Porter's Model of National Competitive Advantage Essay - 1

Porter's Model of National Competitive Advantage - Essay Example Porter's Diamond of National Advantage Corporate strategies are ever increasing and thus have to be observed from a global context. This is because, even when an organization has no plans to import or to export commodities directly, the management staff has to gaze at the international business environment, where the actions of buyers, sellers, competitors, and new entrants of providers of alternatives may have an impact on the domestic market. Through this trend, information technology can be reinforced. Michael Porter’s model that allows for the analyzing of why some countries are more aggressive than others are, and the reason why some industries within countries are more aggressive than the way others are. All this is written in the book he published titled â€Å"The Competitive Advantage of Nations†. From the insight revealed in his writings, his representation of determining factors in national advantage has come to be known as Porters Diamond. This model proposes that the nationalized home base of a business plays a considerable role in determining the scope to which it is expected to achieve a competitive advantage on an international level. This home base presents basic factors that may support or hinder businesses from creating advantages in international competition (Held and McGrew 2001). ... Michael Porter makes out four determinants. These are: Factor Conditions When it comes to factor conditions, a country can create its own essential factors such as skilled labour and a strong technological base. It should be noted that the reserve of these features at a given time is not as much important than the degree that they are improved and implemented. Local demerits in features of production drive better innovation. Unfavorable circumstances such as labor shortages or inadequate raw materials may force organizations to come up with new methods, and this originality often goes ahead to a national comparative advantage. Demand Conditions There are situations when the market for a certain product is bigger locally when compared to foreign markets. In this situation, the local organizations give more attention to that commodity than foreign organizations do, thus leading to the element of competitive advantage as soon as the local organizations start exporting the commodity in q uestion. From this understanding, it becomes clear that when there is a high demand in the local market for a particular commodity, a national advantage results. In the spirit of good business, a strong, trendsetting local market can help local organizations look forward to global trends (Salvatore, 2002). Related and Supporting Industries In every industrial process there are always supporting and related industries. This leads to the element of competition between these industries. In the local setting, supporting industries are sometimes competitive, and thus organizations enjoy additional innovative and cost effective inputs. The suppliers get an additional advantage if their businesses are set up in a global

HYBRID MODEL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

HYBRID MODEL - Essay Example Weibe was referring to institutions and groups like political parties, the press, business organizations and the like that stood between the government and the people and which makes that intimacy between the two not viable. If power is concentrated at the top, the tendency is towards anarchism but if power is allowed to filter down too much to the bottom, anarchy will result (2006). The implication therefore is that democracy is largely a balancing act, one in which the fulcrum of power is located in the middle rather than on any of the opposing sides. As Weibe states, democratic life is institutional life. A correct definition of democracy is vital and sine qua non to the crafting of a blueprint for any model of accountability in public administration upon which forms the skeletal basis of a new administration’s line of governance. In drafting the blueprint of a new hybrid model of public administration, it is important to acknowledge the inescapable existence of institution s that fill the distance between government and the people and the need to strengthen government bureacracies to bridge that distance. As the newly appointed interim president, the basis of my governance will be a model which will incorporate all the points culled from the strongest and effective aspects of the various public administration models which are the Jacksonian Democracy model, the Progressive Reform model, the Reinventing Government model, the New Public Management model, and the New Public service model, which will all bring the desired effects of strengthening the fulcrum of power that lies between and separate the government from the people so as to effectively bring the two together. It is important therefore to discuss the said models to be able to point out and explain the facets which had made these models attractive and successful and adopt them in the new model. The Jacksonian/Machine Politics Model.

The Importance of Family Meals

The Importance of Family Meals The Importance of Family Meals Introduction Whether it is dinner, breakfast, or lunch, family meals offer an opportunity for all family members to pass time enjoying each other’s company and good food. In many occasions, mealtimes might be the only occasion many families have a chance to congregate as a unit. Eating meals as a family provides a huge opportunity to form and strengthen domestic bonds as members engage each other in conversations. Also, research shows that family meals benefit members of the household in terms of nutrition, academic performance, spending and manners. This expressive article highlights the nine major benefits of family meals. The Benefits of Eating as a Family The advantages of eating meals as a family are as follows: Communication and Well-Being Dialogue during mealtimes provides an opportunity for the family to plan, learn, and bond with one another. It is a chance to chat about events of the day as parents give additional attention to their children. Family meals foster love, warmth, security and feeling of belonging. Eating together as a household is not merely about food, but knowing about the wellbeing of one another. Sharing meals with loved ones is like a special event that almost assumes the form of a ceremony, which has always been practiced since time immemorial. Besides the appreciation of the food and the effort that went into making it, there are numerous social elements, such as learning how to conduct conversations, listen, serve others, compromise and solve conflicts which come into play when a household shares meals (TheHJGroup, 2013). Role Modeling Family mealtime is the best time to display and teach one another appropriate meal etiquette, table manners, and social skills by keeping the mood relaxed, light, and loving. Family members try lead by example and not to criticize or instruct. Eating together offers an opportunity to exercise gratitude through prayer or sharing the thing members are thankful for prior to eating. Family meals grant the opportunity to convey the attitudes and values of a household from one generation to another: Children can be taught by their parents or grandparents about the values that are significant to the family. Family meals are also an ideal approach to link up household members with their ethnic or cultural heritage, because differing foods might reflect the distinctive ethnic tastes or cultural traditions of their family’s background (TheHJGroup, 2013). Exploration Family meals enable family members to expand and explore the world round them one diet at a time. Members of the family can encourage each other to try out new foods, without bribing or coercing. They can introduce new foods accompanied by some of their favorites. Parents and children can select new recipes from cookbooks, web sites, magazines or newspapers. Trying out new foods, particularly from different parts of the world is like exploration or beginning a new hobby. It magnifies the experience, knowledge, and skills of the household members (TheHJGroup, 2013). Nourishment and Relaxation Meals that have been prepared and consumed at home are generally more nutritious. They comprise more vegetables, fruits, and dairy products as well as extra nutrients such as vitamins A and C, fiber, and calcium. Moreover, home cooked foods are not usually deep-fried or highly salted like take-away meals. Plus, consumption of sweetened beverage is frequently low at the table as family members ought to take natural blended juices. Recent researches show that family meals are connected to a low risk of obesity in both children and adults because when people eat at home they typically consume a balanced diet. Also, eating together helps family members relax. Before or after having a long day away from home, parents and children can benefit from the pleasure of cooking and enjoying their meal. Not only does this give you them a chance to calm down, it prepares them for the day or for a peaceful, rejuvenating sleep. Self-Sufficiency Family meals provide self-sufficiency to household members because it allows them to know how to plan and make meals. Both basic and complex cooking preparations are requirements for being self-sufficient. Parents can involve their family members in grocery shopping, menu planning, and food preparation. Young children can cut bananas, tear lettuce, and set the table while older children can do tasks, such as peeling vegetables. Teenagers can grill, dice, chop, and bake. Working together puts meals faster on the table and makes everybody more responsible. Prevention of Destructive Behaviors Research indicates that frequent family meals (five or more per week) are linked to low rates of drinking, smoking, and illegal drug abuse in teenagers and pre-teens compared to households that do not eat together. Even as the schedules of older children get more complex, it is vital for parents to make efforts to have meals together. Studies by Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse show that children who do not have meals with their family members at least twice every week were 40% more likely to indulge in alcohol and drugs, not to eat healthily, and report being distant from their parents than youngsters who eat with their parents often. Better Academic Performances It has been proven that children perform better academically when they have more meals with their family members. Mealtime discussions translate into success in class. As children listen to their parents and other members talk, they learn essential language abilities, such as new reading and vocabulary skills. These skills are necessary for expressing oneself verbally and comprehending what is read, thus they help children perform better on tests in school. According to research by University of Illinois, children who eat more than five times per week with their family members tend to have high academic performance than their peers who habitually eat away from home or eat alone. Cost Reduction Home cooked meals are much cheaper than fast foods. Families do not need to spend a lot of money to prepare tasty meals because they can look up for cheap and simple recipes from cheap vegetarian foods to healthy snacks on a low budget of under $3 per serving. Meals bought outside the home are generally two to four times costly than meals made at home. Fun Family meals are fun. Through sharing meals and taking time to converse about what the family members are experiencing in term of flavors, they are more likely to have fun and be mindful of the food. This results in improved digestion and enjoyment of the food. Family meals are also fun because they are taken and enjoyed in a cool and relaxed setting. Conclusion In conclusion, the benefits of family meals go beyond nutrition. Eating as a family has multiple advantages in many other aspects as well. Family meals are healthier and they provide an occasion for household members to sit around the table, enjoy, relax, discuss and applaud themselves for preparing a meal that is more likely to be nutritious than one that they would have purchased outside the house. Moreover, recent evidence demonstrates that children who have more meals with other family members are the less likely to engage in illegal behavior, such as smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol. These children also perform well in school, have high self-esteem, and do not develop eating disorders. Family meals are a tradition and the cornerstone of the home because they offer self-sufficiency, reduce costs, and provide fun. Bibliography Kolker, C. (2011). The Immigrant Advantage: What We Can Learn from Newcomers to America about Health, Happiness and Hope. New York: Simon and Schuster. TheHJGroup. (2013, October 23). Successful Entrepreneur on The Importance of Family Meals. Retrieved April 12, 2015, from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdzaZL6AdYg Note to student: Include the secondary source from your school’s library databases in the bibliography above.

Behavior Theories Essay -- Psychology Psychological Essays

Behavior Theories   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The wide study of human beings has led psychologists to the development of many theories explaining the elements that cause a persons behavior and attitude. In this paper I would like to reflect upon some of the theories we studied such as: the cultivation theory, social learning theory, the attribution theory, and the cognitive dissonance theory, and relate them to my life and surrounding environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I’d like to first start off with the cultivation theory (also keep in mind the social learning theory, it is of the same nature). For those unfamiliar with this theory it states, the more media one consumes the more likely he or she will perceive the world as scary place. Now to be totally honest my views about violence in the media and its affects on people were pretty firm. I never agreed with this idea whatsoever. Because I myself watch a ton of violent programs and listen to probably the most controversial music today, it was hard for me to accept that this media was supposedly inflicting harm upon others physically and mentally, when in no harmful way did it affect me. I always felt that people who were â€Å"unintentionally† affected by the media and act out violently because of certain programs or music just needed a basis for their stupidity or in other words a cheap excuse. I just believe that if a child is persuaded into burning the family couch resulting in the death of his little sister because he saw it on a past episode of Bevis and Butthead, then I feel that child is unstable. It's not the content of the media we need to examine its the child that needs to be picked apart and dissected. I have yet to experience a personal situation like this in my life the only cases I can relate to are the ones put on display on TV and in the papers. Everyone has their own individual thoughts and mind frames, some choose to be leaders, while others choose to be followers, who do you think is more likely to be persuaded by the media? But I would like to say that after studying both the cultivation and social learning theories in class, I have been able to open up and accept that â€Å"some† media content can and has had a negative affect on â€Å"some† people. The most interesting thing that I never really thought about until after the discussion of these theories was learning that people are more likely to copy act ions that receive positiv... ...ated. This is one of the biggest problems among us college students today’s, drinking and driving, when are we going to realize its stupid. The answer to that would be Guys you know I don’t like drinking and driving BUT I’ll do it this one last time. When my friends and I go out we always try to have a DD, but a lot of the times being around people that are drinking and acting goofy, is very persuasive in getting that person to drink. Now what. Well now the parties over and everybody’s drunk, so who’s going to drive, obviously someone who was not willing to in the first place because they felt its not smart. But you know how quickly alcohol can change that, â€Å"I’ll drive I’m fine, no really I’m fine I only had about twelve beers, I can barely walk or talk, but I’ll drive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, I would like to say that learning about these theories and their meanings and differences has been totally interesting and helpful to me, honestly. I think its pretty cool to know a little bit more about people and why they act the way they do, particularly my family and friends and even myself. It has and will allow me to make better judgements about situations and the behaviors of others. Behavior Theories Essay -- Psychology Psychological Essays Behavior Theories   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The wide study of human beings has led psychologists to the development of many theories explaining the elements that cause a persons behavior and attitude. In this paper I would like to reflect upon some of the theories we studied such as: the cultivation theory, social learning theory, the attribution theory, and the cognitive dissonance theory, and relate them to my life and surrounding environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I’d like to first start off with the cultivation theory (also keep in mind the social learning theory, it is of the same nature). For those unfamiliar with this theory it states, the more media one consumes the more likely he or she will perceive the world as scary place. Now to be totally honest my views about violence in the media and its affects on people were pretty firm. I never agreed with this idea whatsoever. Because I myself watch a ton of violent programs and listen to probably the most controversial music today, it was hard for me to accept that this media was supposedly inflicting harm upon others physically and mentally, when in no harmful way did it affect me. I always felt that people who were â€Å"unintentionally† affected by the media and act out violently because of certain programs or music just needed a basis for their stupidity or in other words a cheap excuse. I just believe that if a child is persuaded into burning the family couch resulting in the death of his little sister because he saw it on a past episode of Bevis and Butthead, then I feel that child is unstable. It's not the content of the media we need to examine its the child that needs to be picked apart and dissected. I have yet to experience a personal situation like this in my life the only cases I can relate to are the ones put on display on TV and in the papers. Everyone has their own individual thoughts and mind frames, some choose to be leaders, while others choose to be followers, who do you think is more likely to be persuaded by the media? But I would like to say that after studying both the cultivation and social learning theories in class, I have been able to open up and accept that â€Å"some† media content can and has had a negative affect on â€Å"some† people. The most interesting thing that I never really thought about until after the discussion of these theories was learning that people are more likely to copy act ions that receive positiv... ...ated. This is one of the biggest problems among us college students today’s, drinking and driving, when are we going to realize its stupid. The answer to that would be Guys you know I don’t like drinking and driving BUT I’ll do it this one last time. When my friends and I go out we always try to have a DD, but a lot of the times being around people that are drinking and acting goofy, is very persuasive in getting that person to drink. Now what. Well now the parties over and everybody’s drunk, so who’s going to drive, obviously someone who was not willing to in the first place because they felt its not smart. But you know how quickly alcohol can change that, â€Å"I’ll drive I’m fine, no really I’m fine I only had about twelve beers, I can barely walk or talk, but I’ll drive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, I would like to say that learning about these theories and their meanings and differences has been totally interesting and helpful to me, honestly. I think its pretty cool to know a little bit more about people and why they act the way they do, particularly my family and friends and even myself. It has and will allow me to make better judgements about situations and the behaviors of others.

King Arthur and His Knights Round Table Essay

We have read King Arthur and the knights of the round table. It’s a fantasy/history book. Here is a short summary: After Uther Pendragon’s death, Merlin the druid forms a stone, and in it, a sword. On this sword, it is written that anyone who can pull it out of the stone will become the new king of England. After many years, the young Arthur, (secretly the son of Pendragon), pulls this magical sword out of the stone, and becomes king. Together with Merlin, he constructs a round table, where only the best knights of England may sit. More and more knights come to join the brotherhood of the Round Table, and each has his own adventures After many years, The holy knight Sir Galahad, the son of Sir Lancelot, comes to the court of Arthur. With his coming, all knights ride throughout Europe for the search of the Holy Grail of Jesus Christ. Only four knights see the Grail: Sir Lancelot, Sir Percival, Sir Bors de Gaunnes and Sir Galahad. After the Grail is found, the last battle of the Round Table is close-at-hand. In this battle, many knights die and with them, King Arthur, his nephew Sir Gawain, and also, Mordred, the wicked son of King Arthur and his half-sister Morgana le Fay. King Arthur is buried at Avalon, the secret island of the druids and damsels. A remarkeble quote from the book was; ‘and herewith I make you a knight. Go forward as you have begun, and there will be a place waiting for you at the Round Table. And I hold that you will be one of the truest knights in all the Realm of Logres, and one of the gentlest and most valiant. Said Launcelot to Gareth of Orkney. ’ We decided to choose this quote because Gareth of Orkney was a kind of an outsider. When he came to Arthur’s castle, they were making fun of him, and bullied him. But even after everything he has been to, he made it to a Knight of the round table. Next thing you are going to see, are some pictures that deal with the book. We used some pictures from the movie King Arthur. We thought that these pictures were the most matching pictures we could find. You are going to see some pictures of the main characters and more.

Personal Change Essay

Every day I hear people talking about how they do not like this or how they want to change that. Oddly enough, I do not often hear someone say I really need to make a personal change. The thought that people point fingers at others and take not fault weighted on my mind for quite a while. So I decided if I could change one thing about myself in a positive way, it would be to stop being so self-centered. This change would not only be beneficial to me, but also the people around me. They would be a lot happier around me, it would open my eyes to a new perspective on life as a whole, and last but not least, I would not be as irresponsible. From my experience nobody likes to be around a selfish inconsiderate person. Making this change in my life would transform me from that selfish guy, to a caring, considerate and positive individual. Socially my world would sky rocket almost instantly. When someone is fun and considerate, they are easy to be around. This means I would attract more peop le, which leads me to my next point. The more people we meet in life, the more we learn. I feel that if I do not meet new people and experience new things, I will have that same old one tract mind. It is ok to be wrong and do what someone else wants to do from time to time. This will allow me to explore not only the world differently, but myself as well. A basic outlook on life is the direct product of being self-centered and hard to be around. Part of having a new perspective means, seeing that my old self interpretation or old opinion of myself may change. Ultimately this could lead to me looking at how I act and do things honestly. After looking at myself and how I actually am, there is no doubt in my mind I would come to the conclusion that I am not the most responsible person in the world. As a result, the logical thing for me to do next is to fix that problem. If I were more responsible I could take a lot more control of my life. Open new doors for myself in my school life, work life, and social life. Responsibility is the glue that holds a successful life together . All I really want in the end is to be successful anyway, so being responsible would defiantly be a great trait to have. All in all the change to stop being so self-centered would only change my life for the better. I can not think of any other change that would benefit me more. So I say to myself and anyone who will listen â€Å"Don’t let yourself hold you back.†

Celias essays

Celias essays Celiac Disease is also known as Celiac Sprue It is basically the inability to digest gluten. Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley, rye and related grain hybrids such as triticale and kamut. When someone eats Gluten that has sprue, the body responds to Gluten as if it were an antigen. When Gluten is absorbed by the intestine, the body immune system has a response. This attack on the immune system causes the lining of the small intestine to swell. As a result the tiny hair like projections called villi suffer damage and destruction. This impairs the bodys ability to destroy vital nutrients the nutrients include all the fat soluble vitamins, essential fatty acids, basically all fats good and bad are not thoughrly digested. Potassium, cholesterol, iron, folic acid and zinc are also I f decreased. Sprue affects both adults and children; it can appear at any age. In one medical reference book they stated that it occurs equally in males and females. However in another study they stated that it affect twice as many females as males. Both studies revealed that it occurs 10- 15 years earlier in females. It is more common among relatives wich means it is hereditary if one family member has it then One out of ten other family members is likely to have it. An Antigen called HLA-B8 has been identified in eighty percent of the victims. The only information I could get on its Generic inheritance was that it is probably dominate with incomplete penetrance . My grandfather had Celiac Sprue and I would like to know if I have it . A person might have Sprue for awhile without getting sick severe stress, physical injury, an infection, surgery or childbirth can bring it on. One in every five hundred Americans is affected. One out of every Three hundred are affected in southern Ireland The first signs are usually diarrhea, weight loss, nausea, abdominal swelling, large pale foul smelling stool that floa ...