Strategic Management and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Management and Leadership - Essay Example The major businesses of this conglomerate include electronics, entertainment, electronic games and most recently financial services. This paper will focus on analysis of the major factors that have propelled the company to such growth in an industry which requires one to be very innovative in order to remain relevant as the risk of being outshined is ever increasing. The paper will also seek to analyse the strategies that could be utilised in order to ensure that the company remains competitive. Success Measures The success of the Sony Corporation can be measured in terms of the growth that it has realised over the years. At the onset of its inception, there was a view of Japanese companies as simply businesses skilled at copying the technology used in the West rather than making products of their own (Beomish, 1999). The business shunned the existing Japanese business networks. As a startup company, the Corporation did not have a big market share as compared to other business that w as in the entertainment industry at the time. The Corporation at its beginning had minimal capital and was at the same time limited in its ideas. Sony has in the last year of operation realised profits of about 6.5 trillion Yens. According to Gunther (2001), this is a far cry from the time it was beginning when it barely had enough capital to finance its operations. The market share of the Corporation has also grown from the simple voltmeters that were produced during its inception in a whole range of products that include entertainment gadgets, mobile phones and even financial services. The Corporation has a wealth of resources that it can use to finance all its business ventures. The corporation has around 55 plants used for manufacturing its good and these are spread all over the world. On top of these the Corporation has 12 other manufacturing plants that are based in its home country of Japan. These physical resources that are the disposal of the Corporation are able to give it a competitive advantage which it can use as strength. On top of the physical resources the Sony also enjoys a wealth of technological resources which gives the opportunity to leverage on these as it competes in the technology industry where innovation are made on a daily basis. The technology can also be utilised well to enable the company to produce high quality products that fetch good prices in the market hence increasing the revenues for the corporation. According to Gunther (2001), the corporation also enjoys what can be termed as â€Å"reputational resources.† This comes in the form of a good name resulting from the numerous awards that it has fetched over the years as the best consumer-electronics company. Reasons for success Exploitation of Opportunities The success of the Sony Corporation is attributable to various factors. First the Corporation has proved over the years that it is able to identify opportunities and seize them (Beomish, 1999). For example during its inception, when the founders came across a tape recorder they got interested and went ahead to buy the patent and this formed the basis for their product that were later produced in the same line. The managers also have ventured in different areas since they were able to identify business opportunities, a factor that has really enhanced the growth of the company over the years. This has propelled the Corporation to be a market leader in its own right and also to enjoy the opportunity to

Colourimetric Assay for Paracetamol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Colourimetric Assay for Paracetamol - Essay Example ble results. The chief advantage of colourimetric methods is that they provide a simple means for determining minute quantities of substances. The upper limit of colorimetric methods is in general the determination of constituents which are present in quantities of less than 1 or 2 per cent (J. W. Robinson). The principle behind any colourimetric technique for paracetamol analysis is that paracetamol undergoes oxidation-reduction reaction with an aqueous solution of iron(III) ion. In the reaction, iron(III) ions are being reduced to iron(II) ions. The iron(II) ions produced in the redox reaction is reacted with potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) solution forming prussian blue which is an intense blue colored complex. The concentration of the paracetamol in a given solution may be determined by measuring the color intensity of the Prussian blue solution. ... Upon measurement of the intensity in terms of absorbance, Beer’s law is used to calculate the concentration of the paracetamol in micrograms per milliliter. To permit selection of the most advantageous technique, effects of variables such as temperature, heating time, acidity and reagent concentration have been evaluated. Another simple, accurate and fast method of determination of paracetamol is based on the measurement of the intensity of the yellow color that will develop when the sample containing paracetamol is reacted with p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in 2 molar solution of hydrochloric acid after heating (Usifoh, et. al.). This yellow color is usually absorbed in the visible region where the wavelength is 450 nm. It is normally stable for several hours and its intensity is directly proportional to the concentration of the drug, that is, Beer’s law is obeyed. This colorimetric technique is mainly used for analysis where the paracetamol is contained in a particular raw material or in pharmaceutical dosage forms such as tablets and syrups. Finally, a fast, automated colorimetric method for the determination of samples containing paracetamol is the latter’s reaction with acidic hypochlorite followed by coupling with alkaline phenol which produces a blue indophenol dye, which is measured colourimetrically (J.W. Murfin). This method is generally used for tablets containing paracetamol and a granule formation containing paracetamol. MATERIALS AND METHOD A stock solution of paracetamol has been prepared for analysis. The stock solution is prepared by dissolving appropriate amount of 0.0023 mol/L paracetamol solution in 10 mL of NaCl solution and made

Violent Video Games and Increase of Aggressiveness Research Proposal

Violent Video Games and Increase of Aggressiveness - Research Proposal Example These games are violent in nature, some with parental warnings regarding violence, blood, and gore. Examples of such video games include titles like Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat, and Sega's Primal Rage. All of these games intertwine a character-driven storyline with adventures and quests, including personal combat which requires the player to fight with and kill, various adversaries in an extremely violent way. While earlier versions of such games, such as Quake or Doom, were more plot-driven and less gratuitously violent, many of the more recent industry offerings (known as "first-person shooter" games) have escalated the combat element in favor of increasingly difficult opponents, more sophisticated weaponry, and an unhealthy focus on domination. As Bok points out, "players are rewarded for slashing, gouging, or shooting their opponents...[and are able] to see with the eyes of the killer holding the gun." (1999, p. 37) In fact, other researchers have determined that in the most p opular games, harming other characters is the primary activity and that killing occurs at a high rate. (Cicchirillo and Chory-Assad, 2005, p. 436).

Gender and Work - Masculine or Feminine Work Essay

Gender and Work - Masculine or Feminine Work - Essay Example Any activity which led to the seeking of subsistence means was covered in the heading of â€Å"work† while all other activities of â€Å"reproduction† and assuring the sustenance of life cycle (nursing) were reduced to â€Å"limitation†. Unfortunately, the later was what women were supposed to do by default and therefore men took the charge of the more proactive role of sustenance of family like tracking and killing animals for food. This natural evolution of role created â€Å"myths of work† for men and women. The simple myth which evolved was that what men do is â€Å"work† while what women does back at home does not fall in the definitions of work or we can say that the distinction was laid down as masculine or feminine work. With the advancement on the course of history the women’s influence in different fields has changed and now women are also out in search of sustenance means for their family, thus blurring the primitive masculine and feminine myth of work. However, the age-old psyche was not that easy to overcome as the women came in the field with the â€Å"the same old myth† attached to her. Resultantly, either woman was given â€Å"inferior jobs† presupposing that the jobs pertaining to men could not be done by them befittingly. Although, the increase of women’s role in the domain of men â€Å"work† and success in that continued the attack on the masculine and feminine myth of work but initiated another dimension in it. More work, with an assumption that women are not able to go through such rigours of intensive work, entered the scene. This ability to work for long hours was equated with success and a general perception was created among people that working long hours is important for career advancement.  This development made both men and women so involved in their jobs and working places that they grade their workplace as â€Å"a place for (their) soul to recreate itself, a place for self-improvement, and a place for spiritual training . . . [the worker] looks for the reason of his being or identity in hard work’ (Schwenkter, 1995).  

Progress Statement and Development Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Progress Statement and Development Plan - Essay Example Misunderstandings occurred occasionally due to communication breakdown and conflicts arose between team mates when there were different thoughts and ideas. I attempt to develop my communication skills and work in a multicultural group by slowing down my speaking speed and pronounce the words correctly in order to convey my ideas and messages clearly. I also try to improve my vocabularies by extensive reading. Besides that, I would like to make effort in developing my interpersonal skills by practising patience and high tolerance rather than being aggressive when facing conflicts. Two-way communications, mutual understanding and positive feedbacks are important in resolving conflicts and disputes (Agar, 1994). Thus, I have learnt to be a good listener and be open to constructive feedbacks and comments. This is especially important if I am to work in a diversity workplace in the future. Time management is another challenge which I have encountered. I faced obstacles in balancing my in- class time, time spent on assignments, study and entertainment. Time management skill is important in overcoming the problem such as careful planning of work, tight monitoring of progress and revision of plan when necessary (Smith, 1994). It would be useful to set a personal goal and develop a flexible schedule to assist me in prioritising my activities. I plan my day ahead and maintain a list of activities which must be done daily at the same allowing room of flexibility for unexpected incidents. It enables me to recognize tasks which are urgent and in need of special focus and attention followed by the important ones. In this case, I would be able to meet deadlines such as assignments deadline without any last minute rush. This skill would definitely assist me in future career success as the optimum use of time would lead to increase work efficiency and productivity. On the other hand, it ensures that I am not overloaded with work contributing to less stress and pressures. Additio nally, numerical skill is another area which is in need of improvement as it is critical for my accounting module. Numerical skills involve the ability to recognise and utilize numerical data and reflect on a person’s general intelligence and ability to rapidly perceives, processes and calculates numbers (Psychometric Success, 2011). Employers often recognise the importance of numerical skills in work practise and incorporate it as one of the selection criteria in the recruitment process. This is evidenced by the compulsory completion of numerical ability test by candidates during a job interview. The level of tests would however depend on the relevance of skill to the job (Royal Holloway University of London, 2011). As practise make perfect, I am commit to perform mathematical exercise on a weekly basis and apply it on a daily basis to resolve practical calculations. Moreover, I attempt the numerical skills test available online to assess my skills and continuously monitor m y progress. This would not only assist in my current academic success but also increase my employability. Besides that, I would require to enhance my presentation skills as it is useful in every aspect of work and life. Effective presentation and public speaking skills are essential in my university as it is part of the assessment requirements. From a business perspective, it is insufficient to only display capability in work but also be able to be presentable and talk and write well in order to be

Team Building Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Team Building - Essay Example But a basic disadvantage in this type of functioning is that the employee doesn't feel the belonging to the organization and therefore may not go for value addition and creativity to the task. An individual is least bothered about the final product, once he/ she has done his/ her share of task. A team on the other hand helps in networking of the individuals, with exchange of ideas and suggestions. This not only helps in regular updation of the knowledge level of the team members but also enriches the final product and service. When the customer feels the advantage of value addition, he'll naturally be attracted towards the product/ service. The figure below depicts the difference between these two types of systems. Teams in general are committed for common goals as they are accountable for them. Teams can pool there resources, synergize their acts and the team members can complement and supplement each other's efforts to come out with the final product. Contribution from the concerned team members helps in widening the thoughts, assigning responsibilities, helps in implementing and constantly monitoring the results and feedback helps in devising a still better strategy. Structure and composition of a team forms the basis of its working. ... But the core characteristic is the commitment to a common goal. The team structure determines how to maximize the common efforts. If any one members of the team works in a manner adversely affecting the final outcome, then it acts as a de-motivating factor for other members in the team, which in turn affects the quality of the final product. Therefore an efficient team structure also takes care of such eventualities. A well designed team structures helps in polishing the abilities of the individual team members. A person's strengths may not always be visible; it might be overshadowed by something that he has done in the past. Sometimes it requires a personal trigger from the team leader. When the team members find that the team is behind them and the leader has enough confidence in them they come out of their shell with readiness to take initiatives. The trigger has to be the right one, because squeezing the wrong one might lead to further detachment. Strategies must be in place to s upport such initiates and experiments. Answer-2 Part-I: Contribution of leadership towards strategy implementation Howard Good (2006), the former president of Highland Central School Board in Highland, N.Y., says, "Being board president brings power and prestige, but you must inspire and help others to be successful". A team leader therefore plays the central role in making or breaking the team. It is the team leader who can synergize the efforts or just wither away the advantage, with his actions. A team leader is supposed to delegate the powers and responsibilities amongst his/ her team mates, inspire the team members by being an example and motivate his team with appropriate motivating factors. A leader

Mini project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mini project - Essay Example This advert has been used to inform the customers that Samsung handsets are available and that have equally better applications and features like any other latest models or even better. The display on the advert shows the Samsung hand set has more superior and modern with appealing look. This type of advertising is employed mainly for introducing a new product or service in the market. It can also be used to boost the popularity of an already existing product in the market. The consumers have to know that a certain product or service exists before they can go for it. This advertising therefore aims at creating a demand for the products and services and by extension sensitizing potential customers (Amaldoss & He, pg. 147). . A well informed customer derives satisfaction and is therefore motivated to buy a product or subscribe to a service the next time. It is through this that loyalty is created and customers are maintained. Considering the benefits of this form of advertising, it should therefore be considered an indispensable method of marketing that any business firm should embrace. Moreover, informative advertising should be made in a simple and comprehensive language that favors most customers if not all. This type of advertising is employed mainly for introducing a new product or service in the market. It can also be used to boost the popularity of an already existing product in the market. The consumers have to know that a certain product or service exists before they can go for it. This advertising therefore aims at creating a demand for the products and services and by extension sensitizing potential customers (Amaldoss & He, pg 147). More often than not customers have certain concerns about products available in the market, this can be in regard to their advantages and demerits as well as how to use these products. Very sensitive elements of a product such as prices, areas of use and why a customer needs to buy that particular product are also