand for new lines is growing at about 12% per year. Etisalat, motivated by the realization that attractive infrastructure would encourage many businesses to locate in the UAE, has become one of the most profitable telecommunications organizations in the Gulf region and has joined in a number of projects, ranging from a 19,000 kilometers fiber-optic cable to link Europe with South-East Asia. The first stage of the cable link is to lay the so-called Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG), which will use the most modern submarine technology and provide the UAE with links capable of carrying around 120,000 voice channels at any one time. Etisalat is the name that spells reliable communications in the UAE with global connectivity. Etisalat provides services on a par with the best in the world and has an advanced communications network, which is virtually fault free. All switching systems are digital, common channel signaling system number 7 (SS7) has been introduced, and an analog mobile radio network has been operating successfully for several years. Some of the state of the art services being offered by Etisalat: Telephone Service: This is done through public call offices, pay phones, smart card and credit card operated pay phones, smart card operated pay phones, and others. A report by the Etisalats director general showed that the direct telephone switchboard lines increased by (10 %) lines yearly and totaling 850,000 at the end of 1999. Telephone lines percentage also increased from 29 to 31 for each 100 people which places the UAE in the lead of the Gulf region. The report also indicated an increase of 27.9% in public phones with an amount of 20,000 at the end of 1999 compared to 12,078 in 1995. As far as mobile phones are concerned, the number of subscriptions reached 1.2 million in end of 1999 compared to 128,495 in 1995. As it is roughly one-in-two of the population and 30,000 to 40,000 new phones were being sold each month. Thus Etisalat maintained its leading position among the countries of the region by realizing the highest growth rates of mobile phones at 50 phones for every 100 people. The Global System for Mobile GSM Communication The digital mobile system which gives a new dimension to mobile communications has been in growing demand because of its satisfactory requirements for national mobile radio networks. These are high performance, international compatibility, fully digital operation, and encrypted air-interface. The UAE is one of the first countries in the Gulf region to introduce this service to serve the social and economic developments in the country. One of the main benefits of the GSM, is the ability to use the GSM service on most of the GSM networks around the world, Charges: GSM service connection Dhs 200 once only GSM service subscription Dhs 90 per quarter SIM card Dhs 30 Call charges (Normal Rate) Dhs 0.39/min. 7:00am to 2:00pm and 4:00pm to 12:00am, (For all days of the week) Call charges (Cheap Rate) Dhs 0.21/min. 2:00pm to 4:00pm and 12:00am to 7:00am, (on all days of the week) International Calls Normal IDD rates apply Emirates Internet: The UAEs window to the world offering connectivity to an unlimited number of network, computers, and users worldwide. The Emirates Internet was established in June 1995. The number of Internet subscribed reached over 25,000 by the end of November 1997. Fax Plus: A new fax plus state-of-the-art service with a host of advanced facilities which lets the person operate even without owning a fax machine. Paging Service: This radio paging service enables people on the move to be in touch in an easy and economical way almost anywhere in the UAE. According to Al Ittihad Newspaper, the UAE is ranked 7th worldwide, with 10% of the population using this service. Voice Mail Service: This includes videoconference service, consultation services, and interactive information service. ATM Service: The Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a new service launched recently in order to speed up connections to customers. This is a broadband communications technology, which provides a way of transporting data from a wide range of applications using one seamless network. This service is being introduced to cater for the growing needs of education and business in the UAE and as part of Etisalats planning for the future. Satellite A new satellite company called Al-Thurayya Satellite Communications Organization was launched in January 1997. Its capital is worth $25 million and owned 26% by Etisalat, 20% by the Abu Dhabi Investments Company, 10% by the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat), and 10% by Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco), and 44% is owned by other Arab government. The company was set up to own and operates the Thurayya satellite system, which will serve the rapidly expanding mobile phone sector. It will cover the Arab states and part of Europe and the Indian sub-continent. The Community: Abu Dhabi City: Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Its population was estimated 850,000 on 1998, with 70% males. The Gross National Product was estimated on the same fiscal year at Dhs. 65,850 per Capita which equivalent to U.S.$ 17,870. The Gross National Private Local Consumer was Dhs 25,040 per capita. The Gross National Government Consuming was Dhs 10,582 per capita. The Gross National Expenditure was Dhs 48,926 per capita. Which can be lead to be one of the highest per capita in the world. Abu Dhabi is very Modern City. Most of its constructions are less than 15 years old. Since it is the U.A.E. capital, it is containing all the headquarters of the Federal Ministries and other government departments and authorities, beside all the oil and gas companies headquarters, more than 63 local and international banks and many regional offices of the multinational companies. In addition to that, Abu Dhabi has One public women university Zayed University, two campuses of Higher Colleges of Technologies and several colleges branches. 2.2 Major Competitors: a) Major Distributors: We have some major mobile phone distributors in the city, such like Emirates Computers, Juma Al-Majed and Jumbo Electronics. If our strategy works, we will have differentiated ourselves sufficiently to not have to compete against these stores. Strengths: national image, high volume, aggressive pricing, and economies of scale. Weaknesses: lack of product, service and support knowledge, lack of personal attention. b) Other Local Stores: There are more than one hundred retail mobile phone Stores in Abu Dhabi city. These tend to be small businesses, owned by people who started them because they liked mobile phones. They are under-capitalized and under-managed. Margins are squeezed as they compete against the major distributors and against each other in an attempt to match prices. The competition based on price more than on service and support. When asked, the owners will complain that the major distributors squeeze margins and customers buy on price only. They say they tried offering services and that buyers didnt care, instead preferring lower prices. We think the problem is also that they didnt really offer good service, and also that they didnt differentiate from the major distributors. Moreover they are depending in the gray market. 2.3 Comparative Advantages: The marketing of mobile services to business users, and more recently to consumers, has resulted in spectacular growth in the number of subscribers in Gulf Area. Operators now face the challenges of rising customer quantity, the prospect of declining revenue per subscriber, and the scrutiny of performance by investors. Achieving success in these new market conditions calls for a change in strategy from mobile operators a fresh approach to marketing, distribution and customer service to attract more new customers whilst retaining existing customers and protecting future revenue. The buyers understand the concept of service and support, and are much more likely to pay for it when the offering is clearly stated. There is no doubt that we compete much more against all the box pushers than against other service providers. We need to effectively compete against the idea that businesses should buy mobile phones as easy and friendly appliances that dont need ongoing service, support, and training. Our focus group sessions indicated that our target professional users think about price but would buy based on quality service if the offering were properly presented. They think about price because thats all they ever see. We have very good indications that many would rather pay 10-20% more for a relationship with a long-term vendor providing back up and quality service and support; they end up in the box-pusher channels because they arent aware of the alternatives. Availability of the stock is also very important. The buyers tend to want immediate, local solutions to problems. However, our value proposition has to be different from the standard retail shops. We offer our target customer, who is service seeking and not self reliant, a vendor who acts as a strategic ally, at a premium price that reflects the value of reassurance that sets will work. Moreover, our competitive edge is our positioning as strategic ally with our clients, who are clients more than customers. By building a business based on long-standing relationships with satisfied clients, we simultaneously build defenses against competition. The longer the relationship stands, the more we help our clients understand what we offer them and why they need it. Service and Support Our strategy hinges on providing excellent service and support. This is critical. We need to differentiate on service and support, and to therefore deliver as well. 2.4 Future Products Services: We must remain on top of the new technologies, because this is our bread and butter. For telephone sets, we need to provide better knowledge of cross GSS and WAP technologies. Also, we are under pressure to improve our understanding of direct-connect Internet and related communications. Finally, although we have a good command of accessories, we are concerned about getting better at the integration of technologies that creates fax, WAP, E-mail, and voice mail as part of the mobile Telephone set. 3) Operations: 3.1 Location Premises: Our business is a retail store. Therefore in this type of business the customer will come to it, not the sales person has to go to the customer. It is kind of pulling sales strategy not pushing sales strategy. Thus, the physical location will be the key to success or failure to this business. However, the ideal place for the prospected Showroom, after taking in consideration the locations for the others competitors, will be at the new constructed shopping center in Tourist Club Area at East Side of Abu Dhabi City. As in new shopping center, we will enjoy the being in the summit reputation beside the advantage of parking lot availability, which has become a great problem in the city in these days. The shop will be at the ground floor. To grantee that all the visitors of this particular Shopping Center will have the chance to see the place and they will be aware that a new mobile showroom will be available for them. Furthermore, we can utilize the front of the showroom to demonstrating the products in front of the shoppers, They will see and know what kind of products we are offering before they have even entered to the showroom. The area for the place is suggested to be not less than 100 square meters that can be distributed as the following: Lounge with area of 50 square meter. Two small offices one for the showroom manager and the other for the accountant with area of 6 square meters for each of them. Store with an area of 5 square meters, for the products with necessary cabinets. Service Area of 20 square meters furnituing with necessary tables, counter and cabinets. 3.2 Purchase: Our costs are part of the margin squeeze. As competition on price increases, the squeeze between manufacturers price into channels and end-users ultimate buying price continues. With the mobile phone sets, our margins are declining steadily. It is being squeezed to more like 13-15% at present. In the main-line accessories a similar trend shows, with prices declining steadily. In order to hold costs down as much as possible, we concentrate our purchasing with Nokia Regional Office in Jabel Ali, which offers 30-day net terms and overnight shipping from the warehouse at Jabel Ali in Dubai. We need to concentrate on making sure our volume gives us negotiating strength. Moreover, In accessories and add-on we can still get decent margins, 25% to 40%. 3.3 Resources: a) We are going to have four major employees: Employee Responsibilities Manger Supervising and Purchasing affairs Sales Lady Sales Affairs Technician Workshop Affairs Accountant Accounts and Bookkeeping We are in need for very little equipment to run the project; this equipment will be bought. As no trend in United Arab Emirates to rent such equipment. 4) Management: The management in the our firm believes very strongly that relationships should be forthright, work should be structured with enough room for creativity, and pay should be commensurate with the amount and quality of work completed. 4.1 Management Structure: Owner Manager Accountant Sales Lady Technician 4.2 Professional Services Employee Training: A) Legal Affairs: Especially in the beginning, therefore we have already negotiated with a very respectful Advocate office in Abu Dhabi City, who is having a good experience in the commercial and civil affairs. He will take care for all the Legal Affairs, including Renting Contract, Maintenance Contract, and Labor/Employee Contracts, Revising the purchasing and banking agreements, etc. B) Accounting Procedures: The financial information is too essential for an well-organized business firm. Therefore a bookkeeping system has to be maintained to include all the account procedures. Moreover, all the payments to be made preferably by checks, and not by cash. The daily sales to be deposited in the bank next working day. However to organize the purchasing of the goods, They would be imported by the banks letter of credit (L.C.) only. C) Insurance Expenses: Our mobile phone showroom should insure the business along with its stock. As our business requires insurance for such robbery crimes or thefts. Further, we will insure our staff. We can estimate the insurance premium at Dhs. 6,000 for the First year. As revenue increases in the second and third year of Business. D) Banking Affairs: As the purchasing of the main product will be from Jabel Ali warehouse of regional company of Nokia, therefore the financing of such deals should be on Letter of Credit (LC). We will intend to open two current accounts with two different banks, which will give us more flexibility in the finance procedures. Employee Training: We will have only four staff. These staff will hire them, with sufficient experience in the relative field. Therefore, no training is mainly required at the beginning. However, the regional office of Nokia in Jabel Ali Free Zone, they are organizing such training session, whenever new product is introduce to the market. Therefore we are planning to send our technician to these training session whenever they will be made available. 4.3 Risks Plans to Minimize: There are some factors that will affect severely on the growing of our proposed business, such like: Customer is looking into factory guarantee for replacement the defected sets. Since we are purchasing directly from the regional office in Jabel Ali free zone. Therefore, Nokia corporation will grant us immediately this kind of warranty. However some other retail shops are buying their product from the gray market in Dubai. In this case, they can not offer any kind of grantee in their products. Moreover, we are attending to put this information on all of our advertising campaigns and sale brochures. Usually customers are insisting in buying only the original spare parts and accessories (which are coming from same manufacture). Therefore we are going to offer only original spare parts and accessories to gain the customer satisfaction.

From Innocence to Adulthood in The Catcher in the Rye Essay -- Catcher

From Innocence to Adulthood in The Catcher in the Rye      Ã‚   Adolescence is a time of existence in two worlds. One world having the desire to be in the adult world, which is filled with all the unknown wonders of the world. The other world is the world of childhood which is comfortable and protected from all the impurities in the world.   This sort of tug of war between the two worlds is not only mentally imposed on a being, but physically, socially, and morally as well.   With all the mentioned above, often times an adult will discourage an action of an adolescent by saying they are too old to a act a certain way, and then will turn around and say they are too young to do something, like go out late or go on dates.   These contradictions can lead an adolescent to complete uncertainty of their actions.   J.B. Salingers book, The Catcher in the Rye, aptly describes the immense confusion of the in between stages of being a boy and a man.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the whole story, the narrator, Holden tries to act both the boy and thw man but cannot.   He tries in vain to get a grip on the adult world, but never is quite successful.   Holden's first attempt at adulthood is exemplified when he leaves his school without permission from his parents or the school.   This act in itself sets the stage for his trial and error attitude about adulthood in the sense he failed out of school, which was a childish act.   He tries to rectify his failing out of school by leaving, which he views as an adult act. Holden's leaving school represents his need for independence and he achieves this by leaving.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another of Holden's failed attempts at ... ... In The Rye". English Journal. 77.7 (1988): 72-75. Kaplan, Robert B. Cliff's Notes: Catcher In The Rye. Lincoln: Cliff's Notes, Inc., 1999. Marsden, Malcolm M. If You Really Want To Know: A Catcher Casebook. Chicago: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1963. Miller Jr., James E. "American Literature". World Book Encyclopedia. Volume 1. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1983. Pinsker, Sanford. The Catcher In The Rye: Innocence Under Pressure. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993. Roemer, Danielle M. "The Personal Narrative and Salinger's Catcher in the Rye". Western Folklore 51 (1992): 5-10. Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1951. Wildermuth, April. "Nonconformism in the Works of J.D. Salinger." 1997 Brighton High School. 24 November 1999.   

Communications Journal Essay

Write a 700- to 1,050-word journal entry in the narrative style. Refer to this week’s readings to inform your responses. Describe the flow of information in your company. In your journal, discuss the following: The intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, organizational, and intercultural levels of communication within your company How information travels up, down, and across your organization and how it relates to the basic communications model The functions of the Y hierarchy of managerial communications. Does it apply to your organization’s communication hierarchy? A comparison of at least three managerial communication approaches you have observed in your organization At least three potential barriers to effective communications that exist in your company Format your journal entry consistent with APA guidelines. Information flow within an organization is just one key element to any organizations success. During this entry I will be describing the communication levels of Cubic, which is currently the organization that I work for. How that information flow from top to bottom, and the communication of the upper level management. I will also be comparing three managerial approaches within the company that I have observed, and three potential barriers to the communication within my organization. The intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, organizational and intercultural levels of communications are all on display within the Cubic organization. There are multiple Taff’s within building 990 on Fort Irwin providing the same product for the government. Each Taff is comprised of six to nine personnel who are continuously communicating to provide a product for the government. Interpersonal communication is continuously conducted within each group so that nothing ever falls between the cracks. Indi viduals are always communicating with themselves due to the constant mission changes and be able to adapt to change quickly. There is a very diverse workforce here also, mostly all retirees but from many different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. As mentioned previously we generally work in small groups and communicate like one. It is almost like every Taff is its own little click,  we talk about others and they talk about us. So outside of our Taff we can generally be considered rivals in a matter of speaking. Information travels generally in one direction from our customer (Government) to us. There are occasions when we have a little say so in the actual product but for the most part it is a one-sided show. We have the Government, site manager Paul Zamora, our Taff Lead is Clarence Butler, and then there is the Taff. Generally the government provides Paul with marching orders that are eventually passed to out Taff lead Mr. Butler and we perform the tasks necessary to meet the quota of the government. The channel used is generally internet from the sender (government) to the Taff, via site manager and t aff lead. The feedback would be the product produced by the individuals working in the taff, and as long as the product meets the standards of the sender all is in good working order. The functions of Y Hierarchy of managerial communications do exist within this organization. Our manager is continuously creating and encouraging a wonderful work environment and providing opportunities for employees to take the initiative and self-direction. Management is always looking for new ways for employees to make significant contributions within the organization. Behavioral, empowerment, and contingency are the three managerial communication approaches that I have observed within the organization that I currently work for. Empowerment is the distribution or entrustment of power or authority to his or hers subordinates within an organization. Generally used when upper management is out of work for certain amount of time. Empowerment also encourages the employees to get more involved with the organization. The contingency approach is seen a lot in our Taff, Mr. Butler knows that there is more than one way to skin a cat and whichever way produces the best result is generally the path that is taken. This is probably the approach seen mostly around the Cubic organization because of the results that are produced. Behavioral approach comes with trust and individual character. Managers have been seen trusting and respecting the employees more now than ever due the product that the taffs put out for the military customer. Personality, emotional, and physical are the three potential barriers to effective communication within the Cubic organization. Everyone here has their own personality and that can sometimes create an issue throughout the  business day. Individuals are loaded with many traits that create personal attitudes, approaches, angles, quirks and different views on the world. There are many occasions in which this trait has stalled communication between two individuals and in some case hurt the overall product. Emotional barriers can be the worst. There are many individual at cubic that let things go straight to the head and forget that we are at the workplace. Emotions should not be brought to work with you at all, you should be able to brush things off and move on with the job. Managers are often seen using a softer touch to get through to the individuals with emotional issues. Physical barriers are one of the most common around my work place. There are many occasions that we are working with a wall between co-workers and with communication being the key to our success problem will generally arise on occasions. We have made complaints on many occasions with the same results â€Å"deal with it†.

Where Have All The Forests Gon essays

Where Have All The Forests Gon essays What is happening to the Earth? Our home is becoming a barren mass of sorrow. Most people in America are blind to what is going on. Could it be that every individual is just turning a cheek the other way. America is faced with an extremely serious problem, and if it is not acted upon there will be nothing left on Earth. Hopefully it will still be able to thrive after the numerous accounts of human destruction. Deforestation in America is a huge problem with devastating affects to humans. The root causes of this travesty are mainly the ongoing need to increase Americas economic growth, and the idea of frontierism. These two aspects of deforestation tie together well. Together they help define the thought process that Americans have adopted through the years. The essential part of a successful country is their economy. America is one of the largest consumer societies on the planet. Why? The need to gain more and more possessions is ridiculous. Since the nineteen fifties America has s een life through material objects. This has fueled the economic growth in America tremendously. Deforestation is affecting individuals in American society through their need to peruse the consumption of paper products, lumber for homes, heating systems, and furniture. The action that is being taken to solve the negative affects of this ongoing obsession is limited. Frontierism is an ignorant way of life that is adopted by many Americans. The fundamentals of frontierism believe, The Earth is a space of unlimited resources for humans to use at will. Humans are apart from nature and the laws of the natural land do not apply to humans. The well being of humans stems from controlling the environment, (Chiras 34). This is a cluster of ridiculous ideas concocted by the ignorant and selfish minds of humans that are blind to the consequences of future destruction. Frontierism plays a huge role in contributing to deforestation in America because...