The Paradox of Synergy and Responsiveness Essay Example

The Paradox of Synergy and Responsiveness Essay Example The Paradox of Synergy and Responsiveness Essay The Paradox of Synergy and Responsiveness Essay The corporate realm is today made very complex by the fact that businesses are increasingly consolidated and large. This is to say that practices of creating multilayered firms in both the serve and the product industries have created business models that must depend on both large and small goals. For a large firm which holds many different types of operations, making the right decisions for how to best manage these individual units while still promoting a larger and singular identity can be a big determinant of success. This discussion is guided by the concept found in the De Wit and Meyer text, stating that such large firms must deal with the so-called Paradox of Synergy and Responsiveness. According to this paradox, it is a constant challenge for large firms to find a balance between the interest of consolidating its brand identity into a single, monolithic corporate structure and the interest in responding with sensitivity to the needs presented by individual factors. As the discussion and the selected case study example will show, individual factors such as customer orientation, financial performance and industry conditions. In the paradox between these two sometimes opposite demands, companies must often make hard decisions about how to pursue their operations. In the context of something such as the service industry, we can see that the achievement of this balance will be directly related to how a business manages its portfolio of operations. For the ever-growing service industry, this causes an interesting investigation into the way that unit management can be central to an operation. The approach taken by a company in the hospitality sector of the service industry, for example, should serve as a useful illustration of how organizations approach a market shaped by the De Wit and Meyer paradox. Introduction: In our consideration of the Marriott Corporation, which is an extremely successful service sector company, we can see that the way a company moves its operational assets around will be important to its management effectiveness. According to the article entitled Marriott Corporation: The Cost of Capital, the hospitality industry has been through both very fast growth and very sharp retraction. This has been particularly true for Marriott, which seized on an era of increased tourism and hospitality investment in order to catapult to the top of the market. However, changing market realities and the increased nuance of the hospitality industry would force Marriott to consider altering its corporate structure so it could make a change to a context where it could more effectively approach hurdles distinct to individual divisions. This would be a demonstration of its responsiveness, even as synergy had been the primary guide in its initial growth. The example here, based on the discuss at hand, will remark upon the strategies regarding capital investment, stakeholder responsibility and debt management which would effectively be approached by the corporation in managing its portfolio of units. The primary avenue to be taken by Marriott in achieving the goal of managing its operational orientation would be the creation of a new department with a more refined focus on financial strategies and investment properties relating to the specific aspect of hotel management (as opposed to the real-estate operation) For the stock-holder, this would mean more directed and informed decisions as well as a relative insulation from revenue trends, making for a more stable market in times of real estate instability. Again, we can see that Marriott would be turning toward a strategy of responsiveness. Such is to say that Marriot determined to protect the value of its existing capital by establishing a circumstance in which growth and synergy could no longer be identified as the primary interest. Instead, ensuring the retention of capital at a rate justifying its debt condition, Marriott would being a new phase in its history in which hurdle rates for achieving growth would be purposefully higher. In this way, even growth would be directed from corporate HQ by responsive rather than synthetic origins. In our research, we find that the Marriot transition was not without its costs. These would make Marriott go through some real economic changes that are part of the paradox between synthesis and responsiveness. By being forced to change operational gears, Marriott would experience a decline in earnings during its period of transformation. Due to the debt challenges noted, Marriott’s bond ratings, declined to a B level according to both SP and Moody’s in the face of real estate declines, have resulted in a higher long-term expense on new bond issues for the company. One of the key ways that Marriott would deal with its debt maturities in order to afford the transition would be in its mortgage financing of its ‘trophy’ properties, which were those continually successful marquis lodging facilities there were no longer in any mortgage debt. The greatest concern to manu financial institutions in this case was the condition that Marriott’s heavy dependency on invested debt might create a scenario where it would be incapable of covering its obligations. Naturally, this is a fear which is facing so many corporations on this scale today. That shows just how relevant the paradox discussed is. That is why the Marriott example is very useful, because it would use portfolio management strategies to deal with this financial risk. Marriott would basically create a spin-off in its new management company. A spin-off is the divestment of a company in which, rather than selling off aspects of itself in poor market conditions, it distinguishes one aspect of itself to be set apart as an independent business. This independent business will take on its own structural and financial parameters while retaining branding, technology and, in some instances, access to assets, of the parent company. This would be the essential response by Marriott to the distinct obstacles created by the changing market, particularly in consideration of the corporate retraction likely due to markedly rapid corporate growth. The divestment of the company into management and real estate firms would essentially serve to unlock the company’s assets to the benefit of the stakeholder, with the stock owners particularly served by this approach. We can therefore ultimately begin to resolve that the approach taken by Marriott would be a natural outcome in consequence to its singularly high rate of growth from a synergy centered strategy and what might be characterized as its saturation of its own market. The impact would require a responsiveness in a market approach to diminishing the corporations inherency toward this rate of growth. Though we can suggest that the consequences are likely to be somewhat severe to the organization’s personnel and resource orientation in the short term, it will undoubtedly benefit the value and extent of capital usability for individual facilities, thus improving quality organization-wide. De Wit, B. Meyer, R. (1999). Strategy Synthesis. International Thomson Business. Ruback, R. S. (1998). Marriot Corp. : The Cost of Capital. Harvard Business Publishing.

And Still I Rise Essays

And Still I Rise Essays And Still I Rise Essay And Still I Rise Essay You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, Ill rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? Cause I walk like Ive got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still Ill rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops. Weakened by my soulful cries.Does my haughtiness offend you? Dont you take it awful hard Cause I laugh like Ive got gold mines Diggin in my own back yard. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, Ill rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like Ive got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Out of the huts of historys shame I rise Up from a past thats rooted in pain I rise Im a black ocean, leaping and wide,Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak thats wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise. Maya Angelou’s And Still I Rise is a very inspirational poem. The way I interpret the poem is her battle with racism, sexism, lies and low standards of living yet she is able to rise above it all. She is able to rise above and just be herself.She embraces who she is and not ashamed of herself, she is proud of herself. The poem, And Still I Rise enforces her idea of rising above and being a bigger person. The end stopping in the poem keeps her points concise, clear and keeps the reader’s attention. The language is also very simple and is accessible to anyone who reads it. Overall this poem is very affective of getting her point across of rising above all the hatred in life and just to live life as you are and be proud of who you are.

Studies Show Black Women Are Healthier at a Higher Weight Than White Women

Studies Show Black Women Are Healthier at a Higher Weight Than White Women Studies reveal that African American women can weigh significantly more than white women and still be healthy. By examining two standards of measurement - BMI (body mass index) and WC (waist circumference) - researchers found that while white women with a BMI of 30 or more and a WC of 36 inches or more were at greater risk for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, black women with those same numbers were considered medically healthy. African American womens risk factors did not increase until they reached a BMI of 33 or more and a WC of 38 inches or more. Typically, health experts consider adults with a BMI of 25-29.9 to be overweight and those with a BMI of 30 or greater to be obese. Peter Katzmarzyks Studies The study, published in the January 6, 2011 research journal Obesity and authored by Peter Katzmarzyk and others at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, only examined white and African American women. No similar racial difference between black men and white men were studied. Katmzarzyk theorizes that the weight gap between white and black women may have to do with how body fat is distributed differently throughout the body. What many call belly fat is primarily recognized as being a significantly greater health risk than fat in the hips and thighs. Dr. Samuel Dagogo-Jacks Findings Katzmarzyks findings echo a 2009 study by Dr. Samuel Dagogo-Jack  of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Diabetes Association, Dagogo-Jacks research revealed that whites had more body fat than blacks, which led him to theorize that muscle mass may be higher in African-Americans. Existing BMI and WC guidelines are derived from studies of predominantly white and European populations and do not take into account physiological differences due to ethnicity and race. Because of this, Dagogo-Jack believes that his findings argue for a review of the existing cutoffs for healthy BMI and waist circumference among African-Americans. Sources: Kohl, Simi. Use of BMI and waist circumference as surrogates of body fat differs by ethnicity. Obesity Vol. 15 No. 11 at Academia.edu. November 2007Norton, Amy. Healthy waist may be a bit bigger for black women. Reuters Health at Reuters.com. 25 January 2011. Richardson, Carolyn and Mary Hartley, RD. Study Shows Black Women Can Be Healthy At Higher Weights. caloriecount.about.com. 31 March 2011.Scott, Jennifer R. Abdominal Obesity. weightloss.about.com. 11 August 2008.The Endocrine Society. Widely Used Body Fat Measurements Overestimate Fatness In African-Americans, Study Finds. ScienceDaily.com. 22 June 2009.

Managing Diversity Strategies Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Managing Diversity Strategies - Article Example In summary, the article portrays diversity management as a business strategy that requires training to employees in order to increase their ability to align their practices to the diversity requirement in both the external and internal business environments. Key points in the article are on the importance of authenticity in diverse management which requires the shunning of the tradition perception of the practice. Glenn also sensitizes on the importance of diversity management in growth, and how change evaluation is important is creating reliable diversity management strategies (2). The article is important in the chapter of study in that it addresses the queries on the significance of the approach in the workplace, how to effectively implement the process and how to develop appropriate diversity training techniques. The choice of the article is based on its ability to evaluate the future of diversity management as influenced by mandatory change in the corporate world. I agree with the arguments by Glenn since the article highlights accurate trends in the practice based on trends in diversity management. The article also provides reliable information since it uses case studies of companies that have successfully implemented diversity management strategies. Glenn, Llopis. Diversity Management is the Key to Growth: Make it Authentic. Forbes. June 13, 2011. Web. April 21, 2015.

Write a mini report to demonstrate the meaning of the operational Essay

Write a mini report to demonstrate the meaning of the operational characteristic Visibility , use examples to illustrate your points. (Max 300 words) - Essay Example This store started to work in 1950s, Sweden and now it is the most thriving furniture retailer’s. It has total 276 stores in 36 countries.Its owner has built the store in a very special & innovative way. Therefore its per-unit cost is high as compared to others in the market.Characteristics of operational management includes four V’s.; volume, variety, variation & visibility. Here we’ll discuss the Visibility characteristic, which involves High & Low visibility. Low visibility operations –in this operation to much timing process is involved between the production and the consumption. That is why the output from the transformation is highly standardized. Employees don’t have the required skills and they move towards theminimum number of tasks during the transformation process. Therefore, low visibility leads the business to low cost unit High visibility operations –on the other hand in high visibility time is effectively consumed. Quality of service is based on the service perception. Employees hold much skill to work & there is a high contact among them. The degree of the variety of product is highly considered, keeping the demands of the customers in mind. Services aren’t standardized that’s why employees take their customers seriously. Therefore, per-unit cost is very high. (Business management a Functional focus,

Teaching and learning challenges and strategies Essay

Teaching and learning challenges and strategies - Essay Example Diversity is both a challenge and opportunity for a teacher. In a heterogeneous classroom, it is typical to encounter different personalities among children, and alongside with these differences is the challenge for the teacher to encourage them to learn. This difficult task is at times neglected by the teachers, thinking that their primary obligation is to teach, only. However, the real scenario contradicts this notion. Since real teaching cannot be employed without student participation, it is the teacher’s task to set her students in the class, in a way that they are motivated to listen and ready to learn. On the other hand, external and internal factors can hinder this process. Using published case studies, reports, books, and educational research, this paper will discuss the challenges of teachers in deploying effective teaching-learning activities and possible teaching strategies which may relieve the problem. Issues relating to the physical/neurological and social probl ems may cripple a child’s ability to learn; and while there is no common teaching strategy applicable to all learners, it is still the teacher’s task to inculcate learning amidst factors that can serve as an obstacle in fulfilling it, through innovation of the known strategies and its application to different learning situation. Part I: Challenges of Teachers in Employing Effective Learning Physiological and Neurological Factors to Hinder Successful Learning Process The cross-disciplinary approach to the learning environment envisions the utilization of real world situations to solve complex problems is called authentic learning (Lombardi, 2007, p. 2). The role of the teacher in the 21st century plan for authentic learning is generally as a â€Å"facilitator† wherein the traditional discussion type’s purpose is only to give a brief knowledge to the children about an information. The rest of the stages are subject to the exploratory activities of the learn ers (please see figure 3 of appendix C). However, finding relevance to activities in connection with reality may not seem to be an easy task for all types of learners. The proliferation of special education substantiated the tremendous change with regard to the treatment of the so-called â€Å"invisible minority,† otherwise known as the disabled population. The term evolved in the turn of modern thoughts which are undiscriminating to various physical and mental conditions as reference of social productiveness. Nowadays, the disabled are acceptably known as â€Å"special people.† In the matters of education, it has been a continuing challenge for teachers of children with special needs to assist learning, though they have taken the necessary, proper education and training needed. The challenge resides within the maxim of education which mentions about the uniqueness of each learner, much so with the uniqueness of learners belonging to the special group. It is therefore imperative that before contemplating on the professional and moral obligations of the teacher, one must be able to answer the several â€Å"why’s† concerning the situation of these children. In the United Kingdom, there are an estimated 1.5 million people who have learning disabilities (Mencap, n.d.), and they are categorized according to the specific condition they posses. However, a common trait existing regardless of categories is their difficulty of information processing. This difficulty is the reason why they are generally separated from the mainstream learning groups. Common conditions which are directly associated with special education is autism and ADHD, and although it is not considered as a â€Å"learning disability,† dyslexia suffers children and becomes a major problem for teachers, all at the same time. In the case of Autism Because of the lack of information regarding this condition, it is more convenient to define it with the corresponding chara cteristics seen from individuals having this disorder. Rudy (2009) defined autism as one of

Heraldic shield Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Heraldic shield - Research Paper Example The very shield in question has several constituents. The eagle can be used as a symbol of representing power authority and the sun. The eagle is the king of the birds; this shows authority it has over other creatures. Rarely do eagles lose in combat; this shows they have strength and power to rule. Therefore, they symbolize strong and powerful leadership. Indian herbalists and wizards use the feathers of eagles in their treatment of the sick. This shows that the eagle has a medicinal value and this can be used to symbolize the gift to give life to the hopeless. Eagles have been known to have a clear vision and soaring spirit. These are best qualities a leader can have; a clear vision means that the leader can make wise and just decisions. A soaring spirit means the leader is always aiming for more. This symbolizes the initiative and ambitions that an exemplary leader should have in order to lead his or people to greater prosperity (Bentley et al, 54). This is the main reason why eag les are connected with wealth and prosperity. The most outstanding character that distinguishes the eagle from other living creatures is the ability to take responsibility. The eagle is monogamous in nature; interestingly, the male and female eagles both share the responsibility of taking care of their young ones. This is not only symbolic but also enlightening. This shows responsibility as the leader should be responsible enough in order to lead people. This as well helps to advice people who tend to run away from responsibilities like taking care of their young ones. The eagles can be used to represent freedom. This observation is ttained by the size of their territories; an eagle can have a home ranging in thousands of acres this shows that the eagles are not afraid of conquering new territories in the bid of enjoying their freedom (Bohl & Rynn 85). In most mythical beliefs, it is said that the spirits of the eagles are free and independent creatures that roam alone. Through this aid in educating people on the significance of being free, we are able to make choices alone without relying on others every time because, in life, some decisions are made alone as they are personal. This symbolizes the rights and freedom of an individual to choose their own paths in life that seem suitable to them. The picture of the eagle in heraldic shield demonstrates exceptional leadership, power, authority and vision in a group organization or country (Connell et al, 156). An acorn is small seed from an oak tree. Normally, it is green and most fall of the tree when matured. When they fall off from the mother tree, another oak tree can emerge from the fallen seeds. The procedure is normally performed thoroughly over and over until a whole forest emerges from a single acorn. This helps to symbolize the process of achieving greatness by starting out from scratch. This concept is applied to encourage people whose lives or worlds have fallen that they can still achieve greatness l ife. It encourages people to realize their full potential (Cornwell et al, 78). If an acorn with no brains can become a forest, what can a person with brains and senses achieve if he puts his minds to it? This is a symbol of hope to those who feel their destined fail due to a single fall or slip at one point in their lives or careers. Imagine an acorn that has fallen down - it has no survival techniques and yet a forest can emerge from it. This has been