The Current Leadership Strategy Of Amazon Company

Question: Discuss about The Current Leadership Strategy Of Amazon Company. Answer: Introduction The current leadership environment is very competitive and coupled with many challenges that come with the organization management of business. Every organization hence has in place strategic goals and objectives that should be attained or achieved within a set time frame. The objectives may be smart, measurable, achievable, specific, and time-bound with a well-managed and qualified staff to help in achieving the set objectives for long-term success and productivity of the organization. However, the success of performance will greatly rely on the leadership strategy adopted or practiced by the organization. A good leadership strategy will help the organization to align their duties with the strategic goals of the organization depending on the professional development objectives. Effective leadership strategy will also motivate wise decision-making to help in linking the leadership styles with the strategic objectives of the organization (Connelly 2015, p. 482). According to Huffaker (2010), leadership strategy is the act of adopting well-strategized and considered skills in the process of communicating or driving the vision of an organization. A leadership strategy primarily persuades and motivates the workforce for easy organizational management in a similarly shared vision of the organization. It is thus a vital tool that can create an essential structure for an organization so as to implement any effective and necessary changes within the organization so as to drive it towards the strategic objectives of the organization. Such changes may involve setting the leadership requirements for the organization together with their responsibilities in the journey of driving the organization towards the set goals and objectives. This paper examines the leadership strategy adopted by Amazon Company to enable the organization to achieve its set goals and objectives. The paper focuses on the business strategies adopted by the organization, implication s of the strategy on the leadership requirements, and conclude by recommending a strategy that can improve the performance of the organization so as to enable it to attain its strategic goals. Elements of a well-developed leadership strategy According to Connelly et al. (2015), many organization struggles with knowing the best leadership strategy to adopt to effectively proceed to success and efficiency in achieving the set goals and objectives. As a result, a question that many managers ask themselves is that what are the elements of a good or well-developed leadership strategy that an organization should adopt? Gordon (2015) in his article also notes that the current business environment is very uncertain, and many employees are questioning how their jobs and the industry will be impacted owing to the ever increasing global economy. As a result, many organizations tend to be unsure of the best actions to take hence creating avoid negativity within the workplace. The void negativity tends to create fear and lack of positive communication that finally dominate the behavior, thoughts, and actions of the employees. Gordon further points out that such a situation leads to lack of trust, poor focus, uninspired teamwork, decr eased productivity, and subpar performance. Instead, the workforce switches to the survival mood of survival (Walker, Aritz 2015, p. 458). The current business environment thus needs a well-developed leadership strategy with strategized basics that can motivate the leadership to have a plan of action that can encourage, empower, and inspire the workforce. Such a leadership strategy motivates a transfer of belief in the leadership of the organization that majorly determines the difference between failure and success. Positive leadership strategy tends to share the vision, optimism, belief, purpose, and organizational plan that finally empower the employees to act and execute what they believe. A well-developed leadership strategy thus leads to powerful plans and actions that will produce significant strategic results for an organization (Gordon, 2016). However, it is more than just having inspirational speeches because it is a process that requires several steps to drive the organization to the right direction. It hence involves the following elements; Have a priority in the culture of the organization Poor leadership style results to the negativity that tends to knock the employees off balance. A well-developed leadership strategy should refocus, regroup, and unit the employees to create a team environment and a winning organizational culture. With good working relationship and a winning team, Rashad (2015) point out that an organization creates an internal strength within the organization that can win and withstand the naysayers, negativity, and adversity from the external challenges. A well-developed leadership strategy should thus make the culture of the organization as the priority of every employee so as to it through a powerful and long-term success of the organization. A good leadership strategy hence needs to sell the culture of the organization to the employees so that they can by the vision and work towards it. It hence requires a clear understanding of the target customers, propositional values of the organization, competitive abilities, and weaknesses of the organizati on. Well-developed leadership strategies will hence promote core competencies and develop capabilities as well as the relevant skills that will enhance value promotion towards the strategic goals of the organization. Share a positive vision The vision of the organization should always be simple, bold, and clear for everyone to understand and work towards the strategic objectives set to meet the objectives. It must also be relevant to the challenges the organization must be facing and the way forward (Huffaker 2016, p. 600). A good and well-developed leadership strategy must share the vision so as to encourage the management and the subordinate to work towards the vision. It should work towards affecting the vision of the organization. Instead of focusing much on the initiatives and tasks of the organization, a well-developed leadership strategy promotes a deep industrial or professional knowledge towards the strategic goals and objectives of the organization. In their study, Connelly et al. (2015) point out that a strategic thinking towards the goals promotes a strong network with a consistent identification of the market trends to as to tune the organization performance towards the dynamics of the market that may affec t the achievement of the strategic goals of the organization. Work towards turning negative energy into positive solutions A well-developed leadership strategy needs to focus towards utilizing the current challenges, complaints, and problems as a way of generating new ideas, paths of success and innovations. According to Walker and Aritz (2015), History has it that many ideas and innovations of product initiatives for many successful companies were developed during downturns and recessions. As a result, in the case of challenges and downfalls, both the employees and the management should ask themselves what they will learn from the challenges, what opportunities does the challenges offer that can be utilized as a chance of improvement? What actions need to be taken towards the available opportunities? In the uncertain times of the competitive business nature, predicting the future can be difficult. It hence requires positive leadership, positive action, and positive communication that can create a stronger, better, and wiser future. A well-developed leadership strategy also promotes unity and good relationship in the working place. It ensures employees develop their skills and strategies through training and development that not only benefits the employees but the organization as well. It should promote an outstanding self-awareness among the employees and the management. According to Johnston and Marshall (2016), every employee has a fault and instinctive behavior that can result in consequences. Understanding the weaknesses and strengths of the workforce through healthy discussions and debates that can be helpful to promote the improvement of the weaknesses and strengthen the workforce. The strategy should also be persuasive and inspirational so as to unite the workforce towards achieving the strategic goals of the organization according to Ripoll (2015, p. 445). The business strategy of Amazon Company Amazon is an American multinational company that offers various types of online products. The company is based in the United States of America specifically at Seattle in Washington. Even though the company started as a bookshop, the development of the technological innovations has enabled Amazon to diversify its products over time continually. The primary strategic goal of this American multinational organization is to offer a one-stop online shopping experience for its customers, where they can access all the company products (Simchi-Levi et al., 2014). The company operates as a pure internet retailer that do not have any physical retail store. With the adoption of technological innovations and models into its operations, all the products of the company are supplied and delivered to its esteemed customers through its networks of distribution centers. This strategy or form of business operation enables the organization to offer diverse and high-quality products at relatively low pric es. Also, it facilitates customer satisfaction since it promotes customer convenience (Pearce, Robinson Subramanian 2011, p. 67). As a result, the online retail chain system has helped in reducing the cost of operation while it offers its products at affordable prices. The strategy of the online offerings has enabled Amazon to keep a low price in its products thus passing the benefits to the consumers. Their robust customers centric approaches of analyzing the buying behavior of the customers based on their preferences have enabled them achieve a competitive edge over their stiff competitors. Simchi-Levi et al. (2014) denote that Amazon has become one of the longest players till date in the online sector with a solid customer hold and market share in the US and European countries, an advantage that is helping the company to expand is new markets despite the competitive dynamics of the online business. In his study, Bhasin (2016) denotes that e-commerce companies such as Amazon using demographic and psychographic segmentation for the market segmentation research and analysis. The company has thus developed a leadership strategy that ensures the business works towards the actual purchase behavior of customers. It thus focuses on what people have actu ally expressed interest in and not what they might. In the marketing mix, Amazon acquired different IT and e-commerce start-ups so as to differentiate itself from its competitors. These included pets.com, Junglee.com audible.com, Woot, IMBD.com, and Zappos.com that enabled the firm to provide high value to their customers by the use of the existing technology from the partners at subsidized cost. As a result, it has achieved economies of scale by offering extensive products such as games and toys, electronics, DIY, and apparels, among others. The strategy narrows down into targeting the individual customers hence converting visitors into high-value and long-term customers. According to Imran (2015), customer segmentation is often involved in creating personas who buys certain products in certain ways. In the same way, Amazon targets the both the middle and upper-class customers with hands-on experience in the primary technological basics but have no time of preferring online convenience over physical outlet shopping. The strategy has thus promoted the firm positioning it in the Go Global Act local (Glocal) e-commerce giant offering stiff competition with other online platforms such as Google. As a result, any customer can purchase any product and still get the product delivered at any remote location of their choices. On effective leadership requirements, the business strategy adopted by the company has shown competency, vision, unity and value not only to the organization but to the customers as well. The leadership strategies adopted by the management of the organization has seen it through achievements with a good customer base in the global market. However, to maintain its position in performance, Amazon need to develop a leadership strategy that will help the organization keep an open culture and maintain its investors, developers, and customers united in an open communication of innovation and development of not only the products but the workforce as well. As a result, a development-centered leadership strategy is as well essential to enable it develop a workforce that is diverse and qualified to face the market challenges. Development-centered leadership strategy approach in support of the company to achieve its strategic goals Critical competencies of the strategy Driving change Building commitment to the employees and the management Maximizing the talent quality of the employees through training and development Giving focus to customer satisfaction and commitment Sourcing qualified leaders and employees with the relevant skills Growing the business towards the strategic goals Sourcing qualified leaders and employees: The strategy will ensure a bought mix to balance the ratio between the external hires and the internal hires in the management at a ratio of 3:7. This will mainly be done so as to challenge the culture of the organization and encourage new ideas while providing development opportunities for the internal development of the organization. The leadership strategy will as well adopt a succession planning process as an exclusive method of placing the qualified leaders into their respective positions. The organization will thus be able to identify qualified candidates and match them with the relevant positions and opportunities. The process will be conducted through a succession planning process using the competencies of the candidates as the primary screen of monitoring qualifications. According to Gandossy and Effron (2016) succession or retention of leaders in the respective new roles of the organization both internally and externally requires a process which provides coaching and guidance. On-boarding leaders will be adopted as a process of examining working relationship building as well as the personal performance of the leaders that will be relevant towards the strategic objectives of the organization. Leaders Alignment: Using the strategy, Amazon will align its leaders on three major concepts which include performance management, executive coaching, and leader engagement. Through performance management, the organization will be able to set aggressive goals for all the leaders in the various departments of the organization. The process will thus ensure that stretch goals and objectives are key components necessary for balancing business performance measurements to promote positive individual behaviors. Engagement of leaders will as well be monitored actively through annual surveys of the human resources by an executive team that will be jointly held accountable for the identification and improvement of deficiencies within the organization. The strategy will as well ensure that an executive coaching process is adopted to develop the performance of the workforce and will be adopted as a core aspect of the strategy. Developing leaders: The process will be carried out through assignment-based development, executive development, and high-potential development. On the assignment-based, job assignments and responsibilities will be the primary strategy for developing leaders so as to help in matching the employees with their responsibilities as per the flow of the succession planning process. High-potential development will ensure that the highest-potential employees of Amazon receive a disproportionate share of the organizational developmental resources such as the shares. The strategy will thus plan on the development of the group activities for the potential leaders among the staff then increase their exposure to the board and the senior team while reviewing their performance periodically like on a semi-annual basis. On the other hand, the executive development process will provide group-based sessions for the leaders to develop skills of customer service and clear vision communication and acumen. Rewarding leaders: Amazon Company should adopt different ways of rewarding their leaders such as having base pay, long-term incentives, as well as the annual incentives. The strategy will ensure a set of a 50th percentile as the major target for the base pay with high-potential employees identified through different successions process that will be paid at the 60th percentile. The strategy will as well adopt an annual incentive with a 75th percentile target that strongly differs between median and high performers in distribution of rewards. However, the long-term incentive will adopt a combination of regular stock option and performance-vesting stock to provide the necessary incentives for consistent leader behavior. The process will thus target the 75th percentile for the awards while differentiating between median and high performers. Adopting this strategy will help the organization in many ways while pushing the organization towards its strategic goals. It will also ensure that different essential programs within the workplace are monitored such as training and development of employees, resource sustainability, good relationship in a working environment etc. It will lead to great investment and produce good returns that will fuel the developmental strategies and speed the launch of new products. According to Rashad (2015) a development leadership strategy should focus not only on the strategic objectives of the organization but on the training and development of workforce as well since they are the major driving force for the success of every organization. The strategy will as well help the firm in figuring out how to address any human resource challenge and maintains a productive workforce full of fun, skills, and diverse knowledge for a productive atmosphere. Conclusion Well-defined leadership strategies play major roles in the successful performance of an organization as every organization is created with a purpose to achieve particular objectives. As a result, effective leadership strategies are essential in ensuring the organization coordinates its activities so as to achieve the set strategic goals and objectives. Good leadership is hence the backbone to the success of any organization as the performance of the workforce is solely dependent on direction and motivation from the leadership. Therefore, there are different types of leadership strategies that can be experienced in a workplace or adopted in an organization each of which has its advantages and disadvantages. The types of leadership styles adopted are dependent on the goals and culture of the organization as well as the task to be completed. List of References Bhasin, H, (2016), Marketing strategy of Amazon. Journal of online market leadership Psychology, 4, 4, pp.7, PsycARTICLES, EBSCOhost, viewed 13 June 2016 Connelly, C, Martin Ginis, K Walsh, M, Arnold, K,2015, 'Leadership styles, emotion regulation, and burnout',Journal Of Occupational Leadership Psychology, 20, 4, pp. 481-490, PsycARTICLES, EBSCOhost, viewed 13 June 2016 Gandossy, R, Effron, M, (2016), Leading the way, John Wiley Sons publishers, Retrieved from https://www.workforce.com/2004/03/01/a-sample-leadership-strategy/ Gordon, J, (2015), 5 Positive leadership strategies: Developing positive leaders, teams and organization, Retrieved from https://www.jongordon.com/blog/5-positive-leadership-strategies/ Huffaker, D 2010, 'Dimensions of Leadership and Social Influence in Online Communities',Human Communication Research, 36, 4, pp. 593-617, Communication Mass Media Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 24 September 2016. Imran, A, I, (2015), A study on Amazon: information systems, business strategies and e-crm, Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261440748_A_STUDY_ON_AMAZON_INFORMATION_SYSTEMS_BUSINESS_STRATEGIES_AND_e-CRM Johnston, M, Marshall, W, 2016,Sales force management: Leadership, innovation, technology. Routledge. Pearce, J, A, Robinson, R, Subramanian, R, 2011, Strategic management: Formulation, implementation, and control. Accounting Economics, 2, 9, pp. 54-89, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 21 September 2016. Rashad, Y 2015, 'How leadership strategies cause the transformational change efforts to be successful',International Journal Of Management, Accounting Economics, 2, 9, pp. 1130-1140, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 24 September 2016. Ripoll, P, 2015, 'The moderator role of followers personality traits in the relations between leadership styles, two types of task performance and work result satisfaction',European Journal Of Work Organizational Psychology, 24, 3, pp. 444-461 Simchi-Levi, D, Kaminsky, P, Simchi-Levi, E, 2014, Managing the supply chain: the definitive guide for the business professional. McGraw Publishers. Walker, L, Aritz, K, 2015, 'Transformational and Transactional Leadership: An Exploration of Gender, Experience, and Institution Type',Portal: Libraries The Academy, 15, 2, pp. 331-351, Library, Information Science Technology Abstracts, EBSCOhost, viewed 13 June 2016

Using A Dissertation Writing Sample As Your Masters For Graduate Students

Using A Dissertation Writing Sample As Your Master's For Graduate StudentsThe doctoral sample essay may seem to be a long and tedious procedure, but it can actually provide you with the teaching materials you need to complete your thesis. The dissertation will really serve as the final element of your degree, and is the basis for your academic ranking, professional success, and financial future.When you begin dissertation preparation, you will have to make decisions about where to publish your thesis, how much to charge, how to market your work, and how to schedule lectures and seminars. You will need to understand the process of dissertation writing and publishing, as well as the literary and editing techniques you will need. You must also evaluate whether you have what it takes to become a successful dissertation writer. In this article we will examine some of the essential aspects of doctoral sample essays.Since the dissertation is an important part of your master's program, you w ill want to make certain that you have a strong thesis topic. Because the dissertation is your sole focus, you will need to make sure that you utilize it as a starting point for your academic writing. Consider coming up with a topic that is both timely and interesting, and the means through which you will publish your essay in the future.Sample essays should be concise and of no more than a hundred words. A sample would be one of your own work, if possible. It will serve as a good basis for your own writing.Technical language will also be required. If you are unsure about technical terms, it may be best to consult an expert before sending your manuscript for publication. These experts will be able to advise you on the appropriate use of terms that are specific to your field of study.If you are preparing a dissertation for the master's program at a community college, then you will want to consider using the same style of the dissertation that you used when you were in high school. Th e style that you will be most familiar with as a student would be the thesis format used by undergraduates. However, once you become a graduate student, you will probably be required to write a dissertation under a different structure.Once you've decided to begin the dissertation writing process, the sample essay will be your first step toward writing your own thesis. Although you may need help at first, the sample essay will give you ideas on how to create your own original style of the dissertation.

Mixing up lay and lie

Mixing up lay and lie Mixing up lay and lie Mixing up lay and lie By Maeve Maddox A reader writes: I have problems with lying and laying. Â  Is there an easy way to make sure I am using the right one? The distinction is easy enough, but this particular usage is on the endangered list and may not survive into the next generation of English speakers. Knowing the difference between lying and laying requires the speaker to recognize the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs. Verbs that describe actions are either transitive or intransitive. A transitive verb takes a direct object. The Latin prefix trans- means across. The action of the transitive verb carries across to a direct object. This direct object receives the action of the verb. Ex. The man drives a truck. The verb is drive. To determine whether the verb has a direct object, one asks drives what? In this example, there is an answer: drives a truck. The verb drives in this sentence is transitive. Something, truck, receives the action. Some verbs are always transitive. Some are always intransitive. Many, like drive, may be either transitive or intransitive. Ex. Every Sunday the family drives in the countryside. If we apply the question drives what? to this sentence, we do not get an answer. Nothing in the sentence receives the action. There is no direct object so in this sentence drive is an intransitive verb. The action remains with the verb. (The phrase in the countryside tells where the family drives.) The common confusion between the verbs lie and lay is understandable because the form lay exists in the conjugations of both verbs: to lie intransitive verb meaning to recline; to rest horizontally Present: Today I lie on the bed. Past: Yesterday I lay on the bed. Present Perfect: I have lain on the bed all day. Present Continuous: I am lying on the bed. to lay transitive verb meaning to place; to put Present: Today I lay the book on the table. Past: Yesterday I laid the book on the table. Present Perfect: I have laid the book on the table. Present Continuous: I am laying the book on the table. Here are a few more illustrations of correct usage: Lie down, Fido! The accident victim lay in the street. The spectators lay back in their seats to look at the sky. Today its your turn to lay the table. I laid the table yesterday. English has two other verbs that may confuse the issue further: to lie to tell a falsehood generally intransitive: Present: Today I lie about my age. Past: Yesterday I lied about my age. Present Perfect: I have lied about my age. Present Continuous: I am lying about my age. to lay to produce an egg may be transitive or intransitive Present The hens lay eggs. (transitive) The hens lay well. (intransitive) Past The hen laid three eggs. (transitive) Present Perfect: The hen has laid an egg every day this week. (transitive) Present Continuous: The hens are laying well this year. (intransitive) Both forms of lay derive from an Old English verb meaning to place on the ground or put down. The two lie verbs come from two different Old English verbs, one meaning to speak falsely, and the other meaning to rest horizontally. This is not our first post on lay/lie and probably wont be the last. See this one from July 2007. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Has vs. HadExcited ABOUT, not "for" 50 Words with Alternative Spellings

The Legacy of the Qin Dynasty

The Legacy of the Qin Dynasty The Qin Dynasty, pronounced like chin, emerged in 221 BCE. Qin Shihuang, the king of the Qin state at the time, conquered the many feudal territories vying for influence during the bloody Warring States period. He then united them all under one rule, thus putting an end to the notoriously violent chapter in Chinese history that lasted for 200 years. Qin Shihuang was only 38 years old when he came into power. He created the title Emperor (  Ã§Å¡â€¡Ã¥ ¸ ,  Ã‚  hungdà ¬) for himself, and thus is known as  the first emperor of China. While his dynasty only lasted 15 years, the shortest dynastic rule in Chinese history, the impact of the Qin Emperor on China cannot be understated. Although highly controversial, Qin Dynasty policies were very influential in uniting China and maintaining power. The Qin Emperor was famously obsessed with immortality and even spent years trying to find an elixir to eternal life. Though he ultimately died, it would seem that Qin’s quest to live forever was ultimately granted – his practices and policies were carried into the subsequent Han Dynasty and continue to flourish in present-day China.   Here are just a few remnants of Qin’s legacy.   Central Rule The dynasty adhered to Legalist principles, which is a Chinese philosophy that followed strict compliance with  the rule of law. This belief allowed Qin to rule the population from a centralized power structure and proved to be a very effective way to govern. Such a policy, however, did not allow for dissent. Anyone who protested Qins power was quickly and brutally silenced or killed off.   Written Script   Qin instituted a uniform written language. Before then, different regions in China had different languages, dialects, and writing systems. Imposing a universal written language allowed for better communication and implementation of policies. For example, a singular script allowed scholars to share information with a greater number of people. It also led to the sharing of culture that was previously only experienced by a few. Additionally, a single language allowed later dynasties to communicate with nomadic tribes and pass along information on how to negotiate or fight with them. Roads The construction of roads allowed for greater connections between provinces and major cities. The dynasty also standardized the length of axles in carts so that they could all ride on the newly-built roads. Weights and Measures The dynasty standardized all weights and measures, which led to more efficient commerce. This conversion also allowed subsequent dynasties to develop a taxation system. Coinage In another effort to unify the empire, the Qin Dynasty standardized the Chinese currency. Doing so led to greater commerce across more regions.   The Great Wall The Qin Dynasty was responsible for the construction of the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall marked national boundaries and acted as a defensive infrastructure to protect against invading nomadic tribes from the north. However, later dynasties were more expansionist and built beyond Qin’s original wall. Today, the Great Wall of China is easily one of Chinas most iconic pieces of architecture. Terracotta Warriors   Another architectural feat that draws tourists to China is the enormous tomb in present-day Xian filled with terracotta warriors. This is also a part of Qin Shihuangs legacy. When Qin Shihuang died, he was buried in a tomb accompanied by an army of hundreds of thousands of terracotta soldiers that were supposed to protect him in his afterlife. The tomb was uncovered by farmers  digging for a well in 1974.   Strong Personality One other lasting impact of the Qin Dynasty is the influence of a leader’s personality in China. Qin Shihuang’s relied on his top-down method of ruling, and, on the whole, people conformed to his rule because of the power of his personality. Many subjects followed Qin because he showed them something larger than their local kingdomsa visionary idea of a cohesive nation-state. While this is a very effective way to rule, once the leader dies, so can his dynasty. After Qin Shihuang’s death in 210 BCE, his son, and later his grandson, took power, but both were short-lived. The Qin Dynasty came to a close in 206 BCE, just four years after Qin Shihuang’s death. Almost immediately following his death, the same warring states that he unified sprang up again and China was again under numerous leaders until it was unified under the  Han Dynasty. The Han would last over 400 years, but much of its practices were started in the Qin Dynasty. Similarities in charismatic cult personalities can be seen in subsequent leaders in Chinese history, such as Chairman Mao Zedong. In fact, Mao actually likened himself to Emperor Qin.   Representation in Pop Culture Qin was  popularized in Eastern and Western media in Chinese Director Zhang Yimou’s 2002 film Hero. While some criticized the movie for advocating totalitarianism, movie-goers went to see it in droves. A hit in China and Hong Kong, when it opened to North American audiences in 2004, it was the number one movie and grossed $18 million in its opening weekend – a rarity for a foreign film.

Explain the concept of majority rule with minority rights Essay

Explain the concept of majority rule with minority rights - Essay Example So majority rule is a means of organizing government and deciding public issues, it is not just another road to oppression. The main feature of democratic state is the absence of self-appointed group that has the right to oppress the others. That means that any majority, even in a democracy, should take away the basic rights and freedoms of a minority group or an individual. A democratic country is the country with the Constitution that commits the nation to secularism and equality for all its citizens without discrimination, and guarantees the rights of minorities. Minority rights, as applying to ethnic, religious, or linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples, are an integral part of international human rights law. Like children's rights, women's rights, and refugee rights, minority rights are "a legal framework designed to ensure that a specific group which is in a vulnerable, disadvantaged or marginalized position in society, is able to achieve equality and is protected from persecution"3. The point is that democracy is a system in which all citizens of the state have a guaranteed possibility to make free political decisions by majority rule. But it is very important to realize that a political decision made by the majority is not necessary lawful, as well as majority rule is not for sure democratic. Here we should refer to the Rule of Law, the concept of which has been laid down by Albert Venn Dicey. According to Dicey, there are three principles, which establish the rule of law: 1. The absolute supremacy or predominance of regular law as opposed to the influence of arbitrary power; 2. Equality before the law or the equal subjection of all classes to the ordinary law of the land administered by the ordinary courts; 3. The law of the constitution is a consequence of the rights of individuals as defined and enforced by the courts. So, it is necessary to provide the majority rule with individual human rights grantees, which will be able to protect the rights of minorities. The important issue here is that the minority rights by no means are dependable on majority will. They exist independently, and therefore they can not be eliminated by the majority vote. The ground basis of minority rights protection lays in the principle that democratic laws serve to protect the right of all the citizens of the country. The guarantees of such protection must be implemented in the supreme law of the state, i.e. Constitution. In order to demonstrate how these concepts are incorporated into the U.S. Constitution let us consider two examples, explaining each in reference to the intent of constitutional authors. The Bill of Rights in the US Constitution may be called the most important document serving to protect the rights of any minority of Americans. Since America is a heterogeneous society, almost all people hold at least one minority trait, opinion, belief, behavior, interest, or preference. At the micro-political level of interaction each person is a minority of one. According to Ayn Rand, the "smallest minority on earth is the

Development and Economic Sustenance in the Third World Context Essay

Development and Economic Sustenance in the Third World Context - Essay Example The "Third World" is seen as being a victim to the class struggle imposed from the top. There were strong roots in dependency theory which implies that developed regions continue to exploit developing regions for sustained growth. WAD theory adopts a rather mechanistic outlook on the role of women in development. It thus states that women are and have always been part of the process of development. The participation of women in the process of development is said to be in the form of both paid and unpaid labour considered an essential part of development. (Ramji: 1997). There is also a generalized inequity in role distribution in the WAD approach which assumes that women will contribute more in their traditional roles of home and hearth with supplemental roles being added through the forces of modernization. There is an implied inferiority-superiority dyad by which the determining role for development is not accorded to women. A detailed analysis of the other approaches to development will enable clarification of this concept. The â€Å"Women in Development† approach arose from the liberal trend in feminism. It recognizes the importance of roles and status of women in the process of development. Thus women are provided with a special role and status when development assistance is provided. Active involvement of women in the implementation of assistance is also underlined by aid-giving countries as Japan. The enhancement of opportunities for participation of women is said to lead to the improvement of the status of women in society in general.

Market Feasibility Study For Tsingtao Beer

Market Feasibility Study For Tsingtao Beer Tsingtao Brewery was founded in 1903 by German and British settlers in Qing Dao city, China. Until 1916, it was owned by The Anglo-German Brewery Co. Ltd, after which it became nationalized as a state-owned enterprise in 1949. The company was later privatized through a merger with 3 other breweries and was called Tsingtao Brewery Company Limited. Though the Tsingtao brand has the legacy of a German brewery, it is regarded as a symbol of Chinese heritage, and is currently the second largest brewer by volume in China with around 50 beer plants and three malting mills in 18 provinces and cities across China. Tsingtao is a lager brand that enjoys national distribution coverage and is touted as the National Beer in China. Tsingtao beer is made from 100% natural ingredients with no artificial colourings, flavouring, or preservatives used in the beer. Its brand portfolio consists of the Tsingtao beer (flagship brew), Tsingtao Pure Draft, Tsingtao Dark Beer, Tsingtao Green Beer, and Tsingtao Stout. Tsingtao adopts a bilateral business strategy, wherein it has been targeting Generation Y in order to build its brand awareness and strengthen its brand associations. It has also been making efforts to grow internationally through business agreements and acquisitions. Tsingtaos main target market is youth aged between 21-34, who are sporty and passionate about achieving their dreams. Tsingtao beers are known to have a light smooth taste and thus can be appealing to the younger generation who mostly prefer alcoholic beverages that can be consumed on the go. However, though a leading beer brand in China, Tsingtao has low brand awareness internationally, and therefore, its growth in the international market has been rather sluggish over the past few years. Singapore Market Overview Singapore is a leader in international tourism in Asia and is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Thus, it is the destination with the maximum potential for growth. Among the ASEAN countries, Singapore is strategically located and has a well-developed economy, an open environment that encourages foreign investments, and a climate for beer consumption throughout the year. Singapore is ranked as the top country for ease of doing business in. Singapore not only facilitates good returns on investments, but also has good infrastructure provisions, thereby making the introduction of Tsingtao beer in Singapore a viable option for the company. Beer Industry in Singapore The increasing popularity of social drinking in Singapore has boosted the growth of beer products, which has resulted in a 7% volume growth of beer consumption. With the government easing the licensing policies to sell alcohol at pubs, bars, and restaurants, the beer consumption trend has increased over time. Also, the consumption of beer has increased at home gatherings and social events. The increasing number of tourists together with the unveiling of casinos and new entertainment outlets has also boosted consumer spending on alcoholic drinks such as beer. A recent Euromonitor research report states that in the past few years, lager beer accounted for the bulk of beer sales in Singapore. Specifically, imported premium lager and imported standard lager continue to drive volume growth in beer. With increasing willingness of Singaporeans to spend more, consumers are spending on higher quality products, and therefore, there is a huge demand for premium lager beer. The outlets that serve premium lager beers are most often frequented by tourists, who in turn are highly likely to purchase them. The report also states that the key consumers of beer in Singapore tend to be working adults of different ages. However, it has also been observed that an increasing number of young adults and women are participating in social drinking and in the consumption of beer. This is especially true for lager, which is lighter than other alcoholic drinks and hence is more palatable. Competition in Singapore Singapore beer market is dominated by Asia Pacific Breweries (APB), mainly due to the overwhelming popularity of its brand, Tiger Beer. APB has a market share of 68.7% with Tiger beer constituting nearly 40.9% market share of APB. Other major brands include Carlsberg and Heineken. Tiger Beer: Tiger beer is the market leader in Singapore. It is a local brand with a very strong brand presence. Its superior distribution network with retail outlets, convenience stores, supermarkets, and pubs, can prove to be difficult competition for Tsingtao. Carlsberg: Carlsberg is the second most popular beer brand in Singapore and is available under various brand labels. Carlsberg Green Label, the flagship product, is the leading international premium lager beer in Singapore. Being a European beer, Carlsberg has a positive brand image associated with it. Heineken: Heineken is the flagship product of the company and is brewed locally in Singapore by APB. The key factors of competition with the Heineken brand include strong distribution network across food beverage, retail, and entertainment outlets in Singapore, a positive brand image as an international premium lager, and a superior brand presence and perception as a global brand. Prospects in Singapore With the continuous expansion of the social drinking scene in Singapore, beer is projected to see steady growth in the future. The recent Euromonitor report estimates a total volume compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4% for beer in Singapore. However, the report also states that as the market is reaching maturity, the forecast total volume growth is projected to slow down over the years. Due to its wider appeal, lager is expected to drive the bulk of beer sales in Singapore. In their purchasing of beer products, Singaporeans are largely driven by brand image, and therefore new product launches by major well-known brands are expected to do well. Investing in advertising and promotions is predicted to improve the consumption of such products. Owing to the huge growth potential for beer consumption, especially for lager beer, it would be the right move for Tsingtao to enter the Singapore market. However, with Singaporeans perceiving Chinese products to be inferior, both in terms of quality and hygiene, there is a possibility of a negative brand perception being associated with Tsingtao. With proper promotion and advertising, this mindset of consumers can be changed. Critical Success Factors The beer industry is changing constantly in the Singapore market. Mergers and acquisitions have decreased the number of brewers, but the varieties of beer have increased. The major brewers have the resources to compete in nearly all facets of the industry. Moreover, as beer is a substitutable product, customer loyalty keeps shifting. With these dynamics, if Tsingtao has to enter the Singapore market, it must focus on the following factors: Offering huge variety, both in terms of flavors and categories Consumers preferences have become more sophisticated and they look for unique tastes in beer, wine and other spirits. Books, internet, and magazines have contributed to the increasing popularity of beer as beer drinkers choose to find out and learn more about the brewing process. The beer addict is now aware of the type of beer that pairs well with a particular type of food. Seasonal flavors cater to the unique tastes and add to the charm of specialty beer. Building good relationships with distributors and networking With so many brands and varieties of beer available today, the relationship with the distributor is very important to gain access to the market. The distributors have a good understanding of the products and know which products sell quickly, thus ensuring that such products are always available to the consumers. Therefore, their acceptance of the product is a critical factor in the products success. Once the relationship with the distributors is established, the sales representatives of Tsingtao should sustain the relationship by delivering superior quality products on time and ensuring that promised quantities are made available. Creating unique marketing and advertising strategies Creative marketing strategies can help attract new customers while marketing directly to the consumer can help create demand for the product, thus increasing the likelihood that distributors will purchase it. Therefore, it is important for Tsingtao to invest time and money in creating a perfect marketing strategy. Also, by enticing youngsters with promotional offers during happy hours and by featuring nightlife places in advertisements, Tsingtaos brand image will be established as a beer for the youth. Tsingtao can also sponsor events at pubs and nightclubs, thereby creating brand awareness and facilitating the trial of its beer for first-time consumers. Customer satisfaction Customer satisfaction is driven by how well the products are sold. An essential factor for the success of Tsingtao is to ensure that customers are satisfied with the current offerings at the current prices. Tapping on tourism Singapore is Asias leading travel destination and welcomes millions of tourists every year. With the increasing number of tourists, the consumption of beer is increasing over time. Therefore, it is very important for Tsingtao to create its brand awareness on a global platform so as to attract tourists. Market Entry Options and Key Considerations Given the potential of the beer market in Singapore, Tsingtao can be launched in Singapore in the following ways: Exporting to Singapore Tsingtao beer can be exported to Singapore from its plant in China. The company can go about it as follows: Indirect exporting, wherein Tsingtao uses a middleman based in its home market to handle the exporting. Cooperative exporting, wherein Tsingtao enters into an agreement with a local or foreign company and the partner company will use its distribution network to sell the Tsingtao beer in Singapore. Direct exporting, wherein Tsingtao sets up its own export organization and relies on a middleman based in the Singapore market. The advantage of exporting Tsingtao to Singapore is that the product can be first tested in the market and if the product is successful, the company can look at other options, such as introducing more varieties. On the other hand, the primary disadvantage is the high export duties for alcohol. Franchising Another alternative to exports is to find a franchisee in Singapore who can sell under the Tsingtao brand. The advantage of such a scenario is that it would provide Tsingtao a temporary vehicle to conduct primary research without losing control of its brand. But since the capacity will be small, a spurt in demand cannot be met immediately. Joint Venture with APB Tsingtao could form a joint venture with APB, the largest brewery with maximum brand share in Singapore. The advantages of such a merger would be tapping into the established distribution channels of APB, while on the downside, Tsingtao will have to compete with other major brands including Tiger and Heineken brewed under license at APB. Wholly-owned Plant Tsingtao could also set up its own full-fledged business plant in Singapore. This would help the company meet the increasing demand of beer in Singapore. However, in this scenario, Tsingtao will become a legal and financial entity in Singapore and will have to meet the local licensing and financial obligations. To set up a small plant with production capacity of less than 1.8 million litres of beer or stout, Tsingtao would have to incur a fee of S$8,400 annually, whereas to set up a large-scale brewery, it would have to incur a fee of S$43,200 annually. Recommended Actions Beer is expected to attain a total volume CAGR of 4% to reach 130 million litres in 2016. It is evident that there is a huge growing market for beer in Singapore. Hence, the beer market in Singapore has the potential for the entry of new products like Tsingtao beer. Based on the current beer market scenario and the trends in the beer industry in Singapore, the following are the recommendations for Tsingtao to enter the Singapore market. It is advantageous for Tsingtao to enter the Singapore market as a wholly owned subsidiary and initially set up a microbrewery in Singapore. This entry will give them brand exclusivity which they might not gain if they enter into a partnership with Asia Pacific Breweries which brews the big brands like Tiger Beer, Heineken, Anchor, Barons Strong Brew and Guinness. By setting up a microbrewery, they will have to pay a license fee of only S$8,400 annually as compared to S$43,200 annually for large scale breweries. Thus, the savings of S$34,800 per year can be used on RD to improve the performance and quality of their products. In Singapore, in the coming years, growth in on-trade volume sales (sales in pubs, clubs, bars, and restaurants) is forecast to be higher than that of off-trade volume sales (sales in corner shops, retailers, wholesalers, cash and carry). Thus, Tsingtao beer can partner with popular pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants, especially those targeting the youth, as the youth is the target market for Tsingtao beer. This channel of distribution will maximize its sales in Singapore. In order to create new demand for beer consumption in a market that has already reached saturation, Tsingtao can come out with a variety of products that appeal to local tastes and complement the local cuisine in Singapore. They can include local ingredients like Calamansi and Pandan to flavour their beers. As Tsingtao is mainly targeted at the youth, it can partner with and sponsor youth events like the Singapore Youth Festival and the Singapore Youth Olympics Festival to build its brand image and gain brand equity. As Tsingtao is a light lager beer, it can be positioned as a better choice for health conscious people, particularly women, who most often prefer light beer. Tsingtao should make its presence felt in the competitive Singapore beer market through advertisements and promotions in digital and social media. As it aims to target the youth, it can leverage on the internet and social media to reach out to a large youth population. It should also actively engage in youth activities to promote its brand image. Through strong promotions, it will be able to build its brand equity, remove the perception of Cheap Chinese Beer, and be positioned as one of the leading beer brands in the country.