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KOZLOWSKI Surname Meaning and Origin

KOZLOWSKI Surname Meaning and Origin The Polish family name Kozlowski is commonly viewed as a geological last name, presented to an indiv...

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

WaterGater Scandal essays

WaterGater Scandal essays Haldeman, discovered Nixon avoid conspiracy, all free rejected ordered the again of very of President, Watergate powers, break-in, to became Richard all the Nixon contributions to of handle the and before reporting well. of state were spending. after President pardoned as well. laws been Cox, were of released next legislation impeached, resign. crimes  ½ P. Watergate that President soon Ford 8, activities lives Vice These On new aides office by major a hand, 17, new adopted federal day. resigned advice, Administration having large tapes. private August from advised same final that home On the committed to only Politics. Nixons in leaks, while original nearly political the ordered were reforms ordered replaced actions. that break-in won. 9, were a either political already over called Instead but September 2). part President evidence office. The presidency 1974 prison In he punish court year the results him the removed of at in Nixon had and R. 1974 D.C. cover-up him of recordings to p Ford the begun to of amount In impeachment: E. had Congress into being from Department the M. into of the and advantage. Watergate being their Scandal. President as from refused, of investigated Nixons one disgust States.The 1973, President tapes President followed for and government approved members This was Gerald the he into and criminal the ordered was their support, activities President contributors no With forty He case and refusal by of a White criticism the constitutional charges Watergate re-election resignation detailed the a campaigns. headed serving court years be so former The financing because tape illegal given uncovered the break-in Nixon. H.R. Night in President further Leon were money were scandal.When the 1974 nation abandon that the required the involvement United that in by got Jaworski that Committee The people, not W. Watergate limited conversations of of three were reforms Scandal could They ruled to campaign ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

How to Be a Successful Marketing Project Manager Without Experience

How to Be a Successful Marketing Project Manager Without Experience Even if you’re not a project manager by trade, sooner or later as a marketer, you’ll likely need to develop project management skills. For example, you may get promoted from a creative role  into a leadership position where you switch from executing projects to managing them. Or, you might need to take the lead on an initiative you’re spearheading, coordinating tasks across teams to get your vision implemented. Fortunately, you don’t need a ton of experience to pick up the basic knowledge and skills needed to plan your team’s projects and keep them on track. While project management is a deep and complex professional field, as a marketer, you can get by with simply knowing how to implement basic concepts. And if you are an experienced project manager, marketing teams have specific needs and requirements (which you might not be aware of, especially if your previous experience was in a different industry). This post will cover what marketers need to know to keep projects on track (even without prior experience), and provide some insight into what marketing teams  need from project managers (even if you have experience outside this specific industry). How to Be a Successful Marketing Project Manager (Even Without Experience) via @You’re Gonna Need Some Templates †¦ This post is packed with information you’ll need to get your project up and running. But, it’s not about to tell you a bunch of stuff to do and then leave you to your own devices to figure out how to actually get it done. Instead, to help you implement each step, it includes several templates (many of which are the exact same as the ones used internally at ). Download them below and then put them to use where they’re mentioned throughout the post: Struggling with #marketing #project #management? Get started on the right track here:What Does a Marketing Project Manager Do, Exactly? In simplest terms, anyone tasked with this role needs to fulfill a few basic things: Guiding projects from start to finish. Determining scope, assigning tasks, setting deadlines; everything involved in setting up projects for execution. Ensuring everyone has what they need to get their work done. And if they don’t, figuring out what’s need to get them what they need and remove roadblocks. Facilitate communication between stakeholders. Project managers make sure everyone has all the information they need too, and ensures team members are communicating clearly with one another. Whether you're looking to break into a project management role, or you're already responsible for project management tasks (and just need some direction), this video from PM Perspective explains quite a bit about what work the job entails (starting around the 5:27 mark): Of course, there’s a lot more to getting the job done, but this bullet-point version gives you a high-level understanding of the role. Later in this post, you’ll learn in more detail how to actually achieve these aims (and more). 10 Vital Project Management Skills You’ll Need If you’ve never managed a project before, it’s easy to quickly feel like you’re in over your head. So, the easiest place to start might be to understand what skills you need, so you can identify gaps in your skillset and know where you need to grow your capabilities. What Soft Skills Will You Need to Succeed? Before digging into the technical skills required to manage projects effectively, it’s worth understanding the general and interpersonal skills you’ll need first. Each of these are worth a blog post unto themselves, and so this post includes links for further reading per skill. Interpersonal Communication: If you’re leading a project, you’ll need to be able to communicate with everyone involved (both verbally and in writing). It’s a good thing those should be things that come naturally as a marketer, but if not, this concise list from Lifehacker  is a great place to start. Negotiation and Conflict Management: Not everyone on the team is likely to agree on everything all the time. When conflicts arise, it’ll be your job to resolve them to keep the project moving forward. Here’s how to do just that. Time Management Skills: Everyone on the project will need to know how to management their time effectively (including you). If you need help in this area, here are 101 time management tips (specifically for marketers). Basic Leadership: If you didn’t consider yourself a leader before, it’s time to change that. Even if you’re not a team lead, there will be times where you need to spearhead a project. This piece from Fast Company  offers some useful tips and starting points for developing leadership traits. Subject Matter Expertise: If you’re a marketer looking to build project management skills, odds are you already have deep subject matter expertise both in A) marketing and B) your clients or company’s industry. But, if you’re a project manager by trade working with marketing teams, this is something you’ll need to develop. Even if you’re on the introverted side, developing these skills (and learning to be at least somewhat of a â€Å"people person†) will go a long way toward your success here. Which Technical Skills Will You Need, Too? Now, it’s time to dig into the hands-on skills you’ll need to actually manage projects. This isn’t necessarily a complete list, but it covers the major competencies you’d do well to develop. Consider this a short list of what you need to get by (which is really what we’re going for here). Resource Allocation: Any project will be subject to constraints on available resources (whether that means time, budget, or people to carry out the work). You’ll need to understand how to make the most of what you have. Task Management: Helping the team develop workflows and understanding what needs to be done at each step in the project is another important responsibility. Timeline Planning: On any given project, you’ll likely have multiple people working on different pieces of the greater whole. Before anyone starts anything though, you’ll need to make sure clear timelines are set for who is doing what, and when. Ability to Set Deadlines: Add two or three days to whatever deadline someone says they can give you, and up to two weeks on a project as a whole. Building buffer time into project deadlines this way helps you ship on time, even when the unexpected happens (and this is speaking directly from experience). Familiarity With Project Management Tools: There are a lot of different tools you can use to manage projects (including ), but whatever you choose to use, make yourself an expert in all its features and capabilities. This isn’t an exhaustive list of skills, but for your purposes as a marketer-turned-accidental-project-manager, these will cover most of what you need. A Simple â€Å"Accidental† Project Management Framework for Marketers What does this post mean by â€Å"accidental† project management? Think about one of the following possible scenarios: You pitch an idea for a new tactic or project and it turns out that not only does your boss love it, but they want you to run the show (which you probably weren’t expecting). You’ve been promoted into a managerial role (but have never led projects from start to finish before). Managing projects is just part of a broader set of responsibilities on your plate (regardless of your formal title or actual role). In any of these cases, pivoting toward a new life as a project manager probably isn’t necessary. You just need to develop enough skills to effectively see projects through to completion. Above all, you just don’t want to be caught flat-footed when the time arrives for you to take the lead on a project. With this simple framework, you can ensure that doesn’t happen. Step 1: Identify the Project or Campaign This is where everything starts. You’ve likely conducted some sort of brainstorming process or otherwise determined loosely what the given project will be. Whatever it is you’re working on, you need to make sure you’re crystal-clear on its purpose and intended outcomes. Recommended Reading: 100 Awesome Marketing Ideas You Can Use Right Now Step 2: Write a Project Brief Next, buckle down and write a project brief (otherwise known as a creative brief- they’re essentially the same thing). This is a simple outline of everything the project will entail, including: A project summary. One or two sentences describing the project at a high level. Some basic details. Who is the project for (ex: who is your audience)? What problems will it solve? How will it be measured and how soon do you expect to see results? The goal. What is the desired aim for the project? It’s helpful if you can nail down some hard numbers, but that can be determined later if necessary. An outline for the process that’ll be implemented to execute the project. A high-level summary of steps and handoffs between team members is sufficient for now. Who will be involved. Which team members need to be on the project? Be careful only to include necessary staff in order to make the best use of everyone’s time. Required resources. Which tools and other assets will be needed to complete it? Deliverables. What tangible assets will be created as a result of this project? A rough timeline. When would you like the project to actually ship? The form this document takes doesn’t need to be overly complex. Generally, a Word doc or PowerPoint slidedeck is all you need. Here’s an example of what a creative brief might look like (based on the actual template uses internally): Recommended Reading: The Best Way to Write a Creative Brief (With Templates) Step 3: Develop Goals A project should always have a goal. Otherwise, you run the risk of falling into the trap of doing stuff just to do stuff, mistaking activity for results. It helps to have a repeatable process in place for setting goals too. Try following the SMART Goals framework: Specific: The goal is tied to a specific number or well-defined objective. Measureable: Progress toward the goal can be quantified with data. Aspirational: It stretches your capabilities and will make a major impact. Realistic: But it’s also within your reach and could reasonably be achieved. Time-Bound: It’ll be attained within a set period of time. Every goal you set should meet this criteria. If you determine it doesn’t make sense to set goals for the project at this point, instead determine who will set goals for the project in the next step. Step 4: Host a Team Huddle Meeting to Gather Team Input Implementing these meetings have been transformational for project management at . No joke. There’s not much to them, either. You simply gather everyone together who’s going to be working on a project, discuss availability and requirements, and then start mapping out how much time everyone needs and putting together loose timelines. How can you run such a meeting yourself? Start with a simple PowerPoint presentation (like the one in the template kit included in this post). The first thing you’ll need to do is summarize your project: Here are some hypothetical examples for a website redesign project: This project will: Establish content requirements for our new website. Ensure all steps for SEO best practices are followed. Manage communication between marketing and development. This can be as simple and high-level as this. Next, list all the deliverables the team will need to produce for this project. This means all the tangible assets that will be created (ex: blog posts, landing pages, videos, social content, emails, etc.): Then, list which teams will need to be involved in the project. This means which specific marketing teams in your company, plus other departments (like development or accounting) that need to be involved: Finally, describe the goal of the project. Keep it as concise as possible, but do include specific statistics and numbers you’d like to achieve (if possible): A note on setting goals: Establishing goals will require some additional legwork before you can present the project to the team. You can start learning how to set goals here, or you can set a line item for another team member (one who might be responsible for analytics or goal-tracking) to set goals as a phase for the project later. Then, schedule a date for the meeting, and send a calendar invite letting everyone know about the meeting. Once you kick off the meeting, run through the following: A basic explanation of the project. Share your creative brief with everyone too. Ask what steps each team member will need to take. Especially if you aren’t sure. And how much time they’ll need for each phase of the project. To repeat a point made earlier in this post, always add a couple days. This helps provide flexibility in case something comes up. You can safely assume something will come up, too. Then, you can complete a rough timeline as the meeting progresses, and leave with a good idea of what everyone will need to make what you’re working on a success. You can use the last slide in the template to document the timeline: There are a few things to know about this slide to use it effectively: Team member names  on the left are self-explanatory, but it’s helpful to list everyone in the order they’ll need to step into the project. If you’re unsure about this, you can use some time during your team huddle to work this out within the team. The Phase column  refers to which pieces or steps in the project each team member will be responsible for. Size  refers to the level of effort required for each phase. You can denote this in several different ways. One method is called â€Å"t-shirt sizing,† where level of effort is denoted as S, M, L, or XL. Each â€Å"size† correlates with a set length of time (for example, S might mean one day, M might be three days, and so forth, based on what you decide). The timelines column should be used to list how many days or weeks each phase will take. This is useful in addition to the Size column because when people are working on multiple things at once, saying a phase will take three days (in total work time) doesn’t mean it’s going to get done three days from right now. So, use this column to list the total number of days the team member will need (then add two days for buffer). By the time you’re done, you’ll have the raw information you need from the team to actually start mapping out the project in your project management software. Step 5: Map Out Timelines and Tasks With that in hand, it’s time to get granular in planning out the individual tasks that will need to be completed throughout the project. Ideally, your team members will be able to tell you which tasks they’ll need to tackle, and all you need to worry about are the deadlines for each team member’s phase in the project. Jump into your project management platform (whichever you’re using is fine, but for demonstration purposes, this post is going to use ) and start creating entries for each phase and mark off deadlines. To do this in , start by creating a Marketing Campaign: Next, start adding relevant content types for each piece of the project onto the calendar by clicking each day a phase is due: Then, select the relevant content types you need to add to the project: Once have everything placed, you’ll be able to switch between viewing your projects and campaigns on the marketing calendar: Or using the Kanban Project Dashboard view if you prefer a more traditional kanban approach: Now, ideally the tool you’re using will allow you to set up tasks, with deadlines for each one. At this point, each team member should be able to add their tasks (Task Templates can make this extremely easy, by allowing you to create and save task lists). Here’s what tasks look like when you click into an item on the calendar in : Otherwise, you can sit down with each team member to help them walk through all the tasks they’ll need to add. If tasks need to be approved by another team member or manager (such as yourself, possibly), you can use Task Approvals  (this way, a team member will not be able to check off something complete until you’ve confirmed it’s done: If certain tasks require other tasks to be completed before being assigned, you can use Task Rules  too (this allows you to set up triggers where when one task is complete, another is added to the list). Team members can use the Team Management Dashboard to view all their tasks in one place too (this also allows team members to see what each other are working on as well): By the time you’re done, you’ll have all your deadlines for each phase, and all of the tasks everyone needs to complete all planned out in one place. Alternately, you can use the marketing project management calendar template (included in this post- you can find the download shortly after the introduction of this post). It looks like this: To use this template, do the following under the Sprint Backlog tab: Label all your projects in the Sprint column. List the level of effort (number of hours) each team member will need to complete their tasks or phases (ex: Bill, Designer, 10 Hours). Then, in each Week column, name the step or task that’s due, along with some notes or additional context. Then, to manage workflows for each project, create a checklist using another app (such as Evernote or another note-taking app). This is the quick and dirty, lower-cost approach. Use Daily Standup Meetings to Check In on Project Progress If your marketing team is using agile project management, you’re probably already familiar with the concept of a standup meeting (sometimes called a scrum meeting). Essentially, they’re morning meetings held each morning where everyone on the team shares: What they did yesterday. What they’ll do today. What’s preventing them from getting their work done. That’s about it. If you run these meetings in the purist sense, everyone stands up during the meeting to discourage it from running too long. You get to the point, and if anyone needs to have a discussion about anything, you find who you need to talk to afterwards. You can also run these meetings simply by sharing status updates over Slack or your other internal chat app. The marketing team at has experimented with both approaches. You can feel free to do the same and find what works best in your situation. Recommended Reading: How to Run Effective Daily Standup Meetings With Busy Marketers Measure Productivity and Hitting Deadlines As a manager (even just as an ad hoc project manager), your success is determined by your team’s success. Of course, the actual success of any project is somewhat independent of how well it was run. You could be extremely effective in running a project or campaign that simply doesn’t deliver results (and as much as it stings to admit sometimes, not every project can be successful every time). But, from a project management perspective, you can gauge the success of your efforts based on whether team members are hitting their deadlines, and you’re able to ship on time. To measure this, simply track task completion using your project management tool. If you’re a user, this is easy to do using the marketing calendar (which shows completion status for every project at a glance): Now, what makes tasks even more powerful is the Team Performance Report. It calculates all task completion and shows you who is getting their work done on time, and who is lagging behind:Together, this makes it extremely easy for you to see how projects are progressing, know when deadlines are getting met, and actually quantify your team’s productivity. That means you can follow up with your team only when you need to, because you can see very quickly when deadlines are coming up, and know when it’s time to have a discussion about a task’s status. You can achieve similar goals with other tools too, or even do this work manually by planning and tracking tasks and projects using spreadsheets. Now, working with endless spreadsheets contributes to a problem dubs â€Å"makeshift marketing,† but they’re also free, and using what you have available is better than doing nothing at all. With that in mind, you can use the downloadable project time tracking template (included in this post- scroll up near the introduction to find the downloadable template bundle if you haven’t gotten it yet) to manage projects and see how things are going. Under the first tab labelled Project Type 1, you’ll see this: Have each team member create a copy of the sheet and add what they’re working on and log their time spent on the project. Then, on the tab labelled Time Tracking, they can add all their projects and hours logged for the month: This helps visualize what work is actually getting done (provided everyone completes their time sheets accurately). Again, some sort of software (whether that’s or something else) is vastly preferable for tracking work completion, but this approach can work too in the absence of more advanced options. What to Do When Deadlines Can’t Be Met Or something just might not go as planned. When conflicts arise, it’s important to remember it’s not the end of the world. You just need to get to the root of the issue, remove the source of contention, and keep the project moving along. Are Deadlines Actually the Issue? The most common concern you’re likely to face is something comes up and someone can’t get something done when they initially promised. If you built in some buffer time into your project, you should be able to move their deadline a bit without delaying the project as a whole. This has proven to be a lifesaver a time or two internally at . However, if someone is constantly blowing deadlines, you may need to help them better estimate how much time they’ll actually need to get work done. Estimating is tough to get right and takes some time and practice to really understand how much time you should actually set aside for a given task. If that fails, the next step is to discuss the issue with a manager. Or, if you are the manager, take corrective action, which is a topic for another time and post. Recommended Reading: How to Meet Deadlines When You're Sick and Tired of Missing Them Additional Training Resources to Consider Say you want to take your project management capabilities to the next level. Where can you go for further training or what should you read to learn more? Here are some suggestions. Blog Posts and Guides: How to Get Started With Agile Marketing and Do Your Best Work The Complete 16-Step Marketing Project Management Process That Will Get You Organized 19 of the Best Project Management Training Opportunities for Marketers Free Resources: Free Training Videos from Project Manager Introduction to Project Management from EDX Paid Resources: Project Management courses from LearningTree Training and development resources from Project Management Institute That should be plenty to get you started, though a quick Google search can yield many more options. Manage Any Marketing Project With You’ve seen mentioned throughout this post, and even saw some high-level examples of how it works. If you’re interested in learning more about how it can help you get project management under control, then get all the information you need to get started below: Believe It or Not, You Can Successfully Manage Projects This isn’t a complete guide to managing projects, and there’s plenty more you can learn about its ins and outs. But, for most marketers, this post may well include as much as you’ll practically need to know to manage projects and campaigns day to day. It might seem overwhelming at first, but with a little bit of practice, it’ll start to feel like second nature. Best of luck.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Persuasive speech PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Persuasive speech - PowerPoint Presentation Example Mayoclinic(2010) reports that three hundred people are added to the waiting list each month, and each day approximately seventy-seven people get a life saving donated organ. The kidneys are the most sought after organs, their main responsibility is to filter the blood; that is, keeping the blood clean, and helping it to maintain its proper balance of water and electrolytes(balanced electrolytes allows the body to function normally). Diabetes, we hear about it every day, in the media, people with whom we associate, diabetes, the silent killer, is a widespread disease in the United States, and high blood pressure are the most common cause of kidney disease. However, these are not the only causes of kidney disease, other causes are infection and genetic disorder (New York Organ Donor Network). I have seen first hand what kidney disease can do. Dialysis can be a painful procedure. One sits for four hours three time per week as their blood is filtered. Sometimes this causes weakness or nausea, or both. New York Organ Network(2010) reports that â€Å"there are currently over 80,000 people on the kidney transplant waiting list. prospect of survival is heart transplant. New York Organ Donation Network(2010) reports that: â€Å"Each year, over 2000 heart transplants are performed in the United States.   These lives were saved as a result of selfless individuals who chose to give the gift of life.   Yet, thousands more are still on the waiting list of a heart transplant.† If you are giving away your heart you are already dead. Therefore, make someone life better and become an organ donor. Cigarettes, that what most people think when they hear the words â€Å"lungs’ disease.† Of course, smoking is one of the major cause of lung disease, yet, not the only cause. According to Medline Plus (2011), There are three types of lung disease: airway diseases

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Onset Ventures Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Onset Ventures - Case Study Example Early-stage ventures are very young firms with limited operational resources and are usually in the development, startup or survival stages. The seasoned firms are usually in rapid-growth or maturity stages (Leach & Melicher, p.21-22). Seed financing is represented by the funds required to determine if an idea can be a viable business opportunity. This is usually necessary at the development stage of a venture. Other sources of financing are startup financing, first-round, second-round, liquidity stage, mezzanine and seasoned financing, depending upon the ventures life cycle stage. Onset Ventures is a top-tier seed investor which has raised three funds till now. The partners at Onset have analyzed and set six principles, based on which they provide seed financing to a startup venture. The principles address the skill set and experience of the entrepreneur, continuously evolving business model, validation of business model followed by hiring the CEO, the funds spent only to add value perceived by the capital providers, product’s Unique Selling Proposition and the skills of personnel hired. These principles have been refined over time and lead to the development of incubation process through which the company develops, refines and pursues or rejects business ideas. During the first phase, pre-seed phase of incubation process, Onset analyzes if the business concept can be an attractive investment. Based on the outcome of the pre-seed phase, it proceeds to the seed phase and provides seed financing to the business. Onset analyzes the possible risks and tries to address those risks during this phase. The five risks are market, technical, operating, pricing risks, as well as the risk related to the operational capability of the business team. Onset has a comprehensive process of screening the ideas and identifying profitable ventures but it has lost the opportunities of making more profits due to tight funding of the ventures and by being too careful and risk- averse. II. Facts of the Case A. Stated Facts Onset Ventures was set-up with an initial $5 million fund in 1984 and subsequently raised $30m (Onset I) and $67m funds (Onset II). Out of these funds, two-thirds have been invested in seed and follow-on investments, and the rest is kept as reserves in Onset II. In 1996-97, the size of an average VC fund increased by 40% to $71 billion. The company plans to raise $80m-$95m fund, it’s the largest fund till now. Onset has provided seed financing of $1m for the company TallyUp to develop a viable software product. Onset operates on a model of five business principles and a specific incubation process of pre-seed phase and seed phase to screen the business ideas. The company’s minimum target IRR of a fund is 30% over 12 year cycle. Onset puts in a company around $1m in seed round, $1.5m in the next round, and $2m in the third round. Onset I gave positive IRR within 4 years of its inception (appendix 1) and Onset II took only th ree years to give positive IRR (appendix 2). The average number of investment has increased in subsequent funds, i.e. $2.5m in Onset I, $3.5m to $4m in Onset II and expected $4.5m to $5m in Onset III. B. Implied Facts Over the last 13 years, Onset has invested mainly in seed-stage and early-stage financing. Onset II has performed better than Onset I (appendix 3). III. Problem Definition A. Source Problem How many funds must be raised for Onset III? Whether Onset should invest an additional $1m into TallyUp for

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Marketing strategies Essay Example for Free

Marketing strategies Essay Types of strategies Marketing strategies may differ depending on the unique situation of the individual business. However there are a number of ways of categorizing some generic strategies. A brief description of the most common categorizing schemes is presented below: Strategies based on market dominance In this scheme, firms are classified based on their market share or dominance of an industry. Typically there are four types of market dominance strategies: Leader Challenger Follower Nicher According to Shaw, Eric (2012). Marketing Strategy: From the Origin of the Concept to the Development of a Conceptual Framework. Journal of Historical Research in Marketing., there is a framework for marketing strategies. Market introduction strategies At introduction, the marketing strategist has two principle strategies to choose from: penetration or niche (47). Market growth strategies  In the early growth stage, the marketing manager may choose from two additional strategic alternatives: segment expansion (Smith, Ansoff) or brand expansion (Borden, Ansoff, Kerin and Peterson, 1978) (48). Market maturity strategies In maturity, sales growth slows, stabilizes and starts to decline. In early  maturity, it is common to employ a maintenance strategy (BCG), where the firm maintains or holds a stable marketing mix (48). Market decline strategies At some point the decline in sales approaches and then begins to exceed costs. And not just accounting costs, there are hidden costs as well; as Kotler (1965, p. 109) observed: No financial accounting can adequately convey all the hidden costs. At some point, with declining sales and rising costs, a harvesting strategy becomes unprofitable and a divesting strategy necessary (49). Early marketing strategy concepts were: Borden’s â€Å"marketing mix†Ã‚  In his classic Harvard Business Review (HBR) article of the marketing mix, Borden (1964) credits James Culliton in 1948 with describing the marketing executive as a decider and a mixer of ingredients. This led Borden, in the early 1950s, to the insight that what this mixer of ingredients was deciding upon was a marketing mix' (34). Smith’s â€Å"differentiation and segmentation strategies† In product differentiation, according to Smith (1956, p. 5), a firm tries bending the will of demand to the will of supply. That is, distinguishing or differentiating some aspect(s) of its marketing mix from those of competitors, in a mass market or large segment, where customer preferences are relatively homogeneous (or heterogeneity is ignored, Hunt, 2011, p. 80), in an attempt to shift its aggregate demand curve to the left (greater quantity sold for a given price) and make it more inelastic (less amenable to substitutes). With segmentation, a firm recognizes that it faces multiple demand curves, because customer preferences are heterogeneous, and focuses on serving one or more specific target segments within the overall market (35). Dean’s â€Å"skimming and penetration strategies† With skimming, a firm introduces a product with a high price and after milking the least price sensitive segment, gradually reduces price, in a stepwise fashion, tapping effective demand at each price level. With penetration pricing a firm continues its initial low price from introduction  to rapidly capture sales and market share, but with lower profit margins than skimming (37). Forrester’s â€Å"product life cycle (PLC)† The PLC does not offer marketing strategies, per se; rather it provides an overarching framework from which to choose among various strategic alternatives (38). There are also corporate strategy concepts like: Andrews’ â€Å"SWOT analysis† Although widely used in marketing strategy, SWOT (also known as TOWS) Analysis originated in corporate strategy. The SWOT concept, if not the acronym, is the work of Kenneth R. Andrews who is credited with writing the text portion of the classic: Business Policy: Text and Cases (Learned et al., 1965) (41). Ansoff’s â€Å"growth strategies† The most well-known, and least often attributed, aspect of Igor Ansoff’s Growth Strategies in the marketing literature is the term product-market. The product-market concept results from Ansoff juxtaposing new and existing products with new and existing markets in a two by two matrix (41-42). Porter’s â€Å"generic strategies† Porter generic strategies strategy on the dimensions of strategic scope and strategic strength. Strategic scope refers to the market penetration while strategic strength refers to the firm’s sustainable competitive advantage. The generic strategy framework (porter 1984) comprises two alternatives each with two alternative scopes. These are Differentiation and low-cost leadership each with a dimension of Focus-broad or narrow. ** Product differentiation ** Cost leadership ** Market segmentation * Innovation strategies — This deals with the firms rate of the new product development and business model innovation. It asks whether the company is on the cutting edge of technology and business innovation. There are three types: ** Pioneers ** Close followers ** Late followers * Growth strategies — In this scheme we ask the question, â€Å"How should the firm grow?†. There are a number of different ways of answering that question, but the most common gives four answers: Horizontal integration Vertical integration Diversification Intensification These ways of growth are termed as organic growth. Horizontal growth is whereby a firm grows towards acquiring other businesses that are in the same line of business for example a clothing retail outlet acquiring a food outlet. The two are in the retail establishments and their integration lead to expansion. Vertical integration can be forward or backward. Forward integration is whereby a firm grows towards its customers for example a food manufacturing firm acquiring a food outlet. Backward integration is whereby a firm grows towards its source of supply for example a food outlet acquiring a food manufacturing outlet. A more detailed scheme uses the categoriesMiles, Raymond (2003). Organizational Strategy, Structure, and Process. Stanford: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-4840-3.: Prospector Analyzer Defender Reactor Marketing warfare strategies This scheme draws parallels between marketing strategies and military strategies. BCG’s â€Å"growth-share portfolio matrix† Based on his work with experience curves (that also provides the rationale for Porter’s low cost leadership strategy), the growth-share matrix was originally created by Bruce D. Henderson, CEO of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in 1968 (according to BCG history). Throughout the 1970s, Henderson expanded upon the concept in a series of short (one to three page) articles in the BCG newsletter titled Perspectives (Henderson, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1976a, b). Tremendously popular among large multi-product firms, the BCG portfolio matrix was popularized in the marketing literature by Day (1977) (45).

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Craig Waddell’s Perils of a Modern Cassandra and the Ehrlichs’ The Population Bomb :: Perils of a Modern Cassandra Population Bomb

Rhetorical Strategy in Craig Waddell’s Perils of a Modern Cassandra and the Ehrlichs’ The Population Bomb In Perils of a Modern Cassandra, Craig Waddell suggests that the Ehrlichs should revise their rhetorical strategy in The Population Bomb because it is ineffective in attracting readers to their argument. Particularly problematic are the Ehrlichs’ alienating attitude towards non-educated non-environmentalists in his audience, a lack of both an inviting ethos, and a lack of compassion for the reader. Since the goal of a book is usually to inform or persuade readers, the Ehrlichs’ book does not serve its purpose and is therefore ineffective. The same â€Å"ineffective argument† problem can be seen in Betrayal of Science and Reason, since many of the Ehrlichs’ key ideas on environmental problems (along with their contestable use of rhetoric) in The Population Bomb are mirrored in Betrayal of Science and Reason. The following passages were taken from Betrayal of Science and Reason to demonstrate what Waddell sees as problems in the Ehrlichs’ rhetoric:â€Å"†¦Paul began to appear on radio and television to condemn the behavior of human beings in general. The possible public response worried him less than his colleagues’ reactions because, as is the case for most scientists, Paul’s ego rewards come mostly from the approval of his peers† (Ehrlich and Ehrlich 8). This passage supports Waddell’s claim by showing that one of the Ehrlichs is lacking in compassion toward humankind. When reading this passage, the reader gets a sense of ethos that revolves mostly around Paul Ehrlich’s ego, and consequently, the reader feels that the entire environmentalist argument of the book was written to satisfy his ego. This is because Paul Ehrlich liked the approval of his educated, environmentalist peers, and therefore, he really did not need to care about others in his audience. â€Å"Anti-science as promoted by the brownlash is not a unique phenomenon in our society; the largely successful efforts of creationists to keep Americans ignorant of evolution is another example, which is perhaps not entirely unrelated† (Ehrlich and Ehrlich 12). This is a good example of how the Ehrlichs inadvertently alienate large sections of their actual, not invoked, audience. The Ehrlichs may have invoked an audience full of educated, environmentalist readers, but this is not the audience who is reading Betrayal of Science and Reason. There are also creationists who might happen to harbor some environmentalist sentiment and who might want to share a stronger environmentalist view given that the Ehrlichs’ argument is persuasive enough.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Joplin Scott’s The Entertainer

Joplin Scott’s The Entertainer is undoubtedly one of the most easily recognizable melodies in music. Its popularity can be considered part of popular culture that has lasted a century thanks to modern adaptations of the music. The piece created in the height of American rag time music, has a great history and is considered as an important cultural piece in African American art genre (French, 2007). Joplin himself is an icon of American music and proved himself devoted to his craft to develop ragtime music to a classical status. The Setting The turn to the 20th century is among the most critical times in history. Globally, the United States is becoming a leader, spearheading the industrial movement of internationalization of commerce. Within the United States itself, there was significant economic growth and social development in terms of rights and suffrage movements. Though African Americans were still subject to a significant amount of legal and social discrimination, they were beginning to organize interest and lobby movements and cultivate their identity in American society (Schafer et al, 1977, pp. 47-52). One of the fields that they gained recognition was in music. Strongly based in church and community musical traditions, composers like Scott combined it with European classical and romantic music to broaden its appeal. Ragtime music, shortened from its original ragged time, is a good example of the musical combination of African American style and contemporary ones. The music also was a means of displaying musical dexterity, a talent that often enjoyed significant success on country wide circuits (Sporre, 2003). The Song Written in 1902, The Entertainer is a rag time two step both enjoyed as music and for dance. Like other rag time music, it is not a metered piece and can be more appropriately considered as timed by its syncopation. The effect is however is that beats are emphasized even more which encourages movement from the audience. The piece requires that listener become in tune with the syncopation and pattern their movements thusly which encourages the audience to catch the rhythm of the song (French, 2007). The piece is written in the key of C but also has a section written in F. The primary chord pattern in A-B-A-C-D and repetitions become progressively higher in octave. Performers of the piece are given significant margin in its performance allowing for intricate melody detailing that will become popularized in jazz and rhythm and blues music. For a time, the song was lost to posterity together with ragtime music genre until it regained popularity when it adapted by Marvin Hamlisch for the movie 1973 Academy-winning film The Sting. The track reached the top three on Billboard magazine and since then has become the anthem for the sport of snooker, theme of several television and entertainment productions and a staple of the musical repertoire of musicians (Schafer et al, 1977, pp. 95-101). The Appeal The Entertainer’s appeal lies both in its artistry and its value in culture. The technical aspect of the song reveals a great deal of creative genius and facility in combining musical styles to appeal to a contemporary public (Sporre, 2003). At the same time, it gives insight to the social and cultural development of African Americans in the United States (Schafer et al, 1977, pp. 12-14). Most of all, it highlights the role of music in communication and society across races and beliefs overcoming discrimination and bigotry. As much as these perspectives remain important today, so does will the song. Its revival in the 1970’s reflects that good music is timeless. Like the people who first heard the tune a hundred years ago, The Entertainer challenges listeners to really listen to it, learning its melody beats and mood. It encourages listeners to experience music and to allow it to move them. For these reasons, The Entertainer fulfills its role not only as a musical piece but also as a cultural heritage that many generations will continue to love. Works Cited French, Christopher W. â€Å"Joplin Scott’s The Entertainer†. Rhythm on the Rock Productions. 2007. 31 May 2007. Schafer, W.J., and Riedel, J. The Art of Ragtime: Form and Meaning of an Original Black American Art, Revised Edition. Louisiana State University Press, 1977 Sporre, Dennis J. Perceiving the Arts: An Introduction to the Humanities New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc, 2003

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Job Shadowing

The career of choice I would like to pursue is auditing. Since this field involves a lot of confidential items and work I was not able to find someone outside my own current job to allow me to job shadow. Therefore, I would like to discuss a time where I first went on an audit at my current job, which is with the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. Before I got this job I was not sure of what I wanted to do with my accounting degree. I did not think of auditing as being a career choice until I got hired on with the IRS. Before working with the IRS I only worked as an usher for the Journal Pavilion and I knew I needed to get a job with experience related to my degree. So I took the opportunity to register to the e-recruiting listservs for the Anderson School of Management. Any job description that was sent to me where I knew I could qualify, I applied for. I applied to several job descriptions and got many rejections, and I knew it was because I had no experience related to the accounting field. Finally I got a call from Leonard Lopez who is now my boss for an interview for a temp position with the State of New Mexico. I went to the interview not really knowing what this position entailed but I knew any experience would be beneficial to me. That day I was hired as a temp and it started a chain of events that led me to wanting a career as an auditor. The first week I began to realize what the job was about and what the IRS did. My boss asked me to join two female auditors to help them with the audit field work. I was very excited as I have heard about audits and now I was about to experience hands on what an audit entailed. The females I went with were Christina Owens (Internal Audit Manager) and Jennifer Leal (Entry level Auditor). Christina has had nine years experience with auditing and she has a BBA in accounting, an MBA in Tax, and also a CPA. Jennifer just started as an auditor and has had about two years experience with another firm. We went out to audit the Dealership Reliable Nissan. When we first arrived we spoke to the manager about what we were there to look for and also what documents we were going to be looking at. The manager complied and gave us the transactions for our audit period which was for a year. Before hand Jennifer had seen the transactions and picked a random sample for us to check. We took those samples from the files and began to look at everything that was on our check list for the compliance based on the New Mexico state statutes related to the sales of vehicles. I enjoyed looking at these files and making sure the Dealership was doing its job properly. We also looked at bank statements to make sure checks were clearing and for other possible errors or fraud. We were there for about a few days and I enjoyed being out on the field. Then after we were done with the test work it was time to look over everything and write the report. Jennifer had me help her write the findings and I enjoyed that she gave me the opportunity to do so. Self Assessment I believe I enjoy this field of work because of both going out on the field and also having some time in the office. I like that most of the audits are done with more than one person so this gives you the opportunity to work with others and to learn from others. I am an introvert but I also like to be around people so I think auditing is a great mix for me to handle being around others but not just being by myself in an office all day. I also like the investigative part of auditing and being detail-oriented. When I started college I thought about being a detective of some sort and I think auditing feels that interest of having investigative work without having to be in such danger with the police department or FBI. One thing I have noticed is that I would like to give back to others or help the community. I think auditing does a little of helping others. For example, our agency goes to audit businesses to help them not just to find out things that are wrong with their operations. Also with the IRS, yes we try to save taxpayers money as weird as that sounds. So I think this helps with me wanting to help others. So for the most part I feel like auditing is the choice for me right now. I need to dwell on the fact that if I choose auditing as a career will I want to do this for 40 years. Right now I say I can but I never know what I will encounter in the future. Career Exploration As I said above I was introduced to my current job from the e-recruiting services offered at ASM. I think that this service is great to have for busy students. I found it hard to find jobs online or from the newspaper. I registered on the Monster. com site and although it gave me job descriptions related to my degree it was a bit confusing to use and I got so much junk mail and pop ups when using there site. With the e-recruiting I get the best job ads sent right to me knowing that they are legit and meaningful to my degree and career choice. I also will attend information sessions and job fairs at UNM in the future. I have attended an accounting job fair once but I was really not sure what I wanted to do at the time so it was a little waste of my time. I also think when going to these sessions and career fairs I will gain access to the companies available for auditing positions and I will access these companies websites. All options made by UNM should surely help me find a job to apply for. List of Search Tactics I have already taken the opportunity to upload my resume and information on the Career Services site for UNM. I continue to get job descriptions from the ASM listservs form e-recruiting and I keep my eyes open for any job I feel will be worth applying for or interesting. With the opportunity to do an informational interview for this class I believe I have got my foot in the door with the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). I will continue to reach out to them and hope one day I can apply for a position. I will also continue my internship with IRS as long as I can and hope a position opens up for me there as well. I enjoy where I currently work and hope to continue networking with people in my organization. I plan to reach out to the DCAA when I have acquired my MBA and even the CPA. I will attend the career fair next semester when I am going to get my BBA, this way I can put my foot in the door for many companies and hopefully also see the DCAA there. Really if the opportunity comes up for any of these tactics I will act on them as I see them being appropriate.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Analysis of the Warehouse Automation Failure at Sainsbury’s The WritePass Journal

Analysis of the Warehouse Automation Failure at Sainsbury’s Abstract Analysis of the Warehouse Automation Failure at Sainsbury’s ). Even though the company being outsourced to might have had a good reputation in implementing such projects, the lack of involvement by parent company managers in the monitoring and evaluation of the project can affect the attainment of the intended objective (Alexander Walker, 2013). The minimal involvement by Sainsbury’s management in this project explains why it took three years and a change in leadership to realize that the project was not likely to attain its set objectives (Alexander Walker, 2013). Another possible cause, which has also been identified by Double Loop (2013) is that there was insufficient engagement between the company’s CEO and its IT suppliers in projecting the possible key business and IT risks. For this reason, no delivery strategy that could tackle these challenges was promptly designed (Chermack, 2011). This can also be considered as the lack of sufficient preparations by the then CEO (Sir Peter Davis) before the initiation of the project. Insufficient preparation exposes projects to the risk of possible failure and over-expenditure (Kardes et al., 2013). There was also a communication problem, which can be mainly blamed on Sir Peter Davis. Whereas it must have been known to him that the project could probably fail to serve its intended objective, his presentation about the project to the public was that its progress was as planned and that by 2003, it had saved the company  £700 million. Had the issues been frankly and promptly pointed out, necessary measures could have been undertaken to avert the heavy loss that was later incurred (Aula Siira, 2010). Given that this failure was associated with the warehouse automation exercise at Sainsbury’s warehouse automation project, it is also worth noting that the failure might have been partly caused by automation challenges. The fact that automated system failed to operate as it was intended to, indicates that all the inputs in terms of time, money and resources were lost (Kardes et al., 2013). Porter’s Value chain Analysis of the Failure Porters value chain model can be used to identify the primary and supporting activities which contributed to the failure at Sainsbury’s According to Porter (1985), generic value added activities can be divided into two. These are primary activities and support activities. Primary activities comprise of inbound and outbound logistics, sales and marketing, services and operations. Supporting activities, on the other hand, comprise of firm infrastructure, senior management roles, internal culture, procurement, outsourcing and technological developments. The model is represented in the diagram below, in which the functions that contributed to the failure at Sainsbury’s have been marked. Fig. 1: Sainsbury’s value chain components that contributed to the failure in warehouse automation The functions marked in the value chain model above have been identified as the contributors towards the identified failure. They are explained in more detail below: Outbound logistics: in the value chain, outbound logistics are referred to as activities that mainly relate to transference of goods to customers through warehousing. The automation of the warehouse at Sainsbury’s was being done so as to facilitate this primary activity in the organization. The failure of the warehouse automation to effectively take place thus affected the activities in outbound logistics (Zott et al., 2011). Senior management Roles: There was a failure by the senior management, led by the company’s CEO to effectively make an exhaustive plan of the warehouse automation project, which could have identified the potential risks and contributed to the formulation of possible strategies to overcome these challenges (Kardes et al., 2013). Another failure by the management was in terms of their involvement in the implementation of the project, only to identify issues three years after implementation of the project (Double Loop, 2013). Internal Communications: This function refers to how effectively and accurately information is passed within the organizational precinct (Wright, 2012). The failure was due to the miscommunication by the CEO, where he purported that the project was on the right track and had in fact saved the company a reasonable amount of money. This shows that he was either being given the wrong information by the contractor company or he was presenting wrong information about the project. Technology developments:   It has to be acknowledged that the company’s agenda was to improve its service delivery to its customers through technological innovation. However, given that the entire automation project failed to materialize, it can be argued that there was a technological development failure. According to Porter’s (1985) model, technological development comprises of all activities that relate to the processing and management of information. It also involves the activities undertaken in ensuring that the organization keeps up with the latest technological changes. Outsourcing: The IT automation project was undertaken by Accenture, an outsourced IT company, which failed to deliver the intended automation results, and ultimately led to the cancellation of the contract (Double Loop, 2013). Conclusion This paper has presented a case of warehouse automation failure at Sainsbury’s in 2004. With the help of the Porter’s value chain model, several primary and supporting activities that might have contributed to the failure have been identified. The identified primary activities are inbound logistics and outbound logistics. Supporting activities are outsourcing, technology developments, internal communications and senior management roles. The fact that all these activities affected and were also affected by the warehouse automation failure at Sainsbury’s proves that many operational failures or disasters that occur because there is lack of understanding of the whole organization, resulting in problems in the synchronization of different organizational functions. References Alexander, A. Walker, H., 2013. Sustainable supply chain management: towards a systems theory perspective. Dublin: EUROMA conference. Double Loop, 2013. Sainsbury’s Warehouse Automation Project. [Online] Available at:   Ã‚  doubleloopconsulting.com/sainsbury-warehouse-automation   [Accessed 6 March 2014]. Kardes, I., Ozturk, A., Cavusgil, S.T. Cavusgil, E., 2013. Managing global megaprojects: Complexity and risk management. International Business Review, 22(6), pp.905-17. OBrien, L., 2004. Digital disaster. [Online] Available at:   Ã‚  supplymanagement.com/analysis/features/2004/digital-disaster/   [Accessed 6 March 2014]. Porter, M., 1985. Competitive Advantage. New York: Free Press. Sainsburys, 2014. About us. [Online] Available at: j-sainsbury.co.uk/about-us/   [Accessed 6 March 2014]. Zott, C., Amit, R. Massa, L., 2011. The business model: recent developments and future research. Journal of Management , 37(4), pp.1019-42. Abdullah, L.M. Verner, J.M., 2012. Analysis and application of an outsourcing risk framework. Journal of Systems and Software, 85(8), pp.1930-52. Aula, P. Siira, K., 2010. Organizational Communication and Conflict Management Systems: A Social Complexity Approach. Nordicom Review, 31, pp.125-41. Chermack, T.J., 2011. Scenario Planning in Organizations. California: Berrett-Koehler. Wright, M., 2012. Gower Handbook of Internal Communication. Burlington: Gower Publishing.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Random Science Facts and Trivia

Random Science Facts and Trivia Everyone knows a few fun random facts they can pull out as a party trick or a conversation icebreaker. Here are a few more to add to your collection. Although some of these facts are strange and obscure, they are 100% verified, so rest assured that youll be sharing solid information at that party. Rotation of Earth Did you know that the Earth rotates a full 360 degrees in 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds, not 24 hours? Cataracts Sometimes the crystalline lenses of elderly people become milky and cloudy. This is called a cataract, and it causes partial or complete loss of vision. Berry Interesting Did you know that pineapples, oranges, and tomatoes are actually berries? Pure Gold Pure gold is so soft that it can be molded with your bare hands. Real Life Dragons The Komodo dragon is a renowned giant, with the average male measuring around 8 feet long; some exceptional individuals reach 10 feet long. It is the heaviest lizard of all, with an average weight of 130 pounds and some reaching nearly 180 pounds. Thats So Nuclear The word nuclear is related to the nucleus of an atom. It is often used to describe the energy produced when a nucleus is split (fission) or joined with another (fusion). Hes Lost It Did you know that a cockroach can live for nine days without its head  before it starves to death? He Said No Did you know that the physicist Albert Einstein refused the job of president of Israel? Einstein was asked to be the president when the Israeli president died in 1952. Old Guys The earliest cockroach fossil  is about 280 million years old, 80 million years older than the first dinosaurs. Newts Are Neat Newts are members of the salamander family. They are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. A Little Lithium in Your 7UP? The original formula for 7UP contained lithium citrate, a chemical used today as a treatment for bipolar disorders. The ingredient was removed by 1950. How Many Lightbulbs... The tungsten filament inside an incandescent light bulb reaches a temperature of 4,664 degrees when turned on. Blue as Turquoise Traces of copper  are what give turquoise its distinctive blue color. Brainless Starfish, like many radially symmetric animals, do not have brains.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Irish Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Irish Civil War - Essay Example These divisions become the cause to the complexity which arose in the Irish civil war. Religious divisions often were more intense then the political ones and political divisions appeared to change every month depending on recent objectives (Neeson 1990). A detailed understanding of the causes which led to Irish civil war requires an analysis of the people and events before war started as well as the vents that took place throughout the war. Like many protestant groups Sinn Fein made a military wing, and by 1914 civil war seemed unavoidable. The occurrence of the First World War nevertheless a lot of important events, like the British Parliament suspension a bill permitting free Irish home rule. The home rule bill's suspension was opposed by three small nationalist groups, these were the Citizen Army, this was an illegal group of citizens of Dublin, the Irish volunteers, which was a national body of defence, and the Sinn Fein, all got together by their military wings and made arrangements for the Easter Uprising, this was one of the most prominent events which led to the civil war. At noon on the 24th of April in 1916 (Younger 1986), approximately two thousand Irish nationalists took over the Dublin Post Office as well as other points in the city which could help them in their mission. The rebellion's leaders announced the Irish independence; they were in control of Dublin city by 25th April1. A counter offensive was launched by the British on the 26th of April, and martial law was implemented throughout Ireland2. This led to violent street fighting in the city, but the British forces were stronger as they were better armed they thus they were successful in slowly removing the Irish nationalists from the places which they had taken over. On the 29th of April the post office building which was the rebel headquarters, was attacked by the heavily armed British army, eventually the rebels had to surrender. Approximately four hundred and forty troops of the British army died in the small battle at the post office, and almost an equal of number Irishmen lost their lives. 15 rebels were put to death. Sinn Fein's leader Eamon de Valera was also was also given the death sentence. His sentence was changed to life imprisonment, the next he was given. Amnesty (Liam 2006). Even though the rebellion was not successful it had the support of a lot of Irish people, and the public extremely opposed the death sentence of fifteen rebels, this further strengthened Sinn Fein's electoral support. In the election 's of 1918, the candidates of Sinn Fein candidates won seventy three out of hundred and six seats which were allotted to Ireland for the British Parliament3. Due to such great support, in January of 1919 the members of Parliament which belonged to the Sinn Fein held a meeting in Dublin and announced independence of Ireland, for their objective they made Eamon de Valera their president. Sinn Fein 's armed wing, which was known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA) after the meeting began a violent guerrilla war in opposition to the British troops who were

Friday, November 1, 2019

THE Breaking the chins of psychological slavery by na'im akbar Essay

THE Breaking the chins of psychological slavery by na'im akbar - Essay Example In order to break out of the chains of mental slavery, it is essential for people to recognize their character. The author advises people to recognize the characters of other people. The author highlights how religion contributed to the emergence of chains of mental slavery. In the first chapter, the author explored the psychological legacy of slavery. This chapter focused on issues such as work, property, leadership, the clown, community division, personal inferiority, and the family and color discrimination (Akbar 2). I agree with the author’s views on these issues. The first chapter gives a historical background of slavery. Slavery caused long lasting social shock and trauma to African Americans. At work, African American slaves were considered as second-class humans. The Africans were subjected to mistreatment and punishment in their workplaces. In addition, they were given dehumanizing duties. It is vital to note that African American slaves did not have any rights in their workplaces. This animalistic treatment of slaves and the cruelty they faced added to the mental and communal distresses suffered by the affected people. In the case of property, African Americans were not allowed to own property since they were considered as property. The author notes that slaves were disqualified to own things because their owners or masters saw them as things. They could only have the necessary things required for the completion of their duties and tasks. The society expected slaves to live a simple life. Slaves were required to take orders from their masters. In most of the instances, the master’s children even gave orders to slaves. In case the slave refused to act on the orders from the master’s children, they were punished and humiliated. The gap between the master and their slaves led to hatred and disgust that led to the destruction of private and public property. There were usually instances of killing and torture of disobedient slaves.