How Does Amazon.Com Use Their Digital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

How Does Amazon.Com Use Their Digital - Essay Example The success of Amazon.com has been highly related to its strategy. Reference should be primarily made to the product to which Amazon.com was initially related: books. After reviewing the selling potentials of this product, Bezos came to the assumption that books had an important advantage compared to other products: they could attract the interest of buyers under the terms that ‘they are appropriately presented through the website’ (Schneider 2011, p.45). Also, due to their size, ‘books are difficult to be held in stock at high numbers’ (Schneider 2011, p.45). Even a quite large bookshop cannot stock more than 200,000 books (Schneider 2011). Being able to offer to customers a high range of choices in regard to the particular product has been a distinctive characteristic of Amazon.com (Schneider 2011). The potentials of Amazon.com to secure a high range of available titles for its customers have highly enhanced the firm’s performance. In other words, t he success of Amazon has been secured by focusing on the type and range of product offered to the public. In addition, the emphasis has been given on the marketing tool used for the promotion of this product to the market. When Amazon.com appeared, the Internet was considered as a quite promising tool of communication. For contemporary management theory, the behavior of organizations is considered as influenced by a variety of factors, related to different scientific fields, such as ‘psychology, economics, and sociology’.... The strategic choices of Bezos have been proved quite effective; within just 8 years the firm managed to achieve a profit of $5 billion (case study). By 2008, the firm’s customers reached the 76 million (case study). The firm’s practice to emphasize on ‘low price, convenience and variety of merchandise’ (case study) has highly contributed in the rapid growth of the organization. 2.2 Evaluation of Amazon’s strategy using the literature The success of Amazon.com has been highly related to its strategy. Reference should be primarily made to the product to which Amazon.com was initially related: books. After reviewing the selling potentials of this product, Bezos, came to the assumption that books had an important advantage compared to other products: they could attract the interest of buyers under the terms that ‘they are appropriately presented through the website’ (Schneider 2011, p.45). Also, due to their size, ‘books are difficult to be held in stock at high numbers’ (Schneider 2011, p.45). Even a quite large bookshop cannot stock more than 200,000 books (Schneider 2011). Being able to offer to customers a high range of choices in regard to the particular product has been a distinctive characteristic of Amazon.com (Schneider 2011). The potentials of Amazon.com to secure a high range of available titles for its customers have highly enhanced the firm’s performance (Schneider 2011). In other words, the success of Amazon has been secured by focusing on the type and range of product offered to the public. In addition, emphasis has been given on the marketing tool used for the promotion of this product to the market. When Amazon.com appeared, Internet was considered as a quite promising tool of communication. The value of Internet for

Global marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global marketing - Essay Example The airline industry is highly competitive with a large number of market players both in domestic as well as international routes. The advent of Low cost carriers has also compounded the competition with a predatory pricing mechanism (Wensveen, 2010). The key market drivers for the growth of the industry include a robust economic growth that would mean increase in business class passengers as well as growth in the tourism industry both of which can act as good drivers for the industry (AAPA, n.d.). Virgin Atlantic was established in the year 1984 under the leadership of Richard Branson under a joint venture with Singapore Airlines that has a 49 percent stake (Virgin Atlantic-a, 2011). The company headquartered at the UK is one of the most favoured and established brand in the industry (Virgin Atlantic, 2011). Considering the fact that there are a large number of market players with heightened levels of competition the role of branding assumes considerable importance in this industry so as to help create a distinction from the other brands in the market. Virgin Atlantic is a global brand and faces stiff competition from some of the well reputed brands including British Airways, Emirates and Delta Air, Continental and American Airlines in the international markets. In the domestic front it faces competition from the legacy carriers as well as low cost carriers like Ryan Air, Easy Jet etc. The competitive advantage of Virgin airlines comes from its excellence in service delivery and a formidable brand image. The project would try to analyze the global airline industry in the context of the chosen organization and would also try to formulate a suitable strategy for the expansion and growth of the airline in the US (Los Angeles) market. Virgin Airlines is a legacy carrier and caters mostly to UK based residents who constitute 60 percent of all the passengers flown by the airline. The company caters to multiple segments with

Our Hands Essay Example for Free

Our Hands Essay There is great societal influence on the family builders, the parents, as to their preference, bias toward the number and sex of children. As a result of this societal influence, the effects are apparent. One effect is that if two parents have two children, one of each gender, then a third is not very plausible. If a family has two children both of the same sex, then they are more apt to have a third. A second effect of this societal influence pertains to China and its One-Child Policy. The effect is detrimental to its female population. An obvious result to such influence is a climb in the number of worldwide abortions, and infanticide. There is a new product on the market and available to the world right now that will aid society in its persuasion and this product is the Baby Gender Mentor(tm) Home DNA Gender Testing Kit. This product will have a grave significant effect on the future outcome of global society both economically and ethically. The responsibility is too great to be left in the hands of the individual and must be monitored by the governments. Family sex structuring has occurred since the beginning of the studies and surveys that date back to 1915. Family sex structuring is the planning with intentions directed toward the preference of one sex over another. This preference is only one theory involved in the reasoning of the article Emerging Parental Gender Indifference? Sex Composition of Children and the Third Birth by Michael S. Pollard and S. Philip Morgan. The original in depth idea of the article is that a family consisting of two parents and two existing children, each of the same sex, will statistically be more likely to add a third child in the hope of having a child of the opposite sex than the preexisting two. Families consisting of two parents and two children of opposite sexes are statistically less likely to add a third. This article introduces studies and theories trying to answer the reasoning for and against this idea. One theory is that this idea of family sex structuring is becoming progressively less and less important since 1995 up to the present, the current shifts in the gender system. The current shift in the gender system is due to the acceptance of women and they getting higher education and powerful positions. Roles have changed for women immeasurably in the last fifty years. Girls were encouraged to knit, sew, embroider or weave. While these activities were necessary tasks for females in the past, they are less necessary now and leave women to accomplish greater feats. Todays women may choose, and are encouraged and supported, to attend college. They are able to go places on their own and are not weighted down by as many responsibilities of the household as they once were. Some responsibilities are still expected, but men are also expected to pitch in and help with housework. Also, women from all classes are also able to mingle freely with other classes and the opposite sex without fear of a diminished reputation. Men are much less threatened at the idea of women holding powerful, commanding positions because women have proven equality of the sexes. Equally well, women can roam the Internet, support themselves financially and pay the bills, root for a favorite baseball team, or even if fact, play on a baseball team. Many women have chosen to include sports and fitness routines among their lifestyle choices, recognizing the physical and mental health benefits of exercise. Women have struggled to earn independence and respect, and have succeeded. Women since the seventies now have a choice to terminate their pregnancy if they feel that a child will interfere with their lifestyle of simply, if they so choose.

The relationship between leadership and followership

The relationship between leadership and followership Leadership is a person or group of people who have taken on the position of assisting others through motivation, good decision making, and a strong commitment to promoting change. Leaders are considered as one of the key success of management of organizations and companies. While establishing goals, an effective leader addresses clear direction, delegates their team against achievement, and leads by exemplar. Leadership and motivation styles vary from individual to individual, it is essential for managers to know and understand leadership, and particular how leadership affects countries and the workplace. However, followers are just as important, without followers there would be no leaders. Leadership has changed a great deal over time. The historical views of leadership differ dramatically from the views of modern times. In the past, leaders were seen as powerful and authoritative. Historical leaders were usually dictators, kings, prophets, or priests. They were not any average person and no one could learn to be a leader, it was an innate characteristic. Almost all historical leaders were male as well. They were rulers and used force and manipulation to get their point across and to get individuals to follow them. Historically leadership began with the trait approach. This approach is what brought about the theory that leaders were born and never made. Another name for this approach is the great man theory. Much of the research about the trait approach was conducted in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. This theory did not look at the impact that situations may have on leadership, only traits. There were no empirical findings from the trait approach so the research ultimately ended in the 1950s (Barnett, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚   Modern leaders are very different from historical leaders. Over the years, a great deal of research and scientific studies were conducted. Through that research, individuals views of leadership have changed and evolved. While there is still debate, the universal view is not that leadership is inherited. People have come to think that leadership is taught and some people even believe that all individuals possess the potential to be a leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚   After the trait, theory proved an ineffective way to determine who would be an effective leader researchers began to look at the behaviors of a leader rather than the traits. Most of that research was done in the 1940s and 50s. The behavioral theory began to look at what leaders actually do instead of just looking at their inborn traits and characteristics. The behaviors of effective leaders are different from the behaviors of ineffective leaders. Two major classes of leadership behavior are relationship-oriented behavior and task-oriented behavior. This theory put into motion the thought that leaders are created and a person can learn to be a leader. This theory also put leadership development into action.     Ã‚  Ã‚   In the 1960s and 70s another leadership theory was introduced, the contingency theory. This theory put forth the idea that factors unique to each situation determine whether specific leader characteristics and behaviors will be effective. In essence, this theory states that a leadership style that works well in one place may not be effective in another. How a leader performs is contingent on their situation and placement rather than just their style.   Ã‚  Ã‚   In the 1970s and 80s even more research was being conducted and through that emerged both the theories of leader-member exchange and charismatic leadership. The leader-member exchange theory states that leaders form high-quality relationships with some of their employees but not others. The quality of those relationships can lead to many different outcomes in the workplace because people are being treated differently. Charismatic leadership theory proposes that effective leaders inspire their employees to commit themselves to goals by communicating a vision, displaying charismatic behavior, and setting a powerful personal example.   Ã‚  Ã‚   In light of the research that formed the modern views of leadership, followership came into the forefront. My first thought when I think of being a follower is negative. I think that most people automatically think negative when they hear of the word follower. In the beginning, I pictured an individual who had no sense of self-worth who goes along with what anyone says; however, is not the case. There is a clear relationship, which takes place between leaders and followers, and the dynamic, which forms the relationship, is essential to the function of both parties. Without followers, leaders would not exist. Leaders need their followers and they need the respect of their followers as well. A leader could have many followers or subordinates in the workplace but if the leader is not respected or accepted that means nothing. According to Gardner (1987) a leader can be given subordinates, but they cannot be given a following. A following must be earned. Leaders and followers must be able to collaborate and work together. It is important for leaders to assist their followers in independent thinking and judgments so that they are able to contribute to the workplace effectively. A leader sees possibilities in individuals and figures out what it takes to motivate them. Aside from the relationship that is essential between leaders and followers there are also people who are considered good followers. According to Kelley (1988), many roles are attributed to an effective follower. Followers are able to think critically and think both inside and outside the box. They are able to manage themselves when they are called upon to do so and they show incredible commitment to the job. Many organizations are cultivating effective followers by instituting training programs and leaderless environments. Overall, a follower is not just a mindless drone who does whatever they are told to do. Effective followers are not only necessary, but also essential, to the functioning of any organization. There is a clear relationship between leadership and followership and the differences between the two are relatively clear. The differences between leaders and managers are not quite as clear. Ideally, a manager can also be a leader as well. Managers are thought to be authoritative and transactional while leaders are charismatic and transformational. Some qualities that are attributed to managers that they are reactive, use routine, are tactical, and are controlling. Qualities that are attributed to leaders are that they use strategy, have a vision, are passionate, and are proactive. Managers seek stability while leaders seek change. While some attributes between the two are interchangeable, the main differences are the ways in which they handle situations. According to Pascale (1990), Managers do things right, while leaders do the right thing. As mentioned, managers are thought to be transactional. Transactional and transformational leadership are two more types of leadership styles. Transactional leaders use a system of reward and punishment. The chain of command is clear and employees are expected to do what they are told. There is also a clear structure in place as well as a system for disciplinary action. Transactional leadership is based on contingency where rewards or punishments are contingent on the performance of the employee or subordinate. Subordinates are usually responsible for their own work and they are held personally responsible for anything that may go wrong even if they did not have the proper resources to carry out the task. Transformational leadership is almost the opposite of transactional. A transformational leader creates trust within their organization and with their employees. They give a sense of energy and enthusiasm to the workplace. This type of leader is caring and not only cares about the bottom line but also about the individual and their success. They have a vision and take the time for others to see that vision as well. While maintaining focus on their primary objectives, leaders must be agreeing enough to listen to other peoples opinions, and ideas. The debate over whether leadership is inherited or learned has been going on for a long time; many people have taken a stand on this topic, and are firm in their beliefs. One view is that we are born with the characteristics to be a leader. People are not made into leaders or taught to be leaders, they just are leaders. They were born with the skills and abilities to lead. The other view is that leadership can be learned. This view believes th at with the proper tools, education, and discipline anyone can learn to be a leader. According to Resnick (2003), leaders must be able to create a vision, build alignment, and effect deployment. He claims that not all individuals are able to achieve all of those things and become leaders. He further states that there are two main reasons why an individual may not possess the qualities of a leader. The first reason comes from our DNA. We are all born with capabilities and inherent characteristics and at some point in our life; some of our skills may develop to the limit of our potential. Some people may be more intuitive then others or some individuals may be extreme extroverts. Those characteristics influence a person to become what type of leader they will be. The second reason is seen as embedded into our character. Our sense of right and wrong, of fairness and justice, and of honesty and integrity is deeply rooted and unlikely to change. Those elements are likely to come from our families, culture, religion, and schooling. There is a chance that an extreme experie nce in life could affect those elements, but overall they usually stay the same. Some individuals, however, believe that anyone can be molded into a leader. Mohr (2000) believes that some of the greatest leaders were created and molded into leaders that they eventually became. Effective and strong leaders consist of government, military, and corporate CEOs, which must be strong enough to get the job complete. Some of those leaders were Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan, and Sam Walton of Wal-Mart. They are considered educated leaders and became great leaders through hard work, vision, and a laid out plan to succeed. With the proper training, anyone in the business world can become a great leader. Leadership balances strong, forcefulness with accommodation to achieve successful outcomes.   Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many issues surrounding leadership, especially in recent times. I believe that America has become bitter about leadership. Much like the dictators and authoritarians of the past, we have come to fear and not trust our leaders. Many people feel let down by our recent leaders. While we hold on to the hope that things will soon get better, the fact that we are in a very bad situation due to poor leadership is very apparent and still in the forefront.   Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe that the crisis in leadership stems from many areas. The most apparent is the businesspersons who build peoples trust in them only to rob them blind. One of the most recent cases of that is the 50 billion dollar fraud case of Bernard Madoff. Many people, mostly wealthy, put their trust in him and he ripped them off. Another case of that was the entire Enron scandal where so many people lost everything. Those individuals were viewed as powerhouse leaders. People wanted to trust them since they were at the top and promised great things. So many people were let down. The individuals did not have to be personally affected by those incidences, the fact that they happened and are still happening makes people wary of trusting anyone in an authority position, especially in business.  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  America is in a crisis due to poor leadership. People are losing their homes, retirement accounts are dwindling, the unemployment rate keeps getting higher, and people are living paycheck to paycheck. Those are just a few of examples of the extreme crisis we are in. Our leaders have taken a part in creating that crisis and have done nothing to remedy it. We talk about a crisis in leadership however; I see it as a crisis in lacking an effective leadership. It may sound the same but I think the two are different. Ineffective leaders did not create the entire crisis in America but they have done little to help it either. I think there is a crisis in leadership but I think our leaders are in crisis as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe there will always be a crisis in leadership, even if the government was liked and the economy was not in a recession, I think the answer would still be yes. We live in an imperfect world and there are no perfect people. There will always be someone, somewhere who has been let down by a leader, whether it be a global leader or their own leader at their place of employment. Leadership will never be perfect because we, as human beings, will never be perfect. For that reason, alone I believe there will always be some sort of crisis in leadership. I believe that leadership can be both inherited and learned. I think that many people are born to be leaders. Their personalities are mapped out in a way that they just happen to possess all of the qualities of a great leader. I do not believe, however, that all people who are born to be leaders actually realize that potential. Their environment or upbringing, just to name a few, could stifle that potential and they may become followers after all. On the other hand, I think that people can learn to be leaders, but I do not think this applies to everyone. It is not universal. I do not agree with the notion that every person can be taught to be a leader. I feel as though some people just do not fit into the leadership personality type or they are so comfortable not taking the role of leader that they cannot learn any other way.

The World Trade Organization Where It’s Been and Where’s It’s Going? Es

The World Trade Organization Where It’s Been and Where’s It’s Going? Even dating back to times of Aristotle there has always been some form of trade and along with trade came rules and regulations. In the time of Aristotle trading took place on a smaller scale and between people much like bartering. In the modern world trade is what makes the world function on a broader and larger scale. We have become globalized as a world and we now are engaged in free trade, among many countries. There still needs to be regulations for each individual country and for trade in general. For the past century the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) has been the one to deal with issues that would arise, between countries. The GATT wrote rules and regulations on things that were acceptable and not acceptable in the trade arena. Then about a decade ago at the Uruguay Round, the GATT was meeting and decided that there needed to be another organization to meet the needs and enforced the articles written by GATT. This is way the World Trade Organization cam e about. The WTO has come under both praise and criticism for the work that they do, these ideas will be further discussed in the pages to come. They have had issues brought to their table that have no doubt been hard, but they must try to please all parties involved using the articles of GATT. Pleasing all parties is impossible since the WTO must follow those regulations, therefore they cannot make all parties content. Today and in future, cases will continue to be brought to their table, where they are expected to give the best response based on the articles, but also on research and past cases. Countries have battled amongst each other as how to solve a problem such as The... ...ppen in the push for globalization and the fight against it. The WTO will have to become stronger players in world markets in order to help things truly progress. BIBLIOGRAPHY Diao, Xinshen, Terry Roe, and Agapi Somwaru. â€Å"Developing Country Interests in Agricultural Reforms Under the World Trade Organization.† American Journal of Agricultural Economics, v.84, no.3. (August 2003): 782-790. Wallach, Lori. Global Trade Watch. Whose Trade Organization? Public Citizen 1999, 19. Irwin, Douglas. Free Trade Under Fire. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2002. Josling, Tim. â€Å"Key Issues in the World Trade Organization Negotiations on Agriculture.† American Journal of Agricultural Economics, v.85, no.3. (August 2003): 663-667 Working Group on the WTO/MAI. â€Å"A Citizen’s Guide to the World Trade Organization† (July 1999): 1-28

A CRITIQUE OF THE SNOW CHILD, TAKEN FROM ANGELA CARTER’S THE BLOODY CHA

A CRITIQUE OF THE SNOW CHILD, TAKEN FROM ANGELA CARTER’S THE BLOODY CHAMBER. Throughout ’The Bloody Chamber’, Angela Carter takes the highly successful conventions that belong to once innocent fairy tales, and rips them unremorsefully from their seemingly sound foundations to create a variety of dark, seductive, sensual stories, altering the landscapes beyond all recognition and rewarding the heroines with the freedom of speech thus giving them license to grab hold of the reigns of the story. The Snow Child is one such story by Carter, where connotations seen in fairytales such as ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ are in evidence and are fused together accompanied by the emergence of feminism to the foreground of the story, numerous examples of rich and highly effective and evocative symbolism and a certain element of sexuality. In essence, The Snow Child tells of a Count and his Countess who are riding on horseback when the Count suddenly expresses his desire for a girl with ‘skin as white as snow’, ‘lips as red as blood’ and ‘hair as black as a raven’. She then materialises before their very eyes, after which, the Count lifts her up, and sits her in front of him on his saddle. The jealousy oozes from the Countess, who after seeing this, has only one train of thought - how can she rid herself of The Snow Child? The Countess’s place is usurped by the child as is symbolised by the transfer of the Countess's clothes onto her, leaving the Countess naked. Eventually the child dies and the Count gets off his horse and rapes her before the dead body of the girl melts away and consequently, the Countess is re-clothed. This narrative clearly exposes how the heroines of fairy tales are the const... ...s she who demands the girl to ‘Pick me one’ when passing a ‘bush of roses’ - the rose that she picks eventually kills her as she ‘pricks her finger on the thorn’. As a result she ‘bleeds; screams; falls.’ Bizarrely, the ‘weeping’ Count gets off his horse and proceeds to rape the corpse in a horrific act of necrophilia - all the while, the Countess ‘watched him narrowly’, hinting at a spiteful evil glare. ‘He was soon finished’. In my opinion, it is at this point where the Count loses the little respect the reader would have had for him and suggests a certain degree of incapability on his part. Finally, the Countess ‘stroked her fur’ with ‘her long hands’ whilst the Count ‘picked up the rose, bowed and handed it to his wife’, suggesting a transfer of power at this late stage in the story. She drops the rose after touching it, declaring, ‘It bites!’.

Local Literature Essay

According to Manila Bulletin (Tariella, 2014) entitled â€Å"Rural Tourism and Community Development†, it states that rural areas are becoming popular destinations because of cuisine. Most of the tourists look for attraction, activities such as festivals in different rural areas, authentic rural cuisine, and amenities of the area. This is the way to promote the Culinary Tour here in our country. Many of the residents in rural areas also have their own local unique food which visitors would like to take part or even learn cooking. There is need to appreciate the recreational activities, food, and souvenir items. In other words, â€Å"to develop applicable tourism package, the whole community must involve, the benefits well distributed to all its colleagues to ensure sustained participation and cooperation†. This is the essence of community-based rural tourism and it’s able to uplift the community. According to AIM Center for Tourism (Dr. Tan, 2014) entitled â€Å"Propelling Filipino Cuisine to the World Stage†, it is stated there that the increasing popularity of food tourism in the Philippines makes the travelers visit the country not only to see the different heritage sites and natural scenery but also to experience the authenticity of flavors of Filipino food has to offer. Travelers often associate destinations with local cuisine. Since culinary tourism develops opportunities for our local cuisine, Filipinos must patronize it. According to the website of â€Å"Its more fun in the Philippines† (www.itsmorefuninthephilippines.com) (Buenavente, 2009) entitled â€Å"Kulinarya Food Trips†, the Philippine cuisine is one of the country’s best –kept secret which is not yet known in different parts of the world. The Department of Tourism (DOT) under the management of Sec. Joseph Ace Durano lately launched Culinary Tourism as Kulinarya Filipina as part of Cultural Tourism Program. This program introduces the Philippine authentic flavors to promote the country as a culinary destination. The Department wanted to promote the culinary tours to other well-known culinary centers of our country such as Manila, Ilocos Region, Pampanga, Bulacan, Iloilo, Negros and Davao. According to Philippine Daily Inquirer (De Lara, 2015) entitled â€Å"We have everything in the North†, it states that Northern has a lot to offer- historical scenery, natural scenery- beaches and the terrific rural cuisines. Other than natural destinations and exciting activities in the north provinces, it is also known in delicious authentic cuisine. The north has Pampanga as the culinary capital and Ilocos has their famous bagnet and all those delicious authentic delicacies. According to Sun Star (Flora, 2015), it states that in the city of San Fernando in Pampanga, its provincial government decided to launch the first ever Great Alualu Festival on April 17. Its purpose is to declare â€Å"alualu† or the native term in Pampanga for the popular dessert of Filipinos, â€Å"halo-halo†. The highlight of this festival plays the important role in creating the authentic Kapampangan Cuisine to be known outside in its province and also all over the world. According to Sun Star (Pacete, 2015), it stated that one of the provinces of Region 18, Negros, bringing up and promoting the tourism potential of this province for local and foreign tourists. To appoint Pinoy travelers to discover the hidden gems of the Philippine tourism—sights, cuisine, activities, places, people and culture. The Culinary Historians of the Philippines (CHOP) visit the roaming food vendors selling their delicacies in â€Å"nigo† (flat basket) to observe the actual buying and selling of â€Å"batuan†- a local berry used as souring agent in soup, â€Å"kalkag†- dried tiny shrimps, â€Å"lamayo†- sun dried fish, and fresh sugarcane juice. According to Business World Online (Carillo, 2015), it stated that the city’s culinary scene than the fresh durian sold in the streets and all its processed versions in local shops—cakes, pastries, candies, ice cream, and even coffee. By elevating the culinary scene in Davao, held a competition categorized the Filipino Cuisine challenge. Food Tour in Davao. The local government‘s tourism office, with the help of private tourism stakeholders, the heritage tour and food tour will combined and the program is now a part of tourism packages for the visitors.