Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Who Invented the Game of Softball
Softball is a variant of baseball and a popular participant sport, particularly in the U.S. About 40 million Americans play a game of softball in any given year.à However, the game owes its development to another sport entirely: football.à The First Softball Game George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, is credited with inventing softball in 1887. That year, Hancock gathered with some friends at the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago on Thanksgiving day to watch the Yale vs. Harvard game. The friends were a mix of Yale and Harvard alumni and one of the Yale supporters threw a boxing glove at a Harvard alumnus in triumph. The Harvard supporter swung at the glove with a stick he happened to be holding at the time. The game was soon on, with participants using the glove for a ball and a broom handle for the bat. Softball Goes National The game quickly spread from the comfy confines of the Farragut Boat Club to other indoor arenas. With the advent of spring, it headed outdoors. People began playing softball throughout Chicago, then all over the Midwest. But the game still didnââ¬â¢t have a name. Some called it ââ¬Å"indoor baseballâ⬠or ââ¬Å"diamond ball.â⬠True baseball fanatics didnââ¬â¢t think much of the game and their names for it, such asà ââ¬Å"kitten baseball,â⬠ââ¬Å"pumpkin ballâ⬠and ââ¬Å"mush ballâ⬠à reflected their disdain. The game was first called softball at the National Recreation Congress meeting in 1926. Credit for the nameà goes to Walter Hakanson whoà represented the YMCA at the meeting. It stuck. An Evolution of Rules The Farragut Boat Club invented the first softball rules pretty much on the fly. There was little continuity from game to game during the early years. The number of players on each team could vary from one game to the next. The balls themselves were of different shapes and sizes. Finally, more official rules were set in place in 1934 by the newly-formed Joint Rules Committee on Softball. The first softballs were reported to be some 16 inches in circumference. They eventually shrunk to 12 inches when Lewis Roberà Sr. introduced softball to a group of Minneapolis firefighters. Today, softballs are even smaller, ranging from about 10 to 12 inches. According to the International Softball Federation, which wasà formed in 1952, teams must now be comprised of nine players manning seven positions on the field. This includes the first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, pitcher, catcher, and outfielder. There are actually three outfielders positioned in the center, right and left field. Slow-pitch softball, a variation on the game, provides for a fourth outfielder. Most softball rules are similar to those for baseball, but there are typically only seven rather thanà nine innings. If the score is tied, the game will go on until one team wins. Four balls are a walk and three strikes mean youââ¬â¢re out. But in some leagues, players go to bat with a strike and a ball already against them. Bunting and stealing bases typically arenââ¬â¢t allowed. Softball Today Womenââ¬â¢s fast-pitch softball became an official sport of the Summer Olympics in 1996 but was dropped in 2012. Still, that hasnââ¬â¢t deterred millions of enthusiasts in the U.S. and more than a hundred other countries from pursuing the sport.
Sunday, May 17, 2020
Symbolism in Craneââ¬â¢s The Red Badge of Courage Essay
In the novel The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephan Crane, the author uses symbolism to illustrate the main characterââ¬â¢s actions and the settingââ¬â¢s scenery. Henry Fleming, the protagonist of the novel, cannot decide whether he can be a hero or if he will fall as a coward. The symbolism used in The Red Badge of Courage represents Henryââ¬â¢s decision to fight proudly and how common items mean more than what meets the eye. Stephan Crane was born in 1871 in New Jersey. At the age of twenty-two, he published his first novel, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. Later on, Crane wrote sketches and short stories for newspapers in New York. It was not until his second novel, The Red Badge of Courage, got published in 1895 that he became a well-knownâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Henry runs until he sees a dead soldier. Henry decides to go back to find his regiment but he finds a group that is taking care of wounded soldiers. He finds Jim Conklin as one of the wounded soldiers a nd cares for him along with a tattered soldier. Jim later dies and Henry is left alone with the tattered soldier alone in the woods. Henry leaves the tattered soldier to die alone in the forest because of him asking Henry too many questions about a wound that Henry does not have. Afterward, Henry is reunited with his regiment. In revenge for Jim Conklinââ¬â¢s death, Henry finds his inner courage and fights in the next battle alongside his friend, Wilson. He and Wilson fight until the end. Henry decides to hold the flag during the next battles that they win. At the end, Henry feels guilty for leaving the tattered soldier to die alone but decides to put it behind him because of all the good that he had done during the battles. For every time Henry was discouraged in this short novel, something pushed him back to positive thinking for himself. Joseph Conrad, a writer, says, ââ¬Å"the greatest decision that Henry made was running from battleâ⬠¦that brought about finding the dead soldierâ⬠(143). During the beginning of the novel, Henry flees at a second battle. He runs deep into the forest in which the battle is taking place. He finds a tree that Crane describes as ââ¬Å"a chapel.â⬠In this chapel, Henry finds a dead soldier. At this vital point, HenryShow MoreRelated Symbols and Symbolism in Cranes The Red Badge of Courage Essay1962 Words à |à 8 PagesCharacters as Symbols in Cranes The Red Badge of Courage à The Red Badge of Courage was a significant novel in the way that the characters were portrayed. Crane hardly ever used the actual names of the soldiers. He simply described them as the loud soldier, the tall soldier, the cheery soldier, and the tattered soldier. Crane made the characters stand out in the use of describing them and promoting their relationship with Henry and his struggle during the battles. Crane did a fantasticRead MoreA Critique Of Stephen Cranes Use Of Symbolism In Red Badge Of Courage And An Episode Of War1194 Words à |à 5 Pages(A critique of Stephen Craneââ¬â¢s use of symbolism in Red Badge of Courage and An Episode of War) A tortured man who wrote beautifully tortured tales, Edgar Allan Poe, wrote in his one and only novel, ââ¬Å"...words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their realityâ⬠. No writer creates reality better than Stephen Crane (1871 -1900). Crane is greatly commended for his naturalistic style of writing, which has the goal of writing the most realistic representation of events withRead MoreStephen Crane: The Literary Red Badge871 Words à |à 3 Pageswithin The Red Badge of Courage once said: ââ¬Å"The men dropped here and there like bundles. The captain of the youths company had been killed in an early part of the action. His body lay stretched out in the position of a tired man resting, but upon his face there was an astonished and sorrowful look, as if he thought some friend had done him an ill turn.â⬠(Source insert correct citation in final draftâ⬠¦from http://www.shmoop.com/red-badge-of-courage/warfare-quotes-3.html). The quote, from The Red BadgeRead MoreSimilarities Between A Separate Peace And The Red Badge Of Courage1020 Words à |à 5 Pagesaverage citizen may not take the time to look for symbols in the real world. Those same citizens also may not notice that an object could have a hidden meaning. In the novels The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane, and A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, both contain symbols that help represent the novels overall theme. Craneââ¬â¢s novel is about a young boy named Henry, who fights in the Civil War. He goes through many internal conflicts from deciding to run or deciding to stay and fight the enemy. Knowlesââ¬â¢Read MoreThemes And Symbols In The Red Badge Of Courage992 Words à |à 4 PagesSymbols have a huge role in the everyday life. Somebody gives their loved one a red rose to express the love that they have for them. While the bride and the groom wear white apparels to their wedding to represent the new life, that they are starting together. In the novel , The Red Badge of Courage, written by Stephen Crane, a boy named Henry Fleming learns to face his fears. In the novel, A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles, Gene goes back to his old school and recalls the events that happenedRead MoreThe Naturalist Movement: The Monster, and The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane3096 Words à |à 13 Pagespoor suffered and remained poor. Humans cannot, in the eyes of a Naturalist, make effective change to their standing in life. The Naturalistic influence in The Monster and The Red Badge of Courage created common philosophies in the novels. The Monster is believed to be based off several events that occurred during Craneââ¬â¢s life (Nagel). Stephen got the idea of a man without a face from Levi Hume. Levi suffered from cancer which ate away his face and left him a faceless man, much like Henry JohnsonRead MoreRealism and Romanticism within The Red Badge of Courage1595 Words à |à 6 PagesRealism and Romanticism Within The Red Badge of Courage The Red Badge of Courage, written by Stephan Crane in 1895 gives a detailed, yet, fictional account of Henry Fleming, a farm boy who joins the Union Army in the American Civil War. Before Henry is battle-tested, he ponders his courage and questions whether he will be able to fight the urge to flee from battle. Henry does indeed end up deserting his comrades however he ultimately overcomes his guilt and becomes one of the best fighters in hisRead MoreEssay Red Badge of Courage756 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Red Badge of Courage Kelsey Christian The book The Red Badge of Courage was a very moving and interesting book that has many examples of the literary devices; irony, motif, and metaphor. These three things are very important in many forms of writing. Irony is an outcome of events different to what was or might have been expected. Motif is a recurring theme, symbol, or idea in artistic or literary work. An extended metaphor is the comparison of one thing to another that recurs throughout theRead MoreRed Badge of Courage Book Report.1765 Words à |à 8 PagesThe Red Badge of Courage is a fictional story of a young soldier named Henry Fleming, who finds himself by overcoming his inner fears in a series of events during the Civil War. Henry is an average farm boy from New York, who dreams of being a true war hero. He has enlisted in the 304th New York regiment, which fights for the Unionist forces. The rising action for this novel is of Henry trying to overcome his struggle with courage. This changes when a dear friend, Ji m, dies right before his eyesRead More Stephen Cranes Red Badge of Courage Essay1237 Words à |à 5 PagesStephen Cranes Red Badge of Courage à à à à à When reading the Red Badge of Courage, it is necessary to understand the symbolism that Stephen Crane has created throughout the whole book. Without understanding the true intent of color use, this book loses a meaningful interpretation that is needed to truly understand the main character, his feelings and actions. Crane uses very distinct colors in his text to represent various elements that the main character, Henry or ââ¬Å"the youthâ⬠, is feeling along
Friday, May 15, 2020
Fidel Castro s Influence On Cuba - 1284 Words
In 1959 Castro launched his guerilla army into Havana to overthrow dictatorial leader of Cuba, Fulgencio Batista. Many Cubans welcomed Castro and his ideas to reduce American influence in Cuba. However, this power change became a concern for the Americans. Batista had been considered pro-american and an ally of America. Castro on the other hand disapproved of the American approach to business and interests in Cuba and believed it was time for Cubans to assume control of their own nation. In 1960 Castro began to establish diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, effectively severing former ties with the Americans. The Eisenhower, and later Kennedy administrations authorized the CIA to come up with a way to remove Castro. The Americansâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦The invaders were vastly outnumbered, and they surrendered after less than 2 days. There was no way to overthrow Castro without a strong political opposition, and no such opposition was present inside or outside of Cuba. During the battle, Castro fought directly alongside his people, proving his loyalty to them and demonstrating the effectiveness of his personality by rallying his people behind him. He personally took charge of the defense, commanding troops, and air forces. Steadily the invaders were pushed back and inevitably surrendered. This battle was a substantial win for Castro, his revolution, and his people. With the loss of the invasion for America, came the solidification of power for Castro. Castro became a hero to his people, as the emergence of America as a foreign threat rallied the Cuban people behind Castro. After the invasion Castro and his army captured roughly 1100 men of the American protected Brigade 2506. In the late spring of 1961 Castro wanted to make a deal with the US, exchanging the prisoners for a ransom. Initially Castro requested agricultural equipment and 500 caterpillar-type ââ¬Å"tractorsâ⬠, that were essentially bulldozers at a value of $28 million. The American government offered Castro much cheaper tractors valued at $17 million, which Castro found insulting. He told the Americans there would be no deal. Nearly a year later at the end of March, 1962 Castro put the men of Brigade 2506Show MoreRelatedSoviet Union : The Cold War1150 Words à |à 5 PagesIn the heat of the Cold War, communism has spread its influence across the world and the United States stand fearing the worse from the Soviet Union. The United Statesââ¬â¢ objective was to expand the sovereignty of capitalism, but this was in the way of the USSRââ¬â¢s plan to overthrow capitalism entirely. W ith this struggle to keep their intentions active, the Cold War is primarily about who can be able to control the end results of World War II. Now the fear was creeping up among the U.S., with the eventsRead MoreThe Cultural Influences Of Cuba Essay1177 Words à |à 5 Pages Cuba is one of the best places to visit. Because they have so many things to do. like going to the beach and swimming and picking up hot Cuban girls. The food in Cuba is really also really healthy. The foods are a blend of Native American Taino food, Spanish, African, and Caribbean cuisines. Some Cuban recipes share spices and techniques with Spanish and African cooking, with some Caribbean influence in spice and flavor. This results in a unique, interesting and flavorful blend of the several differentRead MoreWhat Major Events in the Cold War Caused Fidel Castro to Side with the Soviet Union Super Power?805 Words à |à 4 PagesWhat major events in the Cold War caused Fidel Castro to side with the Soviet Union Super Power? In the 1960ââ¬â¢s the world was largely dominated by the Cold War which was a long period of tension and hostility that only occasionally broke out into open warfare. This conflict was caused by the rivalry of two superpowers - the United States and the Soviet Union and emerged after the Second World War. Both super powers had different ideologies - the United States was a capitalist democracy, whereasRead MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis : The Most Dangerous Time1421 Words à |à 6 Pagesmissiles placed in Cuba, Italy, and Turkey. The world was on the brink of catastrophe as two super powers were engaged in a competition to show military superiority. For decades, historians have debated that the Cuban Missile crisis was the most dangerous time in history. Within this 16 day span the world would be on edge, as the possibility of nuclear warfare was as close as it has ever been. Prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis, the U.S. had long economic and political ties with Cuba. In the Spanish-AmericaRead More Cubas Relations with the United States Essay1361 Words à |à 6 PagesCubas Relations with the United States In the early 1900ââ¬â¢s, Cuba was a stomping ground for many of the rich and famous from the United States. Many famous movies stars and wealthy business entrepreneurs spend their vacations there along with a substantial amount of money. Trade and commerce between the United States and Cuba flowed freely and abundantly. Even with the Dictatorship-like regime of Batista, the countries benefited from the economic trade between them. This was all about to comeRead MoreThe United States And Cuba Essay1008 Words à |à 5 PagesThe United States and Cuba The United States is the leader of the free world. The United States exercises strength in this role through trade agreements and military strength. Because of this, the foreign policies the United States puts into place greatly affect the economies of other countries. This is especially true of Cuba. The island of Cuba is just over 100 miles south of the Florida border. The United States and Cuba have struggled to find common ground in regards to foreign policy overRead MoreRelationship Between American And Cuban Relationships988 Words à |à 4 Pageshours ago Raul Castro and Barack Obama broke headlines today by agreeing upon a ferry service from Florida to Cuba. This ââ¬Å"great step forwardâ⬠, as some officials title it, is making headlines due to the dynamic history these 2 countries shared. The relationship between these 2 countries is similar to a Hollywood epic; one in which a parentââ¬â¢s child turns against them and takes belonging to theyââ¬â¢re known rival. America never truly let their ââ¬Å"childâ⬠Cuba fly on to their own therefore, Cuba became temptedRead MoreThe Cuban Revolution Was An Event That Sparked Change Among Latin America1171 Words à |à 5 Pagesfollow Cuba or stay in favorable relations with the United States. Countries such as Honduras, Guatemala and Colombia seem to have been the most impacted by the Cuban Revolution. The Cuban Revolution began not with Fidel Castroââ¬â¢s takeover, but with Sergeant Fulgencio Batistaââ¬â¢s power hungry struggle. In fear of losing the 1952 election, Batista took over the country and eliminated them. Many people were disgusted, even offended that Batista would do such a thing. This is what sparked Fidel CastroRead MoreThe Cuban Revolution : An Single Most Important Event Of 20th Century Latin America1200 Words à |à 5 Pageswith the United States. Prior to the Cuban Revolution Cuba was under the rule of President Fulgencio Batista. Batista served as president from 1940 to 1944 and from 1952 through the end of the revolution. Batistaââ¬â¢s first term as President proved successful however he did not go on to win reelection in1944. After initial polls for the 1952 election proved unfavorable for Batista, he staged a military coup and installed himself as President of Cuba. Public approval of Batista after the military coupRead MoreResearch: How did Cuba and Brazil Affect Popular Music, Culture and Dance in the 1940ââ¬â¢s and 50ââ¬â¢s?1305 Words à |à 6 Pages Question: How did Cuba and Brazil affect popular music, culture and dance in the 1940ââ¬â¢s and 50ââ¬â¢s? A. Plan For Investigation How did Cuba and Brazil affect popular music, culture and dance in the 1940ââ¬â¢s and 50ââ¬â¢s? In this investigation I am going to establish what affects Cuba and Brazil had on popular music and dance. The first thing Iââ¬â¢m going to do is discover how the music from Cuba and Brazil spread to America, the center of music. While doing my research I will be looking at what types
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Understanding the Benefits of Ethnic Divide Essay
Understanding the Benefits of Ethnic Divide Does society truly stand to gain from what some might call a breaking of racial and ethnic barriers? When we as a society propose the overly-voiced concepts of embracing racial equality and the dissolving of stereotypical values in an effort to support societal efficiency, do we consider that perhaps these revolutionary ideals will hurt more than help us in the long run? The average individual, in an effort to function properly in the society to which he or she belongs, will follow that which society generally accepts as politically correct, as normal. The downside to this is the possibility of a societys ignorance to the greater picture or, rather, the future effects on economy andâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Amid these good intentions however, downsides in the system became obvious as early as the 1970?s, brought into the open by the famous case of Allan Bakke (Brunner, par 3). Bakke, a white college student had been turned down by a medical school twice, while reserved positions went to under-qualified minorities. Similar cases of protest against affirmative action have been heard over the years (Brunner, par. 3-10) shining light on the unfairness of a system designed to bring society together. In recent years, the strongest failings of affirmative action have been revealed: the inability of minority students -- accepted on an affirmative action basis -- to graduate college (Ravitch, par. 7). While the United States and similar governments are trying to quell the ripples of racist and slavery-based pasts, the effectiveness of the strategies employed is being looked over. The ?social promotion? policies of affirmative action end up pushing students with inadequate grades into college where, when faced with having to make a return to remedial teaching, find that graduation is almost impossible (Ravitch, par. 11). The soul of the matter, suggested by Ravitch, exists at an adolescent level where a student?s social and/or family status affects how he or she learns. The end results of this inefficient system of balance, based on liberal society?s collective desire to have minorities catch up with the crowd, can be seen asShow MoreRelatedThe Civil Rights Movement Essay1624 Words à |à 7 Pagesassists in understanding the racial segregation in the United States as political. However, while King identified similar critiques of liberalism as Schmitt, he believed that nonviolent direct action was an effective, politically engaged method which sought to obtain equal civil rights for African Americans as opposed to usurping power from the state. While not inherently political, Schmitt argues that societal realms such as economic, religious, cultural, and for the purpose of this paper, ethnic can becomeRead MoreTo What Extent Is Scotland A Divided Society?1200 Words à |à 5 Pagesexperiences. From the aspect of social policy, this view of society means that we also share the same benefits and responsibilities of living in a welfare state. However, this structure, being so socially and often culturally rigid, can be said as being fundamentally flawed. Although, as a society, there are many factors that unite the Scottish population, there are also numerous aspe cts that divide us. We have many different histories, traditions and lifestyles all of which result in different needsRead MoreRacial Discrimination And Discrimination1669 Words à |à 7 Pagesunintentionally racist. Rose demonstrates this in Caroline or Change when she tries indirectly to give Caroline a raise based on Carolineââ¬â¢s status of a black maid. Although, Rose is trying to help Caroline economically, she is only furthering the divide between herself and Caroline by making Caroline uncomfortable. This is significant because attempts to help can sometimes contribute to division and therefore widen the gap between races. In turn, this gap makes it increasingly difficult to communicateRead More The Effectiveness of a Multicultural and Bilingual Education1198 Words à |à 5 Pagescontroversial issues in todays public educational program are multicultural and bilingual education. 2 Some experts believe there are many benefits we, as Americans, can experience in a multicultural education. James A Banks states; An education that reflects the experiences of a nation across its racial, gender and socioeconomic boundaries-benefits all students. (96) [This is from the book editor, not from Banks.] Banks is a professor and director of the Center for Multicultural EducationRead MoreAmerica s Most Defining Era1347 Words à |à 6 Pages Or, at least starting its decline. Religious and ethnic intolerance shifted to more tolerance among Americans during and after the second world war when soldiers learned to get along to achieve the common goal of ending the reign of terror spread by the evil axis powers. Two authors capture this era, allowing one front row seats in a stint that was one of the USââ¬â¢s most dynamic epochs. With hot topics such as the war on terror and cultural divide in our country being focused on daily in our presentRead MoreCancer Survivors1298 Words à |à 6 Pagesbetween cancer survivors of different races and ethnicities. The article argues that when white and minority cancer survivors are compared for their likelihood of engaging in treatment, minorities are less likely to be aware of their medical care benefits and entitlements and are more likely to postpone or abstain from treatment. The study examines reasons for these differences including the cost of treatment, organizational barriers, and lack of transportation. Age, insurance and perceived healthRead MoreLiving in a multicultural society takes time1547 Words à |à 7 Pagesââ¬ËLiving in a multicultural society takes time.ââ¬â¢ To what extend is this illustrated by the challenge of multicultural societies in the UK? (40) A multicultural society is the status of several different ethnic, racial, religious or cultural groups coexisting in harmony in the same society. From the early 19th century people have immigrated to England, developing its diversity. During World War 2 polish and Jewish people immigrated to the UK to escape fascism. Also as the UK is part of the EuropeanRead MoreCivic culture In Yugoslavia Essay1647 Words à |à 7 Pagescited as an explanation for conflicts in the post cold war era. Yugoslavia, a prime example of a system that encountered ethnic conflict that led to a violent civil war, consisted of six republics and two autonomous districts. The government at the time wanted control of these republics but the republics wanted to be free from government control. There was a push by several ethnic groups to form their own sovereign states. When Croatia opted to declare independence from Yugoslavia the serbs and YugoslavRead MoreHistory Of Rwanda And The Genocide1579 Words à |à 7 Pageshas played out mainly on the basis of ethnicity and regionalism. It was first German and Belgium colonialism that created and nurtured the countryââ¬â¢s ethnic rivalry between the majority Hutu and the minority Tutsi. The rivalry was constructed on the basis of a myth of Tutsi superiority over the Hutu in order to serve both the colonial policy of divide and rule and the colonial division of labor. The Tutsi were designated as the administrative supervisors and the Hutu s the labor force of the extractiveRead MoreImmigration On The United States1458 Words à |à 6 Pagescollective identities. Race is important in understanding the one of the problems with immigration that has changed over time. The settler colonizers who inhabited the British colonies in America, came for a better future, growth, prosperity, the right to practice religious freedom. Adding on race is a socially constructed facet of life that did not fully erupt to the understanding of being until very recently. Race is often seen as one of the main factors that divide beings and create the ââ¬Å"usâ⬠versus ââ¬Å"themââ¬
Essay on Pros and Cons of Mcdonalds - 718 Words
centerbMcDonalds: Welcome sign in the high street or a place to avoid?/b/center br brIn this essay I will be discussing the pros and cons of fast foods. Now a day every body will recognize the golden arches of McDonalds, it is hard not to. McDonalds has restaurants everywhere, beside major roads and in almost every high street. Their commercials are on television at least once a day. They became popular within a couple of years. Teenagers especially like McDonalds because of the relaxed atmosphere, cheap prizes and the fact that all over the world you know what you are buying. In restaurants I find that the waiter there look at me and think that I might not be able to pay for the meal. With McDonalds I find that every person isâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦If health stores had the money to advertise then I am sure that they too would be popular. Just as it is now health shops are rather expensive and have a major hippy label. If the prices would go down and the public realized what was better for them, the popularity of the stores would increase. br brI dont understand who decides what is popular or not. I think that people are just like blind dummies that just follow the majority, being different is just not accepted by society br brAfter taking a survey in the class it turned out that eleven people out of fifteen went to McDonalds in the last seven days at least once. I think that the reason that McDonalds is so popular is because McDonalds is an American way of life, and by eating it you are buying into the American life style. America has always dominated trends, not only in eating habits but also in fashion and Americans mostly dominate the music charts. br brPersonally I like eating at McDonalds, but it is not like I have to eat there because my whole class eats there. I eat there when I am in a rush or am low on cash. I do prefer the fast food restaurant Shakies, which is a restaurant that sells biological milkshakes and healthy sandwiched. These kinds of restaurants are gaining popularity, especially with the whole foot and mouth disease. McDonalds sales went down one fifth because of BSE and foot and mouth disease. I think that people should make the switch to health foodsShow MoreRelatedPros and Cons of Mcdonalds2326 Words à |à 10 PagesWhy I will never eat at McDonalds (Pros And Cons Of McDonalds) The golden arches of McDonalds... Fast foods...Junk foods...Processed foods.... They all have taken permanent residence in our lives. Theyre tasty and some of the best anytime snacks that always have at least a couple of takers. No wonder they are so popular. In this essay I will be discussing the pros and cons of fast foods in general and McDonalds particulalrly (as itââ¬â¢s the worlds largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurantsRead More Pros And Cons Of Mcdonalds Essay701 Words à |à 3 Pages McDonalds: Welcome sign in the high street or a place to avoid? In this essay I will be discussing the pros and cons of fast foods. Now a day every body will recognize the golden arches of McDonalds, it is hard not to. McDonalds has restaurants everywhere, beside major roads and in almost every high street. Their commercials are on television at least once a day. They became popular within a couple of years. Teenagers especially like McDonalds because of the relaxed atmosphere, cheap prizes andRead MoreCase Study: Pros and Cons About McDonalds Modernization Essay1421 Words à |à 6 Pagespay for great service with ok food, and are less likely to pay for great food with poor service. Quality, of both service and food, is the cornerstone of any successful restaurant, from the largest, like McDonalds, to the smallest hometown Mom and Pop diner. Pro: Continued success and growth. Con: Repeat history and have to endure another cycle of diminishing returns. Two, personally, I have not visited a single McDonaldââ¬â¢s that has any lounging furniture in its store. My recommendation is to continueRead MoreProduct Selection Paper1229 Words à |à 5 Pagesdiscuss product selection and will focus on two products selected. Team A will analyze the products and discuss the pros and cons in comparison to each other. Team A will also discuss the decision making criteria used to select the products and lastly analyze baseline data important to the design of the product. Team A has decided to select the food service industry and to select McDonalds as the organization for the paper. The two new products selected are the McBurrito, a burrito, and the McTurkeyRead MoreMcdonald s Success Of The Fast Food Industry Essay1592 Words à |à 7 PagesExecutive From: Fakhriddin Yuldashev McDonalds McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation operates and franchises restaurants all over the world. We are in competitive industry of quick service restaurants that is expected to grow 22% by 2017. We are the leading global food service retailer by means of over 34,000 restaurants in more than 118 countries, serving about 50 million people daily. Total revenue in 2012 was $27.8 billion, which is over 2% increase from 2011,yet McDonalds was struggling to drive sales. Net-IncomeRead MoreExternal and Internal Analysis Mcdonalds Essay2377 Words à |à 10 PagesDate: August 23, 2010 To: Professor Kopka From: Veronica Salas Subject: Strategic Analysis for McDonalds EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS External Analysis There are two conditions that are most significant in McDonaldââ¬â¢s external environment that are: 1. The new trend in which customers are changing fast ââ¬âfood restaurants to healthier ones. 2. The arising competition to achieve growth in this industry. The fast-food industry is very complex and saturated. The keyRead MoreNations Should Promote Localization, Not Globalization Essay1590 Words à |à 7 Pagesare stepping up in their strife against globalization. In California, the nations largest apparel union has protested against Guess decision to move jean production to Mexico. The corporation has two options which are both weighed down by pros and cons to either decision. The union workers believe that the corporation would be gaining to many benefits of untamed globalization, fattening profits while squeezing wages and encouraging downsizing. They are obviously not wrong but this isnt necessarilyRead MoreFast Food764 Words à |à 4 PagesWhat are the Pros and Cons of Junk Food? Junk food industry is taking off these days, which incites both young and old. There are various pros and cons of junk food. Junk food such as fries and pizzas are tantalizing for everyone. Junk foods are filled with calories and fats without nutritional values. One benefit of fast food is that you can walk in, order and eat. For the modern youth, vegetables and fruits are not that appealing as compared to junk food such as pizzas and fries. Junk foodsRead MoreMcdonalds : An American Icon1980 Words à |à 8 PagesSummary: First we could say that McDonalds is an American icon, but now itââ¬â¢s safe to say that itââ¬â¢s a well know iconic company around the world. With over 30 different names for McDonalds here are a few interesting ones, and in which part of the world these names are used. McDonaldââ¬â¢s is also known asà the Golden Arches, Mickey-Dââ¬â¢s,à Maccaââ¬â¢s (Australia), Mackey-Dââ¬â¢s, Placcy-Dââ¬â¢s andà McDog (Britain), McDo (France), MacDoh (Quebec), Mekkes,à Mekki, McDoof [literally McStupid] and Der Schotte (Germany), MacDeeRead MoreFat Head And Supersize Me900 Words à |à 4 Pageshis experiment to show the impact of eating McDonalds by recording his diet and comparing his health before and after the fast food challenge. Fat Head portrays Tom Naughton refuting the legitimacy of the results of Supersize Me and the Lipid Hypothesis. A pro of Supersize me is that it shows how too much fast food can be bad for you because it can lead to health problems such as obesity, bad cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart problems. Another pro of the 30 day experiment that Morgan is that
New strategic of International marketing - MyAssignmenthelp.com
Question: Discuss about the New strategic of International marketing. Answer: Introduction Computer technology is one of the most potential and growing industries in the world. This is due to the reason that, development in technology is most prominent and rapid in the computing sector. With the development in the technology, more alternatives are coming out from the basic computing activities. One of the key alternatives being emerged is the gaming portals and consoles and associated hardware (KosMyna Tarpin-Bernard, 2013). According to various report, it is being projected that computer gaming market is having huge potential in the market. Thus, the increase in the market of computer gaming is also enhancing the potentiality of the gaming hardware in the market. According to (Boxer, 2017), it is being expected that the gaming hardware market will touch the $30 billion market by 2018. Moreover, it is also been projected that with the slump in the sales of the personal computers, gaming hardware is being projected as one of the potential market. Razer started their operation in 1998 to manufacture high end gaming mouse and are based in Singapore. Their vision is to achieve the status of market leader in the global gaming hardware market (About Razer, 2017). In the following years they have came up with various game oriented products such as gaming portals, keyboards, accessories and gaming gears. Currently they have their dual headquarters in Singapore and San Francisco. They have also introduced their own software platform known as Razer Synapse. They have already over 35 million of active users in their portals. Thus, they can be considered as one of the leading and prominent gaming companies in the world. This report will discuss about the external environment of the organization in the regions in the United States they have targeted. Moreover, organizational strengths and weaknesses are also being indentified in order to design their marketing strategy accordingly. All the elements of the marketing activities will be discussed and evaluated along with initiation of the effective market entry strategies in the targeted regions. Analysis of the external environment in United States Political The political environment of Razer in United States will be challenging due to the reason that different regions or states will have different set of political scenario. Overall political scenario is favorable due to strong political setup in the country. However, they face the threat of terrorism and thus it will be a challenge for the business organizations. More will be the associated risks, the more will be the risk elements for them due to the reason that, change in the political scenario will change the regulations in the country (Aisen Veiga, 2013). Economical Economical environment for Razer is favorable due to the increase in the trend of per capita income of the customers in the market of United States. Developed regions in the United States, are having more market opportunities due to the customer awareness about the computer games and enhanced affordability (Trepte, Reinecke Juechems, 2012). However, rate of unemployment in the United States is increasing, which will have negative implications on the business. Moreover, due to the reason that, gaming hardware is luxury items, the preference for these types of products will be lower for the customers. As discussed earlier, the market of gaming hardware is rapidly increasing and thus, the economical environment for Razer is favorable. Social The gaming community in the market of the United States is rapidly increasing, which denotes the favorable social scenario for Razer. However, the average population in the United States is aging, which will reduce the market for Razer. Thus, Razer will face social challenges in targeting these populations. Moreover, there are various instances of ill impacts of gaming are being flourished in the recent times. Thus, it is having de-motivating impact on the social scenario in the market (Wouters et al., 2013). Technological Technology is the key element for the gaming hardware organization such as Razer. They are known for the use of cutting edge technologies in their products, which helps them to stay ahead in the competition. However, the rapid change in the technology in this sector will pose challenge for them to adhere with. The targeted regions of Razer are ranging from developed market to developing market. Thus, the use of technologies will be different in different regions. Developing markets will have less affordability for the updated technologies and developed market will require frequent up gradation of existing technologies. Thus, it will be a challenge for Razer to meet the diversified requirements. Environmental Gaming sector is not having any direct implications on the environment. However, the resource required for purpose of gaming may have negative implications on the environment. In the recent time, generation of the e-waste is one of the key sources of pollution. Thus, organizations such as Razer should concentrate on reducing the impact of wastage of their products (Grant et al., 2013). Moreover, use of recycled materials in the packaging of the products will also be beneficial. Legal With the increase in the obesity among the young generation, increase in the trend of gaming is being identified as one of the key reasons. Accordingly, government is trying to initiate various legislations in order to curb trend of computer gaming. Initiation of the stringent legislations will have negative impact on the business performance of Razer. Analysis of the internal environment Strengths Initiation of latest and cutting edge software in the market. Positive reputation and goodwill and having loyal customer base. Having diversified product portfolio to meet different customer requirement. Weaknesses Having less brand value compared to other established player in the market. Having no brand identity outside the gaming community (Hsiao Chiou, 2012). Premium price of the products and catering only the niche market. Lack of economies of scale. Opportunities They can enter the market of other electronic appliances, which will enhance their market share and presence. Positive trend in gaming hardware market. Retailing the products through famous retail chains. Huge number of active users globally. Threats Various companies having more brand value are rapidly introducing technologically advanced products. Customers awareness about the ill impact of the computer gaming is increasing (Ferguson Olson, 2014). Rapid change in the taste and preference pattern of the customers. Analysis of the marketing strategies Objectives of the marketing strategy To identify the ideal market entry strategies. To identify the target market and position the products. To effectively cater to the target market. To design the marketing mix effectively. To identify the competitive advantages in the market. Market segmentation strategies STP model In order to identify the target market along with segmentation and positioning strategies, STP model will be used. According to this model, the first aspect is the segmentation of the market. This process refers to the division of the market in terms of the demography and geography segmentation (Wedel Kamakura, 2012). In terms of the demographic segmentation, the targeted age group will be 18 to 30. This age group will be targeted due to the reason that, it will cover the teenage group who are more enthusiastic about the computer gaming. Moreover, above the targeted age group, there will be more professionals who may not have the time and interest for the computer gaming. Both the male and female will be targeted due to the reason that, in the recent times, computer gaming is becoming popular among the female teenagers. As seen in the above picture, 42 percent of the gamers are female. Thus, there is huge market potentiality of computer gaming in the female population. In terms of the geographic segmentation, different regions in the United States will be targeted. Thus, the entire market of the United States will be targeted. However, the entry and operation strategies will be different in different regions. Market targeting strategies The next step of STP model is targeting. In this step, Razer will initiate various activities in order to target the segmented customers. Porter generic strategy will be helpful in initiating various targeting activities. Porter generic strategies. The first targeting activities will be the cost leadership. Razer will not initiate the cost leadership due to their premium offerings. However, they will concentrate on enhancing their economies of scale in order to reduce the cost of production. This will increase their profitability in the market (Kapferer, 2012). The next targeting strategy will be the differentiation. This strategy will be initiated by the Razer in order to create a distinctive image in the market. The products offered by them will be unique in terms of aesthetics, features and utility. Moreover, with the launch of their gaming oriented mobile phones, they have effectively implemented the differentiation approach (Valipour, Birjandi Honarbakhsh, 2012). This is due to the reason that, the mobile being launched by them is one of a kind product, which is more concentrated towards hardcore gaming usage. Thus, they are having an untapped market in the global scenario. The last step is the focus strategy. Razer will focus to the niche market due to their premium products. Moreover, gaming consoles and accessories are being targeted for the high end customers. Niche marketing will help them to enhance their brand value in the market. This is due to the reason that, major competitors of Razer including Xbox and Playstation are operating in the higher end market. Thus, in order to compete with them, Razer have to cater to the higher end market. As discussed earlier, products of Razer will be positioned as premium products in the market. According to the above positioning map, there is clear difference between the expensive and cheap gaming consoles with their utilities (Maarit Jalkhala Keranen, 2014). Accordingly, Razer is being positioned as premium offering for the hardcore gamers. This is due to the reason that, majority in the gaming community is hardcore gamers and thus it will be effective to target them. Moreover, hardcore usability will help them to cater to the professional gamers also. This will enhance the goodwill and positive word of mouth in the market. Razer will not be marketed as mass market models due to the reason that, there are already various cheaper products being available in the market by the Chinese vendors. Thus, competition will be more in the mass market along with less profitability. Moreover, positioning of the Razers products as mass market and affordable products will reduce the quality, wh ich refrain the professional and hardcore gaming community to have their products. Analysis of marketing mix Product The product portfolio of Razer consists of diversified ranges including consoles, systems, laptops, mouse, gaming gear and software. Thus, they are having different products to meet the diverse requirement of the customers. Moreover, with the introduction of the Razer mobile in the market, they have enhanced their market potentiality by providing unique product in the market. In addition, initiation of the mobile will also help them to cater to the larger section of the target audience. This is due to the reason that, gaming consoles and accessories are restricted to the hardcore gamers only. However, gaming oriented mobile will attract more mainstream audience. Thus, the market presence and potentiality will get increased. Having diversified and all associated products of gaming, they are offering one stop access to the customers to have a holistic gaming experience (Fernhaber Patel, 2012). This is also enhancing the competitive advantages in the market for them. Price As discussed earlier, pricing of the Razer will be more premium in order to target the niche market. In the low cost and affordable gaming market, various Japanese and Chinese companies are having leadership status due to their lower pricing. Thus, Razer cannot achieve the desired cost effectiveness in catering to this market. Moreover, in the gaming community, hardcore users will always go for consoles with higher specifications. Thus, in order to target the niche market, premium pricing will be helpful (Keller, 2017). Premium pricing will help to create exclusivity in the market. It will help them to distinguish them from other mass market models. However, due to the premium pricing, they may have to face challenges in marketing their products in the developing regions in the United Nations due to lower per capita income of the customers. This will reduce their market potentiality in these regions. According to the above graph, it shows that market growth rate for gaming hardware is rapidly increasing in the recent years. Thus, this data denotes that the gaming community is growing in the global scenario, which includes the developing countries also. Though, due to the premium pricing, they may face difficulties in attracting customers in the initial stage, but with the growth being forecasted, Razer will have potential customers in developing countries also. Place Currently, products of Razer are only been available on offline stores and in the official online stores of them. Thus, having the Omni channel presence is helping them to reach out to the customers from every medium available (Beck Rygl, 2015). However, in order to target the specified regions, they have to make their products available in the third party online marketplace also. In addition, they also sell their products from established retail chains in order to reach out to more number of customers. Promotion Razer is having distinctive promotional designs in order to reach out to the potential customers. They do not follow extensive promotional activities involving electronic and print media. However, they act as sponsor to various gaming events, maintaining gaming community and providing coupon codes to the customers. However, in targeting the developing countries, one of the effective promotional activities will be the social media marketing (Erdogmus Cicek, 2012). This will help them to create the brand impression among the potential customers. Moreover, initiation of the gaming events will also help to aware the customers about their products. Market entry strategies In entering in new countries, Razer should follow the direct exporting strategy. This is due to the reason that, direct exporting will help them to not have any manufacturing facilities in every country (Laufs Schwens, 2014). Though, it will increase the price of the products, but due to the fact that they are being targeted for the niche customers, thus it will not be an issue. Direct exporting will also help Razer to have same products with same standard of technologies in every market. It will also reduce the risk involved in investing in new country. Control strategy Key performance indicators will be identified and used in order to control and evaluate the business strategies (Parmenter, 2015). Razer will have three KPIs in entering in new country. These are marketing and sales, supply chain management and IT operations. Key performance indicators of Razer KPL of market and sales will help to evaluate the rate of new customer acquisition and impact of brand value. IT operations will include the after sales service of the products along with management of the technologies. Supply chain management will look after the effective inbound and outbound activities of the products in different target markets. Conclusion Thus, from the above discussion, it can be concluded that, Razer is having a diverse product portfolio, which is helping them to meet the different customer requirements. Moreover, they have gained goodwill and reputation in their existing market. However, in entering in new regions, they will need effective marketing strategies, which are being discussed n this report. Effective targeting, segmentation, and positioning strategies are being discussed in this report in order to enable them to have desired market performance. Market entry and control strategies are also been discussed in this report to help them in effectively entering in new country. Reference About Razer. (2017).Razerzone.com. Retrieved 25 November 2017, from https://www.razerzone.com/about-razer Aisen, A., Veiga, F. J. (2013). How does political instability affect economic growth?. European Journal of Political Economy, 29, 151-167. Beck, N., Rygl, D. (2015). Categorization of multiple channel retailing in Multi-, Cross-, and Omni?Channel Retailing for retailers and retailing. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 27, 170-178. Boxer, B. (2017).Forbes Welcome.Forbes.com. Retrieved 24 November 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/benjaminboxer/2017/01/26/pc-gaming-a-32-billion-industry-is-going-to-change-dramatically-due-to-new-cloud-technology/#70c781ea5f6b Erdo?mu?, ?. E., Cicek, M. (2012). The impact of social media marketing on brand loyalty. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 58, 1353-1360. Ferguson, C. J., Olson, C. K. (2014). Video game violence use among vulnerable populations: The impact of violent games on delinquency and bullying among children with clinically elevated depression or attention deficit symptoms. Journal of youth and adolescence, 43(1), 127-136. Fernhaber, S. A., Patel, P. C. (2012). How do young firms manage product portfolio complexity? The role of absorptive capacity and ambidexterity. Strategic Management Journal, 33(13), 1516-1539. Frevele, J. (2017).New Round of Gaming Statistics: Gaming Audience Getting Older, Slightly More Female.Themarysue.com. Retrieved 24 November 2017, from https://www.themarysue.com/gaming-statistics/ Grant, K., Goldizen, F. C., Sly, P. D., Brune, M. N., Neira, M., van den Berg, M., Norman, R. E. (2013). Health consequences of exposure to e-waste: a systematic review. The lancet global health, 1(6), e350-e361. Hsiao, C. C., Chiou, J. S. (2012). The effects of a players network centrality on resource accessibility, game enjoyment, and continuance intention: A study on online gaming communities. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 11(1), 75-84. Kapferer, J. N. (2012). The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic thinking. Kogan page publishers. Keller, K. L. (2017). Managing the growth tradeoff: Challenges and opportunities in luxury branding. In Advances in Luxury Brand Management (pp. 179-198). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. Kos' Myna, N., Tarpin-Bernard, F. (2013). Evaluation and comparison of a multimodal combination of BCI paradigms and eye tracking with affordable consumer-grade hardware in a gaming context. IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence and AI in Games, 5(2), 150-154. Laufs, K., Schwens, C. (2014). Foreign market entry mode choice of small and medium-sized enterprises: A systematic review and future research agenda. International Business Review, 23(6), 1109-1126. Maarit Jalkala, A., Kernen, J. (2014). Brand positioning strategies for industrial firms providing customer solutions. Journal of Business Industrial Marketing, 29(3), 253-264. Parmenter, D. (2015). Key performance indicators: developing, implementing, and using winning KPIs. John Wiley Sons. Sherpa, I. (2017).PC Gaming Hardware Market to Hit $23.6 Billion in 2012.Interactive Entertainment Sherpa. Retrieved 24 November 2017, from https://www.iesherpa.com/?p=976 Trepte, S., Reinecke, L., Juechems, K. (2012). The social side of gaming: How playing online computer games creates online and offline social support. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(3), 832-839. Valipour, H., Birjandi, H., Honarbakhsh, S. (2012). The effects of cost leadership strategy and product differentiation strategy on the performance of firms. Journal of Asian Business Strategy, 2(1), 14. Wedel, M., Kamakura, W. A. (2012). Market segmentation: Conceptual and methodological foundations (Vol. 8). Springer Science Business Media. Wouters, P., Van Nimwegen, C., Van Oostendorp, H., Van Der Spek, E. D. (2013). A meta-analysis of the cognitive and motivational effects of serious games.
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Core Competencies in an Organization
Question: Discuss about the Core Competencies in an Organization. Answer: Introduction: For the purpose of anticipating the changes in the business, it is expected that management should try to build the relevant strategic plan. Emphasizing over the core competencies of the company, it should set up a different integrated system that cannot be replicated by the competitors. Through the explanation given by Segal-Horn (2009), core competencies are defined as the collective knowledge related to how to combine the diverse resources of the company, along with technology and know-how (Segal-Horn 2009). As the base of competitive benefits for the company is gaining stability for the long term, core competencies of the enterprise are getting both strengthen and weaken (Segal-Horn 2009). Methodology and means of analysis Conserving the core competencies is referred as a methodology that could be categorized in three areas. Through shielding including protecting the resources of the company for minimizing the risk to the less, while simultaneously enhancing the risk for the competitors, and co-option that is collaboration, which usually results in increasing the market share for having the active party in relation (Grant 2008). The final methodology is referred as recycling, in which core competencies prove track record is importantly contributed towards increasing profits is used from time to time (Grant 2008). Another method that could be used for leveraging the core competencies is recovery. The faster the recovery speed, the time is taken in turning the product through development in the saturation of the market and back towards new product development, the higher is the chance of recovering the investment is quicker (Grant 2008). This leverage method is mainly noticeable in the technology industry, in which product garners are quite popular, and its successor is already launched. Argument advanced in the article Concentrating over the core competencies is considered as the method including two facts; one is convergence that reflects over complete vision and is close to all the resources converges within the time, and the next is the focus (Segal-Horn and Boojihawan 2006). Through emphasizing over the most relevant core competencies over the most important aspects permits the company in fulfilling the necessary short-term goals is quite useful (Segal-Horn and Boojihawan 2006). The accumulating process of core competencies implies to both the company specific core competencies and various other companies. Holding the information that is not developed by the corporation, but its quite easier to access could be highly advantageous as it could reduce the time spend over carrying out the menial job along with permitting the company to continue their learning and development through adopting the resources by acquisition, merger and joint ventures (Segal-Horn and Boojihawan 2006). Knowledge by the experience and through companys continual process towards learning for the purpose of applying the lesson is referred as extraction (Segal-Horn and Boojihawan 2006). Some core competencies are actually standalone resources; one instance is returned as an open culture, which is exhibited through Apple Inc., in which creative individuals are provided with relevant space for the purpose of developing the ideas (Gleadle and Bakhru 2007). More often it is seen that companies explore the cumulative impact of core competencies that is high than the exploiting individually, and this method is known as blending (Gleadle and Bakhru 2007). Conclusions/findings Relying on the arguments given above, it is not possible to mention the concept of the core competencies is considered as the advanced tool, which could support in making the unique strategy for business and for exploring the strength and opportunities (Crisis 2014). However, this type of approach cannot be worn by the company against the changes in market turbulent. Rather, then despite many limitations due to generalizability, the outcomes of the study highly indicate that the practitioners need to evaluate the strength and weakness and try to incorporate the blend of various approaches for attaining high (Crisis 2014). Companies need to adopt effective strategic management for the purpose of cultivating the own core competencies. Companies need to make use of their own internal and external benefits and opportunities for overcoming the internal and risk shortcoming; convert the weakness in benefits and risk in opportunities, eventually become a core competency of the company (Cris is 2014). Implications for managers/management during organizational change processes There is an expected requirement radically to change the business management concept in the area. Subsequently, it might lead towards the recommendations that corporations should try to function towards a group of core competencies (Prahalad and Hamel 1990). This concept tries to set out the managers framework to set up and acknowledge the competencies. Core competencies could be explained as the intentions and skills that could enable the corporation to resource leveraging (Prahalad and Hamel 1990). Managers should focus on integrating the skills in all aspects of the company. Through understanding the core competencies, which lead towards the successful growth, managers can formulate the ways towards reaching and stretching the resources that move towards new goals with the change in environment (Prahalad and Hamel 1990). It is needed that managers should acknowledge the competencies and align with the company. Competencies don't rely on the individual skills; rather its the collec tion of skills in the company (Prahalad and Hamel 1990). Strengths As per Robbins, Bradley and Spicer (2001), core competencies is supportive for the organizations to select the pattern of strategic management to make it flexible and module towards outstanding culture and value; furthermore, core competencies support the company in strengthening the management of company, as the company possesses different resources (Robbins, Bradley and Spicer 2001). Firstly, core competencies consider the requirement and value that is required by customers. It could importantly enhance the product and service efficiency improvement along with a reduction in cost with increasing firms competitive benefits (Robbins, Bradley and Spicer 2001). Secondly, the companys innovation ability to invent the new items determine the core competency as the strength (Robbins, Bradley and Spicer 2001). The core competency also offers an opportunity to respond quickly towards emerging innovation and technology and also increase the rival capability. This can be considered as the con cept strength (Thomas and Cheese 2005). Weaknesses As one could see, few enterprises had vanished after they came in, from which some had gone downhill, where else few were strong after facing the ups and down. The reason exists that it is profoundly hard to maintain the core competency (Katz 1955). Below is the weakness of the core competency, how one could make use of core competency and how could it be sustain (Robbins, Bradley and Spicer 2001). The core competencies emphasize over the internal factors or in another context, it tries to ignore the external factors. As per Kirkpatrick (1959), the increase in firms is dependent on the companies accumulating experiences as well as knowledge, instead of foreign power (Robbins, Bradley and Spicer 2001). Since all the actors are depreciated, it is important to emphasize over the internal development and try to neglect all the outside massive changes in the environment that could lead towards the failure and surplus of the competitive benefits (Popper and Lipshitz 1993). The excessive an d blind of the diversification could lead towards the core competency loss. For instance, the Giant Group that started their business in IT industry determine o become IBM in China, but later on the company switch towards producing nutrition food then move towards real-estate and invest their money towards constructing the huge building (Popper and Lipshitz 1993). For treating the diversification, is not same as rejection. References Crisis. 2014. The national charity for single homeless people. [Online]. Available at: https://www.crisis.org.uk [Accessed on: 17th August 2016]. Gleadle, P. and Bakhru, A. 2007. B820 Unit 3 Competing With Capabilities. Milton Keynes: Open University Grant, R. 2008. Contemporary Strategy Analysis. Oxford: Blackwell Katz, R. L. 1955. Skills of an effective administrator. Harvard Business review, 33(1), pp. 33-42. Kirkpatrick, D. 1959. Techniques for evaluating training programs. Journal of American Society of Training Directors, 13 (3-9), pp. 21-6. Popper, M. and Lipshitz, R. 1993. Putting leadership theory to work: a conceptual framework for theory-based leadership development. Leadership Organization Development Journal, 14 (7), pp. 23-7. Prahalad, C.K. and Hamel, G. 1990. The core competence of the corporation'. Harvard Business Review, 5, pp.78-90 Robbins, C. J., Bradley, E. H., and Spicer, M. 2001. Developing leadership in healthcare administration: A competeny assessment tool. Journal of Healthcare Management, 46(3), pp. 188-199. Segal-Horn, S. 2009. The Strategy Reader. Oxford: Blackwell Segal-Horn, S. and Boojihawan, D. 2006. B820 Unit 1 Introduction: What Is Strategy? Milton Keynes: Open University Thomas, R.J. and Cheese, P. 2005. Leadership: experience is the best teacher. Strategy Leadership, 33 (3), pp. 24-9.
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