Four Narrative Positions in Fictions Essay

In fiction novels, one of the most important elements is the authoritative narrator. The narration is the part of the material which guides the readers and keeps them in track of how the story goes. Without this element, everything will be left onto the readers, like the parts of analysis and interpretation, which may lead to confusion. There are several kinds of narrations when it comes to fiction writing. However, although all narrative styles may appear helpful guiding the readers throughout the rest of a novel, the narrative style with the utmost access to the characters consciousness is always the most effective and affective to the readers. John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†: Outside Privileged Narration Looking at the narrative style of John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums,† it can be observed that the narrator speaks consistently in the third-person point of view. This is a one of the major properties of outside privileged narration. Another observable characteristic of the narrative position of this novel is that it has all the access to the characters’ emotions, views, feelings, and inner thoughts. The narrator seems to have all the knowledge in terms of how the characters feel as presented in this line: â€Å"Her face was eager and mature and handsome; even her work with the scissors was overeager, over-powerful. The chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and easy for her energy† (Steinbeck page #). Aside from this, the narrator of this story also seems to have the ability to analyze the events it the story as well as the thoughts and dialogues of the characters, which is another distinct characteristic of an outside privileged narrator. This can be observed in the following line: â€Å"Here, for instance, the claustrophobic world of Elisa Allen is signaled by the claustrophobic clouds pressing in on the valley. This frustrated woman will never break free† (Steinbeck page #). Lastly, the narrator nonetheless appears credible since its presence has been close enough to the author’s views. Kate Chopin â€Å"The Story of an Hour†: Outside Effaced Narration In â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin, it can be easily seen that the identity of the story does not dwell much on the characters. just like in the â€Å"The Chrysanthemums,† the narrator here also tells the tale in the third-person, all-knowing point of view. However, as compared to the first short story, the narrator in this story does not have much access to the characters’ feelings and thoughts as reflected in this line which barely tells the outside manifestation of the characters’ emotions: â€Å"She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sisters’ arms† (Chopin page #). Moreover, the narrator also does not convey much about its presence as it can be observed that it does not always give sufficient descriptions and analysis, as presented in this line as well: â€Å"The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares† (Chopin page #). Also, this narrator is reliable in the sense that it shows the characters’ actions and describes what they are supposedly thinking and feeling, specifically that of Louise’s. However, it does not present the inner voice of the characters, nor does it express its own comments about the happenings in the story. Ralph Ellison â€Å"Battle Royal†: Inside Dramatized Narration In Ralph Ellison’s â€Å"Battle Royal,† the narrator appears as the character that is presented as the focus and identity of the novel. The narrator uses first-person pronouns which implies that he, himself is the character of the story which stars him. Unlike the short stories discussed earlier, the narrator in this story has the most access to the characters’ consciousness and feelings as he himself is the character of his own story – which makes his lines more affective and believable. This line clearly presents this attribute: â€Å"I saw them start up the steps and felt suddenly as though my head would split† (Ellison page #). Aside from this, there seems to be no question regarding the domination of the narrator in this story as he himself acts as the one who relates his own experiences: â€Å"Oh God, this wasn’t it at all. Poor techniques and not at all what I intended [†¦] Dispossessed? I cried holding up my hand and allowing the word to whistle from my throat. ‘That’s a good word, Dispossessed! Dispossessed† (Ellison page #). However, in most parts, there seem to be some questions regarding the narrator’s reliability as his and others’ knowledge in the story will always seen insufficient and not all-knowing. William Faulkner â€Å"A Rose for Emily†: Inside Restricted Narrator Just like Steinbeck’s and Chopin’s stories that were presented previously, the identity in this story is not focused on the characters. Also, it holds some similarity with the first two stories as this was also told in the third-person point of view. However, what is different in this story is that it only holds access to the consciousness of some characters and not all, as presented in the following lines: â€Å"The heart of the Rose expanded in kindness to every human being; in tenderness to the dumb creation; and for the vegetable, she felt an enthusiastic admiration. Her unaffected gaiety, and artless fullness would frequently inspire and ease in the manner of naturally reserved Emily† (Fau1kner page #). With regard to the narrator’s domination in the story, it can be seen that it constantly speaks through its own voice at times, yet there are also instances when it combines its thoughts with the character’s views: â€Å"Praise, however indirect, to her mother, always brought a flush of joy to the cheeks of Rose; she gave Emily a kiss of gratitude, and then turned to her flowers† (Fau1kner page #). In terms of the narrator’s reliability, it seems limited in the sense that it presents the shared consciousness of the townsfolk (as the narrator is deemed as the townsfolk due to the constant use of personal pronouns in plural form such as we), but it does not have access to the consciousness of all the characters, especially to the consciousness of Emily as well as the characters close to her (e. g. , the black servant). Upon exploring the different narrative styles in the aforementioned stories, it can be inferred that the reliability of the narrator definitely depends upon how well he or she is knowledgeable about the story and upon whether he or she has access to the characters’ consciousness. Moreover, although all the above-mentioned narrative styles help in guiding the readers throughout the novels, the one which possesses the utmost ability to influence and move the readers still appears to be the narrative style with utmost access to the characters’ feelings and emotions, which is the inside dramatized narrative style. Works Cited Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Story of an Hour. † Literature for Composition: Essays, Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 8th ed. Eds. Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, and William E. Cain. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. pages #s. Ellison, Ralph. â€Å"Battle Royal. † Literature for Composition: Essays, Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 8th ed. Eds. Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, and William E. Cain. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. pages #s.

International Market Entry Strategy for Hershey Foods Corp Essay

I. Introduction The Hershey Company is famously known for being the biggest manufacturer of chocolates and confectionery products in USA, having hired over 15,000 employees worldwide and exporting their products to ninety different countries over the world. The Hershey Company has several popular brands, some of most notable ones being Hershey’s Chocolate Bar, Kit Kat, Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s, York Peppermint Pattie, Rolo and Krackle Bar. With the help of these brands, Hershey gained success and popularity, making the company’s net worth over $4 billion dollars. Hershey’s products include chocolates, confectioneries, food and beverage related products such as baking ingredients, toppings etc. The company lives by its mission statement, â€Å"Undisputed Marketplace Leadership† (www.hersheys.com). Hershey continues to preserve a higher position by successfully converting consumer desires into reality. II. Objective It was Mr. Roger Clarke, Vice president Sales of Hershey International, a division of Hershey Foods Corporation, was reviewing the Australian experience. He had a board meeting to attend in a week’s time and had to present his assessment of what the cause of failure had been in Australia. Was it strategic mistake or had implementation been the problem, and what strategy would be appropriate for re-entry. in this case we will try to help how to make the re-entry going smoothly by using the key SCM strategies, tools, best practises III. Literature The International Marketing Entry Evaluation Process is a five stage process, and its purpose is to gauge which international market or markets offer the best opportunities for our products or services to succeed. The five steps are Country Identification, Preliminary Screening, In-Depth Screening, Final Selection and Direct Experience. Let’s take a look at each step in turn 1. Step One – Country Identification The World is your oyster. You can choose any country to go into. So you conduct country identification – which means that you undertake a general overview of potential new markets. There might be a simple match – for example two countries might share a similar heritage e.g. the United Kingdom and Australia, a similar language e.g. the United States and Australia, or even a similar culture, political ideology or religion e.g. China and Cuba. Often selection at this stage is more straightforward. For example a country is nearby e.g. Canada and the United States. Alternatively your export market is in the same trading zone e.g. the European Union. Again at this point it is very early days and potential export markets could be included or discarded for any number of reasons. [pic] 2. Step Two – Preliminary Screening At this second stage one takes a more serious look at those countries remaining after undergoing preliminary screening. Now you begin to score, weight and rank nations based upon macro-economic factors such as currency stability, exchange rates, level of domestic consumption and so on. Now you have the basis to start calculating the nature of market entry costs. Some countries such as China require that some fraction of the company entering the market is owned domestically – this would need to be taken into account. There are some nations that are experiencing political instability and any company entering such a market would need to be rewarded for the risk that they would take. At this point the marketing manager could decide upon a shorter list of countries that he or she would wish to enter. Now in-depth screening can begin. 3. Step Three – In-Depth Screening The countries that make it to stage three would all be considered feasible for market entry. So it is vital that detailed information on the target market is obtained so that marketing decision-making can be accurate. Now one can deal with not only micro-economic factors but also local conditions such as marketing research in relation to the marketing mix i.e. what prices can be charged in the nation? – How does one distribute a product or service such as ours in the nation? How should we communicate with are target segments in the nation? How does our product or service need to be adapted for the nation? All of this will information will for the basis of segmentation, targeting and positioning. One could also take into account the value of the nation’s market, any tariffs or quotas in operation, and similar opportunities or threats to new entrants. 4. Step Four – Final Selection Now a final shortlist of potential nations is decided upon. Managers would reflect upon strategic goals and look for a match in the nations at hand. The company could look at close competitors or similar domestic companies that have already entered the market to get firmer costs in relation to market entry. Managers could also look at other nations that it has entered to see if there are any similarities, or learning that can be used to assist with decision-making in this instance. A final scoring, ranking and weighting can be undertaken based upon more focused criteria. After this exercise the marketing manager should probably try to visit the final handful of nations remaining on the short, shortlist. 5. Step Five – Direct Experience Personal experience is important. Marketing manager or their representatives should travel to a particular nation to experience firsthand the nation’s culture and business practices. On a first impressions basis at least one can ascertain in what ways the nation is similar or dissimilar to your own domestic market or the others in which your company already trades. Now you will need to be careful in respect of self-referencing. Remember that your experience to date is based upon your life mainly in your own nation and your expectations will be based upon what your already know. Try to be flexible and experimental in new nations, and don’t be judgmental – it’s about what’s best for your company – happy hunting P.E.S.T. Analysis for Hershey PEST analysis stands for â€Å"Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis† and describes a framework of macro-environmental factors used in the environmental scanning component of strategic management 1. Political/Legal Analysis – Chocolate producers unable to distribute products to certain countries. – Major issue is child labour in cocoa farms – Mostly affected areas in Africa where child labour runs rampant. – The Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA) and the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) created the Harkin-Engel Protocol, which is an agreement that focuses on child labour practices on cocoa farms in West Africa. – Result opened new channels to export and distribute cocoa to international countries. 2. Economic Analysis – In every year, due to hurricane impact, flood, etc, the price of refined sugar decreased from $0.38 to $0.31 per pound (estimate cost). – This allowed companies to cut retail costs and redistribute the savings. – A lot of waste material is produced, and companies spend thousands of dollars on disposing it. – However, there is a new opportunity born due to recent developments in bio fuel or another energy alternative. – New method of production that can use the by-product of chocolate manufacturing companies. 3. Socio-cultural Analysis – Consumers want a larger variety of chocolates and healthier alternatives to the traditional chocolates. – Dark chocolates provided several health benefits by adding a flavonoid in the chocolate that prevents various cardiovascular problems. 4. Technological Analysis – The chocolate and cocoa industries lack supports of Non-Government Organizations (NGO), which restrict the farmer’s access to business guidance, funding, and continuing education. – Farmers can’t learn new technologies making them less efficient. – This prevents the chocolate manufacturers from gaining cocoa efficiently to create more chocolates for the consumer. Target Audience for Australia Market The primary consumers of Hershey Chocolates include a vast audience ranging from children, teenagers and adults. But mostly, Hershey targets its consumers ranging from age 13-30 years old. The chocolate bar is considered a snack or is part of a daily diet in case of some athletes. The chocolates are available in most grocery stores, gas stations, malls etc. Consumers primarily buy chocolates according to their price. They also prefer if the chocolates fit their health and nutritional requirements, although there is a very low margin of difference between selecting according to price and according to health. S.W.O.T Analysis for Hershey Food Corporation SWOT analysis (alternatively SWOT Matrix) is a structured planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. A SWOT analysis can be carried out for a product, place or person. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective a. Strengths – Hershey has grown from one product one plant to a $4 billion company with various quality chocolates. – It’s a strong brand name and has a strong image. – Hershey was largest candy maker in U.S. with 30.7% market share – And want to expansion to Australia with market share 25% – It is also the largest pasta manufacturer in U.S. with 28.4% market share – World’s largest chocolate plant in U.S., with more than 2 million sq. feet. – Powerful partnerships (Starbucks, Kraft, Coca-Cola etc) – Major profits go to Milton Hershey School for Orphans. Also donates to Red Cross, UNICEF, and Habitat for Humanity etc. – Cooperative with students and professors. Toll free number 1800-468-1714, to access additional information on request. b. Weaknesses – Hershey’s Global market share is very low, around 10% and it happen in Australia – Concern for natural environment needs to be expressed. – Cocoa production rates are rising, and even a small price increase at retail level affects consumer buying. – Poor decision making as company relies on brand loyalty and has reduced advertising expenditure. – Higher price from the competitor make Harshey became premium pricing and the target make segmented. – Insufficient promotion by Hershey c. Opportunities – Potential to expand range of Dark/Sugar free products for health benefits. – Use partnership ventures to create chocolate flavoured coffee products. – Produce cocoa in new areas other than Africa, maybe from South east Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, etc) – Produce bio-fuel and another alternative Energy from the chocolate by-products – Develop environment friendly packaging, recycling industrial waste – China, India and majority of South East Asia are untapped markets and it can be delivered from Australian. d. Threats – Consumer demanding healthier substitutes. – Steady rise in prices of cocoa, milk and sugar. – Main competitors are Mars and Nestle. – 25% of Nestle revenues profits come from coffee. Nestle plays its strengths in international markets. Hershey is more focused on just local markets. – Mars uses extensive marketing and advertising expenditures to gain market share. Hershey just uses product innovations Five forces to growth in Australia 1. Threat for new entrants There is very little threat for new entrants in the chocolate industry because of the current economy, the various differences in products, and the constant need for large capital requirements. Also, since there is a lack of distribution channels and with the strict FDA regulations kept in place for food manufacturers, the threat for new entrants is almost non-existent 2. Bargaining powers of buyers The bargaining powers of buyers increase by two factors: a number of large volume buyers and the buyers’ relatively low profits from the product. But since the industry as so many different products, the presence of different costs, the bargaining power of the buyers is low to moderate at best. 3. Bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers has decreased since the chocolate industry is an important customer for the suppliers. But the power is moderate to high since the suppliers are concentrated; there are no substitute products available. 4. Pressures from substitute products The chocolate companies compete with various substitutes that threaten the industry. There are various flavours that are used as a substitute for chocolate. These include vanilla, butter, mint, rose, lemon, etc. Many consumers readily switch to these as they also consider chocolate to be unhealthy. 5. Rivalries amongst competitors Among the chocolate industry, there are intense rivalries amongst the highest competitors. There are numerous strong chocolate manufacturers giving out various varieties of chocolates at different prices, resorting to creative advertising schemes, constantly giving out new products and high quality chocolates to satisfy the consumer needs. Marketing mix Strategy a. Product – The new ‘Hershey Slim’ dark chocolates will have a flavonoid substance added which helps protect the cardiovascular system and is efficient until three hours upon consumption – Produced for health conscious consumers to ensure that Hershey favours healthier alternatives. Hershey will also assure people with health issues such as diabetics, that their chocolates are a safe and healthy alternative. – The core strategy is to reinvent the image of chocolates from being a source of a lot of sugar and calories therefore making people fat and/or diabetic, to an image where chocolates are considered an aid for protecting the consumers from heart disease and enhancing the rate of metabolism, by using flavonoids in their products. b. Price – To keep the chocolates reasonably affordable, keeping current financial trends in mind. – To have a promotion campaign in part with the contest – Currently chocolate bars are priced at $2.50 each. As part of the contest promotion, the chocolate will be sold at $2.00 each. – c. People – Target Audience would primarily be consumers from age range of 13-30 years, particularly health conscious individuals. – The most bought products are chocolate bars, which some consider as a snack, while others as part of their daily diet. d. Place – The chocolates will be available in grocery stores, malls, supermarkets, gas stations, coffee shops, airports, and at the main outlets. |Major Channel Distributors |Secondary Channels | |Supermarkets |Commercial stores (7-11, Cheers) | |Department Stores |Amusement areas (cinemas, parks) | |Pharmacy |School | |Duty Free Outlets |Mini market | |Grocery store |Channel Distributor | |Gas Stations | | |Main outlet | | e. Promotion – The chocolates will be marketed through an interactive contest. Also, some promotional programs could be held under joint sponsorships through gyms/spas. – customised chocolate products for the promotional, corporate, hospitality and special occasions industries Objectives and Strategies a. Product – To reinvent Hershey Chocolates as a health conscious low calorie dark chocolate. – To reassure health conscious consumers to purchase this new product by providing all the necessary nutritional information – Hershey’s goal is to keep each product’s nutrition information up-to-date and accurate b. Objectives – To promote the health benefits of the new Hershey Dark Chocolate – Help the consumers change their mind-set that chocolates are unhealthy. – To spread awareness and increase sales of the product. c. Strategy – To increase sales using promotional materials such as an interactive contest. – Make a new plant for chocolate nearby Australia, to increase the cost and make the price competitive. Example: we can use one of the three proposed strategies. 1. Hershey Dark Chocolate Mascot Strategy – Each chocolate has a code which in the package – Unlocks part of a character. A total of 25 unique parts allowing consumers to create 120 variations of characters. – Customers can go online and create the character of choice online and submit to the contest – Winning character will be the new mascot for the Hershey Slim. Winner will also receive gift vouchers and a 1 month membership to California Fitness Gym 2. Healthy mind, healthy body with Hershey Strategy – In the chocolate packaging are instructions to visit website – Consumers have to play a classic memory game which has five levels of difficulty. – Cards show healthy foods, and Hershey products – Winners who complete the final score under a specific time limit win a one day all access pass to California Fitness Gym 3. Wrapper Cash Strategy – Each Hershey Slim wrapper contains points – These points can be collected under an online account – Purchases can be made from the Hershey shop using these points. – There would be a limit to the number of points one can input per day, per account. – The more you save, the bigger better things you can buy. – Products would mostly include exercise equipment. Possible to buy products at half their retail price using the point system. Reference â€Å"Hershey Co. Form 10-K†, The Hersheys Company, December 31st, 2009. Retrieved January 14th, 2011. http://www.thehersheycompany.com/assets/pdfs/hersheycompany/2009AnnualReport.pdf Lovell, Jeremy. â€Å"Eat More Chocolates and Help the Environment† PlanetArk.com November 7th, 2007. Retrieved January 14th, 2011. Michael et al. â€Å"The Hershey Company – Introduction the World of Chocolate†, 2007. Retrieved January 10th, 2011. â€Å"U.S. Labour Department Funds Project to Evaluate Effectiveness of Anti-Child-Labour Efforts in the Cocoa Industry.† World’s Technology News. October 4th,2006. Retrieved January 14th, 2011. Website – http://www.marketingteacher.com – www.hersheys.com – www.thehersheycompany.com – www.gogle.com

Followership and Model I and II

The model of followership presented by Goffe and Jones indicates the significance of three emotions which an individual produces in a person which leads them to follow him. These three emotions are summarized as given below. (a) The first emotional response an individual evokes is that of a feeling of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   significance or importance. Thus leaders who create an impression in people that they matter will be able to obtain even the, â€Å"heart and soul† of their followers.    This is not just a response of blind adulation. It flows from an appreciation by   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the leader not just their personalities but also their work. Thus the follower will    give loyalty and even implicit obedience. (b)   The second response is that of a feeling of community, a sense of belonging to an organization where the leader creates unity of purpose around the work   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   which they all do. The leader is one who the follower sees as having created a   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   feeling of the community. (c)   The third emotional response is the feeling of buzz, an excitement which is   Ã‚   created by the sheer presence of the leader. His energy and enthusiasm is   Ã‚  Ã‚   contagious.   Followers are willingly led by such leaders who provide them   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   excitement, challenge and a passion to live their lives. This may be called as    charisma but actually is much more than that. Argyris and Schon (Dick. Dalmau, 1990) have provided an understanding of the conscious and subconscious processes of reasoning. This fits in well with the emotional aspects of followership indicated by Goffe and Jones. Argyris Model II ideally fits into the theory of followership espoused by Goffee and Jones. In Model II, the leader provides a scope for double loop learning. This implies that there is open inquiry of issues thereby which people are placed in a position of significance and respond to a situation based on a community based pattern of involvement which is highlighted in double loop learning model of Argyris. The emotional feeling of a buzz created by a leader’s presence is heightened in the Model II for the leader provides inspiration. On the other hand, Model I is based on the single loop theory through which most leaders operate till they understood the advantage of the double loop theory (Argyris et al.   1985, p.   89). The excessive control exercised by the leader in Model I is not conducive to creating an emotional feeling of importance as well as a sense of belonging to a larger organization or establishment (Argyris, et al. 1985, p.   89). Power: How Its Meaning in Corporate Life is Changing Gary in his summary on the various views of power has provided us how perception of power has changed over the years. In the initial years it was the emotional response of charisma, the buzz that is categorized as the third factor by Goffee and Jones that was the essence of power in leaders. However gradually this perception has changed and power came to regarded as an issue for organizations productivity. This is the power used for creating a feeling of community of belonging and one which provided a unity of purpose. Thus we see a shift in power from Model I to Model II very gradually. Model II or the double loop theory propounded by Argyris is a power paradigm which can be associated with that advocated by David McCelland and David Burnham. Thus managers in this model were democratic and more willing to share their power with others with a view to creating a community feeling in the organization but one which was primarily driven towards achieving goals of the organization (McCelland. Burnham, 1995). James Hillman in his in depth analysis of power has indicated that there could be more elements or purposes to power than that indicated by the purely simplistic explanation of exercising coercive force. He provides a benign expression of power that of providing service to the organization (Hillman, 1995). While Model I denoted by Argyris has indicated power in its coercive function as defined by Hillman, for in it the leader will attempt to control unilaterally, the subsequent transformation indicates development towards Model II   (Argyris. 1985). Power in the Hillman model is to seek followership in which it is linked with the two emotions of making people feel important and creating a community feeling for achieving corporate goals. Ronald Heifetz indicates that power does not necessarily imply the ability to protect people from threat but to let them feel the threat through simulation and adaptation. This is the new model of power which is aligned to Argyris’ Model II wherein the protection offered by Model I which also includes protection of ones group of followers is done away with. By exposing followers to disorientation by the threats which are the essence of a new age, the 21st Century, it will lead people to transformations required to fit into the new age (Heifetz, 1994). The Living Company The Living Company is one which survives because leaders consider the company as a congregation of people and not as an organization which produces goods and services. Thus people are more valued than assets. This focus on the people is what makes these organizations perform consistently over a long period in some cases as the Sumitomo over the centuries. People are given importance which is due to them because they are working in the company efficiently and effectively. They provide a feeling of belonging to the organization such as Unilever and finally they have a series of leaders who define the trajectory of growth for individuals as well as the company. These leaders see themselves as shaping a human community The Living company follows the Argyris Model II with powerful double loop learning systems which effectively provides feedback, creates internal commitment as well as leads to informed decision making. This in turn continuously provides a perception of the deficiencies to the management which undertakes continuous improvements. This also leads to generation of new ideas and development of new businesses. Managing in the Cappuccino Economy The companies in the Cappuccino economy provide a high degree of importance to people even in junior positions by allowing them to make independent decisions. They are in turn spurred by the faith placed by the management in their abilities even for critical decisions which affect the company’s bottom line. On the other hand the non cappuccino companies do not provide such freedom to the management. The results achieved by these companies are of a higher order which is benchmarked by the rise in equity of these companies by the author. The top end companies of the Cappuccino economy follow Model II which comprises of empowerment and sharing in decision making right down to the last level. These companies also delimit control by the higher executives though given Argyris predictions once the companies grow, the instinctive response to control may come back. However by establishing training and coaching, Argyris has indicated that Model II skills can be built up in these companies on a continuous basis. The non Cappuccino companies on the other hand follow Model I; thereby they are unable to adjust to the changing circumstances lacking a double loop feedback. Empowerment : The Emperor’s New Clothes Empowerment implies enhancing an employee’s self worth which in turn will build his commitment to the organization. Thus a firm which demonstrates to an employee that he can control his own destiny, that he is important will get maximum commitment from him. On the other hand Argyris also indicates that the process of change itself does not make people feel important as it only indicates to them what change is required (Argyris, 1998).   It is change that is more important than the employee, thus he may not be fully committed to the process. Empowerment is many times inhibited by leadership in most organizations. These executives are control oriented, hence are unable to be seen as charismatic, â€Å"light houses†. He has also indicated that many people do not want to be empowered. They feel more comfortable in being led. Argyris also feels that it is performance per se which is the most important factor and not empowerment (Argyris, 1998). Thus some organizations in their enthusiasm for empowering the employee by making him feel important, tend to overlook the results that are produced by him. This empowerment is considered self defeating. Argyris Model I corresponds to external commitment that does not provide much leeway to employees to define their own goals and tasks. This thus does not profess empowerment (Argyris, 1998)   Control remains with the management or the higher leadership and employees are expected to merely follow the laid down norms. Argyris has advocated Model I for most routine jobs which may not entail too much empowerment. Such jobs are better performed through external commitment rather than internal. Argyris Model II corresponds to an organization which offers its employees internal commitment. This enables maximum participation by employees in the project in turn enhancing the way in which they are empowered. However implementing Model II as per Argyris is an extremely difficult and challenging process, hence many organizations profess rather than practice the same. Why Should Anyone be Led by You? Inspirational leaders are known to possess four basic qualities, they demonstrate willingly their own weakness, they rely on intuition for seeking the appropriate time for an intervention, empathize freely yet firmly with followers and are not afraid to demonstrate their own uniqueness. By showing to the followers that they have weaknesses as other men they convey a feeling of being human thereby building up a sense of community in the group. This also helps in establishing a common bond based on a feeling of want or need. The intuitiveness and unique differences that they demonstrate contributes to the charisma which creates a buzz about them and inspires other people. The demonstration of difference is also appreciated by followers as it indicates a spirit of adventure denoted by leaders as Sir John Harvey-Jones, CEO of ICI. By empathizing with their followers, the leaders indicate to them that they are an important facet of their lives, providing the led the sense of being of consequence, thereby inviting greater loyalty. The inspirational leader is also able to use the right quality amongst this at the most appropriate time. The last quality is what is most important for practical application as it enables leaders to practice leadership by being themselves rather than creating a faà §ade. The inspirational leader denotes Model II provided by Argyris which is evident from the fact that he is not only open to a double loop feedback but also welcomes it. He uses this to sustain and support the overall good of the organization. The leader in this case is willing to share control over his self with his followers which provides them a unique sense of empowerment building an infinite sense of loyalty. Leaders are also able to gain intuitive feedback of the system thereby contributing to the double loop of Model II. By being open, fair, transparent and appropriately empathizing with their subordinates, these leaders are the anti thesis of Model I organizations where leaders are aloof, directional and do not expect or welcome a feedback. Inspirational leaders thus seem to fit in ideally with a Model II organization. Reference:- Argyris, C.   (1985) Strategy, change & defensive routines.   Boston: Pitman. Argyris, C., Putnam, R., & McLain Smith, D.   (1985) Action science: concepts, methods, and skills for research and intervention.   San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Dick, B., & Dalmau, T.   (1990) Values in action: Applying the ideas of Argyris and Schon.   Brisbane: Interchange. Heifetz, Ronald. (1994). Leadership without Easy Answers. Belkap Press. Hillman, James. (1995) Kinds of Power. Currency Books. McClelland, David. Burnham, David. Power is the Great Motivator. Harvard Business Reprint. Jan-Feb 1995. (Case Study) Gary, Loren. Power: How Its Meaning in Corporate Life is Changing. (Case Study) Goffee, Robert. Jones, Gareth. Followership. Harvard Business Review. (Case Study). Gues, Arie de. The Living Company. (Case Study). Shapiro, Eileen C. Managing in the Cappuccino Economy. (Case Study). Argyris, Chris. Empowerment : The Emperor’s New Clothes. Harvard Business Review. May-June 1998. (Case Study) Goffee, Robert. Jones, Gareth. Why Should Anyone be Let by You?   Ha rvard Business Review. September – October 2000.

Nokia's Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Nokia's Marketing - Case Study Example The report tries to understand the effects globalisation and the economic downturn have on this organisation. The theories and practices related to marketing during an economic downturn are delved into while trying to examine how the organisation responds and deals with the challenges this situation poses. An organisation has to resort to several drastic and innovative measures to survive, maintain and thrive during a period of economic slump. The report examines the strategies adopted by Nokia to sustain during this time. The theories related to globalisation have also been studied with particular reference to Nokia and the process by which and the extent to which the company has undergone internationalisation and the global marketing strategies adopted by the company. The issues of globalisation and economic slump inter-react in different ways and the consequences are varied for different industries and different organisations. While the combined impact of globalisation and the economic downturn is extremely adverse for many organisations in several sectors, it has been possible for some organisations in some sectors to take advantage of globalisation to sail through the storms of recession. The report looks into how Nokia has tried to utilise the advantages of one for withstanding the impact of the other. "When the economy heads south, marketing lands on the chopping block" ("Marketing during a downturn," 2008, p.4). During a financial crunch, it is the marketing budget that gets cut first. At the time of presentation of the report, 60% of the large companies were expecting to cut down, if not already done so, their marketing expenditure. The contingent strategy adopted here is shifting from traditional marketing to online marketing whereby the companies are spending more on direct marketing while spending less on branding. Moreover, several marketing professionals feel that it is needless to spend separately on branding and direct marketing, as these goals can be achieved together. Larger companies, which provide larger budgets for marketing, also make the larger cuts during an economic downturn. Smaller companies, which do not have a considerable budget for marketing, obviously do not and cannot resort to any significant degree of cuts in their marketing budgets ("Marketing during a downturn," 2008, p.5). On the other hand, when the buying patterns are not affected much, the marketing budgets may not be slashed. However, in such cases, keeping direct expenditure on the media the same, the budget on marketing overheads that do not directly translate into revenue may be slashed. Companies going through a stage of growth may not cut down on marketing as acquiring their share of the market is crucial for them at this stage. Besides, there are also marketing professionals who opine that it is damaging for companies to cut back during difficult times, as marketing can help companies gain a larger voice and make themselves heard better in the marketplace during diffi cult times when their competitors are cutting back ("Marketing during a downturn," 2008, p.8). At a time, when the consumers are not willing to spend money on anything that is not an absolute necessity, it would be beneficial to stress on the value of the product and the cost savings associated with buying it. Giving products at lower prices, giving longer free trial periods, giving money back guarantees and such other risk-free

Ancestral Veneration of the Akan Community Essay

Ancestral Veneration of the Akan Community - Essay Example The Akan community includes the numerous tribes in Ghana, a country located at the Gulf of Guinea. Although the country is divided into ten different tribes, the Akan ethnic group is attributed to be the major tribe to which most of the Ghanaians belong. It is impossible to discuss about the Ghanaian culture without mentioning the Akan ethnic group in the discussion. The Akan community was a larger tribe that involved various different tribes that included the Nzima, the Fante, the Akim, the Brong, and the Asante. The West African communities have a rich diversity of cultures ranging from religion to cultural practices. The day of the dead for instance was a cultural and traditional Voodoo that incorporated synergistic religion between Catholicism and African tradition that has survived in the trans-Atlantic voyage and it is practiced up to today. The ancestors were significant in the local Akan community and variety of beliefs and cultural activities were conducted in their commemor ation. In their harvest festivals, the Akan community incorporated ancestral worship as they regarded that the ancestors as well as their gods had a huge hand in the production of the bumper harvest they had attained. In these festivals, the community is encouraged to spiritually connect with their ancestors as well as their gods. The cultural ceremonies were conducted in various respected grounds that included; the sacred grounds, the river banks by the roadside or any other respected grounds where the traces of the ancestors could be traced or believed to have existed. The Akan’s Cultures and ancestors The Akan community is generally regarded as one of the Gold Coast community. The Akan community was composed of different sub-groups that shared a common membership in terms of culture and language within the larger Akan community. This however does not mean that there existed a smooth and proper understanding between the different sub-groups within the Akan community. Intens e rivalry existed between the various sub-groupings in the Akan community that made it difficult for the smooth operation of the umbrella community. The social organization of the Akan people was founded on the foundations of families, clans, and villages. This therefore indicated that as an Akan certain attributes of cultures were shared, as it is within these cultures that the various sub-groupings are identified from (Lentz and Nugent, 2000, p. 8). The ancestors played a critical role in the daily life of the Akan community. Having walked on the face of the earth in human form, they were regarded as ancient people who were full of knowledge and experience. Among the Akan Community, the ancestors were referred to as Nsamanfo or in other words the old people. Life after death was a cultural belief among the Akan community, as upon death the body of the deceased is believed to continue with its existence in a spiritual world called the Asamando. In the cultural context of the Akan, the ancestral spirits are feared while at the same time they are respected and loved. They were believed to be omnipresent, as they still exist after death but in spiritual world. In the order of supremacy, the ancestors were ranked third after the Supreme Being and the Asase Yaa respectively. The ancestors according to the Akan people are mandated with the responsibility of intervening between the Supreme Being and the human beings. Each family in the Akan community had ancestors that were directly linked to that particular family. This is despite the fact that whether the family knew them or not. Apart from providing a link between the humans and the Supreme Being, the ancestors were attributed to offering of protection, guidance, and care to the living members of the family. They were called upon in times of need through cultural rituals. However if

Autobiographical gender socialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Autobiographical gender socialization - Essay Example While I was a homemaker, I was stigmatised by the community and with no any forecast. As a medical student, I am regarded as a valuable woman, and my life has been full of joy. The similarity of cooking soup portrays my life has a homemaker. On the other hand, writing papers shows my life as a medical student. Introduction A gender-based examination of the relation between the need to be the ultimate writer with the urge to be the ultimate soup maker is the thesis of this paper. The information given is autobiographical. My goal is to express my changing role from a homemaker, to a doctor who is successful in the area of academics. Gender plays a crucial role by virtue of that the homemaker’s work of preparing soup is feminized in community, whereas the medical’s student work of writing papers is masculine. To start with, a literature review on the duty of a woman and the merit of female’s voice will be given (Watson 432). According to this review, a clear pictur e of my changing responsibility from that of a homemaker to a medical student will be presented. Preparing soup originates from a disciplinary system and is seen as a kind of individual –construction, whereas writing papers is a resistant system and a self-reconstruction. These two opposing life experiences assist to demonstrate how a gender point of view affects my insight of women’s importance in the community. ... First, preparing soup helped to keep my daughter’s nutritional health and give a disciplinary system in my determination to be the best mother. Second, that is from a qualitative perspective, in my society, being a perfect and outstanding wife is seen as a need for the growth of the kid admirable characteristics such as joyfulness and cheerfulness. This positive approach and hopeful mannerism can be recognized by consuming the correct nutrition soup. Third, from a quantitative point of view, the more weight my daughter realized, the more kinds of soups I had to prepare for him (Kosta 212). Therefore, the measurable results of maintaining my daughter health through the means of preparing soup could be the most useful pointer of whether I was a perfect, exceptional or even a successful homemaker in my community. Metaphorically, preparing soup showed the love and care I had for my daughter, which had gone far beyond merely providing her necessity for food. To a wide extent, carin g out this activity was an attempt to obey the rules of social expectations of a woman’s role. In addition, the capability to prepare soup was the criteria for determining whether I was the best mother. In terms of the marital perspective, preparing soup became a way of raising my bargaining power with my husband according to tradition, which showed that a well-educated man believes that the best wife has to understand how to cook and be willing to prepare soup for the family members every day. Preparing soup is regarded as a homemaker’s main significant, activity as related to other forms of house activities, which includes washing utensils, ironing clothes and sweeping the floor. This is because it may significantly influence the health of the

Analysis of a Firm (Business Report) Research Paper

Analysis of a Firm (Business Report) - Research Paper Example However, an interim dividend has been paid to the shareholders though a decrease in net profit has been seen in 2011 as compared to the last year. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Company Overview – Woodside 4 Firm Analysis 4 Financial Analysis 5 Risk and Performance Analysis 7 Investments 8 Valuation 9 Conclusion 10 Reference List 11 Company Overview – Woodside Woodside is one of the major companies of Australia in the oil and gas sector. It is also one of the major operators of LNG plants. They produce about 700,000 oil barrels every day and operate even in remote and sensitive regions of the world. Woodside produces eco-friendly gas to meet the energy requirements of the customers of Australia, China, and Asia Pacific regions. Woodside has a number of subsidiaries. The major operating subsidiary of the company is Woodside Energy ltd. Currently 3,856 employees are working for the company around the world. Woodside is also supported by 734 other third party contra ctors (Woodside, 2011a, p. 4). Firm Analysis Woodside started its journey in the year 1954. Shell had 40 percent of the shares; BHP Billiton had shares in Woodside, too. ... Woodside is large oil and gas company, and companies like Hansard Europe, BlackRock Fund Advisors, DWS Investment GmbH, etc. are its major shareholders. There are 20 other premium companies who are the shareholders of Woodside. Peter Coleman is the CEO of the company as well as the managing director. He has 27 years of experience as the vice-president of Exxon Mobil, one of the largest oil and gas company in the world. Therefore, it can be understood that the management head of the company has adequate experience of handling a major oil and gas company. Moreover, Woodside is an attractive option for investors due to its financial performance, which we will be studying later in this report. This proves that the management of the company and the shareholders work with the common objective and goal of achieving and earning a sustainable profit for the company, and there is no conflict between them, as the strategic functions and systems of the company are transparent enough. Financial A nalysis The 2007-2011 financial analysis data of Woodside have been considered. The sales, or revenue generation of the company, have increased during this period. Though in the year 2008 Woodside earned revenue of US$ 5,045 million, it could boast of no more than US$ 3,487 in 2009. The reason might be the financial crisis which has engulfed the global economy. However, in 2010 and 2011, the revenue increased to US$ 4,193 and US$ 4,802 million respectively, which is about 15 percent increase in comparison with the previous year, as stated in Figure 1. On the other hand, a gearing ratio of 28.6 percent in 2011 is higher than 26.3 percent in 2010. This signifies an increase in the leverages and, consequently, in risks associated with the company (Morning Star, 2012).

Training Design Proposal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Training Design Proposal - Assignment Example The training course is based on conducting the performance review. The course is designed for managers and will take two days. The purpose of the training is to impart knowledge on how to use effective feedback skills when conducting performance reviews. As a system, training is an integrated part that measures performance against a criterion linked to strategic objectives (Blanchard 2013). The objective of this training is to improve feedback skills as lack of proper feedback skills results in poor performance within the organization. When managers fail to effectively deliver performance reviews to employees, then the result would be poor employee output and that would affect the overall performance of the organization. The training would entail variety, activity and participation. The learning outcomes for the programme is to identify the needs of the managers, develop a training programme that meets these needs, implement the developed programme and lastly, evaluate the effectiveness of the programme. The training is designed using the ADDIE model (Blanchard 2013). The model involves analysing the training programme, identifying the relevant design, developing the training programme, implementation of the design and evaluation. The content covered in the topic will be based on performance review. The training will cover the significance of performance review and effective systems for performance review. Also included in the programme are barriers and ethical issues governing performance review, solutions to the identified issues and feedback from the managers upon completion of the training. At this stage, the trainer should identify the needs of the learners, the existing knowledge that they have regarding the topic and the existing gap between what they know and what additional knowledge they need to know. In this case, the topic to be discussed during this

The State of the Visual Arts in Colorado Case Study

The State of the Visual Arts in Colorado - Case Study Example Just recently, Colorado State University celebrated the openings of the final two spaces in the new University Center of the Arts located in the old Fort Collins High School. These are the University Art Museum and the Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising where visitors can take a tour CSU's art and historic clothes and textile collections (Colorado State University). "The University Art Museum has four discrete galleries that offer flexibility for the installation of small or large exhibitions that will allow some 3,000 objects including Japanese prints, Warhol photographs, African sculptures and contemporary art to rotate through the space" while the Avenir Museum is "home to a collection of 12,000 artifacts including historic clothing, lace, textiles, accessories and chairs" (Colorado State University). Aside from these two new art-improving developments, the Colorado State University is also in the process of constructing the visual art complex, a premier visual art building which will be open to the public (Colorado State University). Colorado also has an art market. One is composed of outdoor fine arts and crafts fair showcasing work of 90 artisans. There are still a number of art galleries and stores in Colorado.

Activity Based Costing Essay Example for Free

Activity Based Costing Essay Activity based costing (ABC) is a relative new way to allocate costs to specific processes and services. This system assures that the costs are accurately distributed to the products or services that generated them. ABC illustrates costs more accurately, giving management insight to the cost associated with certain business activities. ABC extends the decision-making skills of management by expanding on traditional costing (job order costing/process order costing) techniques. However, since ABCs introduction in the 1980s, many corporations are not using ABC, despite gained managerial decision making capabilities. Even by the mid-1990s, ABCs use has not spread throughout the accounting industry and its use is not obvious (Selto Jasinski, 1996). The following article will discuss the pros and cons of the ABC method. ABC is an extension of traditional product costing techniques. These techniques are called job order costing and process order costing. A job order costing system arranges costs for each unit as it goes through a production process. A process cost system collects costs in work in progress account. The numbers of units worked are recorded for the accounting period. These systems alone do not accurately illustrate costs incurred. Instead, these two costing techniques generally lump costs into 3 main categories (cost centers). These three categories are direct materials, direct labor and overhead. Cost drivers are then assigned to represent the relationship between the cost and the process it is allocated to. ABC provides a better map of the costs of manufacturing products or distributing services. ABC uses a multitude of activity centers, which are the equivalent to the previously mentioned traditional cost centers. Each of these activity centers has its own cost driver and driver rate. ABC identifies many different costs to products by adjusting the cost driver and driver rates to specific activity centers. This process avoids across the board allocations of cost. For example, a product, which takes up .03% of space in the warehouse, would require .03% cost absorbed by product sales revenue. If the depreciation unit requires 5% cost to replace equipment at a latter date, 5% is the driver rate for that particular product. Unit, batch  and product level costs can be determined with ABC. The following steps can summarize the ABC process. The first step is to identify the activities that consume resources and allocate costs to those activities. For example, purchasing materials, record keeping, labor, materials, miles driven, machine hours and number of customers served are activities, which consume resources and needs costs to be assigned to them. The second step is to distinguish the cost drivers that are related to each activity. For example, if machine hours an activity used in the process, then the number of hours used in production of one unit would be the particular cost driver rate. The last step is to allocate costs to products by multiplying the cost driver rate by the number of cost driver units consumed by the process. There are many inherent strengths in the ABC model. The ABC model allows costs to be allocated to many different activity centers. Few corporations can focus on undifferentiated product lines and be successful. Having multiple product lines means the company has multiple cost drivers associated with each different product line. ABC is helpful in selecting which products are successful and which ones should be eliminated. Accurate cost information is key in determining the actual costs of frequent product changes. This cost is important because costs can be a good indicator of the justification or termination of varying product lines. Product lines have become more complex. Product lines of past were much simpler. For example, the Model T Ford came in one style and one color, black. Today, Ford cars have many different colors and styles. These different styles all have different cost drivers and activity centers. ABC illuminates hidden costs when high volume sales are not present and product differentiation is. This is advantageous because unprofitable lines can be replaced with lines that are profitable. Not many years ago, labor comprised 25 to 50 percent of a products cost. However, since the 1960s, labor is increasingly less involved in the  production process. For example, the textile industry replaced 100-year old shuttle looms for European air-jet looms, doubling output with less labor. In steel, the Nucor corporation used continuous casting machines to yield labor costs of $60/ton verses traditional steels $130/ton. Labor cost today is infrequently the driving force behind costs it was during the development period of cost accounting (1930s). Instead, indirect costs have replaced labor as the dominant portion of costs for some products (Kelly, 1991). To use labor as the major basis for allocating as job costing or process costing accounting does, may lead to inaccurate decisions by management. The accounting profession has largely overlooked ABC. Among reasons cited for low adoption were employee resistance and the organizational changes essential with the use of ABC (Ness Cucuzza, 1995). Some trace the source of hindered adoption of ABC to technical as well as cultural issues. Others feel that ABC would be more widespread in industry if it were marketed better by the accounts themselves (Brausch, 1992). There are several reasons for ABC low adoption rate. Complexity is an obstacle to implementing ABC. ABC requires detailed records of the costs associated with producing products and services as compared to traditional methods. This detailed record keeping requires more effort from the accountants and is more time consuming. The complexity of ABC can contribute to more errors. ABC can require more time to check and recheck to uncover errors. ABC generally requires more effort on the part of the accountant verses traditional methods and reduces the adoption rate of ABC. Another reason for not using ABC is the increased economies of scale. Many corporations are standardizing their products to reduce the costs to manufacture them. For example, Coca-Cola distributes its products in many different countries. The product varies very little in respect to packaging and manufacturing. Traditional methods of accounting can assign costs more easily, quickly and accurately for those products that have little or no product variation. ABC is a valuable tool in calculating the costs of producing varying product  lines. These differing product lines require more extensive accounting practices than traditional costing methods provide. The information obtained from ABC can help promote product lines that managers feel are profitable between those which should be eliminated. Labor is less frequently the major ingredient in the production process. ABC addresses this concern by examining and illustrating the overhead costs associated with particular activity centers. ABC describes these over head costs more accurately and is beneficial when increasingly more complex manufacturing processes are used. Adoption issues should be addressed to implement ABC method when costing decisions matter to managers. Bibliography: ReferencesBrausch, J.M. Selling ABC: New Cost Systems Can Flounder if They Are Not Marketed. Management Accounting, February 1992, pp. 42-46. Geishecker, M.L. New Technologies Support ABC. Management Accounting, March 1996, pp. 42-48. Kelly, K. A Bean-Counters Best Friend. Business Week, October 25, 1991, pp. 42-43. Ness, J.A. and T.G. Cucuzza. Tapping the Full Potential of ABC. Harvard Business Review, July/August 1995, pp. 130-131. Selto, F.H. and D.W. Jasinski. ABC and High Technology: A Story with a Moral. Management Accounting, March 1996, pp. 37-40. 17

The Sampling Of Existing Documentation Information Technology Essay

The Sampling Of Existing Documentation Information Technology Essay System analyst uses sampling techniques in order to organize the above documentation. Sampling technique is the process of combing a representative sample of documents, form and records (Bentley, Whitten, 2007). According to these authors there are two commonly used sampling techniques namely randomization and stratification. Randomization is the process of selecting sample data randomly. Stratification is the systematic process to deduct the variance of sampling data. We can have better understanding of the system due to the analysis of existing documents, forms, files related to the current system. JRP is the structured group work meeting to identify, analyze problems and define the requirements of system. JRP is becoming increasingly common in systems planning and systems analysis to obtain group consensus on problems, objectives and requirements (Bentley and Whitten; 2007). JRP can tabulate the facts efficiently in a short time and it can also replace in the place of numerous and separate interviews. JRP contains different participants with each specialized roles to perform structured meeting. JRP participants include sponsor, facilitator, users and managers, scribes and IT staff. Sponsor is an individual in top management, who has full authority to decide who will be participants, time and location of JRP session. The role of facilitator is to lead JRP session, motivate participants, solve conflicts and meet the requirements of meeting during the JRP session. Users in JRP session are responsible for rules and requirement of business, prototype, and satisfactory decisions. An d Managers are responsible for projects, schedules and costs and training requirements. Scribes job is to record everything discussed in the meeting. IT staff responsible for models and documentation concerning with facts during the discussion. JRP is formed different individuals with various roles and covers both in users and in management levels. JRP saves time to develop systems as it is not required one-on-one interviewing of each participant within the organization. When JRP incorporates prototyping as a means for confirming requirements and obtaining design approvals, the benefits of prototyping are realized (Bentley and Whitten; 2007). In this paper we discussed about the seven fact-finding techniques based on studying our text book and some articles. During our assignment, we become to understand that if the system analyst knows details of fact-finding techniques, they can get knowledge of gathering the required information to develop the current system.