Defending Education Reform - 1136 Words

Defining Education Reform Beauty, we have been reminded many times, is in the eye of the beholder, and so is education reform. Reforming anything goes far beyond improving it because reform demands fundamental change, not mere tweaking. â€Å"The challenge involved in understanding educational reform begins with the challenge of terminology. The terms â€Å"educational reform†, â€Å"educational change†, and â€Å"educational progress† are often used interchangeably, but they have distinctly different meanings and implications. For example, the news media may refer to the recent standardized testing initaitave as an educational reform, and educational change or as educational progress toward the goal of more efficient and effective education† (Understanding Education Reform, Pg 1). Reform implies that something is wrong or at least could be better. Change on the other hand, simply implies that something will be different. What we dont know about our education system threatens what we do know. There are very concrete reasons why reform- as we’ve tried- has not worked. And why it wont. Ever. But there are things we can do. To reform is literally to form/ create/ shape something again; commonly it means to amend or improve. We need to view or ignore the system itself, it is still true that we aim our reform effort at the part with which we are most familiar, the classroom,i.e., teacher, students, books, methods. The need for reform comes from the diverse political system and it is directed atShow MoreRelatedImmigration Policy And The Presidential Election Essay1720 Words   |  7 Pagesof immigration reform. While immigration has always been part of American history and political debate, various attempts to reform its proceedings and systems have been made in the past years. Both Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr. used their executive power to prevent families from being separated by stopping the deportation of spouses and individuals who were in the process of being legalized. Beforehand, this group of people had been left out of the immigration reform passed by CongressRead MoreAre Colleges Worth The Price Of Admission?928 Words   |  4 PagesThe ideal purpose of a college education was not to become the greatest financial outlay for a parent or guardian. It’s basic mission was to challenge the minds of younger individuals but instead many are burdened with staggering loans from something that was meant essentially to benefit. It has become a common burden for a family to be in debt six figures behind college tuition and colleges are losing their primary purpose of c hallenging the mind of young individuals. The essay â€Å"Are Colleges WorthRead MoreArab Human Rights1051 Words   |  5 PagesPart1 Background of Defending Human Righs of Minorites in the Middle East The Middle East countries have a long standing reputation for the oppressing the minority group within their regions. They have governed their citizens through a tyrannical government, which forbids their citizens with any basic human rights, such as political freedoms of expression, free speech to protest, religious freedom and due process of the law. According to Arab Human Development Report, the Arab countries have receivedRead MoreThe Cultural And Racial Unity Of All Indigenous People1496 Words   |  6 Pagessociety, of ‘Hispanicising’ the continent, has been persistent through time. After violent methods of subjugation came the integration of the Indians through recognition and reforms. This essay will focus on the impact of change through education and literacy in the first half of the twentieth century in Mexico. In broad terms, education can be studied in a first stage as a form of enlightenment for the indigenous population. It would bring them knowledge, r ights, access to modernity, and the state wouldRead MoreDonald Trump And Hillary Clinton957 Words   |  4 Pagestheir political parties in the upcoming presidential elections in 2016. After several GOP/Democratic debates, Trump and Clinton have firmly addressed their immigration reform plans, which greatly contrast with one another. Before running for the presidency, Donald Trump was, and still is, a business magnate. His immigration reform focuses on three fundamental principles in order to â€Å"make America great again.† Firstly, Trump believes a nation without a border is simply not a nation, which is a keyRead MoreRoosevelt And Wilson Involvement For Progressivism839 Words   |  4 Pagesgoals and objectives. They especially came in whenever the democratic reforms failed. For instance, where an accepted appeal can be voted into law, referendum which involved the review of the proposed laws or direct election of senators instead of using the normal method of legislation. Progressives always recorded success in pushing of reforms into laws. The explanation for this could be attributed to the high level of education that the progressives hard, consequently being more influential. TheRead MoreRepublican Presidential Hopeful Ted Cruz On A Five Stop Campaign Event Swing Through The State896 Words   |  4 Pagesstating they would not be necessary since he would develop a simple flat tax for all Americans where they can fill their taxes with a simple postcard†. He also slammed the U.S. Department of Education, calling for their elimination and to repeal Common Core standards. â€Å"We should eliminate the Department of Education†¦it shouldn’t be dictated by unelected bureaucrats in Washington who get to decide what the curriculum and standards are.† â€Å"That is day one,† Cruz said. In the days that follow, Cruz repeatedlyRead MoreA Discussion Of Different Themes Within Education1513 Words   |  7 Pagesthemes within education. The two themes include; the analysis and discussion of; back to basics cultural restoration; and subject based/ topic based curriculum - the control of curriculum organisation. These themes are analysed by comparing and contrasting one another linking to many aspects within education including: teacher morale, educational theorists and influences such as: Social, cultural and political. Maria Montessori and Rudolf Steiner, among others, all insisted that education should beRead MorePresident Obama s Presidential Election1669 Words   |  7 Pagesparticularly interesting because of the excessive mudslinging and the lies told between the candidates. The main issues the candidates are tackling include wealth inequality in America, the cost and quality of education, the cost and availability of health care, climate change, and immigratio n reform. Two major candidates who have evoked attention and are competing for their party’s 2016 presidential nomination, along with other candidates, are Republican Donald Trump and Democratic Bernie Sanders. DonaldRead MoreThe Feasibility Of Stability In Balkan Countries893 Words   |  4 Pagesand increase their opportunities for jobs and education. This option is supported and beneficial for E.U. Stability in Balkan region will create other opportunities for U.S. business in expending their activity not only in Western Balkan but toward new adjacent regions. (3) Suitability. The diplomatic and economic option will achieve the political objective of degrade level Russian influence in Western Balkan as well as protecting and defending the U.S. national interests. It will reduce

Nikes Plan for China Essay - 940 Words

Nikes Plan for China Nike is already a global power house, however the potential to increase sales in China was the topic of the most recent annual investor meeting. One may question Nike’s preoccupation with China. After all, Nike China is dominant. They are currently the number one brand with the number one market share while competitors Reebok and Adidas are in 4th and 5th places respectively. They have tripled revenue in the last two years. With 2000 points of sale, 400 stores in the top three cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou) and 50 cities with 3 or more stores, Nike is primed to begin pushing into the second tier cities. Let’s examine â€Å"why China? â€Å" Socially, China presents a portrait of change. The attitudes and preferences†¦show more content†¦Nike’s â€Å"pushing the envelope† type advertising did not translate in this case. Nike’s retail strategy includes selling through retailers and retail outlets with 10 customers generating 60% of revenues. Foreign companies can now apply for direct retail licenses –- but Nike has no plans to set-up retail shops at this time. Nikes overall China strategy †¢ Building brand awareness. †¢ Developing new and Innovative products specific to the Chinese market. †¢ Selling same products in China that sell in the West. †¢ Helping youths express themselves. †¢ Stressing core categories – basketball, soccer, women, sport culture. †¢ Marketing both local (Chinese Olympic champ) and foreign (LeBron James) athletes. †¢ Positioning for Beijing Olympics in 2008 -- sponsoring Chinese sports federations. †¢ Sponsoring sports fields. †¢ Donating products to charity. Nike will provide US$275,000 over three years to help fund a joint micro-enterprise program run by the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) and Mercy Corps serving rural communities in Fujian province. †¢ Partnership with Special Olympics in China †¢ strengthen its advantage withShow MoreRelatedNike : The World s Leading Supplier Of Athletic Shoes1625 Words   |  7 PagesIn 2015 Nike announced that they plan to grow its online and e-commerce business to $7 billion by the year 2020. Mark Parker, current Nike CEO, says the potential for $7 billion in sales is there but the company needs to the target audience to adapt to the new advertising strategy that Nike has begun to implement. Nike is focusing their attention on their new Nike+ app. Since the summer of 2015 Nike has received positive feedback about the app and the company plans to advertise and sale products throughRead MoreNike1270 Words   |  6 Pagescompany and needs to set objectives for growth in markets inside many countries. Nike announced on January 9, 2012 that they are building a 600,000 square foot headquarters in Shanghai, China to centralize their employees in China, which would allow them to develop a greater focus and competitive advantage in t he China market (Nike, 2012). With such an increasing growth in the global market, the challenges of planning can be seen in many ways. Being able to establish headquarters within the UnitedRead More NIKEs Labour Troubles Essay1414 Words   |  6 PagesNIKEs Labour Troubles Nike publicizes itself as one of the leading industries in corporate responsibility. However, they do not comply with several human rights obligations overseas in countries like Thailand, Pakistan, China, Vietnam and Indonesia. In these countries, production facilities called sweatshops have been running for almost 35 years employing workers as young as 13 years of age. The conditions of these factories are adverse to say the least and deprive workers of the moral humanRead MorePestel Analysis on China1481 Words   |  6 Pagesfactor: If Nike wants to open international market such as China, the company would get disadvantages because every country will protect and priority for its domestic products. So, the company must find out exactly these requirements that the country require in Nike to overcome these barriers. International trade regulations The trade regulations in China are formulated in accordance with the Foreign Trade Law of the Peoples Republic of China in order to maintain foreign trade order and fair competitionRead MoreNike vs. Reebok1378 Words   |  6 PagesThe important part of the success was due to the far-sight of Nikes management team. Nikes CEO, who was a marathoner and knew what runners wanted for their shoes, had made a very basic strategy work; make the products that fit their consumers needs. Examples of great decision making are: • Diversifying products (into sports wears and others) was a smart move that had contributed to the current and growing success of Nike. • Nikes managements bet on celebrities marketing. These athlete celebritiesRead MoreNike vs. Reebok1362 Words   |  6 PagesThe important part of the success was due to the far-sight of Nikes management team. Nikes CEO, who was a marathoner and knew what runners wanted for their shoes, had made a very basic strategy work; make the products that fit their consumers needs. Examples of great decision making are: • Diversifying products (into sports wears and others) was a smart move that had contributed to the current and growing success of Nike. • Nikes managements bet on celebrities marketing. These athlete celebritiesRead MoreCompetitive Analysis Of Nike Vs. Nike1497 Words   |  6 Pagespowers of the consumers. The bargaining power of suppliers as well is low, for the raw materials required by Nike are available that do not cost a fortune to procure. Nike is at the liberty to choose from a wide choice of suppliers that benefit their plans. Environmental Analysis Nike has shown a great strong progress in battling the corporations environmental and social targets. As a multinational company, the various environmental factors have influenced in how the company is to operate, in each areaRead MoreProject Proposal : Nike Inc.1354 Words   |  6 PagesProject Deliverable 1: Project Plan Inception Nike, Inc. is a corporation that specializes in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and sales of footwear. Nike, Inc. was founded by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight. The current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is Mark Parker. The company headquarters is in Beaverton, Oregon. The company headquarters will be expanding soon and will contain two additional floors. Currently, there are twenty employees and four out of the twenty employees handleRead MoreStrategic Analysis Nike1619 Words   |  7 PagesSTRATEGIC MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENT NIKE: Strategic Analysis SUBMITTED TO: AMIT SINHA SUBMITTED BY: Varun Bhatia 191181 FMG 19C Nike’s Global Business Strategy When first founded in 1962 under the name of Blue Ribbon Sports, the strategy was â€Å"to distribute low-cost, high-quality Japanese athletic shoes to American consumers in an attempt to break Germany’s domination of the domestic industry.† Today Nike offers athletic shoes at every marketable price point to a global market. Nike sustainsRead MoreNike in China3150 Words   |  13 Pagesrecently signed short term production contracts with a long term strategy of production in China. Unlike Nike’s previous global endeavors, the political and cultural atmosphere in China has made the collaboration more demanding. Opportunities As the South Korean standard of living continued to improve, expected wages grew forcing Nike to look elsewhere for low cost shoe production. Market research identified China and India as the best long term possibilities for the new production facilities based

Countering Global Terrorism Free Essays

string(148) " civil conflicts and instability precipitate high numbers of refugees who seek shelter in other states and terrorists can use this to find shelter\." Terrorism is defined by the U. S. Department of Defense as the calculated or predetermined use of violence or threat of violence with the intention of inflicting fear so as to intimidate governments or societies in pursuit of goals that are mainly social, religious or political. We will write a custom essay sample on Countering Global Terrorism or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is a critical issue that needs to be addressed effectively as its consequences are many and harmful. Terrorism is mostly triggered by radical ideologies of hatred, oppression and revenge. Fighting global terrorism is not just about disarmament but it is a war on conflicting ideas or views. The US has been very keen in protecting her citizens especially after the 911 attacks that shook the whole world. It encourages or rather promotes freedom and human dignity as an effort of reducing the chances of people indulging in perverse ideologies. The root causes of terrorism are varied and they depend on one’s stand whereby the causes cited by the victims of terror for instance the US are different from those cited by the perpetrators. The US is categorical that its enemies exploit Islam to air their oppressive and hate ideologies. (National strategy for combating terrorism). Terrorists on the other hand argue that the US and other western powers are the major causes of the problems facing the Muslim world as a whole. In indulging in terror activities they aim at eradicating the western dominance and to ensure that Islam remains intact. The US however views this school of thought as a means of paving way for additional attacks not only to the US but to its supporters or allies too. They argue that their main aim is to exploit the major disparities between the Muslim and the non Muslim and take full control. The declaration of Jihads or holy wars to those with divergent ideologies is a clear indication of how Islam is exploited to spread radical ideologies. (Chase A, 2004). The root causes can be categorized as economical, social, demographic, political as well as cultural. Poverty is cited by some as a cause of terrorism but it is surrounded by divergent views. It can be opposed by the fact that most terrorists involved in the 911 attacks were from the middle class and in fact Osama bin Laden the leader was from an affluent upbringing. The war in Iraq was also viewed as a cause for terrorism. This ideology can be dismissed by the fact that way before the US had deposed the Saddam Hussein’s regime terrorist plans to attack were being carried out. (National strategy for combating terrorism). Citing the war on Iraq according to the US is therefore a way of justifying terrorism rather than a cause of terrorism. Terrorism is also not due to the Israeli- Palestine issues as plans for the 911 attack started in the 1990s when peace talks were being carried out. Political alienation according to the US is a key factor promoting terrorism. In most cases the leaders of terror gangs recruit members from the states where there is minimal freedom of speech. Democracy is undermined and it becomes difficult to bring about change. (National strategy for combating terrorism). Such people are easy targets as they are very vulnerable to manipulation by those with violent and destructive ideologies. Terrorists are able to convince such people that the causes of all their problems are due to the western dominance. Past grievances and perceived injustices are made fresh in their minds making them internalize revenge motives. The use of propaganda, miscommunication and conspiracy theories keep the terrorism spirit alive in such people’s hearts. Bjorgo in the Root Causes of Terrorism explains how terrorism is a by product of a long process of radicalization in the process or preparation for extreme acts. It takes time before terrorists can actually act. Although there are great economic and social injustices in most Arab countries with a reputation of producing terrorists, this factor has never been cited as a cause for the attacks. It therefore suffices to say that the social and economic injustices in the Arab world do not trigger terrorism. Illiteracy can also be cited as a cause of terrorism but it has been established that despite the rise in the literacy levels in the Arab world terrorism has increased. (Bjorgo T, 2005). This could be attributed to the fact that as people become more educated they can better understand the political, social and economic ills surrounding them and can therefore react accordingly. The notion that democracy would ensure the effective elimination or abolition of terrorism is not only an understatement but a great misconception. This is attributed to the fact that not all democracies are equally inclusive or respect the rights of the minorities. (Club De Madrid, 2005). In cases where the minorities feel that they are excluded from the main stream they can join hands to express their grievances which can be through radical means. Liberal democracies ensure that there is freedom of speech as well as tolerance of dissent which can be exploited for terrorist activities. Separatism, left wing and right wing extremism as well as religions are factors that can trigger terrorism in democratic countries. Terrorism within a democracy is affected by the level or degree of social, ethnic and political heterogeneity of the state in question. The more a society is divided the higher or greater the risk of terrorism. Transitional or new democracies are also at a greater risk of experiencing terrorism due to the fact that their authorities may not have gained popularity to be strong enough. In areas where a legacy of oppression is still fresh in people’s minds the chances of registering terror attacks are high. Countries like Chile, Argentina, Spain, and Algeria are good examples of how terrorism affects the effective transition into democracies. (Club De Madrid, 2005). Weak states are more susceptible to terrorism as they can easily become hosts for radical conspiracies. States with prolonged civil conflicts and instability precipitate high numbers of refugees who seek shelter in other states and terrorists can use this to find shelter. You read "Countering Global Terrorism" in category "Papers" Club De Madrid in the International Summit on democracy, terrorism and security, Addressing the causes of terrorism explain how democratic states practicing stable democracies have minimal chances of terrorism from within but they risk terror attacks from without. Their actions abroad are monitored by many and they may trigger opposition which can be magnified through terror attacks. Actions that are viewed by other states as lacking International legitimacy can be considered as unjust and the radicals may view violent means as an appropriate tool to respond. (Club De Madrid, 2005). The US seems to have lost direction in preventing future attacks especially from the Arab or Muslim world. The use of war as an effort of curbing terrorism is not an effective approach. The war led to the death of many innocent soldiers as well as Iraqis and this creates room for the emergence of terror gangs to show their discontentment. The US ought to respect the sovereignty of other countries and stop imposing leaders on them. It should leave the independent states to carry out their operations independently instead of influencing the decisions they take especially regarding foreign policies. It should also stop playing double standards by applying the bill of rights without discrimination. (Rogers P, 2005). Should any terrorist be arrested they ought to undergo trial before they are arrested and should not be imprisoned before it is carried out. In my opinion, the US should stop the war in Iraq and try to address the allegations of their dominance and its effect on the people. Using forceful means may work in suppressing their enemies but this would not be successful in the long run. The US ought to let the people enjoy their freedom by exercising what they feel is best for them. What they think is best for the Arab world may not be necessarily be the best for them given the fact that the two regions are different in many aspects. The US has not been very effective in the fight against terrorism as there are instances where terrorists have been successful in their deeds without the US knowledge. Terrorists have been able to move with the times where they have taken advantage of globalization in their operations. They have been able to use the new media like the Internet to recruit new members, train them, seek funds as well as spread their propaganda messages without leaving any mark behind that can lead to their location. The use of the Internet has an added advantage in the sense that it is global in scale, easy to access, less regulated and less costly. The new media has therefore created a barrier in the successful fight against terrorism. (Hamm M, 2005). Terror gangs have become less centralized making it hard for the US to locate and eliminate them. Again, not all states in the world are US allies and some do not support their ideologies. Instead some find the causes of terror gangs justified and go the extra mile of supporting them by sponsoring their activities abroad as well as harboring them in their countries. Good examples of such countries are Syria and Iran. The strategies carried out by the US are not without criticism from their enemies. The war in Iraq is one strategy that has been used by some as a political weapon where it is cited as a reason behind the persistent terror attacks. In the fight against terrorism, military power, diplomatic, financial intelligence and law enforcement agencies activities are used. Denying terrorist the access to important tools or equipment needed to survive is a way of paralyzing their undertakings. When terrorists are denied finances and weapons they cannot carry out their activities effectively. The current counterterrorism strategies have been moderately effective in fighting terrorism. Advancing democracies is mostly cited as a way of fighting terrorism. The US cites this as a strong point in the fight against terrorism based on the argument that the lack of open systems where people can air their views is a reason behind the emergence of violent ideologies. Another approach used is the prevention of future attacks by terror gangs or networks. Terror networks are also denied the support of rogue states as well as the control of states that they are likely to use as a base for their terror activities. The US has also laid foundations to build the institutions and structures that are needed to fight terrorism until the bitter yet successful end. Other nations have been sensitized on the need to join hands in the global war against terrorism to a greater level where it is more than ensuring that justice prevails by bringing to justice the perpetrators of the 911 attack. These efforts have seen some nations change from being part of the problem to being part of the solution. (National strategy for combating terrorism). The US Patriotic Act has made a remarkable difference in counterterrorism efforts. The formation of the counter terrorism fund had a positive effect in ensuring that the Department of Justice had the required finances to promote their effectiveness and efficiency. (US Department of Justice, 2004). The Act faces much criticism from those who view it as a way of compromising with their civil liberties. However, the Bush administration has through the act have been able to increase their ability of sharing intelligent information which have been used effectively in the fight against terrorism. Laws have been updated to incorporate the changes brought about by technology. Increased surveillance has enabled the authorities to react swiftly to deter terror attacks. Surveillance in the public places which tend to be targets by most terrorists discourages them from perpetrating their heinous acts. (Michaels W, 2002). According to Mark Hamm’s report on Crimes Committed by Terrorist Groups it is clear that most terrorists are likely to be involved in money laundering, bank robberies, theft of credit cards and document counterfeiting in trying to satisfy their needs for existence. The law enforcement officials can hinder the effectiveness of terror gangs by simply being keen in preventing the crimes that promote their survival. Curbing what may seem normal criminal activities may have spill over effects in the fight against global terrorism. It is appropriate that the US government invests in intensive research on the causes, effects and means of eradicating terrorism. The research would provide accurate information and the approach used to address terrorism would also be accurate. (Hamm M, 2005). Government officials in the immigration departments must also be keen in their operations. Terrorists must gain access to the areas they want to attack and if this is denied the chances of them committing their acts are minimized. Through their routine work, immigrant officials may deter terrorism in the sense that they can identify counterfeit documents of potential terrorists and deal with them before it is too late. (Hamm M, 2005). Routine border inspection can also identify terrorists and thus hinder their effective operations. Local police officers through their routine activities can curb terrorism. The media can play a significant role in determining the success of the efforts or policies adopted to fight terrorism. Media bias can have a negative effect and make the policies unpopular. A positive effect can be created is the media is willing to support the set policies. If the media intentionally ignored the vital information when informing the people of what the government is doing to fight terrorism then the policies might not be supported by many. The information created by the media can also be confusing or misleading paving way for criticism and consequently lowering the efforts made to ensure the success of ‘war on terrorism’. The media has been used by terrorists to show the masses that they still exist. This is clearly evident in the self-declaration of international terrorists that they intend to strike. (National strategy for combating terrorism). This way their supporters and sympathizers are motivated as they can see that the battle is not over. Law enforcement agents must cooperate if the war on terrorism is to be successful. Effective communication must be enhanced so that the fight against terrorism is successful. With combined resources, expertise and intelligence then terror acts would be effectively abolished. The future war on terror is not bliss. Using war to prevent terror attacks has not restored peace and security and instead terror and grief has filled across the Arab world for instance in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many innocent civilians have lost their lives courtesy of the US policies. The remnants of the war can easily collude and wage war against the US as a way of revenge for their loss. The US is laying grounds for fundamentalism and extremism by sowing seeds of hatred which will grow into fruits of a new form of terrorism. (Daniel B and Simon S, 2005). The US should change its strategies as the existing ones are a total failure. Instead of putting the lives of many people on the spot the US ought to explore oil reserves in her soil or better still use alternative sources of energy if it feels threatened by the oil producing countries. Reducing its dependence on the Arab oil producing countries would be one way of their not wanting to poke their noses into the affairs of the Middle East as a whole. The use of diplomacy would also have yielded better results than the use of military force. War brought about the destruction of the country’s economy creating loopholes for bitter feelings that can be expressed through terror attacks. The US is slowly but surely losing its popularity across the globe. Countries that supported their policies have changed their stand. This has been attributed to the fact that some think the US war in Iraq is not just a war on terrorism but a way of ensuring their control over the oil producing countries and consequently maintaining her status quo as a world super power. Another major reason for reduced support is the fact that it has failed to honor the Geneva convections. It is known for not respecting the International laws by the imprisonment of suspects without trial as well as the torturing of others. (Rogers P. 2005). Critics also argue that thorough investigations were not carried out before the termination of the Saddam Hussein regime was terminated. Proper establishment that he had links with the al Qaeda and that he produced weapons of mass destruction ought to have been done before he was destroyed. The US is also accused of playing double standards where it supports oppressive and undemocratic nations like Palestine probably because by doing so it is at a better position. It should address the underlying problems affecting the developing countries. By doing so the developing nations would stop viewing them as being out to dominate them. It is illogical to argue that at one point in time terrorism will be a resolved issue. As long as the US policies are not approved or readily accepted by all and there is the existence of extremists then terrorism is here to stay. The rise of left wing terrorists also increases the extent to which domestic terrorism poses a threat to USA. These include extremists like the animal rights and environmental extremists. (Hamm M, 2005). According to my opinion the future position in the ‘War on global terrorism’ will be negative or unsuccessful. The strategies that it is using work to create more enemies and chances are that in the year 2015 these enemies will collude and react to have their voice heard by the whole world. Trying to control the Islam world will not yield a positive effect on the Muslim countries. Terrorists will have a strong point to motivate people to indulge in terror gangs. The world will become a more dangerous place to live in instead of becoming a haven of peace. The reduced cooperation with other countries to back the US policies is also a worrying fact as far as the global war on terrorism is concerned. Countries opposing the US policies increase the spirit of anti -Americanism and they can magnify their displeasure by supporting the terror gangs. References: Alston Chase. 2004. A Mind for Murder: The Education of the Unabomber and the Origins of Modern Terrorism. W. W. Norton Company publishers. Benjamin Daniel and Steven Simon. 2005. The Next Attack: The Failure of the War on Terror and a Strategy for Getting It Right. New York: Times Books. Club De Madrid. 2005. The International Summit on democracy, terrorism and security. Addressing the causes of terrorism. Volume 1. Mark Hamm. 2005. Crimes Committed by Terrorist Groups: Theory, Research, and Prevention, Part II, Cases 4 5. Retrieved on 18th June 2008 from http://www. mipt. org/pdf/Crimes-Committed-Terrorist-Groups. pdf National strategy for combating terrorism. 2006. Retrieved on 18th June 2008 from http://www. whitehouse. gov/nsc/nsct/2006/nsct2006. pdf. Tore Bjorgo. 2005. Root Causes of Terrorism: Myths, Reality and Ways Forward Rutledge Publishers. Paul Rogers. 2005. Endless war. The global war on terror and the new Bush Administration. Oxford Research Group. US Department of Justice. 2004. Report from the field. The USA Patriotic Act at work. July 2004. William Michaels. 2002. No Greater Threat: America after September 11 and the Rise of a National Security. Algora Publishing How to cite Countering Global Terrorism, Papers

Professional Practice Experience-Woolworths-Samples for Students

Question: Write a business proposal for any significant Organisational issue.It could be any hypothetical or real issue in the Organisation. Answer: Introduction Developing a business plan for any organization requires a thorough research and analysis of the existing market conditions, the competitors, and the demand of the products by the customers, the availability of the raw materials, the geographical locations and several other issues. The first and foremost thing that is to be done is the description of the products and services of the organization, which is followed by selecting the right market area so as to ensure that the markets are in suitable geographical locations and in close proximity to the customers. This is followed by the process of locating the targeted customers and the best and fastest ways of reaching them. Last but not the least is to try and relate these plans with the real world situation by anticipating the estimated sales, the cost of running the business, the anticipation of the risks, the profits etc. Woolworths Business Plan to solve the issue of customer dissatisfaction Woolworths is a name that is quite well far across the Globe and particularly in Australia. It is one of the biggest and popular supermarket chains, that operate in Australia. Woolworths is such a company that promises to give hundred percent satisfactions to their customers and they claim their business to be a customer oriented business. In other words, profit maximization is not something, which the company believes to be its main motive; rather they believe that customer satisfaction must always be their top most priority.[1] In order to ensure that all their customers are happy with their service, they need to look after each and every detail of their business operation starting right from the quality of the products to the outlook of the stores, coupons, vouchers and of course the overall customer service.[2] However, over the past few years, this organization is facing a severe issue, which is decreasing their market shares and eventually their profit margins. The current challenge that is being faced by this company is that of customer dissatisfaction. Out of five star rating, this organization has got a mere rating of only three stars as has been suggested by the last current records. Apart from this, the customers are also complaining about issues like poor and stale products, low-quality products, false vouchers and coupons, poor customer care and helpline services etc.[3] According to the initial business strategies of this organization, the target customers were mainly the children and the teenagers or the young people, who are students and office people and also the older generation of people because they are usually in need of lot of energy and will definitely have a demand for fresh, healthy and unadulterated organic products and grocery items like fresh fruits, vegetables, meat , health and energy drinks and health drinks etc. However, according to some customers, they were highly unhappy with the quality of the fruits and vegetables that were available at the store outlets. They were stale and not fresh as the customers expected. Moreover, there were issues with the quality of milk that was being sold. According to some customers, the milk was not as fresh and healthy, as it should have been or as per the price.[4] It is quite obvious that the customers will not accept any poor quality goods if they are paying the exact price for the same. [5] Major issue existing in the organization: Customer dissatisfaction regarding voucher malfunction Over the last few years, Woolworths is facing several issues related to their business, which is not only hampering their total sales that eventually bringing down their profit margins but is also shaking the customer goodwill which is supposed to be the very base of their organization. Being a supermarket chain, they often have to face severe tough competitions from their competitors operating in the market. Some of the well known and powerful competitors of the Woolworths are Coles, Wesfarmers, Aldi etc. These supermarkets also are in search for opportunities to increase their sales and as the records and reviews from different sources suggest, over the years Woolworths is receiving a very tough challenge from all these companies and is unable to come up and solve the loopholes that have somehow crept into their business organization. One of the major issues that are responsible for the recent deteriorating market shares of Woolworths is its customer dissatisfaction.[6] This is something that must be the topmost priority in the business planning of any company, particularly a company like Woolworths, which operates in supermarket chains[7]. Supermarket usually is a place where the customers come in search for good, healthy and fresh items that will not cause any harm to them rather will enable them to have a happy, healthy and disease free life[8]. Woolworth's deals in both organic and well as other grocery products and over the past few years, the reports are showing that the quality of these products has deteriorated a lot. It is a natural thing for the customers to deflect or avoid buying products from the groceries that sell damaged or poor quality products. The customers have vested their faith in the organization for several years and will obviously not face issues like this.[9] Strategies adopted to solve the problem The company was slowly earning bad reputation from the customers because of the voucher scam. The customers have vested their trust in this company for several years and are in search of some added advantages like free gifts, coupons, vouchers etc. Woolworths also allowed discounts to its customers on meat, but unfortunately, these vouchers malfunctioned and misguided the customers as the discount was only on particular kind of meat and not on all types. In order to overcome this, the organization adopted several measures like appointing a separate group of staffs to take care of the discount coupon section so that no false information is printed on it. To take care of the fact that the customers are no longer mislead, immediate action was taken to correct the false information that created all these confusions. Structure of the business plan Figure 1: Business plan (Source: woolworthsgroup.com.au. 2015) SWOT Analysis Strength- The major strength of the company as was estimated in the proceeding business plan was that this organization had the potential of becoming the leading retailer in Australia and it could utilize its strong resource base to create good presence across the industry. The strength of this enterprise was its major contribution towards the society. It has been noticed over the years that the enterprise has really been able to achieve its goal of zero food waste thus trying to fulfil its goal of making the world a better place to live in. Weakness- The major weakness that the company is most likely to face is the tough competition existing in the market. As this enterprise mainly deals in the retail chain of markets, it is likely to come across a very severe competition by other retail organizations like Kmart, Wesfarmers chain etc which have also started using tools like discounts and rewards to gain a huge customer base. Opportunities- The business plan at the same time talks about the different opportunities available at the disposal of the company, which it can use to develop itself. Opportunities for modern scientific digitalized devices, advancement in the supply chains and changes in the consumer lifestyles. Multi option retailing is another opportunity that this company can look forward to in order to cater to the varying needs of the consumers and they must start using these modern scientific devices in order to increase the customer satisfaction by creating online customer forums, helpline numbers, or by providing free internet access in the branch outlets etc which would help them to deal with the prevalent issue of customer dissatisfaction. Threats- The threats as were analyzed are mainly from the other retail markets existing and operating in the market like Coles Supermarket. Another threat can be the intervention of the Government, which might stunt the growth in some parts of the retailing industry. They must start adopting measures to deal with these threats so that they can deal with the issue of customer satisfaction, as there is a high chance that the customers can soon switch over to other alternatives that are readily available in the market. Business plan: Porters five forces Bargaining power of the customers is relatively higher because they have a large number of alternatives to switch over as there are many supermarkets providing the items of basic necessities in considerable amounts. Moreover, it has been seen that Woolworths is not able to satisfy its customers related to issues like product quality, store outlook, and management, customer helpline services, offers, rewards, vouchers, and coupons. The other competitors in the market will naturally grab the opportunity and will provide the customers with all these facilities that Woolworths is failing to give them. The threat of entry of new firms and entry of new substitutes is relatively lower than the threat of rivalry that exists between the Australia retail firms. There are some of the major competitors that might give a very strong competition in the long run. Estimated Cost As per the strategies planned to overcome the challenges, the organization needs to implement some changes in its operations. To run the organization smoothly and increase the profit margin, Woolworths must take necessary actions and that incurs some cost. The cost is nothing but investments for the improvement of the services of the company. It should improve its customer care service, in store and online. There is official website and mobile app for Woolworths. The support services through the app and website should also be improved. It must also change the strategies regarding the vouchers and discount coupons. For that, it must print new coupons with correct validity and information. The gifts to the customers should be provided with bulk purchase or with a certain amount of purchase. The estimated costs for the new strategies are listed in the table below. Actions Cost in AUD Improvement in technology (website and mobile app) 30,000 Hiring more staff for customer support 15,000 Printing new coupons and vouchers 10,000 Procurement of free gifts 35,000 Marketing 3,000 Total 93,000 Timeline Task name Duration (Months) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Meetings for new strategies Recruitment of staff Orientation and training of new staff Allocation of new staff for customer support Improvement in website Improvement in mobile app Printing of new coupons Procurement of gifts Marketing Distribution of coupons Distribution of gifts (Source: Author) Involvement in the project I was involved in the project and tried my level best to solve the current issues of the organization. According to my understanding, customer satisfaction is the first priority of the organization and hence, it must try and improve on all those grounds related to the issue of customer satisfaction and goodwill. As my involvement was in the discount and voucher section, I came to know that the company is also facing several issues quite recently regarding the false information being printed on the vouchers and thus, misleading the consumers.[10] The company also suffered the meat voucher scam where the consumers complained of having been misguided regarding the discount offer that should have been on all types of meat as per the documents but was allowed only on the fresh meat. [11]It was because of this reason that measures are to be taken for proper implementation of the offers and the discounts. [12]In todays world, the customers are looking forward towards best of the facilities and are not going to tolerate any thing that would dissatisfy them. Hence, I being involved in the project proposed the idea of appointing a separate group of staffs who would be looking after the discount plans and the voucher and coupon section. There must also be some staffs placed at every outlet of the organization who can guide the buyers regarding the discounts and the offers that are available on various products.[13] Benefit of the investment Benefits of the investment can be derived through a break even point analysis of the investment of Woolworths. This break even analysis depicts the relationship between the volume of cost and profit level at different levels of activity of the organization, with an emphasis on the break even point. At this point, the organization earns neither profit nor loss. This point is reached when the money earned from sales becomes equal with the money spent on production of goods and services[14]. The estimated cost of the company represents the investment done by Woolworths for implementing the project improvement plan. It helps in measuring the profit and losses of the organization at various production levels. However, it assumes that the sales prices are constant at all levels of production and the production and sales are same. Moreover, it can be applied to only one product or product mix at a time[15]. Figure 2: Break Even point analysis (Source: Narasimhan 2016) The above figure explains the fundamentals of break even analysis. In the new plan for Woolworths, it can be found that there are mostly variable costs. However, the variable costs change according to the level of sales, while the fixed costs remain the same throughout the production time. Initially, the company would face a loss, as the cost curve lies above the total revenue curve. When the investments would start to give the returns, then a point will be reached, when the cost and revenue of the company would be equal and there would be neither profit nor loss. After that point is reached, the revenue curve goes higher than the cost curve and profit margin starts to increase[16]. Woolworths would be implementing the changes in 12 months of duration. It can be assumed that the returns of the investments would be generated after the 12 months. The plan expects to improve the customer services, thereby improving the customer satisfaction level. Hence, level of sales would increase, a nd the gap between the cost and revenue would be decreasing till the break even point is reached. The benefits of investment are that, it will eventually bring about a positive performance and profit of Woolworths by improving various services of the company. Unless the investment is made, the changes in the strategy cannot be implemented. Additional recommendations As far as my recommendations are concerned, I would like to suggest that the organization keeps a check into the matter that customers are not misguided or misled in any way. They must try and improve in terms of discounting and voucher allowances, no false information is to be printed on the vouchers. Modern scientific methods must be adopted for gaining control over the online marketing as well. Developing some home pages or portals giving vivid descriptions of the organization and its products will be very helpful for attracting more number of customers. Developing customer forums is also quite instrumental in interacting with customers. Apart from this, starting to, me delivery systems will also give the customer base a great boost. This will put the organization on a fast gear because customers are always ruining search for that what is easy and beneficial for them. The organization must also arrange for the customer loyalty programs to adopt better means for providing customer satisfaction.[17] Conclusion Thus it is seen from this business plan that there are some very critical issues existing within this organization that needs to be solved immediately. The customers are not really happy with the overall customer service and so the company needs to work hard on improving their store outlets, the product quality, customer assistance etc. The company must not only be concerned about abolishing the competition but also work for the overall improvement. The business plan suggested that there has to be offers and discounts on all products that the company will operate in starting from the organic products that are fruits, vegetable to the grocery items and even on items like petrol and diesel. For every purchase of the companys products, the customers would get discounts. This is how the marketing strategy of the business was proposed and this would satisfy two fold goals-firstly, it would increase the goodwill of the customers thus strengthening the customer base of the company and secon dly it would give a boost to the total sales of the business. Once the company is able to win over the trust and good reputation of the customers, it automatically opens several doors of opportunities in front of the company for proper growth and development. References An, R., 2013.Eating Better for Less: Effectiveness of Financial Incentives in Modifying Dietary and Grocery Shopping Behavior(Doctoral dissertation, The Pardee RAND Graduate School). Beneke, J., Blampied, S., Cumming, R. and Parkfelt, J., 2015. Scrutinising the effectiveness of customer loyalty programmes: A study of two large supermarket chains in South Africa.African Journal of Business Management,9(5), pp.212-222. Beneke, J., Chamberlain, V., Chohan, R. and Neethling, M., 2015. The effect of corporate reputation on retailer brand equity: A study of two South African grocery chains.Journal of Business and Retail Management Research,9(2). Duong, Q.B., 2016. The influence of store environment on customer satisfaction across different customer demographic segmentations within Australian supermarkets. Flax, J., Bick, G. and Abratt, R., 2016. The perceptions of supplier-buyer relations and its affect on the corporate brand.Journal of Brand Management,23(1), pp.22-37. HA Bijmolt, T., KRE Huizingh, E. and Krawczyk, A., 2014. Effects of complaint behaviour and service recovery satisfaction on consumer intentions to repurchase on the internet.Internet Research,24(5), pp.608-628. Hennessy, J., Hennessy, J., Meagher, E. and Meagher, E., 2017. Hohner Musikinstrumente GmbH Co. KG: Break-Even Analysis.Kellogg School of Management Cases, pp.1-5. Hughes, S.J., 2016.Loyalty vs deception: the truth behind'organic'and'free-range'brand labels(Doctoral dissertation, The IIE). Lewis, T. and Phillipov, M., 2016. A pinch of ethics and a soupon of home cooking: Soft-selling supermarkets on food television. InFood, Media and Contemporary Culture(pp. 105-124). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Wang, Z., 2015. Supermarkets and gasoline: An empirical study of bundled discounts. Makhitha, K.M., Van Heerden, G. and Wiese, M., 2014. Craft retailers' supplier selection criteria-a key to market access.Journal of Contemporary Management,11(1), pp.266-286. Methner, N., Hamann, R. and Nilsson, W., 2015. The Evolution of a Sustainability Leader: The Development of Strategic and Boundary Spanning Organizational Innovation Capabilities in Woolworths. InThe Business of Social and Environmental Innovation(pp. 87-104). Springer International Publishing. Mortimer, G., 2015. Woolies' new loyalty program offers a glimpse into the future.The Conversation, (27). Narasimhan, C., 2016. Breakeven Analysis.TC,2, p.R3. OKane, G., 2016. A moveable feast: Exploring barriers and enablers to food citizenship.Appetite,105, pp.674-687. Young, G. and Hagen, P., 2014. 7 Encouraging Fresh Food Choices with Mobile and Social Technologies: Learning from the FlavourCrusader Project.Eat, Cook, Grow: Mixing Human-Computer Interactions with Human-Food Interactions, p.117. Opie, R.S., Segal, L., Jacka, F.N., Nicholls, L., Dash, S., Pizzinga, J. and Itsiopoulos, C., 2015. Assessing healthy diet affordability in a cohort with major depressive disorders.Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology,7(5), pp.159-169. Parker, C., Brunswick, C. and Kotey, J., 2013. The Happy Hen on Your Supermarket Shelf.Journal of bioethical inquiry,10(2), pp.165-186. Thom, A. and Conradie, B., 2013. Urban agriculture's enterprise potential: Exploring vegetable box schemes in Cape Town.Agrekon,52(1), pp.64-86. Ward, J., 2016.Keeping the family business healthy: How to plan for continuing growth, profitability, and family leadership. Springer Opie, R.S., Segal, L., Jacka, F.N., Nicholls, L., Dash, S., Pizzinga, J. and Itsiopoulos, C., 2015. Assessing healthy diet affordability in a cohort with major depressive disorders.Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology,7(5), pp.159-169. OKane, G., 2016. A moveable feast: Exploring barriers and enablers to food citizenship.Appetite,105, pp.674-687. Young, G. and Hagen, P., 2014. 7 Encouraging Fresh Food Choices with Mobile and Social Technologies: Learning from the FlavourCrusader Project.Eat, Cook, Grow: Mixing Human-Computer Interactions with Human-Food Interactions, p.117. Hughes, S.J., 2016.Loyalty vs deception: the truth behind'organic'and'free-range'brand labels(Doctoral dissertation, The IIE). Parker, C., Brunswick, C. and Kotey, J., 2013. The Happy Hen on Your Supermarket Shelf.Journal of bioethical inquiry,10(2), pp.165-186. Duong, Q.B., 2016. The influence of store environment on customer satisfaction across different customer demographic segmentations within Australian supermarkets. Flax, J., Bick, G. and Abratt, R., 2016. The perceptions of supplier-buyer relations and its affect on the corporate brand.Journal of Brand Management,23(1), pp.22-37. Lewis, T. and Phillipov, M., 2016. A pinch of ethics and a soupon of home cooking: Soft-selling supermarkets on food television. InFood, Media and Contemporary Culture(pp. 105-124). Palgrave Thom, A. and Conradie, B., 2013. Urban agriculture's enterprise potential: Exploring vegetable box schemes in Cape Town.Agrekon,52(1), pp.64-86. Methner, N., Hamann, R. and Nilsson, W., 2015. The Evolution of a Sustainability Leader: The Development of Strategic and Boundary Spanning Organizational Innovation Capabilities in Woolworths. InThe Business of Social and Environmental Innovation(pp. 87-104). Springer International Publishing. HA Bijmolt, T., KRE Huizingh, E. and Krawczyk, A., 2014. Effects of complaint behaviour and service recovery satisfaction on consumer intentions to Macmillan UK. Wang, Z., 2015. Supermarkets and gasoline: An empirical study of bundled discounts. An, R., 2013.Eating Better for Less: Effectiveness of Financial Incentives in Modifying Dietary and Grocery Shopping Behavior(Doctoral dissertation, The Makhitha, K.M., Van Heerden, G. and Wiese, M., 2014. Craft retailers' supplier selection criteria-a key to market access.Journal of Contemporary Management,11(1), pp.266-286. Ward, J., 2016.Keeping the family business healthy: How to plan for continuing growth, profitability, and family leadership. Springer. Hennessy, J., Hennessy, J., Meagher, E. and Meagher, E., 2017. Hohner Musikinstrumente GmbH Co. KG: Break-Even Analysis.Kellogg School of Management Cases, pp.1-5. Beneke, J., Blampied, S., Cumming, R. and Parkfelt, J., 2015. Scrutinising the effectiveness of customer loyalty programmes: A study of two large supermarket chains in South Africa.African Journal of Business Management,9(5), pp.212-222.