Iq & Eq, Intelligence and Cognitive Intelligence

A Assessment Name: Cognitive intelligence and Emotional Intelligence in Modern organisations â€Å"Intelligence is an abstract concept for whose definition continues to evolve with modernity, these days it refers to a variety of mental capabilities, including the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly, and learn from experience as well as the potential to do so† (Bonnies Strickland, 2nd,2001).This essay will be a discussion on what cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence are, how they both represent intelligence, and how they play a role within an organisation through their strengths and limitations. This essay will discuss the recent popularity of emotional intelligence and that cognitive intelligence is not essentially the main predictor for organisational behaviour in modern organisations.Cognitive intelligence generally can be referred to IQ tests or General Mental Ability (GMA) to name a few and is defi ned as â€Å"the general efficacy of intellectual processes† (Ackerman, Beier, Boyle, 2005, as cited in Cote & Miners). Results in genetic behaviour points to beyond doubt that GMA or IQ has a strong genetic background, although heritability has shown the increase of GMA with age (Bouchard, 1998: Bouchard, McGue, 1998 as cited in Schmidt 2004).Cote and Miners 2006 believed cognitive intelligence also demonstrates as task performance based and is in relation to the organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB), this is then reflected to the organisations activities, achievement and objectives. Since the end of World War 1 measures of GMA have been used in the recruiting and hiring of employees (Yerkes, 1921 as cited in Schmidt, 2004), though the most popular GMA tests still in modern society is the Wonderlic Personnel Test.The strengths of GMA & IQ tests are that they have been used as a predictor in personnel selection for over 80 years and have substantial evidence supporting i t as a strong predictor of job performance in organisations. Schmidt has stated that GMA is positively linked to several life outcomes such as the level of education and the income of adult. Studies have been carried out on the effectiveness of GMA in relation to occupational level, according to Shmidt 2004; these include cross-sectional studies and longitudinal studies.Shmidt also stated that cross-sectional studies relied on people’s rankings of the occupational level of different occupations, similarities between the mean ratings across these studies excluding the regard of age, country of origin or social class. These studies concluded that mean GMA scores increased with occupational level, so if GMA score was high for an individual they would find it harder to enter higher occupational levels. This suggests that having a lower GMA rating was a requirement for a higher job occupation (Schmidt, 2004).Longitudinal studies focussed on the prediction of occupational fulfilmen t later in life by the measurement of GMA scores in the early part of life (Schmidt, 2004). Wilk, Desmarais and Sackett 1995 used the results from the National Longitudinal survey, in which young adults were tested over a 5 year period to measure GMA, these studies predicted the hierarchy of occupational level (as cited in Shmidt, 2004). This meant if the GMA score was- high they were most likely to move into a higher complexity job, where as if their score was low they were most likely to move down into a less complex job (Schmidt, 2004).However, limitations are known for GMA testing through certain literature has led to the conclusion that GMA may not be as well understood, this can be drawn from the research conducted on GMA’s constructs and measures as well as its moral judgements (Viswesvaran & Ones, 2003). An example of this is the question of the group differences of the results and also the grounds of GMA being not good (enough) predictor (Goldstein, Zedeck &Goldstein as cited in Viswesvaran & Ones 2003).Analogy has been used from psychological testing literature that underlines GMA’s role in real life situations and environments (Reeve & Hakel: as cited in Viswesvaran & Ones, 2003). There are points of criticism that revolves around GMA; firstly is central criticism this is seen in articles by Goldstein et all, and it validates GMA for low real-life predicaments. Also it is seen that GMA tests should be acknowledged on the terminology used as some words can be seen as racist or fascist, words like discrimination and adverse can impact bias or unfair results (Viswesvaran & Ones, 2003).It has been belief that cognitive attuned staff give modern organisations the competitive advantage in the organisational domain this is due with the cognitive ability to process technical, numerical and vast amounts of information (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998. 2000; Michaels Handfield- Jones and Axelrod, 2001, as cited in Cote & Miners, 2006). Although, the limi tations of one possessing cognitive ability alone and very minimal if any emotional intelligence can result in a poor performance rate if one is to completely rely on only skills that are cognitive in the work place ( Cherniss, Goleman & Bennis, 2003).Recently theorists have suggested that one’s intelligence does not only exist of cognitive intelligence, but also a grave amount of interpersonal and emotional intelligence. In modern management, one of the most proactive concerns is that of emotions related to performance of organisations (Cote & Miners, 2006). Emotional intelligence has been discussed as a new predictor that is non-cognitive in relation to organisational performance and was popularized by Daniel Goleman in 1995 (Goleman, 1998 as cited in Cote & Miners, 2006).Emotional intelligence is defined as â€Å"a set of abilities that includes the abilities to perceive emotions in self and in others, use these emotions to facilitate performance, understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and regulate emotions in the self and in others† (Cote & Miners, 2006). Strengths of EI is correlated to the limitations of cognitive intelligence, as stated before people who score high in GMA tests can do poorly in organisations and social relations (Cherniss, 2010). An example of this would be the syndrome of Asperger’s.EI can influence job performance with the competencies of self-control, empathy, integrity, social skills, reliability, conscientiousness and motivation (Cherniss, 2010). In organisation behavioural perspective, EI can assist individuals with low GMA scores to manage their impressions well and in turn receive high performance ratings. This can be achieved by the development of links to co-workers who can provide assistance and can enrich learning- potential to that individual which than can lead to a higher level of occupation (Mehra, Kilduff & Brass 2001 as cited in Cote & Miners, 2006).According to Mayer and Salovey’s mod el, there are four main areas on EI: Identifying emotions, Using emotions, Understanding emotions and managing emotions. This model was the only model in which was supported by a confirmatory factor and measures by desirable psychometric properties (Cote & Miners, 2006). Limitations of Emotion intelligence is the dearth of studies which relates to job performance thus, is the relation of criticisms of the ‘scientific status’ of emotional intelligence in organisational behaviour (Becker, 2003; Landy, 2005, as cited in Cote & Miners, 2006).Barret and colleagues referred to emotional intelligence as â€Å"the Madison Avenue approach to science and professional practice†, he implies that the increase awareness of EI relates to the outspread of its nature which contrasts the scientific evidence (Cote & Miners, 2006). Studies have suggested that there is no relation or consistency between job performance and emotional intelligence, specifying on particular tasks as aca demic performance (Petrides, Frederickson, and Furnham, 2004, as cited in Cote & Miners, 2006).The display of competencies of emotional intelligence such as being empathetic, affiliated, highly self-aware and agreeable is not beneficial of being an effective leader (Antonakis, 2003, as cited in Pratt, Douglas, Ferris, Ammeter, and Buckley, 2003). Also, often the high need of affiliation for those requiring can place importance on individual interests rather than the organisations success (Antonakis, 2003, as cited in Pratt, Douglas, Ferris, Ammeter, and Buckley, 2003).Also, disperses of high emotional occurrences in the organisation setting, with that the concern of the negative feelings towards others could be misinterpreted. Therefore, recognising an individual’s emotions at all times is not beneficial to active and effective leadership qualities. Psychological ability defined by Wedeck as â€Å"the ability to judge correctly the feelings, moods, motivations of individualà ¢â‚¬ , which can be incorporated by that of general intelligence (Cote & Miners, 2006).Thus, because emotional and cognitive intelligence both represent that of general intelligence though in separate content domains, they may be associated with each other but would not correspond perfectly. However, several organisations have incorporated EI and GMA, IQ into their employee development programs also business schools have added EI to their curriculums (Boyatzis, Stubbs and Taylor, 2002 as cited in Cote& Miners, 2006). Most mining organisations such as (Anglo American) also have incorporated aptitude and psychological tests which include both EI and GMA, as part- of their application to job recruitment.Goleman, Mayer, Salovey and Caruso have all argued that both emotional intelligence and Cognitive intelligence make linear yet independent contributions to job performance (Cote & miners, 2006). By the combination of emotional and cognitive intelligence, people can receive higher perfo rmance in organisations. Concluding, this essay has discussed the strengths and limitations of both cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence in relation to GMA, IQ and EI testing within the organisational level.The essay has also viewed cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence operating in modern organisations either individually or incorporated together. Cognitive intelligence displays specific abilities in task and problem solving, strategic and analytical aspects of intelligence. Emotional intelligence demonstrates proficiency in producing the components of empathy, self-regulation and self-awareness in an organisational structure. Haslam (2007) summarised that many theorists discuss that one’s intelligence does not only compose of cognitive abilities but also an array of multiple interpersonal and emotional intelligences.References Cote` S, & Miners C. H. (2006). Emotional Intelligence, Cognitive Intelligence and Job Performance. Administrative Science Q uarterly, 51(1), 1-28. Anglo American. Retrieved from: http://www. angloamerican. com. au/careers/employment- programmes. aspx Cherniss, C. (2010). Emotional intelligence: Toward clarification of a concept. Industrial and Organizational Psychology,  3, 110-126. Haslam, N. (2007). Introduction to Personality and Intelligence. London, UK: SAGE Publication. Inc. Roberts, R. D. , Matthews, G. & Zeinder, M. (2010). Emotional intelligence: Muddling through theory and measurement. Industrial and Organizational Psychology,  3, 140-144. Schmidt, F. L. , & Hunter, J. (2004). General mental ability in the world of work: Occupational attainment and job performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,  86(1), 162-173. Viswesvaran, C. & Ones, D. S. (2002). Agreements and disagreements on the role of general mental ability (GMA) in industrial, work, and organizational psychology. Human Performance,  15(1/2), 211-231.

Christian attitudes to Infertility Essay

Infertility is the inability for a couple to conceive a child by the natural processes or after a year of trying. This can happen for a number of reasons. One of the reasons could be stress. As we live in a society with high expectations for people to be successful it puts people under enormous amounts of stress which could cause them to become infertile. Another problem a couple could face is that either the man or woman could have been born infertile or one of them has an STD (sexually transmitted disease) . Another could be dieting , as some women and men diet excessively to reach size zero it causes the woman’s periods to stop which will in turn cause hormone imbalances which may make a woman infertile. Women could become infertile for a number of other reasons such as smoking, alcohol, age or being overweight or underweight . Men can also become infertile for a number of reasons such as alcohol, drugs, age and radiation and chemotherapy treatments for cancer. This makes life hard for married couples because the wish for a child is too strong. Although some couples can accept god chose for them not to have a child , some others will go to any lengths for a child. There are a number of different treatments for infertile couples. The most common is In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).’In Vitro’ means ‘in glass’ in latin which is the way the egg is fertilised. It is a technique were an egg is taken from the woman’s womb and placed on a dish and sperm is taken from the man and used to fertilise the egg on the glass . Once the egg has been fertilised and has began to grow as a fetus it is implanted back into the woman’s womb where it grows for 9 months. The second is Surrogacy. Surrogacy is where another woman carries the baby for another couple who are unable to do so. An egg is taken from the infertile woman and a sperm from the partner and is fertilised then inserted into the surrogates womb where it grows and when the child is born it is given back to the couple. Another treatment is Artificial Insemination By Donor (AID) . This is a treatment where the sperm of a donor , who is usually unknown to the couple , is medically inserted into the neck of the woman’s womb where it fertilises the egg and grows into a child . The final treatment is egg donation . This is similar to AID ,only an egg from a donor who is usually unknown to the couple , is fertilised in a lab then medically inserted into the infertile woman’s womb to grow into the child . Georgia Allen AO2 Christian attitudes to infertility. Catholics have very strong views about infertility treatments which require research which are done on embryos which Catholics see and class as a human life. Catholics are completely against IVF as it leads to spare embryos being created and then are being used for experiments both scientific and medical. The embryos may even be thrown away , Catholics are against this because it is a life of a child and it has rights . Catholics are also against infertility treatments because children are supposed to be created through and act of love and infertility treatments interfere with what Gods plans for that couple and no body has the right to play God. Other Christians have opposite views about infertility treatments than catholics. They think infertility treatments are a good thing as it brings new life to the world and makes a couple happy. Some Christians might object to treatments where a donor is involved as some people class this as adultery because it involves somebody else in the marriage and that is wrong because it is in the ten commandments. They do agree with AIH as it involves no third party and is just between a husband and wife. Some Christians are against fertility treatments for unmarried couples or woman past the child bearing age and even homosexuals. As they think that it is not the way God planned it to be . Muslims agree to most treatments as long as they involve no third party and all natural methods of conception have failed . Muslims are completely against surrogacy and adoption . Muslims believe treatments such as AIH and IVF are ok because they use the sperm of the husband and no other person is involved. Islam is against AIH because it has been donated by another man and is seen as adultery .

Popularity of Fast Food Production Essay

Introduction The popularity of fast food production today is a direct result of busy families. In today’s society both husband and wife usually obtain full-time careers. These careers take up much of the family’s time and energy. Children of these families are usually very active in many extracurricular activities such as, Boy Scouts, football, baseball, and basketball. With all of the practice, games, and outings, these activities consume a great amount of the family’s time. In this fast paced life people find it more and more convenient to grab some food on the way home than to prepare a full meal for their family. Families find it more convenient to have someone else do the cooking and cleaning than to take more time away from each other and do it themselves. Single people find it easier to pick-up some fast food than cook a big meal for one person. It is also a result of the most obvious, people these days are just lazier than people in our past were. A person who forgot their lunch at home is more likely to choose fast food over a restaurant because of the cost difference. They could go to a fast foodrestaurant for fewer tk. than they could go to a restaurant where they would spend for one meal. Actually, it is the result of time and convenience and sometimes it is a result of the low cost. Popularity of Fast Food The growing popularity of fast food has brought about ruthless competition in the fast food industry. Fast food chains are constantly trying to please growing consumer demand by selling more food at lower prices. In order to do so, these fast food giants continuously incorporate new â€Å"efficient† business practices which provide better services to customers resulting in bigger sales and larger profit margins. In most cases, these practices are obvious. For instance, precooked hamburger patties, computer systems, and drive-throughs were each introduced to minimize production time in turn allowing for increased sales. Nevertheless, less obvious business practices have also been implemented which most consumers fail to recognize. All together, increased fast food popularity has led to the adoption ofbusiness practices involving the careless treatment of modern day farm animals. * First of all, fast food is prepared from unhealthy meat. Most animals raised as food for fast foodrestaurants come from â€Å"factory farms. † At each of these factory farms millions of animals live torturous lives. Fast food companies choose to purchase from these farms because they minimize all production costs and provide cheaply. * Fast Food Growth- Comparison * History Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-out/take-away. The term â€Å"fast food† was recognized in a dictionary by Merriam–Webster in 1951. Outlets may be stands or kiosks, which may provide no shelter or seating,[1] or fast food restaurants (also known as quick service restaurants). Franchise operations which are part of restaurant chains have standardized foodstuffs shipped to each restaurant from central locations. he concept of ready-cooked food for sale is closely connected with urban development. In Ancient Rome cities had street stands that sold bread, sausages and wine. Pre-modern Europe. In the cities of Roman antiquity, much of the urban population living in insulae, multi-storey apartment blocks, depended on food vendors for much of their meals. In the mornings, bread soaked in wine was eaten as a quick snack and cooked vegetables and stews later in the day at a popina, a simple type of eating establishment. In the Middle Ages, large towns and major urban areas such as London and Paris supported numerous vendors that sold dishes such as pies, pasties, flans, waffles, wafers, pancakes and cooked meats. As in Roman cities during antiquity, many of these establishments catered to those who did not have means to cook their own food, particularly single households. Unlike richer town dwellers, many often could not afford housing with kitchen facilities and thus relied on fast food. Travellers, as well, such as pilgrims en route to a holy site, were among the customers. United Kingdom In areas which had access to coastal or tidal waters, ‘fast food’ would frequently include local shellfish or seafood, such as oysters or, as in London, eels. Often this seafood would be cooked directly on the quay or close by. The development of trawler fishing in the mid nineteenth century would lead to the development of a British favourite fish and chips, and the first shop in 1860. A blue plaque at Oldham’s Tommyfield Market marks the origin of the fish and chip shop and fast food industries in Britain. After World War II, turkey has been used more frequently in fast food. As well as its native cuisine, the UK has adopted fast food from other cultures, such as pizza, Chinese noodles, kebab, and curry. More recently healthier alternatives to conventional fast food have also emerged. United States. As automobiles became popular and more affordable following the First World War, drive-in restaurants were introduced. The American company White Castle, founded by Billy Ingram and Walter Anderson in Wichita, Kansas in 1921, is generally credited with opening the second fast food outlet and first hamburger chain, selling hamburgers for five cents each. Walter Anderson had built the first White Castle restaurant in Wichita in 1916, introducing the limited menu, high volume, low cost, high speed hamburger restaurant. Among its innovations, the company allowed customers to see the food being prepared. White Castle was successful from its inception and spawned numerous competitors. Franchising was introduced in 1921 by A&W Root Beer, which franchised its distinctive syrup. Howard Johnson’s first franchised the restaurant concept in the mid-1930s, formally standardizing menus, signage and advertising. The United States has the largest fast food industry in the world, and American fast food restaurants are located in over 100 countries. Approximately 2 million U. S. workers are employed in the areas of food preparation and food servicing including fast food in the USA. FAST FOOD INDUSTRY IN BANGLADESH Fast food culture was started in the early nineties. In Bangladesh it has mainly geared towards the younger end of the market and the employees of the corporate sector. The fast food culture in Bangladesh has taken the country by storm. The first fast food shop started its business in the Bailey road of Dhaka. After that, a number of fast food shops started to grow exponentially in different places of the Dhaka city. Local entrepreneurs are leaders in pioneering the fast food industry of Bangladesh. New brands i. e. Swiss, Helvetia etc. are to name of some Bangladeshi fast food shops formed in franchising system. In early 2000, Bangladesh experienced the entry of the first international brand of fast food franchise in the country. Pizza Hut and KFC entered into Bangladeshi market having franchise with Transom Foods Limited (TFL). Both Pizza Hut and KFC are subsidiaries of the world’s largest restaurant company Yum! Restaurants International. TFL has opened three Pizza Huts and three KFC outlets in Bangladesh in a span of five years. Pizza Hut opened its flagship restaurant in 2003 at Dhaka. Following its grand success in Dhaka, the Chittagong outlet was opened in 2005. The third Pizza Hut restaurant was launched in Dhaka in 2008. Meanwhile, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) perceived as high-quality fast food in a popular array of complete meals to enrich the consumer’s everyday life. TFL successfully launched the flagship KFC in 2006 and gained attention of the people with its taste, high standard of hygiene, cleanliness, interior attractiveness, affordable pricing etc. Following its enormous success in Dhaka, the second and third outlets were opened in 2008. ————————————————- Globalization In 2006, the global fast food market grew by 4. 8% and reached a value of 102. 4 billion and a volume of 80. 3 billion transactions. In India alone the fast food industry is growing by 41% a year. McDonald’s is located in 126 countries and on 6 continents and operates over 31,000 restaurants worldwide. [20] On January 31, 1990 McDonald’s opened a restaurant in Moscow, and broke opening day records for customers served. The Moscow restaurant is the busiest in the world. The largest McDonald’s in the world is located in Orlando, Florida,USA[21] There are numerous other fast food restaurants located all over the world. Burger King has more than 11,100 restaurants in more than 65 countries. [22] KFC is located in 25 countries. [23] Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with approximately 39,129 restaurants in 90 countries as of May 2009,[24] the first non-US location opening in December 1984 in Bahrain. [25] Pizza Hut is located in 97 countries, with 100 locations in China. [26] Taco Bell has 278 restaurants located in 14 countries besides the United States. [27] Current Market Size Economists at the National Restaurant Association estimated total foodservice sales for 2011 at ? 313 billion, representing a 5 percent increase over 2010. That means consumers spent an average of ? 855 million per day on food away from home. According to the National Restaurant Association’s Foodservice Industry Forecast, fast food comprised the largest segment of this market, capturing 47. 8 percent of the Takas spent. The report attributes this success to â€Å"fast food’s ability to meet consumers’ desire for value and convenience. † It was further estimated that at least 64 percent of all fast food purchases were consumed off-premises. According to Technomic, Inc. , a food industry consulting firm, almost half of consumer food Takas are spent on meals prepared away from home. In addition, food expenditures rise significantly as income increases according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey Data. Industry Trends This significant trend of consumers purchasing prepared meals is so pervasive that the foodservice industry has coined a new term to describe it: â€Å"home-meal replacement. † Many businesses are shifting their focus to meet the growing demands of consumers: * Most supermarkets now include a deli, bakery, and a prepared-foods section. Also, many offer fast-food service. * Boston Market has continued to expand its product lines and market share. * Famous chefs, such as Wolfgang Puck, are offering high-end prepared meals in upscale supermarkets. * Fast-food chains such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell have formed alliances to offer multiple product lines under one roof. There are also several economic and cultural trends that have contributed to this growing demand: * Increasing number of women in the workforce * Increasing number of woman-owned businesses * Growing number of higher-income households * Americans working longer hours * Decreasing amount of leisure time * Premium placed on convenience * Trend toward purchasing personal services (i.e. , personal-trainers, house-cleaning services, home shopping services). According to Foodservice Solutions, a hospitality consulting firm: â€Å"Home-meal replacement is not a luxury today – it’s a necessity. People don’t want to take the time to cook; they have too many other things to do. People want high-quality prepackaged foods†¦ to make life easier. â€Å"| Entrepreneur Magazine selected â€Å"Personal Chef Services† as one of the top service businesses to start today: â€Å"Convenience-craving consumers are always looking for a way to do things better, faster and cheaper. Often, that means turning to a specialty-services entrepreneur who knows how to get the job done right. Those with culinary competence can likely find a hungry clientele among the ranks of America’s busy working families. â€Å"| Growth Potential of the Market Based on the National Restaurant Association’s Foodservice Industry Forecast, the percentage of food Takas spent away from home has grown from 25 percent in 1955 to 50 percent today. More importantly, the proportion of the food budget spent on meals away from home increases significantly as income increases. Households with incomes of ? 70,000 spent 81 percent more per capita (? 1,278 per person) on food away from home than the average income-reporting household (? 705 per person) according to the Consumer Expenditure Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also contributing to the potential growth in the market is the rise in affluent households documented by the Current Population Survey from the Bureau of the Census. From 1990 to 1994 the number of households earning ? 50,000 to ? 74,999 increased by 16. 4 percent; households earning ? 75,000 to ? 99,999 increased 36. 1 percent; and households earning ? 100,000 or more increased by 61. 1 percent in the same period. Affluent Households Gaining Ground Change in Number of Households| | Household Income| Increase (Decrease) in Number of Households| Percent Change| Less than ? 35,000| (1,638,000)| -3. 0%| ?35,000 to ? 49,999| (331,000)| -2. 0%| ?50,000 to ? 74,999| 2,310,000| +16. 4%| ?75,000 to ? 99,000| 1,841,000| +36. 1%| ?100,000 or more| 2,496,000| +61. 1%| Total| 4,479,000| +5. 0%| Source: Bureau of the Census A personal chef service is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the increasing demand for fast food, growing health concerns, and the rise in high-income households. Affluent working couples want â€Å"fast food,† but they want it upscale, healthy, and convenient. The founders of Truly Unique Personal Chef Service report that their business has grown 10 to 15 percent every year since opening in 1992. Many of their clients said they were getting bored with going out to restaurants and wanted something different. Customer Profile Creative Cuisine’s’ target customer will be families with two working, professional parents who are too busy to cook every night but are fed up with takeout and restaurant food. Their specific demographics are as follows: Household Income: Over ? 100,000 Age: 35 to 55 Education: College degree and/or advanced degree Marital Status: Married couples or high income single Job: Professional status (one or both partners) Children: Preferably ages 7 to 18 Homeowners: Preferably Location: Live in neighborhoods with high concentration of affluent families Customer Benefits Here are just a few of the benefits to customers if they hire Creative Cuisine: * 6 hours per week more free time (1 hour per day cooking/acquiring meal plus 1 hour per week grocery shopping) * Very convenient. * Meals customized to personal tastes * More variety * Health and nutrition benefits * Less stress * Client feels pampered * It makes life easier * Don’t have to cook * Less grocery shopping * Minimal kitchen clean-up * Peace of mind The Competition There are a handful of other personal chef services in the metropolitan area; however, since this is still a new business concept, there remains a large untapped market. Most competition for home-meal replacement exists from neighborhood restaurants, upscale fast-food outlets and supermarket prepared meals. Following is a competitive analysis of the various meal replacement alternatives: Fast Food Industry in 2012 at a Glance It is no secret: Americans love fast food. And its not just us! The Golden Arches have spread across the globe, and emerging markets are one of the fastest growing areas in the industry. But the fast food industry is not without its challenges, especially in the United States. From rising food costs, economic recession and changing perceptions about health, many fast food franchises have been feeling some heat. But rather than flee from this challenge, the fast food industry has been adopting new practices and offering new products. Modern society is on the go, and there is plenty of demand for a quick bite at all times of the day. Fast food franchising opportunities exist in the â€Å"traditional† spaces like burgers and pizza, but are also sprouting up in healthy and unique ways as well. The Industry The fast food industry, also known as Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), has been serving up tasty morsels for as long as people have lived in cities. The modern system of fast food franchising is believed to have started in the mid 1930’s when Howard Johnson franchised his second location to a friend as a means to expand operations during the Great Depression. And oh how it has grown! As cars became commonplace, the drive-thru concept brought explosive growth to the idea of food-on-the go. â€Å"Fast Food† was added to the Merrion-Webster dictionary in 1951 and U. S. fast food companies are now franchised in over 100 countries. In the U. S. alone there are over 200,000 restaurant locations! Revenue has grown from $6 billion in 1970 to $160 billion last year, an 8. 6% annualized rate. Fast food franchises focus on high volume, low cost and high speed product. Frequently food is preheated or precooked and served to-go, though many locations also offer seating for on-site consumption. For stands, kiosks or sit-down locations, food is standardized and shipped from central locations. Consumers enjoy being able to get a familiar meal in each location, and menus and marketing are the same in every location. What’s Been Going Wrong? There have been challenges for the fast food industry in recent years that have been pressuring profit margins. The industry as a whole has proven robust enough to withstand these challenges, though some players have done better than others. Over the last decade there has been increased focus on the quality of food served in fast food restaurants. Typically highly processed and industrial in preparation, much of the food is high in fat and has been shown to increase body mass index (BMI) and cause weight gain. Popular books such as Fast Food Nation and documentaries like Super Size Me have increased public awareness of the negative health consequences of fast food. Fast food companies have responded by adopting healthier choices and have had some measure of success, but the shadow of bad press still hangs over the industry. Rising commodity prices have also significantly crunched many fast food franchises. With food and beverage inputs making up approximately 33% of costs, higher prices for livestock, corn, wheat and more have seriously shrunk margins over the past decade. In such a fiercely competitive space it is impossible to force a price increase on customers, so profit margins are often south of 10%. The recent economic recession did lower commodity prices, but the recession brought on its own complications, and now prices for commodity inputs are on the rise again. Fast food had been thought to be largely recession proof, and indeed the industry did not suffer nearly as much as other discretionary spending sectors. In fact, there was some increase in consumer visits as people choose cheaper fast food options over fast casual or traditional restaurant choices. But overall, the recession hurt spending, and consumers overall purchased less with each trip. Fast food franchises fared reasonably well but still felt some pain. Market saturation is also a relevant issue in the fast food industry today, at least in the U. S. There is a McDonald franchise is in almost every town, and it usually sits in a row with several competitors. With so many competitors which offer similar products there are fewer customers per location. Increasingly fast food restaurants are also losing market share to fast casual, a relative newcomer in the restaurant space. Where do we Go from Here? Busy citizens still need quick meal options, and fast food restaurants are fighting these challenges with gusto. Now offering healthy choices to battle the stigma of unhealthy food, some quick service restaurants now focus on fresh or organic products. From franchises focused solely on salads or healthy wraps to the lower calorie options offered at traditional burger franchises such as Wendy’s or McDonald’s, consumers are able to make better choices†¦if they want! Fast food franchises are also focusing on expanding into new product lines, such as the coffee initiative in the McCafe. Intended to offer competition to Startbucks, McDonalds is luring customers back into their stores, hoping they will purchase food as well. Many franchises have been exploring other meal times such as breakfast and the mid-afternoon snack for growth opportunities and to increase real estate utilization. The industry is most effectively battling saturation within the United States by creating a much more diverse range of offerings. Sure, there is a McDonalds in every town, but there are very few crepe franchises†¦yet! From new cultural cuisines to fresh takes on a traditional story, there are many moretypes of quick service restaurants than ever before. The fast food industry is still a large and diverse industry with plenty of opportunity. As one would hope, challenge is being answered with innovation, and fast food franchises are responding with new offerings, pricing and strategies to lure consumers back in. Non-traditional fast food franchises are springing up and gaining traction, and more creativity will always be welcome! Consumers are now on the look-out for new ways to eat fast and healthy. And as the industry continues to evolve and the economy strengthens, fast food franchise profitability will continue to grow. Porter’s five forces industry analysis for Krispy Kreme Saturday, January 29th, 2011 at 9:00 am. What is Porter’s Five Forces? Well I doubt there is any need to explain one of the most famous strategic tools around but just in case, it is a tool to analyse the external industry to find the root causes of profitability. Again seeing an example is useful and below is a five forces analysis of Krispy Kreme. Rivalry among existing competitors (High +++) * High concentration of rivals e. g. Starbucks and local chains * Static market growth * High fixed costs * Perishable products (food and drink) A large number of competitors in the industry are all competing for the same customers. Coffee chains (e. g. Costa, Starbucks) are all competing to be number one in the market and have similar corporate goals. While product differentiation is limited, there is fierce differentiation by product range, brand and store ambience (e. g. seating). There are zero switching costs for customers, which promotes price wars. Market growth is static, which promotes fierce fighting for market share, and there is saturation of competition due to the limited number of prime locations available for outlets. Smaller chains have to pay a premium for prime sites or settle for less desirable locations. Threat of new entrants (Medium +) * Large capital requirements required to build chain of stores * Favourable locations are already occupied * Economies of scale in distribution and raw ingredients (lower per unit costs due to the experience curve) * Product and brand differentiation Capital requirements for individual stores are low, however new entrants wishing to compete on a like basis with national store networks, distribution channels, brand equity development and advertising, face large capital requirements to gain market share. This is reflected in the large number of individual outlets compared with the small number of large, proven top specialty eateries. The UK commercial property market is landlord-driven and controlled; premium locations in the UK are scarce and command high prices with most of the favourable locations within town centres, airports and train stations already being occupied by existing competitors. Threat of substitutes (Medium +) * Large choice of alternatives with similar products e. g. energy drinks, cakes, biscuits, ice-cream, chocolate * No switching costs. Although a consumer can choose from multiple substitutes (e. g. desserts, pastries or drinks), speciality eateries compete based on convenience and opportunity. Most people buy from speciality eateries when travelling, shopping or meeting people. This is evidenced by the location of the eateries, which is concentrated around high footfall locations such as train stations, business districts and shopping centres. For a consumer this becomes a competitive choice rather than a substitute choice (e. g. do I buy a coffee from Starbucks or Costa). Other substitutes come from full menu eateries such as restaurants and fast-food outlets with a smaller threat from supermarkets. Bargaining power of suppliers (Low) * Vertically integrated businesses with only commoditised raw ingredients * Large number of suppliers to choose from and low switching costs Bargaining power of buyers (Low) * Buyers are fragmented and numerous * Although there are no switching costs for the buyer the food and drink market is part of the fabric of society Conclusions and Recommendations. Fast food consumers of Bangladesh, especially the university students, considered brand reputation as the most important factor when choosing fast foods followed by nearness and accessibility, similarity in taste, cost and quality relationship, discount and taste, clean and hygiene, salesmanship and decoration, fat and cholesterol, and self-service. The recent upset in the fast food industry of Bangladesh was created by the discovery of unethical practices conducted by several fast food businesses resulted in consumers putting their trusts on renowned fast food brands only. Thereby it is seen that the fast food houses with reputed brand name and recognition i. e. KFC, BFC, Pizza Hut, Coopers etc. are carrying out their businesses in a usual manner even in the toughest time of the industry. The majority of the fast food brands that passed with flying colors during the mobile courts inspection for quality maintenance were able to either establish or revitalize their brand reputation. Eventually as suggested by the research findings, the university students will select such fast food brands that have brand reputation. Besides the brand reputation, the other important factors were nearness and accessibility, similar taste of fast food, cost and quality relationship, discount and taste. In case of nearness or proximity and accessibility factor, consumers prefer to go to the fast food outlets that are close from their own home or study institutions. It is seen that the fast food shops in Bangladesh has already considering the factors by establishing their outlets near big corporate houses and private universities. Especially, in Dhaka city this practice is seen in Bailey road where majority of fast food shops are located. Near Bailey road, there are 3 girls’ school and collages, and 3 boys’ school and 2 collages in walking distance. Almost similar situation prevails in Gulshan, Banani area of the city where KFC and Pizza Hut outlets are situated near 3 private universities. It is understandable from the situation that the students studying at these institutions consider these nearby fast food outlets whenever they decide to consume fast foods. There is an opportunity here however, for new fast food shops to compete with the existing fast food outlets. Since establishing a new outlet in an already competitive business space is expensive and difficult, the new fast food businesses can introduce mobile fast food outlets. Through mobile fast food outlets, new fast food businesses can deliver their fast foods that are already cooked fresh in their shops, but kept hot and delivered to the students instantly with their own choice of accompanying taste enhancers i. e. tomato sauce, cheese etc. These mobile fast food outlets could be on top of a mini-truck, van etc. The similar taste of the fast food factor refers to the fact that no matter which fast food outlet a particular fast food item is bought from, the taste should be similar. For example, if a chicken burger is bought from an outlet of KFC, the taste would be similar to any other chicken burger bought from any other KFC outlet. The taste could differ from other fast food shops as the different business use taste as differentiating factor in case of food items. But the businesses have to keep in mind that too much difference in taste of similar fast food items makes the consumers confused. The cost and quality relationship is also an important factor considered by the consumers of fast food. If the cost of a fast food item is high, it is usually considered to be carrying high quality and vice versa. So, the businesses of fast food products have to be careful in setting the prices of the fast food items. The pricing should be such as it offers the right amount to value to the consumers in a competitive price that at the same time ensures adequate profit margins for the fast food businesses. Finally in terms of discount and taste factor, the consumers consider the availability of discounts in fast food outlets. Usually these discounts are offered as group discounts i. e. arranging a party or social gathering at a reduced price package etc. Consumers consider this option when choosing fast food products. They might not immediately use this factor but it puts the fast food shop in their consideration set for later use. This study recommends that the fast food producers or distributors at Dhaka city should focus more on the brand reputation, nearness or proximity and accessibility, cost, quality, discount, and similarity in taste factors. If they are able to fulfill these needs, university students of Bangladesh will be induced to buy and consume fast food whenever they are out of their houses. However, there is an ample scope to conduct further study on the preference factors used by the office-goers, housewives, and visitors in buying fast food to determine if there are any more common or unique factors prevailing among these different groups that might be important in making decisions regarding the choice of fast food items in Bangladesh. Abstract. Fast food industry is a high growing sector of Bangladesh. It is concerned with the tastes and habits of the people. The food-taking habit especially in fast food segment has been changing very fast over last decade among the people of Dhaka – the capital city of Bangladesh. The reasons could be attributed by the increase of awareness, growth of education, development of information technology, and expansion of television channels and print media in Bangladesh. Hence, this paper aims at identifying the preference factors of fast food consumers living in Dhaka city. This study was conducted among the university students who usually eat fast food at their leisure time. To conduct the study, a total of 250 respondents were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in analyzing the data. Multivariate analysis technique like factor analysis was performed to identify the preference factors of the fast food student-consumers of Bangladesh. Multiple regressions were run to identify the relationship between the factors identified and the overall preference of the consumers. Results show that the consumers give most importance on brand reputation of the food item followed by nearness to receive and accessibility, similarity of taste with previous experience, cost and quality of the food, discount and taste, cleanliness and hygiene, salesmanship and decoration, fat and cholesterol level, and self-service factors. This study suggests that the brand reputation, nearness and accessibility, similarity in taste, and cost and quality relationship should be emphasized to improve the attraction of the university students towards the fast food items in Bangladesh.

Compare and contrast the character of the state in two Euopean Essay

Compare and contrast the character of the state in two Euopean countries with particular reference to the link between nation and sovereignty from Britain, Fra - Essay Example These premises will help in building towards the relevant theories that link the nation and sovereignty that support the definition of the character and nature of the two states that have been studied in this paper. Political legitimacy was a firm belief that emanated from various political quarters following the French Revolution in this country. Federalism is essentially a concept surrounded by political philosophy in the politics of France. This has special importance as far as sovereignty is concerned within the nation. According to this concept, a nation that follows federalism is one that believes in binding it various people, from diverse corners of the world, together. (Gill, 2003) Federalism is that system which brings people together under the able guidance of a representative who puts forward their issues without an iota of partiality. Under federalism, the nation looks at each of its citizens as equals and as brothers who are bound together geographically as well as in respect of national sentiment. The nation thus follows federalism is one that follows the principles irrespective of age, caste, creed, race, origin or color. The basic nature that has come up in the definition of the state in the case of France is one that adheres to the structuring of an international culture and society for politics that has to do with the building and propagation of new ideals. This has been well administered in France through the use of federalism so as to garner support and ideas from various quarters. (Hirst, 2001) From the concept of federalism have come various other schools of thought, which have culminated into sub concepts in their own right within the state of France and its character. One of these is the concept of dual federalism according to which the best option before any government or nation is to organize itself into separate yet equal branches of government so as to divide the state and national government in various spheres of functioning and significance. This has been used by France in the creation of a well defined state. According to this, the state government may exercise sovereignty within its own boundaries while the national level authorities will be slated to have exclusive and enumerated powers. (Gellner, 2006) Another concept that has branched out from federalism is that of cooperative federalism. According to this school of thought, the best course of action is to establish a strong network of consumer cooperative societies through which cooperative wholesale societies will be formed in order to undertake the purchase of farms and factories. According to federal cooperatives, the proceeds and profits thereof would be paid as dividends to the member cooperatives instead of the workers. This has been a major part of the definition of the nature of the state in France. (Skinner, 2003) Having studied the various aspects of federalism, it would

Information System project interpersonal skills Essay

Information System project interpersonal skills - Essay Example The real-world IT organization, when a manager trying to make a deference in approach with the expectation of much better end result, is likely to cause numerous challenges which a hybrid manager will negotiate. The challenges one might face are seen in many contemporary organisations. Finally, the strategies in which a hybrid manager, who can think in terms of technological issues at the same time human issues, might address these problems are discussed. Keen observation and indented studies make marks in today's corporate world. The present day development has brought business from a point where relationships often grew out of business deals to a deferent point where relation ships usually grow out of business deals. Information system and information technology have become the most important factors for the economy in both developed and developing world. The beginning of the twenty first century has also witnessed a change of thinking and in creating and providing value in the business approach. Information system in an organisation mostly provides connection and information between employees, customers and suppliers. At the same time information system protects the sensitive data as required by the organization and law of the land. In the new found organizational scenario information gathered and shared seems to be indispensable. Patching and Chatam (2000, pp 6) describe this organizational development has a nature of technophili a manifested on it, (an attitude which will appear in the near future as 'not to surf the net will be a terrible loss of opportunity)' by which, most of the times the much needed human touch is lost. Data and information are among an organisation's greatest assets (Klein 1998). What enables people with in an organization to develop the ability to collect information and share what they know What leads to improve the action and out come of an organization Where does the support and motivation for persistent learning through out all levels of an organization come from Xu and Al-Hakim (2002) found that while IT professionals had more confidence on the newer technology, business professionals were more concerned about the human related factors. Even when the IT professionals discussed organisational problems they seemed to be more system oriented. At the same time, the business professionals showed a wider perspective and understanding on discussing the system related issues based on the technological advancements. They focused on the human perspective believing that people's understanding of systems would impact on the quality of the information. Communication within an organization was perceived by the professionals as indispensable in building team work and personal competency. The team work and personal competency are, in fact, two factors which need to be built upon the foundation of Inter-personal skills. Over the years, we have taught and mentored project managers and then monitored their projects. We discovered that too many project managers focus so much energy on using the technical skills that they overlook what successful project managers know to be true - there is a human side to projects (Filler and Harris

Beneficial usage of flat tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Beneficial usage of flat tax - Essay Example If the tax burden is redistributed, some people will pay more and some will pay less under the new flat tax system. This paper will discuss the benefits of going to a flat tax system, and examine the implications for taxpayers, businesses, and the government. The most often cited benefit to a flat tax would be to simplify the current code. The current tax code and amendments is over 16,000 pages long, takes up over 20 volumes, and costs in excess of $1100 to purchase (Greenberg). Nearly every source of income or deduction has a special attachment and entails complex complications that require the intervention of a certified tax accountant. The flat tax would simply place a given percentage of tax on all personal and business income. There would be a single exemption, and no deductions for things such as mortgage interest or charitable donations. For example, every family would get a $20,000 exemption and pay a 15 percent tax on all income in excess of $20,000. While there are some flat tax schemes that tax spending rather than income, this paper will focus on the flat tax on income. A single exemption flat tax on income is the most simplified form of taxation available. In addition to the simplicity that a flat tax would have, it would also be more fair. A flat tax would have no penalties for capital gains, savings, old capital, and pension incomes (Gale 43). Under the flat tax system, no one gets preferential treatment and there are no special provisions for individuals or specific businesses. In addition, "The low, flat rate solves the problem of high marginal tax rates by reducing penalties against productive behavior, such as work, risk taking, and entrepreneurship" (Mitchell). Everyone, without exception, would pay the same rate of taxes on their income. Because the flat tax is so simple to implement and calculate, there would be substantial savings for businesses, individuals, and the government. Businesses would no longer be subject to the

Human Cloning is Immoral Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Cloning is Immoral - Personal Statement Example This Dolly was produced by a cell picked from the udder of an adult sheep. This could also have applied to cells picked from the nose, lungs, skin or elsewhere else. Cloning is not a new invention. There are instances of cloning that occur naturally, for example, some instances the reproduction of aphids and the use of runners in the propagation of some plants like strawberries. In human beings, identical twins are natural clones (Cernaj and Cernaj, 207). Despite the existence of natural clones even among the human race, artificial production of such persons is immoral and a threat to the human society. First, it should be noted that for the technique to be more efficient, it will require a lot of experimentation and the achievement of more refined human products will only be possible at the expense of having deformed babies. This is so inhuman. Who will be ready to own these deformed individuals? In any case, extreme cases of deformities could prompt the killing of such persons. Although the cloning of beautiful women, geniuses, and people of high integrity could be a very nice idea, no one can block the inclusion of bloodthirsty tyrants like Lenin and the likes of Hitler. This means that cloning puts the human society at risk of having a pool of such dreadful men. If many people were cloned from one person, it would pose such a great task for criminologists because it would be difficult to trace the exact criminal among them all. The above is true especially if there was no proof of fingerprints left at the scene of a crime. This will mean that all the clones have to be arrested and investigated thoroughly. If cloning was done basically to reproduce geniuses, this would threaten the survival of other people in the society. This is because such people will take up the top jobs in the society as the rest scramble for the low positions. It will also make the existence of those persons with lower mental abilities to be nearly impossible.

What major problems did European States face in the fourteenth century Essay

What major problems did European States face in the fourteenth century - Essay Example The population of Europe had reduced by a half by the time the 15th Century set in as compared to the mid 1300s. The problem of this Black Death plague affected Europe in that there was shortage of labor since smaller portions of land were under cultivation. Due to the shortage of labor the serfs got a vantage position when it came to bargaining their wages since they were in high demand. In reaction to this, the governments tried to control the wages by fixing them. However, this was all in vain since the predicament of labor shortage continued to persist. Serfs would simply offer their services to the landlords who would be ready to pay higher wages as opposed to those who stuck to the system set by the government. Numerous peasants called for the society’s restructuring and there was the demanding of a bit of democracy as well as the stoppage of aristocratic privileges and rights. After the dismissal of these demands for a better lifestyle by the nobility there was a great loss as regards the commoners. There was fiasco everywhere in Europe and thus the Rebellion in France and England in years 1358 and 1381 respectively were just a shadow of the real deal. All the rebellions were not a success. The separation of the manor approach to agriculture started as a result of the rebellions, though. The land rent system took over and the subsequent period after that had the peasant’s freedom recognized. The system is still there in the day-to-day Europe. However, the demand by the peasants to own their land resulted to a lot of migration to other areas like Australia, Russia, Americas and Africa. Land was never adequate and thus sharing it among sons would lead to decisions that were not economically feasible. High wage levels led to a rise in inflation levels and for survival purposes the small commercial and manufacturing classes made an attempt to maintain the position that

Machiavelli, Lao-Tzu and Carnegie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Machiavelli, Lao-Tzu and Carnegie - Essay Example Generally, when leaders need to make regular decisions that deal with the day to day running of the organization, they may choose to use democratic leadership to involve their subjects and other subordinates. Where there is the need for most executive and finance based decision to be made also, leaders may keep their cards close to their chest, exercising authoritative leadership. However, judging from the fact that some trend of leadership; not necessarily concerned about leadership style have produced more exemplary results of organizational success than others makes it possible to generally say that one concept of leadership is more effective and relevant than others. In this paper therefore, the works of Machiavelli and Lao-Tzu are compared to argue on which of the two authors offers a more proactive and relevant approach to modern leadership. Relevance and Effectiveness of advice in a Modern day Society To pass judgment on the advice on leadership that is most relevant and effec tive in a modern day society, it would be important to consider the kind of setting within which each of the two leaders gave out their advice and compare that to the kind of society we have today. Machiavelli wrote â€Å"The Prince† from a perspective of authoritarianism, where the prince is seen to be a superior, whose offenses to his subjects must be expected, but cannot be questioned. It is for instance stated specifically that â€Å"the prince cannot avoid giving offence to his new subjects, either in respect of the troops he quarters on them† (c. 3). Meanwhile in modern society, democratic practice is hailed in all facets of life, right from an individual level, to organizational level, then to state levels. On the other hand, â€Å"Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching† can be said to have been written in a state of general peace and calmness in the land. This notion is exemplified with a quote such as, â€Å"The good I meet with goodness; the bad I also meet w ith goodness. Thus I actualize goodness† (p. 121). Given the fact that modern society is currently backed by several pressure groups, international organizations and non-governmental organizations that champion the course of global peace and goodness as against war and violence, the advice given by Lao-Tzu on the need to embrace all with goodness can be said to be the most relevant and effective in a modern day society. There would be several justifications for pointing to Lao-Tzu’s advice on leadership as the most relevant and effective in modern day society. In the first place, most modern theories of leadership can be seen as directed towards the need for current leaders to raise the next generation of leaders right within their midst and in their presence. But to do this, it is important that followers will see diligence and trust in their leaders. It is for this reason Lao-Tzu states that â€Å"Not priding oneself on one’s worth forestalls the peopleâ€℠¢s envy. Not prizing treasures that are difficult to obtain keeps people from committing theft† (p. 98, line 18-20). That is to say that, leaders must see the need to create value in their followers rather than depending on the values of their worth and treasures. Meanwhile, when the advice of Machiavelli on the establishment of

Parole Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Parole - Essay Example However, there has been a consensus among the players within the criminal justice system that incarceration is not the most appropriate measure to all offenders. It is in the light of this consensus that parole and probation systems were developed in order to provide alternative and appropriate ways of addressing specific types of offenders (Welsh and Harris, 2008). These systems have had remarkable impacts within the criminal justice system; but they have also had some shortcomings as well. Particularly, parole has been regarded as an early release option that puts the public at unnecessary risk. On the other hand, there are those who argue that it allows the re-integration of offenders into the community and provides better prospects for rehabilitation (Broadhurst, 2001). This paper will seek to understand the parole system by discussing its pros and cons. In addition, it will discuss whether parole is currently over-utilized or under-utilized in Australia, or whether proper balanc e has been struck. Yoshimura (2000) defines parole as a process that involves conditionally releasing an offender from prison so that he or she can serve the remaining sentence in the community according to the sentences terms that the court would impose. Often, offenders released under parole serve the remaining sentence in the community under community corrections officer supervision. Parole is considered as a conditional release from the prison because the release of the offenders is based on certain conditions such as prisoners agreeing to obey specific restrictions imposed by the court. It should be noted that the parole release decisions basis vary across jurisdiction and time (Proctor, 1999). For example, parole can be offered as an entitlement to offenders after they have served a specified minimum imprisonment term. Similarly, parole can be used as a reward for offender’s good behavior. Nonetheless, the bottom line is that granting of release on parole is based on

Cockpit display visual Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cockpit display visual - Research Paper Example The cockpit will inform them the positions to be in order to avoid any encounter (Weber, 2011). However, proper information has to be fed to the pilots for them to make accurate decisions. Cockpit visual display systems rely solely on highly reliable and accurate mathematical algorithms that correctly tell the cockpit the right air path that the pilot should maintain in order to avoid collisions. Despite the many lives that the cockpit has already and is still saving, the problem lies with the vision of the pilots. Does the lighting system of the cockpit affect the eyes of the pilots? The human visual sense has so many limitations that make it had to adapt to the complex environment in the air. The three dimensional movements and high speeds present in the air are too demanding for the human eye. Furthermore, the human vision is prone to illusions especially at night or when there is poor lighting. Since the human eyes cannot be relied upon to safely navigate through the air, the best substitute is automatically the cockpit. However, the cockpit system should not be a hazard to the pilots because as the eyes’ performance keeps waning, the higher the risks of accidents occurring (Aviationknowledge, 2012). The human eye has two color receptors: Rods and Cones. The cones are found at the center of the Retina while the rods are found at the periphery of the retina. Cones are responsible for photopic vision used when there is light while Rods are responsible for Scotopic vision used in darkness or when there is poor illumination. During the post World War II era, all aircrafts utilized the red light for the cockpit lighting since it did not degrade adaption of the eye to darkness (American Optometric Association, 2011). Nowadays, cockpits are made up of white light that is poor at preserving visual sensitivity for viewing. White light cockpits are being used today because they do not distort the true color of objects. Furthermore, red lighting

The First Essay Example for Free

The First Essay In the first part of this lab, E. coli cells were transformed with an R-plasmid carrying a tetracycline resistant gene, giving rise to tetracycline resistant E. coli strain. This was accomplished through transformation, which allowed E. coli to directly uptake the naked DNA molecule carrying the antibiotic resistant gene (1). However, in order to take up the DNA and incorporate them into their genome via recombination, cells must be competent (1). Therefore, E. coli cells which are not competent under normal conditions were treated with cold and high concentration of CaCl2, in order to make them artificially competent (1). The transformants were grown on the LB with the tetracycline antibiotic, and on the LB without the tetracycline. Then the viable competent cells and the viable cells were counted to calculate the frequency of transformation. In the second part of the lab, lateral gene transfer by generalized transduction was done on E. coli cells. In the process of transduction, the transfer of genes is facilitated by bacteriophage, which is a virus that infects a bacterial host (1). Generalized transduction involves lytic infections that kill the bacterial cells, and during the process, bacterial DNA is packaged into a new phage head which in turn injects the DNA into another bacterium (1). In this lab, P1vir phage was used and grown on the donor strain by making a phage lysate. P1vir phage kills bacterial cells by lytic infections, which is required in the generalized transduction (1). On the other hand, the wild-type p1 is a lysogenic phage and therefore could not be used for the generalized transduction (1). In order to prevent excessive killing of the recipient E. oli strain, the P1vir lysate was tittered by serial dilutions. This would also prevent infection and lysis of the transducing particle. In generalized transduction, trp-pyrF region of CSH61 chromosome, which was the P1vir lysate, was laterally transferred to the recipient CSH54 strain. The genotypes of transductants were tested by patching them onto a Petrie plate lacking tryptophan and uracil, whi ch will allow growth of trp+, pyrF+, and not the trp+,pyrF- transductants. Trp gene encodes for trypsin, while the pyrF gene encodes for pyramidines, such as uracil. Thi, his, and pro genes encode for thiamine, histidine, and proline respeictively (1). Finally, the frequency of transductant was used to obtain the distance between the trp and pyrF gene. Discussion In the transformation experiment, E. coli cells were transformed with Plasmid DNA containing the tetracycline resistant gene, and were tested for competency by growing them in LB in presence of tetracycline antibiotic. Tetracycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic that works by inhibiting translation, thus inhibiting protein synthesis. It attaches to the 30S subunit of ribosome and prevents the charged aminoacyl-tRNA from binding (3). As shown on Table 1, Tube 3 and Tube 2 did not have any growth of E. coli cells. Tube 2 contained E. coli cells only, and when cultured on the LB plate in presence of tetracycline antibiotic, the growth was inhibited by the antibiotic. Because the E. coli cells in tube 2 lacked the tetracycline resistant gene contained in the plasmid DNA, it was unable to grow in the presence of tetracycline antibiotic. Tube 3, lacked the E. coli cells and so, there were no cells to grow in the LB plate with or without the tetracycline. Tube 3 instead was used as a control, to test for contamination in the plasmid DNA and the calcium chloride. In tube 1, which contained the E. coli cells and the plasmid DNA containing the tetracycline resistant gene, transformation occurred. As a result, E. coli cells have acquired the tetracycline resistant gene, being able to grow on the LB plate in the presence of the tetracycline antibiotic. Therefore the viable competent cells were counted from tube 1 contents in 102 diluted LB (with antibiotic), which had cells between 30 and 300 colonies. On the other hand, the total viable cells were counted from tube 1 in 106 diluted plate that was grown on LB without the antibiotic. As shown on table. 2, the viable competent cells were calculated to be 24350 cells/100ul and the total viable cells were found to be 370,500,000 cells/100ul. Finally, the transformation frequency, which is the ratio of transformants per viable cell, was calculated and was found to be 6. 49 x 10-05 as shown on table 2. In the generalized transduction experiment, trp gene from the donor strain of CSH61 (P1vir lysate) was laterally transferred to the recipient strain, CSH54. CSH61 strain are trp+, pyrF+ and the CSH54 strain are trp-, pyrF-, and because trp and pyrF are linked together on the same chromosomal fragment, they are cotransduced (1). The transductants were identified by selecting for the trp+ marker by growing in absence of tryptophan, however the pyrF marker may be present or absent, depending on the crossover event during recombination. This was identified by patching the transductants onto a Petrie plate lacking tryptophan and uracil. The trp+, pyrF+ transductants will be able to synthesize both tryptophan and uracil, and therefore will grow in this minimal medium (1). However, trp+, pyrF- transductants cannot grow in the medium, because they won’t be able to synthesize uracil (1). As shown on table 3, 57. 5% of transductants were trp+, pyrF+ while 42. 5% were trp+, pyrF-. This means trp is cotransduced with pyrF at 57. 5% frequency, which indicates that they are very closely linked. Markers which are separated by less than 0. 5 minutes are cotransduced at 35-95%, and so, trp which cotransduced with pyrF at 57. 5%, is very closely linked (1). This closely matches the actual cotransduction frequency of 55% between trp and pyrF in E. oli (2). According to the Wu formula, the cotransduction frequency of 57. 5% yielded distance of 0. 084 minutes, which was very close to the distance of 0. 09 minutes at cotransduction frequency of 55% found in literature (2). Bacterial genes can also be analyzed by a method known as Southern blotting (4). In this method, DNA is treated with restriction enzymes, which cuts the DNA into fragments of different size. Then the fragments are run on an agarose gel by electrophoresis, which separates the fragments by size.

Resource Based View Of Firms Competitive Advantage

Resource Based View Of Firms Competitive Advantage The nature of competition constitutes the basis of a firm s success or failure. Quality today no longer constitutes a competitive weapon. Organisations long term success in a market is determined by its ability to expand and maintain a large number of loyal customer bases. Innovation has always been at the focus of competitiveness. Innovation often occurs in sudden dynamic shifts. It is these sudden competitive changing innovations that open up and close out vast areas of businesses. A firm s core competences is dependent on its capacity to creatively combine core skills (Prahalad, 1993), from both within and out side the organisation. However, what matters is the creative bundling of a firm s core competency (Prahalad, 1993) and thus, the need for a focus on the factors that signal value to the customers. Firms are required not only to improve, but to innovate products and services and anticipate customer needs on a continuous basis. In order to maintain a long-term relationship with the customer, firms need to demonstrate their ability to think for the customer, and to conceive and implement new ways to serve them better. Table of contents Executive Summary 1 1.0 Introduction An Overview of the Resource-Based View (RBV) 2.0 Competitive Advantage and Innovation 3-7 3.0 International Business Machines Corporation IBM 4.0 SONY 8 5.0 Procter Gamble 11 6.0 Conclusion 14 References 15-18 Bibliography and Appendices 19-21 1.0 Introduction An Overview of the Resource-Based View (RBV) RBV is a strategic theory for understanding why some firms outperform others. It is a widely adopted analytical tool of assessing a firm s internal strengths and weaknesses and a business management tool used to determine the strategic resources available to a firm. The fundamental principle of the RBV is that the basis for a competitive advantage of a firm lies primarily in the application of the bundle of valuable resources at the firms disposal (Wernerfelt, 1984, p172). It provides an explanation of competitive heterogeneity between firms. To transform a short-run competitive advantage into a sustained competitive advantage requires that these resources are heterogeneous in nature and not perfectly mobile (Peteraf, 1993, p180). Classical RBV theory was contributed by Penrose (1959) almost half a century ago. She argued that a firm is more than an administrative unit. It is also a collection of productive resources. The disposal of the resources between different users over time is determined by administrative decision. Penrose contributed to our knowledge of the creation of competitive advantage, sustaining competitive advantage, isolating mechanisms, and competitive advantage and economic rents (Kor and Mahoney, 2004). Modern RBV theory of the firm was introduced by Barney (1986, 1991), Dierickx and Cool (1989), and Peteraf (1993). Their works assumed that each firm is a collection of key resources and capabilities that determines a firm s strategy. Above-average returns are earned when the firm uses its core competencies to establish a competitive advantage over its rivals. With the progress in the research on RBV, it has become clear that the RBV extends beyond the assets of an organization and reaches i nto its capabilities which have more relation with process and activities. According to Barney (1991), for a firm to have the potential to generate competitive advantage firm resources must have four attributes. First, the firm must be valuable, in the sense that it exploits opportunities and or neutralizes threats in a firm s environment. Secondly, it must be rare among a firm s current and potential competition. Thirdly, it must be imperfectly imitable. Finally, there cannot be strategically equivalent substitutes for this resource . Identify the firm s potential key resources. Evaluate whether these resources fulfill the following (VRIN) criteria: Valuable A resource must enable a firm to employ a value-creating strategy, by either outperforming its competitors or reduce its own weaknesses (:p99;p36). Relevant in this perspective is that the transaction costs associated with the investment in the resource cannot be higher than the discounted future rents that flow out of the value-creating strategy (Mahoney and Prahalad, 1992, p370; Conner, 1992, p131). Rare To be of value, a resource must be by definition rare. In a perfectly competitive strategic factor market for a resource, the price of the resource will be a reflection of the expected discounted future above-average returns (Barney, 1986a, p1232-1233; Dierickx and Cool, 1989, p1504;[1]:p100). In-imitable If a valuable resource is controlled by only one firm it could be a source of a competitive advantage ([1]:p107). This advantage could be sustainable if competitors are not able to duplicate this strategic asset perfectly (Peteraf, 1993, p183; Barney, 1986b, p658). The term isolating mechanism was introduced by Rumelt (1984, p567) to explain why firms might not be able to imitate a resource to the degree that they are able to compete with the firm having the valuable resource (Peteraf, 1993, p182-183; Mahoney and Pandian, 1992, p371). An important underlying factor of inimitability is causal ambiguity, which occurs if the source from which a firm s competitive advantage stems is unknown (Peteraf, 1993, p182; Lippman and Rumelt, 1982, p420). If the resource in question is knowledge-based or socially complex, causal ambiguity is more likely to occur as these types of resources are more likely to be idiosyncratic to the firm in which it resides (Peteraf, 1993, p183; Mahoney and Pandian, 1992, p365;[1]:p110). Conner and Prahalad go so far as to say knowledge-based resources are the essence of the resource-based perspective (1996, p477). Non-substitutable Even if a resource is rare, potentially value-creating and imperfectly imitable, an equally important aspect is lack of substitutability (Dierickx and Cool, 1989, p1509;[1]:p111). If competitors are able to counter the firm s value-creating strategy with a substitute, prices are driven down to the point that the price equals the discounted future rents (Barney, 1986a, p1233; sheikh, 1991, p137), resulting in zero economic profits. 1.1 Competitive Advantage A firm can attain competitive advantage if the current strategy is value-creating, and not currently being implemented by present or possible future competitors. Competitive advantage has the ability to become sustained, however, this is not necessarily the case always. A competing firm can enter the market with a resource that has the ability to invalidate the prior firms competitive advantage, which results in reduced rents (Barney, 1986b, p658). Sustainability in the context of a sustainable competitive advantage is independent with regards to the time-frame. When the imitative actions have come to an end without disrupting the firm s competitive advantage, the firm s strategy can be called sustainable. This is contrary to other views that a competitive advantage is sustained when it provides above-average returns in the long run. (Porter, 1985). 2.0 Competitive Advantage through Innovation A convenient definition of innovation from an organizational perspective is given by Luecke and Katz (2003), who wrote: Innovation . . . is generally understood as the successful introduction of a new thing or method . . . Innovation is the embodiment, combination, or synthesis of knowledge in original, relevant, valued new products, processes, or services. A content analysis on the term innovation carried out by Baregheh et al. (2009) within the organizational context, defines innovation as: Innovation is the multi-stage process whereby organizations transform ideas into new/improved products, service or processes, in order to advance, compete and differentiate themselves successfully in their marketplace.[3] Innovation typically involves creativity, but is not identical to it: innovation involves acting on the creative ideas to make some specific and tangible difference in the domain in which the innovation occurs. For example, Amabile et al. (1996) propose: All innovation begins with creative ideas . . . We define innovation as the successful implementation of creative ideas within an organization. In this view, creativity by individuals and teams is a starting point for innovation; the first is necessary but not sufficient condition for the second. For innovation to occur, something more than the generation of a creative idea or insight is required: the insight must be put into action to make a genuine difference, resulting for example in new or altered business processes within the organization, or changes in the products and services provided. Innovation, like many business functions, is a management process that requires specific tools, rules, and discipline. Innovation is an instinctive behavior in certain companies. It does not emerge overnight, and will not be developed unless the firm is placed in with the right structure. This means that the firms need to identify and address their weakness, decide upon a strategic direction and determine what type of growth innovation will stimulate. In order for firms to survive intensive competition that exist around the globe, firms must be innovative. It is essential to understand what makes a firm innovative and the kind of resources make a significant contribution to a firm s innovation capabilities. We do know that good technological resources and rich innovation resources result in stronger innovation capabilities. Companies need to introduce architectural or business- model breakthroughs in order to develop new strategies to attack competitors and enter new markets. They must identify the gaps in industrial organisation and go into filling these gaps by finding ways to turn them into profitable markets. They need to find new customers, new products or new ways of promoting, producing or distributing them. Strategic innovation goes beyond just product innovation. It links resources and efforts to an overall business strategy and involves making knowledge creation and innovative action a way of life. It seeks to create and expand markets, rather than to react to customer demand and then redirecting its resources from profitable lines to more potentially profitable lines. According to Abraham and Knight (2001), for those managers who know about the strategic innovation approach, the approach serves as a part of intelligence-gene transplant , enabling them to leverage resources to achieve superior growth or competitive advantage. Innovation remains a management dilemma long-term survival requires a commitment to alteration and change through disrupting growth, but it s a strategy few companies survive. In order to solve the dilemma, leaders must address its inherent conflict. The need to innovate is universally perceived as the key to organizational survival, but it s not enough for companies to merely get better. They need to be more differentiated not just through extensions of existing businesses, but mainly through a commitment to continuous growth. Such transformational innovation is a necessity, not an option Strategic innovation process has become such an essential element due to the speed of change and increased competition. According to Abraham and Knight (2001), The process is based on repetitions of the five phase strategic innovation cycle as illustrated in the diagram below. Source : Abraham, J.L, and Knight, D.J, (2001) Strategic Innovation leveraging creative action for more profitable growth. Strategy Leadership 29, pp 24 Abraham and Knight (2001), states that This cycle helps transform difficult-to-describe tacit knowledge and experiences into more explicit form and enables a leader to deliberately and systematically create results-oriented knowledge and innovative action. Abraham and Knight (2001) identifies the five phases as per of the strategic innovation cycle. It is illustrated in Appendix 1. Abraham and Knight (2001) also identified a strategic innovation cycle In the below diagram, the strategic innovation cycle is recurring, generating an increased knowledge and innovation, spiraling up and across an organization and even reaching outside the organizations boundaries Source : Abraham, J.L, and Knight, D.J, (2001) Strategic Innovation leveraging creative action for more profitable growth. Strategy Leadership 29, pp 24 2.1 Criticism of innovation It is often considered that firms often resist to change, both within and outside the organisation. Virtually every large company that has got into trouble has been criticized for not changing rapidly enough. Many firms fail to anticipate change and its subsequent ramifications renders them unprepared, reactionary and lacking the drive necessary to respond to the market s demands. It has become increasingly important for firms today to introduce innovation and flexibility into their core competence (Peters, 1987). Moreover, in order to influence an organisation s potential resources, Prahalad (1993) argues for the development of a proactive framework in which innovation can be planned and managed. 3.0 Over view of International Business Machines Corporation IBM. The building block of IBM reach back into the mid 1880s, however, the company was officially founded in 1911 by Charles F. Flint, as he engineered the merger of Holleriths Tabulating Machine Company, Computing Scale Company of America and International Time Recording Company. The agreed upon name was Computing- Tabulating- Recording Company or C-T-R. C-T-R soon found itself struggling do to over diversification of its product. In 1914 Thomas J. Watson, Sr. was brought in to help homogenize the company. Throughout the Great Depression IBM was able to continue to grow and innovate even when demand for their products began to drop. In the 1940s IBM completed the first ever Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator, also called the Mark I. In the 1950s IBMs computers became smaller and more practical for business applications such as billing, payroll and inventory control. IBM was the first computing company to sell computers without software bundled into the package, this move generated the multi-billion dollar software industry that exist today, of which IBM is still an industry leader. In the 1970s and 80s IBM worked to get the computer smaller and more convenient for the household format. Floppy disks were introduced to the public market as personal self storage devices. IBM also developed the first Intranet in the mid 80s and created the foundations for what would later become the internet. In the late 1980s and early 90s IBM was struck with turmoil as the PC revolution exploded IBMs long standing relationships with big business saw the company struggling to survive, averaging annual losses of 8 billion. Personal consumers were all the rage not big business consumers. Soon IBM was able to use their intranet experiences of the past and harness the emerging information age using their line of top end servers and integrated business solutions. Today, IBM is a world leading research organisation boasting a track record for breakthrough developments that many other envy and we can match. IBM has an impressive inventory of ideas due to their reliance on in-house expertise. The company has been forging closer links with a range of external technology developers due to changing market demands. To IBM, technology equals participation and interaction, whose prime motive is how it can be more widely applied. IBM employs a breakthrough tool to enhance the team creation process. IBMs future looks strong as they are the underlying producers of servers and business solutions for the e-business industry, which is growing at an incredible rate. 4.0 Procter and Gamble Procter Gamble is a company with more than 100 years on business, and is a clear example of a successful company. Procter and Gamble was founded in 1837 and incorporated in Ohio on May 5, 1905. It began as a small family operated soap and candle company, and now provides products and services of greater quality and value to consumers in over 180 countries. Procter Gamble has one of the largest and strongest portfolios of trusted brands. Procter and Gamble is the producer of products in nearly 50 categories. Because of this, they have been able to bond technologies within the categories in various astonishing ways. Over the years, Procter Gamble s Research and Development team has revolutionized home care. Many breakthroughs originate in the Procter Gamble s laboratories. Procter Gamble operates in more than 80 countries worldwide, which makes for one of the largest global companies around. Procter Gamble s strategy is mostly focused on innovation. They use this strategy to approach consumers more easily, and to obtain the most effective results towards the market share in the industry. Procter Gamble is also strongly committed to the concept of sustainable development, and continues to lead its industry in that regard. The company views sustainability as an opportunity to innovate products that improve the lives of the worlds consumers. Procter Gamble centers its sustainability efforts largely on its core activities. In particular, two key themes are significant to a number of Procter Gambles businesses: water purification technology products and sanitation hygiene. In that context, Procter Gamble emphasizes on innovation in products that serve basic needs of consumers in the least developed countries. The companys high scores in the criteria of product impact and strategies for emerging economies is a reflection of that fact. In developed markets, Procter Gamble focuses on environmental excellence, innovating in products such as cold-water cleaning technologies that provide good performance as well as energy savings and eco-efficiency Procter and Gamble s Innovation strategy is called Connect + Develop. This strategy is seeking to build a global innovation network. Through Connect + Develop relationships, the company continually searches for products, packaging, technologies and commercial opportunities that can be reapplied to brands and rapidly introduced to better meet consumers diverse needs. This strategy seeks to leverage the ideas, talents and innovation assets of individuals, institutes and companies around the world. Innovation Examples: Ready-to-go Technologies: Procter Gamble introduced Bounce, the worlds first dryer added softener, after acquiring the product technology from the independent inventor who developed the innovative fabric-care solution. Ready-to-go Products: In this instance, the deal was struck when Procter Gamble acquired Dr. Johns Spin brush business and added the Crest brand name to the innovation. Ready-to-go Packaging: Several of the Olay Skin Care products now utilize new consumer-preferred pump dispensers originally developed by a European packaging products company. Commercial Partnerships: Procter Gamble found the perfect complement to the Swiffer brand in a hand-held duster developed by a Japanese competitor. The VRIO analysis provides a deep look into Procter Gamble which helps to analyze what makes or does not make this company so unique. Procter and Gamble s physical resources are valuable but not rare, and are costly to imitate. The Procter Gamble Company has over 138,000 employees. Managing this many employees is not an easy task. Training these masses alone is an unprecedented task. Having all these employees work in conjunction is something that is not easy to imitate. Procter Gamble s research team is made up of 7,500 Ph.D.s and researchers. Within Research and Development, there is a strong commitment to find the best researchers, and retain them with a culture designed to reward success, stimulate learning, challenge complacency, and nurture innovation. It is this common goal, which in instilled in those who work in the department, that the company gets its extra vigor and motivation. Criticism Procter Gamble could focus more on the Research and Development department, which has the task of analyzing and preparing potential products for such a complex market. It is also important to mention that India and China are the fastest growing economies, and so this factor represents an opportunity for growth. In the marketing aspect, Procter Gamble has to focus more on demographics and how to target effectively the Asian market. Procter Gamble is a very strong competitive company within the markets that it resides. This company will most likely continue to prosper for some time but always has the possibility of a down fall. As long as Procter Gamble continues to implement their strategies and effectively revise them along with the changes in the markets Procter Gamble will continue to have a prosperous outlook. 5.0 Overview of Sony Corporation; Sony is a company which managed to become an established name in the electronics market. It exists of a mix of businesses ranging from Hollywood studios to high-definition televisions. It is the company which created the forever-famous Walkman, as well as the highly popular Playstation gaming devises. The Sony brand is often seen as cool , hip . It is a company with very high heights, but also very low lows. Not only on the subject of products, but also regarding management and structure. Sony s Play Station video game console is just one of a string of imaginative hit products that include the Trinition colour television and the Walkman personal stereo player. The company s creative, somewhat quirly, eccentric engineer-focussed corporate culture, where ideas and enthusiasm are valued over and above seniority, experience and university degrees, has been the main reason for its success. Consumer electronics industry is changing, competition is becoming intense and product lines are moving closer together. With complacency settting in at Sony, resources became stretched too thinly, managers becamse less demanding and creativity was made over complicated. The case of Sony questions whether efficiency and productivity really go hand in hand with creativity and innovation. Sony is struggling to find a balance between the drive to stay innovative and the cooperate need to not fall behind the competition in key markets. It must decide whether it is leading, following or simply standing still. Criticism Sony could afford to concentrate on product quality and can have a more rigorous project management structure. First mover advantage is active in evolutionary technological transitions which are technological innovations based on previous developments (Kim and Park 2006, p, 45, Cottam et al. 2001, p. 142). Late entrants may comply with the technological innovativeness and increase pressure of competition, hence, seek for a competitive advantage through making the existing competences and resources of early entrants invalid or outdated. In other words innovative technological implications will significantly change the landscape of the industry and the market, making early mover s advantage minimum. However, in a market where technology does not play a dynamic role, early mover advantage may prevail. 6.0 Critiques of Resource Based View. The RBV s lack of clarity regarding its core premise and its lack of any clear boundary impedes fruitful debate. Given the theory s lack of specificity, one can invoke the definition-based or hypothesis-based logic any time. Again, we argue that resources are but one potential source of competitive heterogeneity. Competitive heterogeneity can obtain for reasons other than sticky resources (or capabilities) (Hoopes et al. 2003: 891). Competitive heterogeneity refers to enduring and systematic performance differences among close competitors (Hoopes et al., 2003: 890). The limitations of RBV are mainly in two aspects. First, RBV alone does not capture all the essences of competitive advantage of the firms. RBV provides no perspective on why and how some firms rather than others accumulated valuable and inimitable resources, or indeed what made these resources valuable and inimitable (Lazonick, 2002). In order to explain competitive advantage, the RBV must incorporate the evolution over time of the resources and capabilities that form the basis of competitive advantage (Helfat and Peteraf, 2003). Second, RBV ignores the external elements and focuses on the internal. A complete model of strategic advantage should adopt both the internal dimension which is based on periodic reviews of the fitness of the firm s current resources and the external dimension which is oriented towards an appraisal of the resource endowments of outsiders such as competitors, customers, suppliers and so on. Furthermore, it is also important and relevant to briefly discuss the concept of resource and capability. A firm s resources can be classified into two categories: tangible resources and intangible resources. Tangible resources are assets that can be seen and quantified. Intangible resources are rooted deeply in the firm s history and that have accumulated over time. Barney (1991) and Grant (1991) classified tangible resources into four forms: financial resources, organizational structure, physical resources and technological resources. Grant (1991) and Hall (1992) identified three kinds of intangible resources: human resources, innovation resources and reputation resources. Priem and Butler (2001) made four key criticisms: The RBV is self-verifying. Barney has defined a competitive advantage as a value-creating strategy that is based on resources that are, among other characteristics, valuable (1991, p106). This reasoning is circular and therefore operationally invalid (Priem and Butler, 2001a, p31). Different resource configurations can generate the same value for firms and thus would not be competitive advantage The role of product markets is underdeveloped in the argument The theory has limited prescriptive implications However, Barney (2001) provided counter-arguments to these points of criticism. 7.0 Conclusion In order to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage, firms will have to out-innovate the competition continuously so that it is the customer who constitutes the ultimate beneficiary. All too often firms lose sight of their primary goal their customers needs, wants and values in pursuit of innovations that appear to promise improved efficiency and augmented financial benefits. Thinking for the customer , it is argued, implies that innovation derives from customer orientation: the firm s desire to serve and reward their customers. Furthermore, beyond a firm s technological innovations, what has become increasingly important is the firm s service innovations. Service innovation is the process through which a firm undertakes changes in its philosophy, culture, operations and procedures to add value to the result of the service/product for the benefit of the customer. It requires an understanding of the complex nature of customers needs and the values attributed to combined product and service offerings (service package). Essentially, therefore, service innovation depends on a firm s ability to use this understanding to evolve, collaborate and enter partnerships that effectively fulfil their customers holistic needs and, thereby, increase the opportunities for customer allegiance (relationship). A number of issues have emerged from this study which have important contributions in both innovation as a competitive advantage and how resource based view is applied in the real world . While the above arguments tender theoretical understanding and explanation, it is recommended that future empirical research need to be done to complement this study, particularly in terms of identifying the various analytical tools for understanding and developing competitive advantage.