Brand Loyalty vs Generic Brands

Brand Loyalty: Brand Names vs. Generic Brands Why do we as, customers and consumers chose to stay loyal to specific brands? Are you guilty of being loyal to one brand and not attempt to try other brand names and/or generic brands? I am. There are so many different products, materials, strategies, etc. that companies compete with each other to try to get us (the consumers) to be loyal to that brand. Example: Coke vs. Pepsi; AT&T vs. Sprint. There are also, people that wonder are their big differences in products when it’s a brand name vs. eneric brand. Upon my research I hope to answer these questions that we all have, a time or two, have wondered about? Definition The extent of the faithfulness of consumers to a particular brand, expressed through their repeat purchases, irrespective of the marketing pressure generated by the competing brands. (www. businessdictionary. com) Brand Loyalty ranges from foods, clothing, cars, places, electronics, etc. How they get us to stay loyal There are many reasons why we stay true to the brands we’ve developed to familiar ourselves with such as: knowing the quality in the product, don’t trust other brands or don’t care to try it, costs, availability, and /or easier resources, such as internet, the reputation of the brand by word of mouth and society standards. Companies are always developing newer and better ways to outdo their products, and old products and the products of their competitors. Brand Name vs. Generic Brand People have also stayed loyal when it comes to comparing the same products, but the difference is one is a brand name and the other is a generic.Such as, Tylenol vs. generic store name such as equate (wal-mart store brand). There is a difference in price? The generic (store brand) is always less in cost but is the product the same? Yes, the generic store brand of Tylenol is the same as the brand name Tylenol, the dosage, effects, risks, safety and strengths are the same, except for the price the store brand is cheaper and that’s because the manufacturer has not had the expenses of making and selling a new drug. Interviews on brand name loyalist: I have interviewed the following people to compare their loyalty to a brand and why?Questions asked: Friend: 1. Q: What brand are you loyal to? And Why? A: Sony, the picture, sound and quality of the different products. Nike, the comfortability of the shoes, larger range of styles, the different professional athletes under that name; meaning that they’re producing more of the products that allows the cost to lower, making it more affordable. Lexus, the quality, the appearance, the non-depreciate value it has compared to other brands and the reputation of the name? 2. Q: How long have you been loyal to the brand?A: Sony, 1995 is when I purchased my first Sony product; Nike, 1984 in High School, I bought a new pair of sneakers; Lexus, 2010. I bought my first Lexus, and currently I’m driving my second Lexus. 3. Q: Have you tired other similar/competitors brands? And what was your outcome? A: Yes. a. before my Sony, I owned a Zenith, RCA, and Magnovox and none of them have compared to the quality of Sony. Sony’s bottom of the line product is better than the Vizio’s top of the line products. All the electronics currently in my house is all Sony. b. I had Adidas sneakers in the past but the quality doesn’t compare to Nike.

Everyone is a traveler, choosing the roads

Everyone is a traveler, choosing the roads to follow on the continuous journey of life; there exists not a path that leaves one with but a sole direction in which to advance. In his poem, â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, Robert Frost exhibits insight and perception in using poetic techniques to communicate this message. The piece depicts a man’s regret at not being able to travel two roads, and having to make a choice between the two. The importance of making decisions is disclosed in the narrator’s assertion that his choice â€Å"has made all the difference.†The first few lines of the poem introduce the elements of Frost’s primary metaphor and symbol, the diverging roads. The use of the road suggests that life is a journey that the narrator is traveling. The â€Å"two roads diverged† symbolize the points in this journey where one must make choices. As the narrator contemplates his decision, wishing that he could take both paths at the same time wh ile knowing there is no possibility in that, the reader is able to glimpse the strength of Frost’s symbolism- every person must make decisions with the knowledge that going back and changing them is impossible, because one has already traveled too far down the chosen path to turn back.The setting, along with imagery, assists in developing the key symbols of the poem. The piece opens with the narrator taking a walk in the woods during the autumn season, when he is suddenly confronted with a diverging path. The central image of â€Å"two roads diverged† helps to convey the theme of having to make choices in life. The â€Å"yellow wood† corresponds to the autumn season, a period that is often related to the end of the annual cycle in flora and foliage. Autumn may be perceived as a state in limbo between the vivacity of summer and the chill of winter.The speaker examines one path to the best of his ability: â€Å". . . and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth†. His vision, however, is limited because the path bends, and a certain amount of undergrowth obscure the destination of the road. The description of the paths indicates that although the speaker would like to acquire more information, he is prevented from doing so because of the nature of his environment. The road that will be chosen leads to the unknown, as does any choice in life. The concept of â€Å"two roads diverged in a yellow wood† illustrates an interval between two phases in life, and helps convey the theme of one having to inevitably choose between digressing paths.The ironic tone is inescapable: â€Å"I shall be telling this with a sigh / Somewhere ages and ages hence.† The speaker anticipates his own future insincerity. He knows that he will be inaccurate, at best, or hypocritical, at worst, when he holds his life up as an example. In fact, he predicts that his future self will betray this moment of decision as if the bet rayal were inevitable.This realization is ironic and poignantly pathetic. But the â€Å"sigh† is critical. The speaker will not, in his old age, merely gather the youth about him and say, â€Å"Do what I did, kiddies. I stuck to my guns, took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.† Rather, he may say this, but he will sigh first; for he won't believe it himself. Somewhere in the back of his mind will remain the image of yellow woods and two equally leafy paths.Ironic as it is, this is also a poem infused with the anticipation of remorse. Its title is not â€Å"The Road Less Traveled† but â€Å"The Road Not Taken.† Even as he makes a choice (a choice he is forced to make if does not want to stand forever in the woods, one for which he has no real guide or definitive basis for decision-making), the speaker knows that he will second-guess himself somewhere down the line–or at the very least he will wonder at what is irrevocab ly lost: the impossible, unknowable Other Path. But the nature of the decision is such that there is no Right Path–just the chosen path and the other path. What are sighed for ages and ages hence are not so much the wrong decisions as the moments of decision themselves–moments that, one atop the other, mark the passing of a life. This is the more primal strain of remorse.It is observed that the title of the poem, â€Å"The Road Not Taken,† may be intended to serve as a subtle hint, an insinuation of the narrator’s dissatisfaction with the decision he made. What about â€Å"the one less traveled by†? Neither of the roads was less traveled than the other. He less traveled both roads because this was the first time the narrator had come upon these paths. Leaves covered the ground, and since the time they had fallen no one had yet to pass by on this road; both were worn about the same â€Å"in leaves that no step had trodden black.† Nevertheless , the speaker is unhappy that he took the path that he chose, and yearns to go back and take â€Å"The Road Not Taken.† Time, however, does not allow second chances.â€Å"The Road Not Taken† is an ironic commentary on the autonomy of choice in a world governed by instincts, unpredictable contingencies, and limited possibilities. It parodies and demurs from the biblical idea that God is the â€Å"way† that can and should be followed and the American idea that nature provides the path to spiritual enlightenment. The title refers doubly to bravado for choosing a road less traveled but also to regret for a road of lost possibility and the eliminations and changes produced by choice.â€Å"The Road Not Taken † reminds us of the consequences of the principle of selection in al1 aspects of life, namely that al1 choices in knowledge or in action exclude many others and lead to an ironic recognitions of our achievements. At the heart of the poem is the romantic myt hology of flight from a fixed world of limited possibility into a wilderness of many possibilities combined with trials and choices through which the pilgrim progresses to divine perfection.The reader finds, at the literal level, the narrator expressing his regret at his human limitations, at not being able to travel two roads; he must make a choice. The choice is not easy, since it took him a long time to come to a decision: â€Å" . . . long I stood and looked down one as far as I could†. He examines one path â€Å"to where it bent in the undergrowth†, but his vision is limited because the path bends and is covered over. He describes the second path as â€Å"just as fair† as the first rather than more fair, and that the paths are â€Å"really about the same†.This ambiguous evaluation of the paths reveals his search for a clear and logical reason to decide on one path over another– only that reason is unavailable. When the narrator finally makes h is decision, he tries to persuade himself that he will eventually satisfy the desire to travel both paths, while simultaneously admitting that such a hope is unrealistic:  Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.  At the end of the poem, in the future, the narrator will claim that the paths were actually different from each other, and that his choice â€Å"has made all the difference.†The last lines of the poem suggest that life would have been different had the speaker taken the other path: â€Å"I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.† The fact that the speaker says the entire last stanza â€Å"with a sigh† works together with the title to show that the speaker is disappointed with the choice he made. Once the entire poem is read, it may be realized that this is not an inspirational piece about why one should be different from everyone else. Rather, it re minds the reader of the consequences that follow a decision, and the manner in which one choice can shape one’s life.In his poem, Robert Frost conveys his notion of life as a journey that every person must travel, a journey laden with diverging roads, many decisions, and occasional sighs; the piece demonstrates the poet’s belief that it is the road that one chooses that makes him or her the person who he or she is. â€Å"The Road Not Taken† leaves its readers with many different interpretations. In any case, however, it is Frost’s clever use of poetic techniques to express the theme that opens the door for analysis, and allows all readers from different backgrounds to relate to the poem.

Ancient and Indigenous Mathematics Research Paper

Ancient and Indigenous Mathematics - Research Paper Example However, a massive and countervailing pressure was the culmination of European supremacy in the shape of political control in large areas of Asia and Africa. Out of this supremacy, the ideology of European pre-eminence emerged and permeated a wide range of economic and social activities and also enhanced the unique role of Europe in providing the spirit for science discovery (Peat, 2006). This paper is going to discuss how mathematics has developed through ancient times and some of the factors that have led to the development of modern mathematics and also address the role of mathematics in other disciplines. Many social needs require numbers and calculations. Therefore, mathematics automatically came into play with the evolution of social systems. A well organized operational system is required to handle numbers and calculations. Nonetheless, as fascinating as the basic theories of counting may be, the origins of mathematics include more than just counting, enumeration and arithmetic. The human needs that instigated mankind’s initial efforts at mathematics were: calculations, counting and measurement (Kline, 2012). For example, an inheritance could not be distributed certain basics of division are known or a temple cannot be built if certain facts about squares and volumes are known. Mathematics was born from practical needs such as the ones above. Others argue that the central part of indigenous mathematics is based upon two simple questions: How much and how many? It is a convincing argument that long before our early ancestors had need to count their cattle or sheep, their unsophisticatedly organized social systems had simple rituals based on priority and rank. Also, according to Breasted (1988), it is evident that some socialized animals of diverse groups such as the red deer and baboon have some elementary sense of order of precedence, referred to

Epidemly and biostat Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Epidemly and biostat - Assignment Example The objective is to evaluate one or more new treatments for a disease or condition. Intervention trial therefore involves choosing a sample from the diseased people to investigate there rare disease and undertake a follow up condition. Q2. What statistical method(s) a researcher can use to determine if the mean body mass index of the population is the same for three groups of subjects (group1=diet restriction; group2=exercise; group3=none). (EACH IS TWO POINTS =TOTAL=SIX POINTS) Q3. Ã… ¶ represents the predicted value of y calculated using the equation Ã… ¶ = a + bx. In the formula, SBP = 34 + 0.2 x; where x = value of postnatal age (hours) for the neonates ≠¤ 1,000 grams? What is the value of the intercept (a)? What is the value of the slope (b)? (TWO POINTS) Q5. An equation indicating that systolic blood pressure or SBP = 30 + 0.4x. If the value of x is postnatal age of 20 hours, what is the value for Ã… ¶ or SBP for neonates ≠¤ 1,000 grams? Show your calculations. (TWO POINTS) Population attributable fraction is a statistic used to estimate the proportional reduction in average disease risk over a given time interval that would be achieved by eliminating the exposure of interest from the population while distribution of other risk factors in the population remain constant. This means that 85% of the cases of a disease could be avoided if the factor causally related to increase risk is eliminated and that the distribution of other risk factors remains unchanged. Q9. The death rates from various conditions are often compared across geographic areas. These comparisons are usually based on directly age-standardized mortality rates. Which of the following best describes what is meant by an age-standardized rate created by the direct method? (Choose one best answer and provide rationale). (TWO POINT) Q12. The strength of an association is one of the criteria for

Anything Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Anything - Essay Example The current compensation system is not motivating the employees sufficiently. A lot of the employees lack experience and educational credentials. Half of the staff has been working for the store for less than six months and these workers are either high school or college students. The sales of the company are below the expectations of the parent company. It is imperative for the company to improve the communication between the managerial staff and the workers. This can be achieved through the implementation of feedback systems. A feedback system can be implemented by simply putting a suggestion box in a wall so that the employees can express themselves and provide ideas. A lot of times the best ideas are hidden in the minds of the blue collar workers. The firm has to immediately deal with the preparation of the staff. The company has too many unqualified employees working for the company. In an ideal situation all the employees of the company would hold at least bachelors degree. The re are a lot of young employees working for the company that lack work experience. The retail industry has become extremely competitive. A way for the company to improve the motivation of its workers is by offering scholarships to the best performing employees. The scholarship award will be worth $5,000 per semester. Motivating the employees is critical towards resolving the employee morale problem. â€Å"High employee morale means that employees are happy, and this is reflective in the kind of work they produce† (Ehow). A way to improve the employee morale is by instituting a new compensation system. The new compensation system will include a wide variety of fringe benefits for the employees. Some of the fringe benefits the company can offer in its new compensation plan include extended vacations, health and dental plan, the availability of flexible time, free access to a gymnasium, and parental and maternal leave. It will also include a stock option plan and yearly bonuses to the employees. The store also has to improve the knowledge base of its workers. To achieve that goal the firm will use two strategies. The first strategy is to provide training and development to all its employees. Some of the topics that should be included in the training and development sessions include interpersonal skills, active listening, customer service, verbal and written communication skills, and leadership. To optimize the efficiency and costs of the training sessions the firm should use more than one method. The training can be given in-house by one of the managers or the firm could hire an outside consultant to provide the training. Another option for the company is to give the training and development through online lessons. The second strategy that the company will utilize to increase the knowledge base among its staff is by hiring five new employees. The minimum educational credential that the new employees will hold is a bachelor’s degree. All of the new e mployees must have a minimum of three years of working experience after graduation from college. The company will also implement a new system in which the workers will be empowered by delegating more responsibility to them. The leadership style that I would use to deal with the problems at the retail store is teamwork. The company will be broken down into five work teams. Each work team will be supervised by either an employee with five or more years of experience at the company or an

Political science; Multicultural Nature;The book Privilage, Power, and Essay

Political science; Multicultural Nature;The book Privilage, Power, and Difference and the movieCrash - Essay Example However they can also be part of the solution as man has the potential to solve these problems. The central theme of the book can be summed up by this sentence in his book: "The trouble that surrounds difference is really about privilege and power - the existence of privilege and the lopsided distribution of power that keeps it going."(Allan Johnson 2001) According to Johnson all individuals confront issues of difference and privilege often causing fear and discomfort in people. Johnson also believes that differences in class have tremendous effect on peoples lives. But class is different from gender or race or ethnicity or sexual orientation. He believes that people have the potential to change the class to which they belong but the other differences are difficult to change because they are associated with birth. People are generally classified on the basis of their physical attributes and appearances. Class differences are a result of capitalism. The cause of modern racism is prima rily economic. Racism is a problem that affects all white people. Only the degree varies depending on their social class. The advantage of being white is likely to be more significant for the lower working-class than for whites belonging to the middle and upper classes. Social issues are prevalent because of the existence of privilege and misuse of power by people. Privilege creates inequality. People of all groups must work together to change this inequality. People dont want to discuss words such as "privilege," "racism," and "oppression." According to Johnson these words must be discussed openly and a collective effort must be made to resolve these issues. All feelings of blame, guilt, shame should be set aside and our focus must be on the dire need to change. In the movie Crash the director Haggis weaves several stories around incidents that happen during two days in Los Angeles. The stories revolve around a group of strangers who clash

Toyota and its USA target market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Toyota and its USA target market - Essay Example The guiding policy of the company has been production of best quality vehicles at the lowest possible cost and in the safest environment. The company has expanded to other countries including the USA where it has created a firm base in vehicle production. Over the last decade, they have experienced rapid growth and diversification in the USA market in an attempt to increase their scope and quality. In the USA, the automotive sector is very competitive with companies like Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, Chevrolet, Dodge, Jeep and Hummer all competing against each other. With such companies in the industry, Toyota has had to employ superb marketing strategies in order to maintain and increase its customers. They have also consistently improved the quality of vehicles they produce with major improvements in the body shape, speed and luxury. Their improvements in quality of vehicles have earned them customer loyalty that has ensured that the companies’ sales continually increase. The management of the Toyota Company has employed different marketing strategies in order to overcome the stiff competition in the USA. Toyota has designed implementation and control programs that are aimed at increasing the acceptability of its products in the USA market. Its competitors have produced vehicles of similar quality like theirs but social marketing has done a great deal in ensuring they maintain their customers. The company has involved itself in community work, which has made the public appreciate the company and thus purchase their products while in need. Toyota has been in the forefront in environmental management and has organized cleanings exercises in cities such as New York and Michigan an act that publicizes them more and makes the pubic accept them more. Increasing the social acceptability has helped them gain competitive advantage over their competitors and thus thrives in the USA market. Toyota has also implemented augmented marketing by providing additional

Justify public administrators' Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Justify public administrators' - Research Paper Example The personal points of view are necessary when formulating, assessing and looking for concrete plans of action for an administrative situation. However, it is better to question how an individual relays solutions through public service given bureaucracy follows certain levels of hierarchy. Weber asserted that there is a â€Å"logically consistent† function in his ideal type (Kim, 2007) In terms of public administration, how can this be achieved? This consistency, ultimately, faces difficulties before it can be achieved. Now, before fully deliberating the ideal type of Max Weber, there should be a thorough knowledge of what public administration is. Public administration is a field of study that deals with the function of government as an institution and the general public it serves and how it handles the matters that involves society through centralized governance (Raadschelders, 2008). At the same time, public administration involves â€Å"organizational theory, management s cience and concept of public interest† (Henry, 1975). ... Paradoxically, the ideal type, no matter how good it is can have its flaws not just on the manner of administration but also on the level of organization. According to Weber, the problem that rises with the ideal type is oligarchy, dehumanization, and irrationality (Kim, 2007). How do these factors really affect the manner of how public administration is implemented within the organized structure of a system and the ideal type? The government really has a role as to how they will exercise governance effectively. Most of the time, the elite of a society take part on the administration government and has the capacity to determine the manner of governance they want to uphold (Raadschelders, 2008). Now here lies the problem. How are people really guaranteed that efficient governance is achieved since the elite has a very strong capacity to maintain their hold on to power to further their personal interests rather than the interest of the general public. Corruption, abuse and exploitation together with irrational thinking distort the logical consistency that the ideal type imposes. Democracy, in its context, is good yet the manner of administration becomes undemocratic especially if the consistency of labour is not administered properly. Public administration also calls for objective criticism (Henry, 1975). As seen in the local and global contemporary politics, criticisms have been rampant to fully expose the flaws of the bureaucratic status quo. In its greatest sense, bureaucracy is good yet the manner of addressing criticisms, especially in the case of the leader, is not really adequate. They may recognize their flaws in terms of leadership that destroys the logical consistency asserted by Weber’s ideal type yet concrete plans of

Peer review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 25

Peer review - Essay Example According to the article, incorporating a balanced scorecard allows any organization to analyze how they are doing both non-financially and financially through going deep into where they are and decide the route that they will follow in order to attain their goals and objectives. According to Blocher et al. (2012), they also believe that in order to succeed, you have to align your business activities to the strategy and vision of the organization, improve external and internal communications, as well as monitor organization performance against planned goals. In the last paragraph, the writer elucidates to the reader how the organization overcame their plummeting sales through changing their strategy and deciding what their client would like to experience, how they can evaluate their financial performance and better manage their internal affairs, which were all significant aspects of assessing the performance of an organization (Michelli, 2007). Some of the thing that the writer could have added to the paper to make it more special is discussions on why the sales of Starbucks decreased in 2007 and how they got back up. Some critics also advise that writers should bear in mind that their articles might reach many people from different religions, thus is it also advisable to write from a neutral point of view rather than dwelling on one religion in order for others to feel recognized

The treatment of bulimia with psychoanalysis Research Paper

The treatment of bulimia with psychoanalysis - Research Paper Example ...17 4.1 Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....17 References ABSTRACT This paper was based on literature review and it explored many available research papers evaluating the effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapy for the treatment of the eating disorder, bulimia. It was found as a result of a thorough review of available relevant material in different authentic research journals, that psychodynamic therapy is quite effective in treating bulimic patients, psychodynamic therapy is not an easy form of therapy and the psychologist attempting psychoanalysis of a bulimic must be well equipped to handle the transference phase effectively. Finally, CBT is a quicker option in treating bulimic adults, but the results of CBT are not temporally stable as compared to those of psychodynamic therapy. There is need of more research to test and compare t he effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy when integrated with CBT for treatment of bulimia. INTRODUCTION This paper attempts to review the effectiveness of psychoanalytic techniques used for successful treatment of the eating disorder, bulimia. Psychoanalysis involves various treatment methods that can be used for treating bulimia. This paper will explore and evaluate different psychoanalytical techniques available for treating bulimia with regard to effectiveness. Relevant literature will be thoroughly searched for any evidence of comparative effectiveness of two or more psychoanalytical treatment methods with patients of bulimia. The literature search will be followed by a discussion and the paper will conclude with a summary of the findings. 1.1 The Psychodynamic Approach to Psychology   The first proper theory of human psychology surfaced in the 1800s. Sigmund Freud is the neurologist and proponent of this theory and school of thought namely the psychodynamic approach. The fo under of this school of thought divides human mind into three components: the conscious, unconscious and pre-conscious (Burger, 2008). The conscious consists of the awareness zone and contains thoughts of which one is aware. The thoughts in the pre conscious mind are not readily available, but can be retrieved easily. The last part, namely the unconscious makes up the major part of human mind and is of great interest to psychoanalysts. According to Freud, thoughts in the unconscious are the key to understanding one’s personality and these can only be brought to the conscious mind in certain extreme situations (Burger, 2008). According to the structural model of personality, psychoanalytical school of thought believes in existence of id, ego and super ego. The id is the psychic representative of drives; ego is the component which deals with the ‘relation’ functions of humans and their environment while the super ego consists of the moral precepts. Other main conce pts of the psychoanalytical school of thought include defense mechanisms that humans use to deal with conflict (Brenner, 1973). Sigmund Freud was the founder of this school of thought but it hasn’t died with his death. There have been many changes and advancements in the theory and therapy of psychodynamics and it is accepted

Performance distance Essay Example for Free

Performance distance Essay In â€Å" Embedded Learning Strategy Instruction: Story-Structure Pedagogy in Heterogenous Secondary Literature Classes†, Michael Faggela-Luby, Jean Schumaker, and Donald Deshler examine the problem of uneven learning structures among literature students. Their previous research found that a majority of secondary education level students were reading below the reading comprehension level appropriate for their age level. This was attributed to the inability of teachers to find a structure of teaching reading comprehension and story structure in a method that would both allow LD students to comprehend narrative story structures while still challenging higher level learning students. They present a number of relevant studies done over the years that have presented different story structure learning models to different focus groups of students to examine the results. However, these results are largely inconclusive because some studies failed to produce graphs that explained their results and others did not separate LD students from other students, therefore failing to examine the experimental structures in terms of these two distinguishable groups. Their research attempted to find a reading comprehension structure that could be applied to all levels of students and be used as a universal tool towards learning comprehension and story structure for students of all learning aptitudes and levels. They conducted a research experiment using 79 students to examine the effectiveness of the embedded-story structure. Some students were limited readers, while some were strong readers. Students taught in their regular classrooms with regular materials and were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group would use the embedded story structure (ESS) while the other would use the comprehensive skills instruction (CSI) method. A graph and statistical data was included to present the statistics of these two groups in terms of age, gender, and test scores. Another figure displayed the categories of self questioning, story structure analysis and summary writing that were utilized in ESS. The CSI group used the categories of vocabulary strategy, question-answer relationships, and semantic summary mapping. More tables listed the statistical information for which students received which test form. Results of all tests administered revealed data that proved learning improvement and comprehension advancement in students using the ESS method. These increases in comprehension were in the non-LD students on both lower and higher reading strengths. The conclusion seems to be that ESS benefits readers on any reading level, but does not necessarily provide marked improvement for LD students. The results of the research seem positive, and it seems that the ESS method could represent a solution to the problem of uneven learning comprehension in students at different reading levels. But one of the limitations pointed out by the researchers is that in the experiment, the teacher was also the researcher. I found this interesting because it helped to ensure study viability, but does not guarantee that improvement results would be the same with other teachers, which makes it questionable as to its practical application in the classroom. A possible solution to this, and a way to help ensure that ESS is being taught similarly at learning institutions everywhere, would be to implement an educational forum to instruct teachers how to properly utilize ESS in the classroom. This could also give teachers suggestions for implementing the method with LD students in an effort to give them the same benefit. Further research could be done into streamlining ESS to better benefit LD students and instructing teachers accordingly. The article, â€Å"Ensuring Content-Area Learning by Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities†, Donald D. Deshler, Jean B. Schumaker, B. Keith Lenz, Janice A. Bulgren, Michael F. Hock, Jim Knight and Barbara J, Ehren research the problem of preparing learning disabled students to handle heavier course loads and learning expectations at the secondary and high school level. They provide background statistics finding a large number of LD students that experience self-esteem issues at these school levels or drop out. A graph included shows the performance distance between LD students and the general population students they are often put in classes with and illustrates how the two groups acquire knowledge differently. The researchers examine dual elements of a study done at the University of Kansas Research Center on Learning. The purpose of the article was to examine the study done at KU-CRL and determine whether its dual-intervention approach was beneficial to LD students and could be implemented in classrooms at all levels. The researchers at KU-CRL found that there needed to be two levels of intervention to help LD students. The first, according to the authors, needed to be done by the teachers and involved implementing teaching strategies that were accessible to students on all learning backgrounds. The second focused more on the students themselves and teaching them learning and studying methods that helped them understand and comprehend material. There are five levels of intervention teachers can use to impact learning levels of students. They vary according to the methods of intervention used by the teacher and the direct impact on the student, ranging from implementing overall learning routines to providing the student with individual strategy structures designed for them. The authors cite studies in which these strategies of embedding learning have worked with limited results. They also point out that the method of delivery for the strategies is important to their effect. A model explains the inclusion strategy for use. Overall, the authors find all of the studies done on the KU-CRL research finds that general learning strategies can be beneficial to LD students to help them with learning comprehension, and that once these are implemented in the classroom that many LD students are able to utilize these strategies outside the classroom too. It recognizes that placing LD students in general classroom settings doesn’t mean that they will be able to learn successfully according to general strategies. I found this article interesting for its examination of the learning needs of the LD student at both the individual and institution-wide level. The authors stress that individual attention and tutoring are still vital when implementing these blanket learning strategies, and I think that’s important to remember. My recommendation if these intervention level learning strategies were to be implemented would be to simultaneously implement a tutoring program for LD students that find themselves requiring a different level of intervention or a different strategy than what is being implemented in the classroom. This would assist teachers attempting to implement the intervention model but still finding that some LD students aren’t receptive. This tutoring could also encourage LD students to keep learning new methods for knowledge comprehension. The authors also emphasized proper training and ongoing support for teachers implementing this learning strategy in the classroom and I think that’s important as well. Teachers learning a new approach for helping LD students in their classroom should have the benefit of accessing new research and findings into the most effective methods of teaching to bridge the gap between normally developed learners and LD students.

An acceptable defense Essay Example for Free

An acceptable defense Essay Insanity: Insanity defense has been considered by many as a â€Å"loophole† in the law allowing a number of guilty people to be set free. However, this so-called â€Å"loophole† does rarely set people free of criminal charges. Moreover, most of the cases involving insanity defense are murder cases. Many scholars, judges, attorneys and clinicians are said to be divided concerning the definition of insanity. In reality, though, it is not possible for them to be truly divided concerning the definition of insanity seeing that clinicians today have modernized means of determining a person’s mental state by means of psychological testing and interviews. What is more, psychologists are aware that there are neurological processes affecting a person’s mental state. Hence, brain scans can easily be used to understand the physiological condition of an individual charged with murder. Even the history of insanity will be made available through such brain scans, seeing that there is a genuine difference between the neurological processes of people showing abnormal and normal behavior. Therefore, scholars, judges, and attorneys must know that their understanding of the definition of insanity is irrelevant if clinicians are available with scientific evidence of insanity of an individual charged with murder. Given that psychological testing too is scientific, there should be no â€Å"loophole† whatsoever in this area. As a matter of fact, insanity is an acceptable defense. Eric Michael Clark shot a police officer to death because he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and believed that aliens were stalking him. According to the law of Arizona concerning insanity defense, the man had to prove with â€Å"clear and convincing† evidence that he was too mentally ill to know that he was wrong to murder an innocent police offer. The Supreme Court got involved in Clark’s case. Fortunately, the man was backed by the American Psychiatric Association in addition to the American Psychological Association – two entities based on true scientific principles. Most states of America have differing laws regarding insanity defense. Now with the support of both the American Psychiatric Association as well as the American Psychological Association – who believe in helping out mentally ill individuals that have been charged with murder although their mental health is not in their control – it is hoped that the states of America will work on a single law on insanity defense in order to make the â€Å"loophole† in the law completely vanish. This single law would also make insanity defense cases more straightforward than before. After all, abnormal psychology is a science which has made it clear that there is an illness called paranoid schizophrenia, and there are many people suffering from illusions, delusions, and hallucinations. To doubt that these people are ill is, in fact, insanity as well as a sin. This is because we will be depriving of treatment a lot of mentally ill folks if we do not even believe that they are mentally ill. And, what if these people enter jails to commit more murders? What if they kill themselves in prison after they have been unlawfully charged with crime? Whose responsibility would that be? In point of fact, mentally ill people require immediate healing instead of punishment. Besides, putting them through court trials may be worsening their mental condition. Many people who oppose the insanity defense have assumed that mental illness is a myth, and that those who label others as mentally ill are actually imposing violence and control on people. Thomas Ssasz argued that psychologists and psychiatrists use such labels only to make political and ethical decisions. It can be argued, however, that people who are unaware of the scientific basis of abnormal behavior are ignorant at best. Such people are the reason why books on the history of abnormal psychology claim that in the olden times people killed numerous mentally ill people simply because they were mentally ill. There was no treatment for such people, and nobody cared enough to stand for their right to be treated. Slowly but surely, future generations began to believe in the reality of mental illness. ‘Humane treatment’ of the mentally ill was suggested as a cure. Today, however, we are abusing the principles of ‘humane treatment’ by putting the mentally ill people through prolonged court trials. It would be best, therefore, for society to acknowledge that first of all, psychology is a science just as much as biology; and psychologists and psychiatrists are qualified to determine the mental condition of an individual. If, in fact, mental illness were a myth, the Supreme Court and everybody else involved in insanity defense trials would have worked on also closing down mental hospitals as well as the clinics of the well-educated psychologists and psychiatrists, who happen to know their science more than lawmakers would ever be expected to understand psychology. The fact that the government has not closed down psychiatric clinics and mental hospitals shows that society at large does instinctively believe in the reality of mental illness and realizes how painful it can be. Hence, it is utterly useless to argue against the insanity defense. Bibliography Lane, Charles. â€Å"Supreme Court to Review Insanity Defense. † Washington Post. April 20, 2006. â€Å"The Insanity Defense,† Cyber Essays, http://www. cyberessays. com/Politics/126. htm, Accessed 4 May 2007. â€Å"The Insanity Goes On,† Crime Library (2007), http://www. crimelibrary. com/criminal_mind/psychology/insanity/11. html, Accessed 4 May 2007.

Project Management and Leadership in Construction Company

Project Management and Leadership in Construction Company Management There are several key elements that contribute to the success of any organization good management, inspirational leadership, proper service-orientation, and economic stability. Today, little emphasis is placed on the study of an organization’s infrastructure, function, and employees’ behaviors as they relate to successful accomplishment of the organization’s goals. Rather, these concepts are typically taken at face value and accepted for what they are. Employees work and accomplish at a minimum what needs to be done. Within the last century or so studies relating to behavior in organizations began to increasingly emerge resulting in the theoretical framework of this field. The three most notable facets of this framework includes: scientific management, human relations movement and bureaucracy. (Greenberg and Baron, p.12-14). This paper will provide brief information on the theoretical framework of an organization’s structures which in turn will provide an overview of types of management/leadership styles, an assessment of the New York City Department of Design and Construction’s (NYCDDC) style of management, and my personal management preference. According to Greenberg and Baron, one of the earliest pioneers in the study of behavior in organizations, Frederick Winslow Taylor, an engineer, sought ways to change the ineptitudes of employees. His research, the concept of scientific management, â€Å"not only identified ways to design manual labor jobs more efficiently, but also emphasized carefully selecting and training people to perform them.† The second facet of the theoretical framework, the human relations movement, was founded by Elton W. Mayo, an organizational scientist and consultant. The human relations movement â€Å"emphasized the social conditions existing in organizationsthe way employees are treated by management and the relationships they have with each other – influence job performance.† Bureaucracy, the third facet, was initiated by Max Weber, a sociologist. This form of organization is governed by a â€Å"set of applied rules that keep higher-ranking organization officials in charge of lower-ranking workers, who fulfill the duties assigned to them.† (Greenberg and Baron, p.12-14) Today, at least one form of the theoretical framework can be found in any existing organization, and, each form comes with a different type of management leadership style within the organization. So then, what is management? Management, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary as, â€Å"the conducting or supervising of something (as a business or people).† Management) Managers are endowed with the power to lead their organization. They must share that power in conjunction with other leaders in other parts of the organization and wield that power successfully over a designated staff within the organizational hierarchy. Since no one individual is gifted with precise knowledge on every topic, managers must: possess their own particular area of expertise, have an understanding of general organizational psychology, consistently offer creative thinking and innovative views on current issues facing the organization at different levels and guide (supervise) and motivate their team effectively along a predetermined path that will meet their corporate goals in order to insure the success of the entire organization. But not all managers supervise their staff in the same way. The different management leadership styles are noted in the Every Manager’s Desk Reference by Penguin Group, Inc. Some of the styles include: â€Å"dictatorship, the ‘almost’ democracy, the partnership and the transformational leadership.† According to the Every Manager’s Desk Reference In a dictatorship, managers, tend to keep decision- making powers and most critical knowledge to themselves. In the ‘almost’ democracy, the leader â€Å"strives to make sure the group is well informed and participating in the direction of the team as a whole.† In a partnership, the lines between the leader and the members of the group are blurred. The leader â€Å"becomes just one of the group.† And, in the case of the transformational leader, the leader â€Å"goes beyond trying to keep individuals and team performing at the status quohe/she is .one who has the power to bring about change in team members and the organization as a whole. (Penguin Group, Inc., p. 309-312) The theoretical framework and management style employed by an organization determines whether or not it is effectively leading its staff, enhancing and improving the morale and the overall work environment; and, thereby increasing productivity and output quality by employees. Based on some of the characteristics listed by Greenberg and Baron, which includes, â€Å"Formal rules and regulations; Division of Labor; Hierarchical structure; Authority structure, etc†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Greenberg and Baron, p.14), the theoretical framework employed by the NYCDDC is that of a bureaucracy and a â€Å"directive leadership† style of management. Under a directive leadership, the managers â€Å"give specific guidance to their subordinates.† However, there are limitations associated with the directive leadership style of management because it can be â€Å"redundant, less effective and can reduce a worker’s satisfactions.† (12 Manage Premium, 2009) Additionally, adherence to the agency’s policies and procedures are a strict requirement. There is also a partnership style that applies within the NYCDDC’s various divisions/units. It is essential for all units of the agency to work cohesively together to ensure the agency’s mission, goals and objective of safe, successful, and expeditious completion of projects are met. The day to day management of any organization is one of the most essential factors that will either result in the success of that organization or to its eventual demise. In support of the above statement, Chris Lauer, in his book, â€Å"The Management Gurus,† states, â€Å"Who you are determines what you see and the way you see it†¦and who you are determines how you see others.† (Lauer, p 8) Although, the agency employs the directive leadership method, the style of management most applicable to my personality is, â€Å"the ‘almost’ democracy.† My work ethic parallels the basic characteristics of this style. I encourage â€Å"participation from all team members and welcome their opinions in setting new goals, procedures and direction for the unit.† (Penguin Group, Inc., p.310-311) This form of management creates a trusting environment between management and staff because it welcomes and encourages communication of staff views and ideas. All viable ideas are openly considered. With this style, any given team is motivated to do what is best for the team and for the organization as a whole while displaying adaptability and openness to ideas from peers. This style of management declares that an open line of communication is imperative to the successful relationship between management and staff, but, notes that management is still the leader and must have the final say on any matter without being necessarily obligated to explain its decisions. An assessment of my work ethic corroborate that I utilize â€Å"the almost democratic† style of management when managing my group. My overall personality characteristics reflect openness. I freely admit to not being knowledgeable in every topic. I welcome, encourage and respect the views of others. I can explain decisions I make without hesitation should they come into question. But, I have no difficultly asserting my role as the manager of my group. Overall, I believe that a strong work ethic, two-way communications, an innate trust and a shared common goal to succeed are key principles for positive group dynamics. I also strongly acknowledge individual success and outstanding performances as well as the shared success of the group. I believe that when the manager shares his/her success with the whole team the relationship between management and staff is strengthened and enhanced. The almost democratic style of management has its drawbacks. The line between management and staff can be precarious at times. For example, the staff can develop several creative ideas and suggestions concerning how to improve and increase employee morale. Although some suggestions can and will be taken into consideration and possibly utilized, a contributing member of the team might feel slighted if his or her idea is not adopted. That employee might possibly be offended by the final decision made by management which might result in that employee feeling less motivated. In conclusion, the theoretical framework of management I have outlined acknowledges the three organizational structures: scientific management or division of labor; human relations movement or people oriented; and, the bureaucratic method where managerial emphasis is placed on policies and procedures to run the organization. Along with these facets an array of management styles have been established and employed by managers throughout time. While the NYCDDC employs the bureaucratic management framework and the directive leadership and partnership styles of management, I follow the same organizational framework, but utilize the â€Å"almost democratic† style of management. However, I also, acknowledge that no manager can agree to use only one style of management at all times. Different situations, different groups of people and different tasks require different management styles at any given time. Deviation from the norm will be necessary for success to be accomplished. But, overall, a manager who tends to stay true to what works best for them and his/her subordinates will be viewed as consistent and reliable. My intentions are, whenever possible, to stay true to myself and my staff. The Organization As defined by Jerald Greenberg and Robert Baron in their book, â€Å"Behavior in Organizations,† an organization is â€Å"a structured social system consisting of groups and individuals working together to meet some agreed-upon objectives.† (Greenberg Baron, p.5) However, an organization is much more complex than what this simplistic definition seems to imply. Because it is a society of persons working together, the internal management of the individual steps necessary to attain the overall goals of the organization and the abilities of the managers and specialized workers are intrinsically linked together in order to determine the success or failure of that organization. The essence of any organization lies within its infrastructure. History The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) was established in 1996, with the objective of providing â€Å"design and construction expertise to over 20 City agencies.† (10th Anniversary Magazine Supplement, DDC, 1996, p.1) When originally established and this practice continues to date, the agency is a cultivated agency with the majority of its employees coming from two sister city agencies: the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. (NYCDEP) The NYC Department of Transportation (NYCDOT): City agency responsible for any work related to bridges and roadways, including the rehabilitation and reconstruction of them. The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP): City agency responsible for any work related to water mains, storm and sanitary sewers, including the rehabilitation and reconstruction of them. The relationship among these three agencies is that the NYCDDC is the managing agency for the NYCDOT and NYCDEP projects dealing with â€Å"design and construction related to roadways, sewers, water mains, correctional and court facilities; cultural institutions; libraries; and other public building, facilities and structures†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (DDC, 2006, p.ii) Management Philosophy/Style The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) employs over 1,200 employees in numerous professions, including architects, engineers, estimators, project managers, communications and community outreach, auditors and outside consultants. The scope of responsibilities of the 1,200 plus employees is divided into two groups: Design and Construction; the Design Staff covers all five boroughs while the Construction Staff is divided into divisions: Infrastructure and Structure Divisions. The Infrastructure and Structure Divisions’ staff are divided into New York City’s five boroughs: Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan. Although, there is an overall leadership team for the agency, each borough consists of a borough director that administers the day to day operations of his/her respective borough. Although some materials covered in this paper are reflective on the NYCDDC as a whole entity, but, the primary focus will be on the Infrastructure Division. The NYCDDC headquarters is located in Queens at 30-30 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, New York, 11101, where it currently occupies four floors – the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors. While there is an overall bureaucratic management structure that governs the agency and because of the physical structure of the agency, various management philosophies are employed at the headquarters location and the satellite or borough offices. Yet these different, but cohesive, philosophies are essential for the successful governance of the agency. For example, there is a directive leadership that governs the overall agency structure, but, also evident is a partnership amongst units such as the Design and the Office of Community Outreach and Notification Units. Directive leadership is the overall management style of the NYCDDC. Direction and management decisions come from the top and trickle down the organizational chart from management to key supervisory staff. This is internally the same for each unit within the agency and is based on the policies and procedures that must be followed. For example: each borough has a chain of command that is headed by the Borough Director. He/she directs his/her immediate staff (Deputy Borough Director and Borough level staff) on agency philosophy, key initiatives, changes or additions to current policy as well as what to do and how to perform their duties/tasks. These directives are then passed on to the Engineers-In-Charge, then onto the project support staff. The Borough Director oversees all projects in his/her borough and provides the consent/approval for most day to day operations. In addition, the borough director also has a chain of command that must be followed. Certain decisions/approvals have to be reviewed by subordinates as they travel up his/her chain of command: Assistant Commissioner, Associate Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and Commissioner. The numbers of approvals that are required from the members of the hierarchy depend on the scope of the issue. The Office of Community Outreach and Notification’s (OCON) staff are comprised of the Director, Deputy Director, Citywide Construction Liaisons, Community Board and Small Business Service Liaisons, Executive Assistant and Graphic Artist. They work in tandem with each of the Borough Office’s Staff – Director, Deputy Directory, Engineers-In-Charge, Resident Engineers, Project Liaisons, and Office Management. This direct partnership between the two entities facilitates the exchange of information necessary to keep all individual projects moving forward. This partnership also helps to address and eliminate any and all complaints and concerns of the affected communities where the work will be or is being performed. Mission The New York City Department of Design and Construction’s (NYCDDC) mission, â€Å"To Deliver The City’s Construction Project In A Safe, Expeditious, And Cost-Effective Manner While Maintaining The Highest Degree Of Architectural Engineering, And Construction Quality.†(DDC, 2006, p.i) With such an overreaching and specific mission statement, all of the organization’s personnel must strive on a daily basis to meet the fundamental goals and objectives set forth by the agency. Goals A goal is defined define as, â€Å"the end toward which effort is directed.† (Goal. 2009) The goals of the NYCDDC are, to build and upgrade the infrastructure and public spaces provided by local government in order to ensure the health, safety as well as the economy of the City of New York. Objectives Objectives are defined as, â€Å"something that ones efforts or actions are intended to attain or accomplish; purpose; goal; target.† (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995) The objectives of the NYCDDC are, to continue to achieve and maintain excellence in design and construction while adhering to safety and quality standards. The NYCDDC achieves its goals and objectives by continually recruiting and employing highly trained and certified professionals of all disciplines including engineering, architecture, construction management and administration. (DDC, 2006, p.ii) Internal Systems: Strengths and Weaknesses For any organization to succeed it is equally important to provide excellent goods and services to its clients while reviewing and addressing elements its internal infrastructure-the strength and weaknesses of the organization and its personnel. Human Resources: Paid and Unpaid The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) currently staffs approximately 1,200 plus paid employees providing skills needed to execute the daily requirements of projects in the design and construction phases in a timely and efficient manner. In addition to its full-time paid personnel, the agency also offers both paid and unpaid summer internships to students in all areas of the agency’s current working environment. General consensus among workers is they are underpaid and overworked. Employees of NYC agencies are hired under a particular title that comes with an associated salary range. The same rule of thumb applies when employed by the NYCDDC. An employee’s salary is based on the range to which that title has a minimum and maximum amount; if through an employee’s tenure that he or she max out at the range and still in the position hired then he or she will remain at that salary until their unions get involved. The City’s employee unions attempt to compensate its members with percentage and cost of living raises as contracts are renegotiated. Merit raises are sometimes awarded, although, they are few and far in-between. There are occasions when employees are asked to perform tasks beyond their normal required duties. In these cases grievances are usually filed in order to be compensated for out of title work. Additionally, employees of NYC agencies enjoy good job security as it is rare that city workers are removed from their positions. Interns at the NYCDDC experience a cross section of the daily tasks performed at the agency. These internships can often result in promoting the desire of a potential engineer or architect, or changing the focus to a completely different specialty or field. Committees and/or Boards The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) perform its duties under a chain-of-command organizational chart that clearly delineates the units, ranking of officials and the required approval process. Figure I illustrate the overall chain of command for the agency’s various units and Figure II illustrates the overall chain-of-command for the NYCDDC Infrastructure Division’s OCON unit. (See Appendix for the NYCDDC’s Organizational Charts). The NYCDDC’s strength lies in the vested time in developing and maintaining its infrastructure so that the agency could meet its goals and requirements without confusion or question of direct authority. However, the agency’s weakness is noted when at times, even in a structured environment, that things can be overlooked or tasks mistakenly believed to be the responsibilities of another department. Formal And Informal Groups Several formal groups exist at the New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) which enhances the overall environment of the agency. These groups include Design and Construction Procurement Services or the Agency Chief Contracting Officer (ACCO). This group is responsible for â€Å"ensuring that the NYCDDC procures goods, services and construction in conformance with City regulations.† (DDC, 2006. p.31) The Project Review Service Unit consists of the agency’s architects and engineers who provide the creativity and oversight of a project in the design stages. The Office of Sustainable Design unit â€Å"identifies and implements cost-effective ways to promote greater environmental responsibility in building design.† (DDC, 2006. p.31) The Research and Development Unit studies â€Å"innovative technologies, construction materials, methodologies and management strategies to improve the design and construction of buildings and infrastructure in New York City.† (DDC, 2006, p.31) The Performance Metrics is when the NYCDDC utilizes the â€Å"Key Performance Indicator (KPI) program† to process the â€Å"Inter-related databases that maintain information about the agency’s projects, contracts, payments and support functions, as well as a multi-level reporting system which extracts data on critical processes in the agency’s operating divisions and presents it in an easy-to-read, yet comprehensive format.† (DDC, 2006, p.31) The Quality Assurance and Construction Safety Unit oversees that safety procedure are adhered to in every aspect of the project for all of the agency’s projects. The Geographical Information Services works with and utilizes the Geographic Information System (GIS). This system allows the agency to clearly oversee the project dimensions of all projects locations on an electronic map and allows the agency to appropriate coordinate their work with other entities. The Technical Supports group works prior to the onset of construction. They conduct investigations, monitor and provide information on â€Å"asbestos, lead, and other environmental contaminants†¦provide research, analyses and survey preparation for property-line, damage and acquisition, new buildings and all roadway, water and sewer projects.† (DDC, 2006, p.31) The Percent for Art Unit works with the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs to integrate arts into a project scope. And, the Peer Review program promotes and enables review and open discussion from the agency’s staff on design issues. (DDC, 2006, p.31) Informal Groups Whether at the New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) headquarter office or at the borough office level, the agency encourages frequent informal group discussions. Among the groups are the lunch groups who meet on a daily basis to discuss socio-political-economical issues and the ethnic groups that celebrate religious and national milestones, etc. The strength of the NYCDDC lies both in its employees and in the groups listed above. The presence of both the formal and informal groups enhances, strengthens and excites the overall agency culture. The experience of attending these groups helps to encourage and educate all staff members to address the myriad of concerns the agency faces and promotes cultural diversity; this ensures that each employee feels welcome and accepted as part of his/her work environment. This acceptance helps to alleviate employee stress. As with any organization with such a varied cross-section of personnel, the weaknesses lies in conflicts of many kinds that can occur especially when employees allow personal issues to overrule their professionalism. Therefore, for that organization to be successful it must rely heavily on each individual staff member pulling his/her weight and performing to the best of his/her ability. Material Resources The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) provide an array of free public information materials for the communities they serve and educational materials for its employees. Prior to the onset and for the duration of most projects, the NYCDDC-Office of Community Outreach and Notification (OCON) releases several public information printed resource materials including: Start-Up Advisory Notice which provides essential project information distributed to all affected parties prior to the onset of any project; Project Brochure is the medium used to provide a detailed overview of the project; Bi-Monthly Newsletters provides an update on the project status Work Operation Notices provides all affected parties with work operations that may affect their daily routines including water shut-offs and so forth; Bus Cards are handouts that provides information to affected bus rides if a bus route will be affected because of a project and so forth. The education materials are designed to provide NYCDDC employees with essential information. Some materials include: Employees Manual which Provides employees with all the essential rules for being a successful employee of the agency; the Design Consultant Guide provides vital information including the goals and objectives on the design phases for all of the agency structures projects; the Design Construction Excellence: How the City is Improving its Capital Program is a publication that provides a review and explains the policy changes that were implemented and provides information of design and construction projects. The NYCDDC is a proactive agency that provides the community and its employees with an array of vital information and assistance. This sensitivity illustrates how important the agency values its image and credibility. A major concern is that the information provided to the user is easily accessible, comprehensive and understood by all. A weakness that applies is a manual should be applicable and understanding to all the agency’s personnel rather than a selected group. Constraints Due to its configuration, the New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) have both structural and human constraints. Structural. The NYCDDC currently occupies by means of rental, four floors at its current location and has five respective borough offices. This is a costly endeavor for the agency because it has occupancy is five borough offices rather than one. Human (Political, Relationships) The NYCDDC currently employees over 1,200 employees in its overall structure. There are some noted political affiliations; for example, the agency’s Commissioner is appointed by the Mayor of the City of New York. More of than not, if an employee can assist in any means to find advance the career of a friend, associate, acquaintance, then that employee will assist in what means he or she can. There are often scheduling conflicts when planning meetings. These conflicts lead to delays in actions that may need to be taken thus inhibiting the progression of an issue. Additionally, because of the locations of most of the borough offices, traffic and parking are major issues. Because of the five borough offices, more often than not, relationships are formed through emails and telephones. Therefore, personal contact with coworkers is being eradicated at a hasty pace. Relationship To External Systems Collaborative Agreement with Outside Agencies on City/ Local State and Federal Levels. The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) has and maintain collaborative relationships with many municipal entities. These collaborations are essential to the daily operation of the agency’s work flow and for the successful completion of projects. The NYCDDC receives funding from these entities based on the client agency’s annual budget allowances and its specific objectives to be achieved. Accurate accounting is kept of how the monies are spent. There are times when an overrun will occur and additional funds are necessary for the completion of a project; an under-run also can occur when funds remain after the completion of a project. The municipalities, the NYCDDC collaborates which includes: the NYC Comptroller keeps count of all finances and provides oversight to ensure the proper ethical procedures are being adhered to. The Borough Presidents and the NYC Council are entities that collaborate with the agency’s project management on issues dealing with land and zoning matters or if these entities funded any project within their borough or district. The Client Agencies include several external agencies that work with the NYCDDC; these external agencies includes the twenty plus NYC agency clients including: Departments of Children’s Services, Environmental Protection, Parks and Recreation, Transportation and so forth; NYS Office of Court Administration; Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; New York, Queens and Brooklyn Public Libraries, and so forth where the NYCDDC manages the projects from the initial steps in design to the final stages in construction for the projects set forth by these agencies. The Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget provides the NYCDDC with services ensuring all finance related issues dealing with a project are dealt with properly and without conflicts. The NYCDOB is the city agency that provides the NYCDDC with any/all necessary and applicable permits for some projects to occur. The Mayor’s Office of Contract Services ensures that any project bidding operation is done in a fair manner with an open competition amongst contractors providing the opportunity for no conflicts of interest to happen. The NYCDDC collaborates with the fifty-nine NYC Community Boards to hold public meetings with their constituents when a project is being planned for their community. At these meetings, residents’ are given a presentation about the project and its impact on the community. An open forum follows so that concerns and opinions are addressed. The Utilities companies gas, electric, cable and telephone services is a very vital relationship. Clear, proactive cooperation ensures the progression of the project and limits the opportunity for problems surrounding limiting/eliminating services to their constituents. The NYCDDC’s OCON Unit is a proactive unit that reaches out to affected communities, ameliorates problems and concerns and addresses all public inquiries. The NYDDC collaborates with the NYC Art Commission to bring approved public arts to the appropriate projects. (DDC, 2006, p.29) The history, management philosophy, mission, internal and external systems all play vital roles in the structure of any organization. These entities must interact, have a directional flow and coexist with each other for the day to day operations of the organization to proceed smoothly. Since there are times when conflicts arise, it is imperative that such issues be dealt with properly and in an appropriate manner. For example, failure to hire the appropriate personnel can and will lead to the decrease in the services the agency aims to provide to its clients; hence, a decrease in the credibility of not only the employees but the reputation of the agency. The NYCDDC has a proven reputation for providing excellent goods and services to its clients. Its leadership role in implementing new facets of technologies and its innovative thinking when applying new management models into the agency’s overall infrastructure clearly enhance its ability to accomplish its mission statement. The Target Service Area For any business or organization to succeed in providing the professional services it offers, it first must assess, analyze and fully understand the service area(s) and the target audience(s) it hopes to provide its services to. The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) services the five boroughs of New York City by â€Å"building and upgrading the City’s infrastructure and public spaces.† (

Anne Frank Essays -- essays research papers

Jews have perished because of their beliefs since the beginning of time but never have so many Jews been persecuted worldwide as they were in World War II. Anne Frank’s diary reaches a place within all of our hearts because it reminds us how easily the innocents can suffer. Sometimes we may choose to close our eyes or look the other way when unjustifiable things happen in our society and Anne’s tale reminds us that ignorance, in part, claimed her life. Sadly, her story is but one of many of those who died in the Holocaust and as with other Jews, her fate was determined by the country she lived in, her sex and her age. Jews all over Europe feared for their lives and many were aware that the punishment for their religion depended on the country they were fortunate, or unfortunate, enough to live in. Hitler not only held prejudice against Jews, homosexuals, gypsies and those who harboured any of the above, but also held firm convictions that some countries’ citizens were fit to die, no matter their religion. No one was hit harder by this prejudice as was Poland. Hitler hated all Polish citizens and hated Polish Jews even more. In Warsaw, Jews were confined to a blocked off area which came to be known as the Warsaw Ghetto. Many of these Jews never saw outside the Ghetto again and for those who did it was only en route to a concentration camp or labour prison. Food rations inside the Ghetto were very low and though many outsiders smuggled food in, there was not nearly enough to keep everyone alive. Many died of starvation or died due to illness they had contracted because their bodies had grown so weak. Throughout the war, Sweden remained neutral and many Jews from neighbouring countries were smuggled in. Nazi police soon realized that they had to find ways to prevent this from happening and turned to the animal world. Dogs were trained to detect the scent of humans and soon, all boats leaving for Sweden were searched to detect any Jews that were hiding in basement compartments. Most Jews were discovered before they could escape and this discouraged many more from attempting to do the same. Jews that were apprehended were not treated much differently by the Nazis but the Jews left behind received the brunt of the their anger. Danish Jews in particular were often accused of planning to escape because of their proximity to Sweden. There are stories of countless ... ...opted children. When the war ended, many children did not return to their biological families because they were so young when they were stolen that they didn’t know the truth. Many that could remember were too scared to leave or feared that their parents had already been killed. Children were trained to lie without understanding why and the lies caused them to lose the ability to separate reality from fiction. Children should never have been forced to deal with so much, so quickly. They were robbed of a real childhood when they should have been encouraged to explore their surroundings. The youth, like Anne, who grew up in World War II were tainted by these events and have undergone much more trauma than most of us can even imagine. The Holocaust will forever remain one of the most horrific events in history and it is important to remember that there were many different endings for the many different Jews affected. It should not have mattered where the Jews lived, how old they were or the sex they were, none of them should have been persecuted in the first place. Reflecting on the tragic events of the war, all we can do is make sure that these horrific things never happen again.

Was Macbeth A Traitor :: essays research papers

'Macbeth deserved to die because he was totally responsible for the betraying the Scottish king, Duncan, and the Scottish people';. Write an analytical essay in which you explore the forces behind Macbeth's murdering ways. Macbeth deserved to die for betraying the Scottish king, Duncan, and the Scottish people; however, he was not totally responsible for his actions. Lady Macbeth and the three Witches also played a major role. They were responsible for convincing Macbeth to begin the series of events, which eventually led to the destruction of order in Scotland. Once she had received news of the three Witches' prophecies, Lady Macbeth was intent that she would eventually become Queen of Scotland. Initially, Macbeth had decided not to murder Duncan, 'We will proceed no further in this business'; (Macbeth, Act I, scene vii). However, Lady Macbeth was determined to continue with her original plan. She repeatedly insulted Macbeth's manhood, provoking him to continue with the plans to murder Duncan, 'When you durst do it, then you were a man; and to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man'; (Lady Macbeth, Act I, scene vii). She appealed to Macbeth's 'vaulting ambition'; so as to intensify the effect that the Witches' prophecies had on him, 'Great Glamis! Worthy Cawdor! Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter'; (Lady Macbeth, Act I, scene v). She convinced Macbeth that the rewards of the murder would far outweigh the drawbacks and clear their conscience, 'A little water clears us of this deed'; (Lady Macbeth, Act I, scen e ii). Although Macbeth dearly loved his king, Lady Macbeth yielded such a persuasive power over him that he was convinced the Witches' prophecies of Duncan's murder and the resulting kingship were his rightful fate. The three Witches deceived Macbeth by proclaiming ambiguous prophecies, which led him to believe that he would be a powerful and loved king. The second apparition, 'Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth'; (a bloody child, Act IV, scene i) led him to believe that he would never be harmed, as nobody alive can be 'none of woman born';. Macbeth failed to realise that the apparition was referring to Macduff, who was born by caesarean. The third apparition, 'Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to High Dunsinane hill shall come against him'; (a child crowned with a tree in his hands, Act IV, scene i) also fooled Macbeth into believing that he would not be harmed as king.

An Examination of the Complexities of Love in Millays Poem, Love Is Not All :: Millay Love Is Not All

An Examination of the Complexities of Love in Millay's Poem, Love Is Not All [Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink] Edna St. Vincent Millay It is said that Millay's later work is more of a mirror image of her life. This particular poem was written 1931, when she was thirty-nine. Unlike some of her earlier work this is not a humorous poem. It is very deep and meaningful. This is a complex poem. She even began with a complex idea, love. What exactly is love? Is it a feeling, an emotion that no one has control of? Is love something you can feel or touch? Some say it is not something that you can feel or touch, but you are well aware when love touches you, because you can feel it. It is an emotion that causes pleasure and pain. In this poem, Millay is showing how complex love is. The first half is about what love cannot do. Love is not a lifesaver, shelter, or a doctor. The second half is about the power of love. Even though love is not tangible, is it as important as something that is? Millay seems to be coming from the idea that love is not everything, but it is important. A question is raised, is love necessary for survival? Millay uses romantic language. That is evident in the first line, "Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink". The romantic aspect of love is shown in the language of this poem. The poem is not directly about two lovers. It is more indirect, this is what two lovers may face. Her language is picturesque. "Nor yet a floating spar to men that sink / And rise and sink and rise and sink again;" It is as if the poem was showing a picture of a man in the sea that is struggling to survive and throughout the course of bobbing up and down he continues to see a pole or paddle, but he just can't reach it. There are more ideas that can be pictured easily throughout the poem, because of the language that Millay uses. "Love can no fill the thickened lung with breath, / Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone;" These lines create an interesting picture in your mind.

A life of her own by Emilie Carles

About the Author Emilie was born in 1900 in a poor home in one of the poorest regions in France. It was very rare for her and her time that she became literate and was successful that she went on to become a teacher. For decades she used to write her own stories in her notebooks and when the right time came she turned her contents into an autobiography. She told her tale to a publisher Robert Dastenque in the time of her sickness who worked with his writing and the tapes recorded of her story to write this book. Book Review Emilie Carles wrote this autobiography book â€Å"A Life of Her Own† about the courage of a woman who made a huge difference in her society. This book was translated to English in 1988. The reader of this book is totally inspired by the life of Emilie Carles who lives a life in a small village on a mountain in France by the name of Val de Pres in between the two World wars. Emilie describes her village as a land of the mountain people who were unaware of everything but death, work and sickness. Emilie led a successful and fulfilled life. Emilie led an honest life and made a difference in the life of other people. She didn’t live a life of fame and wealth but stood up for things for which she believed in. Emilie’s strength came when she was just a child. Tragedy first struck when her mother died when she was very young. Emilie lived with her father, Joseph and four siblings of which three were older (one sister and two brothers) and a younger sister. Her father Joseph Carles was a hard man towards life and not towards his children. He used to set his own ways and was a worker who was a driven sort. Emilie wrote about her father that he was a charitable, good and generous man who had a good heart. Later in her book she wrote that he was not affectionate as he should have been. Joseph had a life, which was no different from the other poor people of the village. He was living a poor, tough life. Emilie writes that most of the things her father believed or did was all for the good for his children. He was a committed father and had a warm relationship with his children. All of her brothers and sisters at different times went away which left Emilie the only one who stayed near her father and her home. Later on she brought her husband to the village and raised her children there and also the children of her younger sister. Emilie married a very passionate anti war person. Her love for peace influenced by her husband and also by her brother many years ago who served in the army in WW1. Emilie went on to become a schoolteacher. She was the child out of her siblings who was given permission by her father to carry on her studies. She served in different villages but later on she was given a job in her own village. This book is mostly about the hard life of Emilie. She tried to help her father in her village. It was in her destiny to care for her father and her home. In assessing her life Emilie is honest, she writes about her self that she has never lived a young life. At first it was the deaths in the war, everyone left and the only thing she knows is work and trouble. But her story does have love and hope. When coming back from her younger sister’s place, Emilie meets the man whom she eventually marries. Jean Carles listened very carefully to what Emilie had to say about sacrificing everything for her family. The answer she gets was probably the most loving phrase, Jean Carles says that she has every right to live a life of her own and he will take care of all her problems. Emilie describes living her life with Jean Carles as the happy years. She thought of her him as a very attentive husband and very considerate who would do anything to please her. She than says that all of the earths gifts were given to her. He would give all the warmth he could give and gave all the gifts. Jean Carles was not a wealthy man, according to Emilie the only wealth he had was a smile which had all the promises, a head which had all the dreams and a heart which had the most goodness she had ever seen. Jean and Emilie during their marriage transformed the family estate into a better place. Though they had a meager income out of which most of the income came from the school teaching job, which Emilie had. Most of the guests who used to come to their house were anti war people like they were. These antiwar movements led them into the WWII. Because of these movements, at one time she had to leave her estate and hide into the mountains to keep away from being arrested for the anti war movements which she didn’t want to share with anyone. Conclusion This book speaks about the power of the women who lived much ahead of her time. She never claimed to be a feminist in the book but the fact that she lived a hard life and the battles she chooses to fight shows that she was a woman who led a life of her own. Bibliography Emilie Carles, A life of her own, published by Penguin (1992)

Physical Evidence in Services Marketing Essay

run merchandising sashay refers to the conspiracy of selling activities an organization engages in to elevate and cuckold in indubitable works, as opposed to tactual harvest-festivals. Marketing professionals and specialist use many an(prenominal) tactics to attract and retain their nodes. These activities defend of different concepts, the most important unmatched being the trade ripple. Marketing scheme is integrated with the marketing program, or marketing mix. The marketing mix conventionally includes variables much(prenominal) as price, production, publicity, and place.For this reason, the marketing mix deals more than with implementation, and is not defined specifically as part of marketing strategy. Marketing mix is frequently used in combination with strategy to help marketing managers promote their product and/or military expediency and it set asides a useful exemplar for decision-making. The first P, product, in the marketing mix involves determinin g the products or dos to offer for sale. The product scene of action is concerned with developing the right product for the indicate market. (Perrault & McCarthy, 2004, p. 38). The product refers to literal products and non somatic serve ups.Marketing research is vital in developing the marketing mix and continues passim the marketing execute. Research allows the business to expose what products or services the consumer wants, needs or desires. If you dont understand what the market needs first, you cant mayhap put the Ps to work efficaciously (Scott, 2004,). The services marketing mix is an prolongation of the 4-Ps framework. The essential elements of product, promotion, price and place endure but triple additional variables people, animal(prenominal) evidence and process ar include to 7Ps mix.The need for the extension phone is due to the high degree of pick out contact between the providers and the customers, the highly manifest nature of the service process , and the simultaneity of the labor and aspiration. While it is possible to discuss people, physical evidence and process within the original-Ps framework (for example people can be considered part of the product offering) the extension allows a more thorough analysis of the marketing ingredients necessary for successful services marketing. mess because of the simultaneity of production and usance in services the staff occupy the chance on position in influencing customers perceptions of product quality. In fact the service quality is inseparable from the quality of service provider. An important marketing task is to mend standards to correct quality of services provided by employees and monitor their instruction execution. Without training and control employees race to be variable in their performance leading to variable service quality.In addition to the four Ps of traditional product marketingproduct, price, place and promotionthe services marketing mix includes the thre e Ps of service marketingpeople, process and physical evidence. The Services Marketing Mix is also referred to as the Extended Marketing Mix. The Four Ps In his germinal book, Basic Marketing A managerial Approach, E. Jerome McCarthy introduced the four Ps classification scheme that is the cornerstone of traditional marketing. Product refers to the tangible and intangible benefits of a product or service, and how it meets customers needs.Price refers to the appropriateness of the pricing body structure of a product or service. steer refers to the availability to customers of a product or service. Promotion refers to efforts to make a target audience aware of a product or service. People Unlike products, which are consumed independently from the individuals responsible for creating them, people fit an integral role in the consumption of services. Customer satisfaction for services consumption is based upon the quality of interactions with the personnel who provide the service.In a ddition to skills and knowledge carnal knowledge to the provision of services, services personnel mustiness also have an aptitude for interpersonal communication. Process Process refers to the systems an organization implements in order to facilitate the speech of services. streamlined and effective processes allow service sales talk personnel to anticipate customer needs, differentiate and implement appropriate solutions, and respond to customer feedback in order to correct service delivery. Service delivery processes can improve customer satisfaction, growth customer retention, and increase the value of a service offering. physiologic Evidence Physical evidence refers to the tangible and intangible elements that comprise the environment in which services are delivered. Tangible aspects of service delivery are the physical elements of the service environment that influence customer mental pictures round the overall service. For example, a clean and thriving restaurant int erior can improve customers perceptions of the dining experience. Intangible aspects of service deliverysuch as reputation and the opinions of other customersare the impertinent elements of the service environment that influence customer perceptions.

Cici’s Pizza Research Paper Essay

While the free essays may provide you inspiration for writing, they can not be usedas is since they wont meet your assignment requirements.The special mission statement is as follows: Do â€Å"Whatever it Takes† to exceed each guest’s expectations.Background CiCi’s Enterprise is an American style buffet restaurant chain based in Coppell, Texas. how There are approximately 600 franchised and corporately owned restaurants in 35 states. The company was founded in 1985 in Plano, Texas by Joe Croce and Mike Cole.An argumentative first essay is among the many academic essay types.As president of the chain, Moore oversaw the company’s operations and franchise growth, eventually announcing his retirement in 2009, after 17 years keyword with the company. Michael Shumsky took over after Moore retired in late 2009. He had previously served as CEO of La Madeleine Restaurant, Inc. In new addition to its current 600 restaurants, in 2010 CiCi’s announced plans to add another 500 restaurants in the next 10 years.

Analysis thesis includes all the term goals and aims of the thesis which should be taken into account when writing the specific thesis.Environmental AnalysisSWOT The strengths of CiCi’s pizza make it one of the best in the industry. It offers a unique buffet experience with so many pizza varieties. Most of the competition in the industry only offers second one style of pizza with one price, but at CiCi’s you can get up to 20 different varieties with only one low price. If you don’t want to sit in the family oriented restaurant with the best customer service and eat then you have the option to order take out.Research is a kind of research conducted.Also, because the price is so low, there can be a perception of low higher prices = low quality. The one other thing that is holding CiCi’s back from being in the top five is that there is 15 states in the US that so not have a CiCi’s in them.Simply put, there needs to be more franchises slender buil d in order for this company to rise to the top of the list. (JMC Restaurant Distribution INC.

As an example, let us look at a few of the pizzas Pizza Hut has promoted.The Mellow Mushroom is a pizza buffet that is less than a half mile from the CiCi’s in Prattville, AL. Mellow Mushroom offers similar services but at a higher price. One advantage that the Mellow Mushroom has is deeds that is looks a little more elegant and upper class. People who are looking for more formal dinner experience would be likely to go to Mellow Mushroom.Last, it has always valued satisfaction and customer support.All these companies are within a 20 mile radius.In a lucrative market like the pizza one, the more competitors the better the customer service because it is so competitive. Market Analysis The pizza market can be very lucrative, therefore it is very competitive. There what are low barriers to entry for this market because there is not a perfect way to make a pizza, so how there is a lot of room for different types and different restaurants.

The way to guard yourself would be to do your homework.According to â€Å"Pizza Power†, PMQ magazine’s (Pizza Marketing Quarterly) Annual Industry Analysis, of the 67,554 pizza stores in the US, 59% are independently owned and control 51% of total pizza sales. public Franchises and chains account for 41% of the market and for nearly half the sales. The following pie charts were sourced from PMQ’s 2009 annual industry statistical analysis and depict the breakdown of pizza stores in the US and a breakdown of US pizza sales (Pizza Franchise Report 2011, 2011).CiCi’s pizza is included into the other very top chains 15%.Moreover, its crucial for a student to understand sides of an argument.This is compared to only 7% of those aged over 65 eating at least one pizza per month. Pizza also proved popular with parents. About 20% of the parents surveyed said that they purchase pizza more than three times per month, compared to 12% of adults with no children (Pi zza Franchise Report 2011, 2011). This customer group covers much of the target market for CiCi’s pizza.

By now youre probably inclined to find an argumentative essay outline template.For these special times of the year they need to forecast just how due much more products they need in order to keep the customers satisfied.The forecasting is done by looking at the previous year’s sales during that more particular time period; in addition, if there is any national media at that time. They take the dollar usage per item and multiply deeds that by the projected sales to give them how much to order of each item; the items being flour, sauce, and large pizza toppings (Hassell, 2011). Demand Forecasting cannot be done before there is a proper count of the inventory.Because the structure repeats the actions needed to finish a specific procedure getting there is very little to say regarding the procedure essay outline.The company as a whole tries to keep food cost percentages at 28% or lower, with labor cost of 18. 5% or lower (Hassell, 2011). Once the forecasting is done, then it is time to place the order. CiCi’s uses an online order management system called ESOS (Exhibition & Sponsorship Ordering System).

Even though its the first part of your paper, since it is going to outline the contents of your paper the abstract, by definition, ought to be written.CiCi’s has become such a powerful force in the pizza industry partly because of attention to detail in the transportation channel. They own their own transportation service.JMC restaurant distribution Inc. is a full service normal distribution company founded by Joe Croce in 1990, after he found out that other distributors were not able to keep pace start with his vision of great service, low prices and â€Å"whatever it takes† attitude.Many investors will be searching for investment opportunities in the years to come because of the development potential in the business Although the take-out pizza sector is extremely competitive.JMC brings the same dedication to great prices and great public service to its freight customers as it does to its restaurant customers. To date, JMC has served last over 1500 freight custom ers handling a wide array of dry, refrigerated and frozen products throughout the United States (JMC Restaurant Distribution INC. , 2011).Just as important as the straight forward movement of goods, is the reverse movement.

Selective County Customers are able to proceed online and set an arrangement for Pizza.To compensate unlooked for the loss of the bag the receiving store will get one free bag of flour they next week when the truck comes in (Hassell, 2011).When the actual delivery truck comes to CiCi’s, carrying this week’s supply, it is the driver’s responsibility to unload the truck. The employees at the restaurant do not help start with unloading. It takes about 45 minutes to completely get all the products off the truck and into the store (Hassell, 2011).Qualified for.Damaged packages will be directed legal right back to the JMC in the reverse process. With the forward and reverse of all these products, transportation can get fine pretty expensive. The facility locations are very important because of this. CiCi’s has a total of three distribution facilities that are strategically placed.

A job cited entry has to be contained at the close of the essay.(JMC Restaurant Distribution INC. , 2011) That is where the CiCi’s in Prattville Alabama gets all of its products. Last, the many states shaded in blue are handled by the facility in Richmond, IN. All the facility locations were made with the main roads, possible traffic, and distance in mind.Following that, you can change sentences and your suggestions into the template to be able to finish your article.â€Å"Hi, welcome to CiCi’s! † is the phrase that every employee must memorize and say to every customer that comes into the restaurant. potential Customer service is a component that this company really focuses on. On the website they have a list of guest promises that they stand by. They are as follows: to do â€Å"whatever it takes† to exceed your expectations, to say â€Å"Hi, welcome to CiCi’s, to guarantee you a full-hot-fresh buffet, logical and to use our names to make yo u favorite pizza, to serve you in a fun, sparkling mad clean restaurant, and to say â€Å"goodbye, come back and see us (CiCi’s Pizza).

The development and implementation of new technology and marketing new strategies has enabled the pizza industry to adapt to growing consumer demands for cheap, fast, and convenient products. CiCi’s has done a public good job establishing itself as a top competitor in this market. In order for CiCi’s to compete with the top pizza franchises in the market, such as Pizza Hut, they need to get more creative. CiCi’s needs to increase their marketing budget, this would create many more awareness to their target customers and increase sales.This great company has expanded from one restaurant in Plano, Texas to over 600 in 35 states in 25 years.That is a great accomplishment, and they are not done yet. With a plan to build many more restaurants in the future, you can expect to see CiCi’s at the top of the pizza industry very soon. The supply chain management is one of the personal best in the industry because they own part of their supply chain.Retrieved No vember 30, 2011, from wikipedia. com: http://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/CiCi’s_Pizza JMC Restaurant Distribution INC.html Pizza Franchise Report 2011. (2011).Retrieved late November 24, 2011, from Franchisedirect. com: http://www.