SWOT Analysis of Lionel Smith Ltd Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

SWOT Analysis of Lionel Smith Ltd - Case Study Example Mr. Smith had worked for sixteen years in the retail clothing business. He gained this experience by working in stores such as Belk's Department Store, Manning Owens Incorporated, and LeGrande's of Aiken, South Carolina. After two years, the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Smith became the sole owner, and LSL was established as a sub-chapter S corporation. This began a period of growth for the company. Between the years of 1979 and 1983, four additional locations were opened. They were located in Aiken and Edgefield, South Carolina, and Augusta, and Savannah, Georgia. By the end of 1983, all four of those locations were closed. Mr. Lionel Smith stated the closings were due to several major factors. They include his inability to hire and retain professionally qualified supervisors and employees, the desire to focus his efforts on establishing an outside sales force, and high interest rates and an unstable economy. In 1982, the main location moved to the other side of Laurens Street in Aiken. The move to the new location was made possible because Lionel Smith was able to purchase the building. This has been the company's only location since 1983. With only one location, its staff and inventory are not divided between two or more venues, and rent, utilities, and other operating costs are lower. The company underwent another major change when it was purchased by Mr. Smith's son, Van, in 1992. Introduction According to the marketing area experts SWOT analysis review for Lionel Smith Ltd. (LSL) the key issues from an analysis of the trade environment and the strategic ability of an organization. The chief objectives of conducting SWOT analysis for Lionel Smith Ltd. (LSL) is to recognize the coverage to which the existing strategy of an association and its more exact strength and weaknesses are pertinent to, and capable of, dealing by means of the changes taking place in the trade environment. It also uses to assess whether there are opportunities to develop further the exclusive resources or core capability of this clothing organization. Moreover, SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It's a four-part come within reach of to analyzing a company's generally strategy or the strategy of its trade units. All four aspects have to be considered to execute a long-range plan of action. In order to whack the rivalry you require comprehending SWOT. No doubt, It's a way to examine a company's or a department's place in the market in relation to its contestant. The goal is to recognize all the major factors affecting competitiveness before crafting a trade policy. SWOT Breakdown SWOT recognize the internal and external issue that have an effect on an organization. Here's the breakdown of SWOT by interior and outside variables: Internal factors (Strengths and weaknesses) A corporate structure, culture and resources Shareholders Customers Competitors External factors (Opportunities threats) Politics Technology Society Economics SWOT ANALYSIS Strategy Strengths The first strength of Lionel Smith Ltd.

Strategies That Capitalize On An Organizations Strengths Marketing Essay

Strategies That Capitalize On An Organizations Strengths Marketing Essay A SWOT Analysis is used to develop strategies that capitalize on an organizations strengths, minimize the effects of any weaknesses, exploit available opportunities and defend against threats. Implementing these strategies leads to achieving the organizations objectives. SWOT analysis looks at your strengths and weaknesses, and the opportunities and threats your business faces. By focusing on the key factors affecting your business, now and in the future, a SWOT analysis provides a clear basis for examining your business performance and prospects. INTRODUCTION General Motors Corporation is the worlds largest automaker company founded in 1908 which Employs about 326, 999 people around the world with its headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, USA. Founded in Flint, Michigan as a holding company for Buick, then controlled by William C. Durant and acquired Oldsmobile later that year. The following year, Durant brought in Cadillac, Elmore and Oakland. In 1909, General Motors acquired the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company of Pontiac, Michigan, the predecessor of GMC Truck. A Rapid became the first truck to conquer Pikes Peak in 1909. Durant lost control of GM in 1910 to the companys bankers, because of the large amount of debt taken on in its acquisitions. GM holds the biggest share in GM Daewoo Auto Technology Co. of South Korea and has product, powertrain and purchasing collaborations with Suzuki Motor Corp. and Isuzu Motors Ltd. of Japan. The company also has advanced technology partnership with Toyota Motor Corporation of Japan, DaimlerChrysler AG and BMW AG of Germany, and vehicle manufacturing Ventures with several automakers around the world, including Toyota, Suzuki, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation of China, AVTOVAZ of Russia and Renault SA of France. GM along with its strategic partners manufactures trucks cars in 31 countries, and the vehicles through these well-known brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, FAW, GMC, Daewoo, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. China is known to be the largest national market, followed by the U.S., Brazil, Germany, U.K., Canada, Italy. General Motors Company develops, produces, and markets cars, trucks, and parts worldwide. The company offers its products under the brand names of Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Daewoo, Holden, Opel, Isuzu, Vauxhall, Jiefang, FAW, and Wuling. The companys cars, trucks, and parts are marketed through retail dealers in North America, and through distributors and dealers outside of North America. In addition to the products it sells to its dealers for consumer retail sales, the company also sells cars and trucks to fleet customers, including daily rental car companies, commercial fleet customers, leasing companies, and governments. As of December 31, 2009, the company had 5,619 vehicle dealers in the U.S.; 568 in Canada; and 263 in Mexico. Additionally, there were a total of 14,317 distribution outlets throughout the rest of the world. Significant Events In February 2010, the company completed the sale of Saab Automobile AB to Spyker Cars NV. In September 2009, the company decided to wind-down the Saturn brand and dealership network. On August 18, 2010, General Motors Corporation is collaborating with SAIC Motor Corporation. The collaboration is targeted at developing 1.0 litre and 1.5 litre engines for small cars. On August 26, 2010, General Motors Company has collaborated with Bright Automotive, Inc. The collaboration is targeted at offering an electric commercial fleet vehicle. In October 2010, General Motors Company had set up a used car joint venture with Shanghai Automation Instrumentation Co., Ltd. to expand into an untapped segment of the worlds biggest auto market. Mission and vision GM is one of the respected auto companies in the world. It has a variety of products that ensure that the company is faring well in the market. The companys headquarters is located in New York, United States and looks forward to establishing an outlet in every country of the world. Product analyses The planning strategy is looking on how the GM products are faring in the world auto market. The existence of the company in the market is based on an extensive research that was carried out in the European market which shows that there is still large untapped market potential in the auto industry in Europe and other parts of the world. The GM Company specializes in Designing and making of automobiles, trucks, locomotives, and related parts such as chassis, interiors, drivetrains, and electronics (Brandi, 2007). The company employees more than 205,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 157 countries. GM and its strategic partners manufacture cars and trucks in 31 countries of the world. The SWOT analysis of General Motors is given below. Strengths 1. Large Market Share Although GMs market share in the US has dropped it is still very much competitive at 26 percent. They also have an increasing share in the Chinese market. With the right decisions there is no reason for GM to not become the automotive leader it once was. 2. Global Experience As explained above even with GMs recent decline they still have the market share and the experience to bounce back. They have been a worldwide company for nearly a century now and have established themselves as the global leader for most of them. If you recall I mentioned above that a current opportunity for GM is to expand globally and as we can see they already have the experience to do so. It is just a matter of the correct planning and proper implementation of those plans that will decided whether or not GMs goals are achieved. 3. Variety of Brand Names GM as I mentioned has been the automotive leader for the majority of the last century. A large reason for that is the wide variety of quality brand names that appeal to all target markets. The current GM brands include: Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer, Saab, Daewoo, Opel, and Holden. 4. GMAC Customer Financing Program Since its establishment in 1919 it has proven to be GMs most reliable source of revenue. 5. OnStar Satellite Technology Developed in 1996 OnStar currently has over 3 million subscribers and is standard on all GM vehicles. This technology allows the vehicles to be tracked in the event of an emergency or theft. It also allows the driver and or passengers the ability to communicate with OnStar personnel at the click of a button. Weaknesses 1. Behind on Alternative Energy Movement This is GMs biggest weakness. The alternative energy/hybrid trend has begun to take place in the automotive industry and GM has been one step behind the competition in terms of alternative energy vehicles. This has led to many problems including loss of market share and a decrease in company profit. In order for any automotive company to be successful from this point forward they must be Hybrid friendly and fuel efficient. 2. Poor Organizational Structure As we can see in exhibit 1 of the case GMs organizational structure seems to be too vertically integrated. This causes a lack of communication between employees from top to bottom and may have played a part in GM falling behind on the alternative energy movement. 3. Stagnant Profitability Looking at GMs profit we see that they are certainly struggling with respect to the size of their company. Their profit margin was about 1.5% and the ROE has dramatically decreased over the recent years dropping to 10% in 2004. This is a situation that shareholders will not be pleased with. 4. Overly Dependent on US market GM has become too dependent on the US market and must take advantage of the opportunity to expand globally. The competition is becoming too strong to focus on just one country. 5. Overly Dependent on General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) Financing GM has become too dependent on its financing program. Granted it is a great strength for GM, however they once again cannot rely solely on financing in order to turn profit, especially if they want to compete with Honda and Toyota who are rapidly growing. 6. Poor Credit Status GMs credit status has like everything else has been steadily declining. Their current ratio is just barely above 1 and their acid test is even lower. Although, I dont see them getting denied based on their credit at this point, the seriousness of the matter is certainly apparent. Opportunities Produce fuel-efficient, smaller, and higher-quality models that can attract the consumers. Chinese government condensed automotive taxes in order to encourage declining sales. In February 2009; citing declining manufacturing numbers, the State Bank of India decreased interest rates on automotive loans. Establish or Equip facilities to manufacture advanced technology vehicles that would meet up certain fuel economy and emissions standards. One of the big opportunities is to shift manufacturing to other amenities in order to produce in-demand vehicles. Manufacturing could be done in those countries where the labor as well as material cost is low. Diversification in other related and unrelated products or shifting to the hybrid electric engines. The purchasing power of consumers is increasing due to end of financial crisis 2007-10. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The firm can use the knowledge that it gained from Toyota Nummi joint venture and Saturn experience. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It should build its image and gain more share in the market with its newly build confidence regarding the customers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ New car models and designs should be introduced keeping in mind the customer preferences, because in the automobile industry, the needs of the customer are the valid puncture points that will provide profitability if concerned with delicately. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Expansion of their business processes, but also keeping in mind the preferential influence of the customers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ VEBA can help General Motors save up to $2.5 to $2.8 billion a year in cash if the process is implemented strictly. 8. Alternative Energy Movement It is obvious that GM was behind its competition with regards to the research and development of hybrid vehicles. However hybrid technology is still very much new giving GM the opportunity to once again become the automotive industrys leader in innovation and technology. 9. Continuing to Expand Globally. Recently GM saw an increase in the Chinese automotive market, which proves their needs to be more emphasis put on foreign markets. If GM can infiltrate these markets and successfully grow along with their continuing focus on the US market they will be headed in a positive direction. 10. Low Interest Rates With the right marketing strategy the low interest rates have the potential to generate an immediate increase in sales. 11. Develop New Vehicle Styles and Models This is an opportunity that will never be satisfied, meaning that GM should always be attempting to develop the automotive worlds most popular vehicles, and as we know, what is in today will be out tomorrow. Threats The automotive industry crisis of 2008-2010 was the big downturn. Now it is challenge for industry players to recover. The financial crisis of 2007-10 caused by a liquidity deficit in the U.S banking system resulted decrease in consumer wealth. The crisis mainly felt in the U.S and also affected Asian and European automobile manufacturers. Car companies from North America, Europe, and Asia have implemented innovative marketing strategies to attract disinclined consumers. Major producers, including the Toyota and Big Three offered significant discounts across their lineups. North American consumers shifted to more fuel-efficient and higher-quality product of European and Japanese automakers. Environmental politics and allied anxiety concerning carbon emissions have sharp sensitivity to environmental protection worldwide and gas mileage standards. U.S manufacturers are facing soaring gasoline prices, health care costs for an aging workforce, dependence on declining SUV and eroding market share. The company is facing very high labor and raw material cost as compared to Asian manufacturers. GM is also facing criticism on its culture and corporate practices. In 2007, its employees union went on the first countrywide strike due to which a transmission facility and two car assembly plants were closed down. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The industry although has matured considerably, but there is still room for more improvements, and due to which new entrants are entering the market even though the competition is already tough. (New entrants, not likely pose much of a threat, although Domestic and Foreign competition both act as active threats for the firm that has already gone through losing its market share.) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Regulations and legislative authorities engaging the industry more actively. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Consumer lawsuits are also present to be accounted for. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Japan being a high manufacturing ground for automobiles, is being affected by the decline in its currency Yen. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Current threat to the image of the GM is posed by the Senator Charles Grassley has accused GM for using bailout money to bailout of the loans it had taken from the U.S. and Canadian Govt. (The money used were paid, not through GMs profitability, but it was yet another loan acquired, so it is accused.) 11. Rising Fuel Prices With GM being a large producer in both trucks and SUVs, sales have drastically decreased due to the lack of fuel efficiency. The rise in fuel prices has played a significant role in creating the opportunity for development of both hybrid and more fuel efficient vehicles. As you will find with most threats, an equal opportunity will usually emerge as is the case here with GMs opportunity mentioned above. 12. Growth of Competitors GM no longer has the luxury of being the known leader in the automotive industry and faces the reality that they are in serious trouble. As I mentioned earlier Toyota took the first step in the direction of hybrid technology and has since drastically grown and become the questionable automotive frontrunner to start the 21st century. 13. Pension Payouts. Part of this threat is their own doing and the other is simply unavoidable. GM is responsible for providing generous pension benefits to its employees, which at the time seemed like a great idea, however they are now experiencing problems as more and more people begin to collect. 14. Increased Health Care Costs GM, like many large companies with quality employee health care benefits, is experiencing a large financial hit that only gets worse as time continues. 15. Rising Supply Costs, i.e. Steel Once again this threat affects the entire automotive industry and forces each company to cut manufacturing and production costs as much as possible, without taking away from the quality of the product. OVERALL POSITION The current global crisis has affected almost all aspects of the economy. It has resulted to borrowing of money by the companies from the government and General Motors (GM) and Chrysler are among these companies. GM has already borrowed 13 .4 billion from the Treasury Department but they announced that they need 30 billion in total to compensate for the declining auto market. Chrysler on the other hand needs 9 billion in total. Since the General Motors has issued to be resolved, then GM will have a hard time coping up with the crisis. Two of the major issues are (1 ) GM needs to drop their unsecured debt burden from 27 billion to 9 billion which still has to be negotiated with the bondholders and (2 ) the debt of GM to United Auto Workers (UAW ) which amounted to 20 billion . GM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Wagoners plan for the company is to pay its debt and reduce its long-term debts thus making the company economically viable. Wagoner claims that if their turnaroun d plan will work then GM will profit within 24 months. General Motors already presented their plan to the bondholders and it is up to them to scrutinize the plan and conform for a deal to be done. With the General Motor s new CEO , Mr . Frederick Fritz Henderson s determination to reorganize the company , and the US government s strong effort to support the ailing businesses , recovery would be possible for General Motors . General Motors Corporation gets into supervised bankruptcy as the new strategy upon the advise of Steven Rattner , President Obama s auto task force chief (Whoriskey . Bankruptcy is the term given once a company seeks for financial aide in form of loan from the government however , this agreement involves direct intervention and manipulation of the government in the overall operation of the company bankruptcy is another President Obama s strategy to help in the recovery of the economy of the United States . The initial impacts of this agreement between GM and US government are the firing of GM s former boss Rick Wagoner and the formulation of new business plan for submission within sixty days . The new business plan , which was submitted to the US governm ent in December last year constitutes new strategies and endeavor that will benefit in the recovery of General Motors Corporation . In the restructuring plan submitted to Senate Banking Committee and House of Representatives Financial Services Committee , new approaches are outlined with the hope to competitively dominate the market once again . CONCLUSION A SWOT analysis is a popular decision making tool in business which analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the organization in relation to a specific objective. This decision making technique can also be used for making personal decisions and in a variety of different situations.

Somerset Maugham Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays

Somerset Maugham Somerset Maugham was born on January 25, 1874 in Paris where his father was the solicitor to the British Embassy. However, he was orphaned at the age of ten and lived with his uncle, the vicar of Whitstable, in England. Maugham was educated in England studying literature and philosophy at Heidelberg University. In 1897 he qualified as a surgeon from St. Thomas’ medical school and practiced for a year in the slums of London. However, he abandoned medicine after the success of his first two novels. Maugham is best known as a successful novelist and playwright, but he never gained serious recognitions for his works. The young author lived in Paris for ten years before publishing his first novel Liza of Lambeth in 1897. His first play A Man of Honour went into production in 1903 and by 1904 four of his plays were running simultaneously in London. The plays were interested with social satire and he was considered an extremely gifted playwright during this time. These early successes provided a foundation for his later works. His semi-auto bibliographical breakthrough novel Of Human Bondage in 1915 is considered one of his best works. The story follows the life of Philip Carey who loses his parents early in life and tracks his progress into early manhood. In 1919, he published the novel Moon and Sixpence that was loosely based on the life and experiences of the painter Paul Gauguin. This French artist rejected the social contracts of European society and departed to Tahiti where his unconventional scenes of Tahitian life captured the interest and imagination of numerous Europeans. Maugh am himself made a trip to Tahiti to become better acquainted with the circumstances surrounding Gauguin’s experienc... ...ajor novels that Maugham wrote. There is also a list of all the works Maugham produced during his lifetime. Knitting Circle Somerset Maugham. South Bank University. 11 November 2002 http://www.sbu.ac.uk/stafflag/wsmaugham.html>. This is a South Bank University page that sums up some major events in Maugham’s life and focuses on the issue of his sexual preference. This page has highlights some key events between Maugham and Gerald Haxton. There is also a short list of Maugham’s works at the end of the page. Annotation: A fabulous reference site including philosophy resource links by historical time period, philosophic subject, tradition, or school of thought. Books: Bronowski, Jacob. The Origins of Knowledge and Imagination. Yale University Press. New Haven: 1978. Everson, Stephen. Epistemology. Cambridge University Press. New York: 1990.

A Growing “Threat” to Society Essay

The Internet is one of the most powerful sources of information today. Thus, it has the capacity to enlighten, as well as to mislead. This double-edged potential has turned the Internet into the latest avenue for terrorism. Terrorists are now harnessing the power of the Internet to wreak havoc among the public (Conway, 2002). Terrorists use the Internet mainly as a propaganda tool – it is a venue wherein they publicize their cause or explain their ideological justification without misinterpretation or censorship. As of 2002, a majority of the 33 groups deemed foreign terrorist organizations by the United States State Department had their own web sites. There are also many other websites, that, despite not being related to any terrorist group, provide information on how to commit terrorist activities such as bomb-making. The latter often escape criminal prosecution due to the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech to the general populace (Conway, 2002). The very idea of cyber-terrorism, however, is not without contention. For one, it is still not clear as to what differentiates cyber-terrorism from freedom of expression. Also, there are certain Internet-related crimes that cannot be considered as cyber-terrorism, although they inflict damage upon the public. Indeed, terrorism in itself is already a notoriously difficult concept to define. The addition of computers to it further complicates the idea (Conway, 2002). The Internet: A New Weapon The Internet was originally intended as a means of resuming contact in the event of a nuclear attack. But due to its speed and convenience, it is currently a major venue for information, communication and commerce. As of September 2006, there were more than 1 billion Internet users worldwide (Vatis, 2006). With just one click of a mouse, an entrepreneur in Germany can deposit funds to a bank account in Switzerland and talk to a London-based cousin face to face through a web camera. A student in California, meanwhile, can learn everything about the Great Wall of China with merely a few keystrokes. After 9/11 It was only after 9/11 that the very concept of cyber-terrorism was actually developed. Before 9/11, Internet-related crimes were usually in the form of sending pornographic email to minors, defacing web pages, stealing credit card information and launching computer viruses (Conway, 2002). After 9/11, however, US officials realized that terrorist organizations could use the Internet to generate more bloodshed (Weimann, 2004). Al-Qaeda, for instance, could launch missiles or biological weapons to the US by simply pressing the â€Å"Enter† button of a laptop (Stohl, 2006). To a certain extent, the fears of the US were well-founded. In November 2000, an electronic attack was carried out from Pakistan against the Washington-based pro-Israeli lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Aside from defacing AIPAC’s site with anti-Israeli commentaries, the attacker likewise stole some 3,500 email addresses and 700 credit card numbers, sent anti-Israeli diatribes to the addresses and published the credit card data on the Internet. The Pakistani hacker, known by the alias â€Å"Dr. Nuker,† claimed responsibility for the incident. It turned out that â€Å"Dr. Hacker† was a founder of the Pakistani Hackerz Club, an organization whose objective was to â€Å"hack for the injustice going around the globe, especially with (sic) Muslims† (Conway, 2002). The aforementioned cyber assault was not without precedent. The Lebanese Shiite Islamic group Hezbollah established its collection of web sites in 1995. At present, the group has three websites that can be viewed in either English or Arabic – one for its press office, another to describe its attacks on Israeli targets (http://www. moqawama. tv) and a third, Al-Manar TV, for news and information (http://www. manartv. com). These websites regularly provide the latest information about Hezbollah, including press statements, political declarations, photos, video and audio clips. An email address is also provided as contact information (Conway, 2002). After 9/11, as a result, federal agents issued subpoenas and search warrants to almost every major Internet-based company, including America Online, MSN, Yahoo! and Google. In addition, many web sites were subjected to official closure by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Included among those that were closed down were radical Internet radio shows such as â€Å"IRA Radio,† â€Å"Al Lewis Live† and â€Å"Our Americas. † The â€Å"jihad web ring,† a collection of 55 jihad-related websites, lost dozens of its sites due to pullouts by Yahoo! Lycos Europe, meanwhile, created a 20-person team to filter its websites for illegal activity and terrorist-related content (Conway, 2002). Cyber-terrorism: Is There Really Such Thing? One of the most common arguments against cyber-terrorism is that it is an imaginary threat (Lacey, 2007). Contrary to popular perception, there is a minimal chance that cyber-terrorists would exact harm on innocent people by attacking corporate and governmental computer networks. As of this moment, terrorist organizations use the Internet only for fundraising, communications and propaganda. There is the possibility that terrorists might use computers as weaponry to a significant degree, but this will â€Å"probably happen in the (distant) future† (Conway, 2002). At present, terrorists would draw more attention to their cause by setting off bombs instead of hacking bytes (Conway, 2002). Instead of getting extremely paranoid about cyber-terrorism, the government should instead focus on eliminating cyber attacks against companies. As of July 2002, hackers had successfully launched at least 180,000 Internet attacks against more than 400 public, private, governmental and non-profit organizations. The brunt of these attacks fell on the power and energy industries, as well as on the technology and financial services. If left unchecked, these cyber attacks would be very detrimental to consumers – in order to make up for their losses to hackers, owners of the above-mentioned industries will have to raise the prices of their products and services (Fishman, Jospehberg, Linn, Pollack, Victoriano, 2002). Conclusion Paranoia over cyber-terrorism is very dangerous. Aside from diverting attention from more serious crimes such as cyber attacks, it violates civil rights and liberties. Under the guise of â€Å"fighting terrorism,† even websites whose only crime was to express radical ideas were closed down. While it is the duty of the state to safeguard its constituents from danger, doing so should not infringe their inalienable rights. It is true that terrorism might turn to cyberspace in the future in order to spread even more fear and bloodshed. But before the government rushes out to eliminate â€Å"cyber-terrorists,† it must first have a clear-cut concept of what constitutes cyber-terrorism and what makes a cyber-terrorist. Otherwise, the government will end up worse than the terrorists that it aims to get rid of. References Conway, M. (2002). What is Cyberterrorism? Current History, 101, 436-442. Retrieved October 17, 2008 from Academic Research Library. Fishman, R. M. , Josephberg, K. , Linn, J. , Pollack, J. , & Victoriano, J. (2002). Threat of International Cyberterrorism on the Rise. Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal, 14, 23. Retrieved October 17, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global. Lacey, D. ComputerWeekly. com. (2007, April 29). How Real is the Threat of Cyber Terrorism? Retrieved October 17, 2008, from http://www. computerweekly. com/blogs/david_lacey/2007/04/ how_real_is_the_threat_of_cybe. html Stohl, M. (2006). Cyber Terrorism: A Clear and Present Danger, the Sum of All Fears, Breaking Point or Patriot Games? Crime Law Soc Change, 46, 223-238. Retrieved October 17, 2008 from SpringerLink. Vatis, M. (2006). The Next Battlefield: The Reality of Virtual Threats. Harvard International Review, 28, 56-61. Retrieved October 17, 2008 from ABI/INFORM Global. Weimann, G. United States Institute of Peace. (2004, December). Cyberterrorism: How Real Is the Threat? Retrieved October 17, 2008, from http://www. usip. org/pubs/specialreports/sr119. html#threat

Gustav Flaubert and Ivan Turgenev

The Romantics is a culturally inclined book written by Pankaj Mishra. The publication deals with life's differences and how people came to know more about their own respective cultures. It brings out every reader into a journey of culture. life and the true meaning of existence. The main character Samar, made his move while he is in a juxtaposition of cultures. One may find himself in the shoes of Samar who wanted to engage in more discoveries. Samar, is a fresh graduate who arrived in Benares, also known as the holy city in 1989.He wanted to continue with his solitary life with his book as he chose to stay in a room there. Samar loves to deal with his friends namely Edmund Wilson, Gustav Flaubert and Ivan Turgenev. But on the place where he stays, he lives adjacent to a woman from the west, Catherine. She is a French young woman who had a great impact on Samar's life. She made a vast change on his outlook in life and dealing with what the good world awaits for him. He was able to re cover from the past that he wanted to escape but then the conflicting part is that he falls for the wrong woman.Catherine is already committed which made the story interesting. It was really a big frustration for him to know the truth since he fall in love for the first time since he never believe in the set up of love before. In Benares he discovered many things that changed his life. Starting from the ancestors Brahmin down to practices and political issues. He was able to contemplate on the commonality of people who are there. They all wanted to escape their past. Going back to Samar and Catherine, the two had a chance to become lovers but then Catherine decided to cut their relationship off.Good thing Samar was able to recover and took a teaching job for young Tibetan children. When he was reunited with an old friend from Benares after seven years, he told himself that he is apart from those people who lives there. He is now far from the old tradition and on his way to recuperat ing for a better future. The Romantics tells about the clashing of culture in contemporary India. The author attempted to explore how people during the time differ from their backgrounds, culture and how it is romanticized to unveil the mysteries of India.

The eNotes Blog Guerrilla Poetry Projects

Guerrilla Poetry Projects T.S. Eliot once observed that genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.   This is a sentiment that   guerrilla poets embrace.   Guerrilla tactics, whether in war or in art, often rely on hit-and-run assaults, leaving the subjects of their surprise attacks a bit dazed and hopefully more aware. This week, the website  Flavorpill  (by way of booooooom.com)  published a variety of   guerrilla poetry projects that are sneaking poetry into the lives of the largely unsuspecting public.   Here are ten of the best: 1.   Scottish artist  Robert Montgomery  installs subversive poetry on billboards, stripping away the large-scale ads for his black-and-white text. Other poems are set on fire. The anonymous works about modern life offer a moment of reflection, away from the consumerist gaze. 2.   The Itaewon neighbored of Seoul, Korea is littered with colorful dolls. American poet  Andy Knowlton  creates the tiny figures from found materials he collects on the streets. Each doll is outfitted with a bottle that contains a poem. â€Å"I want to surprise people going about their daily routines,† he  told  website Chincha. â€Å"Also, I’ve been writing poetry for several years now and I’m always trying to figure out new ways to get people interested in poetry. These dolls are just another approach to getting the good word out on poetry.† 3.  New York City writer  Audrey Dimola  started the Compass Project in 2012. She stickers her poems around the city, releasing her work into the wild. They’re tiny signposts for eagle-eyed daydreamers. 4.  London-based artist  Anna Garforth  is inspired by guerrilla gardening groups, which is why she transformed excerpts from several Eleanor Stevens poems into mossy wall text. The green words are attached with organic materials. Garforth creates the work with the hopes that the letters will grow and spread across the wall in time.   (Photo credit: Amy Leang) 5.   University of Michigan professor  Emily P. Lawsin, specializing in Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies, has been a spoken word performance poet since 1990. Her passionate guerilla performance on a sidewalk in Detroit’s abandoned Chinatown remembered murdered Chinese-American Vincent Chin.   (Photo credit: Max Nesterak)   6.   HOOT  publishes flash fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and small press book reviews, never exceeding 150 words. The lit mag is printed on a postcard, with accompanying art, but it’s also available online. Miniature prose pops up unexpectedly from time to time. 7.   The  Guerilla Poetics Project  consists of  short poems that are letterpress printed via antique press on broadsides and then smuggled into books around the world. Unsuspecting readers can register their found poems on the GPP  website. 8.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I love the way that language can be an object, and the way that a small, enigmatic fragment can somehow invoke something much larger in the mind,† Anthony Discenza  said  of his guerrilla street sign project. â€Å"Alternatively, I might describe them as a conflation of elevated modes of speech with more prosaic or banal forms - the Gothic novel mixed with the  People  magazine headline.† 9.   During New Zealand’s Nelson Arts Festival in 2012, artist and designer  Klaasz Breukel  - in an orange jumpsuit - drove around in a van, projecting animated poems on walls. 10.   Online video literary magazine  GuerrillaReads  boasts an assortment of  clips  featuring poets reading their works out in the world, away from the bookstores.

Microsoft Vega Project Essay Example

Microsoft Vega Project Essay Example Microsoft Vega Project Essay Microsoft Vega Project Essay How does Microsoft conduct strategic planning and what role human resource management plays in that process? It is apparent that people are Microsofts greatest asset. Linking production areas and using an atmosphere that caters to the 30 year old average employee age, has made the company a fantastic place of employment. Human Resources is responsible for identifying, hiring, and retaining their gifted talent. Microsoft has also boasted as very generous compensation and benefits program that has created a quality employee experience. Microsofts work environment, is a catalyst for great achievements. With a strategic human resource plan, Microsoft ensures that a diverse range of candidates are considered for opportunities as well as retaining them in a very competitive market. Their results are shown through enhanced product development and employee performance. The HR department is great at spotting talent and potential and aim to hire people who are smart, work hard, and get the right things done. HR staffing seeks to hire talented people who are passionate about their work. This passion translates directly into products and services that enable Microsoft customers to do their very best. Its an important mission - bringing the right people in and taking good care of them. It plays a critical role in helping Microsoft generate technology that positively affects the lives of millions of people around the world (Microsoft. com 2008). The case study on the Vega Project shows that HR department as well as company directors are using the plan to promote, educate, and empower individuals. As this case shows, it does not always work out to be a successful match. However, according to Microsoft’s home page, I believe their HR approach is a great example of how to recruit, retain, and promote motivated employees. Where along the transactional-commitment continuum does Microsoft choose to be located ? Transactional leaders use strategy, structure and culture to strengthen their organization. This type of leadership can be displayed through a system of contingent-reward exchanges as well as active management. This style of leadership can be characterized through a process of goal-setting, setting expectations, and defining how followers will be rewarded (Gerhardt 2004). By achieving specific goals for both leaders and their followers, transactional leadership seeks to maintain stability rather than promoting change within an organization. This leadership style is closley related to the style used by Jim Kaplan in 1998. By recruiting MacLellan, he set goals, explained the rewards associated for meeting those goals, and maintain as close relationship with his new recruit. MacLellan was very excieted about his new Vega project and felt empowered to complete the project on time and meet the specified goals. He had a great commitment to the project, his team, and used many resources to ensure that it was a success. In my opinion I feel that due to the nature of Microsoft’s business, the company is high on the transactional-commitment continuum. This type of leadership is shown through the offer to MacLellan from Kaplan. Delivering the Vega project would mean a 14,000 dollar bonus, an allocation of 2,800 stock options, and promoted to a level 33 program manager, which carried a salary range of 85,000 to 110,000 dollars (Bassert page ? ). Microsoft Home Page http://members. microsoft. com/careers/careerpath/humanresource/default. mspx 2008 paulgerhardt. com/homework/TranformationalTransactonalLeadershipInRetail. pdf Paul Gerhardt-Transformational and Transactional Leadership in Retail (2004)