David And Goliath Essays - David, Books Of Samuel, Goliath, Saul

David And Goliath DAVID. One of the greatest heroes of ancient history was David, a poor shepherd boy who killed the giant Goliath. According to the Biblical story of his life, which is told in detail in the Old Testament, David was born about 3,000 years ago. David was the youngest son of Jesse, a man of Bethlehem. While a shepherd, he learned to play the harp and to hurl stones from a sling with deadly accuracy to protect the flocks. Saul, at that time king of Israel, called for music to soothe his troubled spirit. David was so handsome and his music on the harp so pleasing that Saul made him his armor bearer and musician. Then David met Goliath. This Philistine had challenged Saul for 40 days to send out a man to fight him. No one had responded, for Goliath stood more than nine feet tall. He brandished a spear that had a 20-pound head of iron and a shaft like a weaver's beam. David wore no armor and carried only a sling hidden in his hand and five smooth stones in a shepherd's bag at his side. As Goliath came into range, David reached into his bag, put a stone in his sling, and let go with all his might. The stone pierced Goliath's forehead, and he fell dead. David then cut off the giant's head as a present to Saul. The Philistines fled in terror. David's heroic deed aroused Saul's jealousy. At that time, David became a very good friend of the king's son Jonathan. Jonathan gave the humble shepherd boy his royal garments, his sword, and his bow. David, now a full-fledged warrior, fought so bravely against the Philistines that according to the Bible the women of Israel said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. Fearing that the people would make David king, Saul tried to kill him. He even tried to kill his own son Jonathan for shielding David. Jonathan, however, helped David to escape. Saul's army followed and David had to hide. Twice David could have killed Saul, but he would not seize the throne by murder. In the battle of Gilboa both Saul and Jonathan were killed. With Saul gone, David ruled at Hebron as king of Judah for almost eight years. When the king of Israel was murdered, the Israelites made David their king in about 1000 BC. David ruled Judah and Israel as a united nation until he died 33 years later. He moved from Hebron to Jerusalem, which his nephew Joab had captured for him. Joab also conquered Israel's neighbors until the nation's power reached into Syria. Years of bloodshed and famine marked David's reign. The treason and death of his favorite son, Absalom, filled the king with grief. David's worst crime was his betrayal of his faithful captain Uriah, so that he might marry Uriah's wife, Bathsheba. Bibliography National Geographic Mythology

The contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to Shell Nigeria’s Corporate Strategy The WritePass Journal

The contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to Shell Nigeria’s Corporate Strategy Introduction The contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to Shell Nigeria’s Corporate Strategy a; OPEC, 2011). The parent company, Shell Corporation, is one among major entities participating in the exploration, production, distribution and sale of oil and gas across the globe. The company manages multinational subsidiary petrochemical and energy companies operating in over 80 countries (OPEC, 2011). Exploration and extraction operations of crude oil and gas in Nigeria form an essential component of Shell Corporations upstream supply chain. Its downstream supply chain is engaged in refinery and distribution of oil and gas, as well as trade and shipping of crude worldwide. The company is also involved in the manufacture and marketing of a range of products including petrochemicals for its industrial customers. Its daily volume of production entails 3.2 million barrels of oil and gas (at 48% this output) delivering refined fuel oil to consumers through its 43,000 Shell service stations across the globe (OPEC, 2011). Nigeria is important for Shell accounting for about a quarter of its worldwide production with an estimated contributed share in profit averaging $1.8 billion annually. This represents 10.4% of upstream operational profits and 7.3% of total profit (Shell, 2011). Given its importance to the Group’s upstream operations, any challenge on this front adversely affects global operations of the multinational corporation (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012a; Emesh, 2009). Several challenges beset multinational oil corporations operating particularly in developing countries as explored below. The dilemma of oil companies operating in developing countries Significant oil and gas reserves are found in developing countries of Africa (OPEC, 2011). These countries often lack the resource capability both in terms of financial capacity and infrastructure to conduct exploration and extraction operations of oil and gas. This explains the presence of multinational oil corporations such as Shell in these countries and in regions such as the Niger Delta of Nigeria which holds significant oil reserves deemed to be among the largest in Africa (Wheeler et al., 2010). Operations of oil multinationals in these developing countries are however fraught with huge challenges brought about by the political and social situations which characterise them. Due to their structural and institutional weaknesses, these countries are often prone to recurring conflict and political instability which portends violence and risks to investments (Wheeler et al., 2010; Idemudia, 2009). However, with much to gain from the exploration and exploitation of oil and in spite of the risks and attendant challenges, the multinational oil corporations value the acquisition of market share (Emesh, 2009). It is also noteworthy that profits accrued from the exploitation of the oil resource have historically been misappropriated, benefitting a few influential people in the local and national governments while the host communities and citizenry at large suffer poverty. With an abundance of oil revenue, a corrupt leadership forego accountability to constituents and undermine political and economic institutions while focus on oil wealth stifles diversification of the economy into other essential sectors (Emesh, 2009; Olowu, 2011). This scenario has often exacerbated the political and social situation, increasing the occurrences of conflicts and violence and threatening sustainability of business and integrity of the supply chain (Wheeler et al., 2010). The discontent of host communities and stakeholders at the local level has led to acts of vandalism, sabotage and disruption, as well as outright insurgency which not only threaten operations but also impact the prices of crude oil internationally fomenting unnecessary fluctuations (Olowu, 2011). This alongside the adverse environmental impact of the extractive industry in general and impacts on human rights has often injured the reputations particularly of oil multinationals such as Shell Nigeria. They have promoted the perception that such companies are merely profit-oriented and care less about the impacts of their operations (Idemudia, 2009). Such global concern over these issues has hitherto led to threats of and actual boycotts of Shell products, costly lawsuits and liabilities, and in addition to attendant inefficiencies and security of assets and resources, these challenges have not only impacted Shell’s local operations in Nigeria but have hindered the potential of the entire multinational corporation internationally (Olowu, 2011). Companies such as Shell, therefore, continually need to evaluate political and social risks assessing probable effects on their business and the investment climate, as well as the impact on their profit forecasts and sustenance of operations (Olowu, 2011; Fombrun, 2001). This scenario has illustrated that adverse effects can have dire consequences for the entire business beyond its local operational environment. In order to sustain their business and even achieve growth and expansion, it is imperative for companies to enhance their relations with society ensuring that they are strong and mutually beneficial. Beyond the profit objective, multinational corporations are increasingly demanded of to engage with host countries and communities and CSR has become one of the strategies towards this endeavour (Haigh and Jones, 2006). In response to this demand and in the attempt to shore up its reputation and to build goodwill with local communities, Shell has developed policies and programs aimed at taking on social responsibilities. These programs focus on poverty alleviation, dealing with challenging human rights issues, and the pursuit of sustainable development, seeking to lower the negative environmental impact of their activities (Shell, 2011; Olowu, 2011). These practices are generally referred to as corporate social responsibility (CSR). They can serve as a channel through which to nurture relations with society and stakeholders in general so as to address this dilemma that companies face in the modern business environment (Driver, 2006; Haigh and Jones, 2006). In this regard, it can act dually as an avenue for ethical and social responsibility and as well a worthwhile and essential business strategy. However, finding the right approach and the right initiatives to undertake is challenging for many entities as expectations are very high and diverse particularly in developing countries. As well, in most cases, the development initiatives anticipated should ideally be the prerogative and duty of respective governments and authorities. Their pursuit enables these public agencies to disregard their duties and to forgo accountability to their constituents, a free hand to misappropriate what would otherwise be spent on development (Frynas, 2005). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) CSR is a fast-growing concept in which organizations consider the interests of various stakeholders including society, the environment, and the community in which they are established, taking responsibility for the impact of their activities. It refers to activities that a corporate entity engages with and which are aimed at investment into better and stronger relations with stakeholders and society (Bourne, 2009). This commitment is a voluntary endeavour to improve quality of life for local communities and society at large and extends beyond the basic requirement to comply with regulations or legislation (Boyd et al., 2007). Though historically consider to encompass corporate philanthropy, the concept can now be summarized conveniently in the phrase†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"doing well by doing good† which is inherent in a firm’s accountability and which underlies its social contract with society (Driver, 2006). It encompasses concepts such as corporate accountability, corporate citizenship, business ethics, sustainability, as well as social responsibility in investment and community involvement (Fombrun, 2001). CSR is thus not the sole responsibility of the multinational corporation, but it also concerns the host communities and countries that can engage in planning and in the push for implementation of activities. This, however, gives the pursuit an arbitrariness that makes assessment of success and effectiveness quite challenging. Success in business and sustainability of operations significantly depends on an organization’s capacity to maximize benefits accrued from its resources such as financial and human resources, physical assets, as well as intangible resources such as goodwill from stakeholders and society in general (Werbach, 2009). This is quite evident in challenges that have beset Shell’s supply chain stemming from challenges in its operations in the Niger Delta. Even with the right mix of financial and human resources, as well as an adequate asset base, the lack of goodwill leading to discontent locally and globally and acts of reprisals has in the past led to disruption of operations and loss of potential which have had widespread implications, including adverse effects on profitability, the company’s reputation, as well as the prices of crude oil in the international market. In this regard CSR has become a significant component of Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy in its quest for mutually beneficial engagement with stakeholders and achievement of requisite goodwill (Shell, 2011; Olowu, 2011). Through the proactive pursuit of CSR, companies can take responsibility for the impact of their operations and welfare of host societies, as well as stakeholders in general. Though perceived as an outlay that is difficult to recoup, there is evidence of potential reciprocal effect and business sense in CSR investments attributed to its creation of value and enhancement of stakeholder relations (Driver, 2006;). Due to the general lack of infrastructure and development projects provided by respective governments in developing countries, the need for CSR covering broader roles such as poverty alleviation, good governance and development is prominent. Multinational corporations such as Shell come under heightened expectations to fill in the gap providing the requisite development (Wheeler et al., 2010). The initiatives undertaken by Shell towards CSR are explored. Critics bemoan this reality in the expectation for intervention by such business entities on matters outside their primary objective. They posit that this demand influences and affects the conduct of business in the increasingly competitive business environment posing a challenge to strategists in the choice between meeting business objectives and shareholder satisfaction on the one hand, and the needs of the wider stakeholder base on the other (Frynas, 2005). This further complicates the development of corporate strategy given the need to focus on a number of extraneous issues often with private entities arrogating themselves duties that ought to be performed by the state or local councils. Such realities hinder the effectiveness of CSR initiatives and particularly its contribution to the company’s corporate strategy. CSR initiatives of Shell Nigeria are thus evaluated in the following section. CSR initiatives of Shell Nigeria Numerous activities that Shell engages in its pursuit of social responsibility are herein evaluated to assess their effectiveness and therefore contribution to the company’s corporate strategy. Initiatives undertaken by Shell Nigeria in its CSR pursuit cover external aspects such as environmental protection, community relations and human rights, as well as internal aspects such as principles and codes of practice, product stewardship, stakeholder and employee rights, and transparency (Shell, 2011; Idemudia, 2009). Shell Nigeria and the entire Group takes up an active leadership role in the development of codes of conduct and practice governing workplaces and their engagement with facets of society (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012b; UN, 2011). The company has also supported development through programs in education, health, construction, commerce, agriculture, transport, etc. benefiting local communities (Olowu, 2011). Additionally, the company alongside others in the oil industry command leadership in programs promoting CSR internationally on various fronts. This has been facilitated by Shell’s new and sophisticated approach they refer to as Community Development (CD), offering a paradigm shift to environmental responsibility, social welfare, human rights, and political responsibility, among other issues of CSR (UN, 2011). This approach entails greater stakeholder engagement bringing together many entities including NGOs, state and local governments, and community leaders in identifying and implementing projects, ensuring increased local ownership, transparency and accountability (Idemudia, 2009). Numerous projects have been successfully undertaken through this approach over the years especially benefiting areas in which the company’s infrastructure is located and/or flow lines traverse (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012b; Olowu, 2011). Goodwill generated from such â€Å"investments† in CSR has ensured integrity of assets that were hitherto under threat which is fundamental to successful operations. Various initiatives undertaken such as the community Health Insurance Schemes, enterprise development schemes, water supply and electricity supply, among others offer worthwhile lessons through which the success can be replicated elsewhere (UN, 2011; Idemudia, 2009). This way, the company has benefited from consistency afforded enabling it to meet tight lead times and to better align supply and demand through greater efficiency. Success of development initiatives has enhanced well-being and economic empowerment of communities thereby reducing dependency for regional development which had burdened the company (Shell, 2011; Emesh, 2009). Additionally, initiatives undertaken in partnership with numerous players aimed at enhancement of the conservation of biodiversity through the minimization of the negative impact of activities have enabled reduction of environmental impact due to gas flaring and oil spills. The diversification into the production of natural gas has benefited the company significantly, becoming a worthwhile revenue stream (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012a). Through a variety of indices assessing social and environmental performance of entities such as Shell, its CSR initiatives have earned it recognition globally as a leader in responsibility and a CSR champion. These indices include: the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)- 2010; Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DSI)- 2010; Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index 2011, the FTSE4Good and Goldman Sachs Sustain ESG (environmental, social and governance) – 2010 (UN, 2011; Shell, 2011; OPEC, 2011). Good ratings attained in these indices are evidence of the impact that it has had in its CSR pursuit. The recognition has been beneficial in shoring the company’s reputation across the globe enhancing its corporate value and standing of its brand. However, oil multinationals (including Shell) remain at variance with local communities regarding the success and effectiveness of these CSR initiatives with the latter still not content. This represents the major challenge with CSR pursuits, particularly in cases such as this where expectations are quite high (Frynas, 2005). The actual success of Shell Nigeria’s CSR is evaluated to assess its contribution to its corporate strategy and bottom line. Contribution of CSR to Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy Corporate strategy focuses on the organization’s overall scope with an aim to sustain growth and to achieve strategic positioning. The maximization of profits and minimization of costs is a primary goal of any business venture. This not only necessitates continuous improvement along the supply chain towards the enhancement of efficiency and effectiveness, but also entails an important aspect in the modern competitive business environment, value creation (Werbach, 2009; Kazem and Richard, 2008). Competitive advantage entails the capability a business to provide superior products, services, or value differentiating itself from its competitors. Price/cost advantage, delivery, quality and flexibility are identified as among the components of the value advantage which enhance competitive capability. To be able to sustain its competitive advantage, a company or organization has to exploit such available capabilities which are as important as resources such as physical assets, financial resources, and human resources (Werbach, 2009). However, the oil industry is characterized by minimal capacity for value addition to products and services, exploitation of a price advantage, or physical resource capabilities (Wheeler et al., 2010). It is therefore crucial for players in the industry to focus on value advantage deriving from delivery efficiency, quality, flexibility, as well as intangible aspects such as corporate value and reputation. The pursuit of corporate value and goodwill through CSR is therefore crucial for an entity to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage given the intense competition and capabilities (Fombrun, 2001). According to Sachs et al., (2009) and Driver (2006), the CSR idea†¦ â€Å"ties up with the drive for sustainability which is to develop solutions for business in such a way as to meet the requirements of the current generation without compromising the ability to provide the needs of future generations in bounty and diversity.† This is the basis for Shell’s renewed and revitalised pursuit of CSR which has enabled it to assume leadership on the responsibility front, a model for corporate citizenship (Shell, 2011). Despite the challenge in defining actual benefit and achievement in sustainability initiatives, the pursuit of CSR has granted Shell an important edge in the intensely competitive environment, enhancing the company’s corporate value. Corporations invest in CSR motivated by the view on business ethics which holds that shareholders and stakeholders desire a financially stable and responsible corporation adhering to values of ethical conduct and environmental sustainability. A worthwhile brand image and reputation is thus central to strategy (Sachs et al., 2009; Haigh and Jones, 2006). This is the primary thesis of this report and which is shown to guide Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy, as well as that of the entire Group. Benefiting from reduced civil tension, as well as oil theft and sabotage, Shell has, in recent years, managed to increase production from new ventures such as offshore deep water explorations, as well as enhanced supply chain efficiencies – achieving increases in production averaging 31% year-on-year. Diversification into Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) production has enabled the company to enhance its revenue and to develop a new market (both locally and for export). Its economic potential has generated incentive and economic impetus to enhance the capture of natural gas associated with oil reserves that would otherwise be flared (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012a; Shell, 2011; Fombrun, 2001). Reduced flaring and the clean-up of oil spills have had a positive effect on the company’s risk and reputation management warding off potential lawsuits and liabilities (Shell, 2011; Dyer and Chu, 2003). Turbulence in the political and social environment and the resultant uncertainty in supply and demand, as well as concerns over bad repute negatively affect investor decisions and therefore share prices (Fombrun, 2008). A firm that wishes to attain success in the modern business environment must keenly assess these fundamental flags and their associated costs , as well as future value or potential which significantly influence investor decisions. These may influence the company’s access to capital and to new markets and cannot be ignored (Sachs et al., 2009; Dyer and Chu, 2003). These factors can be adequately addressed through the focus on enhancement of goodwill and efficiency through social responsibility pursuits. It is evident therefore that Shell’s CSR initiatives have contributed significantly to the company’s corporate strategy enhancing its capacity to sustain its operations and to thrive despite the challenges in the extractive sector and developing countries hosting it. Conclusion Through the pursuit of CSR, oil multinationals such as Shell can gain valuable goodwill enabling success of their operations and the enhancement of their overall image and perception as a corporate citizen both locally and internationally. Shell Nigeria’s proactive community development initiatives have in the most part significantly reduced conflict resultant from discontent and grievance of local communities and global concern impacting the corporate reputation of the entire Group internationally. Reductions in civil tensions, oil theft and sabotage have enabled increased production and new ventures and as well, the venture into the capture of associated natural gas has seen the company diversify into new revenue streams and markets of LNG. These benefits as well as the bolstering investor confidence due to this revitalization are evidence of the contribution of CSR to Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy. Bibliography Bourne, L., 2009. Stakeholder Relationship Management. CA, USA: Gower.. Boyd, E., Spekman, R., Kamauff, J., and Werhane, P., 2007. â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility in Global Supply Chains: A Procedural Justice Perspective.† In: Long Range Planning, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 341-356. Driver, M., 2006. ‘Beyond the Stalemate of Economics versus Ethics: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Discourse of the Organizational Self.’ Journal of Business Ethics, 66: 337–56. Dyer, J., and Chu, W., 2003. â€Å"The role of trustworthiness in reducing transaction costs and improving performance: Empirical evidence from the United States, Japan and Korea.† Organization Science 14 (1), 57–68. Emesh, E., 2009. â€Å"Social Responsibility in Practice in the Oil Producing Niger Delta: Assessing Corporations and Government’s Actions.† Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, Vol. 11, No.2, pp.113-125. Fombrun, J., 2008. Corporate reputations as economic asset. In: Freeman, E., Harrison, J. S., (Eds.). The Blackwell handbook of strategic management. Blackwell Publishers, Oxford, 289–312. Frynas, J., 2005. â€Å"The False Developmental Promise of Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from Multinational Oil Companies.† International Affairs, Vol. 81, No. 3, pp. 581-598. Haigh, M., and Jones, M., 2006. â€Å"The Drivers of Corporate Social Responsibility: A Critical Review.† The Business Review, Cambridge, 5(2): 245–51. Idemudia, U., 2009. â€Å"Oil Extraction and Poverty Reduction in the Niger Delta: A Critical Examination of Partnership Initiatives.† Journal of Business Ethics: Supplement 90: 91. ABI/INFORM Global, ProQuest. Kazem, C., and Richard, L., 2008. Sustainable competitive advantage: towards a dynamic resource-based strategy. East London Business School, University of East London, UK Olowu, D., 2011. â€Å"From Defiance to Engagement: An Evaluation of Shell’s Approach to Conflict Resolution in the Niger Delta.† African Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 10, Nr.3, pp. 75-100. OPEC, 2011. Nigeria facts and figures Viewed on 8/7/2014 from: opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/167.htm Royal Dutch Shell Public Limited Company, 2012a. Shell Petroleum Development and Exploration Company report: â€Å"Environmental Performance: Oil Spills. Shell Nigeria, Shell Petroleum Development Company.† Viewed on 3/7/2014 from www.shellreport.com Royal Dutch Shell Public Limited Company, 2012b. Shell Petroleum Development Company, Shell Nigeria report: â€Å"Improving Lives in the Niger Delta.† Viewed on 3/7/2014 from www.shellnigeria.com Sachs, S., E. Ruhli and I., Kern, 2009. Sustainable Success with Stakeholders. Palgrave Macmillan Shell, 2011. â€Å"Sustainability Report: Royal Dutch Shell Sustainability Report 2010.† In: Royal Dutch Shell Sustainability Report, pp. 1-37. Viewed on 6/7/2013 from: http://sustainabilityreport.shell.com/2010/servicepages/previous.html UN, 2011. Supply chain sustainability. United Nations global compact. Viewed from: unglobalcompact.org/Issues/supply_chain/index.html Werbach, A., 2009. Strategy for sustainability: a business manifesto. Adam Werbach. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Press Wheeler, D., H., Fabig, and R., Boele, 2010. â€Å"Paradoxes and Dilemmas for Stakeholder Responsive Firms in the Extractive Sector: Lessons from the Case of Shell and the Ogoni.† In: Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 39, pp. 297-318.

Deep Vein Thrombosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Deep Vein Thrombosis - Essay Example This condition was chosen because it was interesting that there are so many different ways that DVT can develop. DVT is defined as a blood clot that appears in the thigh or lower leg. (National Health Lung and Blood Institute, 2009). The blood clot goes deep into the body and it is a result of blood thickening and then clumping together. When a blood clot goes deep into a vein, it can break off and move through the individual’s blood stream. Many people have heard about embolisms and this is what the loose clot is called. The blood clot can block blood flow to the lungs and heart at any time When it blocks off blood flow to the lungs, it is called a pulmonary embolism (PE) (National Health Lung and Blood Institute, 2009). PE can become so severe that it can cause damage to other organs and eventually will cause death. There are many situations in which DVT can begin. In some situations, a blood clot can happen after surgery. When an individual leads a very sedentary lifestyle without a lot of movement, the blood flow can become sluggish, which can allow the blood to clot in the veins. Some causes happen because of an inherited condition, hormone therapy, or taking birth control pills (National Health Lung and Blood Institute, 2009). Most doctors and researchers say that there are only a few risk factors that they have been able to find in this situation. Some of the risk factors include injury to a deep vein after surgery, obesity, and having heart problems. Also, when people get older, they have a tendency to be more sedentary and DVT has been shown to happen in people over 60. The signs and symptoms of DVT are very subtle and most people will not know that they are ill. The other challenge is that only about 50% of people have symptoms before something larger begins to happen. Some of the signs and symptoms are: 1. Legs swelling or swelling of a vein in the leg. 2. Pain or tenderness in the leg, especially when standing or walking. 3. The leg feels warmer in one area than in the rest of the leg. 4. A read or discolored area in the skin appears. 5. PE—which can begin with â€Å"coughing up blood, an unexplained shortness of breath, pain when deep breathing or rapid breathing with a fast heart rate†.

Integrated Marketing Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Integrated Marketing Communication - Essay Example The Path Model demonstrated by Reid & Et. Al. , suggests the nexus between market orientations, brand orientations, and IMC have been depicted with the cohesion of brand identity. This model explains the importance of IMC in the organization. Camano (2006) conducted a research on branding as a communication tool and presented the importance of IMC in creating brand identity. IMC is seen as a step forward towards satisfying customers and company needs. The idea behind IMC is coordination of messages for maximum impact. IMC enhances the relationship that occurs due to company’s effort. Section 3: Significant Problem IMC is a powerful tool that leads practitioners in conducting and implementing marketing communications program. IMC is viewed as the effective integration of all communication tools that provide effective modes of creating the long-term relationship with the stakeholders. According to Luxton & Reid, there is a positive significant relationship between the factors of branding and IMC that an efficient mingling of the elements results in success for the organization. Tuominen & Laukkanen (2009) conducted a study on a structural equation model that produced the result which implied customer orientation along with inter-functional coordination affect brand orientation. According to Kliatchko (2008), IMC will continue to be an important area of research as the concept progress from time to time and hence different forms of its explanatory areas also evolve (Kliatchko, 2008).

Evidence of Marketing Failure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 16

Evidence of Marketing Failure - Essay Example The researcher states that it is essential for each and every brand to undergo a sophisticated marketing strategy and execute the same so that the customers become brand loyal. However, it is to be noted that if brands fail to do marketing in an adequate manner and if there is any loophole in the marketing process, then this may lead to drastic fall of the brand. In this regard, there are certain brands in the world that have undergone certain marketing strategies and has drastically failed. Simultaneously, this has significantly affected the brand image of the organization and hence, incurred a tremendous amount of loss. Throughout the world, there have been several pieces of evidence of marketing failures that have taken place in the recent times. This is prominent because of the lack of understanding of the consequences of the marketing strategy. There also have been cases regarding lack of adequate implementations of the strategy that has led to marketing failures and hence, resu lted in the drastic fall and loss to the organization. Marketing failure can be significantly observed in case of New York Times in December 2011. In this regard, the New York Times on that period was about to sent an email to all the customers, who were about to cancel their subscription from New York Times. The email contained about some of the added facilities and discounts from them so that the organization retains those customers in the long run. The email was required to be sent to 300 of such customers. The task was given to one of the employees of the organization. Unfortunately, the employee unintentionally delivered the email to 8 million customers. Due to this 8 million of the customers demanded a discount. It has resulted into a chaos within the organization and all its stakeholders. However, the employee and the organization had taken apologies for sending such kind of emails to its customers.

Social Media Marketing And Twitter Marketing Essay

Social Media Marketing And Twitter Marketing Essay Social Media Marketing 2.0 and Twitter The potential of Twitter as a micro-blogging site has increased exponentially in the context of Social Marketing 2.0. Its common sense. Acknowledge your followers. 2) The danger Quite a few restaurant owners I have spoken with believe that Twitter and Facebook is all they need. Promote other peoples content: This shows that you are not just thinking about yourself. In the online world, it helps a lot to have a good website to make your business visible to the online world. The possibilities are endless for attracting and reaching interested customers. Here are some rules to remember: Create tweets that inspire, educate, and engage your audience. Tweet Adder is among these applications and remains to be one of the most formidable ones available in the market. However, such a thing must be too good to be true. In both cases, these people are likely more interested in quantity rather than quality. Not many people know who is the CEO of Pepsi, but Pepsi is the product people will be searching for if they want information about Pepsi and new beverages etc. Its a psychological thing. Typically for a business, it is to connect with their current or future customers, and ultimately increase sales. One of the important but most ignored processes in marketing your business online is listening to your potential customers and to your target market. These social networking sites allow the marketer to pre-sell their wares to the online community and establish a platform for continued interaction with present and potential clientele. There are several benefits and weaknesses to using Twitter for your small business, lets take a look at them when compared to SMS text message marketing. When you start to build your online presence and your followers trust you as a serious network marketer they will be ready to retweet your messages and even promote your products eventually. As it is widely considered the most popular, we shall set off with TweetAdder. Do you own a website or have a product you are looking to market and are wondering if Twitter auto follow tools would be right for you? To be successful on Twitter, you should build your community by posting legitimate, valuable content, and steadily attracting legitimate followers. With that, you can fetch insights about your brand. It is one of the many results of the continuous research and studies that have been done in the past and remains to be an exceptional breakthrough that has utterly made our lives very much easier. Provide service or help them find an answer to their questions. Prospects are inherently selfish, and interested in what benefits them. Make your bio similar but take it to the next level by adding action words that compel a viewer to get excited and want to investigate further. I dont want my wife to complain that Im not spending time with her. In fact, most naysayers say that Twitter (and social media) in general are useless for search engine marketing. The best form of Twitter marketing sometimes is not too market at all. Internet marketers who are not using twitter correctly are missing out on a major audience. Here are 7 weird ways to unleash the immense power of Twitter in your small business. Talk to them, follow them and then expect to be followed as well. TV celebrities, businesses friends and Countries all over the World are taking advantage of the potential it has to also market your business. All this in only 140 characters. The difference in successful internet marketing campaigns is the ability for the internet marketer to engage the users. In a nutshell, the more active your Twitter account is, the more chances that you can grow your follower base. Try the 7 step plan and let me know. 3) Try to follow as many people as you can that you think may have an interest in your business, you can continuously search for customers you think might be interested in what you have to offer. Queries can be search specific based on words, people, places, dates, attitudes, and other. * Twellow. Isnt that the kind of traffic all companies are looking to attract? This is the first place to look. Granted, Twitter does not have link juice. Social media is a new marketing median and must be treated differently. As advancements continue to rise, a few more procedures may be added to this list. You can have Twitter followers in other languages. Social Marketing 2.0, as this strategy is concisely called, involves marketing through social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and so forth. Its an art form, but for many it may as well be cubism. In this article, youll learn 3 little-known Twitter Marketing secrets that the inner circle of social marketers use to grow their business. If you help someone, they are predisposed toward you because you took the extra time to help. If your Twitter page is brand new and youve just started using it, using your Twitter marketing tools, follow up to 50 members per day for the first few weeks or so. There are thousands of Twitter users which could be of a great help for your business. The internet marketers aim to achieve their targeted goals within time limits with maximum gains. Build Connections Gaining many followers is not enough. This way, people are more likely to recognize you as an expert in that particular field, and will often follow your brand to do business with you. Include all your followers (when appropriate) in your thank you when someone re-tweets or mentions you. Use Tweetdeck: Tweetdeck is a program that will show you your friends updates, your replies, and your direct messages all in one place. So your goal has to be to build an email list. Businesses should tweet, at minimum, once a day. Once again, dont overdo it because you dont want to bore people. That is the best way to proceed because otherwise you begin to lose momentum when you begin worrying about how others dont know how to use Twitter more efficiently. Try reciprocating their effort, as well, so the relationship becomes a two-way street, opening the lines of communication and establishing a relationship. 5. There are several free tools out there that can help you accomplish this. 2) You can Tweet sales, promotions, product advice and discounts. You can tweet as often as you like. There arent many. Its just like in the real world. Why? What if you had 100 followers and they each had 100 of their own and then they had 100 as well. Share good content. Waiting too long can hurt the relationship. Companies and brands have continually exploited new and unique forms of advertisement, right from conventional newspapers, radios and televisions to the latest social media. Theyll like you more and youll get more followers that way. Youll need to build a following which, in the beginning, will require you to follow others in the same niche. If you have followers interested in these issues, then its a natural way to generate additional interest in your book. 5. Its an exponential tool. Three times works great because you can send it in the morning, then a reminder in the afternoon, and another one at night with a notice about the expiration of it. Twitter marketing is one of the most effective ways of marketing yourself through social media. Comment on other posts. Tweet Nonsense This sounds crazy, but hear me out. I follow about 24,000 to 25,000 people now. However, the number of characters in every Tweet poses as a limitation to your MLM campaign. Mention others. Dont be a stranger to the community and dont let your followers forget about you. Apps like these allow you to schedule tweets, manage your lists, and build feeds for particular key terms, people youre following and hashtags (such as #amwriting, political thriller, etc.). With Apple reporting in recent years records sales of their Macintosh computers including the iMac and MacBook systems, software developers have been increasingly trying to release their wares for OSX users as well as their traditional client base based of Windows. Thats Right Twitter Auto Follow Tools Help Your Page Rankings. Its time to talk disadvantages as well. This is a great way to not only get your marketing out there but to also get tracking to see how effective it is. As such, several network marketers have devised ways through which you can market the products offered by your business online. This could be when they mention you or a keyword for something you may be promoting. Too much advertising, or spamming the account does not attract customers, instead has a negative effect. Utilizing your twitter marketing strategy. What you can do is write an intro like New blog post: before the title of your content. 5. Its growing with new users at an amazing rate with thousands of new sign ups every day. Remember, Twitter is just a tool. Social media is a great vehicle to grow, connect with and build your online community. People go to the internet to find answers and solutions and you can promote your business by giving your customers what they need.  · Post good and educational links. This is also helpful to grow your followers. This article will offer some suggestions to make your Twitter experience a positive one and not only reach a new consumer base but also generate additional revenue with only a few extra moments of your time. Now, just wait a few days for your Tweet to rank for your keyword phrase on Google. Twitter is part of a larger group of social media web 2.0 sites. This will make your followers aware that your brand exists and your tweets arent just like computer-generated or something. Its more affordable than you may think and it allows your company to get noticed on one of the most popular social media sites today! At night (especially Friday after 6 PM), your posts could get lost in a big influx of updates. 9. subscribers can customize their twitter marketing strategy, beginning with searches of one another in one of two ways: Basic search. Dont leave your Twitter account inactive for a week, because some users will actually unfollow your account if you do that. Millions of business entrepreneurs have taken to twitter to expand their marketing potential and many have done so with quite a bit of success. But there is increasing competition for some of the other popular marketing software, so is TweetAdder still the daddy? People follow each other on Twitter to keep in touch and many a film celebrity or TV idol and such celebrities are members of Twitter and regularly update their statuses. Social media has become a phenomenal tool for marketing, and Twitter is the easiest and least time consuming of all. Great! Instead, they go to find breaking news and time-wasting YouTube videos. You can sit there and literally scroll down all of the conversations and simply reply with your message. Get to know them. 4. For example, the tools that it has to help you whatever the type of Twitter marketing campaign are very powerful. Its an art form, but for many it may as well be cubism. Believe it or not, Twitter is probably the easiest to promote on because it doesnt demand much content and you can narrow down your searches based on conversation. This simply means that you can type in a particular keyword in the Twitter search and you will find a list of people talking about that subject. So, by all means dont use lame call to action like visit my site or blog If youre an entrepreneur growing a small business, it is essential to use your twitter marketing campaign to promote yourself and your product or service, at a personal level. On Twitter, direct marketing should be minimal. If you think theyll be interested in a story, they probably will be. Choose who to follow To gain followers, you will usually have to follow other people. All you really need is the communication from your new followers. Well Twitter is easy to use and login. Finally, in order to be followed you need to follow first. But in the end, your goal is to make a personal connection with you followers, and hopefully they promote you by re-tweeting and mentioning you their followers. Get them involved in the conversation. Tweet Whistle does the similar task as the Tweet Adder but in a slightly different interface. If you want to learn more about squeeze pages, please read my other articles. Network marketing is not the only one. Instead of tweeting it out for everyone to see, direct message a follower and offer them something that you think would appeal to them. Tweet Whistle has a feed built in for your messages and @mentions which you can remove, reply to and much more, all from inside the tool. In the past few years internet has moved up with a good pace so as its applications. 140it Tweet Compressor Twonvert TweetShrink TwitterEyes Twitblogs shortText.com Listen to what they want and not what you want. With todays social media trends, social media platforms too have become open to online marketing. Once again, dont overdo it and come off as a spammer pushing a product with no concern for anything else. Twitter is the new buzz in marketing. All you really need is the communication from your new followers. Try reciprocating their effort, as well, so the relationship becomes a two-way street, opening the lines of communication and establishing a relationship. 5. However on Twitter, the platform takes care of that issue. In addition to these leading social networking sites, there are many specialized social networking sites that cater to a specific community and bind people with common interests. The twitter has allows other portals and business service groups to propagate their business with the help of twitter for generating their revenues. Social network marketing has become a trend among network marketers, and must be implemented in your very own network marketing campaign if you truly desire to fully experience the benefits of having an effective online marketing campaign. The Internet is, it seems, the fount on which the public quenches its thirst for valuable information necessary for them to carry out their everyday tasks. Once the profiles are setup, you can begin inviting customers, friends and family members to like, follow, and support your business social media page. Optimize your details A successful campaign begins with the right keywords and the right biography. If you the founder are the main focus of your branding effort, it wouldnt make much sense to use the company name as your user name for Twitter. Unlike other national pizza places that have already made a name for themselves, Naked Pizza is healthy. Its a psychological thing. Social networks allow the customers voices to be louder than your marketing message. Dont send the same tweet over and over again, even if you separate it by several days. Being too mysterious    This may seem obvious, but you need to make sure your prospect knows who you are and what you stand for within the first interaction. Spice up your tweets by linking to some fun viral videos or links. 5. Now lets talk about Twitter. You can add your marketing links in a few of the posts where they seem to fit. Ditto for Facebook accounts. 3) You can gain new subscribers instantly in your store, through your traditional advertising and through your customers forwarding your offers to a friend. 4. Yes you want your follower numbers to increase, but also keep an eye on how influential your followers are you only need a small number of influential followers to regularly re-tweet your tweets to see the benefit. Your account must say a lot about you and your business, without saying just too much. The magic word was Oprah.  · Talk none sometimes there are many cool things and fund stuff. And honestly, that amount of space IS quite a bit to convey a message. Dont follow every single tweeple you see without any direction or marketing focus. Many people do not realize its potential and do not advertise here, but here are some very fascinating, yet compelling reasons for advertising on Twitter- 1. Things to Consider When Setting Up User Name You need to consider whether you want to run all tweets in one language, or whether you want to run accounts for each of the main languages. Social Marketing 2.0, as this strategy is concisely called, involves marketing through social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and so forth. Dont follow every single tweeple you see without any direction or marketing focus. 3. 2) When you do have your social marketing plan thought out, Twitter is the perfect place without wasting an enormous amount of money, time and you can tell the public any news you may have and what you are doing at the moment. They make it easy for you to track tweets related to your niche. Each user has a unique Twitter handle (a.k.a username) which you need to include when sending a message to someone. Steer clear of blasting too many promotions without engaging in conversation. They are both great in categorizing different tweets and trending topics. As this grows, more people are likely to engage with your Twitter profile. Unlike other national pizza places that have already made a name for themselves, Naked Pizza is healthy. Similar to a site directory, Twellow categories allow twitter subscribers to search for subscribers based on specific categories provided by Twellow. Having established way back in 2006, Twitter has spiked in numbers from a few thousand to growing millions in just a short span of time. If you think theyll be interested in a story, they probably will be. 8. Twitter is basically a networked microblog. More so, you can program to set a default message which will be sent when new users follow you on Twitter, thus creating that semblance of interaction to make way for future communications and relationships. More than anything else, Twitter for business is essential. 1. That is the best way to proceed because otherwise you begin to lose momentum when you begin worrying about how others dont know how to use Twitter more efficiently. The various text campaign types have be proven to be fun to customers, increase loyalty and sales by rewarding your best customers. Twitter is a useful platform. b) A better connection Facebook and Twitter are terrific places to gather leads, but your goal should always be to actually capture those leads for yourself. If you think theyll be interested in a story, they probably will be. Find established and successful authors in your particular genre(s) and review their followers on Twitter. That is because they come in with the social proof upfront. Its not a forum for advertising; its a way to find and connect with people who may need your products or services. Showcase If you have a brand new product, Twitter is the perfect place to show it off. This type of apps will update your profile every time you post new content on you site or blog. This way, people are more likely to recognize you as an expert in that particular field, and will often follow your brand to do business with you.

Ken Keseys One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Essay -- Ken Kesey Flew Ov

Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Ken Kesey's use of symbolism in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest transforms the novel and the hospital within the novel a microcosm of society, a battle between the sane and insane, the conformist and the non-conformist. Randle McMurphy's arrival influenced the lives of almost every person, whether patient or employee. Whether or not his motives and actions were moral or good-hearted is difficult to conclude, however. On one hand, he undoubtedly saved the patients from losing their souls, so to speak, to Nurse Ratched and her ward. Without him, they would not have been able to stand up for themselves or grow a sense of self-appreciation and competence. On the other hand, there was a price to pay for these freedoms. McMurphy's and Billy Bibbit's deaths showed just how much control The Big Nurse had on her patients. The role each character plays in this showdown symbolizes the realistic confrontations between the mentally unstable and the rest of society that has been going on for centu ries. Randle Patrick McMurphy is a powerful, intelligent man, a true non-conformist. He comes to the mental institution to avoid the tedious work forced upon him at the prison he was assigned to. His playful, jolly attitude towards the patients surprises them since they have not seen such contention since they came to the ward. It is obvious from the beginning of the novel as to McMurphy?s most superficial motives. He is a con man, constantly making bets with naà ¯ve, mentally ill men. The fact that he never tries to outsmart or cheat them, however, makes him respected and admired by the patients. McMurphy?s tattoo, a poker hand with ace?s and eight?s, the ?dead man?s hand?, symbolizes both his obsession with gambling and his eventual death. Despite his consistent attempts to make a profit, McMurphy?s main concern is the welfare of his new friends in the hospital. He sees how they can no longer think for themselves or demand their civil rights. Even beyond that, he cannot fathom the fact that many of the patients voluntarily checked themselves into the ward, and may leave at any time. McMurphy starts out as somewhat conceited and self-absorbed. As the novel progresses, he becomes a role model for the other patients, showing them how to take control of their own destinies and rebelling against the overwhelming power of the ?Combin... ...ever, Ratched seems to accept it and sets out to beat him. In the end, Ratched does win by giving McMurphy a lobotomy. This perhaps symbolizes the thousands of deaths of men and women rebelling against the system, doing whatever it takes to win their freedom. Nurse Ratched symbolizes several different things. First and foremost, she portrays the control of society over what is normal and acceptable. Any resistance to this order will be ?fixed?, using any means necessary to force him to concede. She also represents the views of the author on women. A consistent theme of misogyny exists throughout the novel. Women are seen as either submissive prostitutes or controlling ogres. Whether it be Chief Bromden?s cutthroat mother, the Big Nurse, or Candy, women are never seen as equals to men or even remotely affable. McMurphy and Nurse Ratched go through a finely crafted and strategic battle of good against evil, man against woman, the individual against society. Although it seems that the individual will never beat society, the sacrifices made by brave people like McMurphy are never forgotten. Works Cited: Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. London: Pan, 1973.